OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 66

OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

(Faou Oxtr Own Ccsrespondent.J OAMARU, December 15.

Mr W. M'Kirdy, who a fortnight ago was injured in a ti'ap accident in which his ■ftifo was killed near Oamaru, died) rather suddenly at the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. He had 1 survived his injuries, and appeared to be progressing well till he collapsed suddenly, and passed away as stated. He was employed for a number of years by Messrs John Mill and Co., at their Oamaru branch, and latterly engaged in fanning near Totara. The- sad accident deprived a- son and two daughtcie, the youngest of whom is about 15, of both father and mother. The funeral to-day was largely attended. Something like 450 people have registered for the summer school here at Christmas time.

The chess championship is also to be contested fov ia Oamaru during the.

a-pproaehing holidays, and 16 entries have f been received. _ | Another fixture for Christmas time is the " North Otago Rifle Association's annual prize-firing, which is to take place here on the 26th and 27th December. The intial meeting to consider Mr Crawford's proposals for a new theatre was not larg-a!<y attended, but tho night chosen proved to be an inclement one. A canvass is to be made for debentures. The proposals are regarded as the most practical yet suggested for a theatre. The ceremony of speech-making and prize distribution in connection with the Waitaki High Schools took place to-day in the presence of a large number of the parents and friends of the scholars. The i attendance at the Boys' School for tho year was the largest on record, that for last quarter being 113. The attendance at I the Girls' School was not quite as large as in some previous years, that for the last quarter being 45. The reports mentioned that the friends of tho school had subscribed £400 for new rooms at the Boys' ' School, and as a consequence the board, with the assistance of £800 from the Government, was erecting three new rooms. The dux boy for the year was J. M. Pate-rson, and the dux girl Kate Kibble- • white. i OAMARU, December 16. j The Mail's Waimate correspondent men- ■ tions that Sir W. J. Steward, Mr R. Meredith, a.nd Mr J. Campbell will be candidates for the Waitaki seat afc the next general election. The Oamaru Borough Council's engineer has prepared a return, which shows that

f during the present year 23 new dwellings I have been erected in Oamaru, and 19 hava ' been materially added to, while 18 new shops and stores have been built or have been substantially improved. The building trades are more busy here than they- have been for years, and rents for all kinds of tenements are dearer. The Oamaru Borough Council this evening decided to press on the work of extending the filtering channel which supplies the water-raoe, and for that purpose to purchase a road grader, at a cost of £90. The work is very necessary, as the supply has been much polluted of late with the mailings from the Maerewhenua mining district, the sludge from which flows into the j Waitaki River near the race intake. I OAMARU, December 17. i The troopers' memorial is now complete, and the contractor has formally handed it over to the committee. ■ Satisfaction is very generally expressed at the appearance it now presents, and visitors are unanimous I in their approval of it as an imposing monument and a most fitting memorial to the men whose names are inscribed on it. The Borough Council on Friday evening agreed to expend £35 on procuring four fine lamp- . posts, which are to stand one at each corner. j Sir Joseph Ward told a reporter of the I Mail to-day that he would make provision ■' with regard to last season's grain, which- ia in 2401b sacks, as asked by the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce recently. On th© subject of patent medicine regulations, he said he was waiting till he reached Wellington, when the matter would receive consideration, i