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Evening Star, Issue 18031, 27 July 1922, Page 4

Hie will of the late Mr Donald Borrie, of Papakaio, has been filed for probate at under the value of £56,000.

The big sale of opossum skins in Dunedin last week has attracted attention to the subject generally. Opossums have bred very fast in. many places in New Zealand, thanks to the restrictions as to killing. It is thought that in the years to come the fastnesses of the West Coast will be one of their great breedinggrounds. At present the greatest output; of skins is from Otago and Southland combined. The trapping down there is mostly by settlers and their sons, though others are coming in and making a profession of it. A man has to pay £2 10s for a license to' the Government, also a royalty of Is per skin. The skins in the southern parts of New Zealand are better furred than those taken in . Australia proper, and compare favorably with the best of the famous Tasmanian skins. In each district one month is now allowed for the killing. Otago’s month is June, but for some unaccountable reason August is the month for killing in Southland,'just over the border. This seems to be .a queer biological During the June killing in Otago this year many opossums were found carrying the young on their backs. One trapper found twelve in that mothering stage. H© picked off the babies and took them home and fed them. How many trappers will go to that trouble? And if the females are carrying in June, will there not bo many more in the same condition in August? / This is apparently mismanagement, and seems likely to lead to a tremendous check to the multiplication of the opossum in Southland. A Wellington message states that the work of storemen in the employ of wholesale merchants, especially those handling wool and produce in bulk, was considered by the Conciliation Council to-day. Both parties put in claims, and the award sought was a dominion one. As agreement could be reached on minor points only, the whole dispute was referred to the Arbitration Court.

‘The delegates to the Plimkeb Society asked the Prime Minister and the 'Hon. C. J. Parr to-day for an assurance that ample financial provision would be made for carrying on the work this year. Air Massey said that he could not promise a grant of £14,000 or £15,000, but would try to manage an equal amount to last year’s vote —£11,573. —Wellington Association message. A soldiers’ memorial ’’cenotaph is to be erected at Port Chalmers. Mr W. M‘Lellan has contracted to erect the cenotaph in George, street for the sum of £3OO. The architect is Mr J. Mowatt. The committee ihT charge of this'work has had a lot of difficulties to surmount, but these have been got over, and the original plans have merely been revised without departing from the design. A few promised donations have yet to come in, and the committee hopes to have these in hand soon, as the'erection of the memorial is to be immediately proceeded with. Instructions were issued this morning by Mr Wilkie, engineer to the Otago Harbor Board, to start eight men on the railway deviation works. This is the actual commencement of the operations that are to largely benefit and enlarge Dunedin. The gracling work by the returned soldiers is, of course, "of a preparatory nature.

The beautifying of Dunedin that is always being attended to by the Reserves Committee and its superintendent (Mr D. Tannook) is going on in several places this winter. Tree-planting in Wilkie road. Law street, Sandringham street, Rawhitx street, Tainui, and) Park terrace will do much to improve the appearance of those spots, and the bank of the Southern Cemetery is another work that, though comparatively small, will be appreciated; Mtaray Bros., the well-known Clydeval© sheep-breeders, are arranging to send a consignment ,of selected' Romney stud sheep to South Africa. The Dunedin municipal tepid baths are being got ready' for the reopening in three weeks from now. The interior ia being painted and smartened up, and the pipes are being eo altered as to slightly raise the temperature of the water from 'the normal , register of 75deg to 80deg Fahrenheit. The rearrangement moans that a lot of the steam hitherto lost will be used and go through the filters, and right from the jump-aff the water will be so transparent as to enable a bather to see bis toes. Mr Olds is quite confident that the baths will in this coming season be more popular ihau'ever.

A poll on the proposal to raise £I,OOO for the establishment of a zoo, of which £BOO is for the purchase of the animals in Boyd’s zoo (Onehunga), was carried by 2,464 to 1,015. The Onehunga zoo has been the subject of considerable litigation, as the proprietors contested the by-law passed by the Borough Council prohibiting the keeping of wild animals.—Auckland telegram.

The Westport Borough Council, elected 1 under Proportional Representation, resolved last night, on a majority vote, to revert to the first-past-tho-post systein for election, both to the borough council and the ■hospital board.—Press Association,

Mr Paulin noon;—Squally to a gale S.W. wind, and rain showers. A chimney fire in a hoiifc in Grove street, ! Musselburgh, claimed the attention of the St. Kilda Fire' Brigade shortly after 5 p.m. yesterday. No damage was done. The postal authorities have received advice that the Paloona, which is due .at (Wellington to-day from Melbourne, is carrying 840 bags of mails for New Zealand, including ninety-six bags from Australia, 664 bags from the United Kingdom, i forty-two bags from the East, seven bags from Africa, and thirty-one parcel receptacles. The Dunedin portion is expected to come to hand to-morrow night. The Tahiti, which is due afr Wellington on Sunday morning from San Francisco, is bringing 1,294 bags of mail, including 929 bags ■from the United Kingdom, and 1,116 parcel receptacles, for New Zealand. The local portion should come to hand next Tuesday afternoon. The steamer Waiotapu, which is due at Auckland about August 3 from -San Francisco, is carrying 262 bags of mail, including ten 'bags from the United King- ' dom, and 161 parcel receptacles, for New , Zealand. An Australian mail ex the Waikouaiti, consisting of five bags and two hampers, reached Dunedin this morning .from Invercargill. The contents were delivered this afternoon. , A proposal by Mr James Birtles, of Carver Bush, that the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society adopt the one-man judging system-in the Clydesdale breeding section ait the Summer Show, also at the horse -parade, gave rise to considerable discussion at the monthly meeting of the committee to-day, and it was. eventually carried.

Watson’s No. 10 is a little dearer than most whiskies, hut is worth the money.— [Advt.] Ladies and gentlemen! The whiteness of your linen io an absolute triumph for “ No Rubbing ” Launlry Help. Miller and- Co.— [Advt.] Applications are invited for the lease of the. Government Hostel, Mount Cook. Particulars in this issue. Save Cups! Metal Detachable Cup Handles for handleless cups; sixpence. White House, George street—[Advt.] The nip for nippy winter weather—Watson’s No. 10, fine old Scotch whisky.— [Advt.] Ladies recommend Martin’s Apiol and Steel Pill*. Sold by all chemists and stores. See you get the genuine.—[Advt.]