Otautau Town Board.

Western Star, 13 October 1908, Page 3

Otautau Town Board.

The ordinary monthly meeting. was j attended by Mr Jas Salton (chairman) f and Messrs Matheson, King, horde, O’Brien, and Officer „ The chairman stated that the willows, as received, had been planted where the committee had considered necessary. —Report adopted—He also pointed out thaV the county engineer (Mr McGavock) had not been able to bo present when they made a visit of inspection as regarded the water supply.—Matter held over for a month—Deputations— Mr G. M. Ross on behalf of the Bowling CluU waited on the Board. Ho stated that the club had spent £l5O on. improvements on. the ground. The property belonging to the Board, and the green took a considerable amount as regarded up-keeping. The green was a permanent one and as visitors wore a lways invited to have a game of the fascinating gam* of “bowls” he hoped the Hoard woifld grant a rebate as regards rent.—Mr F. Crawford said he could only endorse the remarks of the previous speaker. The green was a good asset to the town and he trusted the Board would grant them a rebate : in rent. Dr Bail'd also waited on the Board in regard to the Tennis Club. Mr King said the bowling Club’s request should be granted. He pointed out that many visitor’s took v . advantage, when in Otautau, of playing on the ground, and the Club had always made any visitor welcome to indulge in the popular pastime. / Mr Forde : This is a matter that /should be considered in committee. It wms eventually agreed, on the mot ion of Messrs King and M. O’Brien that the request be considered at a future meeting. John R. Gorkhill,' Otautau, asked that two crossings be put in opposite the entrance gates to his section in Grey street. He had to use the entrance to house that Mr Knight occupied to get to his- own back yard.— The Chairman said it would be as well to elect a Works Committee. They could then inspect and report to the meeting, and all these' requests could then come up for consideration. —Mr t King agreed with the previous speaker He moved that Messrs Scatter , R. Forde and the mover be a Works Committee. —Mr Officer seconded. —CarriedTho Clerk was instructed to prepare for next meeting a full statement of accounts. Messrs Harrington Bros, asked that ings adjoining Mr Paterson’s preing sadjoining Mr Paterson’s mises in Main street in wood. —It Was agreed that the firm be asked to stibrnit plans for consideration at next meeting. ,! J. C. Thomson, M.P., wrote* regarding the repairs to Otlautau bridge. He submitted the mat 1 ter'to the Minister for consideration*. Be also forwarded reply. *fl appeared by section TOO of “The 1 public Works Act, 1908,” there might be an apportionment of cost where road (and by section 119) or bridge i|S used principally by traffic from another district. He directed ;attention to paragraphs 2 and 4 of the Minister’s letter. In par. 3 the Minister refers to Publ : K Works. Act, I cfM. This is the consolidated statues, the volumes of which may xiot( be in the possession of the Board. The sections referred to will be found in The public Works lAot, 1 <>os.—Received. The Clerk of the E'xecutiMo Ciown til, Wellington, wrote stating that by the third schedule of The Noxious Weeds Act, ■T9OB, A’friean box thorn had been placed, b'a the list. — Received. 1). McAfee wrote in re gard to planking main bridge, lies' also drew attention to (lie nccess ity of maintenance gravel for 'ail Terent streets. —On the motion of 3 ,Ir King, sec-' onded by Mr Fordtjt, the matter was I ’ft in the hands of ti m Works Committee. Hon. .Tamos MeG.o wan, Minister fur Roads, wrolfe- re C Itautau Bridge, in reply to the Bo am d’s request that a commission bo set, up to deteov mino the proportion.'. . which should bo paid by the V’aUace County Council and the To ivn Board reapecUvely J,u

with, it would be necessary for the Board to state definitely whatproportion of coat ift considered should be contributed by the County Council ; (3) It was somewhat uncertain whether the work was one of construction cr maintenance. If it were a work of construction then the Board would have to take the steps required by section 119 of Public Works Act 1908, before a commission could be set up ; {4 9 If the Board were satisfied lithat the' work was one of maintenance then a comm.ssion could be set up to deal with- the matter on receipt of the information above asked for in terms of section of 109 and 150 of the Act ; (5) He mentioned this matter as it was important, because if the Board proceeded on the assumption that the work was proved, to be a work of construction the Board would either fail in its cose, cr if a warrant were issued -authorising the work as a work of maintenance and the county objected to it on the ground that it was a work of construction and refused to pay the Board might in such a case fail to recover the noney if it had to resort to legal Drocedure to compel the Council to pay, and the court were to hold jhat, the work were one of construction. —MrKing said the Board ihpuld forward the letter to their ; elicit on ap'd they would then get ;ounsels’ 1 opinion on the matter. —Mr J’Brien said it appeared to him -hat the Board.' would get notijlng iut of the Council unless they ought it tooth and nail. —The chair ran said, in his opinion, it would 10 advisable to take legal advice. Vhen theft" had obtained that, they .’Quid then know how to act.—Mr ■'orde : There will shortly be a ew election of committee who will it on the county benches. If we pproach the old members the mal--3r will be held in aloof, and they 111 tell us that we should aproach the new executive.—lt was ecided that -representation be again iade to tbe Council. On the motion of Messrs Forde nd O’Brien, Messrs Sal ton and :lng were appointed to sign cheues. ’ (Mr Forde gave notice of motion , rat the meetings take place at 7 ( ,m. in future. J. Baker drew attention to condir 1 ion of George street.—Left in the ands of Works Committee. H. Fade asked that the Board rant him 12ft of six-inch pipes for raining purposes.—Agreed to. After passing accounts amounting 0 £2fo Ss 7d the meeting, adjournI. '

On arrival at Plymouth of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer Papanui, from New land, it was reported that one of the passengers in the. third class had mysteriously disappeared, overboard during the previous night. The missing man, James Baxter, was fifty-three years of age, was a miner from Westport, New Zealand, and was travelling home to Dunfermline to meet his wife and children, who had come to the United Kingdom a year ago. Baxter, apparently was looking forward eagerly to the meeting, and only on the day before hns disap pearance ho was showing soma of the o titer passengers the presents he was taking home for his wife and children. He had given instructions to bo called at sbe a.m. on Sunday, but when the cabin was entered his bunk was empty, and a search of the ship gave no result. It iis believed that after saying good-night to his friends he wont to sleep on deck, on his chair. No one saw him again to speak to. A passenger who was restless during the night went on deck for a short time, and he states that he saw a man sleeping in a deck chair,, in Baxter’s favourite position. It is surmised therefore, that he went to sleep in the chair and being au’oused, fell overboard while only half awake. Among his comrades theae is no susp.cion of suicide or foul play. Baxter had been in New .Zealand for about five years.

We would draw attention of readers to Taylor and Co.’s advertisement, in this issue re cleaning and dyeing. The firm have a colonial reputation, and guarantee to turn out first-class work. They make a> specialty of gloves, feathers mats, etc.

The low state, of the market has a most depressing effect on the 11 ax industry at present • millers iniJjngto sed the way open to commence operations to any great . : x~ej t. We are given to understand that the large stocks of Manila held by th e merchants in the United States is one of the chief causes of the falling off in the demand for our product.