SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2370, 3 August 1899, Page 34

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Ouh Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, August 1. The first day of spring dawned in a cold, cheerless way in* Southland. Heavy rain fell during the previous night, and all the rivers are more or less full, and the ground in a very sloppy state. The glass, however, is high, and, with a new moon coming in on a Sunday this time, we may look foi some seasonable spring weather in. the neat future. The rainfall, as measured at Redfern, Otautau, for July, shows, that on 12 days 7.06 inches of rain foil, as against 9.85 inches on SO days in July, 1899. During the first six months last year Mr M'Laren measured 29.17 inches of ram on 78 days, and this year he makes it 70 days for 18.92 inches. Adding his figures for July, it makes the first part of this year drier by 16 days and 13.04 inches of rain. Mr lurner s figures for July are not yet to hand. Last month the customs duties collected at Invercargill totalled £4347 5s Bd, being £1650 3s 3d in excess of the drawings in July, 1898. lhe beer duty collected was £137 19s 3d, or So. more than in the Previous July. ITio oat market is practically unchanged, though owing to a meeting of buyers held yesterday the price is about a halfpenny easier, lhe total shipments during the week amount to about 15,000 for the United Kingdom, intercolonial and colonial ports, about 11000 of this going to the United Kingdom. The railway gram traffic was very light last week, on »y a little over 8000 bags being carried Mr M. Instone, who has been on a visit to Australia for a few weeks, returned to Invercargill last week. Mr Thos. Fleming, of Messrs Fleming and Gilkison, who has also been on a vi B it to Australia, returned by the same steamei. Mr H. Mayo, of Arrowtown, lias been appointed bandmaster to the Gore band, and enters upon his duties at once. •*i il' V; Slt } d , all » f °r many years connected with the Scottish and New Zealand Investment Company in Invercargill, has severed his connection with that firm and started on his own account as an accountant and general commission agent. The long overdue steamer Perthshire arrived at Ulntt on Thursday after a very stormy voyage from Sydney. Quite a large number of persons wore on the wharf to witness her arrival, including some relatives of those on board. It was rather a strange coincidence that her arrival at Bluff was Just three months after her breakdown. She left Bluff to-day, taking away with hei a very large cargo. A large number of persons journeyed to Blufi on Sunday to see her. Her cargo from here comprised 9331 sacks of oats, 409 bales of wool and skins, 1172 cases of meats, 318 casks of tallow »nd pelts, 25,584 carcaseß of mutton, 95 pkgs of meat, 3493 cases of rabbits. The rabbit merchants have formed a " ring " in Invercargill and advertise that they will only give 7d per pair foi rabbits ovei 2Jlb

each and 3Jd per pair for rabbits under that weight. This is " owing to the heavy drop in the London markets, and the low price obtainable for skins," as the advertisement states that they are unable to give any more for the rabbits. Prior to July 24 they were giving as high as 8d per pair for rabbits over 2lb in weight, so the present price means a fall of 4£d a j>air on all rabbits weighing between 21b and 2Jlb. This means a very serious loss to a lßrge number of men, who are working long hours, and under most unfavourable circumstances in many cases. The rabbit market at Home ia quoted at 14d, and surely this leaves a handsome margin for the buyers here. One buyer informed me that next season it is the intention of the buyers to form a sliding scale of prices from <id per pair in March to 7d in June, and then down again to 4|d at the end of the season. The Stai Club have again won the premiership^in football this season, and trial matches begin to-morrow. The following have been chosen to play in the first trial match on the Union ground at 3 p.m. to-morrow: — Maroons: Rodgers, Bain, H. Murphy, Hill, Stead, G. Glennie, Fraser, L. Murphy, Myers, Todd, Anthony, Jenkins, Chisholm, Metzger, and Anderson. Colours: D. Donaldson, Foster, Maley, Hirst, M'Robie, Hanna, Reynolds, Matheson, M'Nie, Jude, M'Gregor, Geddes, Logan, Donaldson, and Purdue; emergencies: Shand, Bell and Organ (backs), and Willett and Lennie (forwards). The railway officials whose duty it is to keep the railway platform clear on Saturdays by demanding the production of. a ticket as you enter the precinct of the station have some funny experiences. The other Saturday I was following an old lady, evidently from the country, and well loaded with parcels, or to the platform, when, much to her chagrin, she was brought to a. standstill with the usual request for her ticket. " It's in ma pooch," she answered. " Oh, yes ; but I must see it," the official explained. " A tell ye it's in ma pooch," she hotly returned, and tried to push through the gate ; but the official stopped her, and made another attempt to explain to her his duty, when she gave a good lurch, and hei elbow catching him in the stomach, she shot past him, saying, " A tell ye it's iv ma pooch, ye misbelieving wratch." At the meeting of creditors in the estate .of John Andrew Simson, auctioneer, of Gore, held in the Gore Courthouse on Thursday, there was a large muster of creditors present, and the ' deputy official assignee presided. Mr J. I. Neave appeared for bankrupt, and Mr E. R. Bowler for the Bank of Australasia. At the appointed houi three creditors in the estate had not proved, so the statutory meeting lapsed. . The chairman, however, examined the debtor, ' who submitted the following statement: — j LIABILITIES. j Secured creditors as per list .. £7163 1 9 Less estimated value cf securities 5300 0 0 Deficiency „ 1863 1 9 Unsecured creditors 443 5 7 Contingent liabilities to guarantor 3400 0 0 . £5706 7 4 ' ASSETS. Book debts, £1303 4s 6d, estimated to produce .. £100 0 0 Deficiency 5607 7 4 i £5706 7 4 LIST OF SECURED CREDITORS. Bank of Australasia £6863 1 9 ' Secured by bills .. £2776 0 0 Mortgage over Mrs Simson's property in Australia 2000 0 0 Guarantors .. .. 3400' & 0 j £8176 0 0 j Mrs Low, Gore . 300 0 8 Secured by bill of sale over furniture and effects .. .. 300 0 0— £7163 1 9 .Value of securities estimated at . . £5300 0 0 Total indebtedness . . £11,006 7 4 Estimated assets .. .. 5,400 0 0 £5606 7 4 In his sworn statement bankrupt said that he started business in Gore about three and a-half years ago with a capital of £200, and that he had borrowed. During the first two years he ascertained that he was aboxit holding his own. At the end of the third year he was practically stopped by the bank, who said that it would not honour any more of his cheques, and that the account must be closed. At this time (November, 1898) he owed about £1000 outside the bank, and these creditors would have given him any length of time to settle with them, but the bank would not. He first found out that he was in difficulties about 10 months ago, but did not call a meeting of his creditors. He sold his leasehold and mortgaged his furniture after he' knew he was insolvent, and used the money to meet a promissory note to Mr George Low for £260. This note was endorsed by Mr A. Sheed, but he could not say in whose favour it was drawn. It might have been drawn by Mr Sheed in his (bankrupt's) favour and discounted by Mr Low. To Mr Bowler bankrupt admitted, in cross-examination, that, there were other unsecured creditors who had promised not to prove, and that the bank held promissory note from Mr J. M'Lean to himself, and that M'Lean did not owe the money. In reply to Mr Inder, he said that the furniture had been insured in Mrs Simson' s name tor 12 months. Mr Bowler said that the statement as laid before the meeting was not a correct one, and did not show the true position of the bankrupt. It was within the knowledge of the bank that certain items of income and expenditure were not disclosed, and were in no way accounted for by bankrupt. A great deal of information had been withheld, and an examination of the books would disclose a great deal more than appeared at present. The assignee said the matter would be attended to, and that he would probably call another meeting of creditors at an early date. Some time ago the records of the Warden's Court were removed from Waikaia to Gore, mid ever since there has been a good deal of agitation to get them removed back again. One day last week Mr Warden Stratford received information that they were to be removed back again, and that the Minister had ordered tho appointment of a cadet to assist the ruining rcgifllrur. The Southern Standard says. — Tho petition praying for the completion of thft KiveraduleWaiksia line has been numerously signed. It is to be hoped that lhe powers that be will see their way clear to vote some of tho contemplated loan on this line when they got it. Now tnat tho traffic bridge ovor the Matauru between Rjversdale and Waikaia has been condemned for heavy traffic, an effort is to bo oiado to induce the Government to at least construct a bridge that will serve both for railway and wheeled traffic, even if they do not complete the line in the meantime. Previous to Btock-laking, the ander-noted goods will be sent by return post on receipt of order: — Ladies' or child's size warm, lined kid gloves, with fur tope, 2s 6d, were 3s lid ; heavy stylish wint«i cape, black, blue, or brown, 10s 6d, was 21s; double-breasted, tai-lor-made jacket, newest style, 10s 6d, was 21s ; lovely fawn or grey, real fur necklet, 5b 6d, was 12s 6d ; ladies' black or brown kid gloves/ 2s 6d, 3s 6d, or 4s lid.— r x. Ross, direct importer, Princes -.treat...*