OAMARU NEWS NOTES (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 53

OAM ARU NEWS NOTES (From Our Own Correspondent.)

OAMARU, April 18.

Mr R. Milligan, the present Mayor, has been re-elected without opposition. In reviewing the financial operations oif the year the Mayor showed that there had been an increase of £355 in receipts from water for power alone, and £251 more on »as, while arrears of rates and rents and for water power were less than 12 months aeo The comparative statement of assets and liabilities showed that the council s position had improved by £301, in spite of the outgoings on non-recurring items bein-* considerable: The valuation of the town had increased by £1245 on the year. and now stood at £38,191, or about £9000 more tha.n six years ago. an increase that the Mayor felt sure would be very gratifying to ratepayers. The loss of revenue from licenses during the coming %-ear would probably be mot by the increase in the revenue from water power, and the low in rates on the hotel properties by other buildings in course of erection. At Mie same time, the policy of the council for the year must be one of economy and care. The ' Mayor was congratulated by Mr J. M. Brown 'ex-Mayor) *nd by several councillors on his re-eicction. The North Otago A. and P. Association to-day adopted a new set cif rules regarding the election of committees, which provide for half only retiring every year mstcad of the whole" committee as formerly. Ihe members also considered a proposal to dispose of tbe show ground, and to acquire a new one. The present ground is goncially regarded as petting too small, and its central position makes its disposal for residential sites an easy matter. In addition to being small, the absence of a railway siding to the ground is seriously felt as an interference with the entry, and it is desired that if a move is made it shall be where gueh a convenience is available. After discussion a committee was set up to obtain offers of suitable sites, and report to the annual general meeting early next month.

The time-table alterations of the Otago section of New Zealand railways, to come into orre on the Ist pros., appear m our atlverti«ni" columns this week. They include Kurow branch. Dunedin-Palinerston. Dune-din-Mcsgiel. Otago Central, Cathr.s Ri\ei branch, and Gore-Kingston. At Noicataro, in South Italy, some tombs hiuc been discovered which the director of tl'a museum of Taranto considers date from the sixth century befoie Christ. One tomb contained fome beautiful vases and two spades in excellent preservation, -s For the first time for many year* the Taronaki Maoris are uainpr the berries ot the karaka tree for food. The kernels .are ground into flour after the dektenous substance has been steeped out. The failure of the notato crops is the rca«on for the use of the berries.

Sir Honry Campbell-Banncrman's home life is of the happiest, and as he is enormously wealthy— rumour has placed his annual income at £50,000— his life has never been clouded by financial anxieties. He is, however, a man of simple habits. A movement is on foot in Christchurch with reference to the obtaining of more seating accommodation behind counters, more ventilation, and increased provision for lavatories in connection with shop assistants.

The New Zealand Shipping Company s Rimutaka, which arrived at Lyttelton last week from London, via way ports, brought £80,000 worth of specie, some for Christchurch and some for transhipment to various parts of the colony. The coins range from halfpennies to half-crowns. The following are the accepted tenders for the sole right of advertising at railway stations on various sections of the New Zealand Government railways for a term of five years from April 1, 1906: — Whangarei section, J. J. Craig and Co., £13; Auckland and Gisborne, Leslie L. M'Dermott, £355; Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth, David A. Eberlet. £856; Hurunui - Bluff, F. Drayton-Bamfield, £1450; Nelson, Henry founders* £20.