SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 35

SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

(From Our Own Coanssr indent.) INVERCARGILL, February IS. The consort of a great statesman of whom Southland is justly proud, the late Lady Ward was buried at Bluff last Saturday. She was laid to rest in Bluff Cemetery, in a spot overlooking the blue straits between Stewart Island and the mainland. The cortege arrived at Invercargill on Friday .evening, and proceeded to Bluff at midday on Saturday. Many beautiful wreaths were sent to the Grand Hotel, where Sir Joseph and the members of his family were staying. So numerous were these floral tributes from sympatheticfriends that they filled two long carriages in the train which, carried the party to Bluff. Large numbers assembled on the platform to see the train depart, and all along the line to Bluff little gatherings of country people met the train to pay thenlast tribute to a most gracious lady. On arrival at Bluff Sir Joseph was met by the Mayor, and the funeral procession, fully half a mile in length, proceeded to the burial ground^-where the Anglican burial service was conducted by Canon J. A. Lush, of Invercargill, assisted by the Rev. Arthur Moffatt, of Bluff. The scene at the graveside was most significant of the respect in which Lady- Ward was held, not only by SoutWanders, but by many outside the provincial boundaries. Representatives of all the public bodies in Southland and of the Goveiiinient were among the vast assemblage. The service was performed in cahn. soft sunshine, and as the hymns "Abide With Me” and “Nearer My God To Thee” were sung, many were overcome with emotion. The chief mourners were Sir Joseph Ward and the members of his family—Mr and Mrs Cyril Ward, Mr and Mrs Vincent Ward, and Mr and Mrs Pat Ward: Sir Francis and Lady Boys, Mr and Airs B. B. Wood, Mr and Mrs C. A. Tipping (Bluff), and Mi- Walter Henderson and Miss Henderson (Invercargill). Letters and telegrams expressing the deepest sympathywith Sir Joseph and his family continued to be received at Invercargill. The telegram from Lady Carroll, Gisborne, on the morning of the funeral, was particularly appealing in its expression of sorrow, ft said: ‘Tn my house of mourning 1 am further plunged into grief at the sad news of your irreparable loss. Farewell, my dear and kind friend! Kanui te tangi >te ngakau tena Koiitou te Kirhnate.—Hene Carroll.'’ An accident attended with shocking results occurred on the Riverton-Colac road at Hekeia, some five miles from Riverton, at 11.15 on Sunday morning, as the result of the capsize on some loose gravel of a large three-seater Buick car driven by Mrs Bruce Ireland, of Invercargill. Miss Phyllis Elizabeth Fleming, 20 years of age, received severe injuries to her head which caused instantaneous death. Her father, ilr Herbert Fleming, the well-known flour miller, of Gore, who was also in the ear, was badly crushed against one of the doors, which was wrenched off. and all his ribs on one side were broken. Mrs Ireland was fortunate in escaping serious injury, but was cut in several places, and is suffering severely from shock. Mr Fleming was taken to the Riverton Hospital in a serious condition, but is improving slowly Miss Fleming, who was a most popular member of the younger set in Invercargill, was buried at Gore on Tuesday, some Girl Guides taking part in the service. Her sudden death came as a severe shock to many. The accident occurred with startling suddenness through the wheels of the car skidding on loose gravel at a part of the road which was only 11 feet wide, and where the traffic had caused deep ruts. The car was proceeding to Colac Bay in a line with several other cars at a moderate speed, when it swerved slightly to the side of the road. Mrs Ireland succeeded in swinging it back to the roa 1. but it swerved in the opposite direction, and Miss Fleming, becoming alarm's!, seized Mrs Ireland's arm. The latter made desperate efforts to keep the car under control and pull up. but before she could do so the steering wheel twisted suddenly, the front wheels of the car locked in the gravel, and the machine capsized, turning completely round and facing the direction from which it had come. So quickly did the accident take place that the driver of the following ear. who was only 36 yards behind, did not know what had occurred. The ear was lying on its side, with the hood torn to ribbons, one of the doors wrenched off, and the windscreen broken. Miss Fleming was thrown out of the car. which crashed on top of her, inflicting the injuries from which she died. This distressing incident cast a feeling of depression over the hundreds of picnickers who were spending the day on the beaches nearby. Another fatality which occurred over the week-end was the death by drowning of Mr David MTliegor. a man of G 1 years, carrying on business as a draper at Riverton. About 5 p.m. on Saturday he was bathing in the Aparima River near the bridge, when those -Standing on the bank heard hint call out and distinguished the word “cramp.” He disappeared below the surface immediately afterwards, and, although every endeavour to effect a rescue was made by bathers who hurried to the vicinity from about 150 yards away, the body was not recovered until it was too late, and even artificial respiration failed. Mr M'Gregor was a well-known and popular resident of Riverton, and his death is deeply deplored by a large circle of friends throughout the district. The third of the series of regrettable accidents which marked the week-end was ?>"xT ac -?, lden ? in which a young girl, Sheila O Neill, who was at a picnic at Colac Bay on Sunday, was knocked by a motor car and sustained a broken arm. She was walking out from behind the car in which she luhl come when another motorist. who could not see her, and therefore judged that the road was clear, drove up and knocked her down. She was taken to the Riverton Hospital, and is now making favourable progress. The fine weather which has affordej Southlanders such unqualified delight for the last month, or so has now broken; and . the weather. during the . week has been wet and cold. As a result of- the rain the work of bitumenising the main street

here has had to be suspended, just at a time when the borough employees were working long shifts and making excellent progress. That section of the street which has been bitumenised has proved most successful, and is a constant temptation to motorists. The needs of the motorist are being well catered for, and one well-know-n local motor firm is erecting a large night aud day service station capable of containing five bowser pumps. Hus is merely one of the motorist service stations, which are springing up in all parts of the town, speculators apparently having taken kindly to them as an investment. ar Al )a i'> tel 'esting decision was given by Air G. Crmckshank. SAL, in the Magistrate s Court recently, in a case in wluc-h -Printz, a local manage# of the Dominion Electric Company, wa> charged with constructing a plant capabla of receiving wireless telegraphic signala otherwise- than in accordance with x heense granted to him by the Minister or telegraphs. The evidence shower! thaA the defendant had a radio deafer’s license, empowering linn to sell, offer for sale and have in his possession for sale, at his place of business, all kinds of radio apparatus. He also had a license to establish and operate a radio receiving station at the -Dominion Electric Company s. He said that be meant this license tor his private residence, but the mistake was not rectified. He had a set at his house for three weeks, and then installed it in the Commercial Club for the amusenient of members, allowing no one but himself to operate it. and stressing Itact that it remained his personal property. His orship held that although the defendant held two licenses neither of them seemed to fit the ca’se. He pointed out that licenses might be obtained which enabled a set to be rigged up on motor cars or other vehicles, "arid others which provided for a portable station, al owing a set to be carried from place to place. Printz was convicted and discharged, his Worship stating that bin action had arisen through ignorance of the regulations. This should be of particular interest to radio enthusiasts 1’ avourable growing weather has been experienced in Southland for some, time past, and there is no doubt that this is one of the most satisfactory seasons passed in Southland of recent years there has been sufficient rain to' promote growth in all the crops, and the ceieal crops are looking extremely well, xlarvesting lias already commenced in the Lumsden and Five Rivers districts, but V.-111 not be general on the flats for some weeks yet. Ihe ryegrass crops are now being cut. and it is probable that this season a large amount of seed will be harvested. lhere is an abundance of feed in the turnip crops and a good quantity of fine-quality hay has been cut ,? nt { cl Pated that there will be no diniculty in wintering stock this year.