SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 20

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

SOUTHLAND FOR PORK.

Mr Vecht, of the Intra-marine Supply Company, in the course of an interview at Invercargill, said that since he had begun operations in New Zealand the number of pigs from the north down to Oamaru had been doubled. In the absence of a buyer this would have meant collapse, but under present circumstances pigs had actually become 10s per head dearer, thus adding about £100,000 to tho national wealth. Southland was better suited for pig-growing than even Canterbury. In the case of a bad harvest the seconds could bo profitably used in feeding pigs, and the potatoes might also be ussd. The company would pay 3d per lb at railway stations.

A FARTHIN3 DAMAGES

At the District Court, on the 30th, before Judge Rawson, Francis 8. Fulfcon, a youth, claimed £200 damages from Robert Beatson Ross, of Dipton, for slander, in alleging that he had assaulted a child at Lumsden. The jury gave a verdict for plaintiff, assessing the damages at one farthing. The hearing of argument for an order for a new trial on the grounds that the jury disregarded the direction of the judge and that the damages were exceedingly small was adjourned.

UNIMPROVED VALUES.

The Invercargill Borough Council intend to urge the Government to bring in a bill next session to enable local bodies to levy taxation on unimproved values.

SAFE AT ANCHOR.

It was reported at the Bluff on Saturday that during the gale of the previous night some fishing cutters had been driven ashore on Stewart's Island, and that loss of life had resulted. The weather was so severe that the harbour tug could not venture out, but the Government steamer Hinemoa was despatched to make inquiries, with the result that the boats were found to be safely at anchor in Caroline Harbour, Ruapuke.

COOL STOHAGE AT BLUFF.

According to the intention expressed at the Chamber of Commerce committee meeting on Monday, the 29th ulfc., a number of the members had an interview with the Hon. J. G. Ward yesterday afternoon, with the object of bringing the claims of the Bluff for such accommodation pointedly under the notice of the Government. Mr G. C. Tothill, president of the chamber, presented to Mr Ward a copy of the resolution that had been adopted by the committee the previous day, and in support thereof referred briefly to the amount of dairy produce already exported from the district as warranting the establishment of suitable storage at the port. Mr G. W. Nichol thought that a mistake had probably been made in omitting the name of Bluff Harbour from the list of ports at which the erection of cool stores had Leen proposed in connection with the railways. He needed not to call Mr Ward's attention to the extent of business aggregating at the Bluff, and it was undoubtedly desirable that the dairy produce of the district, as well as its other staples of export, should be shipped from the port at hand, and that facilities for shipping it in the best condition should be available. Mr Carswell would merely cay that the dairy industry in Southland, although already of importance, was but in its infancy. Indeed, the productive power of the district altogether was just beginning to open out, and it would be difficult to fix the limit to which it might expand. The presence of suitable cool storage at the Bluff would no doubt stimulato the manufacture of butter and cheese for export. Mr Ward, in reply, said he agreed with the deputation in thinkißg the Bluff ought to have been included among the ports at which the erection of cool stores had been projected. He was also fully aware of the importance to the district of Southland as a whole of having such stores at the Bluff. He would bring the subject under the notice of the Minister for Agriculture, to whose department it properly applied, by telegraphing to him at once the substance of the resolution, and the fact of the interview. His own feeling in the matter was entirely in accord with the view of the deputation. Mr Tothill having thanked Mr Ward for his courtesy and cordiality the deputation withdrew. Subsequently Mr G. C. Tothill, president of the chamber, received the following telegram from Milton, from the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, through whom the committee appealed to the Government on the subject: — "Be cold storage. The Minister for Agriculture replies that Bluff will be included amongst the ports at which cool stores will be provided. — J. G. Ward."— Southland Times.

SOME FORTROSE ITEMS. Some two years ago the subject of a dairy factory for Fortrose was mooted, and one or two meetings held, but the project came to nothing. The other day Mr E. S. Vernon, of Jack's Hill, took the matter up, and in the course of two or three days had enough shares promised as warranted the building of a factory. A meeting will shortly be held to take the first steps for the erection of the factory in time for operations next season. So far, so good. It now behoves the farmers— the men who will benefit most from the establishment of such a concoru— to make such arrangements as will enable them to provide a sufficient quantity of milk to keep the factory in full work.

One of our farmers here, Mr Donald Fraser is trying an experiment with the sandhills on

his farm. It must be understood that this farm is on the coast, at or close to the mouth of the river, and in one place the sand has been encroaching for a number of years. Hearing of the good qualities of marram grass for sand-binding purposes, Mr Fraser sent to Melbourne and procured a ton of the roots. These he planted in rows right .across the drift of the sand. The grass is growing well, and Mr Fraser has been able to collect a small quantity of seed, so that in the course of a little time he will have sufficient to cover the whole area of bare sand on his place. Those who are afflicted with drift sand in the same way could not, I think, do better than follow Mr Fraser's example. The grass must also be good feed, for the rabbits are going for it already. The Ocean View estate is being cut up into sections, so that there Beems little likelihood of the Government taking it over. The sections, I hear, range from 300 to 500 acres. The estate when settled will add to the population of Obara, and will give a big impetus to the dairy factory. — Southland Times correspondent.

FIVE IUVEHS ESTATE.

It is circulated at Lumsden that a great reduction in the number employed on the Five Rivers estate has taken place. If correct, it is a matter to be regretted, as this estate has been one of the mainstays of Lumsden. lam told that Mr Vyner retains the management of the property, and that the reduction to a great extent may be a temporary one. I for one sincerely hope so, as the stoppage of work on the Five Rivers would mean a lessening of business in Lumsden, which at the best of times lately has not been any too brisk. — Southland Times correspondent. THE J. G. WARD COMPANY EXTENDING OPERA-

The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times wires that the Hon. J. G. Ward has decided to proceed with the erection of a fivestorey warehouse upon his section of land near the Queen's Wharf, Wellington, with a view to the extension to the North Island of the operations of the company of which he is the managing director.

SOUTHLAND FROZEN MEAT COMPANY.

The balance sheet of the Southland Frozen Meat and Produce Company (Limited) to be presented to shareholders on Saturday, 10th inst., indicates that the company has passed through rather a trying time during the past year, owing principally to the lack of support extended to it by the farming community, although probably three-fourths of its shares are held by sheep-owners. The competition between the two local companies last year was very keen, resulting in a total loss to the Southland Company of £5955 odd, £2853 odd of which was prolits carried forward from the previous year's operations. A large portion of this loss, however, was due to exceptional causes which are not likely to recur, — such as the employment of a hulk at the Bluff during the completion, alterations to the works at Mataura and the Bluff, and the unfortunate flre at Wallacetown, which destroyed the tallow, offal, and manure plant. Though insured, this prevented the -company from earning the profit which arises from the manipulation of these products. This company's position has recently been materially strengthened by the New Zealand Shipping Company and Messrs Turnbull, Martin, and Co., of the Shire line, having taken a large interest therein (4000 new shares of £5 each), and its record for the current year should be of a very different character. The carcases frozen during 1893 numbered 95,285 sheep and 29,931 lambs, as against 71,230 sheep and 14,603 lambs in the previous year. In spite of the large increase in the number of sheep exported from the Southland district, this company still maintains its former high standard average of about 601b for sheep and 361b for lamb. SOUTHLAND SAVINGS BANK. The annual balance sheet of the Invercargill Savings Bank, which has been in existence for a period of 30 years, shows that during the last four years there has been a steady increase in the number of depositors, as also in the amount at the credit of their accounts. In 1890 there were 599 depositors, with £16,867 7s 6d ; in 1893 there were 752 depositors, with a credit of £22,823 12s 6d.— Daily News. A HEAVY YIELD ANTICIPATED. A correspondent of the Waimea Plains Review estimates that on Mr Ralph Swale's farm at Centre Bush the crop of wheat will average 80 bushels, &nd that of oats 100. THE TELEPHONE FOR TK ANAU. This year the western lakes— Te Anau and Manapouri — have attracted a good deal of attention from tourists. Among recent visitors have been lords aud ladies of the English nobility, and M.L.A.'s ,'and M.L.C.'s from all the neighbouring colonies. A petition for a telephone from Lumsden to Te Anau has been got up, and I suppose in the course of 12 months will reach the Postmaster-general. There is a proverb somewhere about the donkey starving, which, I believe, might be aptly quoted in reference to this very necessary work. The peculiarity of the cjse is that it is a matter of but slight consequence to the settlers in the district or on the route ; it is, nevertheless, of very great importance to all and everyone who visit the lakes, and if opened to Te Anau it would soon be seen that the general public would urge its extension to Milford. Were Milford Sound placed in telephonio or telegraphic communication with Dunedin and InvercargilJ, many of the steamers would call there, and the result would be the beginning of considerable settlement on the West Coast. — News' Lumsden correspondent. MISSING FBOM OTAUTAU. It is reported that a man named Charles Blackley is missing from Otautau, and is supposed to have been drowned in the Aparima. Tha stream is being dragged by the police. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Invercabgill, January 31. At the Police Court to-day Duncan Stewart, an elderly man, at one time an inmate of a lunatic asylum, was committed for trial for j stabbing William Collie, a hotelkeeper. John Punto Weir was remanded till Friday on a charge of criminally assaulting a girl 13 years old. Accused is a bootmaker at Thornbury, married, has a family, and was a leader of three local church choirs. Bail was allowed m two sureties of £100 each and his own recognisance of £200. February 4. HEAVY WEATHER AT THE BLUFF. A strong gale has been experienced here since early yesterday morning. The Tarawera arrived at the Bluff at 9 a.m. yesterday, but did not sail for the sounds until daylight this morning. Between 30 and 40 excursionists joined her here, making a total on board of about 85. The Hinemoa was also weatherbound at the Bluff. The gale has not blown out yet, though the glasß, which was very low yesterday, has risen to fair. Much damage has been done to orchards, and it is feared the heavy grain crops will be sadly knocked about. February 5. AN INVERCARGILL MYSTERY. In effecting repairs to a house at Gladstone to-day it was necessary to lift the floor. Mr T. Quinn, son of the proprietor of the house, proceeded to trim the soil below and throw disin-

feotants about, as the odour was bad. la doing so he uncovered the greater portion of a human skull and other bones, besides those of animals. There was no trace of clothing about, but one boot was found and a portion of another of a very antiquated make. The house is one of the oldest in Southland, having been built for T. J. White, an early Invercargill merchant, in the fifties. It has always been in the possession and occupation of reputable people. The house was not raised above the ground level, so that it is. not probable that anyone could crawl under and die there. The skull is believed to be that of a European. February 6. THE DISCOVERY OF A SKULL.

With reference to the supposed skeleton found under Mr Quin's house at Gladstone, only a skull out of the large collection of bones found there can be identified as belonging to a human body. The place where the discovery was made is near the mouth of the Waihopai stream, and will probably have been a camping ground with the Natives before the days of European settlement.

A TECHNICAL OBJECTION. During the hearing of the case against J. F. Weir for an alleged offence on Bth December last at Thornbury, which has occupied ' the R M. Court now for three days, Mr Macalister, counsel for the accused, raised the point that as the information had been laid on the 30th January the case must be dismissed, as by 11 The Offences Against the Person Act 1889 " the same should have been laid within one month from the date of the alleged offence. The point was upheld and the case dismissed, but the second case of attempted assault on a girl on January 2 is proceeding. SOUTHLAND STOCK SALES.

The J. G. Ward Farmers' Association of Now Zealand (Limited) report having held their fortnightly stock sale at Wallacetown Crossing today (Tuesday), when there was a good entry of all classes of stock forward. Prices for fat cattle were better than for several sales. Store cattle were in poor demand, and holders declined to accept offers in many cases, preferring to feed their cattle a little longer. Sheep of all classes were rather alow of sale, but with few exceptions they cleared their entry at prices about equal to those lately ruling. They quote as under :— Fat Cattle.— Bullocks. £6 10s to £8 ; for medium to good cows, £5 53 to £6 155. Few prime cattle offering. Store Cattle. — Dairy cows, £4 5s to £5 ; yearlings, £2 to £2 11s a head ; calves, 10s to 14s ; store cows in forward condition, £4 15s to £5. Fat Sheep.— Medium wethers, 11s to 12s each ; mixed ewes (fat), 9s 9u to 11s ; inferior ewes, 9s ; fat lambs, 8a 6d to 10s 6d.

Store Sheep.— Wethers, Ss 2d to 10s : ewes (mostly in poor condition), 7s ; suitable for boiling down, 3s each ; store lambs, 6s to 7s each. Pigs, 6s to 14s for suckers and small.