SOUTHLAND NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3456, 8 June 1920, Page 27

SOUTHLAND NEWS.

(Faou Oob Own Coheespondent.) INVBRjOARGILL, June 6. Duo to the late departure from Sydney of tho s.s. Makura, General Sir Wm, Birdwood will not arrive in liiveroargill tail the 15th inst. A fitting civio inception is bonig arranged for the afternoon:, while tho pleasant duty of entertaining this distinguished- gentleman for the evening is to bo left in- the hands of the Returned Soldiers' Association, which is desirous of affording the general an opportunity of meeting the Sou inland representatives of the Aiizac forces. Tho Invercargill Borough , Council is appointing a reception, committee to deal with the arrangements for according General Birdwood a fitting civic welcome on his arrival from Dunedm. A frosty morning followed by a gloriously calm, sunny day made local conditions ideal for the King's Birthday holiday on Thursday. On Rugby Park an attractive football programme was arranged and an ienthusiastio crowd gathered to watch the games. The finest match of the day was between Public Service and Banks and Law, the former winning by lb' points 1 to 3. These two teams are Saturday combinations, and are tho only teams that attempt to play the open passing game. J. Dalgleish, an ex-New Zealand Artillery player, as first five-eighths for Public Service, is probably tho best Southland player in that position. In defence ho is particularly sound, and Southland is fortunate in possessing a player of Dalgleish's ability. lb anyone keenly watching Southland's games this year, it is apparent that the sturdy, heavy forward who has always formed the main defence for this province, has given place to >a lighter, speedier typo. It remains to be seen whether the new order will uphold the honour of tho province better than the old. An interesting game of hockey was played on Thursday, between Collegiate and the Wyndham girls; the former winning, after an exciting game, by 7 goals to £. The game was played on the old I.CC grounds, and judging by the applause of the considerable crowd of onlookers, one would conclude that interest at any rate in ladies' hockey is by no means dead. On "the newly arranged Municipal Golf course at the Queen's Park, an interesting golf match took place between the Invercargill and Iliverton Clubs. The frost in the morning affected the greens and nonplussed all the players. A full 18-hole course has now been constructed on the. Park, and though the variety and difficulties of an ideal course are absent,- never-

theless the golfing enthusiasts well realise that not seven minutes' walk from the Post Office they have a good 18-ho!e courseon which they can practice and enthuse over the glorious inconsistencies of this fine game. It would be difficult to find in New Zealand any other town that has so near the centre an up-to-date golf course. Followers of sport in Invercargill, who for so long have watched with regret the ill-effects on different games of our tenacious adherence to the obsolete custom of Wednesday half-holiday, will note _ with pleasure the recent unanimous resolution of the Borough Council in favour of the innovation of the observance of Saturday as the weekly half-holiday. The old fallacy, that householders will buy less in a,week, because shops are open on Saturday instead of on Friday night, must be by this , time apparent to everyone; and the Coun- ' oil is to be congratulated on its. progressive step. On Thursday night in Ashley's Hall, was held a vary sucoessful dance, 300 people being present. The dance was given by the ladies of the newly-formed Southland Tennis Club, and if the club's activities : are to be measured by the enthusiasm | apparent at the-ir dance' on Friday night, j their future success is well assured. The I promoters of the function are to be con- | gratulated on their arrangements, for, ■ despite the overcrowding, which was inI cvitable. a verv pleasant evening was spent. ! The club' would be well advised to secure 1 Victoria Hall for their next venture which, i I understand, is to take place shortly. On Saturday, 6th inst., the Southland : Educational Institute holds a general meeting to discuss the reports of its to the recent trading conference held in i Wellington. Even the most ardent sup- : porters of the aradiig scheme cannot deny j that'its application has caused a tremendous I amount of dissatisfaction, especially in some education district, and the recent conference. • at which two teachers and all tho in- : spectors from each education district.,met I WelVngton, an attempt was made to revise the grading scheme to delate some of the most glaring inconsistencies. One of the recommendations of +he grading conference was to make some slight amends . for loss of opportunities to soldier teachers. ! by counting active service years a double service. The Southland Branch of the New Zealand 'Educational Institute is a very strong body, and has for its aims, amongst ! other things, the seciirinor for New Zealand I a sound education system based on the most up-to-date linns. The small-nox outbreak which locally has caused some dismay, remains stationary, some 16 cr>ses being quarantined at Kew Hospital. Tfie rush for. vaccination continues, and Dr M'Caw is kept verv busv: indeed, a constant queue is to be seen waitinar at his surarery door in Don street. Dr Ritchie, of the Honlth Dcrnrtment. j-.«« made a.rrancements with the FloutM-md j Education Board to have the "ohool children I vaccinated next week 1 provided, of course. ' that parental permission is _ forthcoming. I Little • opposition, however, is looked for I from this quarter in view of the prcserw in our midst of this dreadful disease. Influenza continues rife in Invercargill, an.-' rrrluopd sfaffs in all lrKirMjfactnring concerns ! and in shops is the order of the day. / | correspondent to the Times til's week takes ' great exception to the Wame for the smallI pox outbreak being attributed, bv northern I papers, to Invercarsrill: which, he savs, Is I c ons ! dered bv fhe Health Officer, in charge j of this district, as one of the cleanest j towns in the Dominion. Lieutenant A. E. Byrne, late Regiment N.Z.E.F., is at present on a visit to Southland to interview some of the senior j officers of the regiment in connection with I certain operations, and now reports that

the itogimental History to chronicle fchs doings of tho three Otago Battalions fronj the outbreak of war till demobilisation, will bo shortly published. Mr J. Soar, headmaster of tho Makarowa School, has been appointed headmaster of the Bluff School. Air J3oar, who is a well-known „ Southland teacher of long service, ia a very popular gentleman with a fine scholastic and athletio record, and tho Bluff people are fortunate in securing him. Dr Stanley Brown, who has been oa active service for the past 18 months, inturned to Inveroargill this week on a visit to his many friends. While superintendent of the Southland Hospital till 1918 Df Brown made fnany friends 'both in his pro* fessional capacity and as a citizen. A* an active member of the Orphans' Olujb,Dir Brown's gifts were an asset to tho town, and his many friends will welcomi his return. Tho Southland Boxing Association hold* a tournament in Inveroargill on the 10th and 11th inst.; when record entries promis* an interesting fixture. Many prominent citizens liavo for a lon* iamfi been agitating for a concentrated effort being made for the resumption of thq MHbourne-Bluff weekly service. .At ai largely attended meeting of oltlzens held lasl| week a unanimous decision was reached that! evei-y effort should be made to have thil service resumed. The sequel to tho recent petrol theftg was seen at the Supreme Court this week, when Mr Justice Sim sentenced Duthie an<J; Holland to a term of three years' reformat tive treatment.