HOKITIKA NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1934, Page 3

HOKITIKA NOTES

[our own correspondent. j

HOKITIKA. April 19. The death of Miss Edna Florence Pamment, of Kumara, took place at the Westland Hospital, this morning. Deceased was a native of Kumara. 35 years of age. She had been in failinghealth for a considerable time. Besides her father Mr G. Pamment, she leaves three sisters (Mrs Bentley, of Karori, Wellington; Mrs Clausen and Mrs Undrill, of Hokitika), and four brothers (Fred and Forbes at Waiho, George at Wellington, and John at Kumara).

The challenge for membership supremacy issued by the Hokitika branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, to the Waimate branch, last April, concluded oil March 31. The Waimate branch were the victors, finishing the year with a membership of 181, as against Hokitika’s 173. There was a representative attendance at the County Chambers, yesterday, to meet Messrs Gibson and Reid, representatives of the Government, and to discuss matters connected with the Hokitika airport. The Mayor (Mr G. A. Perry) presided, and others present included Mr A. R. Elcock (De-puty-Mayor), Mr W. Jeffries (County Chairman), Mr J. A. Murdoch (County Councillor), Mr E. W. Heenan (Chairman. Harbour Board), Mr H. T. Parry (Aero Club) and Messrs J. J. Mclntosh and P. H. Renton (representing the landowners). Mr Gibson said they were there to finalise the arrangements, so that the work on tne grounds could be completed. The Unemployment Board was providing the labour under 5b Scheme, and the Defence Department paying for the survey and supervision by the Public Works Department. It would be necessary to appoint a. controlling authority.

The meeting recommended that the Westland County Council be asked to take control of the airport. Appreciation was expressed of the gift of land by Messrs Mclntosh and Renton, their liberality in the matter making the whole scheme possible. Surveys showed that the area finally available would be between 30 and 40 acres.

BRUCE BAY TIMBER. A meeting of owners under the Native Land Act, 1931, was held in Hokitika, yesterday, with reference to the proposals by the Bruce Bay Timber Co., to cut the timber on the Native land at Bruce Bay, South Westland, including the land held under the South Island Landless Nativek Act, 1906. Mr Fordham, chairman of the Native Land Court, appointed by Judge Harvey, presided, counsel being Mr Upham, of Wellington (for the company), and Mr J. A. Murdoch (for some of the Maoris). The sitting commenced in the morning ana continued with adjournments until the evening. In all, eleven sections were involved. The timber values offered by the company, were appraisement made by the Forestry Department officers. ' Regarding Section 893. which had been appraised to contain 15,000,000 feet of white pine, and 12,000,000 feet of rimu. the Native owners unanimously agreed to the sale of the whole of the timber at the price appraised by the Department, subject to the approval of the Native Land Court judge. The same proceduce was followed,

after considerable discussion, in respect. to Section 895. containing 15,000,000 feet of white pine, and 3,000,000 feet of rimu. The conditions submitted by the company regarding Section 854, containing 450,000 feet of white pine, and 705,000 feet of rimu, and Section 855. containing 400.000 feet of while pine, and 200,,000 feet of rimu, were also unanimously approved by the Natives, again subject to the approval of the Native Land Court judge. In connection with.Section 2499, and the adjoining Section 2500, containing 1,000,000 feet of white pine, it was de-I cided that, as the owners are limited ] to less than ten in number, negotiations be adjourned, as this block can be dealt with by private contract, without the necessity of a meeting of the owners. In the case of two other sections, the Native owners present expressed their disinclination to accept the val-

ues of the Forestry Department, and the company’s offer was withdrawn. With the exception of Sections 897 and 898, the remaining sections in the Bnice Bay Block were not dealt with, and the meeting adjourned to enable a quorum of owners to be present, as required by the Native Land Act. The meeting adjourned to Ross, where the company was tp meet the assembled owners of Section 897, containing 4,000,000 feet of white pine, 3,000,000 feet of Rimu and 100,000 feet of matai; and also the owners of Section 898 containing 4,000,00 Q feet of white pine, 412,000 feet of matai, and 454,000 feet of totara. The owners of these two sections live at Bruce Bay.