SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2087, 22 February 1894, Page 20

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Fnosr Our Own Correspondent.)

Invehcaroill, February 20. With the exception of last Saturday, when ■we had a few light showers in the morning and the remainder of the day windy and cold, the weather during the past week has been all that could be desired for harvest operations, and some of the early-cut crops are now ready for stacking. Though we have had one or two squally days since the first of our grain crops were ripe, which has laid some of the heavy once (and we have many of them in Southland this year), there has really been no weather bad enough to damage the quality of the grain, the general sample of which — if this fine weather only continues a few weeks longer — will this season be very good. The question of " draft " on oats is one that is receiving a good deal of attention from farmers just now, and though it has in the past boea a general custom for buyers to deduct in weighing lib in every 1001b for dratt, I feel sure a great many farmers were not aware of it ; but now that this fact has been brought prominently under their notice by a recent case between farmer and buyer in our law courts, the farmers show a disposition to make a stroDg protest against the continuance, of such a custom and say that if there is a shrinkage in oats after purchase, that is the buyer's look-out and that the seller ought no more to be responsible for aloss in weight than a fall in price. That there is still plenty of feed for stock iv the country is evidenced by the large numbers of fat sheep and lamb? which ate daily arriving at the different fre(z : ng work?. The Nelson Bros.' Ocean Beach Works and the Southland Frozen Meat Co.'s Works at Bluff and Mataura are putting through upon an average about 2000 sheep per day. Last week the s.s Eldeislio took away from Bluff, en behalf of the Southland Frozen Meat Company, 13,300 carcases, and now the s s. Fifeshire is at the Bluff taking in another 7o9o to 8000 carcases for the same company, in addition to 5000 sacks of oats. She leaves the Bluff on Friday for Port Chalmers, where she will complete her loading and sail direct thence for London. The e.s. Hawke's Bay is duo at Bluff on March 8, where she will take in a large cargo of frozen mutton on behalf of Nelson Bro?. The Union Steamship Company's steamers leaving and arriving at Bluff for and from Hobart and Melbourne of late are always filled with paEsengers. The Mfcnapouri on Friday last brought irom Melbourne a consignment of draught horses, which are to be offered for sale on Saturday next by the J. G. Ward Association at the Invercargill Horse Saleyards. The large new freezing chambers being now erected at Ocean Beach by Nelson Bros are to be fitted with pumice insulator instead of charcoal. Th« annual bhow of the Mataura Horticultural Socitty was held en Wednesday last. Humphries'* Hall was utilised for the fl >wer show, and the schoolhouse for the exhibition of dairy produce and school and industrial work The exhibits of flowers and vegetables were excellent, and were in advance both in quality and number of those of previous years. There were several exhibitors from Invercargill and other districts, but the feature of the show was the splendid collection of fruits (especially apples) from the orchard of Mr A. Dickie, farmer, Tuturau. He had between 70 and 80 varieties of apples alone on view, all named and sent forward in nice condition. The display in tho Bchoolhouso was also highly creditable to all concerned. The school fancy work, j as well as the exhibits in the industrial section, indicated the possession of a good deal of artistic ability, while the jams, jellies, butter, scone?, cakes, &c. which filled the tables in another room proved that the maids and matrons of Matanra are well skilled in the domestic arts. Several members of the Southland Education Board and their secretary (Mr Neill) were present by special invitation, and must have been pleased with the great success of the show and their visit to Mataura, which at any time, with its waterfalls and other natural beauties, besides paper mills, frczen meat works, and dairy factory, is one of the show places of Southland. Residents in the Western district are greatly pleased that the Railway department have decided to run a train every morning of the week from Invercargill to Riverton and intermediate stations and back to Invercargill in the afternoon. Hitherto this has only bt en done four days of tne week, which often caused great inconvenience to travellers who did not reside r.ear to a station and did not remember the special days upon which the train ran. The Rev. L. M. Isitt lectured last week at Gore and Wyndham upon the terrible evils of the present traffic in alcoholic drinks, but in neither place did he secure large audiences. To popularise the Invercargill High School and increase the attendance by 60, the High School Board decided some time ago to offer three years' free education at their school to 20 pupils to be selected from the pnblic schools each year from those under 14- years of age who had passed the Sixth Standard with highest honours, For this (the first) year there were only 39 applicants of the required age — 11 from country schools and the balance from the Invercargill and suburban school?. At a special meeting of the board on Wednesday it wag decided that inasmuch as there were only 11 applicants from the country districts, representing 10 different families, and it was considered important they should commence school work as quickly as possible, the present term having already begun, the board should offer admission to the 10 country applicant?, and the 28 applicants from town and suburbs should be invited to attend an examination to be held on Saturday, when the 10 additional pupils will be selected on the result of the examination. The country applicants were : David Morton, Spar Bush ; John C. B Griffith, Orepoki ; Albert H. M'Kenzie, Bluff ; Ethel Foord, Arrowtown ; Grace Hamilton, Arrowtown ; Hugh C. Mac Gibbon, Uore ; .John A. M K^nzie. Lumsden ; Wilfred G. Selby, Dumsden : William R. Hopcroft, Gutnmie's Bush ; and Margnret Kelly, South Hillend : these 10 applicants to be informed that they must be in attendance at the High School on Mor d*y, 26th inst. The b.ye-election of mayor for Gore (nominations for which have to ba in by Thursday) promises to exciln, a* is usual on such occasionp, a good d?al of interest. Three candidates have al'pady announced themselves — v'z.. Messrs W. B. Anderson, Brewar, and I. S. Simeon.', ike iarge amount of space that has been given by tome of the Southland papers to reports of recent rape and indecent assault cases in the R M and Supreme Courts has produced a lot of correspondence from parents and others in the press about the impropriety of publishing details of such oases. Mr W. H. Mathiefon, who has lately returned fiom a trip round the world, purchased while is England some magnificent dioramic views of p. any of the historical places in the Home land,

aud also of America and the Chicago Exposition. The3o, with a lecture, descriptive songs, and recitations, he has placed at the services of the various churches iv and about Invercargill, the last place visited being Wyndham, where he, together with Mr Stewart, who has lately procured from London a large biunial lantern — which, by the way, cost £100 — gave a most enjoyable entertainment to a large audience. Mr Mathieson's comments on his trip, and the) many strange scenes visited, proved most interesting. His singing of " The village blacksmith," assisted by the mechanical effects on the screen, was admitted to be, superior to anything ever before given in the township. The dissolving views of "Mary Queen of Scots," the " Charge of the Light Brigade," and i( Rock of ages," which were painted by famous Parisian artist?, are acknowledged to be wonderfully realistic, shown as they are through one of the largest and mo 3 t powerful lanterns introduced to the colony. The entertainment is a bobby of Mr Mathieson'o, and is not given with the object of making money, but with the laudable desire of assisting any good cause, and also to give the people an opportunity of seeing and hearing from an eye-witness the many marvellous sights of the old world, and a mental trip through America and the Chicago World's Fiir. This entertainment has delightud the country people wherever shown, and I would strongly recommend all those who have not seen it to make a point of doing so should it come to their district. A gentleman now in Inverra-gill, bub quit) recently a member of tho Bunvood Borough Council, the f c ;no of the recent tragedy, gives me the following particulars of the occurrence : Burwood, the scene of the recent tragedy, wherein Mr William Paisley, tho mayor of the borough, and William Redl'eam, its clerk, lost thbir lives, is a pleasantly situated municipality, distant seven miles by rail from Sydney, with which it is connected by both a fast and slow suburban service, and lies close to the Parramatta river, the scene o* the famous sculling races. Mr Paisley had bueu some 10 years a resident there, and had a very extensive produce business, his mechanical knowledge materially assisting him iv its development. He was also of great value to the borough wlien the question of quadrupiioation of the railway line was proposed, and iought hard in getting the Railway Commissioners to erect a milway bridge over the main road at a cost of £34,000 rather than traverse its level as formerly. The council, consisting of nine aldermeu, has existed for some 20 years, and Mr Paisley was elected to the mayoral chair by his fellow aldermeu in February 1893 The council has borne a high municipil reputation, being composed of substantial men, and its proceedings aud work were a model for other bodies. The late council clerk, William Redfearn, came from England, where some years ago he met with an accident, necessitating the amputation of one of hislegd, iv substitution for which he used a cork leg. He was a man of an extremely sensitive nature, especially when his honoui 1 or integrity was impugned, either in j^ke or earnest, and a more painstaking, asßiduous, and obliging clerk sould not be fonud. Iv iitc t , other borough councils have sought and had his assistance in the arrangement of their affairs. He had been harassed very much in his position of overseer of works during the past few months, and had successfully maintained an action at law in the last tittiDgs of the Supreme Court for libel at the hands of Alderman Redman. He leaves two grown-up daughters in i ngland by his first wife. His widow was his "right-hand man " in his occupation here, but she has no children. His books and system of keeping them were exceedingly creditable, and he was also treasurer of the local Masonic body and School of Arts. Mr Paisley was also a member of both these institutions. He leaves a widow and five children — three boys and two girls — the eldest of whom, Arthur, was in Dunedin only some two or three weeks ago on a holiday. As has been stated, he was a former resident of both Dunediu and luvercargill. By the terrible occurrence Burwood loses in Mr Paisley a good, practical, assiduous mayor, and in the unfortunate clerk a good and faithful servant. INVERCARGILL STOCK SALI'.S. The J. G. Ward Farmers' Association of New Zealand (Limited) report having held their fortnightly stock sale at lavercargill yards. The entry of fat bheep and lambs was good and the demand brisk, exceept in a few cases of fat lambs, where buyers for freezing require more care taken in drafting. Bestlarubs, however, brought up to 10s 9d, and medium Ss to !h 6d each ; be-it fat sheep brought up to 13s 5d for heavy-weight wethers, and medium mixed ewes and wethers 12d to 13s. Large-framed store wethers were in biisk demand, and for four-tooth they cleared a line 300 at 12s fld, and 400 tvvo-tooth (ewes and wethers) at 10s 6J t) 10d 9d each. Store lambs (small sorts) were not much in demand, and sold at 7a to 8i each. Aged ewes were hard to quit unless at a very small price. The ; r entry of sheep and lambs was 1571, and except a small pen or two that did not reach the vendors' reserve they cleared the lot at the above qu >tations. Cattle. — The entry of fat cattle was small and the quality, with the exception of one or two pens, was very poor. There was plenty of demand for good beef, and even inferior pens brought high prices. They Bold bullocks at £8 17s b'd to £7 ss, and cows at £6 to £5. Store Cattle. — The entry was a small one. Cows ranged from £3 to £5 each, steers upto£sloj, two-year-olds ti £3, aud yearlings and calves at 20s to 30s. At the above prices they cleared their entry. Invercargill, February 15. A DROWNINO FATAH TV. A boy nine years of ago, the son of a man named Sharp, a surfaceman at Orepuki, while bathing in the sea to-day, was drowned. Hj'b body has not yet been fecovrred. A lad named David Oassells is credited with making a bold attempt to rescue Sharp. THi: RMLWAY COMMISSIONEHS. Thenewly-aj-p > iutedß^il way Commissioners, Messrs Ronayne and Scott, arrived here last evening from Balclutha. They spent an hour or so at Gore and Mataura on their way down. To-day they visited the Bluff and received a deputation from the directorate of the Southland Frozen Meat Company pleading for a reduction in the carriage of frozen meat from the Mataura works to the Bluff. They spent the balance of the tima attending to minor d ■ partoaental business. They return to Dunedin to-morrow, intending to reach Chris l church on Saturday evening, Mr Ronayne hi\iDg to leave for Greymonth on Tuesday morning to hand over the management of that section of railway to his successor, Mr M'lntofih, late in the Engineering department, Christchurch. From a conversation with the commissioners I infer no immediate radical changes in the general management are contemplated by them, though they say they have already seen where importantimprovements can and will shortly be effected in the Permanent * Way department and locomotive workshops. THE CHOPS. The we&ther is again beautifully fine. No damage to crops so far resulting from Tuesday night's rain, February 19. ELECTRIC TRAMS. The Hon. J. G. Ward received a telegram this afternoon saying that Professor Brown left

Auckland to-day to report upon the system of electric trams for Dunedin. THE POSTAL DELEGATES. The Hinemoa is expected at tho Bluff on Weduesday, to be in readiness to take the Post-niaster-general and the delegates to the Postal Conference, now on their way from Australia in the Rotomahana, ou au excursion to Stewart Island and the West Coast Sounds. She will return to the Bluff, when the same party are expected to visit the Lakes district. Sill R. STOUT. Sir Robert Stout, who was laid up a few days with gout, not influenza, has sufficiently recovered to be able to attend to business again. He is engaged in Supreme Court business here this sitting. THE WEATHER. The weather continues fine for harvest operations. THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS SPYING OUT THE LAND. Messrs J. W. Bain, A. Baldey, W. Dallas, and J. Green, M.H.R., as members of the Board of School Commissioners, with Mr J. L. M 'Donald, the Southland agent of the commissioners, last week made an inspection ot' various tracts of country in Southland. The commissioners met at Gore on the sth inst , whence they proceeded to Riversdale, Wendonside, and Waikaia, meeting deputations at each place. Returning te Riversdale they proceeded by train to Lumsden, from which place they started on an inspection of two runs bounded by the Aparima river and of tho Te Auau country. On Monday morning they left for Invercargill, and Messrs Dallas aud Green returned north on Tuesday evening. INVERCARGILL CRIMINAL SESSIONS. At the criminal sittings on the 14th Joseph Hilder Forsyth, found guilty of rape on his fifteen-year-old daughter at Kinloch, Lake Wakatipu, was sentenced to 15 years' penal servitude. The prisoner gave his age as 56 years. Duncan Stewart, for stabbing William Collier, a hotelkeeper, was brought up for kentence. The police stated that the accused bad been in the Seacliff Asyhiai, and was drunk when the offence was committed. He was put under probation for 12 months, the sentence to be fulfilled on any conviction for drunkenness. F. Stevens, found guilty of stealing a horse, was sentunced to four months' hard labour. Counsel asked that the prisoner be admitted to probation, but his Houor declined, because prisoner elected to give evidence on oath, aud the jury had njb believed that evidence. Had he pleaded guilty or held his tongue his case might have been one for probation, as he was not of the criminal class. At the Supreme Court on 15th John O'Donnell, for assault, was fined £5, and bound over to keep the peace for six months. Tho case against John Punton Weir, of an attempted indecent assault on Jessie Gilchrist, aged 13 years, is now proceeding. At the Supreme Court on Monday, after a trial extending over four days, J. hn Pun. on Weir, a married man, b-ibween 40 ana 50 yeurs of age, was acquitted on a charge of attempted rape on a girl of 13 years. The jury were only a few minutes consideting their verdict. The criminal business of the Supreme Court, which extended over a week, concluded m Tuesday, when a verdict of "Not guilty" w*s returned iv the case of Clifford W. Pollard, charged with attempting to wound. The civil business commenced this afternoon. It includes actions for damages for seduction and breach of promise, application for divorce, and seven other claims. AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT. It is feared that Mr M'Queen, manager of the Knapdale property, will lose the sight of one of his eyes through meeting with a singular accident. On going to liberate his horse, which had been tied up, the animal started back suddenly, and the rein flew round the post, the buckle striking Mr M'Queen on the eye and knocking him senseless. SHIPMATES ON THE HELENbLIE. It is always a pleasant thing (says the Southland News of Saturday) to find those who, years ago, were shipmates meeting to renew the acquaintance which has dated back so long a period. Consequently Mr and Mrs Angus are to be congratulated upon the fact that last evening they, by advertised invitation, drew together a large number of fellow passengers who came out with them on the good ship Helenslie nearly 25 years ago. When the hair is growing grey, a quarter of a century is a bridge not readily covered, and many who met la9t evening in Johnson's Club Hotel, and were entertained in that sumptuous fashion for which the host is so deservedly renowned, were hardly able to recognise their fellow passengers of the bygone time. Mr Angus, of course, presided, and the Rev. Mr Ferguson took the vice-chair, and the latter gentleman, whoalwajs seems fully charged with a store of wi 1 -, at times kept his audience in paroxysms of laughter. During the evening Messrs Blue and Newman contributed vocal selections, and the proceedings terminated with the customary toasts aud the singing of "Auld Jang syne" and '• Go I save the Q leon " It; was suggested by Mr Angus that tuis meetiug should be the first of a yearly series, but as the years rcll on it migh'-, urn an drinking many a silent toast — Hinc Him lachn/mre. ILLEGALLY SHOOTING WILD DUCICS. The Southland Acclimatisation Society being determined to pub down the pracice of shootii'g wild ducl<s out of season — which they have reason to believe has b.-en going on somewhat extensively of la f e— announce by advertisement their intension of duly regarding any persons wh.3 give ioformatfon resulting iv convictions. LAND IST THE OTARA DISTRICT. Residents in the Ota^a district have been much concerned over the dit-p^sal oF pevcral sections in blocks II and VII, which the Land Board some time back d» cided to open for selection. A petition from the miners followed objecting to the sale, which was in conseq'icncu delayed. This was followed by a counter petition protesting against the withdrawal of the sections, and the board decided that they 6hould be balloted for on Tuesday, 27th inst. There is ajkeen demand for the allotments. For sections 12 and 18 there are 14 applicants each, and for section 17 nole3s than 19. — Daily News.

The Westport Times states that a writ has been issued against a local medical man for £370, damages for alleged maltreatment:.

The public meeting convened by the Progressive Auckland Liberal Association to consider the question of old age pensions was held on Tuesday night, and was well attended. Addresses were given by the Hon. W. P. Reeves, Messrs W. W. ColHpp, G. J. Smith. J. Joyce, D Buddo, and G. W. Russell, M.H.R's., and others. A motion was carried " that this meeting is of opinion that the question of old age pensions is worthy of the attention of the Government, and requests that it be inquired into and reported upon by a commission in time for consideration at the approaching session of Parliament." The matter of the present system of the administration of charitable aid was referred to a committee of the association to considar and bring up a report ab another meeting,