The Southern Cross Published Weekly. INVERCARGILL, SAT. JULY 31st. GENERAL NEWS.

Southern Cross, Volume 17, Issue 16, 31 July 1909, Page 8

The Southern Cross Published Weekly. INVERCARGILL, SAT. JULY 31st. GENERAL NEWS.

On 6th August the Waimatuku bachelors hold their ball.

The Southland Building Society is now prepared to make advances on approved security.

A much-needed work has been put in hand by the Gladstone school committee. They are levelling off and filling up the playground and putting thipgs ship-shajie.

It is a long time since ploughing was indulged in in Dee street, but this week a teain was busy with a plough taking out the foundation for Sir J. G. Ward’s extensive block of buildings, which will be a handsome addition to the main thoroughfare.

Matron Ewart, of the local Hospital, arrived home this week, and resumes duty next week. Renewed in health' and strength we trust she maylong be spared to ca'rry on her good work.

The fine weather gave place to a spell of broken weather this week. Not before it was needed, for numerous suburban residents have been on the verge of a; water famine. In one instance at least it has been : No bath, no washing, no fire in the kitchen on account of shortness of high pressure water.

A service of song entitled “True as Steel” will be given by the choir in St. Andrew’s Church next Wednesday evening. August 4th. They have been practising for some time now, and have the service well under way. It an interesting and pretty piece, and all who can should attend. The proceeds ale in aid of the church fund, and patrons can rely on their money being well used in a good cause.

Members of the Caledonian Society and their friends spent a. very pleasant evening in Victoria Hall on Tuesday night, when their annual social gathering was held. Mr W. Martin, President, occupied the chair. One of the items in a most enjoyable programme was the presentation of several gifts to Mr Wallace Murdoch, who has discharged the onerous duties of handicapper for the last 17 years. _

A benefit concert, in aid of Mr E. Porde, who was incapacitated, from work some time ago, will be given at Nightcaps on the 28th Aug.

Mr E. R. Wilson, architect, invites tenders for the erection of a 'room for the United Friendly SdcietiTenders close close on August

es. 18th

A very large number of entries have been received for the Invercargill competitions, including six for the drawing-room entertainment. This item is going to be one of the most popular on the progi amine, and will afford competitors ample scope for the display of vocal and dramatic ability.

A sum of £-1000 has been subscribe ed by hotelkeepers in Auckland, and presented to the five licensees whose hotels were cltsed through the operation of the reduction vote —that “cursed and unjust reduction vote,” fthe President of the Licensed Victuallers Association called it.

Sir J. Gl.Ward has arrived in England, and was presented at a banquet given in' connection with the opening of the Imperial Defence Conference, over which the Earl of Devonshire presided. Sir. Joseph w r as one of the speakers who replied to the toast of “The Conference,” and his speech was well received.

The services at Leet street Church on Sxinday will be conducted by the Rev. A. Mitchell. At the evening service Mr Mitchell will review the book "Life After Death,” and will also sing "Tho'u’rt passing Hence.” At Teviot street Rev. P. R. Paris will preach on "The Testimony of Life’s Incompleteness.”

The Garrison Band has been instrumental in providing a splendid winter pastime for the public, -which has been appreciated —that of roller skating. The rink will be open today in the afternoon specially fox children, and in the evening for ladies and gentlemen. If you have not been yet, don’t miss going. A healthy, enjoyable evening’s fun is piovided at very low prices.

A business man in town promised himself a holiday when he got certain outstanding accounts in. He set to work about a fortnight ago to collect,and has now come to the conclusion that he’d better take his holiday first, otherwise it might be delayed too long. Therefore, he leaves shortly for a holiday with the assurance that things will brighten np in the spring, which is supposed to arrive to-morrow.

The final coursing meeting of the season takes place on the racecourse on Wednesday and Thursday next. [Entries close to-day, and are very numerous, quite a number of Southland dogs competing. The indications point to a very successful and interesting meeting. The drawing takes place on Monday evening, and everything is in readiness. The public will he able to spend an interesting afternoon as some new dogs are competing, and are supposed to be something good as regards speed. Drags, motors, and cars will convey passengers to the ground, and a firstclass luncheon will be in readiness for patrons.

Keen interest is being taken in the competition concert, which takes place in the, Wesleyah schoolroom on Wednesday evening next. It is between the ladies and gentlemen of the church, as to which side can produce the best and most original programme—points being given for each item. The men take the boards on Wednesday with an entirely original and novel entertainment. It will be concluded with an 0.5.5.., or in plain English—an oyster supper, and for those who do not like this luxury tea and cake will be supplied. No doubt crowded houses will greet both parties, and so far as the betting market goes the odds are even, but the ladies vow that they will be very uneven before they are finished.

The offer of a Dreadnought to the Home authorities by New Zealand must have appeared well-timed to am, ex-colonist now resident in Britain. In the course of a letter to a friend in Invercargill, he observes ; “The Dreadnought excitement has fairly got our nation in its grip, and not before it was time, for after the mess our military made in South Africa in the Boer War, when the situation was only saved by the colonials and volunteers, one would have thought the Government would have seen things put right at once.. The Germans were wont to say—' If we go to war with Britain.’ Now they say—' When we go to war with Britain/ etc.”'

The phenomena variously known ae “the airship scare,” “skylights,” “luminous clouds,” etc., are still puzzling the inhabitants of the Dominion from Auckland to Orepuki, but so far no convincing solution has been forthcoming. Some people have been improving the occasion by sending up large balloons both here and at Dunedin.

! The death took place at the resi- ! dence of her son-in-law, Mr Peter Georgeson, Bluff, on Friday, 23rd j JuD- of Margery, relict of the late I Alexander Leith, of R'osedale, Mokoj tua, in her 95th year. Mrs Leith, i who had led a very quiet life for j some years, was a worthy icpresenI tatiye of the good old pioneers, who | faced and overcame the hardships of j the early days bravely and. uncomIplainingly. Her residence in X. Z, j dated from 1849.

The Gorge Road gentlemen give a j ball at their hall on Friday, August i 6th.

The annual social in connection with the North Invercargill Presbyterian Church will take place on Wednesday the 4th inst.. at 7.30 p.m. in the church. As a very good programihe, consisting of songs, speeches, etc., will be rendered by a number of well-known vocalists and others, a pleasant evening is assured to all that can make it convenient to attend.

It was stated in Gore that an "airship” had been seen try local residents on Monday night, a brilliant light being observable in the direction of Wendon Valley. According to the Standard "late birds” were deceived by the flare from a fire.

It is reported that Mr D. Hanan, the popular manager - of the Woodlands Meat Works, has purchased the Woodlands Hotel, and intends to continue it as a boardinghouse. It will prove a great convenience to visitors and others to the township, and under the capable management of the Hanan family, should be a remunerative undertaking. We wish him every success. The Wallacetown Junction Hotel has also changed hands, and Mr Jno. McKay has sold his interest in it to Mr Arthur Plank, who for a time was steward of the Commercial Club, Invercargill.

I The International Correspondence ; Schools, which have their headquarters in Scranton, U.S.A., rank among ; the leading educational agencies of . the time, and they number their pu- | pils in N.Z. by thousands. An inset issued with this week’s "Southern i Cross” gives some interesting details in connection with the work, and on i Wednesday evening next there will ■be a notable gathering in Ashley’s | I-Ta.ll of students of the Schools. It • has been promoted by Mr O. G. Lee, the local representative of ~ the Schools, who rightly believes that "all work and no play makes Jack a. {dull boy,” and wishes to give them a night off duty. There will'-be some good songs and other musical items, and it is Mr Lee’s hope that students and their friends may have a good time. It will not be his fault if they don’t.

Special services are to be conducted at the Salvation Army on Sunday by Adjutant Hildreth (Representative of Lazarus). They are well worth attending. and all are welcome. Remember this, and attend at 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m., and you will hear something of special interest to you.

Farmers and others having Gorse and thorn hedges to trim should wear garden gloves to avoid pricks. Two cases of festering hands came under nur notice this week —one a man at Kennineton, who was cutting gorse, and. had to have his hand attended to by a doctor ;. the other a man at Wallacetown, which was more serious. He was cutting a thorn hedge, and cut his hand slightly with the hook. On top o that he jagged it, and has been under Dr. Hendry’s care at the Hospital for a couple of weeks and promises to give thorn hedges a wide berth in future.

The attendance at Bluff Methodist Church on Tuesday evening, 21st, was not large, but the lecture on “Humbugs,” delivered by the Eev. Knowles Smith, was immensely enjoyed by those who availed themselves of the privilege of hearing this capable speaker from the Home Hand. Mr G. R. George presided, and musical items were rendered by Mesdames King and Creagh; and Misses Hutton, Roderique, Erasmusson, and Creagh. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded, to the lecturer on the motion of Mr E. Johnson, seconded by Mr D. McKenzie. The Forest Fair takes place next week, and should be a thorougd success.

A Frenchman named Berliot has travelled from Calais to Dover in an airship, doing the 26 miles in 33 minutes, winning £2400 in prizemoney. Latham, an Englishman, essayed the same feat, and almost crossed the Channel, his airship dropping into the water close to the Admix alty pier at Dover.

It is pleasant to note that the services of young ladies from Invercargill are in demand in the nursing profession. Not long ago one was called away from here to a remote part of the North Island to take charge of several fever cases, and now Miss L. Kelly, of Enwood, Invercargill, is going still further afield. It seems that after a spell of professional work in a private hospital in Auckland, she visited Rotorua with her mother, Mrs C. Kelly, and while there was engaged by the Countess of Mountcashel to travel Home with her as a nurse. While at Home Miss Kelly will enter the leading Hospital in London in order to secure the highest diploma possible in her profession, for which she has displayed marked aptitude. She leaves Invercargill on Monday, 9th August.

“He and his wife have obtained oldage pensions, and it is the wish of all who know the old couple that they may be long spared to enjoy them.” Thus writes a Home paper in referring to Mr Tirloch McSweeney. who lives in the town of Gunniagh, situated in a wild and sterile district of County Donegal. Mr Me Sweeney, who is in his 72nd year, has'followed the occupation of a. professional Irish piper, and represented Ireland in that capacity at the Chicago exhibition in 1893. A reference to O’Hart’s “Irish Pedigrees” shows that Mi- McSweeney is a descendant of princes who were closely connected with the royal line of Ireland. and his pedigree can be traced to Ermon, first King of Ireland.

In the course of an able sermon in St. Paul’s' Wesleyan Church on Sunday night, the Rev. A. Mitchell dealt with the armament craze on the part of the Great Powers, and expressed the conviction that it would either end in financial exhaustion or—war. War . he added, was no longer the picturesque thing depicted in the pages of Sir Walter Scott, but rather a cold-blooded slaughter conducted at long range by men who often never saw their foes. The workers cif the world who had the least to gain and the, most to lose by war, would probably realise their power ere long, and compel a halt. For his own part, he was inclined to thank God for every deadly device invented for the destruction of cruisers, such as torpedoes, for it meant that war would soon become such tg ghastly business that the nations of the world would demand arbitration for the settlement of disputes. It was worth-<- of note that in the last TOO years 200 cases had been so dealt with that otherwise might have led to disastrous conflicts. A feature of the musical part of the services was a line rendering of “Nearer, mv God, to Thee.” by Miss Vera Small, a member of the choir.

Speaking at the Salvation Army anniversary celebration on Wednesday evening. Brigadier Albiston had something to say about Army methods of worship, and related the story of the old lady, who, in the early days of the movement, declared that members of the Army would never be allowed -to enter heaven because they were such a rowdy lot. Soon after she had a remarkable dream, in which she died and was admitted to Paradise. Seeing a number of large pens, she inquired their use, and her atigelic guide replied that one of the pens, filled with quiet, well-behaved people, was for members of the Church of England. Another pen, holding a still more sedate company, was for Presbyterians, and others for the Methodists. Baptists, and several other denominations. “And this empty pen ?” queried the old dame. “Oh, that was for Salvationists,” was the answer. “Ah,” exclaimed she with intense conviction, “I knew that crowd would never' enter into heaven.” “Don’t he too hasty,” said the angel. “We’ve a great many Salvationists here, but it was impossible to keep them penned up, and you’ll find them away in the distance there conducting an open-air meeting.” The ladies of Makarewa hold a ball in the schoolhouso on Friday. August 13th.