SOUTHLAND TOPICS

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 31

SOUTHLAND TOPICS

(Fbom Odb Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL’S REFORM CANDIDATE. The recent conclaves of the Invercargill Reform Party have now been divulged to the electors by the announcement that Mr George Agnew has been chosen as the official candidate for Invercargill at the forthcoming general election. It is felt by the local supporters of Mr Coates that the choice is a wise one, and that the party’s banner will be loyally upheld by the candidature of Mr Agnew. The Reform candidate is first assistant at the Invercargill South School and a member of the executive of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, while he is also favourably regarded in these parts as a most forceful and fluent speaker. THE TE ANAU ROAD. The construction of the Te Anau-Mil-ford road is progressing steadily, and there are now some 200 relief workers employed on the job. Within the next week or so the peg will be reached, and the road will then be continued along the valley of the Eglinton River. It is confidently anticipated that the work will be the means of leading to more settlement in the country through which it passes, for although the land is certainly very much in the backb'ocks, the level areas in the valley are said to be of excellent quality. MAROON RUGBY TEAM. A well-balanced team has been chosen by the Southland Rugby selectors to meet Otago in the first representative match of the season to be played at Invercargill on Wednesday, July 1. • No fewer than seven country players are included in the chosen fifteen, and their selection has borne out the claims that this season the country players have shown they are equally as good as the town aspirants for representative honours. The tussle is being awaited with great interest, and its outcome will tend either to raise or lower Southland’s hopes of recapturing the Ranfurly “ log of wood.” PLOUGHING MATCHES. With the ploughing season in full swing, the time is now approaching for the two surviving annual ploughing matches in Southland to be held. The first of these popular fixtures will be that conducted by the Drummond Ploughing Match Association, for which Wednesday, July 8, is the date that has been selected. Three days later the champion ploughing match will be held at Wallacetown. In the past it has been usual for a week to elapse between the Drummond and the champion matches, but on account of the change of half-holiday in Invercargill, and in view of the fact that the association has a large number of city supporters, it was decided to change the day of the match to Saturday. The present indications are that entries will be quite as numerous as last year in both cases, with a distinct possibility that the numbers will be larger. Although the change over to grassland farming has decreased the use of the plough and the number of those with outstanding qualifications in its use, the alteration in farming systems has resulted in greater support at the competitive matches, for ploughing has come to be regarded more as a novelty in these enlightened times than was the case formerly. All arrangements for both fixtures are well in hand, and they should enjoy as much success as formerly. STRIKING PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. That gratifying results have attended the aim of the authorities of the Southland Boys’ High School in their efforts, by means of sporting activities, phj-sical drill, singing lessons, etc., to ensure that the pupils should possess not only healthy minds but also healthy bodies, is evidenced by records which have been kept of the figures are distinctly striking. Each ease of the 1931 Rugby football team the figures are istinctly striking. Each member of the team was “ recorded ” when he entered the school four years ago, and the general development extending over that period has been more than one would naturally expect to be the case. In 1927. when the average age of membership of the team was 13 years 5 months, his weight amounted to 7st 21b, as against list 21b to-day (an increase of 4st). His height was sft (sft Bin in 1931); chest expansion 31in (37 2-3 in in 1931); lung capacity 168 cubic inches (274 cubic inches in 1931). This progress has been remarkable, the more so seeing the lads were weighed attired in their football shorts and were barefooted when their height was taken. But not only in the case of the football members has the physical development be'en so striking—all the lads have shown an increase along the same lines. The measurements and weight of every pupil enrolling at the school are now being recorded, and it is the intention of the rector to furnish to parents, at regular intervals, comprehensive reports illustrating the marked development in the physique of the lads. SHALL SOUTHLAND TOUR? For several years past Southland ladies’ hockey representative teams have competed with conspicuous success in the annual K Cup Dominion Championship tournaments, and strenuous efforts are now being embarked upon by local players in their aim to raise the £2OO which will be required this season if Southland is to be represented at the 1931 fixture, which has been allocated to Auckland. When the question whether or not, having regard to the economic situation at present, the players should be sent north, came up for discussion at the recent meeting of the Ladies’ Association, the delegates were unanimously of opinion that, provided sufficient money was available, the _ province should be represented. Ladies’ hockey is very flourishing in these parts just now. and the selector is of the opinion that, if the tour eventuates, he will be able to assemble a team sufficiently strong to make a determined bid to recapture the coveted trophy which was lost to Eastern Southland and Wellington

(equal) at last year’s tournament, held in Invercargill. As the fixture takes place about the end of August, only some 10 weeks remain in which to procure the necessary expenses, but already some £4O is in sight, and the clubs, both in the country and in the city, are leaving no stone upturned to raise the required finance. A FRUITFUL DRIVE. Embarking upon a practical effort to help the various relief organisations in Invercargill, a few days ago the pupils of the Southland Boys’ High School launched an enterprising house-to-house drive for clothing, bedding, and food. The citizens rose generously to the occasion, and such was the whole-hearted support given to the well-deserving cause that not only will an adequate supply of clothing be available to meet all demands during the winter, but many distressed people who found themselves in urgent need of foodstuffs, firewood, and coal, were tided over their immediate wants in that direction. lhe effort was a triumph for initiative, organisation, and generosity alike, and perhaps those who were most astonished at the splendid manner in- which the public ■ responded were the collectors themselves, who were almost “ clothed ” under at times, with their motor ear loads of parcels of every description and size, lhe area covered had been divided into 13 blocks. Shortly after 8 o’clock on a cold, frosty morning, a group of about 20 boys allotted to each block, under the direction of a master, commenced operations. Every house in the mapped-out area was visited, and rare indeed were the occasions when any boy left emptvhanded. To every section of collectors were provided two or three motor cars (supplied by parents or friends), and these, quickly becoming heavy laden, made with all due j haste to a central depot, which, by mid-day, was stored almost to capacity- with enormous piles of clothing boots and shoes, jams, potatoes, sacks of wood and coa , fruit, butter, fresh bread, and even pickled onions. The response was really wonderful. The work of sorting the goods was formidable, but the social workers of the city rallied loyalty to the cause, and, after many days, finally enabled some semblance of order to appear from the chaos. All the perishable goods nave been distributed amongst the needy, but it will be several weeks before the supplies of clothing are exhausted.