SOUTH OTAGO NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23146, 21 December 1938, Page 14

SOUTH OTAGO NOTES

[From Our Balclutha Correspondent.] PERSONAL. On Monday night members of the Balclutha Presbyterian Church Choir visited the Hospital and entertained patients and staff with an enjoyable programme of Christmas anthems, solos, duets. On leaving the Hospital the party adjourned to the residence of Mrs J. Garfield Anderson, where an enjoyable evening was spent, during the course of which Miss Thelma Sinclair (a member of the choir) was presented with a bedroom clock on the occasion of her approaching marriage. MOTOR ACCIDENT. Mr G. Webster, driver for Mr J. M. Tosh, had a miraculous escape from serious injury last evening. He was proceeding_ towards Balclutha from Stirling with a lorry load of sheep, and when approaching the Balclutha traffic bridge tbs lorry ran off the road and overturned, after crossing a deep ditch. The decking was thrown off, and the lorry, particularly in the front part, was extensively damaged. The driver sustained injuries which necessitated his removal to hospital for X-ray. He was also cut and bruised. Only a few of the sheep were in any way injured, and they were soon collected after the accident. ' BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL. The mayor (Mr J. H. Stevenson) presided at the monthly meeting of the Balclutha Borough Council. The Finance Committee’s report showed receipts for the month were £lO5 2s lid, and that the district fund account was in debit to the extent of £2,1/5 2s Id. Accounts amounting to £655 16s 9d were presented for payment. Rates collected totalled £589 out of a total of £4,690 levied.—Received, and accounts passed for payment. "

, Cr J. Copland reported" for the Works Committee that the workmen had been employed laying pipes for the extension of the water service in Balclutha North.

The Clerk reported that the lease of the sections adjoining the saleyarcls would expire at the end of the year.— Decided to determine lease and use the sections as camp paddocks for sheep at so much per head. Mr Fletcher Roberts wrote stating that he hoped to start the survey of the borough drainage scheme early in January.—Received.

The Secretary of the_ South Otago Hospital Board wrote giving notice of intention to raise a loan of £25,000 for additions to the Balclutha Hospital.— The Mayor said the whole hospital rating business was scandalous, and it looked as if they were just going ahead. Last year the levy was raised considerably, and he thought it would have been better to wait and see what was going to happen under the Government’s social security scheme. It appeared as if the sky was the limit, and if the scheme was gone on with the ratepayers would bo paying twice. However, he would rather see the loan than be asked to pay off the amount in three years.—Cr R. M'Bride said the increase would not be so very great; it would be only for sinking fund and interest.—Cr J. Gormack said the additions were necessary.—The letter was received, no objection to be raised. Mr P. Keller, district representative on No. 17 Highways Council, wrote regarding the Balclutha-Kaka Point main highway deviation, stating that this matter was being held up pending a decision from the Department relative to a proposed deviation of the main south railway in_ the _ vicinity which was under consideration.—Received. Mr Keller also wrote relative to the tar-sealing of Renfrew and Douglas streets from Clyde street to the railway station, and stated that the board would carry out the work, estimated to cost. £692, provided the council paid one-quarter (£173) .—Offer accepted. Cr D. M. Henderson was granted three months’ leave of absence owing to illness. The Mayor extended seasonal greetings to councillors and the staffs