OTAUTAU.

Southland Times, Issue 3486, 23 August 1879, Page 2

OTAUTAU.

Writing on the 16th insti, ourScorresppn deritlsays:^— : ' ' ;; 7:?£. -This' comparatively unknown township is fepidly springing into importance, and will no doubt, ere. long, assert its- true position a a the centre of bur magnificent' western district. In addition to the several 'hdfcels, we can now ; boast of two blacksraiths f tw;o saddlers, tvvp butchers, two shoemakersj'bne baker, one general store, a sclioolhouse, and various business edifices in,- cpurse r . of ,i construction. The,remark'ably ; rapid! progress ' °|„ ' )&}*. Uttl& township, is~ no doubt 4 ue tp the, near completipn,of;jrailway, the ; outer world.; w.hich I may remark, was commenced, more .thaii^ five years agb/aad^is con.fidently. expected \,.tb~ be consiimmalted in about twp- .months. ", Twenty ttire^ miles of railway constructed m' five years' and a half, which is . .equal ' to ; two vyards a 'day . The station buildings are i rapidly completion ; they are most suitable" (n every respect but piie, and that is^ that npone can reacn them th£ i-iyer is in flbod . ' The originaL site chosen by , tiie Government engtneers was on the'highest' pbint'of the township,, far . above, flbod mai-k, but for some rear son or other* (whiat coiild 1 it be?) representations, were made' .to Government, by one or two .individuals, wliich^ ended.^in MfcheMinister'bf Public; Works ordering^ the ;^ station buildings .to be removed (after ttey had been cpmmencedy to a spot close to the bank of the river, .Vyhieh is of ten several feet tinder -water.. This, was "done in opposijtion to the advicq of the Government. engineers, the protests of nine-tenths ; of ' the inhabitants, and the - remonstrances" of ~ the County 'Council J This aaffairr r has already, cost the country a ,6um r 'of| £3000,: and will probably en^in /the : station' being again' removed; : or swept X.-' V- '■■-.' ■'■.■'.'C'y' / "\ ■■"'■■■\ ;^ : x:V -'.■■".'• ~-' v^dncational mattera '. excite t'^iid 7 interest in this .cOjirimunity. ;y The school : cbmmite scarcelyv ever /meets, "and' ;does h very little wlienitdoes.happen/torget'i The grant ; ; fpr 'building £. school wa? lying idle in the Bank f pr r many months :. before any steps ,wero;^J£en;tp^'utilise it j even^ow- : the building is bnly'. partly jconstructed; : and 'they are calmly waiting for the timber to 'seasbn, for .which there is, of course, ple"nty ; of- time, as "no" "^teps ibave yfet been: taken' to provide a residence for :thc'schoolmasteiv ■ Meantime some 50 or '60 children are being thus happily trained to demonstrate to posterity the adVantages of universal suffrage. •' i Politics do not greatly disturb such a simple minded community, but when the day comes the ( worthy Doctor will have no trouble in counting all his votes.