THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 19 April 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

New Post Office Tor OhaH. It is to be hoped that the Postal De- j partmest Trill push on with the proposed j new post ofSce at Ohau as expeditiously a? possible, as the present post office i premises are totally inadequate for the j volume of business transacted and the . prospective needs of the growing__cUi?- J trier. Not only so. but the premises j are unfit for use. and in times of bad i weather the postmaster aid the public j are ranch ineonreuitßced. Jfcis morn- j iag, we are reliab) - informed, the Oban I poii oSce was S<jo6ed, as & result of ' cfce heavy rain, and the public tele- J phane of2.ee ;*~as some three inches deep j wits flood water. frame months have | sow/ elapsed si&Cfc lie Postmaster- 'j

General promised new offices for Ohau. The necessary site for same has been secured, but'so far nothing further has been done apparently. The residents of Ohau and district are most anxious that the erection of the new post office be proceeded with at once, and we would urge the Department to act promptly and expeditiously in this matter.

Amalgamation of Otaki Clubs. A proposal is afoot at Otaki to amalgamate the Otaki Bowling Club, Tennis Club and Social Club. An informal meeting was held on Friday night last, when the matter was discussed, and a committee, representing- the various clubs involved, was set up to consider the whole matter, draw up a scheme and present same to another meeting, to be held this week. Until this report is presented it would lie unwise in discuss details of the proposed amalgamation but speaking generally the scheme has much to commend it. and ill' J. I*. Brandon deserves the thanks of the community for in (reducing the proposal. If the scheme is consummated, it would have the effect of bringing about a better feeling between members of the three clubs —not thai, there is any bad feeling at present, but mem-

bers would be brought more i.u touch with one another, and the closer relationship should have a most beneficial effect socially. Then, too, improved management might be secured, and as a result of the amalgamation and the consequent increased membership of all three clubs, membership tees would be substantially reduced, and the grounds and buildings wotdd be kept in better order. With judicious management and the carrying out of certain much-needed improvements to building- and grounds, these sports clubs could provide very special attractions for lovers of healthy .sport and recreation, and the building up of such a strong organisation, with, such excellent, attractions, should prove a splendid advertisement for Otaki, not only for local residents, but also for visitors. We commend the scheme to the careful consideration of members of all the clubs concerned, and trust that the proposed scheme may be brought to a successful issue.

A Serious Charge. The "Methodist Times,-' in a recent issue, makes a serious charge in connection with the recent licensing poll. It says:—'-The estimated adult population of New Zealand in Decembei last was doe.nub. The number of names on the roll on which the voting took place on 17th December was about f'iSo.ti'W. That means that there were some 30.000 names on that roll for which there were no legitimate owners. That fact is one of the most painfully ominous that the public can face, ft opens up the possibility of roll-stuffing on a large scale, It may go far to explain why it was that Prohibition was defeated on I.7th December. Those ."U.O'Jb ownerless names were open to appropriation by any persons who were unscrupulous enough to u-n- them for their own ends. . . . The attention now called to the scandal of a poll so enormously in exee.-s of the number of people in this country entitled to vote should certainly engage the attention of the new- Parliament as soon as it n.OPl.*. iti-a question that effects the tl-hi of existence of Parliament itself." The above was pifbli.-hert about ■', fortnight ago, and as yet we have seen no explanation of the anomaly to wbi.-h it refer-. Po.-ibiy the Government otttcials .may be able to explain the po.-itiou. i'Ut in the event ot t:o .-ufisfaeiory explanation being forthcoming careful iMaine., should, be instituted as to the' di-ptuity of the figures adduced. No Lights. It n somewhat of a coincidence that whenever we have a .specially dark night the street lamps at Ota!:; are not lighted. This was the case on Saturday night, when a large number of people in town grumbled greatly at the want of street lights. Last night was a particularly dark, dirty night, and •again the lamps: were unlighted. We" Lave been informed that the fault wane- the lamplighter'.--, his promised simply of carbids not being to hand. Whoever is to blame, the matter is an annoyance to many people, and it eerisjialv -hows bad management somewhere when this sort o't thing is allowed to Happen so frequently—it i--~r. by fl sy means pa uncommon occurrence. **" *^*-'s—