NORTH OTAGO

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 31

NORTH OTAGO

NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT. (From Our Special Correspondent.) THE WEATHER. North Otago, which usually suffers from & lack of moisture, has no reason to complain of the conditions that have prevailed during the past week or two, for heavy, warm rains have fallen at intervals. While these have delayed harvesting operations, they have stimulated the growth of grass and root crops, and the prospects for autumn and winter feed are bright. Lambs, which hitherto have been drafted off the mothers, are now being prepared for the works on rape and turnip crops. The freezing works were kept very busy early in the season, but there has been a slight slackening-off of late. The first overseas steamer to convey frozen meat this season is expected to arrive in the course of a few days. THE HARVEST. The harvesting of cereals, though interrupted by the broken weather, is now well advanced. The yield of oats and grass seed has been normal, but the early threshings of wheat have produced remarkable results. In a number of cases 70 bushels and over of Dreadnought wheat to the acre have been secured. One prominent settler told our representative at the week-end that he had lived in the district for over half a century, and had never seen the wheat crops so good. Unfortunately the area put down in this cereal is small. The farmers are deserving of a good season, as their experience during the last couple of years has been somewhat depressing. THE WHEAT PROBLEM. Inquiries made by our representative among wheat-growers go to show that the growers are perfectly satisfied with the assurance of a suitable tariff on imported wheat and flour, and an open market. It is probable that a much larger area will be put down in wheat this year than in the last couple of years. A good deal of summer fallowing has taken place in anticipation of autumn sowing. The millers are not enamoured of the arrangement made by the Government, as they consider that it places them at a disadvantage compared with the Australian millers. Poultry-raisers, on the other hand, are delighted at the prospect of cheaper fowl feed being available. WAITAKI BRIDGE. The recent accidents on _ the Waitaki Bridge have occasioned anxiety to travellers, stockmen, and settlers. The Waimate County Council decided last week to send a letter of protest to the Railway Department, and the Waitaki County Council resolved on Friday to endorse this protest. OAMARU EXPANSION. Although nothing in the nature of a boom has been experienced in Oamaru. the progress made during the last year or two has been steady and substantial. The installation of a drainage system to serve all parts of the town is an undertaking that will be of immense value to the municipality. The drains have been already laid in a number of the streets, and the connection of houses will be proceeded with immediately. Evidence of confidence in the future of -the borough is to be found in the number of ornato business premises that have recently been erected, and in the extension of others. Mr Jas. M‘Diarmid and Mr Burton intend shortly making important additions to their premises. The housing problem is not nearly so acute as it was a year or two ago, as a large number of modern residences has been erected. THE EXHIBITION. When an appeal was made for funds for the Otago Court at the Exhibition, the Waitaki County Council, which was assessed at £SOO. made a contribution of only £250. At its meeting on Friday last the council reconsidered its position. The Chairman (Mr W. Gardiner) spoke in enthusiastic terms of the educational character of the Exhibition. He quoted the remark of a child visitor, who, having inspected Nelson’s ship, the Victory, expressed amazement at the naval progress made by the Empire. Other councillors, who had oreviously opposed the £SOO grant, said that, as a result of their visits to the Exhibition, they were satisfied that the county was receiving splendid value for its money. The council unanimously decided to increase its grant from £250 to £SOO. DONATIONS BY LOCAL BODIES. The question of how far local bodies are entitled to make contributions from their funds towards social and other, institutions has been engaging the serious attention of the Waitaki County Council of late. At its meeting on Friday the council declined a request for a contribution to the funds of the Plunket Society. While councillors expressed sympathy with the objects of the organisation, they considered that its finances should be arranged by private appeal, and should not be made a charge against the ratepayers as a whole. WAITAKI ELECTRIC POWER BOARD. Mr J. M. Forrester presided at the monthly meeting of the Waitaki Electric Power Board. Some discussion took place upon an intimation from the borough council that it was proposed temporarily to cut off the water supply to the power station. The engineer pointed out that this would be a serious matter for the board, though members agreed that a shortage of water had resulted from the Waitaki River shifting its course at the intake, and that the inconvenience would be only temporary. The engineer reported upon the business transacted at the Engineers’ Conference in Dunedin, and upon an interview with the chief electrical engineer regarding a bulk supply from Lake Coleridge. Permission-'was granted the Otago Board to erect poles along half a mile of the area controlled by the Waitaki Board. In response to a resolution paused by Tokarahi settlers, the engineer stated that canvassers would visit this part of the district us soon as possible. The Finance Committee reported that Mr R. M. Meldrum had been appointed to the position of storeman. The bank balances were as follow:—Power fund account — Fixed deposit £4OOO, current account credit £1917 lfls; capital account —fixed deposit £6OOO, current account credit £1538 2s 7d. Accounts aggregating £2884 18s 2d were passed for payment. HEAVY RAINFALL. The rainfall recorded in Oamaru for the 24 hours ended 9 o’clock on Sunday

morning was l.GSin. For the month of February a total of five inches has been recorded, this being the heaviest fall that has been registered in any one month for years past. Fortunately, the conditions have been cold, otherwise the grain in stook would have sprouted, and farmers would have been heavy sufferers. The rain ceased before noon on Sunday, and there are indications of a return to fine weather. A DISTRESSING FATALITY. A distressing fatality under unusual circumstances occurred at the Waitaki Boys* High School at the week-end. On Friday afternoon three of the younger students were playing with a ball, when one of them, named Barry Desmond Davies, aged 13 years, was .struck on the temple. He later had his evening meal, and attended preparation classes, but about half-past 10 he complained of pains in the head. A medical man was summoned, and decided that an operation was necessary. Before this decision could be acted upon, however, the little fellow had expired. The deceased, who was a son of Mr G. H. Davies, dentist, of Hastings, only entered the school at the beginning of the recent term. His body was sent north on Sunday, a large number of students of the school following it to the railway station, after service had been held in St. Luke’s Church. PERSONAL. The Rev. D. Jamieson, who has for some years been curate of the Oamaru parish, has been appointed vicar of Waikouaiti, and will leave shortly for his new home. Much regret is felt at Mr Jamieson’s departure from this town, as he has taken a very active interest in a number .of local institutions, notably the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Deep regret is expressed locally at the death of Mr Thomas Johnston, jun., who has been a. patient sufferer for some years. The affliction of his family is the greater by reason of the fact that his father died only a few days ago. GENERAL. Bowlers, cricketers, and lawn tennis players have had a bad time this season through a succession of wet Saturdays. All outdoor sports and a swimming carnival had to be abandoned last Saturday m consequence of the rain. No bankruptcies were recorded in the Oamaru bankruptcy district for the month of February. The vital statistics for Oamaru for the month of February were as follows: Births 29, deaths 9, marriages 4. The engineer of the Waitaki Electric Power Board stated at Friday’s meeting of the board that an increase of 50 per cent, had been made in the railway charges on imported timber. Members considered that this increase would prove a serious burden to electric power boards generally. A fall of snow occurred on the ranges beyond Kurow early last week. WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL. MONTHLY MEETING. Cr W. Gardiner presided at the monthly meeting of tlio Waitaki County Councii, and there were also present Crs W. Nicolson, D. Clark, J. Newlands, A. M'lnnes, G. Livingstone, and T. A. Munro. Correspondence dealing with minor matters was read and acted upon. The solicitors to the council expressed their written opinion that the council had no right to levy a Fapakaio water race rate producing £255 7s lid when the interest and sinking fund amounted to £9 Os lOd per year, and to use the balance for maintenance purposes. The proper course for the council to adopt was to cease levying the rate, and to amend the by-law, increasing the annual charge to 9d per acre to cover maintenance, interest, and sinking fund. — It was decided to act upon the advice of the solicitors. It was decided to establish a public pound on the Maerewhenua Estate, with Alexander Duncan Wells as poundkeeper. Permission was granted varoius firms at Georgetown, Kurow, Mnheno, Tokarnhi. and Duntroon to erect kerbside petrol pumps. A request from Mr W. C. Arkle, of Palmerston, to metal a road leading to his cottage at Moeraki, for which he would pay the cost, was granted. Twenty-five residents of oTkarihi petitioned for a bridge or culvert over the channel at M'Donald’s property at Island Cliff, and the engineer was instructed to make a report to the next meeting. The chairman, engineer, and clerk were appointed to attend a conference called by the Levels County Council of local bodies in the Group 15 Highways District, to allocate the heavy traffic fees collected from July Ito January 2. The conference is to be held on March 5. A resolution from the Bruce County Council suggesting that owners of motor ears be compelled to take out third-party insurance risks was held over for further consideration. It was decided, at the request of the sanitary inspector, to prohibit the dumping of refuse on the road at the east end of Weaver street, and also on the foreshore. Permission was granted a number of Pukeuri residents to lift water from a water race by means of a windmill. It was -decided to approach the Main Highways Board to see what arrangements could be made in connection with the purchase of a motor grader. The engineer’s report was read and dealt with, tenders for various works accepted, and accounts passed for payment.