NEW YEAR'S WINDFALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1920, Page 6

NEW YEAR'S WINDFALL.

A LUCKY AUCKLANDER. / This New Year has gladdened the hearts of one Auckland family and has elevated it from the position of, if not exactly "An. the rocks," at all events of frequent financial stringency, to one of comparative opulence (says the Star). The name may be withheld because the story has more or less intimate details connected with it. Suffice it to say that tlie central figure in the romance was a family man, who in these days of high cost of living had found the last two or th*ee months particularly trying from a financial point of view, so much so that his wife had helped to eke out the family purse by acting as cook to a suburban home.

During the holidays he was advised by one of the local' hanks that a draft awaited him at the office and, on making inquiries, found that £3OOO had been in the custody of the bank for six months, but owing to frequent changes of address it had not been possible, to trace the owner. It appeared that the father oL the man had recently died in England. 9 and had left a fortune of .CIiO.OOO to be divided between the sou in New Zealand and three other members of the family. The £3OOO was merely an instalment on account of the immediately available securities, and his further share would be forthcoming in due course.

Curionslv enough, the fortune which had provided him with such a handsome New Year's gift had its origin in New Zealand, It wan made by the father in St. Helena from the successful development of phormium plantations—the tlax having been imported original!;- from N T cw Zealand The plant wa ■"■■■■jhl to flourish exceedingly in the ' lie island, and the industry was «V : m \ t 0 such advantage by tlie father i':,; ultimately lie was enabled to retire and live in England on the proceeds. The son in question emigrated lift New Zealand a few years ago. find, 'although he was ■iware tl'iil some dav he might be belter oir bv reason of hk father's labors, he had boon out of touch with the family fo'- some time, and the legacy came unexpected!