SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20958, 22 February 1930, Page 20

SOUTH OTAGO

BALCLUTHA DISTRICT NEWS.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) BALCLUTHA, February 21. . BOROUGH’S DIAMOND JUBILEE. A highly successful public meeting, convened by the Mayor (Mr S. V, White) for the purpose of considering the advisability of celebrating the borough’s diamond jubilee was held in the Borough Chambers last night. . Over , 30, including a number of ladies, were present, and the Mayor, who occupied ,the chair, expressed pleasure at the large attendance, and said in Otago jubilees of schools, etc,, Were now the order of the day._ Balclutha was constituted a borough in 1870, and the first meeting of. the council was held in 1871. The establishment of the, school dated even further baak, apd it had therefore been considered very fitting that the citizens should hold the jubilee of both borough and school this year or early in next year. The School Committee had expressed its willingness to co-operate in making the celebrations a success, and he was quite sure that Balclutha would rise to the occasion, as it had always done in the past, and put up a new record of hospitality to visitors He would like to. hear a full expression of opinion from those present as how beat to meet the occasion, and arrange for a jubilee celebration that would be second to none. Perhaps the better plan would be to form strong committees, which would have much work in front of them, but that would be compensated for by the pleasure they'would derive when meeting old friends of perhaps 4b or 60 years ago. The speaker concluded by reading apologies from a number who had been unable to attend. Mr J. P. Hawke, headmaster of the primary school,^said the School Committee had decided to hold its jubilee celebrations independently so far as functions relating to the school were concerned, but to co-operate with the borough in all public functions. In this he considered the committee had acted rightly, as to do otherwise would have shown ingratitude to the history of the school, which had a splendid record. It was quite fitting that the celebrations should mar-h hand in hand, while at the same 'time keeping the school jubilee distinct, i The work of compiling data was already in the bands of the staff, assisted by enthusiastic ex-pupils. Already he had received a lot of inquiries from outside towns concerning . the proposed jubilee celebrations. It was the intention to convene a meeting of ex-pupils in order to enlist as much assistance as possible. By making separate functions for school and borough, and co-operating in some of these, he was sure they would be successful in making the jubilee a red-letter week in the history of Balclutha. Mr A. S. Malcolm. M.L.C., said be . 1 like to congratulate the Mayor on inaugurating the oroceedings, and he was sure the citizens generally would assist in making the jubilee a success. The sooner they got down to practical business the better, and he suggested that it might be desirable to fix- a date. Perhaps they could appoint a committee to investigate and report.

Mr R R. Grigor said he took it that in celebrating the iubilee they were celebrating 60 years of progress in the borough* and not the progress tna.de in the early days merely. Therefore it was the whole of the citizens of the present day who should be running the jubilee, aud not only the descendants of the early settlers. He had no doubt that what had been done in the last 30 years was quite as important as what had been done 60 years ago. The school and borough functions would not clash, and

the fact that there were two organisations would make for better results than if there was just one big committee. Mr J. L. Gormack, chairman of the School Committee, said that next October had been suggested as a suitable date, but on consideration it had been decided that would not give sufficient time for preparation, and it bad then been suggested that next February would be appropriate, with the chances for better weather in that month. To put the meeting in order it was oioved by Mr Malcolm and agreed to— That this meeting approve of the proposal to celebrate the diamond jubilee oi the borough/’ Mr Gormack moved—“ That the celebrations take place in February, 1931.” Seconded by Sir Hawke and carried. The chairman and Messrs Grigor and Hawke were appointed a sub-committee to procure information from Lawrence and other centres that had recently celebrated jubilees, and to report to a meeting to be held that night fortnight, Messrs Hunter, Russell, and Algie also spoke, and it was agreed to keep the school organisation separate. The followin K were appointed a general committee, with power to add, the organisation not to include • ex-pupils of the school:—The Mayor and councillors, and Messrs John Gold, Shepard, J. H. Stevenson, Russell. Malcolm, D. T. Fleming, Smart, M'Bride “■sb. James Tweedie, T. M, Thompson, the Rev. Alley and Orchard, and Mesdames Low, Maker, and White. Mr C. J. Wood mentioned that he had met the following ex-pupils now resident in Dunedin, who had expressed willingness to form a committee in the city and co-operate in promoting the success of the school jubilee:—Messrs James Hogg, M. Lousley, and Harry Henderson. .fMr Alexander Mason, an ex-pupil from New Plymouth, congratulated the meeting on its proposals, and said he would makea strong effort to attend the jubilee functions, as no doubt would many others 111 various parts of the Dominion. On the motion of Mr P. Mason, it was agreed to hold a meeting of ex-pupils at the school that night fortnight. A J°te' of thanks to the Mayor concluded a successful meeting. FIRE BRIGADES’ CONFERENCES. Mr C. J. Wood will leave on Monday to attend the United Fire Brigade’s Conference at Whangarei as a delegate from the Balclutha Brigade. Mr E. Hughes has been appointed a delegate to the conference at Oardaru next Friday. The Oamaru conference will be followed fay a demonstration on the Saturday, at which the Balclutha Brigade will be represented by the following team:—E. Hughes, P, Cook. E. Morris, B. Pry. ACCIDENTAL DEATH. Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., coroner for the district, concluded an inquiry at Haitangata yesterday into the death of a .child .named Elizabeth Amy Allan, aged two years, who died from injuries caused through, being .struck by a motor car on January 27. The verdict of the coroner was accidentally killed.”