A REPORTED NEW ZEALAND ROMANCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 460, 18 March 1878, Page 2

A REPORTED NEW ZEALAND ROMANCE.

In our Issue of 22nd Felmary we reprinted a cutting from the Whitehall Review, with reference to Mr J. W. Mackay, the owner of the great Bonanza Silver Mine. That extract stated that Mr Mackay was 30 years ago a penniless boy in Ireland ; that he then left home, and 20 years ago was travellingfas a speculative tradesman in the United States ; that 16 years ago he was a banckrupt; and that at the present day he lias an annual income of £2,700,000, representing' a capital of £55,000,000. Mr Alexander Mackay, of Paikakariki, this morning called at our office, and stated that he believed the J. W. Mackay was his brother, John William Mackay. In 1849 John Mackay was a penniless boy in Ireland, but in 1850 he came out to New Zealand, to his brother Alexander, In 1851 he left his brother, and went to the Otago Gold Fields, where, he made a considerable sum of money. He subsequently went to Australia, and he corresponded with his brother until about 1858, or just 20 years ago. He then disappeared, and, as he had often expressed an intention of “ trying his luck” in America, our informant thought he had probably gone over there, and he afterwards discovered that this surmise was correct, though whether he was in the United States or not is not known. Nothing was heard of him for years, the letters addressed to him being returned unopened. Subsequently, through inquiries made by Mr. George Hart, it was ascertained that John had lost all his money, and returned to New Zealand. This would lit in with the statement that sixteen years ago he was a bankrnpt, for the date of his return would be about 1863 or 1864. He worked on the Dunstan and Cromwell gold-fields for some years, and in 1868 again left the colony, having amassed a large sum of money. Mr. Hart’s informants thought he had returned to Ireland, to visit his relatives, but letters received from Home within the last few months state that he has never been seen or heard of since he left in 1850. Mr Alexander Mackay therefore thinks that he must have returned to America, and there taken to speculating in mines, a sutmi.se which.his old gold-mining experience in Now Zealand and Australia renders highly probable. Enquiries are. being made to find out the truth, and if the J. W. Mackay ot the rich Bonanza should turn out to be the one-time Otago miner, there will be one more real romance to add to the many curious histories the world contains.— Post.