A lot of things turned to gold when touched by the late Darwin millionaire , Mick Paspalis. One example came to light in 1952 when the Legislative Council was informed that Paspalis had purchased the grand Hotel Darwin for 89,000 pounds ( $178,000) . A report in the Northern Standard said that at this price , even in pre- war days , it would not have been regarded as an excessive figure for such a fine property. It went on to say the new nurses’ quarters then under construction at Darwin Hospital , with accommodation for 44, would cost about 174,000 pounds ($348,000) .
Part of the Hotel Darwin site is now occupied by The Palms , fronting the Esplanade , the subject of ongoing speculation that a multi storey tower will be built there .
Back in 1938 Paspalis gave evidence in an arbitration hearing for a Territory wage in which he said he owned several houses , the weekly rent on two being 32/6 ( $3.25), one at 27/6 ($2.75 ) and another 37/6 ($3.75). One house had cost 1300 pounds ($2600) and another 1600 pounds ($3200). Mrs Paspalis had a restaurant and fruit business. In those days apples sold for up to 25 cents a dozen ,oranges 30 cents and peaches about 20 cents a dozen.
It seems Mick was tight with the farthing. If he served you bacon and eggs, there was usually only one cackleberry on your plate . On the other hand, Mrs Paspalis normally produced Adam and Eve on a raft.
A paperboy who delivered to the Paspalis residence on East Point Road said that when it came to paying the weekly account , Mick paid the exact amount , right down to the last penny. Mrs Chrissie Paspalis, however, would usually include a tip if she settled the bill.
The late NT News editor, James Bowditch , often told of the only known occasion that anybody got the better of Mick over a money matter. Big Jim Bowditch met Mick “crying” outside the Hotel Darwin, complaining that a prominent entrepreneur who had obtained a large sum of money from Mick for a failed joint importing venture from Asia was inside the pub at the very moment entertaining women with his, Mick’s, money.
Two former Darwin journalists were drinking in a Sydney hotel when they saw a dejected looking Mick walking by , head down, as if looking for a lost gold nugget. They hailed him , his face lit up and they called him in for a drink. No one can recall who paid for the libations.
Part of the Hotel Darwin site is now occupied by The Palms , fronting the Esplanade , the subject of ongoing speculation that a multi storey tower will be built there .
Back in 1938 Paspalis gave evidence in an arbitration hearing for a Territory wage in which he said he owned several houses , the weekly rent on two being 32/6 ( $3.25), one at 27/6 ($2.75 ) and another 37/6 ($3.75). One house had cost 1300 pounds ($2600) and another 1600 pounds ($3200). Mrs Paspalis had a restaurant and fruit business. In those days apples sold for up to 25 cents a dozen ,oranges 30 cents and peaches about 20 cents a dozen.
It seems Mick was tight with the farthing. If he served you bacon and eggs, there was usually only one cackleberry on your plate . On the other hand, Mrs Paspalis normally produced Adam and Eve on a raft.
A paperboy who delivered to the Paspalis residence on East Point Road said that when it came to paying the weekly account , Mick paid the exact amount , right down to the last penny. Mrs Chrissie Paspalis, however, would usually include a tip if she settled the bill.
The late NT News editor, James Bowditch , often told of the only known occasion that anybody got the better of Mick over a money matter. Big Jim Bowditch met Mick “crying” outside the Hotel Darwin, complaining that a prominent entrepreneur who had obtained a large sum of money from Mick for a failed joint importing venture from Asia was inside the pub at the very moment entertaining women with his, Mick’s, money.
Two former Darwin journalists were drinking in a Sydney hotel when they saw a dejected looking Mick walking by , head down, as if looking for a lost gold nugget. They hailed him , his face lit up and they called him in for a drink. No one can recall who paid for the libations.
