The Southern Cross PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, March 21. General News

Southern Cross, Volume 3, Issue 51, 21 March 1896, Page 8

The Southern Cross PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, March 21. General News

Two announcements are made iA this issue by the Southland Metropolitan A. and P_ Society. One is that the annual ram and ewe fair will be held on Thursday, 9th April, and the other that a grand winter show takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2nd and 3rd June. Victoria’s wheat yield is estimated at 4TI bushels to the acre. The Hon. Mr McKenzie, Minister of Lands, was awarded a rote of thanks and confidence after addressing the electors at Gisborne on Wednesday night. If he lives three years longer and remains in office a Fair Rent Bill will become law, and he advised the Treasurer to bring in a Fair Interest Bill also'.

The Canterbury Frozen Meat Co. will pay a dividend of nine per cent, and carry forward £lO5. Stock dealt with during the year ; Sheep, 323,491; lambs, 227,3q1 ; cattle, 192 ; pigs, 8293. The company has been in operation for 13 years, and the total dividends paid, amount to 102 per cent, while L 32.753 has been written off the works account and L 5877 accumulated as reserves.

“Likefather, like son.” General Booth started out on his own account when he’ established the Salvation Army, and his son, Ballington Booth, has followed his example. He has left the Army in the United States, and started a new corps styled “God’s American Volunteers. ”

Mr T. G. Bowles, M.P., who is leaving England on a mission to the colonies in furtherance of the objects of the Empire League for the development of inter-Empire trade, will be the bearer of a letter from Mr Chamberlain! suggesting that the Premiers of the various colonies should submit a scheme justifying the abrogation of existing commercial treaties between Britain and Fereign Powers.

We have received from Messrs Lillicrap and Co., Esk street, a copy of Haggard’s well-known novel “ She.” It is well printed and is issued in attractive paper covers. The volume represents the latest venture of Stead of Beview of Beviews fame, who is now doing for the novelists what he has done for the poets. “She” is the forerunner of a library of works of fiction which will bo sold in the colonies at the wonderfully cheap rate of 2d per copy to subscribers and 3d to casual buyers. The books, as edited by Mr Stead, will be given in an abridged form, but judging from the skill with which the condensation has been done, readers will appreciate the reduction in bulk.

An attempt at highway robbery is seldom made in this district, and people were therefore greatly startled when they learnt that Mr McG-ruer, the well-known draper, had been attacked while on his way to his home in East Invercargill last Saturday night. When near his house three men emerged from a clump of trees, and one of them struck him on the head with a heavy stick. Mr McGruer was partially stunned, but his wife, daughter and a lady friend, who happened to be with him, raised such an outcry that the rascals quickly decamped, Mr McGruer had the day’s taking with him, and it is evident that robbery was the object of his assailants. The new R.C. church, Waikiwi, will be opened for worship at 11.30 a.m. to morrow. The Rev. Father lynch, Diocesan Administrator, preaches the dedication sermon. For the convenience ol townspeople tramcars will be run from Invercargill at 10, 10.30, and 10.50 a.m.

A census of the colony will be taken on Sunday, I2th April.

/M. Bradley, fruiterer, Invercargill, has; failed. Liabilities, LB7 7a Hd; assets, L6l 10s 8d ; deficiency L 25 17s 3d. Competition for wool at the London sales continues to be very active. The Department of Lands and Survey, Invercargill, notify that a number of village homestead allotments and rural lands will be °pen for selection on 15th April. According to the Dunedin Star, Messrs A. Lee Smith and J. B. Reid, of Dunedin, will, in future take part in the management of the J. G. Ward Association. A cricket match was played on the Western Reserve on Wednesday between the High School and lonic Clubs, the former, with 65,, proving the winners by eleven runs. For the lonic, Kane, Rout, and Lillicrap bowled successfully, and for the School Whitaker and H. Hay. For the lonic, W. Black made 26, and for the High School, Whitaker 11, H. Hay 22, and B. Basstian 17. • We have to thank an esteemed Colac Bay correspondent for the report of the annual gathering held there on the 27th ult. A capital programme was provided, and the committee (Messrs Clode, Skerritt, W. Holland, F. Lee, W. Jones, A, McKenzie, D. Gordon, A. Perry, B. O’Neill, F. A Green, and J. Robertson) managed matters so well that they will hand over to their successors in office a good credit balance for next year* Mr W. Moncur as secretary and Mr F. Dawson as treasurer were the right men in the right place. We regret that we have not space for the detailed prize-list.

There has been quite a chapter of acci. dents in town and country lately. Mr J, McKenzie, engaged at the Colac Bay sawmill, had his hand gashed with a saw; at the same place Mr J. Johns had his legs badly bruised through missing the step of a tender, the wheels of which ran over the limbs; and Mr H. Driver, while cutting a race, lopped off the great toe of one foot through his axe catching in a twig.—Dr Stockwell, of Wyndham, had his leg broken by a fall from his horse, and was brought to the Invercargill Hospital, a contingent of the Railway Ambulance Association carrying him on an ambulance stretcher from the railway station to the institution. T. Boyce, son of Mr GJ-, Boyce, has had his skull injured by a fall from a horse, and on Wednesday night MrsP. Mussen was bruised about the body by a kick from a straying horse.

Mr C. Robinson, chief of the Hansard staff of Hew South Wales, recently competed a holiday tour of Hew Zealand, spending the last few weeks with relatives in Invercargill. He has returned well pleased with his trip, one of the incidental advantages of which was that he escaped the heal wave soseverely felt in Sydney and other parts of H.S.W.

The sale of stock at Merrivale next Wednesday, advertised in another column by Messrs Tothill, Watson and Co., should have a large attendance, as no doubt many cf the new settlers are looking out for sheep and cattle.

There’s money in farming yet. The other day Mr A. D. McDonald, of Wright’s Rush, sold his farm, containing about 200 acres, toMr F. Forde, of Forde Bros., at the very satisfactory figure of L 9 l2s per acre, the terms being equivalent to cash—in fact,. LIOOO was paid over very soon after the bargain was made. The price seems a big one, but the property is an exceptionally good one, and has been highly improved. It adjoins the purchaser’s own holding, and he can now felicitate himself on possessing two of the best farms in Southland, and in his skilful hands they are not likely to lose in value.

Mr C. Akhurst, for some years in the service of the National Bank, Invercargill, recently resigned his position, and has left totry his fortunes in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he will join his brother-in-law, Mr S. Tarlton, formerly of the Bank of New Zealand, Riverton. The annual meetings of householders for the election of school committees throughout the district takes place on Monday, 27th April. The anniversary services in connection with St. Paul’s Wesleyan Church Sunday school will be held to-morrow. A former pas - tor of the Church, the Rev. E. Taylor, now of Cangill Road, Dunedin, will preach, and special hymns will be sung by the children* who will have the assistance of the choir

The Hon. J. G. Ward addresses the electors of Awarua at Winton on Monday night, at the Bluff on Tuesday night, and at Stewart Island on Wednesday. The mayors of Winton and the Bluff will preside at the first two meetings and the chairman of the Stewart Island County Council at the third. A train •will be run to and from Winton and Invercargill on Monday in connection with the meeting.

Mr Freyberg, the Government timber expert, a report of whose address is given in another column, stated, in the course of a brief interview, that he was astonished at the timber resources of Southland as revealed by personal inspection—for ten days he averaged 80 miles travelling per day— and the small use made of them. His tour included a visit »to Stewart Island, where he saw a number of fine timbers, specimens of which are to be sent to London without delay.

Competitors in the hurdle race on Easter Monday at the cycling and athletic sports will xindly note that there will be 10 flights and not eight as appears in the preliminary programme.

The Business people of Esk Street recently subscribed to have a crossing made from the northern side of the thoroughfare to the post office gateway. The work, which is being carried out for the Corporation by Mr W. Cook, of the well-known firm of asphalters, is noteworthy from the fact that wooden blocks are being used instead of gravel for the first time here so far as public crossings are concerned. The bed consists of 9 by Ift totara planks, on which are laid on end red pine and birch blocks 6 inches in length, which have been dipped in hot tar. A lath is nailed between each row of the blocks, and the interstices are filled up with hot tar and coarse sand, which, when set, will form a solid, unyielding mass. If the experiment is successful, wooden blocks will, no doubt, take the place of asphalt in future.

The Education recently decided to close the Park school, but at the same time granted the committee an opportunity to show cause against the adoption of that course. It is understood that the committee have since formulated a score of what they consider good and sufficient reasons for the retention of the school. A petition in favour of maintaining the school is in course of signature. Report has it that a member of a local body (not the Southland County Council) intends to propose the imposition of a tax on cyclists. “ Quite a funeral pall overshadowing the city.” So cabled a press correspondent from Melbourne recently. One naturally concluded that a dire calamity had overtaken the inhabitants, or that some great leader of the people had passed away. Nothing of the Mud —tne “pall” was due to the fact of “ Wallace not winning the Champion Cup, which was a sad blow to the general public.” Poor things! Time was when Melbourne and her citizens had nobler matters to occupy them than the winning or losing of a race.

The Southland Mounted Bifles paraded in their new uniforms last week. As showing the stamp of jmen in the corps, it may be mentioned that of the 45 mounts only two were hirfd. The corps was put through several exercises at the Waikiwi by Captain Eobins (Otago Hussars), and at 5.30 p.m. the parade broke off, and the company sat down to a capital repast in Host Shaw’s Junction Hotel. The men were afterwards exercised in menage work and the march past_ At a meeting held afterwards, Corporal Dunlop was elected to the position of rice Mr C. McDonald, resigned. Forty signified their intention of attending the Easter Encampment.

Apropos of Mr Cook’s offer of 2Jd per gallon to the farmers at Wallacetown in connection with the reopening of the condensed milk factory, Mr J.- Maitland Jones informs the Otago Daily Times that there is a new process which manufactures condensed milk equal to the Anglo-Swiss (Milkmaid brand), which invention will shortly be on the market, and by adopting which 4d per gallon can be paid for milk, and then leave a substantial profit. The cyclists of the town and district are getting up a petition to the County Council in the hope of having the roads leading from the town put into good order. Mr W. Wignall announces that he has opened again in his old shop.

“ Wish they’d mend their ways,” remarked a citizen of Invercargill the other day, re ferring to the borough council. He spoke feelingly, having a short time previously fallen heavily on the asphalt near a grating in front of Wesuey Bros.’ Leviathan Gift Depot* where the surface has been worn as smooth as glass. He fortunately escaped with a few bruises, but others may not get off so easily, and it is to be hoped that this .and other dangerous places will receive a top-dressing without delay.

Another change. Mr B. J, Atkinson, who has been engaged in the sales department of Messrs Godward and McKenzie’s cycling manufacturing establishment for the last eighteen months, has accepted an appointment with Messrs Jenkinson and Co., cycle manufacturers, Wellington, and -leaves here on Wednesday. Genial and obliging, he carries with him heaps of good wishes from his many cycling and other friends, who will be glad to hear of his prosperity in the capital. “ Bert ” wields a ready pen, and we hope to publish some racy notes from him ere long as to the ways of Wellington wheel, men. In his capacity of “ Safety ” we have to thank him for many interesting notes in our cycling column. He will be greatly missed by the Cycling Club, with which he has been connected from the start —latterly as assistant secretary.