SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2806, 25 December 1907, Page 51

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

(Fbom Our Own Cobrespondent.) INVERCARGILIi, December 20. There is practically no buying or selling of oats at present, and it is difficult to arrive at present values either on trucks at country stations or f.o.b. Bluff. I understand that some small lines changed hands during the week at 3s to 3s Id on trucks air country stations, which if merchants wished to sell would be quoted at 3s 5Jd to 3s 6d f.o.b. (sacks™ in). In short, the market is practically dead, and as the Canterbury crop will be offering before very long it is not expected that much business will be done in Southland until our own crop is available. Given a continuance of the present good weather, our harvest should be much earlier than '^ usual, probably about the middle of February. There \s no keenness to operate in chaff at present, though £5 on trucks at country, stations is still biing given for prime quality. There is not. however, any more being offered than is needed, for local requirements. At the last ' Wallaoetown sale, held on. Thursday, and which was the only one of any importance held during the week, the entries, like those at all recent sales, wera very small. Butchers' sheep are in fair demand, though they are not bringing quite as much money as was expected. Present quotations for these in the wool run from 22a 6d to 245. I/ambs for butchers are selling from 13s to 15s, shorn wethers from 17s to 18s, and shorn ewes from 13s to 14s. A! few odd lots of Bhorn ewes with lambs at foot have sold from 8s to 10s, according to the age of the ewe. There is a very good! demand for lambs for forward delivery at last week's quotations — namely, 12s 6d to 12s 93. Sheep off the shears are also inquired for, and hoggets can bs quoted a? from 143 to 16s. Last year's two-tooths, which are now four-tooth, wethers, have been quoted! at from 16s to 17s 6d, and forward lines of young ewes are in good' demand at from 19s to 21s 6d. Beef, is being quoted at J2Ss per hundred pounds, and good bullocks have been selling; at from £10 10s to £11 10s, while butchers*sorts killing up to 7Jcwt are making up to £9. Forward-conditioned cattle are in request at from £5 10s to £7. Younger cattle are also inquired for, but decent-sized lines are exceedingly hard to get hold of. Quota-v tions rule from £2 10s to £4, according to the age and breeding. The London fibre market has suffered M further fall during the week, arid it has been almost impossible to place parcels in that market. Offers from this side have either, been ignored altogether or counter offers have been received on the very low basis of £29 10s for shipment this month, and for "goo6> fair " £1 per ton more. "These prices leave' no margin of profit for the millers. Tow is practically neglected, with the exception of -a small demand from a local merchant, who" has had -to buy small parcels to cover oIJ, contracts for this month's shipment; an* •with the cessation of this demand I expect . to see prices recede considerably. December 21. The lug Teresa "Ward took no her sumtne* Tunning to Stewart Island on Wednesday last,, and already a number of summer visitors have taken up their quarters a* the island and afe Bluff. The- tug will continue to run every, Wednesday and Saturday till further notice. Th© Southland rivers nave been very lorn for a considerable time past, but the i*^* of the past week have put them in good fishing ply. and there is every probability of goo* snort during the holidays. The Mdmihau an 3 the Wyndham are at present high and dirty, but they should fine down in a few days. The enormous quantity of milk now being received at Edendale Dairy Factory— over 80,000 gallons daily— places that institution (pays the Wyndham Farmer) in the position of receiving a larger quantity than any other cheese factory in the Dominion. But this proud attainment has its disadvantages, as, despite the conveniences at hand, ther manager finds it a source of constant worry, how to successfully manipulate theße oceans of lacteal fluid. . . The Southland Caledonian Society is likely to have a. splendid) meeting thi» year, as the entries ate an easy record, and the total prize money amounts to £260. Last week Mb B. Cupples, one of the bestknown and most successful dealers in Southland, was given iC farewell at Fairfax by the residents of the Fairfax and Otautau districts, and. presented with a portmanteau and » case of pipes. All of the speakers— and there were: a good many — wera loud in theit praises of Mr Cupples's ability , and straightforward t dealing. < At the annual meeting of the Southland Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society, held las* week, appreciative eference was made to the(( work of Mr WLean. the city missionary,' ( especially his work in connection with the. gaol, work harjng been found for a large] number of discharged 1 prisoners. Mr M'Leanf; has not been enjoyng very eotui Health lately, H and is to have a lengthened holiday. At a social in connection with the Japtisflj Church. Esk street, last week the minister (the Rev. F. Hales) vu presented with »j purse of sovereigns in token of the congrc-' «ation'« appreciation, of his services az>d 01. bis action in refusing/ offers from two other] churches. 1 Mr M'Carthy. who has been stipendiary,, magistrate here for the last six years, has been transferred to Napier, and will be suc-i ceeded by Mr Cruickahank. formerly of Gore.j Attention has been pointedly drawn o the! p-ood work done by Mr Huttoni of the Sailors^ Rest at Bluff by the publication in one »fl' the local papers" of ». letter and a leader re-j commending the Sailor*' Rent to the practical^ sympathy of the Southland people. It was; pointed out that the regular income of thr,V, rest was very limited indeed, and that a. great deal of the expense of entertaining! sailors, of whom there are always some ashore, at Bluff, comes out of Mr Hutton's -oocketS Mr Hutton ha« cheerfully borne this burden' for the last 14 years, and there is a verji general feeling that his self-sacrifice should h& properly recognised. | A.6 -the 3h£<tfdus£z-<fct«'s Cotxrt laLoi we«lc a. xltzzu^ b«r of clerks in the employment of the South* land Education Board were charsred with nst* ting trout. It came out in the evidence* however, that they were fishing not for trout/ but for flounders, and that when the trouti were taken in the net they were kept in. de-^ fiance of the wishes of the others by on« member of the paxtv. This one was fined? , £5 and costs amounting to £% 9s. Another, charge against the aame defendants for usint* a seine net in prohibited waters will be heard next month. ' The InvercargilT Musical Union jjaw sm mixed- concert in the Municipal Theatre last Monday evening, when a number of pei.it | from the oratorios were submitted. Mm H - -. Mrs Blue, Mrs Scandrett, and Mi»s Crof^.. and Messrs J. E. Tpylor. A. S. Cookson, and, N. Churton taking the solos. There has been quite an epidemic og. marriages .in Invercargill recently. In carriage on the north express on Wednesday, there were three bridal parties. At the conclusion of the Musical Onion co--oert on Monday last Mr W. J. Fersruson, leader of the orchestra, wti orftsentad by *\>m 'ociety with a silver entree $Ush. and ft silver

cake dish in view of his wedding on Wednesday. -During the service in St. John's Church last Sunday morning ihe Mayor (Mr W. B. Scandiett) had a fainting fit, which fortunately passed off quickly, and is supposed to have been due to the heat and not be indicative of any impairment of health. Mr A. F. Hawke has been elected chairman of the Hospital Trust for the coming year. A good deal of interest is being taken in the proposed cutting up of the Five Rivers Estate. The work of survey is now going on, and it is expected that the various blocks will be opened for application during next month.