Brought Millions To Fiji

[?]re Was Gold in [?]lem Thar Hills"

How Pat Costello, Dead At 69,

VAY back in the early 'Thirties I received from Fiji a letter which I often since have quoted, ras signed “Pat Costello.” le letter said that an old pec tor named William Borthwick discovered some remarkable s of “good gold” among the tal hills in the Tavua district of Levu. He thought the dis ry was worth investigating. Did low anyone who might be in fted. lid know a man, named Brown, had been crying to me only a days before that, although he funds to invest, he “could not onto anything,” while less hy folk were making fortunes of the then new goldfields in Guinea. lent Costello’s letter to Brown; Brown went to Fiji immedi . He came back and scolded

me fiercely. He said the Fiji prospects were moonshine. (It was a telluride ore, with which he was not familiar.) But Pat Costello did not give up.

He was instrumental finally in in teresting the Wren-Theodore group, of Melbourne, in the Bill Borthwick discovery; and so was born the group of companies (Emperor, Loloma, etc.) which developed into one of Fiji’s largest industries, the goldfields at Vatoukoula, and brought millions of good “hard” money into the British Colony.

The incident came to memory to day, when I learned that Pat Costello was dead, at the untimely age of 69. But justice had been done. Pat, a modest trader and investor 25 years ago, got a full share of the gold discovered by Borthwick —the prospector whom he had “staked”—and when E. G. Theodore died, several years ago, Pat took his

place as a Director on the Emperor and Loloma Boards. 1 THINK that, in half a lifetime spent among the Islands of the South Pacific, among interest

ins and hospitable people, Pat rostello was the friendliest man I ever met. He gave one always the impression that he was mightyjpad to see one again; and he loved to sit right down, there and then, examine the gossip of the South Seas generally, and of Fiji in particular. I never failed to gather newsy news from Pat, plus a couple of stories spiced with his lively Irish wit.

But, although his social qualities made him popular far and wide, there was a tough side to Pat Costello. He gained much, and died a rich man—but he got it the hard way. He had nothing b u t in telligence, industry and shrewd vision when he went from Queensland to Fiji, as a shipping clerk, nearly 50 years ago; and he forged ahead, as storekeeper, hotelkeeper, landowner and investor, by hard work, enter prise, and a judgment that w 35 hardened and sharpened in m numerable encounters with other keen traders.

He was a great family man—very happy in his own home, and happier when he was surrounded by re lations At one time, there were six Costello brothers established in various industries in Fiji, all well known, esteemed and enterprising citizens: but I think it was Pat who pioneered the Costello invasion of Fiji; and it was Pat, through his

share in the gold discovery, who probably contributed most to Fijis economic advancement.

AS time passed, and hard work and far-sighted investment made Pat rich, his outlook widened, for the beneht of his adopted country. . . .

No man took a keener interest than he in the welfare and the future of the Colony of Fiji and, as was inevitable, he gave much in the

way of public service. For long ye he was a member of the Legisis Council and the Executive Com and of many public bodies, incc ing the Suva town council. Ex? that he was not born in Fijii ranked equally, on merit, withj old-established men of affairs form that hard core of valu citizenship which gives Fiji unique strength under to-day’s ficult conditions. (♦

[OST of Fiji’s residents—certainly, all the older people—knew Mr.

Costello, and esteemed him ;hly. When his death occurred April 15, tributes to him, as a >d man and a good citizen, came m the leaders of all four com hities. )uring his long years as a trader the “Northwest”, he had had ch contact with the Indians; and gained and retained until the I the esteem and goodwill of most the Indian leaders.

Sympathy was extended to Mrs. tello, who had been her husband’s d companion over the long years, e was survived also by his ghter Peggy, who married John ,y. a Wing-Commander in the v Zealand Air Force. She later It with him to London when he appointed NZ Air Force Attache :e. Then, at the height of his raising career, he developed an jss which was incurable, and [ soon after. The family was ;ed in London by Mr. and Mrs. tello a couple of years ago. . Bray and her children later led in Wellington, NZ. le Melbourne Cup doubtless will xm in future Novembers; but it not be quite the same, now Pat ;ello is dead. rery springtime, for countless ■s, Pat had business to do in tralia; and, by a series of those cidences which stalk all lucky Jhants, his business always took ito Melbourne in the first week bvember; and brought him back Sydney soon afterwards, to be rtained by a group of old friends admirers there. Many of us will that annual occasion when we I to induce Pat to admit, very f, that his Cup choice had ed. i died too soon, and too sud y. But he did have an interest md very successful life—and he ted every minute of it.—R. W.

Ison.