SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3103, 3 September 1913, Page 37

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(From Odr Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, August 30. The annual business meeting and social of First Church, Invercargill, was held in tne Stobo Hall on Tuesday evening, when there was a good attendance. Revs. Gray Dixon (of Roslyn, Dunedin) and Begg (ot Waliacetown) taking part in the proceedings. The statement of receipts and expenditure showed a deficit of £34; but this was not regarded as surprising in view of the large run on the congregation for contributions to the New Church Building Fund. The new church is expected to be finished in about a > ear. A good deal of concern has been created in Invercargill and Bluff during the past week by the announcement that the Union S.S. Company had decided to cut out Bluff as a. port of call for their steamers in the meantime, in consequence of the revised port dues pressing heavily on their steamers. The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board on Thursday. In view of the board’s heavy expenditure it was felt that if any concession was made in berthage dues on big steamers it would be necessary to increase the export dues on some lines of produce which are charged somewhat lightly at present. As. however, there was no communication from the Union Company before the meeting, nothing definite was done. Owing to floods in Otago the railway communication was again interrupted at the beginning of this week, and the opening of the Supreme Court sitting was delayed till Wednesday morning. During the past week representatives of the Mess bank Coal Company and the Mount L : nton Coal Company have been in Wellington trying to get the Government to take over the Wairio-Birchwood railway; but their efforts have been unsuccessful. I understand that the Mossbank Company have purchased a quantity of rails and sleepers, and aae going to run a hutch line from their mine to the Wairio Railway’ Company’s terminus. The past three weeks of fine weather have had a most beneficial effect on the embankments, and it will now bo possible to push on with the laying of the sleepers and rails on the Wairio railway.

Mr P. F. Thorny, who loaves Invercargill for Westport on Tuesday to enter into business there with Mr J. D„ M'Gruer, has for the last year been chairman of directors of the Tisbury Dairy Factory Company. After the ordinary business meeting on Wednesday evening Mr Thorpy was the recipient of a presentation from the factory directors and suppliers, who wished him success in his new venture, and acknowledged his many services to the Tisbury Company. Invercargill lust one of its most enterprising citizens through the death of Mr W S. Waterston on Tuesday last, Mr Waterston was one of the early sawmillors in Southland, and was at one time the owner of quite a fleet of small sailing vessels. Mr Waterston was for years a member of the Bluff Harbour Board, but gave up business about three years ago, and has since lived in retirement.

The Southland representative Association football team played the Orago Wednesday Association ,players at Tahuna Park on Wednesday afternoon, and beat them by 4 goals to 1. On Sunday last Mr John M'Curdy’s now shop in Doe street whs gutted by fire, his valuable stock of boots and shoes being destroyed. The fire had a strange origin, arising out of a quantity of umlaked lime at the rear of the building getting wet. The building and stock were insured, but Mr M’Curdy wil, be a considerable loser. At the annual meeting of the First Church congregation on Tuesday evening it was decided to adopt the new Church Praise book for public worship. Whitebait arc now coming up the Southland rivers in large quantities, and good catches are reported from both the Oreti and the Aparima. It is understood that trout are very plentiful in all the rivers, but there is a good deal of snow on the mountains in the back country, and when warm weather brings tins away it will spoil the rivers temporarily for anything but worm-fishing.

The following company registration is not ill d m last week’s Mercantile Gazette: Moss bank Coal Mining Company (Limited). Registered as a private company August 14, Office. Gore. Capital, £SOOO into 5-103 rbar of £1 each. Subscribers—Gore, J. T. Hunter, 500: Waikaka, D. 11. Smith. 500; W. Crawford, 500: Maitland. A. P. Nichol, 500; Nightcaps. H. M. Moss, 600 —all fully paid lip. Objects—To carry on the business of coal miners and coal merchants. It is understood that another company has been formed to work the Mount Linton lease.

At last meeting of the South Invercargill Borough Council Mr A. J. Ball resigned the position of Town Clerk, which he has hold for many y-ar*. Very general regret was expressed at Mr Ball's retirement, as ho has been a most conscientious and valuable official. The first election of a Town Bond for Kdendale resulted as follows: — George Dempster 80. Thomas John Crane 72, Thomas Oswald M'Giil 69. Peter Duncan 67, Oscar Baird 47, Herbert Allan Price 42. Charles Milne 40. Mr H. E. Niven lias been appointed clerk to the board. The report of the session of First Church makes mention of the loss sustained by tli > congregation by the death of the late Mr R. F. Cnthbcrtson. who is described as one of the strong men of the Presbyterian Church; and the late Mr John Thomson, who was a deacon of the church for over 30 years.

At tile annual meeting of (lie Southland Racine Club, hold on Friday evening, the president (Mr W. 1. ITazlott) drrty attention to the splendid financial position of the flub, the assets exceeding t!io liabilities hv £2OOO. Mr Hazletr was re-elected president unopposed, and Messrs Janies Ritchie am! Win. Raird were elected vice-presi-dents

At the animal meeting of the Southland A. and P. Association to-day Mr W. D. riimt was elected president and Mr John

Carmichael ywse-p«-o/¥loDt, sr. i -t w/.j decided to send a letter of concl—lence to the relatives of the lath Mr R. F. Cuthbertson, who was secretary to the association for 33 years.