SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2205, 4 June 1896, Page 31

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

From Ova Own CorfRESPONDBNT.) iNVERCAnaiLt, June 2. The weather has been good during the past week for this season of the year, for which agrlcul. iuriats and graziers will be duly thankful. The former are being convinced mora and more every year of the many advantages of early sowing, and graziers are anxious about winter feed holding out jo the end of the season. Should we have a late Bprlng it is feared stock in many instances In our district will suffer, and that there must bo a depreciation in value later on should tha season be Unduly late or severe. The turnip crops, even where they looked well, are not 'giving as much feed now that the stock is on them as in previous seasons, the bulbs being much smaller, and in many places thin as well. O*t3 have fallen in values fully a penny per bushel this week, for why nobody seems quite to know. I think it is largely owing to most of the Sats this season (even where they are in store) eing in farmers' bands, and it is feared that if anything like a panic were to set in with holders, and the market be rushed with sellers there jrould be no outlet for large quantities ; but nothing of the kind, so far as I can judge, is likely to take place with our farmers'. They seem quite contented to hold, and feel confident oats are good property. The Union Conipany's_steamers are ceing taxed to lie utmost in keeping the Bluff wharves clear of consignments to Auckland and Melbourne, where most of our shipments avo being sent to. Though consigned by shippers here to Melbourne, that does not mean necessarily that . they are being landed there. Probably most of our oats that go that way finally reach Western Australia. This reminds me that private letters received yesterday from Mr Wm. Todd, our late and respected townsman, say he will te at Perth on Saturday, tbe 6th iust. Shortly after his anival there many expect a small boom in Southland produce. This is a gala week here for politicians. Monday night we had Captain Russell (the leader of the Opposition) addressing us at the Theatre Royal, and a right royal reception did he receive. Yesterday we had the Hon. J. G. Ward opening the Southland Metropolitan A. and P. Association* winter show, and to-night we are to have the Premier and the Hon. Mr Ward. A graat number of old identities from the country came into town to hear the captain— more than will be there to hear the Premier to-night, for I heard many of them say yesterday that they do not want to lose the flavour the-captain imparted to their political views. on Monday night. In answering the questions which fallowed on his address the leader of tbe Opposition fell foul of the prohibitionists, and here they say his answer to Mr Thomas Burton, their spokesman, has put a tenpsnny nail into his coffin. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and- Co. report having sold recently no less than 14 farms on the Waimea estate, varying in size from 36 to 691 acres, the total acreage disposed of being 4451 acres. - • Mr Hector Morrison, of Otepopo, north of Dunedin, passed through here on Monday with 10 of a family and three trucks of stock tor Merrivale estate (lately purchased by the Government), where he has secured for himself and sons between 500 and (500 acres. By the hearty send-off accorded Mr Morrison at Otepopo, it is evident that he has proved himself a sottler of the right stamp, and will prove an acquisition to the Waiau district. On a portion of the Mevrivale estate, not far from tha Government block, tho property of Messru J. Elder and Co., for s whoin Messrs Tuthill, Watson, and Co. are the agents, W. Story (the manager), tells me he threshed tho other day an average of over 83 bushels oats from a paddock containing over 100 acres. The Southland Hospital Trust, backed up by the leading citizens, are urging upon the Government the necessity of increased accommodation at the Invercargill Hospital, and it is intended that a deputation shall wait on the Colonial Treasurer this week to request that a sum of £5000 be voted for the works. The secretary furnished a statement, prepared at the request of the chair- . man, showing the increase of patients since 1891. The figures were as follows :— lß9l, 213 ; 1892, 235 ; 1893, 234 ; 1894, 288 ; 1895, 315 ; 1896, 333. From April 1 to May 28 last year the number receiving treatment was 71 and this year 87. The chairman of the Southland Acclimatisation Society has had his attention called more than once lately to the wholesale destruction of the native pigeon this season by shooters. Pigeons are very plentiful in the native bush this year, but uuless this destruction is stopped at once they will soon become very scarce. v Messrs Faulks and Pratt, of the local telegraph office, have been promoted to Wellington and Dunedin. Before leaving they were the recipients of handsome tokens of the esteem of their fellowWorker?, Mr J. L. Bush making the presentations. Small grazing Run No. 39. Centre Hill district, will be open for lease at the local land office on and after June 17. The incoming tenent will have to pay £150 for improvements already on the property. Much interest was manifested, in a meeting held on Fiiday night to form a Starr-Bow-kett Building Society in Invercargill, and it seems probable that the success similar institutions have attained elsewhere is to he repeated here. Between 200 and 300 people were present, and, although there had been no preliminaiy canvass, upwards of 200 shares out of the proposed total of 1009 were applied for in the room. Messrs J. J. Wesney and E. B. Pilcher explained the details of the working of the society. .Messrs J. J. Wesney, E. B. Pilcher, R. A. Anderson, J. S. Baxter, A. F. Hawke, J. D. M'Gruer, *W. N. Stirling, J. Vindlay, A. M'Kenzie, William Smith, H. H. Perrin, and J. W. Kelly, M.H.R., •were appointed provisional directors. At the meeting of the Invercargill Licensing Committee on Monday all the licensees were granted renewals. No mention was made as retards the heur for closing, but it will remain as uring the last two years (10 o'clock). Sergeant M'Donell said it was reported that the Commercial Hotel, Crescent, held no license, which he did not understand but would inquire into. There is activity ia miniug matters ia the Nokomai district. It is said that Mr Ziman intends promoting operations there. The Sew Hoy Company's hydiaulic sluicing operations are giving good results. The Waikaia district is also likely to see renewed activity in the mining industry, and several claims there are now being surveyed. -A deputation from the Invercargill Borough Council waited on the Hon. J. G. Ward on Thursday to urge upon the Government the necessity for re-establishing railway workshops in Invercargill. The Mayor stated that 30 men were there on repairs, as against 150 in Dunedin, and that lamps, lamp glasses, Ac. were imported from Dunedin, thin being an injustice to local retailers. Mr Ward said he would be glad to convey the deputation's representations to the Minister for Railways, and he would co-operate with members for the district to get justice done it in this matter.

The following staff has been appointed for tbe newly-constituted Southland volunteer district :— Major J. Thomson, of the honorary unattached list, lieutenant-colonel ; Captain Donald, Riversdale Rifles, to be major ; Lieutenant Henderson, Bluff Navals, to be adjutant ; Lieutenant Siddall, of the honorary unattached list, to be quartermaster.

Mr J. L. Watson, of the firm of M'Nab and Watson, returned by the Hauroto yesterday from a six months' trip to the old country. He is looking well, and reports having had a s-pletuUrt time of it and a most enjoyable holiiay.

A. course of ambulance lectuieh by J)r Franris Riley is to commence shortly at Winton, and a -preliminary meeting takes place on Friday night. Names may also be handed to Mr Reynolds, Bank of New Zealand. The School Committee have recommended Mr James Henderson Baird for appointment as assistant master in the room of Mr Donald, who has taken the mastership of the Ouio School. The Rev. Mr Fairniaid, of Kaitangata, is to Conduct a week's mission at the Gore Presbyterian Church towards the end of the current

The Lake County Press understands that the Rev. A. D. Mitchell, of Wyndham, has been offered the charge of the Queenstown and Arrow* town Anglican Churches. c "Loading out" the Mataura portion of the Southland Frozen Meat Company's Home shipment per s.s. Ruahine was commenced yesterday. It will consist of about 70,009 rabbits and 12,000 sheep. A popular wedding, which created a considerable amount of local interest, took place to-day at the Presbyterian Church, Bluff, when Mr Frauds 1. Boys, manager of the Ocean Beach Freezing Works, was married to Miss Oe Smidt, sister-lu-law of the Hon. J. Ward. The bride was given away by Mr Walter Henderson, another brother-in-law, while Mr James Topping acted as groomsman. Notwithstanding that the ceremony took pIaCH at an unusually early hour, the church was Comfortably filled by friends and spectators, and a considerable amount of bunting was displayed throughout the town in honour of the event.