HOKITIKA NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1928, Page 9

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own Corre«pondent.)

HOKITIKA, October 2.

As a result of representations made bv the Westland committee of the Car. terbury Progress League, advice has been received from the Postal Depi riment that a twice weekly mail will be. run to Weheka during the summer months.

Another 50,000 brown trout ova was rec ived from the Southland Acclimatisation Society on Friday last, and brought to the hatchery at Lake Kai ieri. This will make a million ova. received this season. Mr Ridlumls. who is in charge of the hatchery. reports a successful season. The monthly meeting of the Hokitika School Committee was held last evening. Present: Mr A. C. Armstrong (Chairman). Mrs' Wilson, Messrs H. Sweney, J. Coulson. W. E. Richards, J. Conning (lion, secretary) Mrs Garnet Perry. Apologies were received for the absence of Messrs Redder and Shannon. The Inspector’s report was read ami was considered highly satisfactory, and the rector and stalf congratulated.

The Secretary of the Canterbury Education Board wrote stating that accident insurance covered all caretakers and employees.

Mrs Wilson reported having obtained curtains for the teachers’ room, and prepared them for hanging. A vote of thanks was accorded Mrs Wilson. The Rector’s report showed an average attendance of 3G5.6 out of a. roll number of 408. The recent fair resulted in £74 1/- being realised. This carries a subsidy of £ for £. Reference was made to the loss at the school through Miss Lyons’ departure. Her successor (Miss Brown) is expected to arrive to-day. The visit to Ashburton by the senior pupils proved very interesting and pleasant, and thanks are due to those who cared for the children there. Sand was required for filling in holes in the grounds, etc. The Rector’s report was received and a vote of thanks was pasesd to the Rector and staff for their work in connection with the Fair.

It was resolved to employ Mr Geo. Kennedy to attend to several small requirements about the school. The dental officer (Mr Fouhey) reported there were a total of 96 attendances at the clinic during the month, and 70 patients were treated. These included 22 from Upper and Low.er Kokatahi.

The late Mr Samuel Mitchell, of Ross, some 60 years ago lost trace of his Victoria Cross awarded him for valour during the Maori War, by carrying a wounded officer out of danger at great risk to himself. Another —a Maori War Medal—was also lost. For many years efforts'were made to trace these valuable decorations, but without success. The matter was referred to Lord Jellicoe, on the occasion of his visit to this district, and later to thb Duke of York on his visit here. The medals were traced to England, where a retired Army officer, whose hobby was collecting Imperial decorations, had possession of them, having paid £7O for them at a 'sale of antiquities in 1909. After much correspondence the possessor reluctantly agreed to let the Mitchell family have the medals for the sum he paid for them (£7O), and last week they received them through the New Zealand High Commissioner’s office, ayid through which the money was paid. The family are grateful for the valuable assistance rendered by Messrs Park and Murdoch towards the recovery of the medals. Mr A. Keller (Hokitika), a son-in-law of the late Samuel Mitchell, V.C., had pleasure in showing these medals to many friends on their arrival. The members of the family are greatly rejoiced over the recovery of the long-lost symbols of gallantry.