A HERMIT’S STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1922, Page 5

A HERMIT’S STORY.

“MAORI BILL’S” CHANGE. ■STRANGE STORY OF THE SOUNDS,. A curious story is told of twenty-seven sovereigns, which have recently come into the hands of the Public Trustee, relates the Wellington “Post. - ’ The money represents the savings of an eccentric individual named William Thompson, who lived for many years in one of the innumerable inlets of the West Coast sounds, and about whom very little is known. Thompson, who was more generallyknown to his associates as “Maori Bill.” on account of the wild and lonely life he led, and in his early whaling days as “Soapy Joe,” was a native of Ireland, and came out to New Zealand with an Irish Regiment at the time of the Maori wars. Having fired of soldiering, he went into partnership in a whaling venture with the late Mr. “Dan” Sutherland, whose wife, now over eighty years of age, still lives alone at Milford 1 Sound. Thompson gave that up, and for the remainder of his life spent his time in® prospecting for gold. He ultimately settled in Big Bay, about 25 miles north of Milford Sound, and up till the time of his death, which occurred a few years ago, he had lived for about 35 years in solitude. A number of years ago Thompson came to Wellington and applied for, and obtained, an old-age pension. Instead of remaining in civilisation, he returned to his hut at Big Bay. With the aid. of hjs pension he was able to live with greatfir comfort. Stores were delivered to him by the Government steamer when the vessel called at Big Bay on her trips to the lighthouses. -Should there be any change after the stores were purchased, Captain J. Bollons paid Thompson the amount in gold. About 1914, when Captain Bollons visited Big Bay, he found Thompson lying very ill, neglected, and suffering much from privation. It was evident that the man had been taken suddenly ill, and, with no help at hand, had not been attended to. The wild cats had entered his dwelling and had torn his bedding into shreds. He was taken aboard the ship and removed to Greymouthi and later to Hokitika, where he died>-<

'“A.f the time of his death, his affairs were placed in the hands of the Public Trustee, but that did not prevent some unknown persons from making investigatroflA on their own account, and when Captain Bollons next visited Big Bay he found Thompson’s dwelling had been pulled to pieces by thieves, who were anxious to secure a large amount of money which was supposed to have been in the hut. In time, the incident became forgotten Till a few weeks ago, when, through a

aX&yier unusual discovery made when' the Tutanekai again visited Big Br- on her recent trip south, the strange ory became refreshed in the -of the ship’s officers. Among the ,-of the hut were two crow-bars, swi<l when these w r ere being removed to .'se taken to the steamer, a small canvas was found, half buried in the sand, twenty-seven sovereigns, first Captain Bollons could not account for the money, but he noticed that the dates on the sovereigns conres-' ponded to the periods in which he supplied Thompson with stores, and came to the conclusion that the coins were the same ones he had paid to Thompson yehrs ago.

When the Tutanekai returned to Welcn the 26th July, legal advice was sought as to the ownership of the coins. Wixnout doubt they were declared to be the property of the Public Trust and last week they were lodged with the Public Trustee. •bl ■■■■■ 1 11