SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 31

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

(Fuau Ocs Own Correspondent.) INVERCAEGILL, December 2i. Fine weather is approaching, slow'y irdeed. anc 1 by devious ways, but there ib low good reason to hope that it will eventually arrive, In the early part of thi3 week it came with s rush, and by Wednesday had quite taken possession, but Thursday saw as steady and copious a downpour as we have yet experienced. Yesterday we had a thunder burst, and to-daj is raw and showery. We have now a plentitttde of feed, and there 13 a prospect of our having after all a plentiful ;f a somewhat late harvest; but sheep-shearing is being seriously retarded on farms, and farmers are beginning to despair of ever getting in their turnips. A further continuance of thus weather will take us 100 far into the summer, and there will ba a great scarcity of turnip feed for stock nest winter. There is only one take of trout to record; but it is a big one. Fancy 2£cwt of trout from | one river at one time. That, lam assured, haa | actually been taken from the Waiau by a fishing party this week. Some of the trout are said to have weighed 141b each. Local cricket is very uninteresting at present, nor is there anything worthy of mention in volunteering; but rowing is still aa popular as formerly here, and crews are taking advantage of the fine evenings to get into form for the regattas. On Wednesday evening the public were treated to quite an enjoyable evening's sport at the estuary by the Invereargill and Railway CLub% assisted by the Garrison Band. The Invereargill held a Quarter-mile Dash, for which eight crews started, and which -was won. by St. Paul, Mehaffey, Lindsay, and StocJrwell, after some close fii-isliea. This club also had a race between Ihslt three maiden crews to decide which should have the racing boat at the coming regattas. This was won ' rather easily by Thornton's crew. This crew should about win the Bluff and River ton Maiden Fours. The Railway Club's quota to the evening's sport was the final heat of their Double Sculls, which was won by M'Kenzie and Bust after a close race. The Riverton and Bluff Regattas promise to be decided successes. I understand there will be seven crews starting in the Maiden Fours, and five in the Juniors and Seniors -at Riverton. Bluff should be even more interesting, as Dunedin clubs will be represented by at least three crews. Interest in yachting is again reviving in Invereargill, and it is probable that before long a yachting club will be formed. Recently Mr M'Aloney launched a very fine centreboard yacht from hia yard, to the order of MiReid, late of the Prospector. She has every appearance of being a- fast sailer. We are going to have a plethora of pleasurings during- the holidays. I have before me a list of 27 fixtures coming off in South'and du~ing the festive season. It wiE bs hard ii - deed if anyone can fail to have an outing or some kind. Mr Glass, organising secretary of the Farmers' Union, has just completed his work la Southland, his last fortnight's work covering a large extent of territory, including the Fortrose, Dipton, Drummond, and Wainawa districts; and yesterday' the whole mission to the south was focussed by the holding «f a conference of delegates in Mr R. Allen's office m Esk street^ Mr R. Tapper, who has hitherto acted as hon. sec. of the central body, hand.'ng over the office to Mr Allen. The delegates had a long day of it, discussing at great length insurance (fire and accident), corn exihangt, railway freights, meat grading, subsidising r u line to South Africa, election of local bddies, weighing of grain, the repeal of the Conciliation ■and Arbitration Act, encouragement of importation, loans, destruction of rabbits and small birds, carriage of road metal, appointment of land valuer's, and taxation, all of which questions had already been discussed in thebranches. A report of the proceedings will be found elsewhere. It is now about three years since JXr Glass began bis crusade for the combination of farmers. He lias had hard work, and has been everywhere met by the cry that fanners won't combine ; but the result of his efforts disproves this assertion. They are now combined from one end of the colony to the other, :v every part except Westland, where there are very few farmers, and now number 30,000 votes, with control over at least 19,000 more, so as ar organisation they are a power to be reckoned with in the future politics of the colony. Mr Giass-'a worth as an organiser is fully appreciated by Southland farmers, and wag fully proved by the way in which the ioast of his health was received at the banquet. That the flame of patriotism still burns brightly in Southland is evidenced by the fact that over 150 young men have volunteered foi service in South Africa^ including returned troopers, volunteers and civilians. As only 30 are wanted from this district, civilians have very little chance of selection. The Premier lias been asked to increase Southland's quota io 50. An important question was discussed at las; meeting of th« Invereargill Borough Council — viz:, the question as to whether the borough should take advantage of the provisions of " The Municipal Corporation Act, 1900," eablingr such bodies to raise special loans pay off any overdraft existing at March 3. 1900, the Finance Committee having recommended that the council should not avail itself of the provisions of the act in tha meantime. Cr Macalister proposed that, with a view to a. paving in interest, debentures \o the amount of £11,500 should be issued and the overdraft be paid off. The interest on overdiaft is 5 per cent., and it was assumed that the interest on debentures would ba 4 p«r cent. During the discussion it was pointed out that a loan of £30,000 at 6 per cent, would fall due in 1900. and no doubt the money could be got for 4 per cent., thus taving i-600. The Finance Committee's recommendation was finally adopted. This year's break up of the Waihopai School was rendered memorable by the unveiling of a brass tablet, and a picture of the late Mi^s Fairweather, and of a picture of the late Trooper Robert M'Lpan. The tablet bore the following inscription- — "In Memoriam . J. M. Fairweather, for 18 years the beloved arc! faithful mistress cf this school. Entered into rest, October 11, 1901." The tablet was unveiled by Urs Bates, who gave a brief address walked by rare felicity o£ expression and depth ol ieehiig. Ilcr woids told of the inspiration flowing fiom a life <=o cWotsd as that of the deceased lady, and brought into lelief the pathos of its lamented close. Tiooper il'Lean' 3 poi trait was inscribed '" Trooper Robert M'Lean, Seventh Nbw Zealand Contingent, for seven years a pupil of the school , killed v action at Koodekop, Ttansv.ial, in June, 1901," : and was unveiled bj' Mr I. W. Raymond, wi'o eulogised that patriotism which had inspired H'Leaa, like many oth^r ■ycurjg lolohnils, to give t'aen li'.es ii the cause or tl^e Km^'. I The whole cercu.o I>' .'a« nosi iih^c-SiVl', jij «> will !o "_, ' z r-'"i. l'j .^d by tku-e who 100 part j'l .'<.. Quito ii \ 'goroii 1 * ( oirc-vorden.i? is piceec'mg in one of i lie local p.ipeis «iv-"it th° pr.:_tice of spreading offal in v paJdojk ac'ja^ento the abaf-ons. Aiionyn-.c'is cojios; older t^ descnb-5 the dtmosphere a-, fi'tliy. The rL'Jic lephes that the ccrre=poncleut=: me rccl£!c=s nth'ir 3^.=ertio;is, and piouiises a ie>)cit b, tin, i health officer, which, he implies, v ill ene^iiul; • dispose of the outcryTile Governnjent steamer Hinemoa will l <

five at the Bluff on January 3 and will proseed to the lighthouses, thence to the southern Islands, and, after finishing the inspection, will return to the Bluff, and go to Wellington by rray of the West Coast.— Southland Times. Among those who fought at Witkraens, in ■Western Transvaal, for which the Imperial Government congratulated the military, was an Invercaxgill native, "' Jim " Harvey, second eon of Mr James Harvey, solicitor, of Invereill, and at one time on the local staff of the Bank of New South Wales.— Southland Times. The new rifle range at Grasmere was formally opened on Wednesday afternoon, the weather, tor a -wonder, being splendid. The opening ceremony was performed by Mrs Hawkins, who pred the first shot, and, I am assured, made a fcull'fi-eye, and also hit the mark -with a most tppropriate speech. Majors Hawkins and Henflerson and Mr A. F. Hawke (president of the (Rifle Club) also spoke a few words m praise of the new range, and cheers were given for the architect (Mr Sharp), the contractor (Mr Morris), and Captain M'Kenzie, who gave valuable assistance in drawing plans. Hearty cheers were also given for Mrs Hawkins, lne new range is a great success, and 13 everything that could be desired. Accommodation is provided for each company and also .or the Rifle Club. There are two targets 4ft by 4it, two 6ft by 6ft, and two Bft by Bft. They are worked on the sashweight principle, which neatly facilitates marking, , There are two target mounds, each 80ft long, and the firing mounds, placed every 100 yards op to 800, will accommodate a full companj for volleyfiring. Volunteers should be proud of the range and the new magazine, should take increased interest . in , their duties, and show some improvement- ill tkeir shooting averages. The competitions foe, iht, Mauser rifles and Transvaal sword - presented "by Mcsis K. Jiiaa "and J. Vickery (second contingent) were shot far and as the entries were numerous, trie competition lasted until after 6 o'clock. lieutenant L. Lennie proved the winner after a keen and exciting contest, closely followed by Sergeant Wills, Privates Johnston and J. Grant. Forty-seven competitors took-part in the match,■which proved one of the most enjoyable ever fceld at Grasmere. The ladies' prize was won by Mrs Hawkins. . , -, • The sale of Mr Thos. Fleming s dairy cows at his model fatni, " Craigfaorn," Waikiwi, on Tuesday, was a great jmccess. The cows were * magnificent lot, and despite the bad weather -sWe was a good muster of buyers, ana spirited Tjidding, the result being that every one of the animals was sold. Following are a iew of the prices obtained :— £10 10s, £10 ss, 2at £9 15s, 2at £9, others down to £7 ; a few. dry ones from £7 5s to £i ss ; yearling heifers, £3 12s 6d; two-year-olds, £4 ss. „. A pedigree Ayrshire bull realised -eight guineas. "Presentations are the order of the day here «t present. Mr Alex.- S,cott, the well-known commercial traveller; who has been transferred to his firm's (Sargood, Son, and Ewen) Dunedin house, was presented by his fellow employees with a gold watch, and by business ii lends with a handsomely mounted sovereign case.— Mr W. J. Dunlop IRoss and Glendining), on the occasion cf hi 3 marriage, was prented with a tea and coffe service— Mi T. P. Gilfeddei (of jthe 7 Government Life Insurance Department), on leaving for Wellington, was entertained at « banquet ; and Mr George Frew, one -of our oldest friends, who is %bout to leave for Hawke's Bay, was presented gn Thursday evening with-a- handsome address by his friends of ihe Wesleyan Church, of which., he was a founder here, and by business friends with apurse of sovereigns.