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Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 48

Vivid impressions of tho discovery of gold in Otago, and recollections of early Melbourne, aro retained by Mrs Joseph Martin, who " celebrated her ninetieth birthday at Devonport on Friday (says tho Auckland Sun). Born in the North of Ireland in 1837, a month after Queen Victoria acceded to the Throne, she sailed for Melbourne with her brother in 1854, in the ship Sultana. After eight years in Victoria she came across the Tasman to Dunedin. Mrs Martin has a keen recollection of the little Methodist Church on Bell Hill which was demolished by a gale. One Sunday morning, bile the congregation was assembled for the service, a heavy gale was blowing outside, and tho structure began to creak and sway in an alarming manner. Realising their danger the worshippers filed out of the church, which collapsed a fe<w moments later. Shortly after her marriage Mrs Martin went with her husband to Queenstown by an arduous pack-horse journey. Settling at Skipper's Point they build a log hut, and it was there that their eldest son, ‘‘Skipper,” was oorn — the first white child of the district. During the last 35 years Mrs Martin has lived in Auckland. Of her seven sons four are in Auckland, one is farming near Hamilton, one is in Wellington and one in Christchurch. There aro 34 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The building permits issued in Palmerston North in July totalled 60, the value ot winch exceeded £40.000. A pleasing feature was the increased number of houses that were being builtj the expenditure in this respect being responsible for more than £20,000. Business and other premises accounted for nearly £lO,OOO.

The Railway Department reports that the slips on the Central Otago line have been cleared, and trains were running as usual yesterday.

Thirteen bankruptcies were notified in last week’s issue of the New Zealand G azettc. Eleven of the number were in tlie North Island.

At the Magistrate’s Court at Lumsden o n Friday last, before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., S. \V. Butson, inillowuer. of Athol, was Convicted ‘‘Under the "Census and Statistics Act, 1926” for failing to make a return of wheat and oats threshed by his mills during the months of Z.pril and May. He was fined £4 and costs (12s) on the first charge and convicted ofi the second.

We are informed that tflic lata Mr D’Arcy llaggitt has bequeathed to the Dunedin Diocesan Trust Board, in rrust, the sum of £lOO to go towards the cost of erecting a new Anglican Church at Roslyn.

The depredations of grass-grubs in the lining-out areas of the Selwyn Plantation Board’s reserve at Darfield was emphasised at a meeting of the board by the superintendent, Mr R. G. Robinson (says the Christchurch Sun). “ The pros pects are not very good for the raising of trees,” said Mr Robinson, "as the note area seems to be infested. After tho pre sent trees were lifted I found a great many grubs. I put a boy on collecting them, and in one day he got between 2000 and 3000.” Mr Robinson stated that the grub seemed to make its appearance in cycles of five or six years, and remained for about two years. The greatest damage was done in the summer, when the grubs encircled trees—even two-year-old wees—and ring-barked them. On one occasion a nursery at Tapanui lost half a -11111 in young trees in this manner.

“ Who authorised the engineer to visit Auckland in connection with the survey of the Korua and Maui?” asked Mr I. Mirficld at the Gisborne Harbour Board meeting recently (says the Times).— ‘ I did,” said the chairman.—‘‘What does Mr Campbell get per day whilst away?” in quired Mr Mirfield.—“ His salary and travelling expenses,” replied the chairman.— ‘‘Does he not get an allow nice, also?” persisted Mr Mirfield. "No,” replied the chairman, and the engineer signified his agreement.—At a later stage Mr G. Smith remarked that he considered it unnecessary that tho engineer nould have gone to Auckland but, seeing Kb had made such a good deal there, he did net intend saying anything about the trip. Brief observations on the deportation trouble at Samoa wore made to a Chronicle representative by Mr James Grant, of Wanganui, the other lay, who has just returned from a tour of the Pacific Islands. Mr Grant said that the impression he gained was that Sir George Richardson was out to irther the interests of the Samoan natives, and in doing so he may have trodden on tho toes of some people who had previously been in receipt of a substantial income at the expense of the natives. However, no discontent .was apparent. The Budget is to be presented to tho House of Representatives this evening, and the debate on it will be commenced on Friday, according to present arrangements. This afternoon will be devoted to the presentation of departmental reports and Government papers. So far very few reports have made their appearance, and it is desirable to dispose of them before the relative votes in the Estimates are considered.

The Wellington City Council has decided to raise a loan of £290,800, nearly all of which will be used for the paving of streets and footpaths. The council is also considering a loan of £150,000 for tramway plant and extensions.

By the will of the late William Hawker who died in October, 1913, and Ann Hawker his wife, who died in 1921, the Salvation Army and the Woolston Methodist Church receive considerable benefits (reports our special correspondent in Christchurch). Under William Hawker’s will the Salvation Army received £5OO, and under Mrs Hawker’s will the Army and tho Woolston Methodist Church each receive £1540. This sum represents the residue of Mrs Hawker’s estate after providing for a legacy of £lOOO to the Woolston Anglican Church paid some time ago. The trustees have just completed the administration of the estates, and this is the first announcement of the bequests.

On Friday Mr Justice Sim granted probate in the estates of tlje undermentioned deceased persons:—Margaret Ross, late of Dunedin, widow (Mr C. S. Kerens) ; Michael Docherty late of Oamaru, stonemason (Mr Hamilton); Rebeckah Clark, late of Caversham widow (Mr Sidey); Bridget Colehan, late of Waitati, widow (Mr Stephens); Christy Comrie Roberts, late of Caversham, widow (Mr Sidey); James Dugan, late of Ranfurly, farmer (Mr J. I. Fraser); Robert Macdonald, late of Oamaru, retired builder (Mr Hamilton); and Peter Goycn, late of Dunedin, retired inspector of schools. The number of telephone subscribers in the Dominion was stated at the Dominion Farmers’ Union Conference on Friday to r-noz "h° ? a ’ d * n subscriptions £>925,000 at an average rate of £8 10s (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington). If 3 flat rate were charged the price would have to be raised to £lO In view of this explanation 11 remits at the conference dealing with rural telephones w ere referred to the executive in order that replies might bo received from the department.

According to a report from Southland there is now a permanent resident in Doughboy Bay, one of the most inaccessible bays of Stewart Island. Recently Mr Adam Adamson, of ambergris fame, was landed there with equipment and stores to last six months. A cargo of building timber was to follow, but so far tho weather has not been suitable to risk visiting this exposed quarter. In the meantime, Mr Adamson has made a temporary home in a fine sheltered cave which he discovered well back from the beach. This cave had evidently been used in the early days oy sealers and whalers, as numerous initials and indistinct names are cut into the stone walls. In bygone days the Maoris made a yearly expedition to Doughboy Bay to col lect lampreys, which are numerous there in their season.

“Wait till tho tram stops, please.” This official injunction seems to be useless as a deterrent in the matter of passengers alighting from moving tramcars. Moreover women seem to be as consistent offenders as men, which fact would suggest that if the tair sex are determined to break the bylaw, they should take steps to master the not difficult knack of alighting in safety Some of the female offenders, however, kick the most elementary knowledge of this much-indulged habit. A case in point was observed on an Anderson’s Bay tram one night last week. A young woman’s eagerness to disembark overcame her discretion at the M'Bride street terminus, and she tried to leave the car bfore it had come to a standstill. All would have bien well had she gone about things in the correct and accepted manner. But she did not. She grasped the handrail with the left hand, and put her right foot on the ground first. The result can readily be imagined, one spun round several times, and eventually finished up a tangled mass of tlounces and furbelows on tho muddy roadway. Her injuries were confined to her frehngs and a pair of silk stockings. Moral: 1 ?,“ r on w .jth tho right hand and put the left foot down first.

One of the speakers at a Presbvtertan rally m Auckland on Tuesday told the story of a home missionary who arrived at a country church to find that the kev was in the possession of someone 40 miles'away. By displaying initiative the top portion Il,dOW was °P ened , the people were 111 m< ono - by . one > and the service was k , e , m issioner afterwards admitted having lacked the power of concentration to tho extent of taking a compassionate interest in one lady, and wondering ff they would succeed in getting her out again, lhe task was, however, successfully accomplisned.

A story of ill-luck following upon his setting up 111 business as a garage proprietor was narrated at a meeting of the creditors of Henry James Williams, of I‘eliding, who has been declared a bankrupt, lhe bankrupt stated that he began business on his owu account in April, 1924 putting £75 of his own and a further £75 lent him by his wife into the purpehase of plant and tools. A good connection m the repair business was worked up, and in November, 1924, David Victor Gould entered business on a partnership basis, paying £125 into the firm. In May, 192a’ partnership was dissolved, bankrupt paying Gould £l5O on his going out. In reply to questions from creditors, bankrupt said that he had been improving his position of lute and ho was confident that he would have pulled through had he been left alone. As it was. he could make no offer to his creditors. One of the creditors observed that bankrupt had been an industrious man, and, in his opinion, would have succeeded in his business had he teen left alone. After further examination it was decided to extend the sympathy of creditors to bankrupt and to recommend his early discharge.

It is one thing to urge the community to eat more fruit, as is now being done in Sydney (writes our correspondent), but it is quite another thing to get fruit today at prices which bring it within the reach of all, and especially of those in the poorer parts. Decent-sized apples in Sydney to-day cost two pence or three-pence each. Fruit generally is dear. Sydney shops are featuring the tropical fruits of Queensland, but at prices which, as far as the eat-more-fruit campaign is concerned, suggest tho old story of the hare. One has to be . able to buy a plentiful quantity of fruit in short, before he can eat it The community will be delighted to eat more fruit, that is, good fruit, if it can be brought within tho income of the average man on moderate tvages, who, after all, is th© individual mainly to bo considered, espocially as he invariably has a family whose cost is out of proportion to his earnings. Good progress is being made by the Public Works gang engaged on relief work on the Balclutha River protective embankment. The work being done will sei re the dual purpose of strengthening the bank materially, and also of constituting the first stretch of tho proposed road along the west bank of the Molyneux to Clydevale. Tho narrow track that formerly ran along the cliffside through Mr John Christie’s property to Mrs R. Wilson’s, has been enlarged to a proper road width by blasting out the rock and clay, which has been taken away by the light line of railway in order to strengthen the protective bank at Balclutha, and also to fill in various gullies on the route. Good work has teen done by the men, nearly all experienced Kaitangata miners who were thrown out of work when the old mines closed down. \\ hen the road along the cliffsides is completed to ilson’s boundary, as is evidently the intention, probably the worst stretch of the proposed extension to Clydevale will be completed. It will then be a matter for the Chitha County Council to cooperate with the department in continuing the work.

A sentence of IS months’ imprisonment was imposed in the Supreme Court at Wellington yesterday by Mr Justice MacGregor on William John Walling, a carrier, of Eastbourne, who was found guilty on Thursday of the negligent driving of a motor car a£ Tawa Flat recently whereby another car was forced over a 70ft bank, resulting in the death of a woman, Helen Telfer.

A young man who had been working on a farm at Eltham (says the Taranaki Herald)> was told by his employer that he had no more work for him at present, but if matters improved later on he would be very pleased to re-engage him. The young man decided to leave for Australia, having sufficient money in hand to pay his passage there and keep him for a few’ weeks until he obtained a job. He decided however, to walk to Wellington and apply at various farm bouses along the road' for work. All he obtained was one day’s work between Eltham and Wanganui. He caught the express at Wanganui on Saturday for his objective across the Tasman, stating that he had tired of wearing out his boots on a fruitless task.

Board of Control of the Kawarau Gold Mining Company met on July 23, when, after an examination of all data, available, it was decided to issue instructions that the gates at the dam must bo raised not later than August 15, when it is anticipated, the dam win be holding its full capacity. It was arranged that tho opening must be carried out earlier if unexpected conditions arise. Mr W. II Overton was appointed member for Queenstown in place of Mr A. Simson. •

Of late, a certain amount of adverse criticism has been levelled against the administration of war and patriotic funds, but that the returned soldiers’ associations of the Dominion do not associate themselves w’ith this criticism, is evident by a resolution which was passed at the recent annual meeting of the Dominion Council, and which was read at tho quarterly meeting of the Otago Patriotic and General Welfare Association last week. The resolution was embodied in a letter forwarded by the geneial secretary of the council, and read, as follows:—“That this Dominion Council of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association records its appreciation of the sympathetic manner in which the patriotio funds are being administered and realises the value of the self-sacrificing work of those citizens throughout New Zealand who aro voluntarily giving their time to the administration of these funds.” Tho letter was received, the chairman (Mr J. J. Clark) remarking that such a tribute’ was very gratifying not only to the Otago Association, but to every patriotic association in New Zealand.

Evidence of the far-reaching effect of the closing of the Kawarau dam, thus shutting off the waters of Lake Wakatipu, is to be seen in the phenomenally low state of tho Molyneux at Balclutha (reports our correspondent). Great stretches of sand and gravel are lying exposed to view that were formerly water-covered, and it would seem that the contention that the river is gradually silting up is not altogether a myth. At tho beginning of the high protective bank at the back of the town there is an island fully a quarter of a-inile long that has evidently been in course of formation for many years. It is now accessiblo dry-shod from either end, and in course of time will no doubt effect a solid junction with the mainland. Although it is mostly composed of sand and gravel, already various plants are taking root, seeds being conveyed by wind and tide. Included in these growths arc the beautiful native cabbage tree and the native flax, mingling with the exotic willow growths.

Tlie somewhat unusual incident in tha House of Representatives on Friday afternoon in which a little feeling was displayed between two members (states our parliamentary reporter), is said to have had its sequel in the lobby later. The story goes that the belligerents almost came to grips in the excitement of a wordy duel, but from all accounts nothing serious hap* poned, and by evening they were again on speaking terms. There were inorq serious encounters in the olden days.

The suggestion that deer might bo culled by poisoning instead of by shooting, wa.i submitted by Mr R. B. Tennent at tho monthly meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society last week. Mr Tennent said that, on account of deer in the Stanislau rorcst. California, having contracted foot and mouth disease some years ago, it became necessary to eradicate them, and it was considered that poisoning would be tho most suitable method. To this end, special salt licks were prepared throughout the forest, and were renewed from time to time, until the deer became accustomed to them. After some time, the licks were impregnated with strychnine, with the result that in 10 weeks time no fewer than 100,000 deer had been killed. This method, Mr Tennent thought, might be applied in Ot<.go, and, as far as he could see tho only objections were the possible danger to sheep, and that any discrimination between good and bad heads would be impossible. In the former case, however, the licks could be hung on trees out of the reach of sheep, and in regard to the latter, it was doubtful whether those entrusted with culling the herds picked the deer they shot. The President (Mr C. P. M. Butterworth), said that in a matter of this kind the cullers would have to be considered, but as soon as the top of the Hunter was culled the experiment might be tried. Mr Tennent pointed out that it would first bo necessary to get the deer accustomed to the licks before using the poison, and this would mean that some time would elapse before they could expect results. Mr Butterworth then moved: “That tho question of culling deer by poisoning ba referred to the Game Committee with power to act.” Mr Stewart seconded thq motion, which was carried unanimously.

In the course of his address on “Tim Scenery of Western Otago,” in the Museum buildings last week, Mr G. M. Moir said that the facilities for viewing tho mountainous parts of Western Otago were at present inadequate, but he intimated that in the near' future a syndicate would be formed in Dunedin in order to deal more successfully with the tourist traffic. With regard to the scenery of Western Otago Mr Moir explained that the reason for the luxuriant growth of vegetation in these parts was that the towering mountain peaks and ridges attracted moisture. Therefore, the rainfall was heavy, and as an outcome vegetation had every chance to thrive. Geologically speaking, tho mountains and lakes of this part of the country were very similar to those of Switzerland.

During the winter months a good deal of sickness can reasonably be expected among school children. The Medical Officer of Health (Dr Crawshaw), however, informed our representative last week that so far, the present winter had been an exception in this respect, and that there had been very little serious illness, particularly of the infectious type, among the children. Minor ailments, such as colds and mumps had, of course, been prevalent, but. on the whole the school attendances had kept up remarkably well.