SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 11

SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

The regnlsr meeting of the School Commissioners of Otago was held' on the 17th, and was attended by Mr YV . Dalla-s (chairnian), J. Hay, T. Mac Gibbon, and the Hon. H. Feldwick. An apology wis received tor tho 3oser.ee of Mr D. Borne. James Wilson lessee of section 19, block 111, Wendonside wrote asking for assistance towards erecting protective woiks on river bank. — Consideration deferred pending report from ranger. J Milne, agent Waikaia, wrote applying on behalf of William Kyle, for a return of his deposit of rent on coal pit area on run 2. r .4b, as he did not intend to proceed further with his application for lease. — Consideration held over pending report from ranger as to whether holes had been filled in. John Jones wrote applying for a yearly lease of section 7, block I. South Moss'burn, at 10s per year.— Yearly lease to be granted. The Ranger reported regarding the occupation of sections at Wainratuku. — The report was adopted. ■ The Ranger reported on- the progress made with drainage works at Gait's section, Tuturau.— Report adopted. Mrs M. T Collins wrote applying for lease of section 13 block 11, Wendonside district, at 6d per acre — Yearly lease to be granted, with right of iugress and egress for the purpose of removing grave!. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Dunedin, wrote promising to furnish information relative to education reserves administered by the Otago Land Board as soon as possible. — Received The Clerk to the Southland County Council wrote acknowledging receipt of commissioners' lolfpr rp f.laim for "thirds." — Received.

I The Clerk to the Southland County Council t wrote applying for a grant of £30 for making ' a rood to section 9, block XXXII, LimehiHs j township. — Consideration deferred. I James Martin, on behalf of William AlliI son, wrote applying to lease sections i and I 15, block VIII, Lurnsden for a term of years, i and sections 6 and 13, same block, on yearly lease. — Yearly lease to be jjranted. The following documents -«ere J,aid before j the commissioners for approval and execu- | tion: — James Martin for consent to transfer ■ of lease of section 17. blcck XIV, town jf Lumaden. from \V. J. Martin to E. Yardhy. ' I James Wilson, lessee of section 17. , nregtf/ar i block. West laieri, for permission to transrfer hi 3 lease to N Reid. — AppToved and docu- ! ments to be executed. Notices from D. Meredith lessee of lot 4, pait section 23 block I, Invercargill Hundied, I and from T. Meredith, lessee of section 6, Invercargill Hundred, Gladstone, of intention to fence, and calling upon the commissioners to pay half cost of boundary fences.— The | attention of tbp writers to be called to the I conditions of their lease? re iencing ; matter also to be refeired to the occupiers of adI jacent sections. t j Francis Fraser wrote making suggestions [ regarding the protective works at Waikaia. — 1 Received; cony to be forwarded to Mr E. S. Miller, engineer connected with the work. , The Secrstary reported that lie had written to the School Commissioners of other proj vincial districts asking for their co-operation | in the matter of obtaining power to sell or I exchange township sections which were uni lettable.— Resolved that the secretary's action I be approved, and that the matter of obtainI in« legislative power to deal vith small and

unlettable urban sections be considered at next meeting of the commissioners. It having come to the knowledge of the commissioners that a number of sections appearing in he public maps marked education reseives were not yet vested in the commissioners, it was resolved that the Minister of Education be respectfully requested to have the said lands vested in the commissioners as early as possible. Accounts amounting to £83 14s 5d were passed for payment.

A number of skeletons have been discovered amongst the sandhills facing the Waihi Beach The skeletons were found lying in rows, some of them being almost complete, and the bones are in a splendid state of preservation. It is supposed that the stk«lstons are relics of old fighting days, and the sand which hid. them so long has at last blown away, revealing the bones. Sorrieftiing approaching an oyster famine was reached at the Bluff last week (says the Southland News). Owing to bad weather for a fortnight, too fishing fleet were compelled to remain idle, and on Saturday night; 14th, the stocks of oysters in hand were exhausted, not a sack remaining. However, Monday's boats to the north and took away about 800 saoks, which will give' some idea of the immense trade done* in this Foveaux Straifc delicacy. The shortage during the period mentioned is a serious loss to the Bluff exporters, as the Easter holidays trade with Dunedin, Chriatchurch, and other northern centres was thus un» attained, and cannot be made up for during the remainder of the season.