OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 33

OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

(Faoit Our Own Cokbespondeht.) OAMARU, May 6. The annual meeting of membe.'s of the North Otago A. and P. Association was

held on Saturday, when tho interest taken in the question of the new ground was proved by a record attendance of over 100. The meeting at once showed itself sympathetic to the recommendation of tho

special committee, that the land on the North road known as Mr Hedley's paddock

siiould be purchased for the purpose. This

was the section which it wa6 understood the Government- wished to purchase for workmen's homes, but which Messrs O. W. Reid and W. Gardiner secured a few days ago with the intention of oftering it to the A. and P. Association at the purchase price of £220 C for 34 acres. With a good deal of enthusiasm ana without any opposition, a proposal to purchase the land for show grounds was carried, and the com-

mittee instructed to sell the present ground, for which an offer has already been made of £2000, the association hay-

ing the right to remove all improvements, including fences. Situated, as the old ground is, on the top of the hill, in, a

capital position for residences, there is a foeling that the land will cell easily and well. The election of officers at the same meeting resulted in the appointment of Mr W. W. Wylie to the presidency, and Mr C. W. Reid to the vice-presidency. A hearty vote- of thanks was placed on record to Messrs C. W.- Reid and W. Gardiner, jun., for their generceity in securing for the association the option of taking Mr Hedley's land at a time when the members might liaye been forestalled had they had to wait till the annual meeting. .< The Oaraaru Borough Council had last week before it the difficult task of arriving at estimates of income and expenditure for the coming year. Councillors were confronted on one hand by a decrease in the revenue of at least £681 owing to the loss of license fees, and on the other hand the necessity for a considerable expenditure on certain streets that very much needed repair. By careful figuring, however, they managed to balance the items providing for the expenditure of a considerably larger sum than last year on ihe streets. This

was done- withotit increase of rate 3, though councillors were aided in a measure by the increasing revenue from wetw for power purposes, and by an increase in the annual rateable value, which is considerable. A sum of £100, which has been

on deposit for two years to the credit of waterworks repair** account, is to I>e lifted to be spent on necessary works The council also anticipates having_ to collect earlier 6ome of the arrears which are annually carried forward on the 31st March, though in this they are only repeating what was 'done last year. The North Ofago Time 6 published a comparative statement of the Government valuation of the various ridrags in the Waitakj County and -jof the Boroughs of Oamaru and Hampilctf. Those show that the- rateable value of the Waitaki County now stands at £3,111.006, or £247,473 more than last year, -notwithstanding that the revaluation of some of the <idings had to bo held over till next year. In the caee of the Borough of Oamaru the valuation has reached £623.411. or £148,913 more

than last year. The Boroutrh of Hampden is unaltered at £18,602 The tigures are subject to any slight revieiors made by the A'vsessment Court.

May 13. The members of the Land Purchase Board spent Friday and Saturday in this district. They were approached on the subject of the purchase by tho N.O.A. and P. Association of M'Hedley's paddock, and were urgently requested to withdraw their caveat against the transfer. Telegrams were accordingly sent to the Premier on the point, but so far no rcplv has been received, and it. is feared that delay may occur in consequence of the Premier having sailed for Australia. Mr Barron left for Wellington on Saturday evening, and, a» soon as he is ablo to do so. he will let. the association know tho board's decision. The principal object of the board's visit here is understood to have been the proposal to acquire Ot«kaiko for closer settlement. The members journeyed to Ofokaike on Friday night, returning on Saturday. Farther than deciding to have another valuation of the estate made, the purchase was not advanced. An option for one week xvas taken over a area of 1000 acres at Ofciake, with a view to opening a village settlement, 300

acres of the land being deemed very suitable for the purpose. I Tho Oamaru Borough Council on Friday ! even ins: had before it a proposal for some modification of the nlans fcr the new Town Hall. Mr J. M. Forrester's original plan provided for there being in front I of tho lartce hall a building, having a frontage of 96ft to Thames street and 44ft depth

on tho ground floor, being the council offices and meeting rooms, and it was above this that the proposed social hall would bo orectrd. A committee of the council lironcrht forward a proposal to erect a twoMoried front at once, but reducing the frontage to 64ft and the death to 38ft, at an o^tirnated cost of about £6300. A long discussion took place, but eventually the original plan for a one-storied front was acrreed to with a variation of stronger • walls to carry a second storey at some future time, and of a foundation 2ft higher than was originally proposed, to avoid any squat appearance. It is hoped that plane and specifications will bo roadv in about three weeks, and fondors will be called immediately thereafter.

May 14. The O-imaru Mail =ays that the Premier hpforo leaving- the colony wired to the Hon. G. Jones that the question of the Land Purcha=o Board's opposition to the North Otasro A. and P. Association's purchase of Hedley' s land for a new show crround had boon reduced to the question.

Did a contract on the part of the board exist ? If so. it was not in the power of the Government to dispose of the l;>nd. If a contracl existed, then he would promote a bill for an exchange between the association and the Government. This secures the association's interest, but the committee has been advised by two lepal gentlemen that its title to the land cannot be doubted, and the necessity for a I ill is therefore likely to be very small. Mr Malrolm M'lver, a well-known resident of thi9 district, passed away at Dun-

troon on Saturday in his seventieth year. Mr M'lver was successively manager of Clarkeofield, Waihao Downs, W.aihaorunga. and (for a second term) of Clarkesfiold Estates. For the last 12 years ho resided at Duntroon, and took some interest in local affairs. He leaves a widow, two | sons, and two daughters.