Heigh-Ho, Such Is

Life!

The Ups and Downs of a New Guinea Carpenter.

FE story of the colourful career of an unemployed Sydney carpenter who went gold-mining in New Guinea, won the Lottery, went into business at Wau, became a bankrupt, and then in herited a fortune, was unfolded in th 6 Bankruptcy Court, Sydney, in February.

Edgar Matthew Turner applied suc cessfully for the annulment of an order sequestrating his estate. According to the report of the Official Receiver, he had liabilities of £1,022, and estimated his as sets at £6,176. One of the assets was 25 native “boys”, quoted at £lO each.

Turner, a married man, was formerly employed at Tooheys Ltd., Sydney, as a carpenter, until he lost his job in 1932.

He went to New Guinea and worked as a builder and gold miner. Two years later he won first prize of £5,000 in the N.S.W. State Lottery. He invested the money around Wau, and became a gar age proprietor and head of the Wau Carrying Company.

In March, 1937, his estate was se questrated, after his failure to meet a judgment for £465 obtained against him by the Bank of New South Wales. Tur ner disclosed to the Receiver that he possessed a substantial interest in the £25,900 estate of the late James Tudor Turner, his father. He is entitled to re ceive an annuity of £lOO and a quarter of the estate. The sum of £5,000 will soon be available.

The report concluded that Turner had paid his creditors 20/- in the pound. Ap parently bis luck is still with him; an item in the list of assets read, ‘ Lottery prizes, £10”.