THE BLUFF

Southern Cross, Volume 19, Issue 23, 16 September 1911, Page 12

THE BLUFF

FRJM WEEK TO WEEK. |

HIGH WATER 'AT PORT OF BLUFF.

The weather bill last week has been full of samples—line sunny weather for a couple of days—two days soft, steady rain—then keen, easterly, cold weather, with one night's violent wind. The bulbs are coming on in the gardens, and there is a fine show or daffodils, though, on the whole, appearances are not so promising for the spring, show next week. SHIPPING. . Shipping has been busy during the week and work plentiful. Indeed, the Ivurow was delayed on Monday fdr want of hands. The arrivals "have been the steamers Kurow, Petone, Invercargill, Warrimoo, Moeraki, and Aparima, and the Norwegian barque Ariel ;" and the departures the Ruapehu, Petone, Kurow, Invercargill, Moeraki, and Hananui 11. The Kurow arrived on Saturday with sugar from Auckland, and loaded about 4000 sacks potatoes, 13,000 oats, 900 chaff, and cheese, leaving on Tuesday ior Northern ports. The Koonya brought her usual fortnightly cargo of coal. The steamer to Melbourne was the Warrimoo. She took timber, oats, oysters, horses, outward. The boat from Melbourne was the Moeraki, which came in at 9 a.m. on Monday. She likeAvise took timber, barley, cheese, oats, potatoes and oysters on her outward journey., The big N.Z. Shipping Co.'s Ruapehu cleared with 80,000 carcases of frozen meat, 10,000 c rates rabbits, and wool, flax, tallow and pelts, grass seed. etc. Capt. Clifford was loud in his praises of the affability of Sir .Joseph and Ead.y Ward on the voyage out. This steamer was fetched in and taken out in the nighttime by the Harbourmaster, Captain I.ovett. and the' Captain expressed himself very phased with the lighting arrangements of the harbour.

The Invercargill popped in late on Saturday night to land mails and passengers from Preservation. The Petane looked in on Friday and loaded grain for North Island. The whaler Hananui took her departure for North Isl.and on Thursday. The Norwegian barque Ariel from Surprise Island with 1400 tons of guano for the N.Z: T. &' M.A. Co., was sighted on Sunday and brought in on. Monday morning, and given a berth inside the wharf. ( On Wednesday evening the IJ.S.S. Co.'s Calcutta trader Aparima arrived with 1000 tons cargo for Bluff, mostly cornsacks, woolpacks, etc. Capt. Hamilton, the recently (appointed second pilot, was in charge, and brought her to the .wharf in a handsome fashion, thereby auguring well for his future success in piloting large vessels into Bluff Harbour.The Bluff Bowling Green, after being top-dressed by Mr Bain at the

end of July, is looking m splendid order, and there is a| betteri growth of grass than ever before. Improvements in the way of shelter have been made, and everything promises well ior the coming season. ENTERTAINMENT. The annual bazaar of the Methodists is generally well organised and lull of interest, and the function opened on Thursday was no exception to the rule. The opening was conducted by Cr. Tipping, who represented the Mayor (Mr E. A. Nichol), who is laid up from the effects of an accident. The hall was as usual tastefully decorated, and the stalls were presided over by the following ladies, belonging to the Eadies' and Young Women's Guilds :—Fancy Stall : Mrs Stewart, Miss Krame ; Eollie Stall :\ Mrs Stephens, Miss Cooper ;• Produce Stall : Mrs J- McQuarrie and Miss McQ.ua rrie ; Plain Stall : Mesdames Crozier, P. McQuarrie. and Grant ; Flower Stall : Mrs King, Miss Crozier, Mesdames Chapman and Edginton ; Tea Rooms : Mesdames Creagh and George ; President, Mrs Creagh ; Secretary. Mrs Crozier. The chief interest centred in the evening's entertainment competition, held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and for which three parties led by Miss Creagh, and Messrs G. R. George and F. Johnston entered in friendly rivalry, the parties comprising 15 persons each. On Thursday Miss Creagh presented. "A birthday party at a restaurant." and she was assisted by Mrs Crocket, Misses C. and G. Metzger. N. Crozier and D. Hamilton, and Messrs T. Crocket, A. H. Courtis, O. Metzger, A. Gilmore, F. Ball. J- Watson, and F. Aarons. The staging was pretty and effective, the music good., dialogues sparkling, and humorous element well sustained by Messrs H. T.abatt and A. Metzger, as butler and waiter,respectively. On Thursday Mr G. R. George put oh "I-Tig-h Eife below Stairs, or Fun in the kitchen." representing the d.oings of the servants and their beaux while the master was absent. Mrs Graham (.housekeeper). F. Macdonald. T. S tew art, Eadie, and Miss Hutton (mauls). Mrs Tipping (cook), and Messrs Graham (..butler), George (gardener), Pa vies (groom). Wishart (policeman), Pearce (soldier), T. Stewart (sailor)l Mr Wallace (chauffeur), as the "kitchen choir," provided an excellent programme of part songs recitations, funnyisms, etc., all connected by dialogues, and kept the audience in a simmer of laughter all through. Mrs Eadie. as the scullerymaid, and Mr T. Stewart as the Sailor provided, comedy of a high order, while Mr C. Hamilton as the lightning sketcher drew some local ccIsbrities with marked success. and Mr Digby Smith, as the master, duly supervised the merrymakers at the finish.

On Saturday the curtain rose on Mr Johnston's "Scarlet Troubadours." he being assisted . by Mesdames Earsman, King, Creagh. Misses Sinclair, Erasmussen. G. Woods, Bra me, and B. White, andi Messrs E. Parkes. Edge, Rusden, Howden, and Master McGavock. A good entertainment of glees, quartettes. duets, and solos, was provided, and a ventriloquial entertainment by Mr Credge, of Invercargill. The large audience was appreciative. At the close, the judges, Messrs P. McKenzie. Miller, and Ba.nnerman, announced the decision to be — Mr George's party, 71 points ; Miss Creagh's, 70 ; Mr Johnston's, 55. The proceeds of the thi-ee nights were about £9O. Very great Interest was taken in the entertainments, for which the parties had been in practice for some weeks, and the idea may . be commended to those who are carrying on bazaars and are puzzled as to how to provide attractions. PRESENTATIONS. Tn a community dependent upon shipping there is continual coming

and going. During the week three local residents have been farewelled. Mr W. Galbraith, who has been associated with the township for the last 32 years, and is going to fill the position of foreman to the Southland Engineering Co., was entertained on Saturday evening in the Eagle Hotel, by his friends in the) engineering profession, Mr J. C. Imlay being in the chair. Many pleasant things were said by the chairman and others, and Mr Galbraith was presented with a saddle-bag chair, and a silver tray for his wife. In responding, Mr Galbraith referred, to the happy relations which had always existed between himself and his employers and associates, and said he was taking the change in the interests of his growing family. On Monday. Mr Boyland. who has been for eight or nine years in business here, and is removing with his family to Greymouth, was met by his friends and presented with a handsome travelling rug and a silver tea set for Mrs Boyland. Mr Tra,\nor. who has been with Messrs Nichol Bros, for some years, and who has resigned to accept another position, was presented on Saturday by the members of the staff with a handsome case of pipes as a mark of their esteem. GENERATE. Adjutant Walls, of the Young People's Work- movement, visited Bluff on Saturday, and on Sunday gave a olograph service in the Drill Hall after church. Though bad weather prevailed, there was a good attendance and the adjutant's big voice was heard to advantage in several sacred solos.

At the farewell to Mr Galbraith Cv. Jas. Walker again raised his voice for the provision of a Town Hall. This he has been doing for a number of years, but the project seems to get "no forrader,/' An up-to-date municipal building, on the section the Council has acquired for the purpose, with large and small halls and suitable culinary and dressing rooms, would be a great acquisition to the place, and if the Crs. who are spending their energies on the baths idea, would transfer them to the town hall project it would be easv of accomplishment. The 'hope ot Bluff—Mr' V. McQuarrie—for the heavy weight Australasian boxing championship, did not come off. he being beaten on points. \s Paid generally knocks out his man, there there may be some satisfactory explanation forthcoming for his failure.

Bluff possesses a nourishing Band of Hope, the meetings usually taking the form of musical entertainments and dialogues and temperance addresses, being sandwiched in for edification. A successful meeting was held on Friday, when the entertainment was provided by Mrs East, Misses Hutton. Forest. Bramg, and McLeod. and Messrs Leith, Valentine and Roderique. The address was given by Mr Mclndoe. of Invercargill, and his theme was the economic waste induced by the liquor habit. The town quarry for the supply of road metal to Invercargill has been suffering some enforced idleness during the past week owing to difficulties with the elevator. New arrangements are being made to obviate the trouble, and once it gets going it is ihe opinion of experts that the machinery will be able to keep up the supply, and will prove to be a valuable branch of the municipal trading.

a.m. p.m. TO-PAY, 1 6 th 7.37 8.12 Sunday, 17th 8.38 9.4 JMonctay. 18th 9.59 10. '31 Tuesday, 19th 9.23 11.0 Wednesdii iv, 20th 10.35 11.53 Thursday •, 21st 11.37 0.17 Fridav, 22nd 0.7 0.17