SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24402, 13 September 1940, Page 9

SOUTH OTAGO

BALCLUTHA Inquest Opened An inquest on the body of Thomas Randall Carson, a miner, of Kaitangata, who was struck by a fall of coal and stone in the mine on Monday and died at the Balclutha Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, was opened before Mr W. Roy. district coroner, at the hospital yesterday morning. Constable Walts (Kaitangalax represented the police. Evidence of iden tification was given by Roy Carson, brother of the deceased, who said his brother was 41 years old. and left a wife and seven children. The inquest was adjourned sine die. Swimming Club At the annual meeting of the Balclutha Amateur Swimming and Surf Life-sav-ing Club Mr D. Baltimore presided. The report and balance sheet showed the club to be in a very flourishing position, with a membership last season (1939-40) of 215 and a satisfactory credit on the year’s working. Office-bearers appointed were:— President, Mr G. Mcßride: senior viccpresident Mr Baltimore: vice-presidents— Messrs C. G. Clark, A. J. McD. Miller. R. W. McGuffog; captain, Mr G. Bell; vicecaptain, Mr Fred Bullen; ladies’ captain. Miss N. Gold; ladies’ vice-captain, Miss E. Dow: life-saving instructor, Mr D. Baltimore; committee —Mrs Miller, Miss N. Cameron, Messrs C. Connor, O. Low: delegates to Otago Centre. Messrs G, Mcßride and G. Laing; delegates to the Otago branch N.Z.S.L.S.A.. Messrs D. Baltimore and G. Mcßride; secretary. Mr G. Laing; treasurer, Mr S. D. : Macdonald; auditor, Mr J. Dogart; custodian. Miss J. Gold. It was decided that all members on active service should be retained as members.

Miniature Ride Shooting The Balclutha Miniature Rifle Club held the last of its weekly shoots on Wednesday night, when C. Falconer scored the possible of 80 off the rifle. Scores were as follows: —C. Falconer 80, B. Gold 71, N. Mitchell 79, A. Low 76, A. Hayward 78, L. Jory 70, L. Bell 76, G. Tosh 70, C. E. O’Hara 52, W. Wriaht 68, N. Rutheinorn 76. A. Roger 69, G. Sinclair 78, J. R. Buckley 74, W. Sloan 77, S. Macdonald 76, A. L Willyams 73, L, Cockerill 73, L. Thomson 75,’G. N. Bell 73, D. McFeeters 74, P. Hanley 69. J. Barclay 75. C, Cockrane 73, H Henderson 69, R. Mcßride 73, J. Fallowfield 69, R. Chalmers 75, R. Arbuthnott. sen., 75, I. Gold 63, T. McCrystall 76. A competition resulted: G. Tosh 1. H. Henderson 2, D. McFeeters 3, W Wright 4, R. Arbuthnott, sen., 5, L. Jory 6, R. Chalmers 7, G. Sinclair 8, J. Barclay 9, A. Roger 10. At the close of the shoot a social evening was held, and the president (Mr R. Chalmers) presented the trophies won during the season as follows: —A Grade; R. Arbuthnott. jun., championship aggregate. B Grade: L. Thomson, championship aggregate. C Grade; D, McFeeters, championship aggregate.

MILTON Borough Council The monthly meeting of the Milton Borough Council was held on Wednesday evening, the Mayor (Mr W. J. Cockburn) presiding. There were present Crs U. Walker, E. Currie, X. Lee, H, Wilson, R. Price. J. Anderson, A. Rennie, P. Gray, and H. McClymont. Messrs Reid, Rutherford and Sumpter, solicitors. Milton, wrote advising that they had been able to arrange for a loan of £BOOO at 44 per cent, per annum for the reticulation of the borough water supply, security to be in bearer debentures of £IOO, maturing in 25 years. The chief postmaster. Dunedin, advised that the early morning despatch of mail to Milton could not be reinstated owing lu the necessity of conserving manpower. As no reply had been received from the State Housing Department, it was decided to write again stressing the urgent need for workers’ houses and to apply for the original number of' at least 12. There w'as a lengthy discussion on the action of the owners of some sheep leaving animals in the saleyards for about three days after the last stock sale. They had been without feed for that time and were transferred to a borough section, one having died from starvation. Some of the sheep were still in the paddock awaiting an owner.—lt was decided that the yards be locked up on the morning following the sale, any sheep left overuight to be impounded.

The Mayor was appointed the council’s delegate to attend meetings of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council in Dunedin and the South Otago Zone Committee in Balclutha.

The foreman reported that 13 chains of concrete paving had been laid during the month in three blocks. Two sections of five chains each cost £lO 10s 6d per chain and £9 10s respectively, while one section of six chains cost £8 16s per chain. The Finance Committee’s report showed that expenditure totalled £1779 16s 3d. Receipts amounted to £IBO3 9s, and accounts recommended for payment amounted to £258 Bs. Maternity Ward at Milton Tlie receipt of two letters from Mr W. Roy, secretary to the South Otago Hospital Board, dealing with the new maternity ward at (he Milton Hospital caused a lengthy discussion at the monthly meeting of the Milton Borough Council on Wednesday evening. The first letter notified the board’s intention to increase the amount of its loan by £SOOO, the further amount being necessary on account of the need for a maternity ward at the Milton Hospital. There would be no additional cost to the council this year, and after 3941 the board's first loan would be paid off and levies would possibly be reduced. Mr Roy advised in his second letter that there would be no undue delay in the erection of the ward. Cr A. Rennie, the Milton Borough representative on the Hospital Board, outlined the difficulties which had been holding up the work, and moved that the council approve of the board’s actions. The following resolution was carried:—

“That the Hospital Board be advised that its estimates included an amount for the Milton maternity ward, and that the council was being levied for its proportion of this expenditure and getting nothing for it; that it be pointed out that the tuberculosis block at Balclutha is

not being used, and could be utilised tor the children until the ward is available.” Cr Rennie said that, although the board had authority to raise loans totalling £30,000, only £13,000 had been borrowed for the nurses’ home. It was not a tael that the board could not use any of the unexpended loan money for the ward at Milton. The secretary of the board had no necessity to notify the council of increasing the loan for the Milton project, as the council’s authority had been given in July. Presentation Prior to leaving his employment at the Bruce Woollen Mills on Wednesday evening to join the forces, Mr R. Hood was met by fellow-workers in the Finishing Department and presented with a money belt and a sum of money.