SOUTHLAND NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3593, 23 January 1923, Page 43

SOUTHLAND NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.! One of New Zealand’s rarest birds, a white crane, was a visitor to Invercargill during the past week and took up a stand near Pleasure Bay. He was greatly admired by those who saw him. After spending a few hours watching the surroundings he departed. . A similar bird was seen at Bluff about the same time. One of the Government photographers is at present, on a special visit to the West Coast sounds to take moving pictures of those famous resorts. The pictures are for the British Exhibition, which will be held in 1924. A look-out. for moose will also be kept by the party accompanying the photographer, as no concrete evidence of the acclimatisation of these animals has so* far been secured. On Wednesday the unsuccessful contestant for the Awariia seat, Mr J. R. Hamilton, was given a banquet by his Wintoiv supporters. There was a large attendance of all supporters of the Reform Party, and an enioyable evening was spent. The Southland Farmers’ Union is at present much concerned over the probable deficit under the electrification scheme. The deficit is estimated at about £90,000 for the first year or two, and what the union is anxious to find out is what proportion of this is going to be borne by the borough and what is going to be carried by the farmers. A deputation from the union waited upon the Power Board, but the information received did not satisfy the Union Executive, and it proposes to circularise all branches and ascertain what the position of the farmers in the various districts will be under the scheme. At its last meeting the Southland Power Board let tenders for the machinery for the head works at Monowai. The sum involved amounts to £?0,959. which is about half the amount quoted to the board when it called for tenders a year ago. A native of Dunedin, Stanley Davis, aged 20, was found dead at Branxholm on Tuesday. The deceased was working at Mr Walter Blakie’s farm wiring the house in preparation for the electric power. He was seen at his work a few minutes before being found dead at the foot of a ladder. It is not known whether he fell from the ladder or the rocf, but when discovered life was extinct. Another fatality occurred at Bluff on Wednesday morning*. David Brown, aged 89, was found on the beach at Bluff under circumstances which suggest drowning'. Deceased was employed as a nightwatchman at Messrs Kilkelly Bros’ sawmill, and was on holiday a t, the rime of his death. An inquest will be held on the body on Tuesday next. The Western District has been holding a small carnival week of its own during the week. Three race meetings were held in that district —the Otantau’s Club’s and the Birchwood Hunt Club’s meetings at Otautan, the Wairio Club’s meeting at Wairio. On Wednesday Andrew Wallace appeared before a private sitting of the Magistrate's Court, held at the Hospital, and charged with attempted suicide. He was convicted and discharged. He is now making a good recovery, and unless some unforeseen developments take place during the next few weeks will be discharged from hospital. The success cf fhe one-man-cars has lead tho corporation to extend this system, and orders have been given to convert one of the ordinary cars into a one-man-car. The cost will be approximately £SOO. A successful sports gathering was held at Otatara last Saturday, and was well attended by Invercargill people. This fixture will become a popular one, as Otatara is looked upon as one of the “breathing spaces” of Invercargill. Great efforts are being made to popularise it, but at present it is somewhat isolated, as there are no rapid means of transit across the Estuary. An inquest on the body of Ida Etiiel Junker was hold on Friday. Deceased lost her life in a fire on December 1, when the house she was sleeping in was burnt. The coroner returned an open verdict to the effect the deceased died from shock and

burns received during the burning of her dwelling. The fire inquiry, which was conducted at the same time, is. still proceeding, and several witnesses have yet to be called. The South Invercargill Domain Board held its first meeting on Monday, and intends launching a scheme to collect funds to improve the present reserve, which has been somewhat neglected during the war period and since. Power under the Southland scheme is now available continuously at Wyndham and Edendale. Winton will also be connected up during the coming week, as the transformers have been erected for that borough, and all that is required is the coupling of the transformers with the borough switch board. The Southland challenger for the Senders Gup, Murihiku, was forwarded to Auckland on Monday, and the crew followed on Thursday. The crew this year is Messrs A. B. Moffett (commodore), T. Bragg, H. Hansen. W. Johnston, and T. Widdowson, jun. The boat has been fitted with a new suit of sails, and the members of the crew are confident that they will put up a good fight for the cup again this year. A bottle containing a message was discovered by a Southland resident at the Waituna lagoon. It contained writing to the effect that two men, G. Williams and J. Aitken, were shipwrecked on an island described as 38i degrees south and 17g degrees (here the message is not decipherable, but it is either E., E.S., or S).