North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1903. SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE.

North Otago Times, 3 August 1903, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1903. SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE.

There is a simplicity about tiro latest report I'l'om Mi- Gow, the New Zealand trade commissioner in South Africa, that almost induces an apprehension that that gentleman is less an exponent of the value of New Zealand commodities than an advocate for the people of the country ho Jias taken up his residence in. In his letter he says: " I have just' cabled for quotations for 10,000 four and six-tooth merino ewes, and I sincerely trust that dealers in New Zealand will quote prices likely to tempt buy, ers to try our stock, for there is "a very line field here for good stock. It will be useless to quote fancy prices, for African buyers are. keen business men, ami they cable for quotations all over the world." In the first place the stock of the colony has a market value, and it is unlikely that those who have merino ewes for sale will accept a price less than their value hero even to obiigo the people of South Africa or to gratify the desire of the trade commissioner that we should do business on any other basis than that which is regulated by the ruling price on the local market, If the peoplo of South Africa are lccen in business, it is an affront to the intelligence of the stock owners here to suggest that they should allow philanthropy to predominate over ordinary commercial instincts to. do business with a people who desire to buy at prices less than can be obtained locally. There are 110 " fancy " prices for 10,000 sheep, The price is ruled by the open market, and if the stockbreeders of South Africa refuse to give that figure they have other countries they can turn to for their supplies, In the second place. New Zealand has no breeding ewes that it can afford to dispose of at figures that might lead to further business at equally low prices. Our flocks have suffered a considerable diminution owing to grain growing taking the place of sheep growing during the past year, and the position is accentuated by . the possible heavy losses that will bo incurred through the snow storm that has lately befallen the greater part of the merino country. The sheep breeders of Hit colony have, under any circumstances, no need to turn to South Africa to do business on the lines suggested by Mr Gow, IL is possible therefore that the triuio ■ commissioner's plea for South Africa will fall on unwilling ears. At nil events it could not have boon made at a more inopportune time, and possibly by this time Mr flow will have been informed of the fact, At a time when the Government are considering the advisablencsx of restricting the exportation of breeding sheep, it is unlikely that any effort will lie made- to meet the wishes of Mr Gow, and wo can therefore pass away from the subject as one we have no concern with, at least in the meantime.

It is said that a proposal will bo submitted at the meeting of the Harbor Board to-day (hat should meet with the approval of the Board. It is said that it will be in the.- direction of carrying the wharf straight' into the bank on the east side, strengthening the head, and dredging closer inshore, thus adding over 50 feet to the available length of tho structure. This, we believe, will remove the difficulty that has arisen with resect to bringing the larger steamers in hero, for if tliey come to the port .light (lie question is not one of dredging so much as ;olio.of wharfage accommodation, We can only express the hope that the rumor has some foundation in fact. Tim Pacific Cable Company advise that the Zaiizibar-Mombnssa cable is restored.

Mails for Chatham Islands clcsc at LyUelton to-clay at 8 si,in,, per, Toroa.

.Mr John M'Powell has received the sum of £2 2s from Sir John Reid, of Eiderslie, as a donation towards the Robertson fund, Mr John Church was seriously unwell on Saturday, but, we arc pleased to say. rallied wonderfully yesterday, and was again bright and cheerful.

Mails for Samoa, Honolulu, America, Continent of Europe and United Kingdom, via San Francisco, per Sonoma, close at Auckland on Friday, August 21st, at 1 p.m.

At the Courthouse, on Saturday, before Mr Ceo. Brownlee, J.P., Wattic, alias James Palmer, charged with drunkenness, was convicted and discharged. A first offender was similarly dealt with.

The Canterbury Farmers' Co-opera-tive Association (Limited), Timaru (per Mr (,-fus. Jones, auctioneer) reports the-sale of 2358 acres, known as " Hunter's Hills," Waimafe, on account of Mr Harold Studholnie, to Mr Frank Barker, of Orari; also, 111 acres, originally part of the Seadown Estate, on account, of Mr John Fitzsiunnons, to Mr Dan. Murphy, of Otaio,

Tho north-west wind that blew on Saturday night and tho grater of yesterday appears to have been, general over the whole of Otngo if not of Canterbury. A Dunedin telegram says a good thaw has set in in tho south, and it is evident, from the. nature of the wind that was blowing that it was also operating for good in tho country covered : with snow in this district,

I Our Herbert correspondent writes: A vory interesting lecture on Robert Burns was delivered in the Athenaum Hall, Herbert, on Thursday, 30th July, by the Kev, Mr Torter, Oaiiwni. The Iter. Mr Jt'lvor was in the chair, and there was a good attendance. The Misses Thomas and Messrs Thomas and F. Robertson assisted with songs and musical selections. Votes of ■ thanks to the lecturer and musicians were proposed by Messrs F. Frame and >T. A. Boss, Tluw tvainloads of sheep have .brought from Ilakutarmuca. to tlio coast 'iof [ho purpose of being put on k'O'l, One lot of sheep went to Waimate ali'l the Uv;o others were iaken to KldersliV, lo be put on turthere, The sheep' .lljat thh" >0 $ 1 Oamuru appeared to have nut in" a very bad .time,' It is;'intended x* - ,,rin S J™ 1 ' 0 ' should no chango in. h conditions Hakataramea take

A gentlenum *' visit, to A Cenirnl word : lo Oamaru : of ■' a, : ;a . 0 sight to bo seen there. .'A fWKiinS 62 fell high is cau'lod ovor

way lino, nnd as the water in the fluming froze with the intense cold the overflow formed' a tapestry of ice from the ground up to tho floor of the. fluming, the only break being the arcli through which the train runs below! The sight is novel and pretty, but no one would object to its rapid disappearance. Oh Friday night there was a large number of coursing men at the Queen's Hotel in connection with the paying out ' f ihe stakes over the recent meeting. Mr George Leslie (vice-prcsiiii/iit) occupied Ihe chair. The following stakes were paid: 0, 'E. Wise, £42 ; J, Pick, £ls ; J, Cameron, £7; F, J. Lee, £3; J. Matthews, £3 ;D. M'Ghie, £3, The healths of tho owners of the winning dog and runner-up were then proposed by the chairman in a felicitous speech, Messrs Wise and Pick responding, and after a pleasant evening the gathering broke up,' The Tiiiiaru Herald of Saturday says: Mr W, Grant returned yesterday from the Mackenzie Country, where he lias two stations, the Wolds and the Grampians, He informs us that there is a little black country on the Grampian spurs, but the total does not. amount to much. The sheep are being got to the bare ground as much as possible. Tho Wolds run is chiefly plain country, and this is still wholly white, In view of the danger of heavy snows, it has been the practice on this station for some years to grow some stacks of feed, and about 15,000 to 10,000 sheep liavo got to the stacks, At the best heavy losses must be experienced throughout the Mackenzie Country,

Ilurd-boiled eggs are not uncom-* mon, but adamantine eggs that havo not been boiled arc quite common in the back country at the present time, Some of the eggs in the iceland of tlie interior freeze and burst, while others freeze as hard as stones and do not burst. In the Hakatarnmca Valley even the keroseno has coagulated, and the assistance of either a spoon or a knife is required to extricate it from the tin. It is [also necessary to boil water for the watering of the draught stock, as there is nothing but a frozen landscape of snow, and the creeks are covered with an unbreakable thickness of ice. Along the coast we have no adequate conception of the cold that reigns in the back country. The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Oainaru Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.P.,' was held in the ]odgc-i*oom Coquet street, on Friday night, the N.G., liro. .1). M'lntosh, presiding, Threo candidates were initiated, and the sick members reported on. The Permanent Secretary (liro; G, Brownlee) read the half-yearly balanco sheet, which disclosed the lodge to be in a sound position financially. A challenge from the Endeavor Lodgo for a euchre night on Tuesday, 25th August, was accepted, tho team to be selected next lodge night. After the close of the ordinary business the brethren remained for. an hour's progressive euchre for a trophy presented by Bro. G. 11. Procter. The winner was 'Uro. R. Keen, who won all his games, The states o! teased persons Cmally certified last month wero: Wellington—Charles It. Bidwill, £3.0,831;; James 13, Moore, £22,895; James Bowen, £11,091; Michael Killecri, £7773; Isabella Bartholomew,£sß4B; Sicgmund Cohen, £4931; Sarah White, £1874-. Auckland—William Adams!, £59,737; Johanna Scott, £10,900 ; Richard Buchanan, £4507; Joseph Clark, £3l/10. Christchurch -iJumes Inwotid, £12,864; William - Gcbbie, £12,734 ;; Richard J. S. H a r mmi, £11,847 ;| Michael J. Holmn, £5254-; Mary A. Gibson, £4579; John Olsen, £l'!G64 ; William : Drum- j moiiJ, £3OOO. itunccliii—John Flern.-! ilig, £BOI/!; William Alcockj. £5149; Charles. Waynes, £434(1;. John Milne, £1289 J James Morrison, £1070; Lewis G, Glastford, £llO2O, N a pierJaw'es Lawrence, £11,505, NelsonChristina Birkett, £3472; Willl a m Northani, £3395, Blenheim—George Graham, £8154./ Invercargill—Otto Hast, £11,136; Daniel Coakley, £2638. i

We are doing things daily that .have no parallel in the past. You may be losing shillings and pounds by not keeping watch on this store's movements. It's our constant aim to leave not o stone unturned in oui' efforts to give you the best tho market affords nt the smallest possible price, not once a week or month, but every day, Wo are now doing all-wool Colonial Blankets, f-bed size, that were 17s Gd, now 1.2s (id - ; full double-bed size and extra heavy, were 22s 6d, now 15s; largest size made and extra heavy, usual price flOs, tn be cleared out at 19s Gd, We are determined not to carry any of these blankets over till next winter, and have marked them down at low prices to clear. Next auction sale Saturday, Ist August. In the meantime all goods will be sold over the counter at auction prices.—PENROSE'S Drapery Establishment. The other day wo read about a man wljo after taking enough to pay expenses and wages for himself each each day, sold for tho rest of that day without profit, We do not go quite so far as that, but at ,thc end of each season we do sell without profit, and some lines wo soli at a | loss,- Now is your chance to buy, We ltaye some rare bargains to offer, A few dozen white Turkish towels, Very large size and good quality, wero Is lid each, wo are seliing the pair at 2s 6d; unbleached sheeting was is Id per yard, now 9fd; pink, white and grey flannel, was Is, now 9Jd, other qualities equally reduced; colonial blankets were $ size 15s Gd, full size 19s Gd, extra large size 27s (id, are now 12s lid, 15s lid, and 20s; a superior colonial blanket, was. 16s Gd, 23s 6d, and 32s Gd, now selling at 13s Gd, 17s Gd, and 26s Gd, at London Hoiisc.-L, H, TEMPERO.