Invercargill.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1049, 4 October 1878, Page 4

Invercargill.

(From our own correspondent.)

September 28. There was some talk here a week or two ago of a new paper starting, but it seems to have died a natural death. A third paper in Invercargill may pay, but I have my doubts. The « Times * now presents a, respectable appearance, and is a, vast improvement on the old on%, but the < News *is about the most slovenly rag that ever disgraced a town. Badly put together, badly printed, and with any amount of twaddle in its columns, it could certainly be dispensed with. A well-man- ■■ '■■ .'■'.' •■■•'■ - : ■ „ r l~%~k~

aged paper like the Dutiedin ' Age ' or , Star' might pay if it could run the ' News ' off, but I am afraid it would be a poor spec otherwise. There is not sufficient population here for three papers.

The band discoursed some sweet music on the balcony of the Exchange Hall tonight ; but, as it had rained heavily all day, ■while I stood listening the. water soaked through my boots, aud I did'nt think much of the band, but of the cold in the nose in futuro. However, as I write 1 cannot but admit the satisfaction I feel in saying that the Invercargill Band cannot be surpassed in New Zealand Their success is owing to the patriotism of Captain Heywood, who has stuck to them properly and is making musicians of every one of the bandsmen. At the same time I think Captain Heywood could improve the sound by introducing a few reed instruments into the band, say a couple «f clarionettes and piccolos.

Our Dog and Poultry Show has come off, and was a decided success, but as usual everybody isn't satisfied with the judges' decisions.

Telegraphically, we have been out from the world these last few days. The lines are all down, except the one between here and Dunedin. The floods have completely stopped the traffic on the Kingston line, beyond Benmove for the present. So much for the far-sightedness of the engineer who planned th« line. He deserves a leather medal for it, whoever he is. Every flood will damage this line in the same way, and the result in the long run .will be that the line will have to be shifted on to another level, the present one will never answer.

I need scarcely say that we ai'e experiencing beautiful weather, raining old boots and cats and dogs, day and night.