The Myers

de Paul Goldsmith

The Myers is a sweeping study of four generations of the Myers family. It moves from Prussian Poland to the goldfields of Ballarat to bankruptcy in the South Island and then to a growing fortune in beer and liquor. It tells the story of local government involvement by the first two generations, and the World War One Cabinet experiences of Arthur Myers. The story moves to England for a time where the third generation is educated and then returns to New Zealand with Kenneth and Margaret Myers and their family's major involvement with Auckland's social and business scene. There is a thorough analysis of Douglas Myers' controversial takeover of the family company Campbell & Ehrenfried in the 1970s and the court cases that ensued, and the story of Lion Breweries then Lion Nathan and of Douglas Myers' contribution to the Business Roundtable and to philanthropy. In studying one of New Zealand's most influential families, The Myers illustrates the country's migrant diversity, charts major business development and documents significant aspects of our social and political history.