SOUTHLAND NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 23

SOUTHLAND NEWS.

(From Ottb Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, February 26. The spell of fine weather experienced since the beginning of December broke last Saturday, and a week of squally weather has been experienced locally. A strong .sou’wester, accompanied by driving showers, held sway, but present prospects, point to better conditions for the harvest. The Matthews case is being freely discussed here, and, considering that Invercargill is his native place, it is only natural that an effort should be made here to have his sentence commuted. The petition that is being circulated by the Y.W.C.A. has received, good support, and the Mayor, Mr J, Stead, has telegraphed the Minister of Justice asking that the confirmation of the death sentence be withheld until after the presentation of the petition. The policy of the Government in carrying out a revaluation of all rural lands at the present time, when the markets are unfavourable, was adversely commented upon at the meeting of the Southland Farmers’ Union on Friday, and a resolution passed asking that the valuation be postponed until the market has assumed a more stable aspect. The methods used by the valuers in arriving at their figures were loudly condemned, one member saying that he had never heard of a valuer wSo actually went right over the property. The usual i:ere)nity of the Education Board meeting was disturbed on Friday, when a deputation was received from the St. George School with regard to the proposed infant department extension. The school committee chairman, Mr Butterfield, said that during his visit the Minister of Education, Air C. J. Parr, had treated the committee with scant courtesy, and it was evident that he had been well primed by someone before his visit to the school. lie stated that, the school committee did not receive a fair hearing from the Minister, and asked that the matter be again taken up by the board. The question was referred to the Executive Committee. The Otago tennis team arrived last ni g!it, and extensive preparations are being made for its entertainment during its stay here. A dance will bo given to-night, and tomorrow a big motor picnic to Riverton has been arranged. The local officials, assisted by a willing band of lady workers, have spared no effort to make the trip an enjoyable one for the Otago players, apart from the game. * The Canterbury cricket team, recently defeated by Otago, inflicted a defeat upon the local representative side by 80 runs, the match concluding on Thursday. The game did not produce any sparkling cricket, and rrom. a spectator’s point of view was disappointing. The home side, after disposing of Canterbury for 35 in the second innings, had a great opportunity, but failed to make use of it. and could score only 56 of the required 137 to win. The summer has bpen one of the hottest ever experienced locally, and (his was borne out by substantial evidence in the shape of some figs, grown without shelter in a suburban garden. The figs ripened for the first time since the tree has been in existence, and were good specimens. For many years past the tree has borne fruit, but it has always been spoilt bv early frosts and inclement, weather, but this year its owner received an agreeable surprise to discover that it had come to maturity. The large meeting of delegates from all public bodies in Southland was held last Saturday to consider the proposed Southland memorial, and a resolution was j Missed that it should he a provincial one. Most of the delegates, while advocating local memorials, wore of the opinion that a provincial memorial should p.e erected. Tile design of the memorial has not vet. been decided on. nor its place of erection, but. it is proposed to allow the public to decide those questions. The Southland League, eider a rerwd of comparative inactivity, during which i(- was concerned with the work of eleetr'fication, has now resumed operation* again, and, under a new secretary. W. J. TCin.joo. is taking the field in the memorial campaign. Several other important matters, which had been allowed to fade into the bn-kground during the war are bw'ne- again taken up. and, a few months should see the league again a force in the community. The rare but time-honoured custom of presenting the judge with a pair of white gloves will be observed at the session of the Supreme Court to he opened in Invercargill next. Tuesday. At a sitting of the Supreme Court in Invercargill in February. 1913. the Crown Prosecutor (Mr W. Macaiister) mentioned that that was onlv the fourth occasion on which m criminal eases had been brought- before the court. There are no criminal oases set down for hearing at the forthcoming session, arid therefore fo- the fifth time the presentation of glove* will take place. On Thursday last, a number of members of the Southland County Council, and others interested in drainage work, visited the Borstal Institution farm at the invitation of Mr W. Hawkins, to see in operation a contrivance for channelling evolved by Air A. Lusk, an engine-driver employed by the department. The invention, which is in the form of a large scoop, controlled from an engine, makes a rapid and efficient job of channelling. Fitted with prong*, the scoop takes a goodly amount of solid earth io anv reasonable depth, removes its load, and deposits it by the side of the channel in little over a minute. The visitor* were considerably imnressed by the progress made with the channel that, was being: cut. According to the Wes(e~n Star, some splendid crops of oats are being harvested in the Waiau district, the yield in many cases being over 80 bushels to the acre. The Chautauqua concert party opens its season in Invercargill at an early date. Tbe public is eagerly looking forward tr the concerts to be given by this talented organisation, its reputation being already known. The fact that, the advrewp representative of Chautauqua had trouble in regard to the us-- oF the, Municipal Theatre ■ and ultimately had to engage the Oram Theatre, has given the council food foi thought in regard to the present centreof the theatre, and new regulations will probably be brought into force shortly.