SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 44

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Ol'p. Own Cohee6?ond?.n't 1 INYKRCARGILL, Ma-.cb 17. Nolv\ithsiar.ding tlie bad weather wrr< k pievailed 0:1 Tucadi^ and Thursday. |,ooJ piogif = s Las been made with harvesting dui.ng th» ■week. One crop at Dipton lu3 already been ' threshed, and w'll, 1 understand, reach BaiT ] to-day. Before this week is ended the hum 01 \ the threshing mill will be heard on many of ; the earlier farms, and the music will glacld":i . the hearts of all Southlai.d fanners before we >re many wesks older During the earlier portion of ia<-i week oats sold Ireely at 2s \w , bushel on trucks at wayside stations, hut on Saturday there was st decidedly easier £eehng jn.tho market owing to the report cabled , from Home that the War Office had decided Yiot to buy any further supplies of oats from j New ZeaJsnd and Australia b2cause of the < large stocks held in South Africa by the In?- : perial authorities, and because supples can be • tore cheaply obtained in Britain. The : esult was that thesa farmers who were able on S»tur- ' day to leave their harvesting and come to toivn to sell their o?is had considerable c"»Piculty in doiijg so. Theie is a tc iug that the military «iuihorlt.es -hoi '1 strain a po; 111 favoin of ■'ins | colony, v. Inch ; shov>n ni.d is fligw- | ing, such a sp.rit 0: sclf-sacnhce in the 11.terests ol the Einpne. , There is no wheat Oil the mark-, so Ur, bu. J hear that, a large crop, piobab'y SWO or 00!) ; bushels, Trom Centre Bush, which i" i.fua'ly , bold in lnvercargill, will soon be ready for disposal. This crop :s turning out a Fpkmnd , quality, what the average pci acie is 1 L.i' - e not heard. A good deal of interest h«- been excite. •! h<!c by the establishment oi the Biue bUr 1 11 <-■_ t Bervicc to South African ports, un'i it 1= m; I .! that it will lead to a regular export of gci'e.ai produce. The stock maiket is abnormally cu.et tins ■week, due, no doubt, to a iyrge extent, to the fact that farmc-is generally are fully rccupied with harvesting operations. Fat lambs ha\e .been in somewhat better demand, but pr;ce c have remained about the same — viz., 10= to lO? 3d. Good forward lamb 3, if suitable for fin.sliing on rape, bnug 7s to Ba, while stores range downwards to 5s 6d, culls as low as 1z Cd. There is but small export demand for 4at ,*7cthers, those comiug forward being, from Various causes, unsuitable for export. The JM-iees ruling at local sales can hardly be taken 33 a faiT criterion, most farmers' lots, at this .time of the year, sadly requiring drafting. lv iact, very little attention is being paid to th's market at present, farmers pref tiring to hold aver till June or Ju'.y, when the xiiaihei, foi fat "Sheep will be firmly established. Fjt ewes ari 1 selling at 9s and 11s for good quafily, vrlii'e indifferent scrt* laiige downwaids to boiling-down prices. It 13 anticipated that there will be a large number o f o'd ewes pot Vid of this year to the boihug-down people <Tbe market for ewes is hardly opened yet bu'. I hear of gcocl four-tooth lots having hcoa sou! >t Us. two-tooths 12s to 12s Gd, and pood «ountlJnouthcd station ewes 8s 6d to 10-". Store Cattle, especially younger sorts, aie wry dull at hresent ; good turaiping rattle are a*o qUiOt, graziers being all busy harvesting, but this Class is so scarce with dca'ers that when the time for tumioping sets in puces will fiim up again. Boef is still mx>intquung a good far jigure, the prices at last "Wallscetown sales lining 22s ed to 235. Oood faimer.s' lots ot ryerrass (undressed) are selling a* 2< 3d to 2s 9d pn truck=, but 'e-cue i« oull a* pir=eai. a. id ':o Impro.-emciit iv piices is> 'coki-'J for foi tome ime. The matters of most ppncal mtei'st t^k,"g place in town during la~t wi^eV veir tho Cham pionship cycling sports and the "lttinj, o the Arbitrption Court. "Plugger Bill" Martin haa come, ha' been seen, and has conquered. His finishes were Bimply paralysing. In the 1 hanm:<iusli'..i events the pace all through was \er> hot. and lie had strong opposition 111 Palmer. Su'.her3and, and Ralston, but he appears plways to have strength ill reserve for a final and wonderfully powerful effort. He is a strong man al! over, but his thigh and chest development very remarkable, aad he has apparently rulti vat'ed a.r. attitude which leaves him the full u«c of his lunps. Prom his hips upward his body lie 3 flat as 9 oancake along the machine, hi= chest fully distended and unrestricted, whilhis opponents sit with hunched shoulders and compressing arms. The "pluggcr" haa not an angelic face, and he looked anything but cherubic as he vehemently protested against the clever tactics which deprived him of the Half mile Championship, but he smiled very sweetly rs he congratulated Sutherland on his victory in the Royal Esfield Cup Eskc E.idently

his protests did not meet with much sympathy from officials or onlookers, and Sutherland' 3 effort to support him was very half-hearted. An attempt on the mile record by G. Siitherland, paced by Martin on his motor-tandem, was down on the programme, and oi course more than ordinary interest was placed on this event from the fact that such a pacer would have been entirely new here. Consequently keen disappointment was expressed when it became known that it would be abandoned owing to a breakdown of the motor, it being felt that there had been plenty of time since the Dnnedin meeting either to put the machine in , repair or announce the withdrawal of the item fiom the programme. The Sheffield Handicap discoveied a runner who is bound to take a leading place among the sprinters of Xew Zealand. Stewart won his heat and the final with such perfect ease as to suggest that he was only playing with his competitors. He could easily have improv-cd on the good time of 14sec for 135 yds. I understand that Stev.art made his debut at last Clifton sports, and failed to do ans'thing worthy of mention, but he has since been taken in hand by a capable trainer with surprising results. I hope the Arbitrstion Court's pawmillmg award will not prove so disastrous to the Glenomaru and Owaka millers a.3 was predicted. The Southland owners appear to be satisfied, and "so well they may, ' say the unionist", "for it is at present a most lucrative business in Southland, and not nearly go bad as represented in the other districts." However that may be, the men are wel! satisfied with their victory, and claim, and apparently with gooJ I reason, that the wages granted are not more than commensurate with the toil, risk, discomforts, and other disadvantages oi the;r calling j They have a good organiser and secretary 121 I Mv Paape, who, for such a young mau. co:n- | ducted their case with ability and modereI tion. I The cartels did not fare well, but cou'd sca»-cely expect better treatment than the.r brothers of the whip 111 DuneJm. Their chum ' that their work wa= as difficult as 111 Dunedm j was quite unproved, but, on the ether hand, tho claim of the masters that Ining is ab i cheap 111 lnvercargill as n> Dunedm se-med to be disproved by the prices of articles of focd I quoted by Mr J'aape. 51 r Martin dif counted his e\ .dence by the rather carele=s 1 statement that 'ie would rathe, earrv a ton o-' coal on Ins b?ck than sit in a dray, and I was r&ther takci aback by the judge's prompt , a c -tiniDt:oii tha". eit'.er carrying eral was easy 01 Mtt'ng in r drny hard. ~ H.s Honor 's uronipt to ebpek a;iy disposit-op tc forget the ie.-pea due 10 the coiut, as- \\;t,nc?-i his uistant lopumancl to Mi Crolts, repre«entr:e Messrs Koope pud Co., brr-^crc, who tv. ice during the progre««. of the ras? cnciea'.oiued to get thtcurt to exempt brewers' carters from thr award, pointing on' that beer in "nimnier re-qiMii-d to be delivered pt such houis a« weuld lu.essitHte extension of the cartels' hcurs of labour, :mt]. at overtime rates, would impce f con«'dt'uVo tax m breweis: and his chn'grin at findii't; his feiirs realised on the ennource1 ment r r overtime rates found expression in ? • ha-ty enu-ulat'on of annoyance, which evoked I the disp'oasure of the court, and necessitated , an sj,o'ogy from the old gevntemap. I AppareniJj- tie prohibitionists are going to , make a nngblv effort vi December to secure a no-hceiis" vote at the poll--. Addressing a meeting i-; the V.M.C.A. Hall on Tuesday , evening, the Rtv. F. W. Isitt, the secretary of the New Zealarcl Alliance, detailed the phn.i of campaign. in .Tune and July Ihe whole , colony is to be worked by Mr G. G. Woolley, Miss Balgni'ue. Jix? Hairisoj Lee, Mr John i Vi'lo (of Victoria), Rev. L. M. leiU, and Mr . Sinetlley, of the Anglo-Indiaa Temperance Al- ! hance. There i» also io be a general dis- : sc-niination thioufehout the colony of temperance lite ratme of ar> efifcrtive character on the i e\ ;■ of t-ie elect-on -\'otv.itlistandnig that ch*.ik ,if; je on t'ji- :iicreK>e. Mi Isitt is confirfci't oi ultiu'at.- vie troy, p.r.d in the meantime i~ rh'e to pent to :• <=jirc\.d of piohibition and a growing to-operatici l>y I\\° churrhps. J Another oiciurcico of i-iteies' during thp j week was a meeting :n Miller's Private Hotel 't> cci >-id"r r proposal to establish a co-opc-r?.- , tr. - bakery in luveicarpiil. Consideijng the p:oaiine:iio seemed to this pioject by the newspaper ( orresponde-iie. the attendance \>-as dist.nct.v di6.iprointinp, orslv r.Vout a score lu-ins; pnser.t. Mr Arthui A. l'wpp, wi^o wr.s tie prime ..:k! iiic c t eiiergetic mo\er in the ni«i!ci. o.cuDied the chair. Hi> contended that the Milloi^" Ass-cciai.on ,ird the bakers utc „!/i -i.v t ! -" tjo\, c-i s turcc! bj coiiibinutiO" i> d cf r,K-.aticii' 10 e>n,i <-n 11 inoidiiiatp pio- • ' 1 1 f -11 'the public that tlirv inu^t oiulpa\onr to frro I'ltn-tnen in 11 in- impuMt.n,! by es t-U.i^!:i;; :< b..kerv foi tiitm-L \o=. Ht said ( that mtuy ptis-oiii ivcrr dc-nou-, of taka •„' I shares, that i. °.iuilnr movement ii B.illaiai 1 had b.»e.i vp~y =uccirdsfu!, aiid there was leiiicn 1 to lio)x- tlii' t with trustworthy, capable, and er>thus.astic ofiiciald bticce«s cou'd be achievid hcie. (Sue spe:'kc» tii:~ed a note of warning. j He had been connected with EevPial co-opera-tive co icerrjb, and had lost money. Seveia! were strong m their coydi-mvaticra of giving credit, one instancing the Hi.hfax Co-operative Society, which had row 40 branches, and h-id j never allowed one penny 01 cied't. Bei'oie i the close of the meeting a committee and ehairt man and sccreiaiy weie appoiulcd, and a pros1 pcrtus issued The conference of delegates of the Amalgamated Society nf Raihvav Servraits was brought I to a. c!o?p by a chiis.cr at Macfar!gue'.s Hotel on Saturday r.'.ght at which a'-oul 80 peisono v.ere , present, mc-hid-ng t!i<? 'ocai members of Parliament and the gencial .seoiotary of the society, i >l" Ed'.\,.ids. In prcjGsng the torst nf "The J AmnlgMiiated Soriely of lini'way Sen anN." I Z\lr W. A. Morrn --Kid that he wa<- one of the ! pio.iccrs 01 tho Railway Society at Home, and contrast .*u, thp rcitau'it uf <-ucli rr».misatici's by th° j^rcss iie:c ai.d iii the old conntry, he fc-.-id that while t'.i'v •.vt!" t.eated by colonial I n"wspi.ppr« i<i a fair o p,iit, similar orgamtc- | t.ons at Heine had been ij.'i'orcd by the Eiig- | hsh pre«i=, a mc?t!np c' 30UU men addrrssed by i himself net having been reported at all He , admitted the operation of political influence I'C.e in f-eeuriug Civour«. Lut h^ld that 111 Ki.£- , laud ~'o p-r cent. 01 the appointments wee influenced m the «,imp w.iy. The pe.ieru 1 , letary of the organisation said tlidt the '-r.c;rtv had existed for 16 yoar«. aid had secured belt r pay and shelter hours fot the men and greater , safe'v for br:h tlip employees and the public. The Pirns 01 i.lie spci tv w .-^re also philanthropic. £7460 hr< i.i^ bt. ■ paid '.o widows and oiphars of memboi a. The nua.l)c> on the roll wat now 3'2(r7. an jiiciea^e of 725 «uicp k.-t moptin'r; the Im cir;trgili brrfncli h.n l'jf,' increased Ijv 98 The greatest feeling ci fiatcimty cxiiled amongst the memberh, a.id this helped to make pre£ r <.s-i c»sie> • The coi.ii)limeutary Idie.vcll coircrt to Mr ard Mis Sidda!' co.ncs rff to-mght, and notwitlistanding that til- 1 ra'a is tomtuip at Diegent, is suie to be a financial fuccp^, arel 'o ' great is the ps'enm in which the h*ncficiarcp • are held that there will \:a\c to be a deluge to gieatly t fire* the aUp'icUiici 1 . One factor that will, however, Tnbts><^ ngninet p fuM bou->e is th" "Beauty Show" to ba held at the Zealandia Hp'l as a fe&tme of M.r Rowley's entertainment. The variety er>tertainmpiit by his own people is a very gocd ons of the kind, and wou'd no doubt drawwell, but the cunning device of competition - by local talent, especially for =-uch gei.ume prizes as Mr Rowley offers, is irresist'b'e. I the 21 young I«uhes anronnced on Saiurdav 1 night put in their claim fo- the gold watch i to-wskt. they will face a iul! house. All tke

other competitions, even the baby shew, are unattractive compaied with this. The "rat market" is dull, 2d per head not being a au_ffieier>t inducement for a strexuous effort to c.ear the vermin. Since the beginning of February only 70 have been delivered at the Gas Works here. Still more departures fiom Southland to record. A few evenings ago Mr and Mrs Mitchell, of Glenham, were tevdered a farewell social at the Glenhpm homestead, anr 1 made the recipients of valuable presents. Mr Mitchell was presented with a purse of sovereigns, probably the heaviest evci picsented m the district, and Mis Mitchell with a gold curb bangle, a silver calf basket, and a silver teapot — Constable Miller, of Lumsden, has been transferred to' Wellington. Miss Miller, who has ac'.ed as organist of the Lumsden Anglican Chinch, was, on leaving, piesented with a gold brooch, accomuamed by a letter of thanks. The Rev. D. C. Bates is to be succeeded at Gladstone by the Rev. W. Swmburn, of Waicawa. Ihe Rev. W. Martin, writing to a. friend in Invercarg'.ll, says of the Rev. Mr Swiaburn.— 'l hear my neighbour, the Rev. W. S win burn, is going to Gladstone, and I am very glad of it. He is an able preacher, sm earnest and devout man, who will look well after his flock." The parishioners of Gl?dstone and Biaff can congratulates themselves en the speedy mccession ot 3 clergyman with such p recommendation from their old friend and vicar. The Tlev. Mr Litxford is also about to leave us, and is to be succeeded by the Rev. Mr Pcwer, from Ma«terton, who will enter on his duties here about the middle of next month. An angler, writing to one of the local papers, uiges that, ticut-lisbers tliou'd raise a small iiir.d to cleat both banks of the Wpiau Rne: for =ome <3:=ta:ite, to allow more room for angling. Oil the west side' the bush comes down to the water's edge, aad altogether the iishiug gicund is very restricted. If anyth.ng is to be done it should be clone promptly, so that tho work can ljo undertaken before the opcnig of next c ea c on. The sniiual expeditions of the mutton-biiders have been somewhat delayed m consequence of difficulty in arranging for passages. It has now been decided thrt the Riverton Maoris will leave by the Napier on Monday next, 24th irst., and call at Colac for tho Orepuki and Colac contingent, leaving, duiuig the day for South Cape, Stewart Island. The Bluff Maoris will go to the various islands round Ruapuke— viz., Bird Inland, Green Island, and Xoith Island — by cutters, leavius; about the first ci second of April. It is probable that about 130 'to 150 will go from the three place 0 , and the.> will be abspnt ior about six v. eeki.

I understand that there aie 92 chi'el.-en c'rvm with the meahle- at Bluff, and ths-t in coi =cquerice the school has been cloied.