GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 1204, 22 January 1929, Page 1

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT.

The following report was submitted by the General Manager: Owing tc the fact that the Christmas and New Year holidays intervened since last meeting of the Board, held four weeks ago, some of, the mines: having been closed for a. full fortnight, the output of coal has not been great. Compared with the corresponding period oi last financial year, however, the returns show an increase of 768 tons, leaving the deficit for the expired por-, tion of the year, 1928-1929, as compared with the same period of 1927---1928 at 11,561 tons.. Ratepayers' Meeting —At last meeting of the Board, it was decided to convene the usual annual meeting* of the ratepay-* ers of the Ohai Railway. District for. Monday, 14th inst., at 7.3Q p.m. m the Ohai Public. ,. HalLy, Subsequently ii was found that the hall had been prfe : , yiously engaged .for the production of a very popular picture likely to attract a very large number of tWe ratepayers and other, residents m the dis trict. While it would have been pos j sible to find another building m which to hold the ratepayers' meeting on that evening, the attendance thereat. owing- to the picture attraction, would have been small. I therefore ;got into touch with all of the Members with whom I could communicate N by telephone,'and it was arranged to postpone the ratepayers' meeting until this evening at 7.30 p.m» m the Ohai Public Hall. The change m the date of the meeting has been duly advertised, and a notice posted to each ratepayer. Wrongful Use of Motor, Coach. — On Tuesday, the Bth inst., it was reported to me that a reputable citizen of Ohai had seen the Board's Motor Coach pass and re-pass along' the railway m front of his residence at about 3 a.m. on Sunday, the 6th inst. . There was no occasion for the coach to be m use at that hour or day and no one had any authority whatever to move the vehicle at that time from its usual station m the yards at Wairio. I have interrogated the members of thfe staff, and am satisfied that each was ignorant of the occurrence. I have also checked thie. petrol consumption and made such other enquiries as to enable me'"' to state that, assuming the coach was used as indicated, the party guilty must have had

a full knowledge of the running- of the coach also the railway over which it travelled, . and succeeded m eliminating- every trace of his unlawful outing". While only one has stated that he actually saw the coach, others have made 'it known that they heard it, and as the action is of such a serious nature, I have placed the matter m the hands of the Police for full investigation'. — Adopted. "