SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 23

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Feom Our Own ' CoBBESPONrENT.) INVERCARGILL, February 16. Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, put ill a few days in Southland this wes>k, and was kept busy receiving deputations, visiting public institutions, etc. The Minister arrived in Invercargill by the express on Monday, accompanied by the members for Clutha - and Mataura, and was mot at tho railway station by the Mayor and several councillors, representatives of the Southland League, the Second Division League, a.nd others. During the afternoon Sir James visited tho Invercnrgill Prison and the reclamation area,, and later on received deputations, and was entertained at dinner- at the Federal Rooms by the Southland League. A deputation from the Southland Wax. Funds _ Association wanted the Minister to devise some way of safeguarding returned soldiers, who seemed to be unable to resist temptations which got them into trouble. The importance of this problem was admitted, and a promise given thai tho matter would be attended to, and a request that arrangements should be made to give soldiers returning to Invercargill training in factories also elicited a sympathetic reply. A deputation from the Southland League and other public bodies asked for tho Minister's support for the Southland electrification scheme. Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P. for Mat aura, who introduced the deputation, said that the Government had reserved to itself the waterpower of the country, but it was clear thtfi it would bo many years before the Government could extend the benefits of such power to Southland; therefore the noople of th district wished legislation passed enabling any district to be _ made a rating district, with power to raise loans for powergeneration purposes, the Government to be at liberty to come in later and take over tho scheme. The Mayor (Mr John Stead) traced the development of the project in Southland, and added that it was not expected to get Koing till nftor the war. Mr A. W. Rodger, who was the originator of the movement, said that the scheme had tho hearty support of the Otago Fxpansion League and the business men and press of Otago. The Lake Coleridge scheme was an undoubted success in the supply of power; but ihe supply should have been to the farming community before the city of Christchurch. The Southland League aimed at benefiting the whole district. The proposed

Bill had been placed in tho hands of Sir Joseph Ward, and tho deputation sought the support of Sir James when the matter came before tho Cabinet. Mr H. Fowler eaid that keeping the farmer on the land woe one of the greatest questions of the age. Give the farmer facilities for work and pleasure and he will stay on the land, where he is wanted. Electricity would be used in practically every department of work on the form. Mr Malcolm, M.P. for Clutha. added that a big hydro-electric scheme would permit of the" extraction from the. air of nitrates, which were of the greatest importance in the agricultural progress of the country. In reply, the Minister said that he was strongly in favour of the utilisation of the country o sources -of Ipower, but ho would like the Government to keep control to guard against injustice. He could not say how tho Cabinet would deal with the Bill, but promised that it would receive the most earnest consideration. At the dinner at the Federal Rooms in the evening Sir James in his speech dealt principally with the war and New Zealand's contribution of men, which was already sufficient to provide "infoiwments right up to October. Nearly 90,000 men had gone forward, and , only 16,000 returned so far, and yet the Retries of the country had teen kept; going, which was a splendid achievement. The conduct of our men as a whole had been a credit to the country, and their physique and &&*£« qualities were the theme of general adrmra'a' Tuesday Sir James 'received a deputation £m the' Southland. Rifle Association protesting against the closing of the old rifle range at Grasmero, to which he replied[that it "would be two or three years before the •new range at Otata-ra would be opened, and he wouM, on his return to inquiries as to the practicability of reopening the Creamers range. A d »l rat ,^J r0 ™ the Second Division League who brought up a number of points regarding allowances, was received, to which Sir £•»- »1&2 at length. With regard to a statement that Australian slaughtermen, who W»««*« no compulsion to go to tho war, weie imported to take the place of OUT "»«**• were fighting the Empire's a fK, th ° ter pointed out that they did not take the places of Now Zealand slaughtermen, who were being exempted as essential workers. Wit! regard to complaints of. enemy aliens being at liberty, in the Dominion, he said that they had -instructions from perial Government not to arrest enemy aliens unless they were considered dangerous, as it would lead to retaliatory measuies against our people and our Allies. He hoped the league would not hesitate to bring before him anything that they considered an injustice, and he would do the best ho could for them.'. _ :rt ■ The Board of Trade visits Invercargill on Wednesday next to investigate complaints regtXg tne price of commodities, one company being accused of exploitation by un>duly raising the price of coal m July last. Tho Woodlands Presbyterian congregation has passed a resolution objecting to h.nox Church, Dunedin, having two fuiiy-qualified ministers, while a large number of congregations have to do without pastors. Ihe Lurch's minister (the Rev. J. H. Jnpp )j» leaving to become assistant at Knox Church, Melrose College was formally opened on Tuesday with about 50 pupils. Tho classrooms are in Stobo Hall, and iho ooaramg establishment, which is connected is the Forth street house formerly occupied hy the late Dr Grigor. Complaints are made by the librarian that •magaz'nes are being stolon from the reading room of the Invercargill Athensettm. Some miscreant has also out the map of New. Zealand from _ one of the tine atlases m th;> reference library. . . , The Southland A and P. Association has decided, notwithstanding the absence of the railway concession and extra trams, to hold a two davs' Winter Show this year. It rs recognised" that the show will probably resu-L in a loss, but this is regarded as better than letting it fall through altogether. One of-' the earliest volunteers for the front, offering from Invercargill was Mr Ernest Sclby, who enlisted with the Mam Body, and was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry at the battle of Messines. His many friends in Inveroargill are pleased to note that he has recently been made a major. . ; - The recent firo at Baxters, in Dee street, was discussed at Thursday's meeting of tho Invercargill Borough Council, when a request was received from the Southland League for a conference on the question of a Fire- Board for the town. The Invercargill Fire Brigade, was given credit tor the splendid work done, but it was recognised that their equipment was incomplete and the alarm system inadequate. The order of the competitors in the second Southland egg-laying competition remains, so far as the leaders are concerned, unaltered. Mr Schultz is now 50 ahead of the runner-up, and as the competition has reached its forty-fourth week it is extremely unlikelv that he will be displaced. Mr Dowdail, who won the first competition, is twenty-second on the list. • At tho last meeting of the South Branch of tho Invercargill W.C.T.U. Mrs Fairbaim war, appointed delegate to the forthcoming convention at Timaru. The Central Branch has not vet chosen a delegate. At the last meeting of the Oha-i Railway Board a deputation appeared with a requestfor the extension of the railway line fato the valley behind Nightcaps to admit of the getting on the market of the large quantities of coal known to exist on Mr Ritchie's property. The deputation had a sympathetic hearing, and the board announced that it was able to find tho whole of the money for the proposed extension if carrying rates, etc., were satisfactory. A company with a capital of £15,000 has been formed, and it is probable that something will bo done in the matter before long, as there is a great and unsatisfied demand for coal. The principal difficulty in the' meantime and until the war is over is to obtain the required number of skilled miners. The Invercargill Borough Council recognises that tho present Atlienteum Building is not sufficiently large for the town's prosent needs, and does not • admit of any considerable extension, and the Athenasum Committee is on the lookout for a suitable site for a new building,»although -it is improbable that anything will be dono till after the war.