THE HOME LAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 27

THE HOME LAND

(From Our Special Correspondent.) SCOTLAND, June 22. The health and social conditions of the Scottish people is surveyed in the eighth annual report of the Scottish Board of Health, which deals with the year 1926. It is gratifying to note that the deaths from cancer have diminished. Happily, too, the tuberculosis death rate for the first time fell below 1 per 1000 of the population. Then, again, the general death rate, which was 13.6 per 1000, was lower than in any other year except 1923. Note is also taken of the efforts which are being made to cope with the housing shortage. It has to be recorded, however, that practically all classes of poor chargeable to parish councils increased in numbers in 1926. The poorhouses in the industrial areas were abnormally full. To illustrate the mixture of classes in the large city poorhouses, a quotation is given from the report of the Governor of Barnhill Poorhouse, Glasgow, from which the following is an excerpt:— The inmates include, as is to be expected, a large proportion of unskilled labourers and men men who, while outside, have lived largely by their wits. During the year the admissions have included two fully-qualified doctors, one being on the verge of delirium tremens, and the other addicted to drugs, a lawyer, a B.Sc., an artist, who dissipated a fortune in about two years; the mother-in-law of one of the Deputies of the French Chamber, a man who used to own a large tailoring and clothing establishment in one of the main city thoroughfares, and another who died at the age of 84, who is said to have been one of the original founders of a large Clyde engineering firm, and who attributed his downfall to having lost £ll,OOO in the City of Glasgow Bank failure. The payments for widows and orphans’ pensions amounted to £790,036.

The popularity of the West of Scotland Agricultural College has made it imperative that new- premises must be found in place of those now occupied at Blythswood square and Bath street, Glasgow. At Kilmarnock, too. big changes are necessary in consequence of the encroachment of the town on the land occupied as an experimental farm. The Dairy School for Scotland, also situated at Kilmarnock, is an institution which, under Professor R. J. Drummond, gained a world-wide reputation, and was attended by students from nearly every part of the globe, including not a few from the Dominions and the United States of America. Even young people attending the leading dairy schools in England regarded it as the proper thing to take a finishing course at Kilmarnock. The Dairy School, with all its fine traditions, will also have to find a new home. The governors have decided that all the activities of the college and the dairy school should lie concentrated on a rural site where there will be sufficient land for an experimental farm, and not far removed from the city in view of the association of the college with the university. Some time ago Mr J. M. Hannah. 0.8. E., of Girvan Mains, Girvan, bought the estate of Auchincruive, near Ayr, and offered it to the governors, laying down the condition that all the activities of the college should be centred there. It was found impossible to accept the gift with such a proviso. Mr Hamish then offered the ground and mansion house to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, and now the Secretary of State for Scotland has decided to set up at Auchincruive a high-brow research institute in dairying with the governors drawn from the West of Scotland College, the university, and two nominated by the Secretary of State for Scotland. A committee of the governors has been inquiring for some time into the question of a site for the college, the dairy school, and an experimental farm, and while no definite decision has been come to Auchincruive has been ruled out. Byres Farm, on the Pollock estate, near Glasgow, and another site in Renfrewshire have been inspected by the governors, and they will decide shortly on what they consider the most suitable situation. I will not be surprised if Sir John Gilmour, the Secretary of State for Scotland, insists on the dairy school being attached to the high-brow institute. If that is so, it will be a great misfortune for the school and for dairy teaching in Scotland. In truth it will mean the undoing of much of Professor Drummond’s life work.

A fire which occurred in a carriage hiring establishment in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow' was attended wth disastrous results. Twenty-seven valuable horses were burned to death, and damage estimated at £30,000 was done. The

premises in which the outbreak originated belonged to James Simpson, funeral undertake and motor and horse carriage hirer, 76 Janies street, near Bridgeton Cross. The horses were stalled in loose boxes on the first floor, reached by a gangway from the ground level. A night watchman managed to get a few of the horses to the top of the gangway, but he was compelled by the spread of the fire and the danger from falling beams to desist from further efforts. Pathetic scenes were witnessed while the fire was raging. The horses were seen to be frantic, to be dashing their heads against the window’s, and stampeding madly’ round the gallery. Some of them w’ere actually seen with their manes and tails blazing. The screams of the animals could be heard above the roar of the fire, and a profound feeling of relief came to everyone when the roof fell in and put an end to the struggles of the wretched creatures.

More than 3000 gallons of whisky, 75 overproof, have been poured into the sea some miles off Aberdeen. The whisky’, in steel casks, had been salved at various points along the northern coasts of Scotland. The Customs and Excise authority, considering that the duty on the whisky, which represented a total dutiable and salvage value of over £15,000, was not likely to be recovered, made arrangements with the Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners to have the casks poured into the sea from aboard one of their hoppers. It was at first intended to empty’ the whisky over the cliff into the Bay’ of Nigg, near Aberdeen, on the Kincardineshire coast, but it was pointed out that spirit of the strength of 75 overproof might have a detrimental effect on the salmon on the coast, and it was agreed that the risk of having the fish “ poisoned ” was too great. The whisky, it is believed, formed part of the cargo of a vessel torpedoed and sunk during the war off the north-west coast of Scotland. It is presumed ,that the vessel broke up in the early spring, releasing the casks of whisky’ from her hold.

One of the most prominent members of the medical profession, Dr A. H. F. Barbour, died with startling suddenness at his Edinburgh home. A son of the late S. F. Barbour, of Bonskeid and Gryffe Castle, he was educated in Edinburgh and attained to the highest distinction in his profession. Dr Barbour was a former president of the Royal College of Physicians, an LL.D, of Edinburgh and Toronto Universities, and an honorary fellow of many medical societies at home and abroad. But Dr Barbour's life was not bounded by his medical activities. He took a keen interest in social and philanthropic work, and his benefactions to the University and other Edinburgh institutions are well known to those connected with them, but the tale of his private generosity will never be known. He was for 40 years an elder of St. George’s United Free Church, the former minister of which, the Rev. Principal Alexander Whyte, D.D., was his brother-in-law. In 1889 Dr Barbour married a daughter of the Hon. George Brown, of Toronto, by whom, and by two sons and three daughters, he is survived.

Scotland has lost a notable son bv the death of Mr John L. Robertson, C. 8., LL.D., at his residence in Inverness. Six years ago Dr Robertson retired from the position of his Majesty’s chief inspector ot schools for Scotland. He was an enthusiastic Highlander, and had a great love for the north country’ and the people there, whose social and economic problems he knew thoroughly. Dr Robertson was a magnificent example of the 'lad o parts’’ hailing from the Highlands. He was educated at tire General Assembly School in Stornoway, and he proceeded to Edinburgh University direct without attending any’ secondary school. His scholastic abilities enabled him to enter senior classes, and at the close of three years to graduate Master ot Arts. He graduated also as a Bachelor of Laws, and later joined the inspectorate of schools. In 1912 Mr Robertson received the degree of LL.D, from his Alma Mater. He rendered valuable public. services, mid these were recognised in 1919, when he received from the King the honour of C.B. Dr Robertson, who was 73 years of age, was never .married.

Fully one thousand Roman Catholics r ’?» the city of Aberdeen and the towns of Peterhead and Fraserburgh made a pilgrimage to the ruins of the thirteenth century Abbey of Deer on Sunday, June 13. It was quite a new experience for rural Aberdeenshire to have sp cial trains careering through the country on the day of rest. Arriving at Mintlaw Station, the pilgrims formed a procession in the following order:—Processional cross-bearers, officers of the Knights of St. Columba (wearing regalia), acolytes, priests, choir, and pilgrims. In " the grounds of the abbey the service began with the reblessing of the place, after which the Bishop delivered a short address. Another procession was then formed to go through the grounds of the abbey, bearing the Blessed Sacrament. After this the pilgrims were "given the opportunity’ of inspecting the historic ruins.

Great preparations arc being made fertile Scottish Pageant in the grounds of Craigmillar Castle imar Edinburgh, in July. The royal roles are to be filled by’ some notable people belonging to the Scottish aristocracy. That of James IV has been accepted by’ the Marquis of Queensberry. The Countess of Stair will take the part of Mary Queen Stair will portray M Gill of Nether Rankeillor and Oxenford, and it is appropriate that their daughters, Ladies Jean and Marion Dalrymple, should represent two of the queens—Ma- ie.~ Princess Margaret Tudor will be enacted by Lady Mary MontaguDouglas Scott, daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch. On Wednesday, July 13, there will be a dress rehearsal, which will be attended by 10,000 Edinburgh school children. Some of the episodes in the pageant will appeal strongly to them.

Members of the Clan Mackay Society are rejoicing that their chief, Lord Reay,

has intimated his intention of resigning his Dutch citizenship and taking up residence in Scotland as a naturalised British subject. Since 1715 the family’ lias been resident in the Netherlands. Members of the clan resident in London entertained jxird Reay to dinner on the evening of June 17, and it is hoped that out of this function there will be formed a Clan Mackay Soc’ety the metropolis. Sir George Mills Mackay presided, and Miss Rose Mackay, the daughter of th founder and the former president of the parent society’ in Glasgow, proposed the health of the chief, which was pledged with Highland honours. Lord Reay is a strikingly’ handsome young man, and was arrayed in the full panoply’ of the clan evening dress. He gave full expression to Tiis intention to settle in this country and assume active leadership of the Mackays.

The people of Falkirk had an alarming experience last week when, during a severe storm of thunder and lightning, the town steeple was struck and tons of masonry crashed into the High street and other streets and through the roofs of dwelling houses in the immediate vicinity. Fortunately’, owing to the downpour of rain, comparatively’ few people were on the streets at the time, and no one was seriously’ hurt. A number of people received slight injuries through being struck by falling masonry. The steeple occupies a commanding position in the main thoroughfare of the town.

Aberdeen University Court has accepted tenders for the work in connection with an extension of the buildings at King’s College which are estimated to cost £31,000. The work will include the erection of a new lecture hall and an examination hall.

Sir Charles Cleland, chairman of the Glasgow Education Authority, who is to receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Glasgow University, has been presented with the appropriate academic robes by his colleagues on the authority and other friends.

Edinburgh Education Authority has decided to erect a special school in the west side of the city for mentally defective children.

Brigadier-general Douglas CampbellDouglas. C. 8., of Mains, Milngavie, has died suddenly in a London nursing home. He succeeded to the estate of Mains about two years ago. His widow is the Hon. Violet Averil Margaret Vivian, the eldest daughter of the first Baron Swansea, and his heir is Mr A. V. Campbell-Douglas, who, after leaving Oxford, obtained a commission in the Scots Guards in 1925.

The death has taken place in Edinburgh of the Rev. Robert Maeleod, senior minister of John Knox United Free Church, Aberdeen. He was a native of Caithness, a county which, although far remote from the great scats of learning, has supplied much more than an average number of students to the Scottish universities. Mr Macleod’s ministry has been a most successful one. Dr J. J. Maeleod, Professor of Physiology in the University of Toronto, who, along with Dr Banting, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1923 for the discovery of 'insulin for the treatment of diabetes, is a son of the late Mr Macleod.

Mr Thomas Cowan, shipowner. Leith, has made a gift of £4'0,000 to the University of _ Edinburgh. His previous gifts to the university, amounting to £3'0,000, are being applied to provide a hall of residence for students, to be called Cowan House. This further munificent gift is an endowment which will enable the residential scbtwie to take . shape under particularly favourable conditions. JMr Cowan has for lons been known as a liberal benefactor of the various charitable institutions in Leith and neighbourhood.