SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 53

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARCILL, January 8.

During the last fortnight there has not been any business passing _ in the local grain market worth reporting, nor is it likely that much will be done in any kind of grain or seed for at least another month. The growing crops of oats are ripenng fast, and with a continuance of fine weather cutting should start early in February at the latest.

Grass for seed is practically fit to cut now, and in several cases the binder is at work. Appearances indicate that the seed will be very heavy in parts where the crop has been standing up, but in some eases on heavy land the grass has gone down very badly. It is dfficult to say how the market will rule, but the stocks at present held by merchants are very light..

There is nothing doing in the stock market, and in consequence of feed being plentiful very few sheep are offering. The outlook for lambs does not _ look at all bright, and the general opinion seems to be that prices will open at from 10s 6d to lis 6d. Butchers' sheep (wethers) are selling at' from 13s to 13s 6d, but there is onlv a very limited demand. Beef is. quoted at 22s 6d; per 1001 b, but the number of prime cattle offering is_ not very large. All sorts of forward condition cattle are readily placed, good forward bullocks making £5 10s to £7. Other classes of cattle are still inquired for, but are very hard to get hold of. The holidays have no doubt affected the fibre market in the chief buyinig centres, and very few inquiries have been coming through during the past fortnight. However, the tone of the cablegrams at present arriving indicates a firm market, and latest correspondence- seems to indicate a more hopeful outlook for the future of New Zealand's fibre. It was assumed by people -in a very large way in the fibre business in London and by many local houses that the demand for New Zealand fibre would not continue so good in face of the large supplies of Manila, but the consumpton of the latter fibre seems to have taken the English markets by surprise, and it would now seem that all the fibre available will be wanted and the consumption will be equal to the supply. The consumption in American has been on an unprecedented scale, and l American houses continue to buy all the hemp they can set, and are heavily tied ut> till the middle of the present year. The lower grades of Manila seem to be verv scarce, and this ehoi'tage has had a beneficial effect upon prices of' New Zealand hemp. Safes have been made at £24-. f.0.b., for fair srade fibre. The inquiry for tow has not been satisfied. Prices may be nominally quoted at £6 15s, scrim covered, for third quality.

January 11

The sensation of the week in Southland was the wreck of the Union Steam Ship Company's well-known excursion steamer Waikare in Dusky Sound. Such full details will appear elsewhere that I need not go over the ground again. The warship Pioneer, with the Prime Minister on board, was sent away with remarkable promptitude to the rescue of the passengers. In anticipation of the veessel's return on Wednesday great preparations were made at Bluff for the feeding and the housing .of the castaways, but the Pioneer was rather short of coal, and came along under easy steam, reaching port about 5.45 on Thursday morning—too late to catch the 6.15 express. However, after they had had some refreshment a special ta-ain was got off for Dunedin at a little after 7. At first the wreck was rega.rded very lightly by the public, but it has since been realised that great loss of life micrht have resulted but for the wonderfully prompt action of the captain in getting away the boats .and beaching the steamer. The passengers themselves recognised their deep obligation to him and his officers and crew by presenting a testimonial. All concerned are loud in their praise of the heroic conduct of the stokers and engineers of the steamer, who stuck to their posts down in the engine room up to their waists in water, in great danger of going down with the steamer, which just managed to push her nose oh to the "ocky ledge with the last pulsation of her

The officers and crew of the Waikare worked like Trojans in landing the passengers and their belongings on the island, as did the officers and crew of the Pioneer in rescuing them. As soon as the news of the wreck reaohed Dunedin preparations were made to send off the s.s, Moura to Dusky to endeavour

to save the wrecked . steamer or bring | away any of her fittings, but by the J time the steamer reached the wreck it ■ had almost completely disappeared, and nothing could be done. The vessel was valued at £40,000, and the loss is only , partly covered by insurance. j The. weather for the New Year holidays { in Invercargill was very unsatisfactory, . and interfered with most of the _ sports fixtures. Holiday visitors to Riverton j had good, though windy, weather during j the latter part of the Christmas holi- , days, and even during the New Year holidays it was not at all bad. In Inver- | cargill the Caledonian sports were partly i spoiled by wind and rain, and at Bluff , the regatta was quite spoiled, it being found impossible to get off any of the j rowing events. The attenedance at Bluff j was the greatest yet known, but the rain , showers prevented the usual picnicking ! on the hillsides and round Ward's parade, ' while those who ventured on the wharves were almost blown into the water. Notwithstanding the weather, there was a very big attendance of the public at the Southland Racing Club's summer meeting, the totalisator invest- . ments being the heaviest in the history of Southland racing—£ll,B37. |

At last meeting of the Inverecargill Borough Council the question of electric power again came up, Cr Fleming urging that the power rights for Monowai Lake and River should be at once applied for. A report from the borough engineer supported Cr Fleming's motion, and it was decided to make provisional application and ascertain what the royalty to be charged by the Government would amount to.

The first meeting of the borough' council of Greater Invercargill will be followed by a supper, given by the Mayor (Mr C. S. Longuet) to members of the combined council and ••( the executive of the Greater Invercargill Association.

The Governor's proclamation legalising the amalgamation of the boroughs of Invercargill, North Invercargill, East Invercargill, Gladstone, and Avenal appoints Mr T. W. Walker town clerk and Mr W. Rennie inspector of the combined boroughs. , No doubt all the officials will be 'reappointed to their positions, and room will probably also be found for two at least of the displaced town clerks. Of the others it is probable that two will get satisfactory retiring bonuses. Mr C. W. Brown has been town clerk of Avenal for 32 years, and ;Mr W. J- Mackay town * clerk of East Invercargill for the same length of time; Mr H. A. Archdall, whe -now represents Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Limited) at Otautau, but was formerly a schoolmaster at Tnatapere, Mataura, Ravensbourne, etc., has been elected a member of the Southland Education Board, vice Mr Cowie (resigned). The voting was as follows : AxcMall, Hewaai Alexander .. 139 King, Duncan .. 84 M ; 'Kenzie, David : .. 58 Barton, Henry Havelock .. .. 40 Meek, George Edward' .. .. tv 9 Saunders, William Alfred .. .. 8 The Southland Sawmill Workers' Union are evidently well pleased with their officials. At last meeting of the union the secretary (Mr T. O. Byrne) was presented with a cheque for £lO, and the president (Mr J. Alsweiler) with a handsome gold watch. The union is in a splendid position—a result largely due to the hard work and popularity of the secretary. The membership is greater than at any previous time, and there is a credit balance of nearly £350. Mr J. S. Evans, formerly S.M. at Queenstown and now S.M. at Nelson, was in Southland during the holidays, visiting friends in Invercargill and Orepuki. Judge Gilfedder, of the Native Lands Court, has also been spending his holidays in Southland.