MEETING AT ALEXANDRA

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 69

MEETING AT ALEXANDRA

A largely-attended meeting of the Alexandra Branch of the Otago Central Raihv.y League was held in the Public Library, Alexandra, on Thursday evening last, Mr James Rivers (chairman of the league) presiding.

The Secretary (Mr F. Young) read a telegram from the Dunedin Centre of the league requesting the branch's co-operation in laying before the Public Works Department the necessity of proceeding immediately wlch the construction of the railway bridge over the Manuherikia at Alexandra.

Several speakers commented strongly on. the unsatisfactory replies received from the department by the league in reply to Ai& many requests for information as to whoa the contract for the last bridge over tne Manuherikia would be put in hand. Mr George Spencer moved, and Mr A. C. Iversen seconded, the following resolution, which was unanimously carried : — " That this branch of the Otago Central Railway League heartily Fiidorse-s ihe action taken by the Dunedin Centre of the league in requesting the Public Works Department to proceed without further delay with the letting of the contracb for the last railway bridge over the Manuherikia River, and that the league's attention be drawn to the fact that if delayed this summer the work of putting in foundations cannot possibly be taken in hand until the following spring, thus causing a waste of fully a year of valuable time.' The meeting subsequently carried the following resolution on the motion of Mr J. G. Closs, seconded by Mr James Rivers: — " That a memorial be drawn up and signed .by the chairman and secretary, to be forwarded to the Hon. the Minsiler of Public Works . through the member for the district, pointing: out to the Minister the fact, that unnecessary delay has already ' taken place in the letting of the last bridge contract. If this last link of importance on 'the line be left longer the opening <o AlexaTn.ira will be retarded pending it-, completion, and more valuable time to the population of Central Otago will be wasted, while a large section of that population will, unless efforts are made to induce them to stay, drift away from the central districts. The formation from the upper crossing of the Manuherikia to Alexandra, is very easy, and will be finished long before the bridge, even if the work is nut in hand at once.

On the motion of Mr J. D. Buchanan, seconcied. by Mr G. Spencer, it was decided to send copies of the resolution to the league in Dunedin. to each of the citj members, and to Messrs J. Bonnet and W« Fraser, M.H.R. 's.

A Wellington lady received a severe shock recently, when she" discovered that her 17-year-old daughter (who was understood to have won the affections of a young gentleman of 26) was engaged to that young man's father, who is a widower of 43 summers.

The barque Emprcza. which arrived at Adelaide from New Zealand recently, \va\ swarming with rats, and where they all cam© from was a mystery. Ii; is presumed' that they joined the vessel in New Zealand. The Emprcza was 45 days out. ant? whether it was owing to the continuedmotion of the boat as she rose and fell to the wash of the waters, or the diet the rats had to subsist on, is not clear, but the fact remains they were for the most part "ailing." The health officer, who was sent for. .ordered that the vessel be fumigated. \