BOB SERVIER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13716, 5 October 1908, Page 3

808 SERVIER.

A LIFE OF ADVENTURE

Mr Sievier has had a life of adventure a,, crowded with incident) as any hero of

"blood-and-thunder" romance. He joined the mounted politem boutn Africa, in September, 1876. when! only i six levn vears. of age. He had landed in Capetown with three friends, and between tben» thev mustered only 4* 6d, Hu,i Sjitvier had a," flutter" at pool- and came away with £6, which he shared with his friends. Sicvier went through the Kallir war of 1877-8, and on starting to reUiirii to Encland was wrecked in the Dmiiobui Castle on Kobben Island. He landed Tvith £75 in gold, a pair of truuwNt.. and a helniet, losing £3OO and all his kit in -the wreck. After some trying experiences as an actor in EnglaJid, lw went uui. to India. Coming back, he drifted to Monte Carlo, and then down to Naples, where he Mid denly took it into bis head to go to Australia. There Mr Sievkr'turned his .u----tvntion to bookmaking. The, Austral '.an* he found were fond of sport, and he managed to do very well, and -amass a fair sum of money.

After a visit to England he returned again to Australia, where lie contjiuvd <o prosper"i;is a, " peneiller." It wan, however, "light come, light go" with iiini as with so many of this class, and when Mr Sievier returned to Europe with Imm winnings lie sought *o increase tliein at Monte Carlo. The usual result followed. Ho lost' all. but, will his customary ab'lity fur getting out of a tight corner, ho worked his rxjierimeew out into a farce, called " Stone broke," «hich brought him in £SO.

With thin Mr Sicvicr began his ex pcrieneev* on tlie English lAirf. It. was a mvteoric career. He m;id«> huge sum/ by backing hor.-jcs. und at the vile of the late Duke of Westminster';* stud hj» gave 10,000 guineas for Sceptre, thru .->. yearling Wily, and 5000 guineas for Duke of Weslmiiifrter, t'lien an unbeaten two vcarold colt.

In 1904 Mr .Sievier brought an action for libel again*: Sir James Duke, who objected to his prvsvnce- in tie: Halcigh Club, but a verdict was returned for tlie defendant; after a summing-up mi the part of Mr Justice Uranlh.im wliicli was anything but complimentary, and, imic.-tl, very hostile to Mr Sir vie r. Soon nfur thi.*" l>» wa> warned off the turf, a u.irn itig lemoved some- tune afterwards.

Aft«r this he was charged njth periuiy in connection with his bmikiupiiy piu eeedings, but the- Treasury failed to obtain a committal, tlie ca.se being dismissed by ilk- magistral-.

Mr Sievier's hict business venture «.is the- .starting of a weekly ;.porling papci. '•'llk- Winn ng l'ost." «]n<h ivivmly eaine under tlie purview of the police ,ui<i .i London magistrate.