
Already the bookings are ahead of what they usually are at this time of the year. Parties from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch are being formed to make the trip. It is likely that a large party from the Tararua Tramping Club, which last season visited Mount Cook, will this season go to Milford Sound. Already there are a number of American and English tourists in the dominion. For some time past not much money has been spent in connection with Otago and Southland Government tourist resorts, whereas very large sums have been spent at Rotorua and Mount Cook. Apparently, however, the South is now to get its due. The Minister in charge of the tourist and health resorts announces that a vote of £1500 has been passed by Cabinet for the Keys and Te Anau road, in addition to £1500 agreed to by Cabinet some little time ago. A sum of £100 has also been voted for improvements in connection with the huts on the Te Anau-Milford Sound track, and £300 has been voted for a continuation of the Glendhu road and a bridge on the river.
Battery demonstrates its calibre
The 14th Battery held an annual seven-day camp last week on a site at Matarae, kindly lent by Mr Kinsman. The personnel numbered about 160 all told. The weather was fairly good. The shooting on two days at 7000-yard targets was very good and the visual signalling over a distance of 6000 yards was most satisfactory. The camp fare was of the very best, and the catering was so arranged that no two meals were the same throughout the whole week. The residents of Middlemarch entertained the battery one night, and another evening members of the battery, assisted by local talent and members of the R.N.Z.A., gave a very successful concert. The institute provided by the Y.M.C.A. was much appreciated, and the behaviour and general health of the men was excellent. They constructed themselves a loading ramp sufficiently strong to take a five-ton gun, and they loaded a train of 20 trucks in an hour and three-quarters. The gun drill competitions were very keenly contested and a high standard reached, Colonel R. Young, Colonel Commandant of the Southern Command, and Colonel Gardner visited the camp and expressed themselves as very well satisfied with physique, turnout, and general behaviour of the men.

Deer in the sights
As has already been announced, the Government has removed the protection on deer in certain portions of the seven acclimatisation districts in which deer are considered to be most numerous, these including Waitaki, Otago, and Southland and has, in addition, agreed to expend £1000 in assisting settlers in these districts in the thinning out of the deer. This amount has been divided amongst the seven districts concerned, in proportion to the approximate number of deer in each district. One third of the amount is available for the acclimatisation societies at the rate of 1s for every animal killed by or on behalf of them in those portions of their districts in which protection has not been removed, and the remaining two-thirds will be paid at the rate of 2s per deer tail to any person who kills deer in the specified areas and produces the tails.
Play with abandon
The final rehearsals of the spectacular revue "A la Carte" have proceeded very smoothly, and everything points to successful performances on Saturday evening, when the season will commence at His Majesty’s Theatre. The review is in aid of a very worthy object, the St John Ambulance Association, and deserves support on that account, but it is sure to draw large houses on its merits. Some 120 youths and maids will take part and play with abandon. Ballets, catchy chorus songs and comedy scenes follow one another in quick succession and it is claimed that there is not a dull moment from rise to fall of the curtain.
Miss Brown gets her due
In our report of the Taieri Show the prize-takers for four pikelets, open to those who have not won a first prize at the Taieri Show, should have read; Miss Agnes Brown 1, Mrs James Connor 3, Mrs John Wright 3.
— ODT, 21.11.1923