SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 44

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

INVERCARUILL, February 3.

The heavy rains of last Monday put the Southland rivers into high flood. The rise was sudden, and higher than at any time during the last few years. That part of Dipton which lies on the west side of the Oreti was flooded, as also were parts of Wmton, and even now, after a week, there is a good deal of water lying, though it usually disappears with amazing rapidity. In and near Invercargill rain may pour all night, and before midday the streets and roads are as dry as if they had not seen ram for a week. This is due to the character of the countrj, which is an open gravel under a thin crust of free soil. The crop 3 continue to thrive splendidly, and in several places I have noticed wheat beginning to colour. The oat 3 around the edges of the paddocks are also beginning to whiten, but this is due, not to ripening, but to the depredations of the small birds. I notice some fine crops of ryegrass being cut in the Western District. The total supply will, however, be small, and it is about sir weeks late. Hot winds buch as we hiid >esterday will bring the gram crops along quickly, but there i-> a long leo-way to make up, and harvesting is sure to be three or four week^ later than la a l year.

It is hi^h time that general action should be taken against tho spread of thistles. Not only on roads. des and on unimproved lands docs this pest fiounsh apace, but thick and extensive patches can be seen out west scattered throughout some of the best of the oat crops. Some of oui boiough councils are putting into force the penal clauses of the "Noxious Weeds Act," but only a general agreement and vigorous enforcement of the act will meet the case, and the boonei county councils wake up the bettci. Of course the operation oi the act would press heavily on some settlers who find their time fully occupied in earning a living, but it is to the interest of each not only to keep hi& own land clear, but to see that his neighbour's la.nd is also kept free, even if he has to help in the clearing.

I understand that the bridge at the Yellow Bluffs, beyond Otautau, has been injured by the £ige in the river, and the luntfo^shsa tit

ths bridge across the Oreti at Dipton have to a large extent been eaten away.

The Winton Rifle's, who were in camp on the racecourse, had to abandon their tents on Monday night, the ground being covered with three to rune inches of water.

The military sports held at the close of the encampment on Wednesday wptr a great success, the programme being probably the most varied ever presented in Southland, and comprising a hurdle race, a hack race, Balaclava melee, manual exercise, Lloyd-Lindsav, bicycle race, troi, cutting Turk's head, sectional leading, bayonet exercise, tug-of-war, etc., etc. Sergeant Arthur Gerrard again proved himself a sterling horseman, and won several prizes. The most interesting events were the Balaclava melee, m which there were several most exciting bouts; the Lloyd-LuTdsay, and the tug-of-war. This last was a gift to the Bluff team, who had the advantage, not only of weight and strength, but of an experience gained from quite a. number of successful tussels.

The Wallace Eifle3 have also been under canvas for some time, and held a military sports meeting on Wednesday afternoon. The camping experience has been most instructive to the men, who have made rppid progress under Staff-sergeant Major Cardale. The district is noted for its jumping horses, but the oldest residents say that they had never before seen such a fine lot of horses and riders in one body before. . On several occasions Captain Saunders took the company over fences in line of company and column of divisions, S.M. Cardale expressing the opinion that there is not another company in this island that can take a fence in line. During the meeting Sergeant H. Newton was elected lieutenant in the place of Acting-lieut. Smith, left the district. About 40 members of the Oreti Rifles assembled on Tuesday evening to bid farewell to Captain Spaul, who is removing to Dunedin, where he has been appointed to the management of Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen's hat factory. Eulogistic speeches were made by Lieut. Lennie and Chaplain Bates. Captain Spaul, after thanking the officers heartily for their warm expressions of regard, said that hi<i labours had been but the duty he owed to the position. He was especially sorry to leave Invercargill, and reap? his connection with volunteering and the Oreti Rifle?. He was pleased, however, to jpare ibe corps in a thoroughly financial cor.dition, the only liabilities being a few small current accounts. Nothin" would have given him greater pleasure than to have gone into camp with them next month and he knew that the officers would have the full support of all ranks. The captain's speech was received with applause aaid "three times three. During the prooe«lin?s Streeant Jaqnicry. Bugler S\i*herlaiid. Trooper WirHe Privates CooS, Jaquiery, Corbett, and Daniel' and Messrs E: Hunter and R. Heathcote contributed songs, while refreshments of tea ami cakes were very acceptable. Q.M. Sergt. O'Toole extended the corps welcome to Trooper W Cook (sixth contingent), and the returned trooper detailed at some Ipngth his war experiences, which were unfortunately cut short tniough an accident sustained by his horse f?Umg on hixn. He heartily thanked the corps for !S?L r 1 ?} 7e7 cI =°me- The meeting broke up with Aukl lang syne" and "God save the

At the annual rapeting of subscribers of the Invercargill Athenaeum the other • night the statement was mad* that the membership now reaches 600 aud the issue of; books, etc., cUuW the yenr totalled 27.000. , fc I understand that about 7500 liaJrs of wool will ij 3 oner«cl at to-morrow's sale, ar.d that a. considerable advance on the prices realised lp«t month is anticipated.

This seaeon is going to be a faihir* for lambs. ISo doubt they will come forward as tegs later on aft«: the turnips. The demand for etore sheep is somewhat abated. I am told that some of the peat Canterbury buyers tvho .were down xiere lately are -mlling to resell their purchases, at & very small margin. There is nothing whatever doing in wheat I am assured by one of our largest buyers that tJ®-l not P urcslase d a- sack for months. JXeither are there any oats passing. If it is true, as I have been assured, that 2s sjd (sacka m) is bring offered in Canterbury, our local merchants will have to improve on their offer of Is 9d for the new seas&u'R crop. There is yet a greai deal of flax in .Southland, and it b?liovps mil!er6 to do all m their power to have their hemp put on the London market in mrst saleable condition, but up to tho present buyers have had no reliable indications of quality, hud probably the conscientious flaxmiller has not. received due advantage?. The Agricultural Depaitrnciit is now moving in th.& direction of instituting a proner system i,f grading, and at the last meeting of the B'ufT Harbour Board a. letter from the department soliciting fche board's assistance iv tbis direction was -received. The letter was referred to the Harbour and Works Committee, but the desire of the board to co-operate with, the Government officers was clearly indicated. Evidently tho -Oampbelltown Boiough Council believe that what is worth having is worth asking for. Many years ago this body recognised the need of water works for the supply of water to the borough, but did not see their way to incur the necessary outlay. The Harbour Board, to whom a water supply was essential, for the nse of the shipping, took the matter in 'hand, and supplied tho necessary reservoir. To this day the principal part of the water revenue is derived from tho shipping, the borough contributing less than £100 pc-r annum. Notwithstanding this the council have written the board that they have obtained legal opinions to the effect that the board has been acting entirely ultra vires in acquiring and holding and carrying on the waterworks, and that it had no legal powers to own such works ; also that the council was entitled to acquire the works under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act and the Public "Works Act, and, possibly, without paying the board any compensation. It was also clear to the council that such works were more naturally and properly owned and controlled by a municipality, but they felt that if possible arrangements for the acquisition by the council of trieworks should be made amicably, and without the necessity of resorting to law. They suggested that negotiations be opened with a view to the counofl obtaining the ownership and control of the water works. The chairman (Mr I. "W. Raymond) said the proposal web an andacious one, and remarked that the communication was the first of an official nature the board had received from the corporation for some time. He moved that the matter be referred to a committee, with power to consult a solicitor. I understand that the board a*e determined that (they won't give up the waterworks without adequate compensation.

At the same meeting of the board a letter v.-as received from Sir Fredenck Sargood, in which the wnter, after expressing his thanks for kindnesses rendered by the board and appreciation of the beauties of Stewart Island, suggested tho provision of increased accommodation, and also, in the absence of a cable, th© introduction of heliograph signalling -with the island. He urged that Sir Joseph Ward be requested lo obtain a loan from the Defence Department of two heliographs, and men -who instruct one person or more on each side. Sn Frederick hoped that consideration of \jib suggestions might enable many to enjoy th* beautifu' lesorts of Stewart Island. The letter was discussed, and it was decided to set up a committee, consisting of the chairman and Messrs Bain, Roberts, Anderson, and Watson, to consider the suggestions contained in it. Mt Watson though they should do their best to popularise thisaoliday reaort, and harmonise

such as the Tourist Committee at the island. Mr Bam said he thought that when the board reduced its fares to the island it was understood that the railway authorities would also make a special reduced fare for those travelling on the railway to go there. That had not been done. Mr Raymond said it was with the idea of seeing to that, among other things, that the committee was set up.

The Vice-regal party, consisting of Lady Ranfurly, Ladies Constance and Eileen Knox, Captain Alexander, and Mr Wolsley, spent the best part of last week in Southland, visiting Orepuki on Wednesday, where they were shown over the Shale Works by the manager, Mr Dunlop. They returned to Invercargill on Thursday evening, and put up at the Cfub Hotel.

It is anticipated that the men temporarily discharged from the Orepuki railway works will find work harvesting, but there are a large number of unemployed foundry hands about tewn, and our M.H.R., Mr JCanan, has ~been wiring to the Minister of Railways urging the Government to start railway workshops here. The Railway department is enforcing its regulations. During the week two men and a boy have been charged with getting on trains while in motion, and fines inflicted, and a fine has also been imposed foi smoking on the Invercargill railway station.

The first prosecution under the new dairy regulations in this district resulted in the infliction of a fine of Is, with S4s costs. - "W. J. Winter was charged at Wyndham with selling milk -without a license, and fined as ri;:ady mentioned. The offence was admitted, but lit •was urged that the defendant supplied milk to a relative only, and had only made one outside sale. It was shown that defendant had been warned to take out a license, and the magistrate, in inflicting the nominal fine of Is, said that future cases would be more severely dealt with. J&fAt a farewell entertainment to Mr T King, postmaster at Gorei who haa-been promoted to "Westport, he remarked th"at since he came to G ore "in 1878 he had seen 13 stationmasters coni.a and go, 32 publicans, and 30 parsons. And they hud h»d only one postmaster during that time. He had seen 20 bankers come and go, seven clerk 3of the court, eight managers of tht» N.Z.L. and SLA.. Co., aud 18 doctors. — Southland Time*.

Mr \Y. G. Taylor, Government veterinarian in charge of the Ocean B?ach "Freezing "VTorlcs, ha * bcPTi transferred to the Belfast Works, near Christchurch.

Mr Charles Purdue, w»ll-known na a Southland renresentative footballer, was married to Miss Ellen Louisa Townsend, second daughter of Mr Richard Townsencl, Catherine street, North Invercargill, on "Wednesday last. Among the vrosentß were handsome ones from th» Britannia Football Club and the Applehy Cricket Club, of which Mr Purdue is a member. Mr Purdue ig, and has V»»en from boyhood, a clerk in the chief post office here. Eighty members attended the meeting of the Southland Farmers' Co-operative Association on tho feoth ult., when it was resolved to increase the cspiinl to £50,000, of which .^l^oo would bp ip«med at present. The nssoclation proposes to bmH store? -to hold 20,000 sacks of grain.

It ia rumoTire'-'! here that Castle "Rock estate is under offer to the Government. If tho Government should take it and cut it up it is one of the things that will give this place a start. Jt onii never move much while it Is completely shut in by tip estates— Lumnden c.-;rresT>ondent Southland Tim^a.

Mr Turner, of tho'Bto<;k department, is purchasing remounts for the ninth, contineent. • I am iiidoUed to >Tr H.T. Turner for~tho fol-~ lowing: — RaiTifall for January, 5.03 in, with 38 fine days. .For the corresponding period last year the rainfall waa 5.01 in, with 12 fine days. I