SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 2321, 25 August 1898, Page 34

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Faou Ouh Own Correspondent.)

Invercabgill, August 23. j Although threatened with a change the weather kept up, with the exception of a shower on Friday night, until < yesterday, when a good downpour of rain set in, but cleared up again during the night. During this spell of fine weather an immense area of land has been turned over, and in many places seed sown. In several districts the early-sown wheat crops are well through the ground, and the rain yesterday will do them no harm. Farmers are predicting short price 3 next year for all sorts of cereals, but still they are going on sowing, and this year will see more land in cro» in Southland than there has ever been before. A few early lambs are to be seen in the various parts of Southland, but lambing will not be general for a month yet. Cold nights such as wo have been having lately must be very trying to tko newly-born lambs. Though poisoning ia general now, a rabbitbuyer informed me that large nunibors of rabbits are still coming to hand at the various works. The snow still lies in sheltered nooks in and about Nightcaps, and further inland it has frozen, so that stock will be having anything bxit a good time just now. Lovers of the picturesque, however, are delighted, and declare that the Takitimos never looked better, with I their snowy peaks glistening in the sunshine. The railway returns for grain carried on the Southland section of the railways for the week ! ending August 20 are 5091 sacks, making a total of 588,303 sacks carried this season, as against 2G96 sacks carried during the corresponding week last year, and a total of 539,882 sacks carried up to this date. During the past few days several of our old and respected settlers have passed to the great majority. Mr Alexander Cowie, of Liznehills, at the age of 52, and Mr Julius Seehof, well known in Invercargill .and the Western District, ! aged 69, are both men we miss who have large I grown-up families. A very well-known per- ' son age in Invercargill, Louisa Catherine Courtenay, died at the hospital on Sunday from cancer, after a residence of <37 years in and about Invercargill. Since deceased became a victim to cancer Mr L. Cheyne has, with others assisting, provided her with the necessaries of life, ancl two years ago she wished to convey her property to him; but he persuaded her to transfer it to the Ji. and C. A. Board and accept an allowance from that body. This she reluctantly consented to do. The board accepted the^gift, valued at £75, and in consideration made her an allowance of 4s per week. A painful accident happened recently in one of the Waimumu coal pits at Mataura to Mr William Coster, who, whilst carrying a canister of blasting powder from the keg to the place where he was preparing for a shot, was severely burned. It is supposed that a spark from the engine used for pumping purposes fell into the can and ignited the powder. Mr Coster, besides receiving a severe shock to the system, was badly burned about the arms, breast, ancl face. His clothing also took fire, but fortunately he was only a short distance from the water, and the fire was soon extinguished. The case of Sunday trading against Jessie Muir, of Edendale, heard, before Major Keddell, S.M., was dismissed. The charge of

supplying a prohibited person with liquor on ', Sunday was also dismissed. The magistrate, j in giving judgment, said that the case must • be proved beyond a doubt before he could en- ' dorse the license, and in this case there seemed to be a doubt whether the sale occurred on a Siinday. On Saturday night there were five men in the cells, among them three sailors who gave Constable Emerson a pretty rough time in his , single-handed endeavours to get them to the police camp. With assistance they were duly lodged in the lockup, and were brought before [ the court on Monday morning and fined 5^ and costs for threatening behaviour. One was ; fined £1 and ordered to pay the cost of the constable's overcoat, £2 15s, in default seven days' imprisonment, while another was fined £2 and costs, in default 14 days' imprisonment, for obstructing Constable Emerson while in the execution of his duty. j Seizures of liquor fiom two boarding houses ' in town were made by the police on Saturday, and probably prosecutions will be instituted for alleged sly-grog selling. Several persons were lined at the Police Court on Monday morning for driving on the ' North road without lights. Owing to the acci- ! dent which occurred one Saturday night re- J cently, the police intend to keep a sharp watch ; on offenders m the future. ! On Saturday morning news reached Wyiidliam of the burning of Mr Lambert's dairy factory at .Redan Valley. No work has been carried on foi some time in the building, > which was insured in the South British Office. AL the annual meeting of the Gore A. and P. Association on Saturday there was a good attendance. Owing to the illness of the secre- , tary no balance sheet was produced, and consi- j deration of that item was deferred for a month. } The following were elected officebearers for the ensuing year — President, Mr W. A. Donald, vice presidents, Messrs Macara and W. J. Johnston ; treasurer, Mr H. Smith ; committee — i Mebsrs L. Coutts, A. Fleming, J. E. Humph- , jues, G. P Johnston, William Key, Thomas , Logan, John Mac Gibbon, A. Mac Gibbon, Geo. j Al.ilneSj J. S. Miller, 'ihoinaa M'Millan, D. L-

Popjpelwell, S. G. Inder, J. Kelly, T. Green, N. Kingdon, J. Stevenson, A. Cruikshank, D. Murray, M. Dickie, T. Herron, T. Grieve, and W. F. Ward, auditors, Messrs G. Brett and J D. Hunter. At the usual monthly meeting of the Wallace County Council on Wednesday the Post-master-general forwarded a bond for signatuie by ths council guaranteeing the cost of the j telephone from Colac to Round Hill, and the j chairmen was authorised to sign the bond. A letter was received from G. M. Hassing, setting foi tii the necessity of telephonic communication between Druniniond and Heddon Bush; also one from Postmaster-general stating that a telephone line will be erected on payment of a , subsidy of £78, or on the coitiity council qua" j raiiteeing to pay £19 10s yearly for five years. Ifc was resolved to give the guarantee. It was ! resolved to strike a general rate of %d and a charitable aid rate of -Jd on all property in the county; also a separate rate of gd in Orepuki and Waiau ridings and in the outlying district of Otautau riding. Cr Hirst reported re meeting held at Round Hill. He called attention to the large revenue the Government received from sawmill areas, and thought the Government would grant a loan at 5 per cent, and 1 per cent, sinking fund, so as to get the road made. The matter was held over to f.ee whether Government would give a grant. The National Bank intimated that the interest on the council's overdraft would be raised 1 per i cent. Crs Carmichael and Chewings were ap- ' pointed to arrange with the bank and report at next meeting. j The Borough Council of Kiverton have decided to borrow .£SOO for the purpose of plac- ' inj a main drain in Palzneraton street. ! At a meeting of subscribers to the Wyndham Athenseum on Friday the balance sheet showed the income for the past year to have beei £37 4s 7d; expenditure, £31 4s 2d. There 1 are 590 volumes in the library, and 1250 volumes were 111 circulation during the year. The assets are £235 12s, while the liabilities are nil. Messrs James Milne (chairman), Bremner (secretary), Walker, Simpson, Golding, Fraser, I Morrison, and Cushnie were elected a3 cornI mitten for the ensuing year. I I At the last meeting of the Southland Land I Board the special committee reported on their I inspection of the Papatotara (Waiau) settlement to the effect that too many single men hod obiaiued sections, got all the Government work they could, and then deserted their holding". The iorfeitare of five sections was reconiinended. — The report was adopted. j Some time ago a conference of delegates fi - om the Hospital ancl Chaiitable Aid Boards in ! the colony was held in Wellington to consider what reforms were necessary m the law they administered. Representatives were sent from all parts, including Southland, Mcscrs D. Roche, W. H. Hall, and A. Carmichael being the chosen. The expenditure they incurred on the trip amounts to £60, but the Auditor-gene-ral has disallowed £10, reducing the sum the funds will be drawn upon for the purpose to £50. A meeting, convened by Mr A. R. Hare, to consider the best means of procuring agricultural lime, was held al Fairfax last Thursday evening (reports the Star), and those present showed their practical interest in tho matter by subscribing a small sum each to obtain a report on the deposits neai Rirgway and coat of a kiln. Coiisideiing iliat there is abundance in the district, theie is nothing to prevent ifc being cheaply placed on tho market. Shooting is reviving at Grasmere, as next Wednesday afternoon will see a team of ten m^n aside from each of ihe four town volunteer corps ancl rifle club competing in a mateh — 7 shots, with 2 sighters. at 500 yds. This should sere as an opening i.o the season, ancl augurs well for a succesful year's shooting. The members of the local branch of the New Zealand Natives' Association held a conversazione in Ashley's Hall on Thursday evening. There was a good attendance of members and their friends. Mr J. E. Hawkins, vice-presi-dent, occupied the chair and opened the piocecdings, and was followed by Dr Hodgkinson, who recalled some memories of " Early New Zealand," his acquaintance with the colony dating back to 1842, in which year he landed at Nelson. Dr Hodgkinson was unable, vi the time at his disposal, to do more than deal with Nelson and Wellington, but will doubtless take another opportunity to speak of Otago and Southland. Songs were given by Misses Mair, Murray, and Dickinson, and Messrs A. F. Hawke and E. R, Wilson. Games, including progressive euchre, served to make the rest of the evening pass pleasantly. Special services are to be held in St. John's, ' Invercargill, on Sunday next. The Yen. Archdeacon Beaumont, of Lawrence, will preach at both morning and evening services, exchanging pulpits with the Yen. Archdeacon Stockcr, who will preach at Lawrence. Special offertories will be taken tip at both services in aid of the church funds. The Rev. D. C. Bates paid a visit to the members of the Church of England at Ruapuko last week. Miss Brown, daughter of Mr C. W. Brown, ' : Im ercargill, is the winner of the prize offered by the Otago University Debating Society for i an essay on " The Disadvantages of a University Training." 1 ] A Winton correspondent writes — Next week j we are to have the Sisters of Charity among ) • us. I am given to understand that they are ; '. to begin teaching immediately. A building is ' j in course of erection for the purpose. Mr ' 1 Frsncis Jack has just completed a neat build- ' ing of six rooms for the nuns. i The &.s. Invercargill returned from Pi'O'pr- i vation Jnlot goldfields on Saturday morning : early. Although bringing up no gold she brought 1

round satisfactory tidings of the various clpims and the following mine managers' reports • — Golden Site— Since last leport the lovier cro-as from the uprise has been extended 16ft Gu, where the foolwall was struck, standing nearly plumb at GOft from the rise. An inteimediate level has been driven 10ft 6in from the south, the black slate next hanging wall thickening, with stringers of quartz adjoining in c leasing in thickness, and all indications point to the probability of the country improving towards the couth. So as to test the reef before starting the battery, another crosscut has been put in between the lower and the upper (where the gold stone was struck), and at 14ft Gin what was evidently the hanging wall of the lode had been cut and they were now driving through a number of quaitz stringers. Tho ore bin and tramway to the battery were ready, and eveiything is so arranged that from the time the stone is tipped into the main pass underground until it is fed into the battery a shovel need not bo u=cd. Morning Star. — Mi P. E Keam, the new manager, repoits that since he took chaige No. 2 level had been driven 28ft with thipe shifts, and as there was a change coming ia ho hoped to get into stone at any time. No. 1 level continued to look about the same, and he was taking the leading stope along with the level, which was in 57ft from where the new stone started and was now widening. No. 1a level had only one shift at the face, but the?o was a change making, and although ho could not say what the result would be tho indications were favourable. No. 1 stopes were being got m older, as, from the prospects obtained and from the &+one f-ecuied, he was su>o that when worked without timbering these wculd pay well. Alpha. — The intermediate level has bee'i driven farther to the east, and tho reef that wps passed through in sinking the shaft has been cut. It carries good gold. It was expected that the winding gear aud battery would lie in working older in a fortnight's time. Sunrise.— The countiy that they were now m was real bla^k slate belonging to the lode formation, and ihey might strike the lsei at any

time. _ This is in close proximity to where the Morning Star lost the reef.

One lucky miner, while walking up No. 2 Creek the other day, found a nugget weighing Boz sdwt. It was lying on the top of the wash, and had evidently been exposed by the rain. The beach at Sealers Creek, which lies about helf-way between the lighthouse and Windsor 3- ) oint, has been pegged off as a dredging claim. It has been known for yeprs that a rich deposit of gold was mixed with tho sand on the surface, where the creek meets the sea, but it was tco low to be saved by any of the ordinary inetliods. A dredjc of course will easil/ get it, and it is quite possible that heavy gold may be found on the bottom, but ao far this has not been proved. Messrs Seator and M'lienzie, who hnv3 taken up the claim, will be deserving of success if they introduce a dredge to the district.

It is reported that the most likely-looking reef cvtr disrcw.a.-pcl in the Longwood has been found near the Merrivilc homestead.