SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2198, 16 April 1896, Page 28

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

"(Fkom Our Own Corresponded.)

Invercaroill, April 14.

Fine weather continues, and the thieshing and carting of grain is being pushed on without hindrance in nearly every part of the districtThere is a scarcity of water in the town, where supplies fvorn tanks are depended upon ; and in the country streams and waterholes are rapidly drying up, to the great inconvenience of stock and stock-owners. Twenty-four hours' warm rain would now be welcome in Southland. The turnip crop, whichis generally reported to be below the average in both quality and quantity this season, has greatly improved through the past bjx or seven weeks' fine, warm weather, and in the Heddon Bush, South Hillend, Centre Bush, Bemnore, and Winton districts, which I have traveised during the past few days, I notice the crop looks well, is still improving, and is fairly plentiful. A requisition is going the rounds for signature in the Gore district asking the Minister for Lands to purchase under the Lands fo&Settlenient Act that part of the Wantwood estate known as Croydon paddock. The land comprises about 1500 acres, and is four miles and a-half north of Gore. It lfes between the Stony Creek Dairy Factory on the one hand and the Gore Dairy Factory on the other. The Waimea Plains railway line runs right through it. The land ia nearly all river flat, and iv suited for dairy farming purposes. The Gore A and P. Association advertise the programme for the winter show of grain roots and farm produce, to be held on the 29th and 30th May. It comprises no fewer than 132 different items.

Mr Donald Fraser, of Fortrose, has been very successful in his experiments with the growth of marram grass on the sandy portion of hia property. The grass grows quite luxuriantly, aud is readily eaten by horses and cattle. The Riverton Racing Club, which had financially a most .tuocessful meeting on Haster Monday, have voted sgs to the Brunnertoa relief fund. | Sergeant M'Donnell, who has been laid up for the second time this summer with a serious illness, was able to resume his ordinary duties last week. t Mr T. E. Taylor, of prohibition fame, did not draw a large h^use last Wednesday, when he gave i a free lecture at the Theatre Royal on "Police, Politicians, Publicans, and Prohibition." A meeting of delegates from the various temperance organisations in the Awarua electorate I was held last week. After some discufsioQ it was decided to run a candidate to contest the seat at } the next election. Several likely names were ■ mentioned, but the committee eventually unanimously decided to ask Mr A. Beaven, of Waianiwa, to come forward. Mr Beaven said that he -would go to the poll after such a unanimous ,expresjion of opinion that he should do so. Mr Beaven is one of Southland's oldest and most respected settlers, but baa never, so far as I am aware, taken move than an ordinary interest in politics, local or general, and this announcement that he is to contest the Awarua seat with the ■Colonial Treasurer is looked upon here as having Jittle or no political significance, but being purely .amove on the part of the Tciuperance party to "secure a licensing poll at the time of the general election. If this poll ia held at any other time than on .general election day one half of the electors ion the /oil must record their votes or it is counted as no poll, but this condition does not, I understand, apply if the licensing poll ia taken on general election day, and if this clause had bees expunged from the act the probabilities are that Mr Ward would have had a walk-over for the Awarua seat.

The Hon. W. Rolleston came south as far as Gore yesterday, and will be in the Southland,district for a few days. He is expected in Invemargill this evening. It i 3 probable that he will be requested to deliver a political address while here.

Messrs Tothill, Watson, and Co. have purchased the business, plant, buildings, &c, in the assigned estate of Mr H. »S. Valentine, Riveisdale. Mr Walter Gee will be the manager of this new branch of their business. The same firm (whose stock and auction business has greatly inct eased aioce the J. G. Ward Association discontinued this class of business) has entered into an arrangement whereby Mr Stronach, late of Stronach and White, conducts their auction sales.

At the int-tance of the Mayor of Inveieargill (IMrJ Sinclair) an effort is to be mnde to bave railway workshops re established in Invi-rcmgill. Tlie following is the motion: moved by the Mayor:- "That thiß town, having suffered a great injustice some years ago through the removal of the railway workshops, would respectfully bring under the notice of the H'>n. Mr Cadxnan the urgent necessity for reinstatement of the same, th s oourcil believing that in tbe interests of the district and in justice to the town such a course should be taken, and that a copy of this resolu-tion-be forwarded to Mr Cadman." The Mayor said that up till this year the railways had been Hnder the control of three commissioners, and the steps Hitherto taken to have the workshops reinstated had proved fruitless. Now the lines were under Government management. Invercargill was one of the largest railway centres in the colnny, and it was necessary in the interests of the department itself that necessary repairs should be carried out here. They had plenty of surplus labour to do the work, and he would ask the council to join him as a deputation to the first Minister who visited Invercargill. ( The borough council resume possession to-day of the Invercargill jetty, which has hitherto been leased, and I understand the contractors for supply of coal to the gasworks will bave to deliver at this jetty instead of at the Bluff as heretofore. These changes, it iseatimated, will aniountiro a saving of some hundreds of poui-ds to to the borough fiiiiitire 1 !.

On Wednesday last Miss M. Neav«>, second daughter of the Key. S. Neave, Presbyterian minister at Riverton, was married to Mr G. Tolhurst, son of the chief officer in New Zealand of the Union Bank of Australia. The church, which was prettily decorated, was densely packed by friends and relatives who were pre£ent to witness the ceremony. The congregation' of the Bluff Presbyterian Church have sent a call to the Rev. Mr Ash, of Ravensbourne. At yesterday's meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board tbe harbourmaster submitted the following shipping returns for the past month :—: — Vessels— inward, 19, of 20,825 tons ; outward, 20, of 18,547 tons ; an increase over the corresponding period of the previous j;ear of 1727 and 217 C tons respectively. —The Minister for Marine forwarded a design, prepared at his request, by Cuptain Allman, for lighting the harbour. He thought it would 'be of immense service to the port. The total expenditure to effectively provide for.the lighting was estimated at .£250. The matter was referred to tbe Harbour Committee to report.— To » request from Us J. W. Poyaton, S.H., that

th« board quote a price at which they woulii carry 70 to 90 natives from Cohc Bay to thr Mutton Bird Islands in the tug Awarua on <f about -the 25th inst., and- bring them back on ai about May 20, the chairman said he {had dedlnodi to allow the tug to be used for the puipose, as it was required /or harbour work. At a meeting of the Invercarfffll Camera Club last evening Mr Poynton read a paper on Prof*>Mor R6ntgen's recent photographic discoverio, illustrating his remarks by meaCds of electrical apparatus placed at bis disposal and manipulated by Mr Veraon, president of the club. Mr Poynton succeeded in engrossing the interest of his audience for fully an hour, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The chairman announced that a • member of the club had been successful in winning a prize in the Australasian's photographic com' petition.