An Aristocratic Gold-miner

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 133, 29 April 1893, Page 4

An Aristocratic Gold-miner

♦ It was on th© West Coast, some fourteen years ago, says the Wanganui Herald, that a miner was received into the Hokitika Hospital, suffering from one of those complaints which flesh is heir to, but which more particularly attacks thoae whose time ia devoted to digging for the precious metal. He was a thickset, broadshouldered fellow, and bore every appearance of having been, if not reared in the lap of luxury, at any rate had considerable attention paid to his bringing-up and education. Just tho one little besetting sin, though} foe was, so to speak, a ne'er-do-well. On his discharge from the institution he was asked, in the ordinary way, if he could donate anything, but he replied in the negative, suggesting that probably, if his uncle, the Earl of Derby, was written to he could. Although but little credence was placed in his story the uncle was written to, and the identity of the erstwhile patient having been established, a communication followed in due time, and remittances at the rate of £2 per week were arranged for. These moneys were sent to bim regularly by our informant, Mr J. W. Blake, who at that time was in Hokitika, and afterwards to various places where he moved to. That remittance man is Lord Stunley, of Preston, who succeeds to the title rendered vacant by tho death of the Earl of Derby.