HOKITIKA ITEMS.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7214, 27 November 1888, Page 3

HOKITIKA ITEMS.

[from our correspondent.] November 15. I suppose I may be again allowed to protest against the horrible weather which is again prevailing in these parts. The one consoling fact is that we had a fine day for our holiday on the 9th, and the two or three days following were just sufficient to remind us that summer is hovering round; but the reaction, which has now set in, beggars description. It is simply abominable. Gardens which were just coming along nicely are either blown to pieces or' else the heavy hailstorms do considerable damage. Shipping is again at a standstill, and perhaps the only ones to be found rejoicing on the state of things are the sluicers. Our holiday passed off very successfully. Nature assumed her most attractive guise and I think the people, of Hokittka went in for enjoying themselves. During the day the town was almost deserted, even those remaining regretting they had not gone for an outing. The boating club which has just been started in our midst,' and the canoe club, spent a gqod time at the lake: whither also a few parties of picnickers had gone. A large number of town folk went to Kumara, while the balance followed our noble defenders to witness the taking of Kanieri. The volunteers are very jubilant over the success ol their scheme, and are only sorry it was not tried at an earlier date. Matters appear to have progressed during the day most satisfactorily and it la proposed to repeat the outing at the first opportunity. A great deal of its success is due to the people of Kanieri, for the noble manner in which the young men of that town gathered together at the approach of the enemy to defend their hearths and homes. And it is pleasing to find, as an outcome of the event, some thirty odd of them have given in their names as willing to form a contingent in connection with the First Westland Rifles. This addition of strength will be mosti acceptable and will go a long way to put new life into volunteering in our midst. At Kumara the Fire Brigade Demonstration and competition does not appear ta have passed off with that degree ot cordiality one would wish to see, indeed, it appears to have been a decidedly rowdy affair. The teams competing were Kumara, Greymouth and Hokitika and the latter appear to have conducted themselves the most satisfactorily, although they were not without their faults. The■ Kumara men, as the entertaining team,, should have shown a little more forbearance in which case, perhaps, matters would have gone off more pleasantly. The Grey representatives, however, are said to be to blame to a considerable extent, and they showed decided bad/ taste to retire from the competition and later in the day there was no! necessity for them to take the extreme step of burning the effigy of the Captain of the Kumara Brigade (Mr Burger). For this latter oHence they had the good sense to apologise subsequently. In all there were seven events, Kumara winning four and Hokitika three, Greymouth having, retired owing to a disagreement in the second event; Hokitika was also disqualified in two events. From a local standpoint the Hokitika team have every' reason to congratulate themselves on their success, and their winnings were fully. deserved. The team was composed of, almost new men to brigade work, and in Kumara the local Brigade failed to allow them the use of the gear the, evening proceeding to contest, so, as I say, they deserved all they got. The disqualification was owing to the mistakes of. two of their own men, which were unavoidable. The Kumara brigade win the, prize in the aggregate, Hokitika running' them very closely. By the way the giving' of the prizes does not appear to meet witK satisfaction among the local Brigade. Fop oneeventthey won, theprize was advertised, as £8 cash, instead of which they received £4 cash, and a small cup valued at £4. Another event where they expected to geb£2, they received two very paltry medals. > For these reasons, as well as the of bad feeling manifested throughout the contests, I ehould think Fire; Brigade j contests will now be on the wane. .< On the evening of the contest the youth,, and beauty of Kumara together with that, of the visitors, who were legion, attended, a grand cotton ball in connection with the • demonstration. Good feeling seems to* have prevailed there; and matters were' carried out satisfactorily, daylight dawn- < ing before the company separated. At the festive board during the night, the Grey - men offered to contest the Kumara men on Hokitika ground for £10 aside, .but ere.' this, I am afraid the effects of the festivity - have gone off and the contest has fallen, through. . . . ■' On Tuesday last Mr Jos. Mande, J.P., , being the only candidate for the mayoral chair, was declared duly elected for the ensuing year. For some time previous. several probable candidates were mentioned, but ere the convincing hour arrived, for some reason to themselves, they had vanished. It is certainly a compliment to the gentleman returned to have a walk over on his first attempt to hold the civic chair, and he feels justly proud on that account. Mr Maude has for some: time been a member of the local Borough Council, and for a considerable time held the responsible position of Chairman of the. Public Works Committee, as well as positions in other local bodies. He is therefore, not without well earned experience, and will no doubtdo honour to the position as* well as himself. The last issue of the Otogo High. School Magazine contains a lengthy account of the trip of the High School Football team to the Coast, two or three months ago. In giving their impressions of their trip to these parts the boys appear to be highly pleased with Hokitika, its people, and the: genial way in which they were treated. Of: Greymouth, however, they do not write co highly, but taken together they appear to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves, t-pn-cludinga long account are the following remarks:—"lt is needless to say that everybody was eorry to leave MokitiKa, as during our stay there, we had been right j royally treated, both by the Football Club and by the general public A special 1 word of praise is due to Mr D. J. Evans, our old schoolfellow, forWβ untiring exertions and abto to Mr W. Andre we* the the Hokitika Club. The kindSeSfof the Hokitika people will long liv. 1 in the memories of the team, • •,