SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2295, 24 February 1898, Page 30

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Invercargill, February 2?.

Since the final dispersal of the atmospheric phenomena we have had magaificent weather — heat and moisture evenly distributed, so as to make amends for a long-retarded vegetation. It Is now remembered with a feeliog of veneration, if not awe, that throughout last winter the southern Maoris predicted a sftmmer in ' many ways similar to the one experienced Possibly facts may now be at work on fancies. Be that as it may, there are those who maintain ihes-e eventualities, down to the culmination on the 9th inst., were fulfilled -to the letter. I certainlj. do know something of thejkind was mentioned, but in fo far as it was an exact fulfilment of the prediction is another question The south wih be a late harvest, but, after ail, the season will not be co disastrous as was at one iime imagined. There must be a quantity of ripe fruit and grain in the immediate neighbourhood. Our meaus for arriving at that conclusion may appear nove!, but at the same time they ar-J xeliable. 'lhe town sparrows, a numerous biood, who congregate and light over street offdl with all the peitinacity of Kilkenny cAts, have all but disappeared from their sccusTorned haunt-. We know fiom p»ist experience this not ia acrsoidance ■with, but indefianceof, "The Small Bird Nuisance Act." Last Sunday Invercargill went short in dinner beer. The shrinkage arose out cf the raid marie by the polire the Sunday previous, and which resulted in three endorsed license^, together with a sum of £11 added to the receipt of enctoms. Mr Ribert Hay, consulting engineer, lias gc - e to the Upper Waiautn report upon its Cipaiiilitie-, as a gold drainage channel. His report is looked forward to with interest. If favourable, it will tend to open out vast mineral resources. Together with available tributaries, it covers at least 200 miles. An expansion like that, under Successful operations, must produce a complete revolution in this long-neglected locality. Meantime it ia to be regretted Mr Hay should have gone at a time when the river mu't be exceptionally high. Under ordinary condition-* it commences falling early in Februaiy, but, so far as I can gnther, symptoms in that direction have not yet set io. A report lately circulated that the river had been nav 'gated from Manupouritnthemnuth has occasioned speculation, and crude notions are entertained that it may yet be rendered available for traffic. The principil obstacle thereto is Blackmount rapids, or rather falls. Unless under exceptionally high conditions, it would be im-po,->sible for even a flat-bottomed craf o to work through. Still, there is a by-wash on the off-side which might be deepened and rendered available, bo as to avoid these rapids. For pleasure-sailing « would be au excellent stream, and possibly its

timber resources would provide freight traffic. At present all that can be siid is> that it is navigable down as f&r aa Mararoa ; below that, as things are, its reaches! are not passable. There is certain infoimation current relative to the establishment of flour-milling works on an extensive scale. Mr P. K. M'Caughan, an old resident of Southland, now located in Australia, is spoken of m connection with the enterprise. He paid a visit to Invercargill, but has gone back to the neighbouring colony, but will return again to Inveicargill shortly, and it is &aid his return visit will be moie or ltf-s of a peimanent residence. The large four oi five fctorey building on the banks of th J creek erected for the Ward Farmers' Association will, it is understood, be utilised in the flour niM pr.<jecs. It is on the tajjis thit Iho municipal rates in 1 Invercargill, now ruling ir, ■/■\ in th-j pound, will j s-hortiy ne ircr«ased to 2- 6 ! . Hrhsrto parlia- , mentaiy government has e»£;ioss..'d public atten- .■ tion, to the exclusion ot affairs municipal. Now that taxation imposed by the laltei is showing upward tendencies, it is p bsible its administiations will rpceivd more attention. Successful business hi= been done at tbe public baths openerl a fuw weeks ago. To promote the comfuit during the winter the borjugh council i has decideci upon constructing heating apparatus, j Ko»s ?nd Glendininp, merchants, have acquired a vacant section in E>k street, which has long remained au awkward-looking g.p in the building line. They have arranged to eiect bu^icess premises therron, and a three-dtoiey tenement will shortly be in the hands of the builder. Pnci and Bulleid, drapers, baye completed a aeat range of shoo tenement? in Tay street ; anil the new premises of the Commercial Club in E=k .street are now tenanted. The building tuide in other j direction", is bii.k. ! The ni'iiing activity previously reported shows no sign of abatement. A tcbt parcel of superior grade i-tone fu-m an entiiely new reef in the vicinity of Cuttle Cove has beeti exhibi ed Good ."tone has from time to time been shown, the produce of thii arm of the inlet, but I am correct in saymg the sample in question is h°sx of all. The Mortiinß Star contimus to develop well, and another groorl cake may be lsokeil for shortly. | Shiiespa'd up to £0- should lie domp &afo busi-iie-s a'j Id'- 6d. A'phas aie still commanding the jOO per cant, premium, continuing quotable at 8s to 8? M. I ongwood icefs tre sustaining their reputation. A new line sft 6in wide has been tfiscoveied. S'nion's rpef hffords ► xcellent prospects in vitible {rold. It has b«e" driven oo a distance of 45ft, with good stone, wpll-defined wall?, and making all through. The outcrop h tractd a distance of 12 chains. West AYaiau continue? heal 1 by, and several working pArfi^s are getting big return-*. The lead is traced a long distance along the west side of the rivei. The Mataura district is reported booming, and dredging will soon become an established industry Mr M'Nab, who has just returned from a trip to the impioyed farm (settlements at HeathfibW, in the ditection of Oatlins, aud Haldsnt, near Waikawa, i ells me that tjie whole appearance of the ! country in very backward, thioucli the constant wintry v. eather experienced during our .so-called summer. In some spots the roada have never yet been dry, and travelling in many plsrps was very heavy. At Tokanui and W ukawa Valley since his last visit dairy factories have ba^n commenced, anii at Heathfleld the company has ceased operation* after electing the skeleton of the building. t At the time of hit visit word came that the company bad goi.e iLto liquidation in Dtmee'iß This will piove a bad blow to the itiungling tettKruent from Tokanui to Heathfleld, s- only last winter something like 2000 shares had been subscribed in the locality, and a cjllof any substantial amount will press on the settlers very severely. Owing to this and the consequent check given to tbe UJOveinenfc j for a dairy factory at Heatkfield, the ioipioved ! farm tettltment at that place is in a very bad ; way. I