SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Oub Own Correspondkwt.) INVERCARGILL, April 15. Mr John Macalister, the well-known Invercargill solicitor, died at West Plains on Friday after a long illness. Till about six years ago ->i.r Macalister was one of the leading members of the legal profession in Southland. Since his retirement he has lived mostly at Benmore and more recently at West Plains. Mr J. D. Trotter, the well-known Woodlands farmer, leaves for a trip to the Home Country next month. Mr Neil M'Ewen, of Wyndham, leaves on a similar holiday on Monday. An outcome of the recent sad drowning accident at Rjverton Beach has been the formation in Invercargill of a Life Saving Association, of which Mr John Kingsland is president, and Mr T. A. Wallace secretary. The association has £44 8s 6d in hand, which sum will be expended on life belts and lines for Riverton Beach and a couple of cheap huts. If the funds permit, some life saving appliances will be provided at Ocean Beach and at the Invercargill Jetty. Mr D. K. M'Rae, the well-known and popular' station owner, of Wyndham Valley, who is about to take a trip to the Home Country, was last week entertained at a farewell social by his friends and neighbours and presented with a travelling bag and a gold-mounted sovereign case in recognition of the many good qualities what have endeared him to the people of the Mokareta district. Mr At'Rae leaves for Scotland in a few days. The A venal annual regatta * held on Good Friday attracted about 1000 people, and the weather being perfect the programme of 11 items was got off without a hitch. On the evening of Easter Monday a man named Emil Anderson was drowned between the Bluff and Stewart. Island by falling overboard, there being a heavy sea*running at the time. His cries were beard and lines were thrown out, bub in the darknees it was found impossible to save him. There was a great crowd of visitors to Stewart Island during the holidays, and the boarding house accommodation was taxed to the uttermost. The sandflies were even more active than usual, and the visitors were greatly tormented. Notwithstanding this, it was a most enjoyable outing. The passage across on Friday morning was very smooth, but it was somewhat rough on Monday, and several of the passengers were sick. The Invercargill Corporation are filling a long felt want by making an underground lavatory for women and children at the Post Office Square. The want of such a- convenience has been a matter of complaint for many years jJast, and the boon will be greatly appreciated especially by country people. Mr F. C. T2ggir.a, Southland manager for the Standard Insurance Company, has been promoted to the position of manager at Perth, Western Australia, and leaves at the close of this month to take up his new duties. Mr LiggLns will be greatly missed in cricket and hockey circles, anil in the Competition Society.' of which he is the secretary and the main stay. Mr P. L. Cilldeon left Invercargill early in the week fo<r Shanghai, China, where his son Mi- T. Gilkison is in business. The two gentlemen intend to do a extended tour in China and Japan. The Queenstown regatta. held on Saturday last, was favoured by good weather |nd a record attendance. The InvercargUl Railway Bowing Club won the Youth's Pairs, the Maiden Fours, the Junior Fours and the Junior Pairs, receiving £3l in pnV.es. The Tnvercargill Boating Club won the Senior Fours and the Senior Pairs, and the North Knd Club, Dunedin, the Maiden Double Sculls, and the Sumner Club the Junior Double Sculls and the Maiden Pairs. This Foster the smaller steamers proved too small to carry all the Queenstown passengers, but there will be plenty steamer accommodation by Christmas, as the new boat, the Earnslaw, which will be finished in a few months, will carry 1200 passengers. The Riverton races held on Monday and Tuesday last were very largely attended, the gate receipts being about £IOO more than last year—viz. £1044 15s. During the two * days the large sum of £24,479 was passed through the total isator. Mr W. B. Scandrett who is a candidate for the mayoralty of Invercargill Addressed a meetinc of ratepayers at the Victoria Hall on Wednesday evening and was accorded a vote of thanks and

confidence. Mr A. Bain, the other candidate, has also addressed the ratepayers and received a vote ,i thanks and confidence. mt K. A. Chisholm, who has been missionary at Hedgehope for the past two years, was, with Mrs Chisliolm, entertained at a farewell social in the Public Hall last week, and presented with a purse of sovereigns, Mrs Chisholm being at the same time presented with a salad bowl. There was also a presentation of a hymn book to Mr Chisholm by the children of the Sundav school at Glencoe. The Rev. R. Mackie of Winton presided and he and several other speakers bore testimony to the good work done by Mr Chisholm in the district. A labourer named Thomas Dougherty was killed at the Wyndham Railway Station on Monday through being run over by a shunting engine while crossing the line. He saw the engine and tried to get out its way, but got confused and stopped right in its way and was hurt so badly that he died within half an hour.