Friday, October 24, 2014

THE MILLIONAIRE’S BOOK

Continuing  biography  of  Crusading Editor,"Big Jim" Bowditch  by  Peter Simon  
Mick   Paspalis  outside  his  Fannie  Bay  Hotel. One  of  the  photos  intended  for  the  book . 
Bowditch  and   journalist  Gene Janes  worked  together on  a  proposed  biography  of  the  late  millionaire  Mick Paspalis, MBE.  Born  in Castellorizo , Greece ,  in   l914, Michael  Theodosios  Paspalis  went to  Port Hedland , WA,  as a young boy with his family , where his father started  a  general store.  He and his brother Nicholas,  involved in pearling ,  came to  Darwin  in  l927 .   Mick  had an old Dodge car and started a  taxi  delivery  service for  Felix Holmes’s butchery.  Holmes was an entrepreneur  and an inspiration for  Paspalis . Not only did  Holmes   supply Darwin with  its electricity but he  owned many other  businesses . Nicholas  changed  his  name  to  Paspaley and developed the cultured pearl  industry, growing into  the  now   internationally famous   Paspaley  Pearls  empire.  



From the small  beginning in Darwin  , Mick  Paspalis  became  a  very  rich  man  with pubs, a  drive in theatre , betting  shops , real estate , the Parap  theatre  shopping  complex.  From  small beginnings  in  Darwin  he rose to become a prominent Territorian  and  he  and his wife were invited to Buckingham Palace when  the Queen came to  town.  The Paspalis  photographic collection  includes  a  shot  showing  Mr and  Mrs  Paspalis, Mick in top hat, standing near  a  Rolls Royce  in  London .  On  his  death, probate on  his  estate was  sworn at  nearly  $3million .

After putting in  some initial work on  the book  ,  Bowditch wrote  a four page  letter  to  Mrs   Paspalis, addressing her  as  Dear Chrissie, keeping  a   copy , which  he  showed  me.
 
In it  Bowditch  indicated he was  " a  bit nonplussed ,"   having some  difficulty with the  Paspalis family accountant,   Sir  Norman Young ,  chairman  of   News   Adelaide . Young had  been  present back in the  l950s   when  Bowditch  had  gone  to  Paspalis , desperate for a loan   to stop the NT  News (not  then  owned  by  Murdoch )  from  folding , after having  been  knocked  back  by  a  bank . Paspalis had advanced money on  that  occasion.
 
Bowditch, told  Mrs  Paspalis  that Sir Norman  had  on several occasions  stated  the  book was  a  matter between  her , Bowditch and Janes.   Sir Norman had  been “ non -commital ” at the suggestion that Bowditch  may have to go to  Port Hedland   to  gather  information  from   people who  had grown up with Paspalis.  The financial adviser had  suggested  nobody  who knew  Paspalis  would still be living  there .   

Bowditch agreed  that  this  might  be  the case  and letters  had  been written to authorities   trying to  clarify the  point. It was vital  to  sit down with Mrs Paspalis   for an hour  or so , Jim wrote , to  get basic family background  and  details of the early days in Darwin .  He went on to  quote  statements by  various  people who  commented  favourably about  Paspalis .  The letter continued :
 
“ We have, of course, run into people who know only that  Michael was rich and  believe that to be rich  you have to  treat other people badly, all , or most of the time . But that makes one of the points  I made in  my editorial  at the time  Rupert  Murdoch  sacked me ,‘The   richest  man   in town is  rarely the most  popular , and so it was  with Michael Theodosios Paspalis .’ ” ( It is  pointed out   that  Murdoch had not sacked  Bowditch  over  that  editorial  ).
 
Bowditch  said  Sir  Norman  had  told  him  he could  not  release  further  funds  along  the  agreed  lines  until  Mrs Paspalis  was  satisfied  with   what  was  being  proposed.  Further funding  was  needed  to  enable  Janes  to  devote a  great  deal  of  time  to  the  project.    

The   book  was  never  written , and  it  is understood  a  payment, possibly  $1000  each   was made  to  Bowditch and  Janes.  With  his  share  of   the  money ,  Janes  bought  the  first  lawn  mower   the  family  had  ever  owned. 

 GRIM  REAPER  INTERVENED 

Bowditch  maintained   that  Paspalis,  for  all  his  millions,  was  a  sad  man .  While  many  people  called  at  the Paspalis  home  on East  Point  Road,  Fannie  Bay,  he  said   many  of  them  were  only after  his  money .   Paspalis  had  asked  Bowditch  how   he  could  get   people  to  like  him .  Bowditch had  suggested  that  instead  of  erecting  another  building  which  would  bring  in  more  money, he should  build   something  for  the  community.  One   suggestion  had  been  a  home  for  the  elderly .  Paspalis  had  thought  about   the matter ,  but  came  back and  said  the project  was  something  the  government   should  build.  “ I  was   getting  Mick  around  to  the idea  of  doing  something  for  the  community  when  the   Grim  Reaper  took  him ,  ” said  Bowditch .  

Paspalis was known to  trust  Bowditch .  Bowditch  said  Paspalis was an astute businessman  , but  often told  of the “ one time  ” he knew that Mick had  lost money .  It involved   backing  an  entrepreneur  to bring in building  materials from  overseas.  Somehow, the deal went wrong and  Paspalis  lost a considerable amount of   money.  Bowditch  met   Paspalis in the street  and  the  millionaire  “ cried”  about  his loss .  He told  Bowditch  that the man he had  financed  was frequently  in the Hotel Darwin Green Room  entertaining  women , no doubt  using  his ( Mick’s) money .  NEXT:  Battle  over  the  war  movie .