JOHN BROWN'S HOBBY

Shannon News, 8 March 1927, Page 4

JOHN BROWN'S HOBBY

ARISTOCRATS OF BIRD LIFE.

'SYDNEY, Feb. 17

Mr John Brown, who, as a coalmining magnate and as a celebrity of the turf, is known throughout Aus tralia, has his hobby, like other mortals. In his case, it is pedigree poultry. When he returned to Sydney from a visit to the Old Country a. while back press representative gravely asked him about the coal strike which was convulsing England and other weighty problems. John Brown who is a man of few words, knew nothing. But they forgot to question him about the only subject upon which he was likely to become talkative—the consignment of pedigree poultry, which he had imported while away for his beautiful property at Richmond Vale. It is a vast sancutary for wild and tame bird and animal life. There, for example, one will find geese worth as much as 70 guineas apiece; flocks of blue cranes, and all the other aristocrats of bird life. Richmond Vale is one of the beauty spots of New South Wales, and is suggestive of the rural charm of English countryside. If the pressman who interviewed John Brown on his return to Sydney had chatted with him about geese or native wild ducks of turkey gobblers instead of trying to draw him on such a material subject as coal strikes, they would have i touched him on a weak spot. What | they missed someone else got a da>' [ or two ago, in the form of a most ! fascinating story of Richmond Vaio and its bird life and waters teeming with fish. Wellington City intends going in for an improvement scheme valued at threequarters of a million, if the ratepayers sanction a loan for this purpose in April. The main items are for paving, footpaths, street works, water and i drainage, libraries and reserves. Paving in bitumen will account for about £150,000, and tor sealing over £40,000, this work covering forty streets fo; paving and 50 for surface sealing. Inclusive of footpaths, this work will total up to something approaching £2OO, 000. A sum of something like £30,000 will probably appear on the schedule for water a'ld drainage for Mirarmv and Melrose, with £IO,OOO to £12,00*) for sewage-pumping machinery. A sum of £25,000 is to be asked for to provide conveniences and a disinfecting station, and library alterations and additions on the list will require another £60,000. ■^^ mmmmmm^^^mmmm