Widow takes seat

It was a poignant moment at the Grey District Council meeting last night when the widow of former councillor, Milton Osborne, assumed his seat at the council table. Mr Osborne was one of the 29 men who died in the Pike River Mine disaster on November 19, and his widow, Anna, claimed his seat unchallenged in a recent by-election. Mrs Osborne said she stood for the council because her husband would have wanted her to continue his work. Swearing her in before the start of the meeting, Mayor Tony Kokshoorn told Mrs Osborne that her husband had been a dedicated and respected “straight-shooting” councillor and he was confident that she would have her own attributes to bring to the table.