Egypt's Great Miser.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 18 September 1914, Page 2

Egypt's Great Miser.

There has recently died the man who is said to have been the greatest miser Egypt has known. Shawarli Pasha was a member of the Legislative Council, and was reputed to be one of the wealthiest landowners. He had an income of at least £150,000 and no debts.

But it appears that he has carried his misanthropical sentiments even beyond the grave, for, not being able to take his goods and chattels with him, he has arranged so that the bulk of his fortune shall benefit no one. The Moslem law lays it down that unless a "Wakfs," or relinious trust, is constituted, a testator can only deal freely with a small part of his estate ; the balance has to be divided up amongst the heirs on a fixed scale. So, as he wanted to have the free disposal of his fortune, the Pasha made his entire estate into a "Wakfs." Usually such a trust is made for the benefit of the heirs and to protect the estate from undue spoliation.

But the Pasha disdained to follow the custom, ' and has directed that his children are to receive just sufficient to enable them to live —in no case are they to take -more than £300 per annum each—and the residue of the income (about £140:000) is to be devoted to the purchase of land, houses, etc., for the improvement of the "Wakfs," which, as the testator left no further directions, will benefit no one, the income

merely accumulating or being . expended on land purchases.

It is almost incredible that a man of such a high position could cherish such misanthropical and miserly sentiments as to leave n will of this description, but this case only shows that the spirit of the Harpagon is still alive in the world.— "Pall Mall Gazette."