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Otago Daily Times, Issue 20317, 27 January 1928, Page 8

In connection with the collision between two shunting engines near the Rattray street crossing on January 14, a departmental inquiry into the matter has just been concluded. The board consisted of Messrs O. M. Benzoni (district engineer, Dunedin), chairman, G. Wilson (locomotive engineer, Christchurch), and W. F. White (assitant district traffic manager, Dunedin).

A party, under the auspices of the Canterbury Progress League, will visit Lawrence to-day to witness a demonstration of Mr R. T. Stewart’s nozzle plant for sluicing purposes. It consists of Messrs R. M. Morton F. Miller, James MacKenzie (Ellesmere Land Drainage Board), T. Thompson (chairman), and F. Coop (Wairewa County), E. Yarr (Springs County), S. R. Wright (Ellesmere County), and PR. Clmie (organiser for the league). The league’s president, Mr J. E. Strachan, ati present is spending his holiday at Lawrence, and it is expected that he will join the party on its arrival. The demonstration is being made to show the suitability of the plant for work in connection with the drainage of Lakes Ellesmere and Forsyth. The party expects to return to Christchurch on Saturday.

There was a lively time at Lake Ferry, a popular Wairarapa resort, on Sunday last (says the Wairarapa Daily News). _ A number of people were visiting the neighbourhood, and many cars were parked not far from the hotel. One of a picnic party lighted a fire to boil the billy, when the breeze carried sparks into the dry grass, and flames sprang up, running in all directions, but chiefly towards the motor cars. The alarm spready rapidly, and soon numbers of people were heating out the flames with sacks and scrub. Prominent among the fire-fighters was Mr A. D. M’Leod, member for the district and Minister of Lands, who was staying in the neighbourhood for the week-end with his family, and one of his sons drove out of danger several of the cars when the flames were running right under them. Fortunately no damage resulted, and soon a perspiring but satisfied crowd surveyed a blackened strip of burnt grass land, and speculated upon “ what might have been.” There was no business before the City Police Court yesterday.

The following motion standing in the name of Mr J. Loudon and dealing with an important local matter, will be discussed at the meeting of the Harbour Board to-night: —“ That in view of the altered conditions of the Frederick street area consequent on the construction of the highway and the railway overbridge ai Hanover street, .the whole question oi wharf extension and shed accommodation bo reconsidered and fully gone into, and a report submitted to the board at the earliest opportunity by a special committee consisting of the chairman, Mr W. Gow, Captain M'Donald, Mr Hayward, Mr Munro, and the mover.” His Honor Mr Justice Sim has granted probate of the following estates: —Peter Miller, Clydevale (Mr W. G. Hay); Annie M‘Coll (Mr W. L. More): Mary Campbell (Mr J. Lang); Georgina Waters (Mr R. Aspinall); Francis Joseph Gantley (Mr Garth Gallaway); Janet Woodburn Bishop, Balclutha (Mr R. R. Grigor); Alice Denniston (Mr. A. I. W. Wood); William Patton, Wakari (Mr John Wilkinson); Charlotte E. G. Ashmore, Owaka (Mr John Wilkinson); William Walker, Milton (Mr M. Rutherford); Dennis Carr (Mr P. S. Anderson); Harry B. Renfree (Mr John Wilkinson); Charlotte M'Gregor, Palmerston (Mr W. C. Arkle); Arthur Owen Buchlcr (Mr F. B. Adams); Thomas Rarity, Kaitangata (Mr R. R. Grigor); Patrick M'Loughlin, Millers Flat (Mr Stewart Fletcher); James Lambert, Oamaru (Mr J H. Main); Herbert Simpson, Awamoko (Mr W. G. Grave). Letters of administration were granted in the estates of the following Margaret Simpson Stenhouse, Balclutha (Mr R. R. Grigor); Charles Stevenson, Port Chalmers (Mr A. E. Gascoigne) ; Mary Scott, Gimmerburn (Mr J. I. Fraser); Robert A. C. Rodgers, Five Forks (Mr M. J. Gresson).

Yesterday was a typical summer day of blue skies and warm sunshine, with only a gentle breeze from the north-east. The thermometer registered 75 degrees in the shade, this being the second highest reading recorded this summer. The barometer showed a falling tendency, the morning reading being 29.94, and the evening reading 29.84. Dealing with the Cabinet vacancy, the New Zealand Herald in an editorial, says: “ Geographical considerations should be placed very low in the list of qualifications in searching for a successor to the late Mr Bollard, who represented a seat in the Auckland province. If the South Island or any other North Island province can produce the best man, then he should have the vacant place. Resolutions from local bodies pressing the claims of any member need not be taken seriously, if any appear, as they did once before; in fact, except that it might be taking them too seriously, they could be considered as absolutely disqualifying the member in whose favour they were passed. The choice rests with the Prime Minister. He should follow his own judgment and end the present condition of departments being temporarily controlled, and if he decides to bring Cabinent up to its old strength, he should do so by selecting on merit alone from among those who are possible holders of office.

A Press Association telegram from Masterton states that at a public meeting held there last night, it was decided to open a fund for the dependants of the missing aviators.

Asking for leave from military training and camps for territorials and cadets who wished to take part in the South Island Association’s band contest, Dr H. T. J. Thacker recently wrote to the Defence Department on behalf of local men concerned. He has now received the following letter from the Minister of Defence, Mr F, J. Rolleston (says the Lyttelton Times): —“ I am duly in receipt of your letter of December 30, relative to leave from military training for bandsmen who will be competing at the South Island Association’s band contest, commencing - on February 15. Instructions are being given that leave for the purpose is to be granted on the condition that any training so missed is to be made up before the end of the training year. It will, however, be necessary for all territorials and cadets concerned to apply individually to the adjutant of their regiments in the case of territorials, and to area officer in the case of cadets.”

The Warden, Mr W. Meldrum, delivered judgment at Hokitika a few days ago on an interesting point of law relating to State forests. Application had been made by Harry Colvin Newman for a residence at Waiho Gorge. The land in question formed part of the provisional State forest in that locality and was adjacent to the township of Waiho Land. It was admittedly to be used for the purpose of a motor garage. The State Forest Service objected on the grounds of public policy and lack of jurisdiction on the part of the Warden to grant the application. The Warden found it unnecessary to deal with the first ground of the objection as on the second ground he ruled that he had no jurisdiction. Section 22 of the Mining Act, 1926, provided that Crown lands set apart under the Forests Act, 1921-22, for forest lands shall be subject to the provisions of the Mining Act relating to mining on Crown lands. Mining is defined aa mining operations strictly so called, and, although section 144 of the Mining Act'provides for the grant of mining privileges of the classes therein (including residence site licenses), yet mining or mining operations has a much narrower meaning than mining privileges, and section 144 cannot widen the meaning of mining in section 22. In fact, section 144 provides that no residence site license shall be granted in respect to any site that, in the opinion of the Warden, is required for mining purposes. This emphasises the distinction above-mentioned between mining and mining operations and mining privileges. The application was therefore dismissed, with costs (£4 4s) to objector. “In 24 years here I have never known so much unemployment in Gisborne as there is at present,” said Mr D. W. Coleman at a meeting of the Cook Hospital Board last week. He suggested that in view of the fact there were so many unemployed the board should apply to the Government to open up some works. Last winter, when unemployment was so rife, it was well on in the season before the Government commenced relief works, and it would be the same this year if the board did not move to obviate it. Personally, he had never known so much unemployment at this time of the year, there being fully 150 men walking round the streets. The chairman, Mr W. G. Sherrett, remarked that charitable aid now amounted to £4OOO annually, and last month’s bill totalled £260 for groceries for distressed families.

News has been received in Eltham that the English nightingales liberated in Auckland on Christmas Day have been heard singing in the bush at Tamaki, St. Sellers Bay. The birds were brought out on the Aorangi by Mr Angus Wilson, son of Mr Gilbert Wilson, formerly of Kaponga, who is now on a visit to his aunt, Mrs Walter Wilson, of Eltham. “The news that they were singing is particularly thrilling,” said Mr Wilson, when interviewed in Eltham. “It means that they are nesting. The nightingale invariably returns to the scene of its childhood, so If the immigrants breed here there is every prospect of the experiment proving a success. Viscount Gray of Falladon, a great ornithologist, and Professor Smith, curator of the Royal Zoological Society, doubted whether they would breed here.” For the comfort of New Zealand farmers Mr Wilson added that nightingales, which ore rather smaller than sparrows, are entirely insectivorous. Mr Wilson has been asked by the curator of the London Zoo to try to procure specimens of the kiwi, kakapo, weka, and tui for the Zoo, which now contains no example of New Zealand bird life, but the suggestion has been firmly opposed by Dr Pomare. “ I have no personal feelings in the matter,” said Mr Wilson, “ but I think Dr Pomare’s point of view is extremely insular. I understand that in order to provide Lord Jellicoe with an appropriate souvenir for his smoke room six kiwis were slaughtered ■ yet Dr Pomare refuses to allow one pair of live birds to be taken to the finest collection in the world for the instruction of the millions who visit it annually. It would also help still further to advertise New Zealand,”

A Press Association telegram from Levin states that under the will of Mrs Charlotte Shaw, of Levin, a number of bequests have been made to various religious and charitable institutions. These include £IOO to the Home for Aged and Needy in Wellington; £2OO for Dr Bernardo’s Homes, London; and £IOO for the Salvation Army Rescue Home in Wellington. A sum in excess of £3OOO will be divided in varying proportions between the Presbyterian, Church at Levin and the following activities of the Presbyterian Church: —Foreign Missions, New Hebrides Mission, Home Mission Extension, and orphanage' work. The Public Trustee is the administrator of the will.

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