OTOROHANGA NEWS.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1424, 8 November 1923, Page 4

OTOROHANGA NEWS.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

(District Representative.)

Hydro -Electricity.

The president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr E. J. Closey) referring to the matter of 'hydro-electricity, deplores the fact that the local bodies did not decide beforehand (that is, before the “in camera” commission of enquiry sat) what the objective should be. It may be mentioned that the commission of enquiry was composed of people who were supposed to take an intelligent interest in the matters placed before them but did not report to the several public bodies they represented until all was over, and the conceivers of the Waitomo scheme had, as the schemers, published the repoi’t of a portion of the committee in favour of the proposed scheme and, metaphorically speaking, shoved it down the throats of the ratepayers of both town and country. The ratepayers who signed a certain petition in favour of the suggested Waitomo scheme did so without knowing what they were signing and several have expressed their regiet at having done so. It may be suggested to all who regret having signed that they can if they wish notify the authorities that they wish to have their names withdrawn from the said petition. However, judging the position as it is this may not be neces- | S ary, for it may be remembered that there is the Government permit for a new Board to be obtained and then a loan poll of the ratepayers to be carried.

A cricket match will be played here on Saturday between Otorohanga and Railway, the home team to be picked from the following: Eassey, Price, Parry, Hyde (2), Cullen (2), Henry, Osmond, Belcher, Sanders, Hughes, Martin, Lemon, Hale, Meredith and Nicholson.

The annual general meeting of the Otorohanga Sports Club will be held on Tuesday next, 13th, at the Town Hall Chambers. An alteration of the date of the sports meeting is to be suggested from Easter Mondav to an early date in January.

On Tuesday, about mid-day, there was a commotion at the northern part of the town owing to a young man (24) known as “Scotty” Mason having become mentally unbalanced. He went to the house of Mr Harris (factory manager) and asked the lady of the house to dismantle the wireless set which is installed there as he wished to get married. There being no constable available Mrs Harris rang up Mr H. Benner. J.P., who was soon on the spot in company with Sergt Major Culley. Mr Benner rang up Te Kuiti but could get no constable from there. The man in the meantime disappeared but Messrs Harris, Benner and Thompson, with Sergt Major Culley. traced him to 'his whare on the Kio Kio road. Mason was taken to the lock up and kept there whilst Mr Benner arranged for a delay in the departure of a goods train by which the man was taken to Te Kuiti and placed in charge of the police there. Dr Liston, Coadjutor R.C. Bishop of Auckland, is expected to visit Otcrohanga on Sunday week, 18th. when he will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. On that day Mass will be at 11 o’clock.

The rainfall at Otorohanga during October was 4.55 inches, rain occurring on 14 days. The heaviest fall was on the 26th, when there was .72 inches. For the 12 months ending October 58.58 inches was the total fall.

According to the president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr E. J. Closey) Otorohanga will get electricity, within 12 months. This will mean quick work if it is done through the proposed Waitomo Power Board, which is only on paper as yet and the permission to form same only problematical even at the present time.