The Southern Cross PUBLISHED WEEKLY. INVERCARGILL, SATURDAY, DEC. 16 General News.

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 38, 16 December 1899, Page 8

The Southern Cross PUBLISHED WEEKLY. INVERCARGILL, SATURDAY, DEC. 16 General News.

The Hon. J. G. Ward invites the shareholders of the Ward Farmers’ Association to meet him in Hanan’s Hall this afternoon, when important matters will be submitted for their consideration.

It is likely that Acting-Detective Mcllveney, of Invercargill, who has proved a first-class officer, will shortly be promoted to the position of detective at Wellington.

The carrying of no-licence in the Clutha wdll entail the closing of the Pukerau Railway Hotel on the 30th June next, and the extinc* tion of the wholesale licences at Tapanui.

An advertisement will appear in our next issue for Messrs Thomson and Beattie to the effect that customers spending 10s or upwards at the Exhibition daring this month wilp receive a free copy of the Exhibiton Music and Pictorial Album. The work contains 36 pages of music and paintings, a number of he latter being reproductions of famous paintings.

Mrs T. Crow, Makarewa, who was severely injured in. a buggy accident a few months ago, died in the Southland Hospital on Thursday night' One of her sons is with the Hew Zealand contingent in the Transvaal.

Official accounts give the British losses up to Tuesday last as 566 'killed, 2027 wounded, and 1977 as missing.

The official returns of the poll for Wallace are ; —Mr Gilfedder, 1896; Mr Carmichael, 1677; informal, 26; majority for Mr Gilfedder, 219.

The N.Z. L. and M.A. Co. are in receipt of the following cable from their London office : —The wool sales closed firmly. Since the close of last sales greasy merino is 20 per cent., and greasy crossbred, 25 per cent, dearer. Nearly all descriptions have advanced 3d per lb. Other descriptions are unchanged. Under date London, Dec. 14, the Company have been advised as follows : —• Tallow is in good demand. New Zealand good beef is worth 26/6 per ewt. New Zealand fine mutton is worth 28s 6d per cwt. It is reported that the Hon. J. G. Ward will be sworn in as a minister of the Crown in a few days. A concert in aid 'of All Saints’ Church, Gladstone, will be held in Hanan’s hall on Tuesday evening. The programme is a most attractive one, and will be contributed to by Mrs Porbes-Williams, Mrs Ross, Miss Winnie Eoyds, Miss Russell, Miss Chilman, Miss Organ, and Messrs J. W. Glennie, J. L. Watson, J. Morton, Stevens, and Master Norris.

The City Guards’ Band hold their annual picnic and sports at Mokotua on Boxing Day, Particulars are advertised. The programme of sports includes a .£lO Sheffield handicap.

The Bluff Harbour Board announce that the tug Awarua will make a trip to Stewart Island on Boxing Day. The fare is very moderate, and if the weather is favourable a visit will be paid to that charming expanse, Patterson’s Inlet, as well as Half Moon Bay.

The annual sports of the Waianiwa Athletic Society will be held on Thursday, 28th Dec., in a paddock adjoining the township, which has been placed at the disposal of the committee by Mr Wilson. A very good programme has been arranged. ' Entries for several of the events close on Wednesday next.

Mr W. B. Scandrett has a property at Richmond Grove for sale. Messrs Ekeneteen Bros. & Co. call attention to a number of their lines in stationery and fancy goods.

At the last meeting of the Invercargill Borough Council it was decided to take steps to raise another loan. Some of the members favoured one of .£IO,OOO, and one -suggested the borrowing of £20,000. Mr Rolleston has been beaten for Riccarton by one vote. At Auckland recently a husband, acting under sub section 3 of the Amending Act of 1898, obtained a divorce on the ground that his wife had been an habitual drunkard for four years and upwards. This is the first case brought under the sub-section heard in the colon y. Train arrangements for the Christmas holidays are advertised in this issue. The annual gathering of the Winton Caledonian Society will be held on Boxing Day, and in the evening a concert, for which a very attractive programme has been arranged, will be given in Moore’s hall. A total eclipse of the sun, which is a compartively rare phenomenon, will take place on 28th May, 1900.

The National Mortgage and Agency Coy. report the sale on account of Messrs Helder and Awdry, Eedcliff station, to Mr E. Gates of Koromiko, a Cheviot ram hoggett, price fifty guineas. This ram took second prize in his class at the show on Wednesday. The purchaser had the choice of the first and second prize-takers and preferred the latter. Mr Gates is taking the ram to Ashburton, and we feel certain the venture will be a profitable one.

Musical compositions with a warlike flavour are in vogue just now. Two of the latest examples are to hand from Messrs Lillicrap and Co. One of these is a march, “ Under Two Flags.” The composer, Mr J. C. Easton, has given us a march of a decidedly martial character. It is an arrangement for the piano, but if scored for brass bands should sound particularly well. The second piece for which we have to thank Messrs Lillicrap and Co., is a song entitled “ England will see it through,” the name being suggested by a recent phrase of Mr Chamberlain’s regarding the war in the Transvaal. It is dedicated to Major Robin and the New Zealand contingent, who, by the way, have already undergone their “ Baptism of Eire ” The piece is sure to commend itself to our volunteers, and be in request at concerts for some time to come.

TO ) HE DEAF. —A rich lady, cured of her Deafness and Noises in the Head by Dr. Nicholson’s Artificial Ear Drums, has sent .£I,OOO to his Institute, so that deaf people unable to procure the Ear Drums may have them free. Apply to Department AC.B., The Institute, “ Longcott,” Gunnersbury London, W., England.