SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3292, 18 April 1917, Page 23

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Feom Oon Own Correspondent.) INVERCARG-ILL, April 14. The quarrels of children have sometimes as unpleasant consequences as those ol their elders. At Riverton recently a girl playing with other girls at Riverton passed disparaging remarks on the trousers of a small boy who was passing. The boy threw a stone, which, rebounding from the asphalt pavement, broke the girl's glasses and further damaged her already defective sight. The small culprit was held by the. magistrate (Mr Ci-uickshank) to be responsible for the result of his acts, and his parents will have to pay a heavy fine. While the Southland County Council is doing its best to push on the Otataxa bridge and road, the Invercargill Borough Council is strongly averse to bearing any part of the cost, some councillors holding that the corporation has done more than its share in building the existing road, such as it is. Notwithstanding the attitude of tlie borough, tne Otatara people are confident that a start will be made with the bridge at an early date. "With regard to the trains, they are noi nearly so confident, as the Oreti Tramway Company are asking for another extension of time. The excuse, on this occasion, is that the Defence Department, which is about to build a wall from about half-way across the. estuary to Bryson's Hill, whero they are going to put the rifle ranges, need the company's tramway to bring out spoil for the wall. Iho question naturally arises, Why does not the Defence Department start from Bryson's Hill and get the sooil from there mstead of affording an excuse to the company for further delaying the starting of the tram service. It is probable that the corporation will strongly object to anv further delay.

Mr John Neill, who was for many years secretary of the Southland Education Board, left tor Huveiock to engage in fruit-farming about four years ago. Mr and Mrs Neifi are at present on a visit to Southland and are the guests of Mr and Mrs B. A. Anderson at their beautiful homo at Victoria Park* Mr j\ r oill is thoroughly satisfied with his venture. He speaks of the climate of Hawks s Bay as magnificent, and tells wonderful tales of the crops of fruit in his neighbourhood.

•Does poultry-keeping pay? is a question that is varyingly answered by different people. Some hold that even on a farm where feed is relatively cheap, it scarcely pays, while others are quite satisfied. The truth seems to be that in this, as in other lines, the results depend largely on special knowledge and care being brought to the work. .The recently-finished Southland egglaying competition resulted in a profit for the year of ,6133 off 223 birds, mostly white JjegJiorns, not allowing any wages for the manager or amy interest or depreciation An expert tells me that, with larger houses and runs, one man could attend to 1000 birds which at the above rate should pay handsomely, each hen being worth at least 10s per annum.

The ■ Southland quota of the- Twenty-eighth reinforcements left Invercargill by Thursday morning's express amid the usual chorus of tooting by the railway locomotives and "Anld lang syne" by the Regimental Band. At Milton a large addition was made to the party, and on arrival at Dunedin they were marched to the Early Settlers' Hail where breakfast was awaiting them. Among the soldiers who returned from the front on Thursday was Lance-corporal Sinclair Arthur, of Lawrencej and more recently of Invercargill. Lance-corporal Arthur, Who left wiU the Fourth Reinforcements, served in Egypt, GaJlipoli, and France, being wounded in the arm and hand by shrapnel in the battle of the Somme.