SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 35

SOUTHLAND TOPICS.

(From Ovb Own Correspondent.) There is usually a sigh when the month of February ends, for summer then seems very near its end. It was with a sigh of relief, however, that Southlanders saw February, 1929, depart, for a wetter, windier month has not been experienced for a long time. On 21 days out of the 28 rain fell. On practically every day it blew, often with the force of a gale. The temperature was often low enough for winter. May Mareh bring more sunshine is the fervent hope of dwellers both in town and country. Interest in the banquet to be tendered Sir Joseph Ward on March 20 is quickening, and there is every prospect of a huge muster from all parts of the province. The committee is making arrangements to accommodate 2000 people in the Drill Hall, so that many fat oxen, sheep, pigs, poultry, and oysters will lose their lives within the next fortnight. No announcement regarding the “ wetness ” or “ dryness ” of the feast has yet been made.

The oyster season opened with great eclat on Friday, and already many thousands of oysters have slipped down the throats of Southlanders. The classic race to be first up from Bluff with a sack of the precious shellfish created great excitement and plenty of humour. By 4 o’clock there were streams of people entering and departing from the fish shops fortunate enough to have secured oysters. They are of excellent quality for the begnning of the season, and the o.vstermen are confident of a profitable eight months.

It is doubtful if “ Bill ” Hazlett. Southland s 1928 All Black, will have time to devote to football in future, for he has just become possessed of the largest property in Southland held under one lease. This is the vast tract of country comprising the Burwood and Mavora Stations, which extend from the main MossburnTe Anau road to the Greenstone River at the head of Lake Wakatipu. The distance between the furthest boundaries is about 75 miles, and the area is 160,000 acres. Practically all the country is mountainous and has to be mustered on foot, and it seems likely that “ Bill ” will have little time to spare after managing such a huge estate. The Supreme Court session has concluded, but it will be some time before some of the cases heard will cease to be general topics of conversation. Particularly is this so regarding the libel case brought by the Farmers’ Cash Supply Service against Jhe two Invercargill daily papers. Many farmers went into the witness box to denounce the service, but another , contingent pronounced entire satisfaction with it. “ How do you think the newspapers will get on? ” was a question one was sure to be asked by all and sundry. W ell. they got on badlv, as everyone now knows, for the use of the words complained of cost each paper about £550.

Just as there are a surprisingly large number of A. and P. associations in Southland. .so are there many horticultural societies, and these are able to stage most creditable flower shows. Already many successful shows have been held in country centres. This week the Riverton and Wyndham shows, took place, and both m the number of and the quality of the exhibits the shows were creditable to the districts concerned There was a large gathering of spectators from town and country at the Invercargill tennis courts on Saturday, when the annual interprovincial match between Otago and Southland was played. The visitors proved just a shade too good' winning by 14 matches to 10. The country players in the Southland team performed creditably, and it is probable that more of these will be included in the team to meet North Otago on March 13. Another match that created keen interest was the inter-electorate game at Gore on Wednesday for the Adam Hamilton Cup. Awarua just managed to get home by two sets, and hold the cup till next year. Diamond weddings are so very infrequent that they are well worth chronicling. At their residence, “ Inverlochie,” Waikaia. Mr and Mrs Christie celebrated on the 25th ult-. the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding day. Almost 300 guests were present to congratulate the celebrants and to admire a huge four-tiered wedding cake that stood beside them. Eight daughters and eight granddaughters from various parts of New Zealand were present. Mr and Mrs Christie received many handsome presents to commemorate the event.

On Wednesday the 8000-ton whaler, the Sir James Clark Ross, steamed into Paterson’s Inlet after four months’ whaling in the Ross Sea. The expedition proved to be highly successful. 49,000 barrels of oil worth about £250.000 having been secured. Altogether 543 whales were killed, and, according to the ship’s officers, there are still as many as ever in the icy waters of the Ross Sea. On Tuesday the vessel will leave for Norway, via American ports. The C. A. Larsen should also return shortly. As I was completing these notes news of three disastrous occurrences of to-day (Saturday) came to hand. A car containing Mr and Mrs Adams was struck by a train at the crossing at Kennington, and both occupants sustained injuries from' which they died. In. Dee street this afternoon a shocking accident occurred when a car coming out of Earnslaw street struck a motor cycle on which two young men, named Henderson, were riding. The collision threw the riders and machine across the road, and a passing lorry ran over both men. One was killed outright, and the other is not expected to recover. The third tragedy was the finding of the dead body of a young man named Milburn, who had been missing from his home for some days. Circumstances were such as to suggest that he had shot himself.