OTANGIWAI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 181, 12 August 1909, Page 5

OTANGIWAI.

Own Correspondent,

In your copy of the annual report of the N.0.5.A., I noticed a slight error crept in somehow. The report was signed by Mr L. Bicheno as hon. secretary, not as chairman. The actingchairman was Mr J. L. Lyon. The election of officers resulted in Mr Lyon being returned as chairman; Mr L. Bicheno as hon. secretary; and Jno. Ferguson, hon. treasurer. The executive for the ensuing year are: — Messrs Sandison, J. Dunn. J. Peacock, A. H. Hyde, VVm. Bennett, R. Etherington and W. Woods. A vote of thanks to the executive committee for last year's services, and also to the hon. secretary was carried unanimously; also a vote of congratulation to the railway conmmttee for the successful agitation to secure a definite pronouncement re the Stratford-Ongarue railway. It was decided to heartily co-operate in tendering in the naar future, a banquet i to Mr Jennings, member for this electorate. The following quota towards a representatve commtitee were elected : Messrs Hyde, Hunt, Dunn, Carter and Bicheno. Mr Sowry gave notice of motion: 'T'hat annual meetings of the Association shall take place in future in the month of April. It was a master stroke of diplomacy on the part of the Government to set about re-organising their roads and public Works Departments at the present time. The recent stormy weather has played sad havoc with the back block roads, which were surely bad enough before. The main aoad to Otangiwai is not an exception a < it has disappeared bodily over a cliff in one place, and so we are cut off fr- m the out tide world almost entirely. We aurmise that the re-organisation of the Roads Department is a good excuse for the Government not spending too much money on back block roads, as it was made the excuse for not giving us a satisfactory outlet to Ongarae at the three mile peg. A sum of about twenty pounds wo'.ild give us a track out, and as the main outlet is blocked, this should surely be given to us. Perhaps your newly formed Chamber of Commerce could lend us a helping hand in this matter, as it seems to be a live*body, and willing to support the back conutry in its legitimate claims. We are all very anxious to see Mr Jennings included in the present Cabinet, as the back blocks have not a single representative in the Cabinet as at present constituted. Which is neither fair nor fortunate.