Mr Cockerell's Inventions Recognised

Southland Times, Issue 11899, 21 November 1891, Page 2

Mr Cockerell's Inventions Recognised

It is pretty generally known that since the introduction of the drain plough by Mr Cockerell over five year 6 ago, an immense breadth of land in Southland, previously unproductive, and almost incapable of Deing brought into cultivation, except by slow and co&tly work, has been made to yield capital crops and give a paying return for expenditure incurred. Mr Cockerell's invention was first tried on the farm of Mr J. Tho.nson, junior, Winton Plains, and the result was so satisfactory that the use of the implement on swampy and cold land spread very rapidly. By means of drainage affected in thiß simple and expeditious way hundreds of farmers have turned swamps and sterile plains into fruitful 6elds and luxuriant pastures. Mr Cockerell has also aided the farmers in a variety of other ways, amongst the products of his inventive brain being sundry other new implements, and improvements upon old ones. His stomp extractor has made short work of the clearing of many an acre of bush land, while the sectional disc harrow, with zig-zag axles, cross harrow for turnip- thinning, and other labour-saving appliances are well known and have been widely used with advantage. His efforts in the direction of inventing and perfecting dredging apparatus are also well-known, the results achieved having been from time to time duly chronicled in the local papers. Like most men with a dash of genius in their composition however, Mr Cockerell has never done much good for himself in a pecuniary sense. Want of capital, and sometimes, perhaps, want of care for his own interests have deprived him of the reward that ought to have followed his thought and labour. Thus while many have been enriched by his inventive faculties and perseverance in me^hanicalexperiments.hehimself has reaped no monetary advantage. It is therefore with much pleasure that we hear of a movement being on foot to recompense Mr Cockerell to some slight extent for the undoubted benefits he has conferred upon the community, especially upon the farmers. Recognising the circumstances of the case Mr P. Deegan of Centre Bush, who had himself derived no small benefit from Mr Cockerell's labours as a machinist, mooted the question of <* testimonial, and found that the idea was taken up with much favour by a considerable number of neighbours. A list was accordingly drawn up setting forth Mr Cockerell's claims upon the farmers' consideration and the subscriptions already entered upon it amount to a respectable sum. The money collected has been placed in oar hands in the meantime and a copy of the list lies at this office for the convenience of those who may wish to join in the testimonial. Although essentially a farmers' movement the subscriptions of any others who may feel disposed to recognise Mr Cockerell's claims will be heartily accepted.