OTOROHANGA.
Own Correspondent. A very unfortunate accident occurred at Otorobanga on Sunday afternoon, vvhereby a valuable team of working horses were drowned and toe driver had a very narrow escape. Tne team belonged to Mr Rothery, who has just commenced work on the metalling contract uii the Hauturu road, for which he was the successful tenderer. Three teams left the job early on Sunday afternoon for Otorohanga to be ready to load chaff at the station on Monday. Instead of crossing the traffic bridge at the entrance to the t-iwnship the drivers drove down to the Waipa river to give the horses a drink. The driver of the iii-fated team
attempted to ford the river which was abnormally high and the horses had only gone a little way before they were out of their depth and they had to swim with the empty dray behind them. The rein managed to get tangled up and the current which was running very strong at the time swept one of the leaders over on his back and then chaos reigned. The first horse never rose again and the current took charge and the horses, dray and driver, who by this time wa n waist deep, were carried under some willows. The driver grabbed a branch and so got ashore safely, but the team were sw"ept around a bend where the water is deeper and the farther bank is very high. It was a pitiful sight to see the two horses making spasmodic jumps to get free. It all happened so quickly that although only about 100 yards below the bridge some spectators, who rushed to give assistance, arrived too late and there was no sign of the team. It will be a very heavy loss as the team was a valuable one, but as soon as the river goes down to its usual level, no doubt the dray and harness wiH be recovered. The Town Council held a special meeting at their office on Saturday at which it was decided to strike a general rate of IJd in the £. The rata demands are to be out by November Ist.
A public meeting wis held in Turner's Hall, to discuss the balancesheet of the last District school children's picnic and to decide what to do with the large balance in hand. There was not a very large attendance although the money is raised by public donations. Mr Millar, chairman of the local school committee, was voted to the chair.
It was resolved that Mr Colhoun audit the accounts before presenting same to the meeting.
After a delay of a few minutes Mr Green, secretary and treasurer of the picnic committee, read the balancesheet of the last picnic, which showed a balance of £1 odd, and with the balance of £l4 odd in hand from previous years, made a total in hand of £ls 10s 7d. The last picnic had to be postponed for a couple of weeks on account of the bad weather, and that entailed extra expense, otherwise the balance in hand would have been greater.
Messr3 J. Ormsby and C. Johnson proposed that the balance-sheet as read be adopted.—Carried. Mr Colhoun thought it would be a good plan if the meeting could spare the money to donate £3 towards beautifying the school grounds and making a school garden, and the Board of Education and the Government would each subsidise it £ for £. Messrs Johnson and Forster moved a proposition to that effect which was carried unanimously. Mr Whyte apologised for the absence of Mr J. H. D. Burnand, and informed the meeting that Mr Burnand, as an old member of the school picnic committee was in favour of retaining a substantial balance in the event of losses at future gatherings. On the proposition of Messrs Whyte and J. Ormsby it was decided to retain at least £lO to be carried forward to the expenses of the next children's picnic.—Carried unanimously. Regarding the balance a general discussion took place and various schemes were suggested. Mr C. Johnson proposed and Mr Osmond seconded that the balance of £2 15s 7d be given to the Domain Board. Mr Whyte moved an amendment seconded by Mr Morrisey, that the money be spent in extra prizes for the school children at the next picnic. The voting was even on the matter, and the chairman said as he had several children attending the school he was in favour of the amendment, which was therefore carried.
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King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 407, 25 October 1911, Page 5
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746OTOROHANGA. King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 407, 25 October 1911, Page 5
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