SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 35

SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, March 3. There will be no moaning farmers and parents when daylight saving ceases. Judging from opinions expressed in one of the local papers, Mr Sidey seems far from popular in these parts. Farmers would like to turn him out with a mob of wild steers; mothers who cannot get their children to bed early would like to use a slipper on the worthy member, and schoolmasters declare that they have to suffer many more scholarly yawns since the clocks were put on. Sportsmen and all young people, on the other hand, would gladly see Mr Sidey knighted, and they consider probably not unreasonably—.that much of the criticism emanating from antagonists of the movement is founded on prejudice rather than reason. In any case, Sidey’s time now gives place to standard time, and perhaps the clocks will never be advanced again. If daylight saving has gone out. oysters have come in, the great Oyster Derby on March 1 bringing the bivalves to Invercargill in record time. The Australian cricketers were a day too early to sample Bluffs supreme act of hospitality, but no doubt they wil.l get the world’s best oysters up north.

V'ith so many motor cars on the roads, and with so many dangerous level crossings in existence, accidents are bound to occur. Riversdale was the scene of such a collision this week, when the train from Kingston struck a Ford delivery van fortunately without killing the driver Mr R. L. Reid, of Gore. Mr Reid did’ not observe the approaching train until he ■was almost at the crossing. He tried to swing the car out of the way, but the cylinder box of the engine struck the front of the car and forced the engine back into the front seat. Dlr Reid received a nasty, though not dangerous, cut on the head.

, February was a bad month as far as increasing the population of Invercargill is concerned. There were only 51 births, as compared with 73 for February, 1927. and .33 deaths, as compared with 15. Twenty-three marriages, however, were celebrated, whereas the number in February last year was 16.

On Tuesdaj and \\ ednesday there were huge crowds at the show ground to see the Australian cricketers hit the ball all over the field. Many country people felt the lure of the game so that they let harvesting and haymaking go for the time being, and they had the satisfaction of being rewarded with exhilarating cricket.

The Gore show ground presented an early-Victorian appearance on Wednesday when the Early Settlers’ Association’s annual picnic was held. In addition to the pioneers there were many young people present, and t :c latter indulged in athletic sports, while their forbears recounted tales of hard work. “ hard tack.” and even hard drinking in the ’fifties and ’sixties. Many years ago the late Clement Wragge forecasted that 1928 would be a particularly dry year. Southland, in common with other, districts, has good reason to realise the truth of his prophecy. For January the rainfall was 1.72 in. as compared with the average of 4.01 in for that month. Tn February the total fall amounted to 1.80, ,76in below the average for the month. There were only three days of February on which the sun did not shine.

During the last few days weird and wonderful looking motor cars have been arriving in Invercargill, and the sands of Oreti Beach have been flying under the wheels of these racers, whose drivers have taken the opportunity of getting accustomed to the course. Everything points to there being a record crowd to witness the exciting sport. Popular as the Invercargill tepid baths have proved. complaints have been frequent that coughs, colds, and influenza have been caught from the germs alleged to be in the water. So many rumours to this effect were current that the Baths Committee decided to send a sample of the water ti the Government analyst. The official was able to pronounce the water quite free from disease-forming bacteria, so the sufferers will have to find something else to blame.

The Borough Council of Invercargill, temporarily resting from its contest with the engineer, has still to find a town clerk, for Mr J. F. Menzies, of Sumner, who was offered the position, has declined it. Perhans he prefers neace at Sumner to storms in the south. Mr W. J. Gardner (Wanganui) has been offered the position. Tn America. Great Britain, Canada, and in the North Island there are agricultural clubs for boys and girls, and. thanks lasrelv to the efforts of Mr R. M'Gillivray, of the Agricultural Department, a similar club has now been formed in Southland. Riverton lost an old identity this week in the person of Mr Morgan Hayes. Eighty-seven years ago he was born in Doon. County Limerick, Ireland, and more than 60 years ago he arrived at Riverton. whore he remained for the rest of his long life. He was a typical Irishman, and loved such snorts as horse-racing, hunting, and coursing, owning some fine horses and dogs. In his early davs mining occupied his attention, and later he owned an hotel.