OAMARU NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 36

OAMARU NOTES.

The Waitaki- High School Board of Governors was called upon on the 2nd to elect a new chairman, Mr D. Sutherland having taboa tire pteco of Mr Dona-Id I Borrie oh the board by virtue of hia

election- to the chairmanship of the Waitaki County Council. The members of th© board unanimously- elected Mr Sutherland to the chair, reference being made to the

fact that he had been one of tbe governors

at the time of the foundation of the school and for many years thereafter. The board

adopted a motion expressing its apprecia-

tion of Mr Borrie's services to the school during the period of about 15 yeans for which toe was chairman, and congratulating

him on the large measure of succeas that . has been achieved by the schools during his term of office. Mr Sutherland expressed hie

regret that the law of the load placed him

there in the room of Mr Borne by reason of his chairmanship of the County Oboncil.

Th© large additions to the boys' school are now approaching completion, and they will be formally opened early in thxv first term of next year. The whole scheme has involved the outlay of a sum rather ore£7ooo, and the school, when completed, wi I

be one of the largest boarding establishments in the Dominion. The accommedation is nevertheless practically fully booked for the next two years. OAMARU, December 4.

A successful prize distribution took - place to-night in the- OpeTa House in connection with the Public Schools Scripture Classes. The Mayor was in toe' chair. The ministers conducting the classes in tlie three public schools took part in the meeting. It was stated that 400 children had sat for the examination. The movement was commenced in Oamaru about four years ago,, when there were . only 30 schools with Scripture classes in. the Dominion. Now there are about 200. Both the Mayor and Mr J. Mitchell (member of tlie Board of Education) spoke in highly laudatory terms of the work done by the ministers of the town.

NEW DREDGING PROPOSALS.

OAMARU, December 1. Interest in the dredging question baa been revived by the suggestions made to the Oamaru Harbour Board by Mr W. H. Patterson, who on Monday offered a considerable amount of information on tbe subject of the work done with pontoon dredges on the rivers of this province. His proposal is that a dredge witbletrongly . constructed pontoons should be procured, and that it should be used to lift spoil artd deposited it in other poortoons, wtidi. could be hauled to the shore and there discharged by means of a hydraulic elevator, the spoil being used for reclamation work if so desired. The cost of the plant he estimates at £3740, and the lifting of the material, he says, should not cost more than 2£d or 3d per cubic yard. Whencompared "with the board's recent proposals to borrow £33,000 for a new Hull dredge to work at lOd or lid per cubic yard of material lifted, Mr Patterson'* - idea seems worthy of consideration,' *ad ■ the board on Monday referred the matter to the Standing Committee for raoort. Mr Patterson specially, asks thai bis suggestions be referred to a competent dredging expert and one qualified in hydraulics. Meantime a petition is being circulated' to get a recount of the votes cast at th* recent loan polL