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Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23043, 11 June 1940, Page 6

A spear and th-owing stick obtained from aborigines in the interior of Australia, both of which articles possess unusual features, have been presented to the Canterbury Museum by Mr Herbert Barker, of Orton, South Canterbury. The stick is unusual for its length, and the spear, though it shows the ingenious fashioning and typical use of spinifex gum, has the unique feature of a steel blade, which the aborigines apparently hammered from an old file. Mr Barker also gave the museum a bottle believed to be at least 100 years old, found at an old watering place. The purple colour of the bottle is said to indicate an old manufacturing process using manganese, a permanganate having formed through oxidisation over a long period. Steps are being taken to erect i. temporary bridge over the Opuha river on the main Christchurch-Mount Cook highway at Skipton, between Geraldine and Fairlie, but no permanent structure will be erected this year. Because the cost of the, temporary structure was higher than first estimated, the Geraldine County Council decided yesterday to refer the matter again to the Main Highways Board. Residents had asked him what it was intended to do with the old post office, the Mayor (Mr J. ,E. Tait) reported to the Sumner Borough Council at its meeting last evening. The place was derelict and in its present state was a definite fire risk, he said. It was decided to write to the Government and ask what it was proposed to do with 'the building. “As things are going at present we will be forced to get machinery and do away with men,” said Mr W. Scott, chairman of the Mackenzie County Council, at the monthly meeting. “Recently we purchased a scoop for the crusher at £6O, but we did away with a man and saved his wages of £250. We will have to adopt methods that will eliminate men. The counties’ employees are making claims for an award that will make a difference to us of £ 800 a year.” Any machinery that would save labour should be favourably considered by the council. The council decided to purchase a bull-dozer, which, it was stated, could be used for loading trucks.