A reaper and binder at work on Mr Kingan's farm, Lake
Hawea. - Otago Witness, 21.2.1912.Copies of picture
available from Star Stationery Shop, Lower Stuart St, or
www.otagoimages.co.nz
At Tuesday's meeting of the Lake County Council a
deputation was in attendance to urge the necessity for
prohibiting motor traffic within the county. A resolution
forbidding such traffic stands on the records, and notice of
motion was given to rescind the resolution. The deputation,
having been heard, a compromise was arrived at, and the
following restrictions were agreed to, it being also agreed
that a poll of the ratepayers of the county as a whole be taken
on the question of permitting motor traffic or not. The
restrictions are: "Motors to go to Pembroke via Arthur's Point
and Zig Zag and return by same road - coming from Pembroke on
Tuesday afternoons and returning on Wednesday mornings in each
week; to take the outside of the road in meeting and passing
vehicular traffic; speed round bends to be five miles an hour;
in meeting any vehicle or person car or cars to stop on the
person in charge of the vehicle or other person holding up his
hand until they pass; horn not to be sounded, but conductor's
whistle can be used; in rounding bends, man from the car to
walk in advance of car in bad places; cars to pass Crown
Terrace, near W. M'Kibbin's farm, not earlier than about 2 p.m.
on Tuesdays from Pembroke, and passing same place on Wednesdays
not before 7 a.m. on return from Queenstown." Motor discs will
be erected on dangerous parts of the roads.
• Very many queer things happen, even on the public trains,
of which the great world is not made aware. On Thursday a
Christchurch Press reporter was told the tale of a dare-devil
act performed on the south express, perhaps a fortnight ago.
Several men were in a carriage next the guard's van, and one
of them at least was not absolutely sober. They discussed
various topics, and argued on diverse subjects. At length one
of them declared that he could travel faster than the train -
said he could do it on account of the "laws of gravity."
Before the others were well aware of what was happening he
had climbed to the roof of the carriage, and from there had
commenced a race to the front of the train. He passed over
the roofs of seven carriages, and from above peered down at a
startled engine-driver. The train was stopped, and the man
got down vastly pleased at having clinched his argument.
• On a Sunday morning during the heat spell in Melbourne a
few instances were noticed of butchers' carts being used for
the delivery of meat, saved overnight from ptomaine and
corruption in the ice-chests of the shops. While onlookers
view this invasion of the Sabbath leniently, curious
questions were asked "as to what civil law was being
infringed". No complaint reached the Factories Department,
nor would complaint have been of avail in that quarter. The
Factories Act operates only on six days in the week. But the
drivers of the carts could have been proceeded against by the
police under a law of Charles II, and fined 5s each. Failing
payment, they would have been "sent to the stocks", but as
there are now no Government stocks the probability is that
the offenders would have gone unpunished.
• The dredging industry is decidedly on the wane. On the
Molyneux there are the old Hartley and Electric No. 2.
Electric No. 1 and the Cromwell Syndicate dredges are the
only two on the Kawarau, and on the Clutha River the Rising
Sun and Rise and Shine No.1 are the sole survivors of no
fewer than six dredges formerly working between Cromwell and
Lowburn. - ODT, 17.2.1912.
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