SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 44

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Feom Our Own Correspondent.)

INVERCARGILL, March 9.

The weather during the past week has been very favourable for farmers. The oat crops are rapidly ripening, and the turnips also are ini proving every day. Should tho good wea<her continue — which it hr.s all the appearance of doing — harvesting will bt general ill about a fortnight.

The oat market is expected to open at from Is 6d to Is 3d per bushel, bags extra, on trucks at country stations. From information received froir Australia, I think it is not likely they will be able to do with any quantity of our oats before June or July, as their supplies from othei sources are likely t< keep them going until then.

With regard to three cargoes of oats reported some time ago as being bought from New Zealand for South Africa, there Eeems to be no tiuth in the report; however, we are hoping to have inquiries from that quaiter before long.

A few lines of old oats have been lent to Sydney lately for sale there, and it is expected that there will be a loss of fully 6d per bushel to the merchant, as the market there is very sick at present.

The market for ryegrass is still very dull, and hardly any farmers are selling in the meantime, the majority of them pi ef erring to hold on for a few months in the hope of there being a better demand then. Any sales that have been effected have been purely speculative on the part of the buyers.

There is very little change to report in the price of stock this week, but sheep are selling at slightly lower rates than they were a week ago, with the exception of good lots of lambs suitable for fattening on rape. Several large lines of store lambs have been purchased lately by northern buyers in the Gore district at up to Bs. I think that store sheep should improve in value shortly, as the turnip crops are looking very much better than was anticipated, and the prospects of winter feed are now assured. Judging from the quantity of fat lambs going north, the freezing works here cannot expect a big season in this line, as several large deals have been made by weli known breeders here tc northern buyers. The prices Tuling at present are as follows: — Fat ewes, 12s to 10s; no fat wethers- offering; fat lambs, 11s 6d to 10s; store do, 8s to 6s 6d ; two-tooth -ewes and wethers lls to 9s 6d; breeding ewes, four and six tooth, up to 13s ; full-mouthed, 10s to Bs. There is nothing to report in the cattle market. The third wool sale of the season was held here on the 2nd inst., a. catalogue of about 1250 bales being submitted, of which some 900 were sold. Fine wools were back from id to Jd per !b from last Eale, average crossbreds were also Jd to id lower, -while bright sorts held their own, and in some cases showed a slight advance.

At Monday's meeting of the Southland Presbytery it was decided to erect a church at Halfmoon Bay, Stewart IslanJ, and a provisional committee of residents was appointed to attend to matters connected with the church.

The annual outing of the Southland Pioneei Settlers' Association was held at Mr Kichol's place, Glenfyl-e, Ocean Beach, on Wednesday. The morning was wet, but there was a pretty fair turnout of members, and a very happy timo \va3 snsnt.

At the Magistrate's Court on Thursday, Mr M'Carthy, S.M., delivered his judgment lv the case South-Laud Racine Club v. J win Louichlm^

defendant being fined £10, with costs against him of £5 7s. The charge was of entering and remaining, on the Invercaigill racecourse, and there plying his calling of a bookmaker after being ordered by those in authority to leave.

In spite of a wet morning, the Southland Mounted Rifles had an attendance of about a thousand persons at their sports on the Winton racecourse on Wednesday afternoon. A good programme of ten events was submitted, the Balaclava melee, as usual, exciting great interest, as did also the night alarm.

At last meeting of tha Borough Council a letter signed by most of the business firms in Invercargill was received, iirging that steps should be taken to have the fire insurance grade of the town raised to class A. After discussion it was decided to forward the communication to the Underwriters' Association.

At Friday's meeting of the Southland Education Board the Executive Committee reported having made the following appointments-: — Fernhills, J. S. M'Grath, head teacher; Gibbston, Beatrice H. Barr, head teacher; Caroline, Kate Balneaves, temporary head teacher; Gore, John Brunton, 8.A., special (District High School) assistant; Wiuton, Edith L. Brown, 8.A., special (District High School) assistant; Gore, W. A. Service, temporary first assistant till a permanent appointment can be made; North Invercargill, Mary Salmond, pupil teacher; Lumsden, Lewis Clapp, pupil teacher. The following resolutions -wera adopted: — (1) luvercargill Middle: That Miss Webber, assistant teacher, ha granted one month's leave of absence, dating from February 2, on account of ill-health; Miss Nickless to fill the vacancy temporarily. (2) Halfmoon Bay: That the School Committee's letter re mnsuitability of date-of examination of their school be referred to the inspectors for their consideration. (8) Sowing teachers: That the action of the chairman in inviting applications for the position of sewing teacher in all schools entitled to such sci vice be approved. (4) Centre Island: That the inspectors be instructed to make inquiries and repoit as to procuring a suitable teacher for a household school at Centre Island Lighthouse. (5) Maitland Village : That the teacher bo gianlecl six months' leave of absence without talary from May 1 next. (7) Sewing teachers: That the matter of the appointment of sewing teachers be held over till next meeting of the Executive Committee. The following applications were granted: — (1) Grove Bushupper Hedgehope, repairs and painting of schools in these districts; (2) Bluff, half-cost election of two shelter sheds; (3) Roslyn Bush, half cost gravelling grounds; (4) Opio, half cost renewal of fencing; (5) Tuturaii, half cost renewal of fence; (6) Ryal Bush, grant towards gravelling; (7) Kapuka, committee to he inforni2d that the board is not prepared to contribute towards co3t of level railway crossing; (8) North -Invercargill, repairs; (9) Elderslie, repairs; half cost of repairing shelter shed, fencing and gravelling; (10) Orepuki, addition to residence; \l\) Woodands, dumb-bells and club 3, committee to contribute half cost; (12) Gore, £30 towards scientific and other apparatus; (13) Waikiwi, half cost drainage; (14) Luinsden, half cost repairs to fence and gravelling; (15) Balfour, half cost of shelter shed; grant for asphalting to be cancelled.

Rev. T. H. Lyon, pastor of the Don Stifet Baptist Church, leaves by the express this morning loi Greendale, Canterbury, "to which ciiruit he has been transferred. On Wednesday evening Mr and Mrs Lyon were entertained at a social, and presented with a pvirse of sovejcigns. Mi W. A. Ashley made the presentat.on.

Mr W. Norman informs the Winton Record that he has just thrashed a phenornanal crop of Italian ryegiass at the Bend, Winlon, 20 acies yielding 320 bags.

Mr M'Carthy, S.M., delivered judgment on Friday in the capo MacPherson and Co., Otautau, v. the Dunedin and Inveroargill Shipping Company, tho verdict being for MacPherson for the amount claimed, £27 18s, and costs, £9 Us. His Worship held that there had "been negligence in delivery, and that plaintifls' oral claim within seven daya met the requirements of the law in the matter of claim for loss.

j The Mataura Ensign understands that the | i Land Purchase Board has for some time past I been negotiating with the New Zealand Agri- , cultural Company for the purchase of the block , of land near Balfour known as the Black ', j Suamp, containing 21,000 acres, for the purpose i | of settlement. If this property is acquired by , j the Government it is probable that the Waimea ' block, containing 6000 acies, will be taken with I it. Mr Thomas Green, of Gore, has been ap1 pointed by the Land Purchase Board to value the estates on behalf of the Government, and j Messrs R. M. M'Callum, of Edendale, and ' James Holms, "VVaimahaka, are the board's ,' I valuers for the Edendale Estate, which is also under •offer to the Government. I The proposal to borrow J512.000 to build a I Town Hall and Municipal Theatre here has j been carried by 69 votes, the votings being 322 for, 253 against, 7 informal. Of 1245 ratepayers on the roll only 582 voted on Ihe question. ! The designers of the Lyceum, Criterion, Palace,- 1 and .New Tivoli Theatres in Sydney have offered to submit designs and estimates for the building. Mr Alexander M'Donald, of Hedgehope, lost | a finger while threshing at Springhills a few days ago. Mr George Froggatt, auctioneer, a former mayor of the town, is a candidate for the mayoralty at the forthcoming election. The Borough Council propose to put seats on the balcony of the Water Tower, whence a magnificent view of the surrounding 3ountry can be obtained. It has also been suggested that scats should be placed in the square. 1 These would be much appreciated, especially o-i those eveningn when the Battalion Band gives • promenade? concerts; but unless our larrikins ' , are much more se?isible than those of other < centres I am afraid the seats would not last long, unless, perhaps, they were made of heavy wrought steel. Mr Cyril P. Brown has received intimation that he has passed the examination for the degree of M.A. with second-class honours in political science ; and the Becond section of the LL.B examination. One of the featuros of the axemen's carnival at Easter will be a Maori carnival in the Zealandia Hall by the Pukcteraki Maoris. -V' There is at present resident in the Springhills district an old lady, Mrs Currie, aged 104, in possession of all hei faculties, and daily engaged m housework. Her photo will shortly appear in the Witness. | The Invercargill Cycling Club and the Physi- | cal Culture Club, which has hitherto exercised m Hallenstem'a Building-s, have combined and arranged for an extension of the suite of rooms , now in possession of the club on the corner of Don and Dee streets. With billiards, ping peng, and gymnastics, the club should he very attractive this winter. Mr T. O. Byrne, president of the Clifton, Woodend, and Bluff Athletic Society, and pre- ( sidanfc of the Axemen s Carnival Committee, i was entertained at a social at Clifton on the 28th ult., and presented with an address in recognition of his services to the cause of labour, and especially in connection with last year's carnival. Mi J. A. Hanan, M.H.R., preI sided, and all the athletic societies and labour ' unions of the district were represented. I "During the trial of "Roaannah M'Coy, at the; j I Supreme Court, for theft, Mr J. Macalister , rn?fle complaint regarding the action of the iuotires in tho 10-ver court in refusing hail. ' Mr Macdonald raid the justices refused hail '

be found. His Honor Mr Justice Williams helt, that in such a ca-se bail shoiild not be refused! unless there were reasonable grounds for believing that the accused would not appear when called on.

In the case of Dr Fullarton the jury returned a verdict of acquittal aftor a retirement of les than five minute 3. Tha verdict -was greeted with applause which was at once suppressed by the police. The cas-i created great interest here. The offence with which Dr Fullarton was charged is generally supposed to be not uncommon, and the first feeling in the community, when the doctor's arrest took place was, I think, one of satisfaction that the police were taking action to stamp out this kind o: malpractice, mixed with regret that Dr Fullarton, should be in th.9 position of being charged! with so heinous an offence. As the case proceeded this feeling of regret grew, and changed to a very general sympathy for the doctor, and! a corresponding aversion to the two principal witnesses ; and this feeling was strengthened by damaging admissions drawn from the girl by; Mr Solomon. Quite apart from the main issue, the case has excited a very general interest, unique complications having arisen. The Grand Jury returned a true bill, hut they had no right to do so, as the requisite number of iurymen (12) did not concur in that finding. The Crown Pro3«avor, Mr T. M. Macdonald, recognising that further proceedings following on their finding" must he invalid, sought to have the iCdictment gnashed. hut counsel for Dr 'Fullarton preferred that the tria-l should go on, and so it was proceeded with, though a conviction, if made, -was likely to he quashed.

The discovery 'that 12 Grand Jurymen did not vote a -fcrne hill has raised the question whether ovidence as to what took place in the iuryroom is admissible. Jurymen are not at liberty to divulge "what took place, but Detective M'llveney, who v&s .present, made affidavit that there -werß 19 juryman, of whom lass than 12 found for a true bill. Justice Williams decided that the point, being of suca importance, must be referred 'to the highest tribunal in the land, "the Appeal Court, and that there must be a -trial before the case can go to the Coiyrfc of Appeal. Since there has not been a conviction,* the point does not need to be reserved.

Good figure, stylish dress, Graceful carriage may bo discounted by shabby glovee. Price and "Bullied, Invercargill, send naif of kid gloves, made in (France from best pkiu*, to any address, Southland, post free. Send half-crown stamps or postal notes. Marvellous vahie.