MACKENZIE COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 38

MACKENZIE COUNTRY.

August 31.— The visit of the Aoting-Pre-mi€.r, the Hon. Jame Carroll, to this portion of his constituency wae taken advantage of by the townspeople to lay before him a summary of our chief needs. The various deputations were laiige, representative, and influential, and they found the Minister sympathetic. The chief requests were the Harbour' Boand endowments, pesfc office and clock, increased police and court facilities, railway survey, increased aid i&e roads. While Mr Carroll could) not pledge the Cabinet's approval, personally he recognised the fairness of these requests. The new post offio. Ie m * fair way towards becoming an accomplished fact — tenders are being called for a two-storey brick, up-to-date ofßce. A banquet was giver- to th© acting-Premier, who, of course, is also our member, and a number of speeches were made, chiefly congratulatory. Fire. — We are still keeping up our notoriety. The residence of Mr H. Davis. a new building, was completely destroyed od Wednesday evening at 10 p.m. The cause of the fire is a complete mystery. School. — After a fortnight of enforced holiday after the recent fire the local school resumed work on Monday morning in three separate buildings in various parts of the town. For some time work will be carried on under difficulties Mi W Bird, Native school inspector, has juet completed his examination of the Native schools of this district, and reports very; favourably on the work being done, especially at Tuhara and Nuhaka. Hairbour Improvement.— The proposed! legislation to empower the taking of »• poll to ascertain whether or not the district is willing to raise £80,000 for tho "bar" is evoking much hcstiliEy from tho back-blockers. who claim that a differential rate should be levied, arguing that tho townspeople will benefit more than they wiD. Parliamentary Assembly.— At the last sitting of the Wlairoa Parliamentary Assembly a Land Bill brought down by Mr A. R. Mackay, Minister of Lands, was passed through its second reading. Its chief features were the remission of the firs£ three or four years' rent on Crown lands, compulsory residence, a prohibition of transfer until improvements amounting to 100 per cent, of the land value had been effected, and the formation of associations to settle Crown and resumed private lands.