The Australian " Princess Midas"

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 257, 21 April 1888, Page 5

The Australian " Princess Midas"

Miss Cornwell, the Australian heroine of the London Stock Exchange "Princess Midas," as she is called —left for Melbourne on Thursday. The representative of enormous gold interests in this country, she goes homo on some special mission, possibly connected with Victoria. Her Midas Mine Company is one of the great successes of the London financial season. The capital asked for was close upon £200,000 ; the money was subscribed five times over, and the £1 shares are to-day selling; at £1 17s 6d. The noble chairman of the company has presented Miss Cornwell with a watch, constructed as a bracelet, set in diamonds, engraved with the dale of the allotment of shares, and inciibed to Princess Midas. Miss Cornwell is said to be so great an expert in gold-mining that she is credited with something like second sight in her prospecting. She is thoroughly practical, examines mines and workings with all the skill of the male miner, and with a special knowledge and luck ol her own. Personally Miss Cornwell ih remarkable for her womanliness and pleasant, gracious manner. She speaks of her work with singular modesty, but with a raie intelligence, and an evident knowledge. She has beautiful eyes and a sweet smile, dresses plainly wears no jewellery, except the bracelet in question, and that is useful, as the &ay» because it is a timekeeper. She puts on no " side," is quieb, self-possessed, and inher furs,very necessary during this: arctic weather, looks more like a Rusbian lady on her travels than an unassuming colonial. He* story is quite a romance, and it will not be surprising if she should live to be one of the richest women in the world. The other day she purchased the "Sunday Times-," from a little company of proprietors, at whose head was the son of the Duke of Cambridge. Jt is an oldestablished newspaper, and Mr Phil Robinson took editorial charge of it. Under his short leign the paper has taken a new lease of important life. It has a brilliant staff, and is already beginning to be talked about Just as it may be said to be on the move upwards, Mr Phil Robinson has to lea\e it to fulfil engagements in Australia, India, China, and Japan ; but Miss Cornwell ha>s found him a successor in Mr Joseph Hatton, who has been induced to sign a two years' engagement, and upon which appointment London men think Miss Cornwell is to be congratulated. Mr Robinbon w ill lecture in Austuilia, and probably in America and India. He will write a book on Australasia for Messrs Sampson Low and Co., and travel into the "flowery land" later, for experience and work.