Otangiwai.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 258, 11 May 1910, Page 5

Otangiwai.

The school committee election Bijged considerable local interest at pngiwai. The outgoing committee ported a record year as far as improvements to grounds was concerned, and a substantial balance of funds with which to begin the new year. The following was the result of the election :—Messrs T. Leach 33, L. S. Fauchelle 30, J. Fergusson 29, P. Jorgensen 28, R. M. Dunn 25, C. Geisler and J. J. Peacock 23, T. O'Brien 11, Wm. Bennatt 10, W. A. Carter and A. McPhee 7. The first seven were duly elected, and at a subsequent meeting Mr Fergusson was elected chairman and secretary. The local creamery has closed down for the winter months. Several hard frosts and the bad roads have made the season somewhat short this year. Indignation meetings were to be held last Saturday, 7th inst., at Niho Niho, Matiere, Otangiwai, and Ongarue to protest against the meagre road and bridge grants for this district, and to urge upon the Minister the claims of this large, young district to more liberal treatment in the future. During this favourable season just passed the Government have been slack to the extreme of absolute neglect so far as public works inthis district are concerned and when the County Council protested they "hashed" up an account of the previous season's expenditure and with "beaming" pride said "see what we hlive done for you." The plain facts are that we are entering upon another winter with worse prospects so far as roads are concerned than we did last year. (Vide last report of Council meeting). A meeting is to be held at Niho Niho on the 21st inst. to resuscitate the Northern Ohura Settlers' Association. The settlers (about 150) realise that without organisation their wants are systematically neglected by the Minister for Public Works. The sooner the Minister realises that £1 for £1 subsidies are useless to young districts the better for the prospects of the Government. At the present moment, if an election took place the present administration would not get 10 per cent, of the settlers' votes, and that in spite of our having the "Roads and Bridges Member,"—Mr Jennings —than whom there is not a more energetic and faithful member in the present House. The Minister flaunts us and our needy district, and instead of heeding the representations made to him by those who know of what they speak, acts on his own initiative and to our detriment. It is a South Island administration, and the whole North Island has to suffer, and the back-blocka particularly. Settlement in this district is proceeding apace. Mr Seccombe has had felled about 300 acres this last season and is now letting about 500 acres more. Messrs Leach Bros, have subleased a portion of Mr Gailey's native lease and intend making good use of the.r axes and slashers this winter. Messrs Stubbington and Person have just brought in a portable engine with which to run their sawmilling plant in the adjoining valley (Mangakahikatea). Mr J. Fergusson intends building in the course of a few weeks, and Mr de Malmanche and Mr Symonds have consid erably enlarged their residences. Mr Geisler also contemplates enlarging his residence. Several of the settlers, viz., Messrs Fauchelle, Owens, Malmanche and Williams, have now their holdings completely felled and grassed, and there are several others who will not be far behind. Mr W. Carter has erected an up-to-date sheep dip. I have not nearly exhausted the list yet, but without any of the "puffing your correspondent "Mangaroan" charges me with, I have still in reserve a sufficient list of items of progress for another article.