OTAGO CENTDAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2652, 11 January 1905, Page 35

OTAGO CENTDAL.

January 7.— Christmas- and -New Year have tieen and gone, and people are once more settling down to the serious part of life, and profcably after all the best part of it— "the daily x&und, the common task." Permit me, however, to extend to you the season's greetings: • backblock happy New if ear to one and all. Our Baces. — Notwithstanding the inclement weather, the races passed off well, and the attendance was large. For some reason hard to understand, the Eailway Department would mot assist us. The Vincent Jockey Club asked for special trains on race day, and were met at the last moment with a Tefusal unless they would guarantee £66. Of what use is our Otago Central railway if we cannob get ordinary civilised advantages ? People from Maniototo, ior instance, could not get here unless they came' on Saturday and stayed -over Sunday. - A Sports '.Meeting.— The Omakau ithlefcio Club 'held their .fixst sports meeting on the 30th December,' wild although the -gathering was small, as was 'expected,', owing, to the day _fixed"*«nd the absence ,of a number of sports, the different events Tirere keenly contested^ and * '-substantial (balance of some £9 of £10. goes forward as ihe nucTus of a fond "for .next year's gathering. A Ministerial TTisit.— The Hon. Mr HallJones passed through here on 'Thursday last, and was deputationised at the station regarding ihe, bridge over the Manuherikia. The Minister recognised the necessity for a light bridge, and eventually promised pound for pound if the local body contributed the balance. A' good deal" of ,gppd-humoured chaff look place between the Minister. and the deputation, and he drove away to the tune of three hip, hip, hurrahs! promising to be back again shortly and spend an evening with .us. Our M.H.K.— Mr A. li. Herdman, M.H.R., has been speaking at various centres, but for some reason he skipped Omakau. although he passed through here. We have, however, read his address, in the press, and consoled ourselves with that. A Presentation. — Mr J. J. Bani&ay was entertained by the Omakau Railway Celebration Committee, of which he was honorary secret tary, at a social in Mr'M'R&eVHall, Ophir, some short time -ago, and presented with' a neat chain and pendant as a souvenir of the event. Our Name. — The Hon. Mr Hall-Jon-es-is not enamoured of our,. name, and expressed his desire to see it changed. Ophir, the name of the district, is certainly the best name of all, but the 'difficulty arises that the people in Ophir. town naturally do not wish to- lose their name: ,It has-been suggested that as there are two post offices, one might be called .Ophir •Railway and theWther Ophir, -but 1 that might lead -io .confusion. At anyjate some change should be made. Ijbe craze for Maori .names the meanings of which no one knows is about as mad.. a—craze as. 'l; know ofy and.,!' -would, -sooner #cc this place caHed-Blacks than Oma3tau, but why not 'Vincent, Spottis, or 'Leask--ville?. . Any -of those names would' have' ai historical association. ' . - - , - Irrigation. — Mr A. JL> Herdman construed the' Premier's 'reference to irrigation into a -jsolitieal_~ bribe. 'Well, goodness 'knows that question has. been long considered. Take tho JNaseby reservoL he talks about; was it not called John. M'Kenzie's dam, and. denounoed as a bribe? The question of irrigation is one of the coming questions of- Gentral Otago, and particularly in this district, for there are numberless creeks running to waste here, and countless acres upon which they could be used' io advantage. To .-quote -Mr John Wilson: — "We have the natural advantages ; all -w-emeed mow are brains, capital, and labour,' and the friends of Central Otago's progress ought to see that the Premier does not lose sight of our splendid possibilities. "The people of Omakau could appreciated good water surmly. The "Advantage of a Railway. — The pushing of the railway to Omakau, has brought the farhack country within measurable distance of the city. Last week Mr S. Hunter despatched 35 bales of dressed flax all" the way from Sheddan- and Begg's MaKarora Mills on the faraway shores of Lake Wanaka by train from Omakau. This flax was boated across Wanaka, loaded tin Hunter's waggon, carted 80 miles to Omakau, and railed to Port Chalmers. Pushing on the Line. — There is a good deal of talk concerning the waste that is suggested an the proposal to open the railway to Chafcto Creek. " Chatto Creek in itself, would nev'fr* support a station and buildings; yet' it is <;001ly v proposed to spenS a large sum of money 'in building sheds and houses that will stand as monuments "of colossal waste when the Hne goes on. This sort -of thing has gone on- all along the line, and has meant the expenditure of thousands of pounds that ought to have been spent in making the line jifeelf. Wh^'t. is ■wanted now is to push the railway with all possible speed to Alxamdra and Clyde* -and give the far-away people a chance to get nearer. Opening to Chatto meaiiß little advantage, and there is no accommodation there for the travelling public, but pushing to Alexandra and Clyde means getting "a day's march nearer hom>e " ior the Hawea and Waaka people. It is to be hoped the Government will not allow themselve to be cai'olecl into a lot of useless expenditure at Chftfto Creek — an expenditure quite unjustifiable and unwarranted.