SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, July 25.

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 35

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, July 25.

According to some authorities, this winter in Southland has been a mild one. lam not one qf" those authorities, nor do I class the winter as a mild one; but if it has been, surely those ■persons will admit that July has at least been a very rough month. Three snowstorms have been experienced "during the last" three weeks, and some of the frosts have been of exceptional severity. The thermometer in his garden last night, Mr Lennie informs me, registered lldeg of frost. The snow on Sunday seems to have teen .remarkably general all over New Zealand, and in Southland was almost a uniform thickness all over. Lumsden had about sin on Monday morning, Hedgehope nearly sin, Nightcaps 3in, Otautau 3in, Thornbury 3in, Gore 2in, Invercargill ljin, while down at Bluff it was lighter still. The rivers are all pretty full, and should a quick thaw set in, some big floods may be expected. But a quick thaw is hardly likely, as it has been freezing in the shade all day to-day. The very rough week did not seem to prevent grain coming to hand, as -the railway returns show that for the week ending 22nd inst. 13,046 sacks were carried, making a total of 628,668 sacka; compared with last year, there were 10;830 sacks carried during the corresponding week, making a total of 542,848 sacks. Prices are much about the same as those of last week, though there has been a good inquiry for B grades of oats for shipment to London, and a few lines were sold on Saturday at Is 2§d. If there is any change to report I should say it is for the better, and those of my readers who have still prime samples to sell will do well to hold on until the spring is well through. Milling wheat is still hard to sell at anything above 2s 3d, though prime milling tuscan is in better demand than it was. In both oats and wheat large quantities of inferior and frosted samples are coming to hand, and are particularly unsaleable. A very large quantity of potatoes is now being offered in Invercargill, and sales at £2 are the best that I have heard of. Farmers' samples of xyegrass ar<> still fetching Is 3d, extra prime samples Is 6d.

1 have it on the authority of the manager, Mr Thomson, that the Southland Frozen Meat and Export Company, for the half year ending June 30, have made a profit exceeding £5000. No particulars are available; but if this is a net profit, the company must be considered to have had a. very successful half year.

Some consternation has been caused in Ovapuki owing to a large number of the men employed by the shale syndicate having been dismissed. Some assert that the boring operations have not been successful, and that a good seam of shale cannot be found, but only large lumps, showing that the country has been badly disturbed by volcanic eruptions, or something of that kind; others state that it is owing to the non-arrival of the s s. "Waikato, which has some 800 or 400 tons of machinery on board for the syndicate, that the men have been dismissed. As proving this latter side of the question, tho following extract from a letter I have received is of interest:. —

" The Orepuki Shale Company are now spending large sums of money upon the development of. their property, and are said to be on a very solid and thick .seam of good shale. They are now waiting for some 300 tons of machinery on board the missing steamer Waikato, and it is sincerely tc be hoped slie will turn, up all safe shortly, so as not to retard the works and reduce the number of men now engaged."

The Bluff Harbour Board's paddle tug Awaxua returned yesterday afternoon from a search of the Snares and west and south-west coast 3 of Stewart Island for the s.s. Waikato, now 81 days out from London. Captain Lovett, assistant harbourmaster, v/as in charge of the Awarua, and reports that they arrived off the Snares before daybreak on Sunday, and a systematic search of these inhospitable and dangerouß islets was made. The coast was thoroughly searched, the tug going very close in, but not a trace of life oi wreckage was seen; indeed even the usually numerous penguins were entirely absent, nor were any seals seen. Coining home, the tug kept close inshore alougeide the south-west coast of Stewart Island, but again no trace of anything which might indicate a wreck was seen. J. E. Fox, sentenced to two years' imprisonment for embezzling funds of the Bluff Harbour Board at the last sittings of the Supreme Court here, was removed from the Invercargill Gaol this morning, and sent to Dunedin. The annual report of the Victoria Home shows that this society has done a large amount of rescue work during the past year, and the balance sheet for the year is as follows : — Cr. Income. £ s. d. Cash on hand, July 1, 1898 .. „ 2 5 8 Cash balance from Friendless Girls, July 1, 1898 21 11 7 Subscriptions for year 45 19 1 Donations for year 13 19 4 Board and lodgings paid by inmates 29 12 G Proceeds Victoria (Home work .. 13 7 4 Bank interest .„ 0 12 0 JEI27 7 G Dr. " Expenditure. £ b. d. Rent .»_..-... „, 16 11 0 Matron .. — .. .. 26 9 4 Firewood .. .. ... .., .. 510 6 Home expenses 48 9 7 Donation S.A. Rescue Home ... .». 110 Cash in P.O. Savings Bank .. .. 29 010 Cash on hand _„ .. ... ..053 £127 7 G The office-bearers for the incoming year are Mrs S. F. Whitcombe president, Miss .. iCinnon secretary, Mrs " Fisher treasurer, Mesdames Brown, Cuthbertson, Danbey, Gresham, Harper, Macalister, M'Gruer, String, Twemlow, and Wilson committee. According to a statement laid before the members of the East Gore Domain Board on Friday evening by the secretary, it appears that last season the board planted the following tres: — Larch, 85; spruce, 65; ash, 78; elder, 72; beech, 36; chestnut, 20; oak, 14; English birch, 18; sycamore, 9; also a number of walnuts, rowans, and other species. Owing to the original date fixed for the country bands' contest — October 24 and 25 — not being suitable for some of the competing bands the committee have made arrangements to hold the contest on October 17 and 18. Writing of the music of which the selection has already been issued to the various bands, the Southern Standard of to-day says:— "The selection, ' Oberon,' has been issued to tho bauds for the forthcoming country bands' contest to be held in Qucenstown. The piece is one of Weber's, and contains solos for cornet, euphonium, and trombone, besides some good work for all instruments. The selection does not present any difficulty of execution for the leading instruments, but requires great artistic taste. It is a good test for all the inner instruments. The selection is a short one, the publishers, Messrs Wright and Round, not having had time to supply a larger one. They have, however, sent a march, to be played with the selection, points for both to be added together. This march, together with the quickstep, will be to hand in % few days." MINING NEWS. The rough and intensely cold weatheiTwe have Cficeatlj been experiencing in Southland is

putting •> stop to prospecting operations for a time ; but still there are. many parties here who are up and doing, and are gradually opening out and investing in mining ventures, of whose ultimate value they appear well assured, as most of them have sent their own prospectors to thoroughly examine and report upon the ground prior to their investing in any claim. This is as it should be, and although little outside capital is coming in, still there are investors in Invercargill and districts who are prepared, to go into a bona fide property.

The Milestone, Nokomai, dredging claim, floated here a short time since is, I hear, being well subscribed for, and a. new sluicing company named the Midas, situated at Black's Point, Otara, Waipapa- Creek, with a 'capital of £5000 in £1 shares, of which 3500 are offered to the public, the balance (1500) retained by the promoters, is the latest. The directorate is a strong one, and the shares are, I hear, being freely subscribed for.

Another company is in course of formation to develop a. claim on the West Waiau, upon which a large sum of money has been expended ; but which it is probable will quickly be returned to the investors if report speaks true — viz., that they are now on a ricb lead of gold.

The -Undaunted Sluicing Company, Orepuki, are reported to be on excellent gold-bearing wash, but results will be known when the cleanup takes place.

Sluicing properties are receiving more attention than usual, and there is no doubt that where good wash exists, and a plentiful supply of water can be obtained, they are far more economical to work tha^i dredging. The Belmont Company commenced operations with their sue t|tion dredge last week, &ud the returns are looked forward to with considerable interest — not only to prove the value of the suction dredge, but also to prove the Waiau River for dredging.

A gentleman who has just returned from rii inspection of the Waikaka dredging field speaks in the highest terms of its future, and looks upon it to prove one of the most steady and reliable dredging grounds in Southland — perhaps riot a. sensational one, but one that will return steady dividends to investors. He also informed me that a Dunedin syndicate has secured a large area of ground for sluicing purposes. No reliable information can be ascertained as to the actual returns of gold obtained by the dredges worked by private parties on tho Waikaka, but they are said to be very satisfactory.

Two new dredging companies tc- work claims near Mataura Tsiaiul, on the Mataura River, are DjW in the cinvse of formation, here, and are 'ike.? tc. be floated shortly.

A portion of Lake George, towards Round Hill, has now keen pegged out, and the Great Western Company are getting their dredge pushed forward as quickly as possible.