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Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 3

There are some 3000 acres in the area at Roxburgh East which is shortly to be irrigated from the Teviot River. For this scheme the Public Works Department is using an intake in common with the Teviot Power Board, and it is the tail water from the power scheme that is to be applied to irrigation purposes. The department has also commenced the work of irrigating 7000 acres in the Tarras district from the Lindiy River. Some good gold-bearing stone has been found on the Alfred River, Maruia, at what is known as Bromley’s Flat (reports the Westport Times). The stone has been assayed and goes 19dwt to the ton. Sd far three leases have been pegged out and ajplied for, and another two were to be taken out last week. It is understood thaU an Auckland syndicate is interested in the leases. The locality was for years prospected hy two very old residents, Messrs Fraser and Pell, who took a considerable quantity of alluvial gold from the district, but they could not locate any payable, quartz. “What are the takings of a street-player V* was a question asked a -witness giving evidence before the Departmental Commission to inquire into the provisions for the care of the blind (states the* Christchurch Bun). “The takings depend on so many things,” replied the witness. “It depends on howl long you remain in the same place. In the first part of the time you will do well, ill . nobody else has been there before; then the takings wifi fall off. I have found from my experience that it is only a small seo* tion of the public which will assist. They give as they pass, but then they fall off—« then the man is no more than a verandah* post.” The witness added that if a living were to be made the streeb-player had I 9 travel, and much money was spent in e» pensea.

Case 3 are known in which fathers, by their wills, left allegedly unfilial sons a shilling or some other small sum. Interesting observations on such actions were made by Mr Justice Reed in giving written judgment in a case which came before the Supreme Court at New Plymouth recently, in which a son applied for an alteration in respect of his sharo of his father’s estate. Ilia Honor, inter alia, stales: “The £lO left to the plaintiff is, on the face of it, intended as a slight. If the plaintiff, by hi. 3 treatment of the testator, or by his character « . . has warranted this treatment,

the Court will not interfere, for, indeed, it may well fco that there should still remain in the hands of the aged a means by which they can reward those of their children that are kind and considerate, and punish the unfilial. Rut old people sometimes take strange fancies and unjustifiable antipathies, and may do,, as many have done, a moral injustice in their wills to those who have a moral claim upon their bounty. It is to repair such injustice that the statute was passed.”

Deer are causing much damage in Westland (says a Hokitika Press Association message), and Mr Morpeth (Commissioner ot Crown Lands, Westland) is considering the advisability of recommending the Government to withdraw the protection on herds between the Mahitiki and Turnbull Rivers. Interesting information as regards tests of New Zealand timbers for pulping for the manufacture of paper have been supplied b'v Mr A. R. Entrican, engineer to the Stare Forest Service (wires our Auckland correspondent). Some time ago tests of several dominion timbers, including beeches or birches and tavra, were carried out for the State Forest Service in London to determine their value for pulping. These tests, which were conducted by the Imperial Institute, showed that the fibre of the two timbers named is lob short and 1 too uneven in thickness to be used alone for paper manufacture, but that it might advantageously be utilised as “fillers” in mixture with pulp from woods of longer and more evenly-shaped fibre. Further tests of other woods, including kahikatca and rimu, have recently been made in London by representatives of the service, in cooperation with a London firm, and these have given excellent results. Special attention has been given to the tests of kahikatea and rimu, because of the large quantity oE sawmilling waste from these two timbers, particularly in Westland. Experiments, Mr Entrican states, show that both kahikatea and rimu are suitable for pulping for ail classes of paper, including the finest willing paper. The fibre is longer and more even in thickness than that of beeches and tawa. Further information i- to prospects of profitably utilising mill’ i!' waste by the erection of a pulping plant at some point ’i'?i be obtained by the Forest Service. The is ago University Museum has recent fv - .'inquired a very valuable and instructi’TS collection of ancient pottery ware. This collection was shown last week on two trays to the meeting of the Otago Institute. Mr H. D. Skinner explained that these relics had been found on the silo of ancient Troy by the great. German archseologist, Dr Schiemann. Some belonged to the stone age and some to the period of transition from the stone age to the age of bronze. lie called on Professor Adams to describe them. Professor Adams said it was entirely due to the vigilance and enterprise of Mr Skinner that th° museum had become possessed of these objects, which he trusted would besome the nucleus of a valuable collodion of antiquities. He pointed out that in earlier periods pottery ware was of much more importance to the life of the people than it was today when there were so many substitutes. The aim of the potter was to get his ware as fine as possible. The best ware we had to-day was about as fine as stout paper. He drew attention to the ancient black glaze, which he understood could not be reproduced by any known process to-day. He explained the manner in which such ancient pottery ware was coloured and ornamented with various designs, illustrating his remarks from the ware in the new collection. Most of the vases, he said, were used for holding oil of various qualities, which with the ancients served the purpose of butter, of soap, and of an ilhuninant. Mrs Annie M. Brooker, of Auckland, appeared in the court last week with her two sons, aged 16 and 10 years, whom she had kidnapped in January while attending the camp of the Presbyterian Orphanage, where the boys had been placed by the father (says a Press Association wire from Christchurch). The appearance of the boys in court was due to the issue of an order for their production, and as Mrs Brooker immediately handed the boys over to the orphanage manager, who was in court, his Honor ordered that the proceedings bo struck out. He declined to make an order giving her access to the children as counsel for tho father said that Mrs Brooker was divorced on the ground of misconduct. The question of access was left to tho orphanage authorities. The judge also refused to grant costs of the trip from Auckland, as she had merely been instructed to leave the children in safe custody in Auckland. A meeting for the election of a School Committee was held in the Allanton School house on Monday. when the following were elected:—Jas. Walker, chairman (re-elected); I. Belesky, clerk (re-elected); R. Dowio, G. Stevenson, A. Carstairs. A Press Association telegram from Wellington says a woman was fined £3 at the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for tampering with the electric lighting connections in her house. Previously the current had been supplied on a contract basis, no meter being used. When the meter was installed the woman made a connection with the wires outside, and thus secured a large portion of the current for lighting without payment. The Magistrate said the defendant was lucky in not being charged with the more serious offence of theft. A resolution congratulating the ITon. W. Downie Stewart upon his appointment as Minister of Industries and Commerce was carried by the General Committee of the Auckland Industrial Association. Members of the South Otago Hospital Board had a pleasant surprise on Tuesday when a letter was read from Mr R, R. Grigor, solicitor, that under the will of the late Mr George Morris, of Owaka Valley, after the payment of certain legacies and the provision of a life estate for his wife and daughter, the testator directed the trustees, upon the termination of such life estates, “to hold the final residue of my estate in trust for the benefit of any public hospital which may lie erected at Owaka, with this direction, that such residue shall not be spent upon the ordinary upkeep of the said hospital, but, at the discretion of ray trustees, upon some branch of hospital activity outside the work of the said Owaka hospital, and may be extensions of buildings, equipment, or services.” The amount available would bo probably, subject to fluctuations, in the neighbourhood of £2200. On tho motion of Mr A. SMalcolm it was decided to write to Mr Grigor expressing its sense of the testator’s thoughtfulness and generosity.

At a short, sitting of the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning Mr Justice Sim heard an action brought by the Co-operative Milk Supply Co. against John Hubert Scott. The statement of claim set out that the plaintiff company purchased the defendant’s milk run in March, 1522, and employed the defendant until December; that he received a sum of £4 11s 8d on behalf of the company and that he later re-entered the business and solicited custom from its customers. The company asked for an in-

junction restraining him, for £IOO damages, and for the sum received by him on its account. Mr C. J. L. White, who appeared for the defendant, said he denied having solicited custom, but had consented to an injunction to save the expense of an action. Judgment was also given by consent for the sum of £4 11s 8d and £lO in full settlement of costs and disbursements. Mr J. B. Niehol, who appeared for the company, said it was only fair to state that the money was received by a boy who was employed by the defendant.

An Invercargill Press Association message states that as the result of a magisterial inquiry, Mr W. M'Chesney has been declared elected Mayor of South Invercargill by four votes. At the official declaration a tie was announced, and Mr J. Mitchell was declared elected by lot. A petition waa then lodged on the ground of irregularities. In again declining the South Otago Hos- j pital Board's request, for the services of Mr Tannock, superintendent of reserves, the T own Clerk of Dunedin advised yesterday's meeting of the board that the Reserves Committee wished him to say that the real objection to the granting of the services of any of the council's officers was that by so doing the council was putting itself in competition with the men who got their living by the work. The Corporation had had some trouble on former occasions when the services of its* officers had h-een lent, and it had been decided to discontinue the practice. The hoard would understand, therefore, that the question of payment for the services did not affect the position so far as the committee was concerned. Supplies of iiotaloes at the present time in Invercargill are fairly low, consequent on the recent floods in the Taieri district and also to the fact that a portion of the local crops have become affected with blight (says the Southland Times). As a result, prioes have shown a tendency to rise and the ruling quotation notv is from £l2 to £l4 per ton as compared with £5 10s to £6 10s some months ago. It is said that one buyer bought large stocks freely not long ago at prices in the vicinity of £5 and that to-day ho is receiving the current prices for such supplies as he is prepared to quit. A Press Association message from Ashburton says that after sprinkling three outer doors of a house at Staveley with petrol, an tnknown incendiary then set them alight tn the small hours. The noise awoke the occupant, Mr R. F. Ford, whose exit was barred hv two doors being barricaded. Breaking through a third, he reached the outside, and extinguished the flames. The police are investigating. After the farewell dinner tendered to Mr R. S. Forsyth at the Grosvenor Hotel rumours were current that all the guests, numbering about 81, would be prosecuted for being on licensed premises after hours, the function having lasted till 10 p.m. (says a Press Association wire from Timaru). These rumours proved to have no foundation, proceedings being ta-keti only against the convenors. Messrs Frank Dalton M‘Govern and Cecil Maitland, who were today convicted and discharged for the technical offence. A Christchurch Press Association wire says that Joan Elizabeth Carrington, aged 16 months, died in hospital as the result of swallowing a pin, which lodged in the left bronchus on June 4. The child’s mother saw that she had a pin in her mouth and asked her to give it up. The child laughecT when the request was made, and the pin slipped down her throat, A commercial traveller, representing a Melbourne firm, had a great load lifted from his mind on Thursday when Inspector Cas sells informed him that jewellery to the value of £13,557, which he had reported as missing had been recovered (says a Press Association wire from Christchurch). The traveller consigned the packages at Baleliitha, intending them to get to Christchurch. When he arrivel in the city, however, no trace of the valuable packages could be found. He informed Inspector Cassells, who promptly wired to the Superintendent Police (Mr Marsack) in Dunedin, and every effort was made to trace the goods. It was eventually discovered that the jewellery had gone to Lawrence, and the traveller was informed yesterday that it was on its way to Chrislchurcb. “That is joyful news, ’ said the owner. He expressed thanks warmly, and congratulated the police officers on their prompt work. A Press Association message from Auckland says the conference of the Provincial Farmers’ Union resolved to support legislation to control the export of dairy produce, and emphatically urging the Government of the necessity of legislation to enable farmers to form an agricultural bank. Our Christchurch correspondent wires that relative io the Coldstream murder case a correspondent of the Press writes:—“As an old friend of the man found shot at Mr John Sludholme’s house. I would like to say that deceased was the son of the suffragan to the celebrated Bishop Christopher Wordsworlh. lie was bom in the palace adjoining the beautiful cathedral at Lincoln, and was the youngest child of a family of 10 children. He was related to and connected with some of England’s and Scotland’s noblest families, but, being opposed to all studious work and of an adventurous spirit, left Home early and wandered through America and Canada for many years. Eater, coming to Australia, he attached hirmelf to the “Bush Brotherhood,’’ with whom he stayed until shortly before the time when he devoted himself to the care of patients afflicted with leprosy kt Quail Island. Always poor in worldly goods, he knew no luxury whatever, except in giving, and no charity connected with his beloved Anglican Church appealed to his generous heart in vain. So ascetic were his tastes that he even forswore the use of tobacco that he might have more to spend on others.” A Press Association message from Auckland says that the Farmers’ Union conference has concluded. The following remits were passed: —That owing to the unsatisfactory result of the parliamentary elections from a farmer’s point of view, the Government be urged to adopt a more democratic electoral system than now obtains, and suggests the adojjtion of preferential voting. That the union make a determined effort in the direction of opening up surplus lands, whether held by the Crown or otherwise, under the optional tenure, at a reasonable price, and that Crown tenants be given additional representation on Crown Lands Boards.

A Press Association telegram from Christchurch says that Robert Arthur Crouch and Mary Crouch, boarding-house keepers, were jointly charged with selling liquor without being lioensed. Constable England gave evidence that he visited the house in company with two other men, and purchased four bottles of beer. The contents of three of the bottles were consumed on the premises, and the third was produced and opened in court and pronounced to contain beer. The defence was a denial of the sale, the defendant stating that the liquor was purchased by them to celebrate the Oamaru by-election. The magistrate imposed a fine of £SO. The Superintendent of Police/ was advised last week that James Downes, aged 84 years, married, and residing at Lawrence, had died suddenly. As he had not been medically attended an inquest will be necessary.

The Fruitgrowers’ Conference discussed the matter of abandoned orchards, and more rigid inspection of neglected or small orchards (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington). It was stated that lack of finance was the cause of the abandonment. The Director of Horticulture said the Department was doing all that was possible to combat the evil. There were legal questions to be considered before drastic steps were taken. Remits were carried that the attention of the Government be drawn to the menace caused by abandoned orchards, and that drastic steps be taken to eradicate them.