SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent. ) Invercargill, February 2.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 26

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent. ) Invercargill, February 2.

The Tarawera returned to the Bluff this morning from her seoond excursion to the West C6"ast Sounds. After leaviug the Bluff on the 24th ult. she visited Long Sound, Dusky Sound, Cuttle Cove, Wet Jaoket Arm, Doubtful Sound, and anchored in Gaer Sound on the 29th. She left Gaer Sound on the 30th, and proceeded through Thomson Sound to tho head of George Sound, where a regatta was held, and iv tho evening the usual regstla ball and supper. On tbe morning of the 31st MilFord Sound was entered, and from there pasBengers visited the various gorges, the Arthur piver, Lake Ada, the Sutherland Falls, Harrison Cove, Bowen Falls, and other places of interest. The weather upon the whole was very favourable. On their arrival at tbe Bluff most of the passeugera had to leave tho TaraWera, as she whs ordered from here to sail for Hobart and Melbourne early to-morrow morning. The WakaHpu, which arrived from Dun- ' edin this morning, turns back and goes north. ; The Talune Rrrived at noon from Melbourne and Hobart, very crowded with passengers, including many tourists, who leave the boat here to do the Lakes and inland scenery. Many of the Tarawera passengers- went north this'bveuing in the Talune, which sailed about half an hour before the 5 o'clock train from Invercargill reached the Bluff, causing a few of her passengers to miss their passage by that boat. The Tarawera, for Melbourne to-morrow, takes on board here 19 draught stallions purchased in the cliotricb, and shipped by Messrs Rea and Trestrail. The Wakxtipu, which goes north in the morning, taken a large shipment of stud Linoolu sheep from Mr J. B. Sutton's ' flock. I We have had a week of very pleasant weather, with sufficient rain to do a lot of good without hurting the grass seed, which is now iv process of being harvested. There are also a few crops of ' autumn-sown oats being cut in the Waimea, Fortrose, and Pine Bush districts. To-day (Tuesday) the fortnighily live stock galeat Wallacetown takeß place. The market for fat aud i indeed for all classes of stock is very lifeless, and , without any prospect of improvement until moie ; cheerful reports on the frozen meat markets come to hand from London. The wool sales on Friday, which are reported in another part of the Witnet s, were a success, and it was supposed thf-y w< uld put several thousands of pouuda sterlii-g into circulation, the effecta of which are hardly appai en t • yet. The protent good prices ruling for oats and • wheat, and their prospective values, have asbisted • very much the sale* of good agricultural farms in all j parts of the district. iTardly a week passes now Without some of our big companiee, such as tho National Mortgage, Tothill and Watson, or .others, reporting the sale of soveral fair-sized farms. The Bayswater estate, renowned for its ,\vheat-growing properties, must now be all pretty well disposed of and occupied in mediumsiz.d blockß by a most desirable class of settlers. Some time ago (a few months) that portion of Mr G. M. Bell's Wantwood estate known as -the *' Waahpool p»ddock," midway between Gore and Otamita (where there is a dairy factory), was pffered to tbe Governinpnt, but nothing more was ' heard of thematioi until just theotherday, when | Mr Bell was infnmu-d that Mr M'Kerrow. chairman of the Land Purchase £loard, will visit the property during the next week for the purpose of making a report. This property could very conveniently bo cut up into 100 to 120 acre blocks, giving each a frontage to the main road, with tho ~ Mataurn ltiver for. a back boundary, and much of .the land is very suitable for dairying ; but it is a Jilty if anytHing is going to be done in the way of ! 2>urcha«iDg that there should be any unnpceesary delay from tbis out, as a whole season will be lost I to the intending settlers. 1 The annual balance sheet and report of the committee of management of the Southland : JFrozen Meat Company," which are to be submitted to the _ shareholders next week, show that tho Beason just concluded has been a more satisfactory <>ne than tbaee of the two or three preceding years. ' As you are publishing the particulars elsewhere I need not enter into details. A complimentary banquet was given to Mr M. j Gilfedder, M.H.It, for Wallace, -.it Wrey's Bush • on Friday night last. There wore a large number , present from all parts of the district «nd Inver- • cargill, including Mr J. Hanan (mayor), the ! Hons. J. G. Ward (M.H.R.) and H. Feldwick ! (M.L.C.), Mr J. Sinclair, and others. Mr Ward in his speech was very strong in advocating ; the _ advantages to a fanning community, i of intercolonial freetrade or reciprocity. He nlao itrongly favoured the .subsidising direct lines of tteamers trading with England, and spoke generally in exceedingly complimentary terms ■ both of the late member for the district (Mr j Mackintosh) and of the present one, the guest of the evening. It is a foregone conclusion here that Mr Gilfedder will be quite as staunch a supporter j of the present administration, and of Mr Ward in ' particular, ss ever ths late representative, Mr , James Maclriutoph, was. ! The Southland News relates an amusing in- j stance of bow the Premier was waylaid and dv- ; putatiopised during the short hour he was in Iv- ' vercargill last Tuesday, while on bis way to join j the steamer at the Bluff for Hobart. On the way j to the railway station " King Richard's" progress was stayed by a voluble and well-meaning resi-M dent, who dilated eloquently on the vnstDes* and j richness of the reefing country at Preservation, j and which, be urged, was only awaiting expenditure—of courße by Government — 10 open it up "If you have tbe gold," replied the Premier, "there will be no trouble about the. money— that will soon come." This did not end the matterthere was another amall request— they wanted a telephone from the Inlet. If they only had that telephone — well, things would hum. "Digger iDick" listened intently to the finish, and then .turning to a battered old West Coaster, who bad come to shake hands, jocosely said, " I say, Bill, j fancy n chap wauting a telephone to go prospecting with." This ended the interview, and the next minuts Richard acd party were speeding to the Bluff. The oyster season opened yesterday (Ist February), and by the tin-e the shutters were taken down in tbe morning all loal ahops had a big dispiny of the bivalve for sale. Their condition is generally pronounced Al, and the seaaou in all respects promises to be a good one. , 1 Professor Kirlr, F.L.S., .author of " Tbe Forest Flora of New Zealand," is advertised to deliver a lecture at Winton to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, under the 'auspices of the local A. and P. Association, •on " Obnoxious Weeds and Other Plants, Fruit | .Tree Pests, and How to Cope with Them." So ihigh an authority on plaut Hfo will no doubt give Ilis hearers much information which they will bo able to turn to profitable account. On the foil >wing evening (Thursday) the Hon. W. M Bolt, M.L.C, of Dunedin, Is to give a lecture in the Gore Town Hall on " Industrial Settlements." Mr Walter Martin, clerk of the District and Magistrate's Court here, and sheriff of the Supremo Court for a period of upwards of 10 year*, has been promoted to a similar position at Ghristchurch, where he entered the service as a Cadet 26 years ago. Mr Martin is unquestionably a first-class official, and his promotion has given 1 Widespread satisfaction in this district- I The R^v. W. W. Brown waa inducted last Tuesday by tho Presbytery of Southland to the charge of the Dipton and Fernhill congregations. j The Rev. Mr Frere, a aon of Sir Bartle Frere, i will take charge of Gore Anglican Parish and ! work as locum tmens for tbe Rev. W. Stanley, who is taking an extended holiday on account of lU-health. The customs duties collected nt Inverorgill la»fc month amounted to £5032 10.- 9d, being £332 0a lid in pxcgss of the collection in January 189'". The beer duty nmounted to £184 19i 9d, or £131(5s 2d less than iv January 1896. Delegates from the teuißerance societies of

Southland met at Tnvercarglll on Wednesday afternoon. The chairman (Rev. W. Wocllass) Baid the meeting had been called in response to requests from country members of the party, who wore anxious that the policy of the future should be arranged. The main point to settle was whether or not the elections of licensing committees should be contested. After discussion it was lesolverl — " Jhal iv tbe opinion of tbi' meeting it is desirable thnk teinper+nce committees be nominated in each electorate." The following waa adopted us the legislative plutforin for tha coming session of Parliament : Reintroductiou of last year's Liceus-ing Amendment Bill, with («) the lemovnl of the reduction question from the voting paper, so that two issue 3 only be placed before the people ; (b) the bare majority to decide the issue. Touting by party agents at polling booths to be made illegal All revenue pertaining to the licensing of the liquor trade to be paid into the consolidated fund. That power be giveu to appoint scrutineers at local option polls ; also, that power bo given to demand a scrutiny of voti:s. It was decidod that all the brauches of the league be invited to send delegates to the convention for the South Island in Dunedin at Easter. Great satisfaction was expressed at the largely increAfci vote given for "no license" throughout the colony, and particularly in Southland, and it was decided to adopt measuros by which the party would be further strengthened. ! Tbe anuual meeting of the Gore FarmeiV Club was held on Friday, Mr John M'Queen, president, 1 in the chair, and there was a fair attendance of members. The secretary, Mr D. Dun, submitted the annual leport. Eleven new members bad been admitted for the year, the paid subscriptions being for 50 members at 5s (£l2 10s), and the expenditure was £7 6* 6d. The secretary was voted an honorarium of £5. There had been a gooi. deal of correspondence during the year, and the matter of the railway rates on frozen moat engaged special attention without avail. The proposed toll on the Gore tr*ffic n bridge had been successfully remonstrated again Bt. The club dined to'nether in the evening, when over 30 menibeis and guests were present. The president was supported by the Rev J. A. Asher. Mr J. Thomson, M.H It. for Clutha, and the Mayor of Gora (Mr Brattle). Mr J. S. Miller wa3 croupier. After the usual toasts the secretary, Mr Dun. proposed "The .Parliament of New Zealand," and remarked on the amount of attempted legislation. Mr Thomson, iv responding, concurred that too much was being attempted, but on such an occasion he would not enter into party politics. Both sides of the House would be anxious to act in the intei eats of the country ; and he for bis part would be glad to assist this club at any time he cuii ld be of service. k > Other toasts followed — "Agricultural Interest"," "Commercial and Banking Interests," "The Mayor and Borough Council." "Tbe Clerey," "The Press "—intermingled with songs. Ten o'clock closed a pleasant i gathering. r