SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

(Feom Otjb Own Cobbesfonbent.)

INVERCAP-G-ILL, November 4.

During tlie week a large amount of business has been passing in the oat market, principally with Sydney, afc 2s ljd (f.o.b.j sacks in) for B grade, and 2s 2d for A grade.' It would be safe to estimate that close on 4600 sacks have been sold to that market, •since last report. There are still inquiries coming in, buit merchants, *owing to ihe shortage of -stocks, are not inclined to commit themselves for any considerable further quantity at the above prices. Western Aus.fcra.han merchants have also been coming pretty fceely, and several lines, probably, totalling 2000 sacks have been placed to that market for immediate shipment on the basis of the above prices. The North Island market has not been operating, as the above prices seem too high to allow of any business being done except in very small lines. Auckland buyers are 'now relying on the quantities they have [ sret5 r et to draw, which are enough to supply : their needs for some considerable time. The istccks at Bluff are running low. Probably 90,000 sacks would cover all grades at present in the stores. Of these it would be quite safe to reckon that there are fully one-third sold and not taken delivery of. There are *also a fair proportion held on farmers' account, the holders of which will not aeli at tihe present time, as they' seem to have the idea that prices will go still higher. Farmer's v-ho were in to-day were asking the equivalent of Is 9d on trucks a.t country stations, free of all charges. Spring 'hreshing being on, a few small lots are" offering from the country. The best price obtainable to-day was Is Sftd on trucks at country stations for B grade, and Id less for f.a.q. or C grade. The chafi market continues veay firm, and £3 to .63 2s 6d on trucks at country stations is> the value for prime quality, but there is very little comnig forward, and farmers are too fullly occupied with Ihe ordinary farm work to bother with cnaff cutting, and the quantity available is only sufficient to keep the local markef supplied for local consumption. Prices rule from £3 10s to £3 12s 6d (ex stores, Invercargill, sacks extra). Linseed is istill quoted at £13 per ton (f.0.b., sacks in), but very Irttle business is passing, us local stocks are just about cleared out.

There is no change to report in either wheat or barley. Potatoes are still -going higher in price, and to-day the price for prime Derwents was fiO 10s on trucks at country stations. Ihe iccal market is taJring all that are available at £12 to £12 10s (es stores, Invercargill). There continues to be a strong inquiry both from Wellington and Dunedin markets.

Very little business is doing in the local •stock market, and the sales during the week have been very poorly attended, the entries being very small. The following are the current quotations . — Four and six-tcoth ewes, with lambs a* foot, have been selbng at 13s to 15s (all ccunted); full-mouthed and broken-mouthed ewes, ■with lambs at foot, from' 10s to 12s (all counted). All available Imeß of hoggets are readily sold ait 16s 6d to 17s 3d. Butchers' sheep are quoted: "Wethers from 21s to 22s 6cl; ewes from 19s to 203.

There has been a decidedly better demand during the week for cattle, especially for forward-conditioned sorts, and several very large lines have changed' hands., th,e buy_ei3

being principally from, the north. Forwardconditioned steers are mostly sought after at €5 10i3 to £6. There ars also plenty of buyeas for fat cattle, and bullocks have been selling from £7 10s to £8 10s; fat heifers from i.7 to £7 10s. Thiee-year-old steeis are changing hands at up to £4, and two-year-olds a.t £2 15to £3; yeailings, £1 to £1 ss. There is a fair demand for dairy cows, and really good sorts aru selling up to £7 10s. Pooi scats are very hard to place, as> there is practically no demand for anything but ically prime sorts for dairying purposes.

November 6

Mr E. Ashton, jewellei, Dee street, has disposed of his business to Messrs Burn and Peters, and has gone to Masterton, N.I. Miss Jessie Maclachlan, the Scottish singer, was accorded a public reception on her arrival here by Friday afternoon's express, being welcomed by the Mayor (Mr Scandrett) and the president and several members of the Southland Caledonian Society. Notwithstanding that the prices of admission to her concert were very high— 3s, 3s, and 2s,— she had 1 , a tremendous house, Highlander and Scotsmen generally from all over the district coming in to hear her.

Mr George Harwood, a valued member of the Bluff Presbyterian Church for some years past, left last week for the North Island Before leaving he was entertatined at a farewell social by the members of the choir and .Sunday school and presented with a handsome writing desk.

The Southland High Schools Board has accepted the tender (£6285) of Mr M. Robertson for the Girls' High School. The building which is to be two storey brick, will occupy a section at the corner of Forth and Ness Sol -fi 6X3. 7."^ J- ™ M ' c <H"iechy, representing the Manchester Ship Canal Co., addressed the business, men of Invercargill at the Municipal Chambers last Thursday on direct trade with th an £d yfhich he was cordia]lv

T?2SJF DoI flmorf I more ' J? efore leavin S the Matanra Ensign, on the staff of which papar he has been Slnce boyhood, to take a position on the reporting staff of the Otago Daily Times was presented by the proprietors of the -knsign with a fountain pen, and by the staff with a case of pipes. Mr -vT^? dk - *l? yee ' whc left the service of the National Bank, Invercargill, to join the staff of the National Mortgage and Agency Co. about four years ago, and was subsequently transferred to Gore, has now been appointed manager of the National Mortgage Co.'s Wyndham branch. , to At Friday's meeting of the "Southland Education Board the following appointments of teachers were confirmed : — Hedgehope (halftime school), James Reid Wilson, liead teacher; Tokonui, Margaret Sangster, head teacher (Miss Miller to occupy position in meantime); Mabel, M. Isa Linn, head -teacher; Invercargill South, Win. A. Armour first assistant. It was decided that an exohange of positions between Misses E. Barber and N. Shepherd, pupil teachers in Inveroargill and Middle Schools, be approved of— to take effect from January 1 next, anci Miss Orr was appointed to carry on the work of Macetown School from November 27 till a permanent appointment could be made. Mr W. H. Price's long term of service in the postal service — 42* years— closed on October 31, and he has since left for Dunedin, where he has property, and intends to live in future. On Tuesday last Mr Price formally bade farewell to the staff of the local post office, when he was presented with a "silver tea and poffee service, suitably inscribed. Mr A. A. Paape, secretary of the Southland Sawmill Workers' Union, was last Wednesday married to the- daughter of the genial auctioneer, Mr J. A. Mitchell. Mr Fred Trail], of the Soufh British Insurance Co., was also marriedi last week to Miss Ethel Smith daughter of Mr Robert Smith, warehouseman' Jjrvercargill. Mr Traill has been appointed to the position of inspector of country risks for the South British Co. at Dunedin, and left for his new appointment on the day of his wedding. ' ■£* las<g,meeting of tEe Southland 1 High Schools Board the following resolution was passed:— "That this board places on record ite sincere regre' at the death of the late Mr Charles Rout, and its high appreciation of his long and faithful services as secretary and treasurer; and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mrs Rout, with a letter from the chairman expressing the board's sympathy with her and: her family in their irreparable loss." Mr C. Rout was appointed secretary in the meantime.

Mr Richard Allen has been appointed secretary to the Invercaigill Chamber of Commerce, vice Mr Charles Rout, deceased. There is a good deal of dissatisfaction among teachers in Southland with the appointment of Mr Armour to th© position of first assistant at the South School in succession to Mi- Porteous. It is felt that though Mr Armour's scholastic attainments are high, his want of teaching experience should have put him out of the running with a local man of such ability and experience as Mr Hutchinson, lately of Waikaia, and now of Gladstone School.

The master and matron of Lorre Farm (Mr and Mrs Ashworth) have resigned on account of the ill-health of Mrs Ashworth.

Or> the King's Birthday th© Municipal B-aaH ■will hold a picnic- at Mokotua, and the Garrison Band at Wyndham.

The Southland' Racing Club's meeting on Wednesday and Thursday attracted only poor fields, and was sparsely attended; consequently the totalisator investments were were very small— the smallest in the history of the club.

The Ladies' Guild of First Church held their annual sale of work in Ashley's Hall last week, and raised £75 for the New Church Building Fund.

The branch of the Edendale Factory recently erected at Brydone, which is about four miles nearer Matattra, on the main line, commenced operations -last week, with an intake of about 600 gallons. Mr Mitchell, the well-known farmer of Edenda,le, wa§ seized with paialysis last Saturday week, but is showing signs of improvement.

On Friday evening Mr George Harwood, who is leaving the Bluff for the North Island, was tendered a social the ineinoers of the Presbyterian Church, and presented with a handsome writing desk.

Trevali are being caught in large numbers at the Bluff at present, which is rather unupual at this time of th<* year.

A strong committee ha.s been appointed to run the Bluff regatta at the usual time.

The dredge Murihiku continues to do good work, both in dredging and depositing the spoil at sea, and_ also as a stiction" dredge and sending the material ashore through a line of pipes for reclamation purposes.

The Rev. Win. Thomson delivered an antiprohibition address at the Zealandia Hall l»st Wednesday evening, when he had an exceedingly large audience. Mr H. Jocsten, who has been in the serfice of Messrs Nicliol Bros., Bluff, for many yeara past, I'eft for Wellington last Tuesday to take up the position of accountant to the D.I.C.

Messrs Alex. Barron (Land Purchase Infitectori aa^ Ji "ffi. A, Marchant igwfvejgr^

general) airived in Invercargill by the express on Wednesday for the purpose of inspecting land suitable for workmen's homes. They left by the express on Thursday, as they had to inspect land at Timaru on Friday. Ihe Government means lose no time in gettmg the system into working order in the south.

Mr Alex. Cross was entertained at a social at Raesides by the members of the NorthEnd Bowling Club before leavnig for Sydney, and presented with a large framed group oi the membeis.