EASTERN SOUTHLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21266, 21 February 1931, Page 20

EASTERN SOUTHLAND.

(From Ovr Own Correspondent.) GORE, February 18. PERSONAL. After serving a period of 18 months on the railway staff at Mataura, Mr A. Cuttriss, who has been transferred to Orepuki, was entertained by the fellowmembers of the staff and presented with a handsome set of carvers. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES’ PICNIC. Perhaps one of the biggest functions of its kindly held locally, the friendly societies’ picnic, took place at the Gore Show Grounds yesterday in beautiful weather conditions. Prior to the picnic proper, a monster parade was held from the Eire Station, in which over 1900 people, including children from the three local primary schools and the High School, the various lodges, the Fire Brigade, and the brass and pipe bands, took part. At the showground an extensive sports programme was embarked on, the gate takings amounting to about £2O. EARTHQUAKE RELIEF. Contributions to the local earthquake appeal now amount to £llO7 12s 6d. At Waikaka the amount subscribed is £154 17s 6d. KING SOLOMON GOLD MINE. A visit was paid by the directors to the King Solomon Deep Lead, Ltd., gold mine, Waikaia, yesterday afternoon, when an opportunity was taken to sample some of the wash in the drive. Rich results were obtained, two dishes yielding Idwt Bgrs and Idwt respectively. The underground is reported to be perfectly dry and standing up well in good driving country. FINANCIAL STRINGENCY. During the course of his speech at the opening of the Mataura Flower Show,_ Mr D. M'Dougall, M.P., in his characteristic style, referred to the necessity for a return to the pioneering days of hard work in order to meet the present financial stringency. He was happy, said Mr M'Dougall, to be among the people of Southland after coming from the north, where the land was dancing about with earthquakes. It had been said that the Dominion was passing through the worst period of depression in its history, but in his opinion that was not the case. He would refer to the eighties, when times were harder than they were now, /When farmers had to cart their grain 15 or 20 miles and get 10d a bushel for it. Milk was vended at 3d, a fat wether brought 9s, and a fat lamb, 10s, and thgy were glad to accept those prices. Since those days prosperity had come, and the people had drifted like the prodigal son. It behoved them to emulate the example of the prodigal son, and come back to their fathers, put their motor cars in their garages, and get out their Reid and Gray boots and a spade and get down to work. Mr M'Dougall went on to say that it would probably come as a surprise to his hearers to know that there was £1,677,767 more to the credit of investors in the Post Office Savings Bank than in 1929. There was also the huge sum of £18,204,731 lying in the associated banks on which no interest was paid. When Mataura had asked for a savings bank to be opened in the town the request had been refused. The depositor was charged £1 for the right of depositing money in the banks, which the banks in turn. lent out at 7 per cent. The people could rest assured that he had not finished with that aspect,' and he intended to continue representations to have the savings bank opened at Mataura. Parliament would have to reduce the rate of interest charged, the price of land, and the cost of living, in order that in time to come those who had families would not find the cupboard bare. Mr M'Dougall went on to say that he believed that Mr Forbes was the right map in the right place, and all he asked was that the Prime Minister be given a chance to bring the country back to its former state of prosperity.