SOUTHLAND NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3509, 14 June 1921, Page 23

SOUTHLAND NEWS.

(Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) INYEUCAROILL June 11. Invercargili experienced its first universal lioiuiay, and tne shopping’ tiioj’oughlares were crowned last Saturday morningwith those making provision lor the weekend. Tne hist late Friday night was inis week, and there was a big crowd out, and business appeared brisk. It was peculiar the first Saturday liigiit under the new conditions, as the same crovui appeared on the streets, but were wandering aimiessiy around unable to accustom tnemscives to the attei’ed conditions. The Scottish Fan* lias been a great success and die takings approached the £IOOO mark. Despite tho snort ago oi money, the Fair workers gathered in stray shillings, and tile crowds that attended every night were provided with attractive programmes to keep their attention, while the workers attended to the financial part of the Fair. With the Saturday half-holiday there has been a marked improvement in the standard of the various sports, and larger crowds were watching the games. The lootbull matches resulted in Firates deieating Blult, Star defeating Marist-Athietic and ln\orcargiil defeating Y\ aikiwi. Great interest is being taken in the meeting of Star and Pirates, the newJy re-formed club, as they were old opponents and many keen games were played between tne clubs in past years. AitiTs hockey, which has been dormant since the war, is to be revived again with tne universal holiday, arid lour teams will take the held. The annual Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union was held on Friday, it being one oi uu largest ever held. Tor some years trie union had steadily lost ground, but a revival was noticable last year, several new branches being formed and the membership increased about ICO. There is still, however, room for improvement, as the number of farmers m the province is about 4050, and only about 700 oi those are in the union. A vigorous campaign is to launched in the near luture with the object of bringing the membership roll over the lOU‘3 mark. The Supreme Court sitting lasted six days, the majority oi the cases being civil ones. The calendar was one of the longest lor some time, and liis Honor, rvir Justice Sim, held several evening sittings in order to conclude the cases be;ore the week-end. The criminal cases resulted in 1 nomas George Cartwright being sentenced to 12 months for making a false declaration with regard to insurance, and acquitted on the charge of arson; Robert L. Beckuam pleaded guilty to a charge of tlicit, and was admitted to probation for three years, and Trank Dysaski, who pleaded guilty to a similar charge, was admitted to probation for a similar period. At the monthly meeting of the Southland Hospital Board the chairman, Air J. Fleming, made some scathing remarks about the board's architect, and his estimates for the ivew Hospital. In tne estimates the amount previoed for the kitchen and laundry in the new hospital was £23,000, which tl:e chairman remarked was too much, tlie board not requiring the elaborate plant provided for by the architect. It was decided to approach tne architect and insist upon Simpler plans to enable the building to be proceeded with in the near future. The installation oi a new turmne is being pushed on at the borough power home, and when coinph ted wii! double i he present supply, which js beginning to be overburdened. The turbine when running will produce 10*00 kiilowatis per hour, but is capable cf producing 1250 kiilowatis for a period of two hours should it be required. A big condenser plant and pend are being erected in conjunction with the turbine, capable of dealing with 120,000 gallons ol water per hour. The turbine is expected to be running and producing power a Lout the end of Jib v, and the supply will then be equal to all demands for many years. The 1 : . . 1 . iw i •r><i i* < i

I.ew tin'bine is urgently needed, ns tne present demand toe power cannot be fulfilled, and the plant is now up to its lull capacity. . , There is a movement on foot to provide a hostel for the Southland Boys’ High School to be in readiness for pupils when the new school at Gladstone is erected and occupied. The Old Boys’ Association is taking the matter up, hut a definite campaign has not yet keen decided ‘upon. \{. the Licencing Committee meeting held at* Bluff ou Friday, renewals of licenses were granted to John Downey, bay \ mw Hotel; Charles Tujloch, Golden Age Hotel; Bruce Brooks, Club Hotel, and A. H. Cunninghame, Eagle Hotel. ihe license issued to Mr Tuilcch is the twentysecond which he has had granted ihe police report re the two hotels at luyersdale and one at Manclowiic was that, these houses had been conducted most aamirainy. The action oi the (.rovernment m i' 1 - fusing to continue the finance of toe Mcnowai scheme had caused the Southiand Electric Power Heard >ome concern and Messrs YV. Hinchoy. E. Hcwmar. and H \ Rodger waited —upon tile a!mister for Public Works, Hon. J. G. Coates, in Welllnerton during the week, .and submitted the modified scheme to the Department. The scheme was approved, and the Cabinet has guaranteed to carry the board on until the end of August, hoping that ihe bean would, by that time, have arranged sufficient finance by means of a loan. -Ylthouah 1233 patients were treated at the Southland Hospital during the year ended March 31, 192, as against 111 for the year just ended, the average cost per occupied 1 »e< 1 for the past year exceeded that, of the previous y.-ur, being 1-149 lis. against £136 2s. The total maintenance expenditure for 1920 was £12.3:6 13s 1,-1 an-, for 1921, £13,750 15s.