OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 37

OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, June 23. Tho Pipe Band bazaar netted £440 U the promoters, which is somewhat abov« expectations.

A successful experiment has been mad« at an Oamaru quarry in tho endeavour to procure stone for the foreshore, protection; tome largo blocks of good quality having been displaced by blasting. If 'the whol< frontage is protected the cost will reach £400, according to the engineer's estimate, but it is probable that in the meantime onlj sufficient will be proteotcd to prevent th« seas reaching the gasworks.

OAMARU, July *. The Oamaru Borough Council has had an offer from Messrs J. and T. Meek to take 75 horse-power from tho council's water mains. The- offer was based on a charge of about one farthing per horse-power per hour, but the council considered that it could not afford to sell nearly the whole of its rpare water power at such a low rate, and fixed a scale of charges averaging about one half-penny per horso-power per hour. Tho position, as expressed by Cr M'Diarmid, was that the council was asked to tie up th© whole of its spare power for seven year 9at a very low rate, amd to guarantee a. 24- hours' supply, whereas only a nine-hours' eupply might be used and paid for. Cr Waddell, who is in favour of selling the spare water power at tho lowest rate which can fairly be charged, and even of granting the water free for a period to any manufacturer who will establish some new industry here, admitted that the offer mad© by Messrs Meek wae at such a low rate that the council could not entertain it, and he said he saw no chance of any agreement. As he said, tho matter js ono of much importance to the town, for the incroafcd revenue would be at least £240 per annum — probably a good deal more. .The council decided to ask Messrs Meek to ro consider tho matter, but from the tenor of the correspondence it does mot look aa though the offer will be increased. The council further decided to advertise the rates it was prepared to charge to any manufacturer who would establish works in Oamaru and use the water power.

The Waitaki Mounted Rifles held its anmual parade on Thursday evening, when 53 officers and men mustered for inspection. Colonel Robin, the inspecting officer, expressed himself highly pleased with the turn-out and with tho stato of the arms and accoutrem p uts>. as well as with th# smart appearance of the men.