SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2394, 18 January 1900, Page 41

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Oxte, Own Corhespondext.) 1 ' " - INVERCARG-ILL, January 16. The public excitement for war news and tha patriotic sentiment shown for everything and anything pevtatining thereto continues as keen as ever, and if any of our public men — and I believe there are a few who do — think the business is boing rather overdone, they dare not say so, privately or publicly, for fear of irretrievably offending the masses who elect them to chose positions. The town is qtiita alive to-day with volunteers, mounted troopers, members of rifle corps, etc., who are about to start to Wellington to witness from there the departure of the Waiwera with the second New Zealand contingent for South Africa. So keen on the business are some- of th 3 young fellows I have been speaking to this morning that I believe if they have half a chanca of getting on board as stowaways, or in any other capacity, they will "chuck" everything here and be off. Ido not know whether jou are receiving any subscriptions yet from these parts to the More Horses Fund, but I am continually hearing the opinion expressed that more horses, even lor our own men of the first contingent, are sure to be much needed. Meetins in aid of the Patriotic Fund continue to bs held in every available centre of ihe district, when contributions roll in with an astounding liberality, and patriotic sentiments are expressed with wonderful fervour and zeal. Even pur M.H.R.'s, Messrs Gilfedder ' and M'Nab, have become so imbued with the spirit that they too are holding forth eloquently and liberally on these occasions. The Southland School Committees are tfaii month invited to nominate three candidates for liie Southland Education Board in place of a like number of old members — viz., Messrs M-ac-alister, Cowie, and Matheson, whose term of office is just about to expire. Mr Matheson announces that he does not seek re-election, but tho other two ex-members are candidates for smother term, as are also Mr J. C. Thomson, of the "Western Sta-r, Riverton; Mr Arthur Jackson, Nightcaps; and Mr W. B. Scandrett, Invercargill. As the board is at present constituted I believe there are only two of its members residing in the country, but of course, independent of residence, each member represents town and country schools alike. Now, however, is the time and opportunity for those who would like to see a stronger country representation on the board to giv*e effect to their wish. The banquet the Hon. J. G-. Ward's constituents seem determined to give him has again (for the third time, I think) had to be postponed. At first the Waikiwi residents wished to make it a little affair "all their own," but as the hon. gentleman has not the strongest of stomachs and cannot stand a banquet every week, his constituents in other parts of the electorate desired to be in it, which necessitated a remodelling and redating of the event. Kow we are informed that the Premier and Minister for Lands, and several M.H.R.'s, including Dunedin representatives, wish to be present, and a further postponement has had to be made to some date not yet exactly fixable, but somewhere in the neighbourhood of the 30th or 31st inst., I itnderstand. As this will probably be -Mr Ward's first big speech since assuming Ministerial control of railways, postal and telegraph matters, etc., the affair is being looked forward to with considerable interest in the anticipation, that he will there asid then announce some of the reforms- we all confidently' expect him to make in, these very im^ortatnt' departments of the public service of which he has charge. Work is now in full swing at the Invercai'gill abattoirs — a nice, clean-looking brick building situated about two miles out of town, and coi - nccted by siding with the Western railway line. Most of "the butchers have 'had their meat slaughtered there from the Ist of this month, and it is expected every butcher will come into lins in the course of a faw days. The abattoir inspector, Mr H. S. Kyle, is busily engaged overlooking the stock intended for human consumption, and which is inspected both before and after killing. After passing his examination the carcases are branded, and the duty de volves on the borough inspector of seeing that none but pioperly marked meat is Oil sale. The protection to the public health in this direction is therefore as complete as it can be made by legislation. A serious accident was narrowly averted ai Croydon on Suuday afternoon. A lady, with several of her children, was going along the road near the schoolhouse, when they were met by p bull that was wandering on the road. The lady, not liking the appearance of things, instiucted the children to get through the fence, while she lifted her baby out of the perambulator and followed. No sooner had she done this than tho animal made a rush for the perambulator, and in a few seconds had it 'smashed to pieces. Had the mother been a few minutes later in making up her mind to give the animal a clear road, the consequences might have been serious. At the request'of the Gore Liberal League the Hon. J. G. Ward has consented to give an address at Gore at an early date. This is the firsi, of a series of addresses to be delivered by several prominent politicians, and which have been arranged by the league. The Hon. G. H. Reid, ex-Premier of New South Wales, interviewed after his recent visit to Lake Wakatipu, said that Wakatipu was one of the finest districts he had ever seen. It was unique for its grand and magnificent scenery, its superb lake, and its rich and fertile lands. He wished that Lake Wakatipu were better kown in New South Wales, for he was sure the traffic from that colony would be trebled if

' people there only realised tke glorious and beau- - tiful Bcenery New Zealand possessed.