SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 22

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) • Invercauqixl, May 14. Tho past week baa been a very wintry one, exceptionally heavy rain having fallon durinj tha greater pirt of it. Very little business is being done, and the town eeema almost deserted. The loads in Southland have cut up very badly during the last month, and anywhere but where gravel is spread is almost impassable. The only excitement in Southland at present is over tha Winton 'baby-farmiDK case. , The Wcsttrn Star reports that one of the "Western district settlers has sold his wheatat& 7d per bushel in InvercaTgill. Tho line consisted of close on 1200 sacks. ; A Dipton corrcpondent bits :—" What with bad weather, small yield?, and smaller price* it is rathar a blue look-out for our farmers, lhere have been several meetings called to try to start another farmers' club, but fate or the weather seems to be against it. Save the two threshing mills there ia little or no work going on here at present. Swaggers are to be seen passing daily *on foot.' In many cases this applies literally, considering the apologies many of the poor fellows havo for boots." , _ . , '. A large meeting of farmerß was held at Fairfax to tTy and induce the railway authorities to increase the railway siding there, as at present it is inadequate to the demand, especially in the train season. A large and influential committee vas appointed to wait on the traffic manager at Invercargill on c aturday. An information has been laid at Gore against William Lambert for having committed perjury ia a ca;e heard before Jud*e Ward on December 18 IFB7, when John James Meikle was charged -with having stolen certain theep. The c^se is Bet down for hearing before Mr IL S. Hawkins, S.M., at Gore, on the 220 d. On Tuesday last a little fellow, the son of Mr Thomas Telfer, Waikika Riding, met" with a nasty nccideDt, which might havo resulted seriously. He was climbiag up the wheel of a dray when the horße suddenly started off, and the wheel pos-ed over his back and toad, inflicting a nasty sca'p voond. The lad was attended to by Dr Warren, ' and is now progressing favourably. As the result of a »ystematic search by a number of residents of Preservation Inlet the boly of Jarofs Cromarty, who, along with two others, was drowned through a boat accident on tbe 3rd inst., has been found. It wes dhco\cred two days afterwards on the beach cloee to where the cpsize occurred, aud pinned between two rocks. It was found that it had been badly bitten by a shark ou the thigh, and as ho wa* swimming stiongly when last seen it is thought he was attacked before he was drowned. No trace of the others has been seen, »nd there ia little chance of their recovery. The probability of one or more of those \yho have the lease- of the Auckla >d Islands forming a company, as Mr Gordon, of Gisborr-e, has done ta run the Campbell Islands, and vhe fact that Eeveral farmers and others have intimaUd their wish to visit the islands, has induced the owner of that smart little k- teh the Gratitud-; to lay her on for a trip after her veturn from the Campbell Islands, for which Hands, it will be remembrred, she left a fortnight ago with sheep, stores timber, &c. Tlii* will be a r-»re opportunity for farmers asd fportsmen to visit an island run, and as the Gratitude is a fa*t Bailor, having on one occasion run from Stewart L-knd to the Aucklauds in 3S hours, a pleasant holiday is in store for those who go. The miners at the Hokonui Coal Company's mine are kept ver> busy now. There setms to be a good demand for coal, and very often there are two rues a day to Winton. It in reported that the Munro dredge is to be shifted from Dome cmk to the prospecting claim on the Waika'a river granted la&t court day to Mr G Munro. A Rivurton correspondent says that at Tuesday s sitting of the Warden's C»urt William Docherty, of Wist Coast f*me, made application for a prospectiu* claim on Coal Islnnu to prospect for gold and silver. The application was granted. Some cute men about here consider Docherty has hit upon something, and it is to be hoped for the sake of everyone that hi his. We want something to turn \ip, as there are plenty of Micawbers about here waiting till somebody strikes a good tbifg. Newa per s.s. Invercargill from Preservation is in every respect fcatisfactory. The Lizard, at Cattle Cove, fcos struck another reef, showing a decided trend into the St. George, thereby confirming tbe opinion that the reef runs right through the St. George and the Crown, with its outcrop to the sea. Fifteen tons of Btone were chipped from the morning Star, and will be put through tbe battery by Messrs Wylie and Scott, of luvercargill. A representative was down in the interests of the Cuttle Cove claim-, making observation* as to the selection of a suitable site for the erection of machinery, and he returned today. The new reef ducovered in the Golden Site claim ib locking very well, and has every appearance of proving permanent. It will take several •weeks before it can be tapped from the tower levtl. When that is accomplished good returns may be looked for. Grpat atnus-ement was caused during the hearing of the assault case between the two Chinamen at Waikaia last Tuesday. One, when asked how he would be sworn, siid nonchalantly : "Oh, killum cock, smellum book, alloo same, no niHtfer.^ 1 The heariDg_ occupied nearly the whole day, and at its concluBion his Worship thought tit to reprimand two of the witness-s brought forward by the accused ■for the contradictory evidence they had given. The bridge between River sdale and Waikaia, over the Mat-iura river, has been repaired, and reopt-ned for traffic in a very short space of time. A lot of extra piles have been put in, and the grade on the approaches made very mach easier. Mr Hanilin, the county inspector, did the job in a manner showing he is thp right man in the right plac- 1 . At Mataura on Thursday the ladies of «he Presbyterian Church Guild held a sale of work to dispose of articles ren.amtng from a gift auction. Mrs He nry and Mrs Hastie presided at the s-tal'_s. In tbe evening there was an ent"rt»imnent in which tableAiix vivauts were presented, and foiiks were rendered by Mi« MncGibbon, Miss M. CameroD, and Mr Henderson. A shooting competition wis held for prizMF, aud at the close Mr A. A. Mac Gibbon a- ctioned the unsold goods. 'I he Mataura Falls paper mi'l-i have started again, but at present are only wo king four days in the week (double shift) It is expected that the mills will be running full time at an early date. A very successful bnzaar was held at Riversdale on Thursday and Friday last week in aid of St. Mark's Church. Special thanks are due to Leffler (secretary) and Mrs Valentine for the energetic manner in which they worked the bazaar up. After a gift auction of the thing* which lnd not been sold at the fctalls, a very enjoyable dmoa Was held in the hall. At the annual meeting of the Inveicargill SixpeDny Clothing Club on the 2nd inst it was reported that £124 6s 8d lud I een spent during the year in the purchase of clothing, blankets, Ivots, &c, and that in addition the ofnc- rs of the cl b (who were re-elected) had distributed a large quantity of second-hand clothing. The club deBcrves to be heartily supported in its efforts to minister to the wants of the needy, and those who contribute to its funds can rest assured that the moQfey will be distributed to the very best advantage. The Southern Standard says there is not a Single dwelling house to let in Gore at present, and many inquiries are being made in vain for suitable residences. Gore is evidently growing at a Rdid rate.' Mr C. Sawyer, who is leaving Inverca-gill to rejoin his family r* Florida, \va3 on Monday evnmg presen'ed with a st- eking of sovor, ig,.s at a me-ting of memb rs of the local Mas >nic lidgss. Mr K. M'Nsib, myniler for M.\taura, addressed the electors in the Oteramika Hall on Saturday night, a good number being preFeut, inclu«li<ig B«ver«l ladies. Mr T. Jefcoate was chairman. Mr M'Nab dwelt on the leading poli'ical subjects of the day. and showed that he wiis on the lsn«*« of an honest representative. At the close of his address various quc tions were put to him and answered satisfactorily, after which a vote of thanks and confidence was passed by acclamation.

A concert in aid of the Wrey's Birm Roman Catholic Church fund took place at Nightcips on Friday night, and despite a heavy downpour of raiu there was an excellent attendance. A programme consisting of 20 items was gone through with commendable spirit. The Ganison Baud gava an open-air concert from the rotunda on Saturday evoumg, and it was enjoyrd by a large number of people. The monthly meeting of the Burns Club took place in the Temperjcco Hall hat evening, when Mr Thouns Uenuivton presided, aud the hall was crowded. Mi W. B. S&mdrett acted aB secret uy owing to Mr Macalister being away at Slewart Maud on his holiday. The following contributed towards the evening s program ue :— Misses Little, M. Smith, and Geides, Mrs Braik, Mtssrs Blue, Biaik, Hunter, Prenfc?, J. L. YfatsoD, T. Flemiug and Dr. M'Leod. Messrs Hait Bros.' ketch Cavalier took n0 sheep and one hoiaa to Mason's L-land for Mr Thompson, of Stewart Island, the other day. This is her eecoud trip with stock, and so far there have been no losses.

IsvEßCAßarrx, May 8. For not doing the amount of work required by the aot on tbe Eclipse claim, Preservation Inle\ the Morning Star Company were to-day fined by Warden Rawson £50, including costs. An application for forfeiture of the cbiua was refused.