SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 35

SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL. January 14.

A week of glorious sunshine has made currants, raspberries, and cherries ripen rapidly, and has brought the corks out of many a bottle of home-brew. There are still many Southlanders away holidaymaking at the various beauty spots the province possesses. Stewart Island is, of course, the most popular, but Riverton, Orepuki, Dipton, Waikaia, and the Lakes all claim a fair share of visitors.

Thirty lovers of the sea, mostly from Invercargill, although Dunedin and the North Island were represented, returned this week from an enjoyable trip round the Sounds in the steamer Cowan. The weather was a bit mixed, but this did not prevent the party from seeing most of the glories of the West Coast. On their return trip they called in at Stewart Island, and so unkempt and unshaven were they that the oldest inhabitants of Ruapuke imagined that the nineteenth century whalers had come to life again.

One visitor to Stewart Island found that chivalry is sometimes rewarded with a great deal of chaffing. A girl who was fishing from the wharf managed to get a hook firmly embedded in her jazz garter and stocking, fortunately without piercing her leg. She and a companion vainly tried to get the hook out, and a mere man had to offer his services. Amidst an encouragement of cheers from the large crowd on the wharf, the blushing “ knight of the garter ” performed his deed of chivalry. On Wednesday a fire broke out in the scrub at Awarua Plains and, fanned by a westerly wind, swept through the dry tussocks and manuka towards the Awarua Bay road. It was still blazing on Wednesday night, but no buildings were thought to be endangered. The wind changed, however, and the plantations surrounding the Awarua School grounds took fire, threatening the residence and school. In the midale of the night the two occupants of the schoolhouse were roused and the furniture removed. Another change in the wind occurred, and the danger seemed averted, so most of the furniture was replaced. Yet a spark must have alighted on the building and smouldered unnoticed, for early on Friday morning the schoolhouse burst into flames and was totally destroyed with most of its contents, including a valuable piano and a radio set. His Excellency the Governor-General and Lady Fergusson are devoting the first five days of the coming week to Southland, and are visiting most of the country towns and centres. Monday is to be devoted to a tour of the Western District. Tuesday to the Central District, and Thursday to the Eastern District. Invercargill institutions are to be visited on Wednesday and Friday.

There was a great gathering at Knapdale on Wednesday to celebrate the jubilee of the district. Highly interesting speeches on the early history of Knapdale, Otama, and other places in the neighbourhood were delivered, and a lengthy sports programme gone through. There are a great many radio sets in Southland, and it is safe to assert that on the night when the two intrepid airmen were expected to land few listenersin got to bed till the early hours of the morning. Though Southland is in no way directly concerned in the flight, it is amazing the interest that was taken in it even prior to the airmen hopping off. Since that fateful morning the interest has quickened, but mingled with it has been sympathy and apprehension. . There have been one or two good stories circulating about members of that live organisation, the St. Andrew’s Scottish Society. One prominent official went to the Post Office the other day to obtain British postal notes to the value of 255. The clerk gave him a 15s and a 10s note, and informed him the poundage would be 6d. “If you give me a 20s note and a 5s note the poundage will be 5d,” said the Scot, and he was right, too. So delighted was the chief when he heard of the incident that he put the member’s name on the book as qualifying for the treasureship of the society. The other story concerns a member who came to a local doctor to have a splinter removed from his tongue. “ How did it happen? ” asked the doctor (himself a member of the St. Andrew’s Society). “I was holding a glass of whisky in my hand and spilt a little on the floor,” was the reply.