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Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 7, 26 January 1915, Page 3

The "Star" Bays: Sergeant Cowan, who has been in charge of the waterfront police for the past two years, on Friday relinquished his duties to Sergeant Cahill, of the city station, and assumed charge of the newly-created Pukekohe Police sub-district. While in charge of the Auckland waterfront Sergeant Cowan had particularly arduous duties to carry out, and during the 1913 strike he rendered invaluable assistance to Superintendents Mitchell and Kiely. Immediately before the strike broke out the sergeant, who was not in the best of health, took part in the artest of a man in Wellesley street, and, with the assistance of a constable, fought a hostile crowd for over half an-hour before he get his man to the police station. In the tussle be had a finger broken, bat returned to duty at the wharf within a few hours. He was also responsible for the arrest of two men who were 'responsible fur a long series of safe explosions in the city and Buburbs, catching the men redhanded at the Clarendon Hotel, with the assistance of Constable Bill. More recently Sergeant Cowan succeeded in recovering a large quantity of property which was afterwards identified as having been missed from various craft moored in the harbour, and in arresting two men who are now awaiting trial on a long series of theft charges. He waß greatly liked and respected by officials and commercial folk upon the waterfront, and by the members of both the old and the new Waterside Unions, and his departure is generally regretted.

Mr E. Allan, the well-known Buckland horticulturist, returned on Sunday morning from Wellington, where he had been attending the annual Nurserymen's and Seedsmen's Conference. The gathering, which was opened by the Prime Minister, was the largest of the kind yet held in New Zealand. Mr Allen's visit 10 the south fully satisfied him that the Pukekohe district was to be preferred to the southern area. In tbe Wellington district the dtought had been more severe than further north. Considerable loss had been sustained with forest trees, which had simply weltered away owing to the lack of moisture. Grass seed crops especially cocksfuot, weie unusually light. On the other hand, however, the fruit crops were decidedly good, plums being particularly in abundance The Conference, Mr Allen says, exhibited great interest in the apple industry, and Mr Hortou (tbe president), who had recently returned from a visit to South America, repurted that that country would take all the apple* that New Zealand, could grow, provided tbaj the fruit wtt of tirtUWs quality.