SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

(Fbom Otjh Own Cobkesfondent.)

INVERCARGILL, March 6.

During the past week next to no business has been passing in the local oat market, owing, no doubt, to the Canterbury crop being as good as already available for sale. Prices to farmers, have gone batsk fully Id per bushel, and in the absence of any demand merchants are not keen to buy. The s.s. Norge left the Bluff duiing the week, taking in at] 19,500 sacks. '.these were principally from the .oiuff stores, with a few trucked direct from the Eastern District. Now this lot is cleared out the Bluff shores have a very empty appearance, and to-day it will be quite safe to reckon that 20,000 sacks of all grades would cover the total stocks held in the Bluff. There are still a few selling to go to the Auckland market, and the Hawea, loading in about a week's time, will further reduce the stocks by 500(1 to 6000 sacks. A few small lines are still going to Wellington at Is 9|d for B grade, and Is 9d for f.a.q. There is already a, great deal of the new crop cut, and harvesting will soon be general all over Southland. Merchants anticipated being able to supply new oats, f.o.b. Bhiff, from the middle or the end of March, but if any large business comes this way delivery will probably be arranged for April. There are several inquiries for forward ~s-ivery for oats wanted for .^uca and the East, but local merchants are not inclined to commit themselves until they see how the market will open. Present prices to farmers can be quoted at Is 4Jd to Is 5d for B grade, and Is 3Jd to Is 4d for C grade or f.a.q. The local chaff market is a little easier, and large quantities are coming forward. Prices for prime quality are still well maintained, and can be quoted at £3 2s 6d to £3 5s on trucks; but nothing inferior is looked at

There is still a very large quantity of ryegrass offering , ,and . prices remain about the same as at last week. Merchants have not been so keen to operate except for line 3of very heavy seed. Anything light is neglected, and farmers find great difficulty in. placing it. On Saturday -*ss^ high as 2s 9*d was paid on trucks at wayside stations for lines of seed from the mill weighing 26£lb, fairly free from sorrel and other weeds. The average prices ruling have been from 2s 3d to 2s 6d on trucks.

The 'first sample of this year's wheat was offered in town on Saturday, and was a very fine sample grown in the Otautau district. "What prices will open at it will be very hard to say, but farmers who have wheat for sale expect better prices than were realised last year.

There is a very strong demand for linseed, but there are only a few odd lines left in store. Recent sales have been as high a = £10 f.0.b., s.i. None of the new crop is yet available but it should be offering within the next month.

There is no change in the stock market, and prices quoted last week are fully maintained for all classes of sheep. Those competent to form an opinion do not anticipate any fall in prices, as large numbers of farmers are hanging back waiting their chance to pick up suitable lines of young sheep. Lambs are in special demand, a.nd are selling exceptionally well, several lines having changed hands during the week to northern buyers at as high as 14s 6d, with a small percentage of rejects to be thrown out. Fat lambs are also in great demand, and, for freezing purposes, as lush as 16s 6d has been paid to farmers. The "cattle market is still without change, and no business is passing. A little boy of five years, son of Mr J. B. Peterson, of Gore, was found drowned in a reservoir in that town last Saturday. During the past week the Land Commission has been sitting in the various centres in this district hearing evidence. A graat deal of evidence was taken at Otautau; Wyndham, Invercargill. and Gore, but none was tendered at Winton. The Commissioners are having : splendid opportunity of 'seeing Southland under favourable conditions, and the weather during the whole of their time here has been of the best. I understand that, to most members of the commission, the extent and quality of the agricultural and pastoral land in Southland proves an eye-opener, but they are amazed to -see to what an extent ragwort, thistles, and, in some districts rabbits, have been allowed to get the upper hand.

The question of the apportioning the co<*t of the proposed drainage scheme came before Mr Biddell, S.M.. last week, when evidence was given on behalf of the various municipalities and other local bodies interested. The Health. Department, proposes to apportion the cost as follows: — Invercargill (950 buildings on 240 acres, 14 2-3 shares at £150), £2200; East Invercargill (160 miildings o-i 80 acres, 3 shares at £150), £450 ; South J.nveroargill (110 buildings on 250 acres, 2 shares at £150), £300; Southland County (17 buildings on 10 acres. l-3rd share at £150), £50; — grand total, £3000.

Sergeant J. M. Adam, of the Oreti Rifles, ■was last week presented by his comrades with a handsome dressing case, and was warmly complimented on his promotion to the S.M. court at Riverton.

A young man named Hamilton, a recent arrival from Victoria, attempted suicide by shooting himself with, a pistol at Kew on "Wednesday last. He is now in the Invercargilj — Hospital, and is making satisfactory progress.

The young man Bellaney, who was convicted in the S.M. Court a week or two a<?o of stealing graphaphones from Mr "Woods's shop at Gore, was charged in the Sunreme Court last week with, stealing <?old from a dredge and centenced to six months with hard labour. The sentence wou'd have been heavier, but it was recognised that tlie prisoner was rather weak in the head.

Among- other witnesses i-endoiing evidence before tbe T jal:l<^ Commis^ic.i 'nst week was a deputation renreaenting Southland sawruillors, who strongly protested against the Government reserving such a large area (2,500 000 acres) as a Nations 1 Park in the Sounds district. It was stated that there are about 60 millb at work in Southland, many of which will be worked out or cut out before Ions?, resu'ting 1 in a large number of men being thrown out of pmployment unless this bush is made available, and they also nointed cut that a large amouut of capital has been spent in establishing the fishing industry in ChaJky Inlet in the belief that sawinilling could be combined with it, and thus the men's time wou'cl be fully occupied. There is a great deal of rough weather on the West Coast, and the men pie consequently unable to ventuie out and do not at present average uiora thrai three dajs a weeli.

! During the week Mr A. W. ±vlorris, wellkpown as a writer end speaker on Socialistic questions, lias announced himself as a candidate for Parliament, and Mr G-eo. Froggato is also mentioned as likely to come forward for Invercargill. Last Wednesday was a splendid clay for picnicking, and the trains to Coiac taking the Centra' and Park Schools to Riverton, with the members of Ihe Friendly Societies, and to the Bluff with the Old Identities and the guests of the Southland Frozen Meat Co. were crowded. A distressing boating accident occurred at Stewart Island on Wednesday last through which three young men — Arthur Morrison, son of the late Rev. R. C. Morrison (well-known at one time in North Dunedin) ; Mr Harry Thomson, of Stewart Island and a Norwegian fisherman called Hansen, who had recently come to the island — lost their lives. Their boat, which was under sail, was upset probably by a sudden squall. Search parties have been endeavouring to recover the bodies during the last few days, but without success. Mr P. W. Bicknell, manager of the Union Bank, Invercargill, leaves in a few days on a holiday visit to the Home Country and the Continent, taking the Orontes from Melbourne o.n the 28th hist. On Friday morning his Honor Mr Justice Williams, who has just completed his thirtieth year as judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, was congratulated by the members of the bar. for whom Messrs T. M. and H. A. Macdonald acted as spokesmen, and by Mr Maurice Thomson on behalf of the commercial community. At last meeting of the Southland Education Beard the following appointments were confirmed: — D. J. A. Lyttle, third assistant. Gore; Agnes M'Kenzie, head teacher, Centre Island (household school) ; Frances Rose and Sarah Irwizi, acting pupil-teachers, Bluff; Hilda Hamilton, temporary head teacher, Papatotara; Arch. H. W. Aitken, pupil teacher. Gore; Christina M'AUister, temporary "head teacher. Riverside; Wm. Barker, temporary head teacher, Cardrona. At the last sitting of the .Land Commission in Invercargill the Crowai Lands Commissioner. Mr Hay, submitted the following information with reference to land settlement • under the various tenures in Southland. He said there were about 2000 Crown tenants in Southland occupying about 1,867,000 acres, distributed as follows : — Deferred payment— 66 tenants, 13,645 acres; annual rent, £353 13s. Perpetual lease — 223 tenants, 15,636 acres; annual rental, £352 2s Sd. Occupation R.P.— 271 tenants, 59,089 acres; annual rent, £1515. L.I.P. (ordinary) — 537 tenants, 85,319 acres; annual rent, £2321 15s. L.I.P. (1.f.5)— 200 tenants, 40,091 acres; annual rent, £9582. Mining District Land Occupation Act— 49 tenants, 1751 acres; annual rant, £142 13s fidImproved Farm Settlements — i 3 tenants, 5100 acres; annual rent. £299 4s 4d. Small Grazing Runs — 21 tenants, 67,244 acres ; annual rent, £937. Pastora.l Runs— 96 tenants, 1,473,576 acres; annual rent, £3715. Miscellaneous Licenses — 417 tenants, 54.457 acres; annual rent, £1186. Endowments — 71 tenants, 51,133 acres; annual rent £1273 12s. The Wyndham Horticultural show, held on Wednesday last in the Hall and the rai.way goods sheds, -was a record in point of number and quality of exhibits, attendance, and takings. For a comparatively small place the "gate" (over £50) was particularly good. A post office savings bank and money order office has been established at Colac. On Tuesday evening last Mr Andrew Martin, who has been secretary of the Gore Fire Brigade for the la3t 15 years, was presented with a silver tea and coffee service in recognition of his very valuable services to the. brigade. According to the Gore Standard, the Mataura. River has recently been lower than has ever been noticed before. Reefs and rocks that have never before been uncovered show up in different part 9of the river. During the recent camp the officers of /the Oreti Rifles gave three prizes for best-kept tent in their company. First place was secured by Corporal Daniel, second by Corporal Newman, And third by Corporal Jen3en. This corps* annual picnic will be held at Waikiwi on Wednesday in a paddock belonging to Mr J. Gait, and, should the weather prove favourable, should be as enjoyable as are all the Oreti company's outings. Camp life was enlivened on the break-up day by a cock fight, each company being entitled to enter two teams. Needless to say, the exhibition was greatly enjoyed by the onlookers, while each team had plenty of barrackers. Cash prizes were given by the officers of the battalion, and a great contest finally ended in the Guards' team Privata Robertson and Bugler Paget — securing first place, with the Oreti team — Sergeant Cockroft and Private Woodword — second. Capain Haxis, of the A-.varuas, has resigned owing to illness in the family, and the corp3 will miss their energetic officer badly. A public sheep dip, costing £100, is being erected at Wendon. Crops are \being cut in all parts of Southland, but what are being cut are mostly light, the recent rain coming too late to be of any benefit to them. Cutting will be pretty general next week, and the rain has improved these later crops immensely, as it has also done turnips everywhere, although there are a few patchy paddocks to be seen. The Southland Rifle Club is well provided with trophies for competition by its members. Scarcely a "shoot" is held but there is something being shot for, and the result is a very lively membership. At present a handsome gold medal, the gift of Captain M'Kenzie, is being shot for, the match being a handicap one, and sevr-i shots at 200, 300, 500, 600, 700, and 800 yards. At, ttia Bluff Freezing Works on Saturday evening Mr Wm. E. Galbraith was presented by his fellow employees with a draughtsman's set of inritrumsnts for himself and a handsome gold-mounted brooch for his wife. Mr Cruickshank, the manager, in presenting the gifts, referred to the recipient's many good qualities, both as a man and a servant, and hoped thjit m leaving the position of second engineer to enter iDto business with H. Kingsland as blacksmiths and general engineers tie stsji would be one of prosperity. Songs and dancing followed, and, light refreshments having baen partaken of, the party broke up by singing "For ha's a jolly good fellow." The Riverton Racing Club has added another steoplechass to its programme, and as a large number of horses are in training for the meeting, a siiccessful one can be predicted. Keen rivalry exists in the Otautau district between a few amateur gardeners, who are evidently striving to get their produce into the front rank, with a view to showing at the winter show. In some gardens the show of cucumbers, melons, cabbages, etc., is immense, and one enthusiast, who is credited with growing a 441b cabbage last year, hopes to even better this performance. At the last meeting of the Southland Education Board, Mr Braik reported that it was ire» queiitly necessary to visit two schools in one f.j to enable the inspectors ta make a> s&^

at each one. As there is a good deal of uncertainty as to how the work of the new syllabus should be efficiently carried out, many of the teachers are glad of the inspectorial visits, and the advice tendered on these occasions must go a long way towards helping them in their work. But acting the part of adviser to the teachers and taking an account of the general methods of teaching and of the character of the work as a whole means a considerable expenditure of time if the results are to be worth anything. This, at anyrate, is the opinion of one of the Southland teachers whom I was talking to on Saturday last. •Why," said this gentleman, "did not Mr Braik say plain out that the work of inspecting and examining the schools of Southland was just a little more than two officers can do ■with a thoroughness that is desirable—especially desirable just now? A good many of us have been of the opinion for some time that the inspectors ought to have assistance. There is plenty of work for a third man to do in acting as relieving teacher in special cases and helping in the examination of the schools. Moreover, tHere is another line ©f work that requires looking after. "We have cadet companies at Gore and Lumsden, as ■well as the five town corps. There can be no - doubt whatever of the value of the cadet movement, properly organised and carried out. Many of the schools, not large enough to provide a full company, s could muster a half- company, and by judiciously combining these the numbers would soon be doubled. This, however, wovild need careful attention. and proper supervision ; and if the board were to appoint as ,a third inspector a man who could, on occasion, act as relieving teacher, and who could also be relied on to taice on his shoulders the whole work of fostering, organising, and directing the cadet movement in Southland, the benefits accruing would be considerable."

On Saturday at the Grasmere range the Clutha Mounted Bines fired a match against the Oretis, and defeated them by 40 points. The match was 10 men aside; seven shots at 200, 500, and 600 yards. This morning several members of the Invercargill Fire Brigade left by the express to take part in the tournament which is to be held in Dunedin.

The Southland Farmers' Co-operative Association's new premises in Leet street were officially opened on Saturday by an invitation lunch to shareholders and farmers generally. The invitation was largely responded to, protoably 200 persons being present. The managers of Farmers' Co-operative Associations in other parts of the colony were present, and spoke most encouragingly of the possibilities of the association.