SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2527, 20 August 1902, Page 44

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(FaoH Ovs. Own Comi*b*ohmxt.)

INYERCAROILL, August 18.

During the past week the weather has beep exceedingly fine, with keesi frosts at night and worm 6imshine and blue during the day. Exeiy where snow drops, ciocu.-e5, and \iolets are in full bloom, and on evtjry hand the swelling buds denote an early spring. Even bhrubs which do not usually break into leaf till about the second week in September are aheady putting out tiny buds, and may ha expected to be well ahead of time with t'.eir full dro s s

An enormous extent of land throughout Southland has already been ploughed, and sprin- cowing is v. ell under -way in sonv* parts of the Western District. Hei© al=o the grass is coming away capitally, a'ld there will aeon be an abundawc? of feed for etock. The poor lands between In\crc3rzill and Gore are taking on the August tjiige, but there can scarcely ba said to be auy growth ia the -gra&.s there yet. Since last I wrote cats have taken a considerable a-pward move and busine*- has l>eon freely passing, till Et the clu.'ie of t'.ie market oai Saturday recent values, and evon over (2s 9d in one case), were obtain »d f.o b. at JJI^T for parcel* of 500 to 10J0 bags. The inquiry was from Sydney, but until mailed advices come in it will be difficult to say what caused the demand ; but it -.s pretty safe to assume the oats are required for Australian consumption, and not lor transhipment at Sydney. If this theory is coireet, oats should be very good holding, for New South Wales will ha\ c to buy her oats here till her own and the Victorian crop are available. Merchecits were offering all sort* of prices to the farmers on Saturday lest.

The export of fat sheep to Australia continue?, and prices for prime wethers range from 16s to 17s, lighter weights bringing fiom 16s downwards. Fat ewes me almoat unprocurable, and buyers have to be very careful to see that those offered are not in lamb. Prices for beef aro ctill ruling \ery high, and there ie a great scai city of good heavy weights, lighter beasts being quit* as dear to buy, as they do not cut up so profitably. Theie is a keon demand for hogget*, principally for railing to Canterbury and Otago, values for good lines ranging from 8s bd to 9» 6d. There has been a fair inquiry for store cattle during the past week, several lines of fi.ru ard bullocks having been sold to go to the Clutha and Taieri districts.

The Invercargill Dairy Supply Company are about to erect a rreameiy at Hedgehopp, about half a- mile from the railway station

Magistrate M'Carthy delivered his judgment this morning in the case Police v. Commercial Club, for selling liquor without a charter. He decided that an offence agaiiLjt (he licensing laws had 'b.een cornlr.itted. but as the conductor of the club had imited the police to make a test case of it he infl icted the nominal fins* of Is and ootfts, the liquor and \assels to be impounded. As Mr Stout, who appeared for the club, wished time to go carefully tl.rOiigh the judgment, hi-- "Worship arranged to delay the entering up of the penalty till Mi- -Stout could dcoide wJiethcr to appeal on points of la-w or on the law and the fact-

At the <-ame sitting Mr M'Carthy fined a young man £10 for as*auU on a halfcaste Maori girl. Mole-'-tiiig females is becoming rither alarmingly common in Invereargill, and it requires to be put down with a strong liand.

InverenrgiH i« not to be comparpcj -with Dunedin for natural beauty, but the s\irrovnding country has many beauty spots \\ hic'i are but too little known to the townspeople. A inc&t enjoyable summer holiday could be spent on the Makarewu Ri\er below Wallaoetowii ; n.detd. to a limited few, mo-tly trout fchcrs, it is a place of resort for all holiday*, and there are quite a number of flatties there owned by Inv?icargill anglrrp. But I am afraid that to the general run of people this beautiful river, only six or seven miles from town. i« almost unknown. I am confidf'ni that if a number of pleasure boats euoh as are -in use on the Avon at Chnstchurch were available at a reasonable rate prr hour, and the fact made widely known, tho place would "be largely patronised on holidays aud Wednesday and Saturday after noons throughout the summer. The row down the Makarewa to the New Rivrr ip exceedinjrly pretty; and the New River below the Junction is a really fine stream, wide enough for dozens of boat*

The Invercargill Gun Club, whicl< now numbers 93 members, closes its year wiiii a credit balance of £16 14s 7d.

The Invercargill Coronation Committee's postponed display of fireworks came off ln#t Monday night, when the weatlw was all that could be desired. The Garrison Band had a torchlight procession down Tay street and along Dee 6treet to the theatre, where a fair phow was. made thence to the Gentlemen' s> Club in Don street, where something better was piovided, and finally to the Hospital grounds, where the display of the evening, that of the committee, was shown. This show was really magnificent, by a long way the best ever scon in Invercargill, and was highly appreciated by tlie thousands who thronged tho Main North road and Gala street. Tweuty-one detonating rockete were first sent up, as a royal salute, and the reports produced by the explosions were heard for mile? around. The set pieces. fis"d in side the grounds, when sot alight brightly illumined the scene, and the many-coloured lights thrown up formed a fascinating <-pee tacle. Fireworks in the form of two pipeons oaueed amusement by their erratic movements. They were fixed to a wire, along which thpy made rapid flight, and, meeting in the middle, a collision took place, the pair finally separating and going in different directions. One landed in the lied^o, noar the doctor's residence, setting fire to it, but tho flames were soon subdued. Two "\ciy fine designs of a patriotic character wero hhowii and greatly admired. A waterfall of fire was an exquisite sight, and the flight of aerial pigccms ■•osinng aloft aud disappearing with a v<\ ii r, was amongst the best feature*

Mr Bacon, cf MoL' ret.i, has, according to the Wvndiiam Herald, come to the conclusion, after full inquiry, and an extended trip thiough Taranoki. that the chparesl c ' h i ry ing land in the colony is i. Southlajio*

A four-roomed oottage owned by Mr Gooclsir, East Invercargill, was burned down on Saturday evening. There being no water supply, next to nothing could be done to save the building.

In the ease of J. F. WiLson versus I. W. Raymond, heard in the local Magistrate's Court a few days ago, the plaintiff was nonsuited The evidence showed that plaintiff charged £4- 4s for bridge work on defendant's teeth, and the latter, considering the charge execssne, had forwaided £3 3s to him in full settlement.

For some time the air has been full of rumours of good gold being found on Pahia Flat and in the bush, writes the Oro-puki correspondent of tho Western Stau. This seems. to be a continuation of Orepuki gold joining- the Round Hill field ; and no doubt in the near future a good deal more will be heard about it. Messrs Watson have a very rich claim, and others who are prospecting have found gold nearly everywhere they have tried. The gold found is on lease in perpetuity aud some on freehold, which could, no doubt, be resumed if proper steps were taken. The great danger is that large areas may he granted to syndicates to the exclusion of the miner.

Mr H. Thompson, who, with his family, is leaving New Zealand for South Africa, was on 'Wednesday evening entertained at a smoke concert in Mr Wilson's Orepiiki Family Hotel. Afoout 20 were present, aud Mr H. P. Young was chairman. After a substantial repa&t and the loyal toasts, the health and prosperity of th« guest and his wife were proposed by Mr Young, in a happy speech, and drunk with all the honours. Mi Thompson, in responding, said ho regretted leaving this district, and the colony, but the state of his health compelled him to seek milder ,cliuiates. Songs, speeches, and recitations filled a very pleasant evening, all wishing Mr and Mrs Thompson God-speed. Mr Thompson was also the recipient of a drossing case- and case of pipes, and Mrs Thompson of a beautiful greenstone brooch. — Southland Times Correspondent. The anniversary services at St. Pauls Presbyterian Church. InvercargiU, were conducted yesterday by the Rev W. Hewitson, of Knox Church, DunediQ. Mr Hewitson lectures here to-morow night on "Speech and Sneakers." While Mr J. A. Hanan, M.H.R., was in town recently a deputation waited on him with regard to railway aud other matters. One of their grievances was that metal from Logan's Point <H0 miles) cost 4-s lOd for railage, while Is 9d was charged on stone from Greenhill"* (12 miles). Ajaofcher point was that Dunedin peaple cOuld send goods from Duaedin to luvexeargill for ISs per ton, while Invercargillites had to pay 42s per ton freight to send goods to Dunedin. Mr Hanan promised to put a. question, on the Order Paper with " regard to these masters on his return to Wellington. The extension of Southland tramways was next brought up, and it was urged that the Seaward Bush railway should lie proceeded with from this end. that the Orepuki-Waiau line ehould be finished to a paying point, and that new lines — one from Gore to Kelso by way of Waikaka and another to Drummond — should bo proceeded with. With regard to the Seaward Bush li.-ne Mr Hanan said rJiat its completion was being delayed by dissensions amoiig those interested as to tlie bost route. At- to the Orepuki-Waiau line, ho understood that pert of it would be opened shortly. Referring to the Drumond Heddon Buah line, he said that Mr Gilfedder had advocated the construction of a narrow-gauge line, and he was of opinion that it would suit the district very well, but of course it could aot be carried out at onoe. To put the works in hand money must be borrowed, and if effect were given to all requests they could borrow £20.000,000, and then uot have sufficient. He would always be pleased to support the railways proposed, especially the two now m course of construction — Seaward Bush and Orepuki-Waiau. The claims of the Gore- Waikaka. line had been brought before the House by )uin«=clf and other members. They all recognised that it would be a paying liaie, tapping a fertile district, and he helip\fxl tlie Government would place a small sum on the Kbtimates to give it a start. On Tuesday evening a meeting of those interested in the pufehing on of the lines above mentioned was hciQ in the Council Chambers, when a Rail way League was formed to pupport hy resolutions and agitation the efforts of Southland members of the flou-e to lvive these line, undertaken as oariy afa possible. The Gorge Road School Committee held tilth annual conceit and ball last Friday evening. The wraiher was clear and frosty, and the roads being in good order there was a good number of people from milea around. Thanks to the exertions of the committee, there we 3 a good programtiie, and the catering was all that could be de-sired. Owing to the kJmdnets of Mr M'Callutn in lending Ins barn, it has been found possible to hold a dancing club right through this winter, aud the young people have been looking forward to the ball as the climax of the season. Because of the number of encores demanded, it was late when the concert programme was got throug-h, said the dancing, which Isegan correspondingly late, was kept \ip til! morning, many of those engaged reaching home just in time to begin the day's work.

The I.X C. carnival was brought to a close on Saturday niglit after a successful seven-night run. The object of the carnival was to obtain funds for the club, and place it on a good financial footing, and the members have every reason to be satisfied with the "uceess of thHr venture. The takings amount to close on £608, and should Irave a net profit of con.-iderablv over £300. Every evening the large hall was crowded, sometimes uncomfortably, and the public never seemed to tire of the bright appearance and animated scenes. The committee were foitunatt in being ablr- to put on a different programme foi eacl) evening, and this no doubt assisted greatly in keeping things from dragging towards the finish. The Art exhibition, held in connection with the carnival, was a fine- ~ne, and compared very favourably with those held in lary»T centres. The art union will be- drawn in about a fortnight's time. A meeting of thee interested in the higher education of teachers was held in tho Board Room. Education office, on Satuid.i\ afternoon, for tire purpose of endeavouring to arrange for the formation of an association on similar lines to the old CoMegiate. Association A committee- was formed to draft a co'^titution, ascertain wlmt =upport uii^ht be expected for the various ( lt(--f-~, aiid i< port four weeks later.

Ti c death is announced of Mis Coy if\ vaifw of i io !&.? E..ko» C'A.o.