SOUTHLAND NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 31

SOUTHLAND NEWS.

(Faosi Ocb Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, June 9. At the usual monthly meeting of the Hospital Board, the secretary reported that the weekly expenditure on outdoor relief was now £24 as against £23 7s for the corresponding period last year. The annual social of the Invercargill Eire Brigade was held in the Victoria Hall last Saturday night, and took the form of a smoke concert and musical evening. Those present included members of practically all the fire brigades of Southland. The real object of the gathering was to celebrate the change over from the voluntary system to that of Eire Board control. Opportunity was also taken to extend a formal welcome to the new superintendent of the Invercargill Brigade. Sir J. Simpson. The annual tournament of the Southland Boxing Association was held on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The attendance was large, and some very interesting bouts were witnessed. The amateur heavy-weight championship of Southland was won by J. G. Lcckse (Invercargill) who defeated W. Woods (Limehills). Great interest centred round this contest as I.eekie was giving his opponent a stone and a half. The champion E. M’Quarrie was defeated by Wilkinson (Mataura) for the middleweight title. Mr Justice Sim has given his reserved judgment in the case Crooks v. the Morton Mains Dairy Factory, and has granted an injunction to restrain defendant from discharging whey and washings from the dairy factory to the Waihopai stream in such a way as to pollute the waters and cause damage to the plaintiff. An illuminated address tearing the signatures of several hundred residents of A wanna, was presented to Sir Joseph Ward last Saturday in recognition of his services to the country during the many years he had represented the Awarua electorate in Parliament. A silver tea service was also presented to Sir Joseph to hand oil to LadyWard. The function look place in Messrs J. G. Ward and Go.’s offices in the presence of a representative gathering of electors. Mr P. de la Perrelle, M.P., made the presentation, and said that they were all very glad to see that Sir Joseph had been restored to health, and it was to be hoped that he would again take a prominent part in New Zealand politics. He was known the world over as a great Imperialist and statesman, and to him the people of New Zealand were under a great debt .of gratitude. Messrs W. E. Taylor, R. J. Anderson (Kauana), li. Jamieson (Winton), and A. E. Cocker (Ryal Bush), also spoke in appreciation of Sir Joseph's work. Sir Joseph in reply thanked the electors on behalf of Lady Ward and himself for their handsome gifts, and said that ho was glad to be able to announce that his health was now almost completely restored, and that he would be able tc. devote his whole energy to the service of the country. A large crowd attended the football at Rugby Park on Saturday to witness what wag practically the deciding match in the Galbraith Shield Competition. The two teams in question. Star and Invercargill, played a draw on a previous Saturday and created some surprise, as it was anticipated that, Star would win easily. In last Saturday’s match Invercargill led by three points to nil at half-time, but after that Star took charge and won by nine points to three. A feature of the match was the re-appear-ance in the Star ranks of the old-timer “Billy’’ Stead, who is numbered among the finest footballers New Zealand has produced. He was deputy-captain of the famous 1905 team of All Blacks, and captained the 1803 All Blacks against the Anglo-Welsh team. He retired officially in 1910. so that this >s his_ first appearance for thirteen years. The unveiling of the Oteramika War Memorial erected by the residents of that district in memory of those who fell in the Great War took place last Monday in the presence of about 150 spectators from all parts of Southland. The Hon. G. J. Anderson performed the ceremony assisted by Chaplain-Captain Gilbert. Lieutenant-Colonel J. Hargest, 8.5.0., M.C., the Rev. W. Hume and Mr P. de la Perrelle. M.P. In spite of adverse weather conditions, the function was carried out in a manner befitting the importance of the occasion. The Hon. G. J. Anderson gave an inspiring address, and said that he was gratified to see that memorials such as the one he had just unveiled were springing up in all marts cf Southland as a testimony to the fact that the people were not going to let their children forget the great sacrifices that had been made by the New Zealand soldiers in the Great War. At the conclusion of the address a large number of wreaths were placed at the foot of the memorial by relatives. of the .fallen soldiers. The structure itself is a very imposing one, consisting of three tiers of Bluff granite, rough hewn and inset with slabs of polished stone inscribed with the names of those from the Oteramika district who fell in the Great War. After a period of service with the New Zealand Police Force amounting to nearly 44- years. Sergeant A. W. Brookes signed off at Bluff last Friday. During the first ten years of his service he was employed in the Armed Constabulary Force stationed at Oak ere in the North Island at the time in which Ihe Armed Constabulary were used to curb the activities of the Maori followers of Te Whiti. During his long and varied term of services Sergeant Brooke*, served at Invercargill, Christchurch, Civile and Ross. At the monthly meeting of the Bluff Borough Council, the Mayer (Mr J. S. A. M'Dougall) presiding, moved a motion of condolence with Councillor .T. Cameron on the death of his brother. Mr F. Cameron, District, Traffic Manager of the New Zealand Railways. This was carried in the usual manner. Much discussion took place over the bad lighting facilities of the town, and several members were desirous of opening negotiations with the Power Board for the purchase of the Bluff installations. The Power Board has already turned down this proposal, stating that, it, has no power to purchase existing installations. The solution of the football time-keeping controversy. was found at Tuesday’s meeting of the Referees’ Association, when conciliatory assurances were received from the Southland Rugby Union and Mr R. AI. Strang reported that he Lad received a letter of apology from Mr G. Fortune, which was quite satisfactory to him.