SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Eboh Oub Own Cobbebpondent.) INVEBCARGHiL, November 30. The local oat market is -rery quiet, and -the business passing is exceedingly small. A few sales have been made by iarmers to local merchants during ihe week at 3b sd, on trucks, at country stations. Stocks at -the Bluff are extremely light, and any- demand would ;probably send, .prices up to a still higher level. Merchants are *t present quoting from 3s lOd to £b lid. f.01b., Bluff, but buyers are not operating at these figures. 'The spurt in the chaff market appears to have fallen off. and brokers are not nearly •o Ireen to .purchase in quantity as they were cmc time back. The Korth Island market •jgjsars to be fully supplied, while Dunedin is not able to offer as good * price aa can be obtained locally. Present values are -from £5 10a to £5 ss, on trucks, for prime quality, But at this figure no great quantity of buying is being fione. I£he potato mraket is absolutely lifeless, values having fallen to about 25s to 30s, on trucks. A laj;ge quantity of potatoes sent from Southland to .northern, markets 'have been rejected, ostensibly on the ground of quality, but «s these potatoes pjctsseol ihe Government grader at the Bluff rthe shippers are not .satisfied. Xhe commenoement oi shearing operations in Southland, and the abundance oi grass, •bould have ,«■ tendency to firm the local sheep market, but no very 'large lines have changed hands during the week. Ewea. with lambs, are being sold (all counted) <at -from 10s to IBs, according to age and' condition, tut far -straight lines of young -ewes, with lambs, higher prices than these hays been obtained. The fat sheep market is confined ai present to the -operations of Tratc&ers, as the local freezing men nave suspended operations -for the season. Butchers' wrfthsxs (in the wool) *re -bringing tip to 265, smaller sorts Sis to 23s -6d, and shorn weiherß 17s fid to Mb. There is ■» fair demand for ewe hoggets out oi the wool, but ihey are not easy to Obtain. Porward buying of lambs still continues at up to 12s 6d, for delivery in the middle of February. 1 understand that •everal lines of station ewes (fi-ve-year-olds) have been sold for forward delivery at up to Ms *6d. - . lEbe iat cattle market shows no sign of ■weakening, and butchers are purchasing in ihe yards and privately on -the basis of 25s ■to 27s *d psr 1001b for nxhne beef, ifortbern buyers are still open to purchase *t * fair figure, «nd there ttoes not iseem ■muoh prospect of beef going back in Southland befor* toe New Yaar, «t anyrate. Forward cattle are iitigood demand, but are hard to secure. At the WaUacetown sales last Tuesday wer 500 head of sfbre cattle <w«re yarded, and c large proportion of -these were' sold »± higher prices than hove ruled lately. The fibre market has-, improTed slightly during the -week; prices continue at the level of last week's repoi*. I can hear of no aotual business, but the inquiry has improve* aomewhat during the last few and th« position looks slightly more 'hopeful, althouefa uritb. •«»• season -advanoing it likely fhact 'millers who n*ve not commenced operations may find Hwmielves idle for the rest df ihe year There has bean a little inquiry for tow, but so far as I can learn no sales fca.v« taken place, and this market seenw m ihe same depressed condition as the libre market The s.s. Matatua, loading at the "Bluff early next month, will pwustacftllj clear the stores of merchmiB 1 ioldinge m index that the shipping companies may neve xaom to cope with the wool as it arrives for • hipment - December 2. There are three "Bible Classes ™- c 3* m TOOtion with First Church. InvercargiU— "the {Minister's Chas, 3oys' Class, and Young Women's Class. These combined for apicnic »t <Ooean Beach m Wednesday afternoon taat. and«pent * most •enjoyable tame, * good ■ports programme, halving been arranged. "Mx and Mrs 7. T>. M'Gruer and 1 -family returned from tneir trip -round 1 the world on Monday last, after a tour extending over thirteen months. The party left InvercaigiU on 21st >October last, and arisited Japan, Hongkong, Straits Settlements. India, Egypt. Palestine. England. Scotland. Ireland, and tJonada. TThe first part of their stay in the Some Country was marred by bad -weather, ■tiwre "being very few fine Says between 21st &pnl and the beginning of July, but then followed two months -df glorious weather till ihey left in .September. Mr M'Gruer was intsreuted to compare the progress of some of ihe towns in other recently settled oarts of fee empire with progress in New Zealand, «nd speaks of Winnipeg and "Vancouver as tiro notable instances of expansion — Winnipeg, which twenty-five years ago only consisted of a few -huts, now carrying ft population of about 100.000. The climate liexe, nowever. is very severe in the winter. Vancouver a'an is nrogreisipg at an sftenishins: rate, and has the advantage of a veiy much more genial climate. Tfhiß year's summer show of the Southland Metropolitan A. and P. association promipes io be an even greater puccess than any of its rrredecessors, the number of entries up to the present being larger than on any previouß occasion. Mr F. V. Piwsr. of +he clerical staff of the local branch of the National MortEage Company, has -received rotice of his transfer to the firm's Oamaru office ns accountant Mr Piper will leave to take ut> h\n new dutie<? early next week.— Southland Times. A sale of work in 'aid 1 of the Rttimibai Mission, promoted by Mrs JkfKenz'e. of Queen <=- town, wan heia in Ashley's Hull on Wednesday and Thursday last. The attendance of •fl» public was very satisfactory, and the sales ■mounted -to considerably over £TH) In adtKtkm to dress materials and made-up ar•iioW trf dr«ss. -thei* -were a grs&t many articles of jewellery wnfl -ornaments oi quaint Besign *nd beautiful workmanship. Jfrßert JReid. -wtfao hmß represented Measr B Ooofee, Howlisrm, bicycle jaonniactnjers m this town, for the past .fix years, and is leaving -to take np «* similar in Dunqdin. was .entertained' at a bocmJ Steid in the Boyal Hotel, and wab -the recipient of a dressing case and silvßr-mountßa pipe, presented by his wel]--wisherß. Somp, to»«tB. and speeches filled in a very pleasant evenine. — Southland News. Up to the beginning of last week there Tnw ■o far this summer been a very moderate xainfall. but an unusually severe shower fell on Thursday morning, and has given a new impulse to all vegetation, besides filling a

long-felt -want in replenishing- household tanks in town. Mr Geo. BigwooS, saddler, a very old resident of fflatauro, died on Monday evening last. Mr Bigwootl has been in business in M«taara for about twenty-five years. One of the features of the Ramabai sale at Ashley's Hall on Wednesday afternoon last was .-» descrintion by Mr J. D. M'Gruer -of the Mission Station, to which he pafd a visit while in India, and an account of the work carried on there," from which it appears that the conductors of the institution have ohargea -themselves with {he support of about 1500 girls, who are not only educated, "but •fitted to .earn their own living, a gooS many of fhe articles produced in the institution being sold to assist in its support. Mr and Mrs N. A. Ml»aren. of TSeafera. Otautau, are about to leave for Nelson. Mr MTturen having recently sold his farm. At last meeting- of the Southland County Council. Mr I. W. Raymond was e'ecteel chairman. In accepting the appointment Mr Raymond said that he would not be able to serve the full term, as he proposed leaving for the Home Country early next year, ana it -was likely to be his last term on the council, as on Jus return from abroad he would probably not -take the same interest in public affairs as hitherto. A little boy of six years, son of Mr "W. Dawson. contractor, "W-aikiwi. wag killed on Saturday week by a horse on which he was riding rolling on hint. Mr J. Grlennie left ior the north on Tuesday last, the Municipal Band farewelling him -at the railway station. At the Magistrate's Court last week Robert Paterson wag -fined £3 and costs for fishing in the New River without a license. On Monday last the certificates won ai the Trinity College practical -examinations of la?t June, and the theoretical examinations of December and June last were presented to the successful muri's in AMens Hall by Mr Charles Edwards," the examiner for' this and last year. During -the -week Mr "M'Carthy. S.M., has been engaged hearing the charge of manslaughter against John Lloyd in connection with the deaths of William Duncan. "William Careon. and Patrick Welsh on June 21 lasrt. On Thursday- Mr T. M. Macdonald, Crown Prosecutor, represented -the Crown, and Mr C. S. Lxmguet the accused. In the couTse of his opening address Mr Maedonald dwelt on the fact brought ou+ at ihe inquiry that the accused was addicted to liquor, and suggested -that his naglect to take proper precautions *t i;he time of the disaster wa3 due to some extent to the fact that he was partially under the influence of liquor at the time, and to this and his disregard of the provisions of the act that the deaths of the men were diie. Margaret Carson was examined on Thursday, and Joseph Frame on Thursday an'S Friday, when the further hearing of the case was adjourned till 20th January, as it -would be impossible to get through with it in time for next sittings of the Supreme Court. It is understood that if the case goes to the Sup «3me Court Mr Hanlon, of Dunedin, will appear for accused. •It is understood that the Rev. J. M. Simpson, of Winton. has received a unanimous call to Knox Church, Parnell, Auckland. ■ • A young man named Samuel Bacon was brought to the Invercargill Hospital on Tuesday from Waikawa, where he had some of his ribs broken through falling from a tree duising felling operations in MoJfet's Bush. Bacon is <atill in the Hospital, but is .making good progress. At last meeting of the Southland County Council it was decided to record in the minutes the council's keen appreciation of the services of Mr W. Ronald during his term as chairman. Members of the council, in speaking* to the motion, were extremely eulogistic. A fair amount of fishing has been done during the past week, but most of the fish caught have been very small. The best bag I have heard of was four fiah weighing 3lb, sJlb. ana two 61b respectively, caught by Mr G. W. Mintosh in the Estuary. Messrs W. S. Mitchell and J. E. Bews obtained 21 recently from the New River for one day's sport. The Wallace A. and P. Association s annual show was held at Otautau on Wednesday last under very favourable conditions, the weather being beautifully fine, the entries numerous, and competition keen. The attendance was slightly better than last year, more visitors being present from luvercargill. and the takings at the gate amounted •to J%% which, «fter allowing for members' -tickets and exhibitors, represents about 2500 people. The number of entries received was 658. tuj against 357 last <y«ar, "the principal increases being: Horses 92. sheep 54, and dairy produce 41. The draught and hackney sections were very well filled, and in the light harness class seventeen came forward, making a splendid ring. Sheep were 'also well repre£ent«a, especially Border Leicesters, ihe most prominent exhibitor being Mr John M'Crostie.. There -was a fairly good show of cattle, and the quality was creditable. The lady visitors found the dairy produce section the most attractive, and the display of butter .and cookery was much admired and criticised. Miss May, of Winton, was the most successful exhibitor, and gained the silver cup for most points in -this =-ectidn. This is the second time Miss May has secured this honour, and "the therefore bscomes 'her property. The show was very well nifl.Ti3gftrl, and was very successful from every point ol view. The Government steamer Hinemoa, returning from the Auckland Islands on Saturday with a party of scientists, brought also fifteen castaway seamer — the survivors of the wrecked barque Dundonald. This barque, with twenty-eight hands all told, left Sydney on February 17 for Falmouth, England, with a car^o of wheat. During a thick fog on the night of 6th March she went ashore on the rocky and precipitous coast of Disappointment Island — p small island, five miles by two, which lies about six miles west of "the main island of the Auckland^. The vessel ■was wrecked rig Tit undei a cliff, ar>d c coii began to settle down, and eeas coutinua'ly breaking over her washed away and clrovneJ the captain, lus son, and nine others "With the exception of the steward — a iian of 21 etone — all made a desperate fisrht for life The steward, on seeing the a!tn«»t hope'e=B position in which they were plneerl ralmlv bade "good-bye" to ihe re rj t, retned to the galley, and was never seen again "VVbon morning broke ten ineu v.-ere ptill c'liiginiT to the royal-yard, and for FOiye time they thought they were the only siu^ivors, but as 'the light improved it was -four - that three had somehow found their wcy to ihe clrff -wtove, and "fc^vo oinew were olii\gnng to n. partly submerged reef between the ship and ihe cliff. A rope was thrown to the three; on top of the -cliff and secured, and a lot of other gear added, bo that tlio^e on the royal-yard were safely got uo one. by ore, ihe two on ihe reef being drawn up by a rope Their rescue -was a risky busine°s for them. •fts the crope was nearly frayed through, and dislodged jnany stones, which haply the men ooanHgvd "to escape. At first the survivors ate jnrillyhawke raw, but .afterwards it was fuunfl ■'that -one had a few wax vestas and anoihsr some tmßamaged >woo3en matched ■na ifiSh these <a -fire wbb .kindled and kept going ifll tlxy .eventually escaped from the island. The first mate— an .elderly, man— was

disabled through expoenre, and became paralysed, and died on the twelfth day. The others lived in holes in the ground coveted with sods for nearly seven months, when the way of escape was opened up by three of the number finding their way to the Auckland Islands in a rude boat made df branches of veronica lashed together, and covered with sail cloth. These men found their -way to the depot on the mainland, and discovered there a serviceable boat, with -which they eventually brought their mates from Disappointment. On the mainland they fared somewhat better, as they found in the depot a gun and some ammunition, -with which they were able to shoot bullocks on Rose and Enderby Islands. Here they were found by , the Hinemoa on the 16th November, and, as j already stated, brought to Bluff in her on daturday last. Some of the men when they escaped from the wreck were underclad. and : ti , ll ,_ tlleir arrival °n the mainland their clothes consisted for the most part of sail cloth and rough caps and shoes made from the skin of the hair seal. Before the de- | parture of the Hinemoa for Buff, the body of the mate was exhumed and brought round I near the depot, where it was formally buried, Captain Bollons, of the Hinemoa, reading the I burial service. Notwithstanding the sufferings they have undergone,- the men appear to be in good health, but they aie quite destitute, and efforts are being made to raise funds for their relief: The Bluff Band gave a concert on the wharf on Sunday, when somewhere about £25 was raised, «nd other endeavours are being made to supplement