TREATED AS A JOKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1920, Page 11 (Supplement)

TREATED AS A JOKE.

. MILLIONAIRE'S £20,000 CHEQUE. London, Dec. C A message from Paris stated that a diverting' story of how a. cheque for £•20,000, bearing the signature oi s famous Anglo-Greek millionaire, Sir Basil Zaharoff, was treated as a joke, has come to light. It appears that two months ago Sir Basil Zaharoff visited the Parisoo" and talked to the guardian of the monkey house. lie waxed indignant at the miserable state of the monkey house and when told that £20.000 was wanted to put it in proper order he immediately wrote a cheque .for that amount and handed it to the keeper. The latter, thinking lie had to deal with an amiable lunatic, gave the cheque to the office chief, who laughingly put it in a drawer and forgot all -about it for two months, when, as a- matter of form he sent it to the Ministry of Education.

To his horror lie promptly received a sharp lioio asking what !ir meant by keeping a cheque signed bv Sir Basil Zaharoil', for (wo months. —Kenter. [Sir Basil ZaharofV is a well-known Continental banker, and was born in Greece in 18.'ft. He WAS educated at London and Paris, and established Chain of Aviation at (he Universities of I'aris and Petroirrad, and also one in Kii/r----land attached to the Imperial College of Science.]