SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

tFaoM Oub Own Cobebseondent.J INVERCARGILL, April 8. " Since last report a very large quantity of oats has- been offering locally, and in nearly all eases business has resulted. Merchants have been paying Is lid for N B grade and Is Ilgd for A grade of sparro-wbills, 2s for A grade of Gartens, and 2s Id for good Kites of Duns. There is a good inquiry from the North Island, and a fair amount of business for forward delivery has been done on the basis of 2s 4d to 2s 4£d, less a brokerage (f.0.b., s.i.). The inquiry for Duns is very strong, and the quantity offering is not sufficient to fill the orders that oan be obtained. With 2s offering farmers are not at all inclined to hold, preferring to sell and cart straight away. There have been inquiries from Sydney and Melbourne for fairly large quantities, but as far as can be learned no actual sale has been The chaff market is very firm, ruling from £3 12s 6d to £3 15s on trucks at conntrv stations for prime quality of new chaff. Any lines of old brop offering are readily saleable at £4 on trueks. • ' . . . The market for potatoes has been a. shade better during the week, but it is difficult to say whether prices will be maintained. _ A few northern buvers have been** operating on the basis of £3 to £3 2e 6d on trucks at country stations. . • ' The offerings of ryegrass have been small during the week,, which .is- jus* as well, as merchants' stocks are now fairly heavy, and they don't"seem, able to unload in any decent quantities, to northern buyers. Prices are still quoted' at 2s 9d for perennial and 3s 3d for Italian. Stock. —The sheep market has been none too good during the week, but at the same time fair prices have been obtained. Youngowes have been saleable at up to 15s for two-tooths, x 16s for four-tooths, and 14s 6d for eight-tooths, while sound-mouthed ewes have been selling better in proportion to the younger sorts, making lis 6d to 12s 6d. The Winton sale on Thursday had forward 15,000"' sheep, a fairly large proportion of which were .turned out unsold. Lambs were very difficult to place at anything' like owners' value. Good lambs in forward condition were selling at from 10s to 10s 9d, ewe lambs up to 12s 6d, and wether lambs up to 10s. There was a very good demand for two and four-tooth forward-conditioned wethers, and these were selling at from 12s 6d to 14s. This was the most saleable class of sheep that was forward, and a large number of holders of feed could not get supplied. The cattle market is firm for all classes of forward-conditioned and fat stock, beef ; ruling at "30s' ner 1081 b, with holders not inclined to sell "at this price. Good forward bullocks are making from £6 10s to £7 10s." Other classes of cattle are not so much inquired for, but the general opinion is that these will increase in value. A fairly large number have come down from the north, but as it is now reported that fair rains have fallen, in that quarter, it is not anticipated' that any large quantity will be sent. The turnip crop has profited by the recent rains, and winter feed will be plentiful. ■ Fibre.—After a temporary spurt the hemp ; market has relapsed to its former lifeless condition. Sales are difficult to make ' unless at prices very much below the cost . of production. It also seems probable that this, state of affairs will continue for some time to com©, as it is quite evident that cordage manufacturers! are quite independent of New Zealand supplies, unless- at : prices equivalent to- what they are paying | for Manila and sisal. The export of hemp i from Manila continues to increase m volume, largely as the result of the introduc-

tion into the Philippine Islands of machinery lor treating: tue nbre. It would seem time tue omy uupe lor mis vuluaoie Zealand industry is cneapeuing the cost ot production lilts couid oe brought about in three ways —(i) Improved treatment by introduction of improved machinery or otherwise; (2) lower loyalties tor the green flax; (3j lower rates; of wages for tia-xmiil hands, so as to bring the cost of labour into line with that of other fibre-producing countries. Tow. —The market for tow continues very firm, with a tendency to advance, but as there Sre no supplies of consequence no business is being transacted. April 10. Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P. for Mataura, opened his political campaign by delivering addresses at Gore on Tuesday evening and at Wyndnam on Wednesday evening, and was at both places accorded a hearty vote of confidence. One of the speakers Wyndham remarked on the fearlessness and unequivocal way in which Mr Anderson expressed his opinion. Mr Anderson has thoroughly won the confidence of the fanning community in Iris electorate, and it will be difficult tor anyone to unseat him. It is understood that tire tenders received by the First Church Session arc . far in excess of the architect’s estimates, and that it will be impossible in the meantime to go on with trie full work. Some members of the church favour building accommodation for Sunday school and Bible class and other organisations of the church, \\ hue others want to go on with the building on a modified scale. . An endeavour is being made to raise funds to build bathing sheds at Riverton on both sides of the river. A number of Invercargill people who always spend tixcii holidays at Riverton are being asked to subscribe, and it is expected that the sheds will bo ready by next season. T ,, Mr T. B. Salmon, postmaster at ±Jlutt, who has been promoted to the position of inspector, was, before leaving' for the north, presented by the Bluff Bowling Club, ot which he lias been secretary for some years, with a gold-mounted tobacco pouch and cigarette-bolder for himself, and a sihei mounted dressing-case for Mrs Salmon. At the Invercargill ram fair held on W ednesday last a stud Romney ram presented to the A. and P. Society by Mr T. L. Barnhill brought 38g'«, while another ram offered on behalf of Mr Barnhill brought 20ogs. A Border Leicester ram sold on account of Mr John M'Crostie fetched 20gs, and another of the same breed, sold for Mr John brought Mgs. Mr Alex. M'Quarrie, who has been in the Railway Department tor over 20 years, has been appointed town clerk of Blufr'out of 35 applicants in succession of Mr A. M’Ckire. An Association football club- has been formed in connection with the Invercargill Y.M.G.A., the colours being blue and gold. Land speculation continues to be fairly brisk in Invercargill. An Invercargill syndicate bought, a short time ago, for £1750 a small, block of 10g acres just beyond Gollingwcod, and spent a little money in surveying, reading, and draining it. On Saturday night last it was offered -for sale in sections of about one-sixth of an acre,

and the whole was sold for a total of £2992. The land along East road nearly out to the cemetery is held for speculative purposes, and as settlement is now extending in that direction the holders should do well out of it in the next few years. The lease, of the old Prince of Wales Hotel site, in Dee street, was put up to auction by ]VXr William Todd 1 on Thursday morning, and after spirited bidding was sold to Mr Colin McDonald at a rental of £365 per annum, which makes the section about £BOOO. , . . Mr Erod Traill, who was assistant in the local office of the South British Insurance Company in Mr Hammond’s time, and has recently been manager at Gisborne, has been appointed to a good position in the company's offices at Adelaide. Mr O. E. Nkkter. who has been appointed Distinct Lands Registrar at Dunedin in succession to Mr Wyinks,._will be succeeded here by Mr Pauling from Napier. Mr William Cruickshanks, one of the best known of the Southland pioneers, died at his residence, Rpscdale, North Invercargill, on Thursday evening at the age of 82 years. Mr Cruiokshank 'was a veritable giant, and did a good deal of heavy work in the district, and until quite recently he continued to be a very strong man. /Mr Cruickshanks did a good deal of reading and draining in the neighbourhood of ' Invercargill in the early days, and for many years he has been a successful farmer, flaxmiller, ■ sawmiller, and manufacturer of binder twine, while the Rceedale Woollen Milt was also his property. Mr Cruickshanks was a deeply religious man, and was for many years an elder in the First Church of Invercargill, and since the establishment of ’the Salvation Army in Invercargill he has been one of the most zealous supporters of that body, and has had the honour of entertaining General Booth on his various visits to In- ■ vercargill. At Thursday’s meeting of the Southland Education Board the following appointments were confirmed r— Bluff, Angus M‘Neil, head teacher; Riverton, Maud Wilson, temporary first assistant for a period of 12 months, dating from March 27, 1911; Myross Bush, John A. Cushcn, head teacher; Moto Rimu, Jessie R. Miller, temporary sole teacher till a permanent appointment ca'n be made ;> Invercargill South, Mrs Buckland, temporary eighth assistant during Miss Murray’s absence on leave; Nokomai (new school),

Archibald Ballantyne, temporary sole teacher; Waipouamu, Mary Hcrlihy, temporary sole teacher for a period of seven months. At a meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board last week it was resolved to make a complete change of the board’s staff, which will involve the resignation of the harbour master (Captain M'Donald) and four other pilots. Regarding Captain M'Donald, out of consideration for his 23 years’ service, it has been decided to allow him a vear’s salary' as fi’oip the date of his retirement. Altogether 12 members of the staff are affected by the decision.— Southern Cross. The Southland Fanciers’ Club has ■ decided to disband. When the present secretary (Mr A. A. Pa,ape) took hold the club was to the bad about £220, and it has been found impossible to reduce this, although the various shows held have paid their way. Mr Cuthbert Whitaker, who has been on the reporting staff of the Southland Times for several years past, has been appointed to a similar position in the Auckland Star. Mr J. B. Asher, another member of the , Southland Times staff, has been appointed managing■ editor of the Te Aroba Gazette. Messrs J. Philipson and C. W. Churchill, Chief Rulers of the Order of

Rechabites in England, who are on a tour of inspection of India, Australia, and New Zealand, arrived from Melbourne on Monday, and were welcomed by Mr J. J. VV csney (who accompanied them from Australia) and representatives of lodges throughout Southland. On Monday evening they were accorded a public welcome in the Victoria Hall, when Mr J. A Hannan, M.P. for Invcrcargill, occupied the chair. Spcehos of welcome were delivered by the Mayor on behalf of the citizens of Invcrcargill, Mr J. JjWmW on behalf of the local Recha*£•,.*« Grigg on behalf of the Woman s Chmtaan Temperance Union, and Brother R. FoiK£ on behalf of kindred eodeties. A welcome by Mr J. S. Baxter on behalf of the L rated Temperance Reform Council was also read. 4t the Magistrate's Court at Wakaia lasTwtek a man named Patrick Devereux was charged with setting fire to a stack of oats belonging to a settler called J. M'Rorie, at Wakaia last Saturday Ihe accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the next sittings 01 the Supreme Court at Invercargill. A large number of Southland farmers bad presented stock to the Agriculture and Pastoral Association towards its building fund, the total value being about dWUU. At the last meeting of the Southland Presbytery a call from the Hokitika Church to the Rev. J. Davie, of Dipton, was considered. Members of Mr Davie 3 present congregation bore eloquent testimony to the esteem in which that gcn«eman was held, but acquiesced in Mr Davie's desire to accept the call. Ihe call, on being placed in Mr Davie's hands, was accepted by him. W. F. Trembath, the champion runner, was entertained at a farewell dinner at Gore on Saturday last, and was presented with a purse of sovereigns. The Mayor (Mr D. L. Popplewell) presided, and soeechos were made by Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P., Mr Taylor (president of the Gore Athletic Society), Mr F Walhs (president of the Gore Cycling Club), ani Mr 0. Kelly.