SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 35

SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) IXVEROARGILL, August 6. Once again it is my happy lot to begin by singing the praises of Southland weather. Glorious sunshine has ushered in the spring, and it is even rumoured that cases of sunburn have occurred. The fact that people in other districts have been walking about in gum boots has made the sun's rays seem all the brighter. Little has happened in town and country except for a few motor accidents or their sequels in court.

On Wednesday the strange working of Fate were revealed to one motorist in a way not to his liking. He had just returned to Invercargill from a football match at Gore, and had left his car pulled up on the correct side of the road while he went for a moment to deliver a message to a friend. No sooner had he stepped on to the veranda of the house than he heard a Joud crash, and on rushing out found that a car had crashed into his. The running board and mudguards on one side of each car were completely wrecked and the chassis twisted. The collision had apparently been caused through a third car’s having struck the second one. causing its steering gear to get out of order, witl" the result that it crashed into the stationary car, the owner of which is now wondering why on earth he stopped to deliver the message at such a fateful moment.

A day earlier a somewhat extraordinary accident occurred in Esk street. A horse with a draw attached took fright in a right-of-way, out of which it bolted. It reached the main street at the same moment as a car was passing, and a shaft of the dray was forced right through the body of the car, thereby having the effect of a grappling iron. Fortunately the driver of the car had the presence of mind to pull up at once, and the horse was so astounded that it forgot all about the bol*t it was going to have, so that no serious damage was done.

Two young men who have recently been concerned in serious motor car accidents came up for trial this week. Andrew Moffat, who was charged with driving negligently and thereby causing the death of Desmond Keith in a smash at Wallacetown, was committed for trial at the corning session of the Supreme Court. Douglas Donald was the other offending motorist. It was he who drove the car on the East road on the night of the dance in honour of the university capping students "hen he and another young man named Owen Longuet, in company with two younoladies, went for a drive to enjoy the night air Ihe car collided with a telegraph pole and Longuet was so seriously injured that for some time his life was despaired of, though he is well on the way to recovery to-day. On Wednesday M'Donald was chai god with driving in a manner dangerous to the public. lie was convicted and fined £lO, and was disqualified from obtaining a driver’s license for two vears. Another court case arose out' of a collision between two cars at Otatara on June 1. when it was alleged that a golfer in driving oft the course omitted to signal " fore,” with the result that he stymied his oppe rent’s car, which was ultimately bunkered in a ditch. The plaintiff was William Handvside, and the defendant Thomas S. Tomlinson, a bank manager. The verdict was for the plaintiff, judgment being given for £7. Fifty pounds was claimed for depreciation to the car. Five hillings was allowed. If empty drums make the most noise there must be a good deal of hollowness among the City Fathers of Invercargill, ton at about every second meeting of the Council there is a great deal of nois'e. This week's meeting was replete with fiery words, the cause of the trouble being dissension between the town engineer and the town clerk. The Mayor was alleged to have taken sides with the latter, and during the course of an hour's lively debate was told by a man of law that he had a bee in his bonnet. After a display of fireworks the meeting was adjourned for a fortnight, when both the officers concerned will be present. His Worship came in for some pointed censure from both the local papers for the part lie played in the affair.

There may soon he an election for a seat on the Council, for Councillor Geddes has been compelled to resign on account of ill-health.

The new curator of gardens and reserves (Mr J. A. M'Pherson) has not been long with us. but he has already wrought a great improvement in the parks and gardens. His latest work has been the formation of a fine new nursery behind Queen's Park School. He considers that, the new area is large enough to provide all the stock necessary for the local reserves, and all the pines necessary for local afforestation schemes. A winter garden in Queen's Park is the curator’s next aim.

There is evidently plenty of money to be made by local trading concerns. The Building Society has just gone into new premises; the Invercargill Savings Bank has built handsome new offices in Don street.; the Progress Industrial Co-opera-tive Society’s new stores in Kelvin street are almost ready. All these buildings are architecturally attractive, and have involved a big expenditure, especially that of the Savings Bank.

Old men in Gore are resurrecting their, dress suits in preparation for the week of carnival that so soon is to enthral the town, while children are begging, borrowing, or stealing weird and wonderful pets to train for the numerous races during the gaiety gala. Everything points to a joyful week.

The Eastern District Rugby representatives are becoming known as the “ Hawke s Bay of the South " —not because they are pot hunters, but because they appear to be invincible on their own ground. This week they sustained another challenge for the Sports Trust Cup. defeating Northern 27 to 6. although the latter led 6 5 at the interval.

Farmers in the Winton district had a merry evening on Thursday, the occasion being the annual re-union of the Winton A. and P. Association. There .is probably no other province in New Zealand where there are so many provincial A. and P. Associations as there are in Southland. Not- only are these .country shows of a very high standard, but a spirit of goodwill among memoers is fostered by annual reunions in the winter, at which there are usually well over a 100 present.