SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Fhom Our Own Coebespondent.) INVERCARGILL, April 23. During the weak a fairly large quantity of oats has been offering, and in most cases farmers have been selling. Several even of those who had cats in storage at Bluff have accepted the prices offering. Present values rule at Is 8d : to Is on trucks at country stations for A grade, with Id less for B grade. Merchants have been doing business with the North Island market —A grade Gartens at 2s Id, and A grade sparrowbills at 2s, with B grade from Is lid to 2s f.0.b., s.i. Most of the business passing has been with the Auckland market, though a few small sales have been made to go to Sydney for transhipment. These are A grade, but it is not anticipated that- there will be any groat demand from that quarter. The chaff market is very quiet. Values are nominally £2 15s to £3 on trucks at country stations for prime quality, but nothing is being- done outside local requirements. Wheat is still selling at from 3s 5d to 3s Scl on trucks at country stations, but only a very small quantity is now offering. Offerings' of ryegrass have practically ceased during the week, though the few lines coming forward have been selling at fully up to last week's quotations—from 2s 5d to 2s 8d for perennial, and from 2s lid to 3s for Italian. The stock market has been a little easier during the week, and though several big sales have been held large numbers have been turned out unsold. Young eWes have declined in value by fully Is per head, current quotations running from 13s 6d to 14s 6d. Specially good lines might make 15s 6d. Owing to the fat lamb market having eased buyers have not been so keen to operate. Sales have been mad® at from 12s 6d to 13s 6d. Very few really good forward lambs are now offering, but what are coming forward are still saleable at from 10s 9d to lis 6d. Small wethers and ordinary small lambs are difficult to place, but butchers' wathers are still in demand at from 15s to 16s 6d. Very forward wethers are selling at from 12s to 13s. The beef market is very firm, and prime quality is scarce. The ruling quotation is still 23s per 1001 b, but holders are not-in-clined: to sell at tbo present time, and no more are offering than are necessary for local butchers' requirements. Good forward cattle are still saleable, but owing to the scarcity of turnips the demand is not so great as it has been in former seasons at this time of the year. Good forward bullocks are still quoted at £6 to £7 10s, but there is nothing doing in other classes of cattle. The fibre market still remains in a very depressed condition, and the past week, has been perhaps the quietest we have experienced for the last six months. Local millers do not feel disposed to meet the markets at the present low prices, and the industry, so far as Southland is concerned, will be at a standstill at the end of this month. I understand that a few millers are still sending small quantities to the Bluff, and merchants express the opinion that there will be no recovery until late in the year—probably September or October. The fact that some little speculation was indulged in by English houses during the early part of this season, and that they are now placing the fibre on the open market and pushing sales has been one of-the chief causes of the rapid decline in the price of New Zealand hemp. Late English reports confirm this view, and state that the position of manufacturing has also been a serious drawback to the consumption of New Zealand fibre by the manufacturers. Although tow has not been so much neglected as fibre, it has suffered considerably in consequence of the low price of the latter, and inquiries have been very few at a reduced price from last weeks quotations. April 25. The Invercargill Borough Council held a most important meeting on Thursday evening, when there was practically a full muster of councillors present. The principal question to come before the meeting was the appointment of an electrical tramway engineer at a salary of £IOOO a year for three years. The proposal has been the subject of a great deal of discussion among townspeople, and some opposition to the appointment has been manifested, with the result that a petition has been circulated and signed by some prominent citizens protesting against the appointment being so hurriedly made. Quite apart from the suspicion that it had been practically determined beforehand to give the position to Mr Symington, of Christchurcb, there was a feeling that the question of steam -versus electricity had' not been fully threshed out. It is at any rate beyond dispute that if the council had gone thoroughly into the merits of steam, they had not allowed the ratepayers an opportunity of knowing what information had been put before the council in support of this for mi of traction. Accordingly a small deputation appeared before the

council on Thursday evening to get further information. The information given by the mayor to the deputation was to the effect that the engineer consulted in the matter had' satisfied the members of the Tramway Committee that there was very little difference between the cost of installation of a really good electrical system and of an equally good steam system, and that the working expenses of steam -were considerably more than of electricity, making electricity unquestionably the more economical in the long run. One member of the deputation drew attention to the fact that steam had been in use in Rockhampton, Queensland, for some time past, and that it had been reported in a local paper that the system had proved entirely satisfactory and had resulted in a profit of £IO6O for the first year, while the cost of installation had been only £35,000, against £75,000 porposed to be spent in Invercargill for electricity. The speaker urged that unless this statement could be shown to be false, and it had been discounted by further experience in Rockhampton, the council should get reliable ' information about this particular installation before they set aside the claims of steam on the advice of electrical experts. After the deputation withdrew the matter was discussed till nearly 11 o'clock, when it was decided to go on with the appointment, and a committee was appointed to-sub-mit three names to the next meeting of the council. It is now considered certain that an appointment will be made on Thursday evening next, and the work proceeded with without delay, and there can be no doubt that several of those who appeared before the council would be 'greatly disappointed if. any other course were taken, as their only desire is that the town should have the most suitable trams, whether they be electricity or steam. In the minds of most councillors the alternative to electricity would be the shelving of the whole matter for several years, a course which the ratepayers certainly would not stand. It seems quite clear that there will be a considerable loss for several years, but the improvement in business in the town and the convenience of a comfortable passenger carriage are regarded as quite a sufficient offset to this. Eighteen applications have been received by the Invercargill Borough Council for the position of electrical engineer, fifteen for the position of assistant town engineer, and twenty-seven for the position of clerk in the municipal office. Most of the applicants for the latter position are local men, but the applications for the position of town engineer came from all over New Zealand, and among those for the posifckm of electrical engineer two were from London. The annual meeting of the Southland Acclimatisation Society to be held next Friday is likely to be well attended, »is there is going to be a big fight this year for the positions on the council. The society has just lost a very good chairman in Mr G. G. Burnes, who has occupied that position evei since the death of the late Mr John Turnbull, but he has a worthy successor in Mr W. A. Stout, an enthusiastic angler. A young girl named Alison Lorrimer died in the Southland Hospital on Friday in consequence of a burning accident at Lorne Farm on Saturday week. She was heating beeswax over a fire when .the can caught alight and set fire to her •clothes,, and before she could be assisted she was so badly burned that she had to be removed to the hospital, where she died as before mentioned. As an indication of the rapid rise of land values in the suburbs, of Invercargill the instance of the Waverley Land Company may be cited. About ten years ago their land was valued at £lO an acre. About six years ago it was sold by Mr Wate T ston to Mr W. Y. H. Hal* at £lB an acre. Two years ago it was sold by Mr Hall to the Waverley Land Company for £4O an acre, and the lowest amount- for which an acre was sold on Wednesday afternoon last was £7O. The part of the estate formerly cut up into quarter-acres averaged £lO5 per acre, and it is expected that the remainder, when cut up two years hence, with' trams running to it, will bring quite £2OO an acre. Among further new buildings projected in Invercargill, Messrs Price and Bulleid intend to make a large extension to their shop backward in a northerly direction, so as to give further space for showrooms, millinery and dressmakers' rooms, offices, etc. Messrs Reid and Gray also intend erecting new premises in Dee street, and Messrs Bing, Harris & Co. propose making large additions to their premises in Tay street. In consequence of greater shipping facilities the Southland Frozen Meat Company again announce that they are prepared to Teceive rabbits—news which will be very welcome to rabbiters and rabbit dealers. On Wednesday at mid-day Mr W. A. Ot-t was elected Mayor of Greater Invercargill without opposition. Although Mr Ott has undoubted claims on the position, based on ten years' service as councillor, it says very little for the municipal ambition of our citizens that he was not given a run for the position. Mr Ott is likely to make a good mayor. He is clearheaded, is very thorough in his study of public questions, and can present his conclusions clearly and forcibly. His long experience as a councillor should enable him to satisfactorily discharge his duties as chairman of the council. With a view to an early start with the reclamation scheme, the Invercargill Borough Council are advertising for suitable plant, and it is probable that this work will be begun before the winter is very far advanced. At the Police Court last week a young man named Lepine, who has for some time past been employed in the ofiiee of the registrar of deeds, Invercargill, vva» charged with stealing documents from the Deeds Registry Office, and was coin-

mitted for trial. He -was ako charged with stealing stamps. The removal of the documents from the office was admitted, but the charge of stealing stamps was successfully defended. The Government have now accepted a tender for the proposed block of buildings behind the Post and Telegraph Offices, Crescent, and it is understood that the work will be commenced at an early date. The departments to be accommodated are the Valuation Department, Tourist Department, Government Life Insurance, Customs, aLnds and Deeds Deoartment, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Inspector of Machinery, Public Works and Roads, Stock Department, Health Department, Lands Office and Survey Staff. Some of these branches of the public service are already accommodated in the Post Office buildings in the Square, but most of them are carrying on their work ID rented premises throughout the town;