SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3398, 30 April 1919, Page 23

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES.

{Fkom Otje Own Cohbespondent.j INVERCARGILL, April 26. To Southlanders generally the Easter holidays this year were most disappointing, the weather all the time having been the most stormy experienced in Southland for many a day, and the enjoyment of holidaymakers waa greatly discounted. Notwithstanding the weather, however, a great deal of travelling was indulged in, the special expresses having been well patronised. Many abandoned the idea of visiting Stewart Island, and those who did go endured one of the worst passages across the strait ever experienced. The weather on Good Friday was so very bad that the trip had to be abandoned after the 180 intending passengers had been hanging about Bluff for half a day in the hope of the wind moderating. The Theresa Ward got away on Saturday morning . with a greatly-reduced number of passengers, of whom the ladiies had to go below, while the gentlemen on deck had a very trying experience. Very few passengers went over on Monday and Wednesday, and as the weather on the island was very little better than on the mainland, they did not enjoy themselves very much. Those who went to the Riverton races—and they were many, though not as many as in former years—had a most miserable time with wind, rain, and sleet. The entrliea were few, the going heavy, and spills frequent. The shooting season opens on Thursday, and lasts for grey duck, swamp turkey, and black swan till July 31, and for paradise ducks for one month only. Dr Trotter has been re-elected Mayor of Riverton unopposed. The Rev. J. K. Archer, formerly minister of the Esk Street Baptist Church, has been put forward by the Labour party as a candidate for the Invercargill seat in Parliament, and 'is in Invercargill at present pushing his candidature. On Wednesday evening he addressed the electors in the Victoria Hall, and received a vote of thanks. His speech was for the most part a denunciation of the Coalition Government, which had, he said, allowed the mass of the people to be victimised by profiteers and exploiters. He qtioted the earnings of various classes of workers, and showed that with the purchasing power of the sovereign reduced to 13s, these rates could not be considered a living wage. He urged that the Coalition Government was not fit to be in power. Neither the Liberal half or the Reform half of it was worthy of trust. The only people fit to bold the reins of Government in this democratic country were, in his opinion, the Labour party. The Labour movement was the outgrowth of civilisation and the hope of the future. Combinations both of Capital and Labour were the order of the day, the goal of Labour being the Co-operative Commonwealth. This goal could be reached only gradually, but a big step would be the cutting out of profiteering, especially in banking. The proper housing of the people would be another big step, and still another the cutting .out of middlemen in the handling of foodstuffs.' Land-gambling should be stopped and unearned increments in the value of land belong to the State. At the concluslion of his address Mr Archer stated, in answer to a question, that the Labour party were definitely pledged to a system of education, which was free secular and compulsory, and one that prevented public funds being given to denominational institutions.

The Anzac Day celebrations in Invercargill yesterday consisted of religious cervices in the various churches in the morning and a military parade, finishing up with speeches in the Post Office square, in the afternoon. The speakers were the Mayor, Cr Lennf.e, Major Crawford, and the Rev. M'Donald Aspland. Mr Stead reminded his hearers of the prompt response of New Zealand to the call of the Mother Country in August, 1914. War was declared on the 4th, and by the 29th New Zealanders had taken possession of Samoa. New Zealanders were present at Gallipoli on April 24, 1915, and many then laid down their lives for the cause of liberty. He hoped their sacrifice would be remembered for many a year to come in the observance of Anzac Day as a holiday. Dr Crawford said that the Anzacs had achieved what their enemies thought impossible, . their landing being one of the greatest feats in military history. They had lived nobly and died nobly, and thair deeds would be an inspiration for ages to come. Mr Lennie said that,, though at one time the Gallipoli campaign had been condemned as a mistake, the closing incidents of the war had shown it to be a stroke in the right direction. It had, however, cost many precious lives, and there was great satisfaction in the thought 'that as Gallipoli was to be vested in Britain, the graves of our heroes-would be properly protected. Mr Aspland praised the heroic endurance of our colonial soldiers, and hoped 'the) Peace? Conference would so arrange matters that the war just ended would bo the last the world would see. Nineteen nominations have been received for seats on the Invercargill Borough Council, and two —Messrs John Stead and T. D. Lennie —for the office of Mayor. . Mr W. W. Anderson, assistant engineer to the "Wallace County Council, has been appointed engineer to the Buller County Council, and takes up his mew dutfes within a month.

In view of the possibility of a reoccurrence of the influenza epidemic, the Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board are making arrangements for giving elementary instructions in home-nursing to a limited number of suitable women.

Dr Hansen, -principal of the Southland Technical College, has been appointed director of the Christchurch Technical College. Crs Ott and' Bain bade farewell at the last meeting to the Invercargill Borough Council. The councillors, in expressing regret at the retirement of these two gentlemen from the council, voiced the opt'nion that Cr Ott had had a better grip of finance than any man who had ever sat at the table, and that Cr Bain's long term of service had been characterised by thoroughness and strong common sense. Messrs A. F. Hawke, A. Bain, and C. S. Longuet have been returned unopposed as members of the Bluff Harbour Board. Mr Richard Arnott, of the Wyndham Dairy Factory, and Mr George Crosbie, of the Glenham Dairy Factory, have been nominated as members of the executive of the South Island Dairy Association. Mr James Lumsden, who has been a member for many years, is not seeking re-election. The Southland fourth egg-laying competition is now under way, and at the end of the first week Mr C. Thomson leads (in the light breeds test) with 28, the next being K. Hamilton, ■with 24. In the heavy breeds test Mr B. C. Ferguson leads with 27. During the recent influenza epidemic splendrd work was done by a heroo band of disciples of Dr Kirk, who laid aside their own businesses for the time being and devoted themselves to the relief of suffering. As the news of their cures spread a strong demand arose for tuition in the course of treatment, and lectures and practical demonstrations ■were given by Mr D. Marshall, one of the

classes attracting an attendance of over 100 ladies and gentlemen. The demand for in etruotion still continues, and arrangements are being made for classes not only in Invercargill, but also at all the chief centres in Southland.