HOBBS’ MILLIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1925, Page 2

HOBBS’ MILLIONS

CLAIMANTS’ SHARE OF FIRST DiSTKutrnox. SYDNEY, May S. Sixty happy people met at a house in Stiathlicld, oi.i' of Sydney's suburbs, a lew days ago to 11 ml that, by the touch of the philosopher’s stone, their dree,ms, and the dreams of the other of the 2-70 claimants to the millions left by John Hobbs, of a silk weaving family, mo:e than a (outury ago. had been converted into wealth. Practically the whole ( the claimants are in New South AYah ■ and the majority arc in the old HawkcsImrv district, where Robert Robbs, a brother of John Hobbs, . c.-ured a farm at the end of the eighteenth century. \\ hen John Hobbs died, he willed the income of his properly to his brother Robert, and upon the latter’s death to his “lawfully begotten descendants.” Robert Hobbs received his income, hut his children, it is stated. strangely enough never claimed the property, and it was diverted to tin; Crown. The King’s solit itor. it is now stated, has ’ promised to make £2.000.0(19 available for distribution among the 2-YJ claimants. The money it is expected will be distributed this year. According to a IK w.spapor report, the GO claimants who held the meeting expressed themselves as satisfied ween they learned ol the gla 1 tidings. Bui as a little (ompeii.sa-ti-n for seine of life’s painful realities, one might, easily have exp -etod to find them, not merely satisfied, bill lilt'd to the very summit of terrestrial felic-