SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 34

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, September 20. The fine weather during the past week has been fully taken advantage of by the farmers, and it has had the effect of bringing on both the grass and the crops all over Southland. Lambing is very general now, and with such favourable weather the young lambs are thriving. The Inspector of Stock, H. T. Turner, proceeded against H. Brotherton yesterday, before Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., for having on June 21 exposed sheep for sale at Wallacetown while they were infected with lice, and the defendant was fiiied 30s and 7s costs, his Worship remarking that he was liable to a penalty of 3d per head. John 1 S. Little and John Rose were mulcted in the same amount for a similar offence committed' on April 26. Six thousand six hundred and eighty-six sacks of grain were carried over the Southland section of the railways laßt week, as against 2750 sacks for the corresponding week last year. This makes a total of 589,499 sacks for the season, as against 554,07S sacks carried up to this date in 1897. By the express yesterday a young mare, bred by Mr James Drain, of Spar Bush, was sent off to her new owner, Mr James 'Patrick, of Outrani. The filly is just rising three years old, is by Macarthur, dam Maggie, and took first prize in her class as a yearling at Dunedin, Invercargill, and Riverton, repeating the same unique -performance as a two-year-old. H.M.S. Torch, Commander Preedy, came into port at 9.30 a.m. yesterday, and anchored in. the North Channel. News is to hand that the cutter Ulva sank at her moorings in Manning's Bay, Stewart Island. She will, however, be easily floaters £J2ft

Ulva was for a number of years the mail cutter, under Captain Win. Joss, who was drowned | several years ago. I The Gore Borough Council, at its meeting last evening, carried a resolution that no salary be attached to the office of mayor for the ensuing ! mayoral year. j The Matatira Presbytery at its next meeting will be again asked to open the Wyndhara Church dispute. The old immigration barracks, which were situated on the inner side of Tewais Point, about a mile across the harbour from the Bluff wharf, was burnt down on Sunday. Between 1 and 2 o'clock smoke was seen issuing from the building, and about an hour later the place was all ablaze. The building must have been erected for nearly 30 years, and, of course, for many years had served no purpose, save perhaps to shelter some shooting parties who, by stress of wind and weather, had been compelled to seek its not too hospitable protection from the elements. The timber for the erection of the building was conveyed by boat to the site selected by Mr T. R. Fordharn. The building had been thoroughly gutted by unscrupulous persons during the years it stood uncared for ; even the cooking range being, it is averred, carried off. The Supreme Court sittings have been postponed for a week, to enable the Dunedin sittings to be finished. The civil sittings are likely to be lengthy, and will probably run into three weeks. A good deal of interest is being taken in the case in which R. L. Begg, of Mataura, is suing W. Gardiner for £500 damages consequent on a bicycle accident, in which plaintiff was knocked off his machine. The defendant- was on -horseback at the time. The sitting of the District Court, fixed for the 24th 'inst., has been adjourned to October 4. On Saturday morning Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., sentenced Richard Matthews to three months' imprisonment for failing to contribute towards the support of his wife and family. The sentence has been a good deal commented on, and an unusual course has been adopted by eight Invercargill Justices of the Peace m regard to the sentence. They have wir^d the Minister for Justice asking that execution be suspended until a formal petition can be forwarded. Meantime Matthews has been lodged in gaol. Several letters have appeared in our local papers, one and all taking the part of Matthews, who is really too infirm for manual labour, and always seemed anxious for work at his profession — law. Other offenders who came before Mr Poynton that morning also had their full share of punishment dealt out to them. A novel sight was witnessed at the ±Huff on Wednesday last, when two ocean-going steamers — the Rakaia (Captain Macdonald) and the Indraghiri (Captain Lovett)— were to be seen leaving the wharf at the same time. I hear on good authority that the sale of the Lake Wakatipu Steamship Company, which I reported some time ago was likely to take place, is off, and for the coming tourist season at any rate the li. W. S. S. Company will retain control of these steamers. The Invercargill Amateur Operatic Society will give four performances of that delightful work, "Ruddigore, ' beginning on Tuesday, October 4. The members engaged have been hard at work for some time, and a first-class representation may be looked for. The date first arranged was a fortnight earlier, but the postponement has been made consequent on the death of the wife of an esteemed member, Mr W. V. Siddall. The Highland Society of Southland are making great preparations for their annual gathering on Friday evening, the 30th' inst. This function is looked upon by the Highlanders and other patriotic Scots as "the gathering of the clans" of the year. Last year's gathering was so well attended that it was an uncomfortable crush, 'and this year I am glad to observe they have taken Guthrie's large buildings, where the Governor's ball was held. This should afford ample accommodation. T notice that several leading clansmen and of/hers will give short addresses during the concert, and the whole affair is to wind up with a ball. The celebration this year promises to be an unusually brilliant affair. A shooting match was fired on the Grasmere range on Wednesday between the. Riverton Rifles and Awarua Rifles. The conditions were seven shots at 200, 300, and 500 yards, and the visitors won by a handsome majority. The representative football fifteen that has foeen on tour as far north as Christchurch

returned by yesterday's express, and were met by a large crowd, who gave them a hearty welcome home. Their win against Otago on Saturday was Southland's fifth win in succession.