CHRISTCHURCH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 393, 1 August 1877, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

A CURIOUS ACTION. A DENIAL. July 31. The case of Campbell v. the Executors of the late Mr. Mackay was resumed this morning. Evidence for the defence was to the effect that Mackay was always a hard man, and not at all likely to make presents of large sums of money ; that prior to his death he was more than once wandering in his mind ; that old friends were refused permission by Campbell to see Mackay ; and that Mackay, while in bed, had several times said he had lost confidence in Campbell, and would like to have another doctor. At the conclusion of the evidence the counsel for the d--fence asked for delay to enable him to amend the issues. On resuming, the counsel for Campbell said after what had transp ; red, he would ask the Court to enter a non-suit against his client, which

after some discussion, was done. The land sales for the month of June have realised L 175,000. August 1. Messrs. Lightband, Allan, and Co., write to the Lyttelton Times this morning, denying that they locked out their hands with the view of effecting a reduction in wages. They also say that, having had " four years' experience of their trade union, we have found not the slightest disposition on the part of the men to fall in with any idea whatever that meant a change in the system of working, even when such change did not affect their interests in the smallest degree. We re-

oently imported from England and America some new machinery, and, a few weeks ago, put on two or three hands on weekly wages, with the idea of ascertaining its capabilities, and intended eventually to fix the price for piece-work in connection with the machinery. (We do not at all object to the piece work system.) The Union drove those men oil' the premises under threats, and from that time we thoroughly made up our minds not to recognise their society any longern." The letter further says it was intended to adopt a system by which the men could earn better wages than elsewhere, and that the men are not locked out for a fortnight but so far as the old mode of work-

ing was concerned for ever. The Acclimatisation Society lias sent to San Francisco for some Prairie hens. An application from Melbourne for some song birds was refused by the society.