General News.

Southern Cross, Volume 8, Issue 35, 22 December 1900, Page 9

General News.

Mails for the United Kingdom close at Invercargill to-day (Saturday) at 3.15 pm, and on Monday at 2.45 p.m.

The Gladstone Sunday school picnic to the Mokomoko on the 14th [proved a delightful outing. Bathing and fishing in the bay were the order of the day with many, while the bush about Greenhills was in all its glory, and formed a pleasant shelter.

The thirty-fourth annual session of the Grand Orange Lodge, Middle Island of N Z., will be opened in the Protes*ant Hall, Invercargill, at five p.m. on Thursday next. An advertisement in reference to the meeting is published in another column.

Mr W. B. Scandrett has a farm of 120 acres, five miles from Invercargill, for sale.

During the high wind on Tuesday last considerable destruction of property was caused by bush fires. Collins and Hoff’s sawmill in Seaward Bush, with a quantity of timber, and Massey’s mill at Mabel were destroyed. At Spar Bush the manager’s house was burned down and the mill damagedAt Makarewa Mr K. Finlayson’s barn and cow-shed were speedily levelled, and at Otatara a mile or so of the tramway was rendered useless. At Millwood, to the eastward, the houses of Mr J. Melvin and Mr B. Meldrum w r ere destroyed.

A well-known figure in Invercargill passed away in the Southland Hospital on the 12th inst. in the person of ex-Corporal P. McKay> of the 93rd Highlanders. The deceased, who was in his 70th year, enlisted in the 79th Highlanders as a drummer boy and went with his regiment to Quebec about 1848. He returned to Scotland, and was with his regiment in Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and other stations, and when, in anticipation of the Crimean Campaign, volunteers were called for to bring the 93rd up to full strength, he volunteered for service. He did not change his uniform till he went to Vara, where he visited the members of his old regiment in the old dress. He took part in the storming of the Redan, was afterwards with his regiment at the relief of Lucknow, and, coming to New Zealand, fought for Queen and Country against the Maoris in the wars of the sixties. He was a member of the Pipe' Band, and had recently obtained possession of his uniform, so that he may be said to have died in uniform. His friends in the ex-volunteers and Veterans’ -Vssociation would gladly have attended his funeral, but in accordance with the usual practice where a patient dies no intimation «as given of the funeral, and so they were debarred from paying a last tribute of respect to his memory. In future it is understood that all deaths in the hospital will be publicly notified. The Bruce Herald learns that a large number of sheep are changing hands in in Southland. A line of 9000—to be delivered in March —was recently disposed of to a Canterbury freezing company. The Southland Pipe Band has had most enthusiastic receptions at Oamaru, Christchurch and Wellington. Charles Arnett has been committed for trial for attempting to murder three men at Edendale. One witness swore to Arnett having purchased strychnine and Professor Black to the presence of that poison in the food taken by the men, and in the pockets of some of Arnett’s coats. Mr C. Rout has 56 acres adjoining Greenhills station for disposal. Claims against the estate of the late Mrs Julia Borne must be sent in to the administrator forthwith. Mr. W. G. Gilchrist, chemist, Tay street, has got his establishment into holiday order, and the window, with its array of choice perfumery and sachets, with miniature fernery and fountain looks very attractive. The programme of holiday sports opens on Christmas Day, when the Cycling Club hold a meeting, at which a number of wellknown riders will compete. On Boxing Day there will be the City Band’s picnic at Gorge Road, w'hich is sure to be the choice of many, sports at Clifton, which promise to rival any previous gathering under the energetic society which has the fixture in hand; and there are sports at Mataura, Winton and Fortrose, and a regatta at Riverton.