SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 44

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

♦ . (From Otjk O-vtn CoßKE9poxr>E.\"r.s . INYERCAROILL, May 11. The past week, except Saturday, has not been very favourable for harvesting, but ]eadirg-in has gone on, and although a. few acres of stooks can be seen here and there ■throughout the country, the great bulk of this year's oat crop is now stacked or being threshed. Sonic farmers have unfortunately had considerable trouble through heating. In their anxiety to get their crop safely stacked they have not given it time to get into condition, and it has heated, with the result that the stacks have had to be pulled to pieces. A good deal of grain has arrived at the Bluff, and I understand the quality is, on the whole, good. However, the first threshing usually is the bast, and it is only to be expected that later lines will show a falling off. During the week the market has hardened, and I understand that quite a numbei of lots have changed hands at Is 6d on trucks, which is an advance of Jd to id on last week's prices. Merchants say that these are full values, and leave them no margin. There seems to be a feai that, owing to probable offerings of inferior grain, these prices cannot be maiutr.ined. That, no doubt, depends oil what quantity may be graded B and C. It is pleasing to be able to note that the direct steamer to Arrica, the Essex, will be calling at the Bluff to load several hundred tons of oats. It is agreed that the future of thft oat market depends on whether Africa is going to be a steady market or not, and we can only hope that from, month to month we may have vessels for African ports at our wharves for considerable cargoes. Farmers are already inquiring regarding the prospects for chaff. As a good deal of grain has had to be cut on the green side, there should be a large quantity for disposal throughout Southland. I am told that there 'a likely to be a. considerable demand from the North Island. There seems to be some diffidence exhibited by shippers in assuming contracts, as from past experience of Southland chaff it is feared that it docs not reach ita destination in good order. There is considerable natural moisture, and when stuck in the hold of a vessel with a weight of perhaps hundreds of tons on it, it has invariably arrived in a heated condition. lam told that Canterbury is lfkely *o be a buyer of chaff, and if this is the :ase it will remove the difficulty as regards export, as it can be railed. Ryegrass is being inquired for, and anything offering is taken up quickly at prices slightly in adva»ca of those previously ruling. 2s to 2s 4d is easily obtainable even for the 'ight seed produced this yea*. Lambs are, if anything, a shade easier in sympathy with the dulness in the market at Home. The exodus of forward store lambs to Canterbury still goes on, and, unfortunately, so far as Southland is concerned, there is no means of checking it this year. Old ewes are in good demand, as local meutworks have secured a large order for the Admiralty. Buyers are inqiring from Canterbury for store bullocks, and there i:ave been several inquiries (rom the same quarter recently for draught horses. The reported rise in trie London wool market is j cheering nr-ws for those few of our farmers who persisted in holding on to their wool, not caring to accept the low prices ruling in January and February. Altogether the activity observable in the different stock and produce markets is moat inspiriting, and shou.'d put fresh heart info our farmers, who have fcr I some time past been anything but jubilant ; ovor the harvest prospects. 1 At the opening of the new Fire Brigade Sta- : tien last AVednesday, the Mayor (Mr Longnet; j mentioned that since the establishment of the ; present water supply not a aing'e fire had ! spiead beyond Ac building in which it started. I . Mr George Froggatt, Mayor-elect, said that the .' . brigade is quite equal to any of similar Jitini- ; bers in the colony, and that citizens were ■ quite entitled to have the Underwirters' As- i sooiation raise the status of the town, aa they . , were recently requested to do. • j ( Another notable colonist gone. Mr Otto j , Hast, one of the sturdiest and most highly es- ] teeyied of Sonthlt^id pioneers, died at his resi- , de.ijce, East Inta/cargiH, no Wednesday. Irj , the digging days ifr Hast carried on waggoning tc. the Switzers rush, and afterwards store- j ] keeping on that field. He gave up business ; f and settled in Invercargill over a quarter of a | ;

: ! century ago, and for many years was a meme , bsr of the County Cour.cil, the Southland llcsr i pital Trust., and the Hospitals and Charitable j Aid Board. c | At present there are 42 male ar.d 19 female | inmates in the Lome Farm, besides a largo r mimb?r of children. I a the Oid Men's Heine in Bowman street th> numbers are. 37 males ar.ci 0 females. At ]ast meeting of tlie Sonthn land Hospitals ar:d Charitable Aid Board it was decided that the rate for the rear should be 3d. The board has take: 1 legal advice R3 1 to their power to insist on recipients of relief handir.g over any freehold property they - possess, and is asaured th;>t it is entitled to do so. c At tho meeting of the Farmers' Union last 1 week the following resolutions were carried: — s "That the County Council be requested to cons time levying the rafe for the destruction of sniiill birds, and also pay for heads and eggs as heretofore, and that tncy be recommended s to try rape seed for poisoning small birds. - "That this conference enter a strong protest l against the proposal for a protective tariff 3 being placed on imported machinery for the - support of the suggested combination of imj plemer.t raak-H's." "That the Minister cona trolling the inspection of machinery bo requested to instruct the inspectors to give at " least 24 hours' notice to engine-owners before the inspection of their machines.' Mr M'Coll i said that the main object was to save expense to the farmers, who could give notice to their machine hands when they were not required on inspection day. On the election of office- ' bearers, Mr H'Queen was re-elected president; .Mr J. Milne vice-prcsHent; Mr Cochranp, auditor; and Messrs D. Marshall, H J. Mid- ! dkton, D. Gilchrist, J. M/Kercbar. H. M'Coll, A. Tapper, W. Templeton, J. Mitchell, K. Fini layson, A. M'Kinnon, and D. A. Purvis, the > executive. Messrs M'Queen and Milne were appointed delegates to the Colonial Conference. On Saturday morning a deputation from the • Southland A. and P. Association waited on Sir ; Joseph Ward and represented the desirability of having a better loading bant at tho luver- ; cargill Railway Station, exhibitors at last show having been seriously hindered through the inadequate and inconvenient provision at present , made. In the afternoon Sir Joseph inspected the place with the deputation, and promised that before next show the wishes of the deputation would be attended to. At last meeting of the Southland Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bor.rd the Chairman (Mr Bain), referring to the cost of the Frankton Hospital, and particularly to the requisition for the year, said that he thought the time had arrived for considering the question of amalgamating the Arrow and Frankton Hospitals. The distance between the institutions was about eight miles, and it was a waste of money to maintain the two. It would be necessary to have a private bill passed. A committee was appointed to consider the matter and report. The Secretary, in reply to a question, said that there had only been SO patients in the Frankton Hospital during the year. The Secretary furnished a statement in connection with the Arrow and Queenstown Hospitals, showing that in 1897 the board had paid over £429 move than they had received, and the figures for subsequent years were: — 1599, £417: 1900, £779; 1901, £622 ; and 1902, £471, which were all losses. In 1838 there was a gain of £15. The-se figures showed that in the six years referred to there had been a total lo?s of £2705 9s Id, or between £400 and £500 a year. ' ■ • Sir Joseph "Ward, Postmaster-general, has, according to thi Southland Times, definitely afranged for a postal delivery in "\Yinton, and the staff at the post office is shortly to be increased for that purpose. ' The bicycle-stealing nuisance has not been stamped out yet, but probably scon will be if each thief caught gets the same treatment as the one who came before Magistrate M'Carthy on Friday. This your.g man, James Winterburn, stole a bicycle belonging to Mr Harris, of the Railway Hotel, some months ago, and the offence being proved Mr M'Carthy sentenced him to a year's imprisonment, with hard labour. Another bicycle thief is still at large, and it is to be hoped that he will soon be caught and a- further check be given to this nuisance. On Easter Monday a bicycle belonging to Mr Black was stolen from the Pino Company's building in Esk street, and after a good deal of trouble was recovered at Gore, where the thief had sold it for the Paltry sum of £1. The thief is still at large. At Friday's meeting of the Southland County Council the resolution declaring ragwort a noxious weed was confirmed. The annual meeting of the Southland A. and P. Association was held on Saturday afternoon, when a satisfactory balance sheet was presented. In the report the fact is deplored that nut of 1500 farmers in Southland comparatively few aro members of the association, only 192 out of 30S being country subscribers. It was decided to abandon tho field turnip competition this year. and 10 postpone the winter show till Juno 23 and 21. Constable Dick, who has been stationed in Invercarpill for over fire years, was last week presented by his comrados of the force with a handsome dressing case on the occasion of his transfer to Palmerston Xcrtu. At the meeting of the A. and P. Association en Saturday Mr J. A. Mitchell was elected y.n'sident for the ensuing ypar unopposed. The grain carried to date on tbe Southland railways this year is as follows: — Previous to Anril IR, 3152 sacks; week ending April 25, 8231 sacks; week ending May 2, 13.198 socks; week ending May 9, T1.823 sacks ; — total, 56,401 sacks. The Choral Union just farmed at Wyndham promises to be a gre.it success. There are already about 50 members, who have secured an er."rgetic itnd painstaking conductor in Mr E. G. Maopherson. The local Association Football Club has definitely arrar.ped for a match with the Nightcaps Cub on the 23th inst. A considerable proportion of the members r >f the local club are quite new to the game, but they are practising most assiduously, and as the old payers among them, are really good men the team should give n. good account of itself. At the meeting of the Farmers' Urion :ast week it was reported that the membership was now abo-it 950. and the guaranteed income about £120 pe.- annum. A pronosal that the union should employ an analytical chemist to examine and report on members sample? of poik and manures was reluctantly negatived fo> financial reasons. There are not. very many chess pir.hu c :a.:'.s in Ir.vcrcaroriil. Some years ago the club could l:n.i?t a. fairly large r.umbtr of =k:'fu! nlavrs. Vu f owing to tn.iny of these rem " Ir.p to c;h«r district." ard others taki :? r.:>rt nr'y i:i nr c '■n- : .r.-.n 1 - qrame ther-» is nut thf> ;;..,-, '; •. .•■ -' ii watch in j th» contests ns rxls'r'l fcrrr^r'v. V.'il'cox is facile printer* just nn-.v. and l:,i? V.o.pn for ha'f a dozen y(-;irs. AVhitjlcrr bcin:: the c\r.)y on? among ill- rcmnirirg nlr-.yers rb'c fr i-nrV" him nay spt-'-,",<; cL" 5 -". It i= a pity thul sciii" of tli? old !>ViVf>r^ cannot )j« irdt'.red to tnke tip tho conic in ep.r;:o a t pp-ain. as with I'ie young players <-omir.e forward, who would benefit c-ni-'.ri'iu-ly in mTiiiv; 'hf-m. chess would onre agr.pi liprorec alive in Tnvvcartrill. Meh&ftVy, Vebber. ard H^in cfm'd hflp a lot tow.irds th.3 ni"°t desirab'o end if they would. At present there is a hardimp match in progress (hardicaos FOf.led). Mr Willcox is standingr out of it. and takes upon himself the duty of har.dicanp'Jr. The scores F^n far are p.s follows — C. Campbell, 1 win, 5 lc--,ci; H. B Clayton, C\ win;, 1\ losses;

J. J. Hiskens, 1 win, 2 losses; J. Taylor, £ wins, 3h losses; J. Thomson, 4 wins, G losses D. Thornton, 2 wins, 5 losses; J. H. Whitakej fj wins, h loss; J. li. "Wilson, 3 wins, lc-fs:s. The football matches among the schools be gan on Saturday. So far as I could observ the teams seem to be somewhat evenly matched The teaxus from the two largest schools sufisrci defeat in their opening match, th; Park de feating tlie South by S points to 3, and tli Marist. winning their match against the Middl School by 14 points to 4. The games are con trolled by the teachers of the schools represei] ted, and are fcught out vigorously but quietly. The S?nior football last Wednesday drew large attendance to the Union Grounds, wher a good afternoon's football was se-eu. Th Star had rather an easy go v.-ith the Cambridge which resulted in the Light Blues going dow, by ID points to nil. The game of the afternoo; was the match between Pirates and Brita;:V:ia The former t?am were strong favourites but the excellent play of the Brits, forwards kept their opponents from scoring the game thus ending in a draw. It is pleasing to note that the Brits, cai put such a strong team in the field, for re port had. it that they were tc break up ihi year owing to want of a sufficient number o players for the senior ranks. I expect to sci the sturdy forward Charlie Purdue come oij r.r.d play for his old club before the season i much older. It is very gratifying to see s< many oi the old hands still sticking to tin game. Isaac Jenkins, Jimmy Mansou, and W Stead., are men that were supposed to bav< done with football last year, but I am pleasec to see them in the field again this season. The Pirates have opened their gymnasiun again this yenr, and have enrolled a lot o: new members. At their rooms last weak, Ber Whit taker, the Pirate wing three-quarter, wai the recipient of a handsome marble clock fron: his club mates on the occasion of his marriage I hope that matrimony won't prevent him fron taking his old place in the field. A complimentary farewell social was he'd ir Raeside's Rooms on Saturday evening' by the Southland Sawmillers' Union to say good-bye to Mr Thos. Pettitt, the champion sawyer, whe is leaving shortly for Australia. About 7C assembled at the rooms, including the Hon, Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Wilson (private secretary), acd Mr A. L. D. Fraser, M.H.R. for Napier, etc. The chairman (Mr T. O'Byrne), in his remarks, referred to the many good qualities of the giiest, who had made numerous friends in Southland. He was sure everyone, present who had met Mr Pettitt would be sorry at his departure. Mr Pettitt intends to meet Challis in a. chop for .£IOO a side and Ihe championship of tho world. Mr A. A. Paape, the. energetic secretary, proposed the toast of "Tire New Zealand Government," responded to by Sir Joseph Wa.rd and Mr A. L. D. Fraser. Mr Thomas, secretary of the Railway Workers' Union, proposed the toast of "The Sawmill Workers' Union." Numerous other toafctswero propose:!, including- "The Guest of the Evening," by the chairman. In reply, Mr Pettitt said that his stay in Southland had been a very happy one, and he was sorry to leave, but the time always comes when ono has to say gcodbye, aud as he journeyed forlh he would always look back on his visit to Southland as one of the happiest he had spent in li is life, and hoped that next year would find him again competing at the Axemen's Carnival. He wished, to thank everyone for the hospitality shown hint diiring his visit, and wished the union every success. Songs were sung by Sir Joseph Ward,' Messrs A. A. Paape, Field, -HiltonSmith, and Thomas Bulwan. The toast, "Host and Hostess," and the singing of "Auld laiig syne," brought a very pleasant srininz to a close-

SOUTHLAXD HARRIER NOTES. (By Dodger.) The harriers have madt ? start for this season, and held their opening run from their president's (Mr T. M. Macdonald's) residence at F.nwood. The afternoon was beautiful, and al! that could have been desired for a run with the pack. Captain Paape vus unable to be present owing to having to attend business. The pack was in charge of Deputy-ca.ptHin Peters, with J. Thomson as whip. Tho course consisted of about seven miles across country. Tho second run took place on Wednesday last from the Invercargill boatshed, about 20 members making a start. The day was showery, but not heavy enough to stop the run. I was very pleased to see so many at this run, which is an improvement in numbers from the opening run. Captain Paape led the pack, with Deputycaptain Peters as whip. S. Nash nd R. Wade laid the traill of about five miles across country, doing the distance- in good time, and returned 15 minutes bafore the pack. I noticed that some of the ytmng runners were well up in the home run, and are very fast runners, notably Lyons, who was out for the first time, and said that he never ran a mile bf fore, but finished in the respectable position of third, whicli is : very good. No doubt before long this young runner will be more heard of. The next run will be started from the residence of Mr M'Auliffe, Gladstone, when I expect to see a large trunout. I am very pleased to see that so many harrier clubs are flourishing in Otago. We I have so far one club only, but I hope before ■■ long to see more clubs in existence down here. It has been suggested; to try to introduce the sport into the public schools by starting a team in each school, and at different periods of the pea son hold races for the boys and give medals. I think that could be very easily arranged, and I hope that in my next report I sha.ll b»j able tc &ay that junior barr'eiisT is in fu'l swing. I Now the winter is coming on Horse Covers • will bs in requisition. We recommend a trial of The 5/ a Biasoihth, No crupper or leg • straps ; a perfect cover. Try them. M'Kay Bro=., Exchange Sale Rooms, Sole Agenta for , New Zealand. j For perfection of form, without any sacrifice of comfort, Pnco and Bullied's Corsi 't are strongly recommended. Astonishingly cheap. Try ihem.