The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, December 15. THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 452, 15 December 1904, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, December 15. THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

It will be noticed from our advertising columns that a meeting of the local branch of the Otago Central Railway League has been convened for this evening, the business being to consider what steps should be taken to urge upon the Government the necessity of pushing on the construction of the bridge over the Manuherikia at Alexandra ; and, as the matter is one of extreme importance to the district, we hope to see an attendance to-night that will impress upon the Minister the fact that the people are very much in earnest in the request they are making. It cannot but be patent to the most casual observer that, unless, steps are taken in the near future to call for tenders for the construction of this work, the consequence will be that the opening of the line to Alexandra will be unduly delayed, for, from past experience, we all know the great length of time that elapses between the letting of the contract and the completion of works of this description. We are assured, by one who is in a position to judge, that in six months' time the work of formation will be about completed to the upper crossing of the river, by which time the construction of the bridge at that point should be Well in hand j and in view of the fact that the formation along Galloway Flajj. is', comparatively easy, pr.s•■••iitiiig no engineering difficulties, id seems to us tkafc the time has arrived when Government should make a move; in the direction of putting in band the construction of the lo>«ferf bridge. In view of the statements and promises made by the Premier at: Omakau the other day,; and by bh& Minister of Public Works himself oh previous occasionsj tb© reply of the | latter to the Dunedin League concern- j iDg this matter is somewhat mysterious and inexplicable; and We hope that the result of the present agitation, :<lnj support of -a reasonable request, win/ elicit from the Minister a more definite and more satisfactory statement of the department's intentions Concerning this 1 : matter. . '

- The local banks observe a half-holiday to-moirow(race day). The final number of Hansard came to hand at the beginning of the week: The Railway Department advertise excursion fares for the holidays in this issue. The Waimangu Geyser has not yet resumed playing. It has been silent since efche IsiNovember.' •" . ' ■■' ; Sir ytfoseph Ward leaves for England,' early in the year, attending the Postal Conference at Rome on his way out, % Athletes are reminded that nominations for the .Flying Handicap and. Sheffield; Handicap, to be run at the Alexandra Caledonian 'Society's sports on New Tear's Day,; close on Saturday evening next. -*;„. I;-. 4 There is a good deal of speculation in IJMie.Mt, Ida Electorate concerning'the candidates who are likely to take the fijslcj in ihe Liberal interest, at the next election, against the sitting member, In thisi ofti!>nection the names of Messrs John J. J. Ramsay, and E. 0. Cutten (mayor of Naseby) are mentioned; This paper ventures the opinion, however, that there resides I within the Mt, |da electorate' a gentleman whose candidature would be more accept-' able to the Liberal Party than any of those mentioned; and one, moreover, who would have a greater dtanca of success,

Mb L. Gards,who recii&y • the colony from a trip to Australia atd .%b<S ■■■ continent, is at present on a visit* to V Msxandra. y The co*tof transportingMr Kroner's body . by. spebial steamerto Sooth Africa wan ' £2OOO. This sum was subscribed by Dutch contributors.." • '• . .' Mb A. R. Barclay, who represented Don* din City in the last Parliament, is mentioned | as a probable candidate for Donedin '■ North at next general election. The Premier, who is cow in Wellington* after his recent visit to Central Otago, is reported to be slightly indisposed, and bis medical adviser insists on bis taking an absolute rest. By a careful computation it is estimated that the Government would lose £7OOO pet annum in duty if the recently gazetted regulations with respect to patent medicines were enforced. The Alexandra Public School breaks up • for the annual summer vacation to-day. The school re-opens on Tuesday, January 31st, 1905. The children will be entertained; at a picnic in the recreation ground this afternoon. , |f A movement was afoot throughout the railway service of the colony to make a presentation to the Minister in recognition of his services in passing the amended superannuation measure of last session, but Sir Joseph " squelched " it when he learned of it on Friday last, WE would give our readers a final reminder of the bazaar, in aid of the Vicarage Building Fund, which opens in the town hall this afternoon. An unusually large and varied assortment of articles will be pre* sented for sale, and we have no doubt thafi the whole stock will be disposed of. The bazaar will be open to-night and again tomorrow night. On Monday, 26th December, and Monday, 2nd January, close holidays will be observed at the Alexandra post office. On Tuesday. 27th December (for Boxing Day), the office will be open only from 9 a.m. till 10 a.m»' On December 26th and January 2nd mails for Clyde and Cromwell will close ait 6.30 a.m. On December 27th mails for Bald Hill Flat and Roxburgh will close at 8 ami The weather of late has been extremely unseasonable—indeed, it has been of a de* cidedly wintry character. Bleek southerly gails prevailed on Sunday and Monday, and on Monday night rain fell continuously for several hours. The ranges are covered with a heavy coating of snow, which is lying; almost to the foothills, and altogether the weather conditions are such that the oldest inhabitant cannot, in all his experience, remember anything so unseasonable. We understand that at a meeting of the Alexandra Jockey Club, held on Saturday night last, it was decided to dispense with , the services of the Brass Band at the olub'a racesmeeting to-morrow, the reason being, we understand, that the band could not sea ' its way to comply with a request by the Jockey Club that a reduction should be made ) in the band's usual charge. The fee conceded to the band at previous meetings was £6 10s for 20 performers, the band providing lunch and refreshments for its members, and ? also conveyance to the course. The band contends that the fee asked is a reasonable one, but the jockey club evidently thinks otherwise. In any case, we are aura that _ the absence of the band will considerably detract from the enjoyment of a large section of the visitors to the racecourse.—Since the = foregoing was in type, we learned that a meeting of the Jockey Club bad been convened for last evening to re-consider the * matter, but up to the time of going to press 1 it was not known what the meeting bad d*. P cided upon.