SOUTHLAND SPECIAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5135, 3 February 1888, Page 2

SOUTHLAND SPECIAL.

NEW GOLD-SAVING APPARATUS.

ANOMALIES OF THE DEFERRED-

PAYMENT SYSTEM.

(M'ECIAIj TO _h.IL. TELKOKAI-U.J

[OWN COKKESrONDBNT.—IIV TKUSOHAVH.J

JxVKKCAKaiLi., This day. Mr Cookoj-ell, a well-known manufacturer of agricultural machinery, has lately been giving hi. attention to the question of goldsaviug, with thu result that he has invented a machine for working under water in places beyond tho reach of human control. Mr CoolicriH, who has a good deal of expeiiiiice in gold mining in Victoria, lias applied for a patent for his invention. It is in the ionn of four cylinders, two of which are placed on the front angle and two on tho backangleof a hexagonal frame. This causes them to rotate obliquely to the direct line of the machine's advance. Each cylinder has thus ono leading edge, und they, being well mouthed, out or scoop into the sand, which is carried through by the action of the water, caused by the onward motion of the apparatus. Copper plates coated with ctuicuoi!'.""'' D^aol i° th e form of inner cylinders, will arrest and retain me miest gold. Tlie intention is to haul the machine off shore by means of a wire rope reefed through a block uttaohed to an anchor, and worked on land either by horse or steam power. Calculating on the machine being moved twelve miles a day, Mr Cockerel! estimates that _!00 tons of sand could be operated on. A local private company, including engineers and other practical men, has been formed to work the machine, the first of whioh will be in use in a fortnight. It is intended to make a start at Bushy Point, near Invercargill, where gold has been obtained for years past. A peculiar outcome of the deferred*

payment system cropped up at a meeting of the creditors of J. Wmvlope, a farmer at Dipt-.n. His liabilities (till unsecured) were set down at £311, and his .assets at .£6O. The debtor deposed that he kid resided five yours at Dipton. The land he held (320 acres) was on deferred payment. It- was considerably improved, being: f°r the most part fenced and broker, up. He got £100 from Richard English a year and a half ago. Witness did not represent then that the land was free, and did not promise to give English security over it. English had taken possession of the oatth., although witness di-i not consider there was any sale. at all. It was only a pretenoe of a sale. Shortly after the cattle were taken away i they came back to witness's propert]', as | did also tho horses. It ..was arranged between him and English -that the salo j was to be it bogus one, to secure him. J He? had capitalised his D.P. section, U)._ per aero being paid and 10s per acre still duo. He was not willing to g-ivu up tbolauil to lys creditors. He would not take less thtn £2 15s per aore for it. He filed his schedule because he was pressed. Ho had not been .summoned by i\ny ono. He was not in a position to make any offer to tho creditors, and . did not. expect to be able to get tho section clear in less than six years if things continued as they were. He might have spsnt from ,8700 to £800 in improving tho land. Tho bogus sale to Mr English was to secure him (debtor) from any other creditors coming on him. * (Guthrie and Co.) had great $_ES»*e in suggesting that tho bankrupt be examined before the Judge, and his discharge opposed. The chairman said he would take steps to havo the debtor examined as suggested, pointing: out at the same time that busine.B people were not blameless in many cases in allowing DP. settlers unlimited credit. He had never known a D.P. bankrupt vet who had been generous enough tojfcand over his.land to his creditors. _ SHflFina h»re remarked that in a oase of the kind Judge Williams never allowed ,a debtor hi« discharge, until he paid his creditors ia full. Commenting on the above the Southland Daily News says it illustrates an anomalous state of the law, and cohtinnss: —"At the same time, it is doubtful if it would be expedient or desirable to put a D.P; settler on the same footing as au ordinary holder of land; still, two things are at least the protective clauses of the Lane! Act relating to D.P. settlers liave operated clvieflvrin favor of individuals, while they'lmvo tempted many ! into a courso conflicting with the principles ; that should regulate dealings between man ' and man." i*