An Eventful Life.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 136, 18 June 1872, Page 3

An Eventful Life.

Everybody in Melbourne knows "the blind speculator" —Mr Augustus Keith—who for so many years has been a familiar figure in Collins-street, us lie walked to and fro, leaning on the arm of a companion and guide. Few, however, * know the full measure of his strange eventful history, which he thus narrates : —" I ought to give you some account of what I have been doing since my arrival in this colony. While I was in New Zealand in 1842, by the explosion of a gun I lost my sight and the use of my right hand. Partially recovering, I returned to England in 1843; and the following year, while under medical treatment, I totally lost my sight, and have never recovere I it. Yet which time my speculations were as follows : First: I brought out with me a moveable hotel, furniture, &e., intending to erect it on the diggings, but I afterwards erected it as a goods store in Collinsstreet west. Second :—I built the Parade Hotel, Wellington-parade, opposite the I Survey Paddock, Richmond, when the whole of East Melbourne was bush land. Third : I purchased the ' Melbourne Packet,' a sailing vessel of 200 tons burden, for .£2,500, to trade with the adjoining colonies. Fourth : I built the Sandhurst Hotel, Bendigo, which was at the time the second hotel building—Dr Tierney's, afterwards Mr Harney's, was the only other hotel then in course of erection, paying carriage for goods £IOO per ton. Fifth : I advanced money to build the Criterion Theatre, Sandhurst, which afterwards fell into my hands, and was called the Haymarket. Sixth : I took up from the Government, and purchased from private owners, 500 acres of land at Huntley, near Sandhurst; formed the township of Huntley, and as a great portion of the land was auriferous, sold several claims to miners, and afterwards subdivided the remainder into small suburban allotments. Seventh : I assisted Mr Emmett in the formation of the Bentligo Waterworks Company, by finding the cash—upwards |of £7so—for Mr Emmett's expenses while J getting up the Company. I was after- ! wards one of the largest shareholders, purchasing shares at .£lB premium. Eighth : T formed the first mining company under the first Limited Liability Act, in small shares, viz, the Catherine Reef Quartz Mining Company, which caused the first ; rush of mining companies at Bendigo ; and I was subsequently interested in many other I companies. Ninth: I rented and afterI wards purchased, premises and brewing ! plant, and carried on the business of brewing at Sandhurst. T rented Mr Harney's irrigation farm, with steam plant, on the Campaspe, the rent of which was £250 per annum. I rented afterwards another farm of 300 acres on the same river, where I erected all the machinery, plant, &c, for extensive irrigation, and at the same time rented a vineyard and orchard on the i Bendigo Creek. Eleventh : I rented the malthouso on the Yarra, Richmond, and carried on the business of malting. Twelfth : I projected the A gricultural and Pastoral Association ; and obtained runs having sixty miles frontage to the Paroo River, embracing one million four hundred acres of land leased from the Sydney Government, with 33,000 head of cattle. I also obtained the use of two other runs in Queensland, having purchased 10,000 sheep and 8,000 head of cattle. Thirteenth : I joined a company to search for coal at Western Port, where we sank several shafts and bored to the depth of 300 feet. Fourteenth : I joined others in collecting black wood timber, for the purpose of making furniti re, and staves for casks. Fifteenth : I projected the present Polynesian Company, and suggested the same to Messrs F. Cook, C. Yamlam, and W. ' 11. C. Brewer, and gave them a written sketch of a treaty to be obtained from King Thakombau, by which they obtained two hundred thousand acres of land and certain priviliges. all of which the company obtained by their first treaty with the king. Sixteenth : I went to Queensland, chartered a small vessel, and made two trips to obtain pearls and pearl shells. I have spent thousands in mining—both in quartz and alluvial workings for gold. ! Three times have I prospected with others I tor copper ; and had several interests in ! the gold and tin mines at Beechworth, &c. Lastly, I am unfortunately an inmate of i the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum."