HOKITIKA NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1928, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA, January 15. The atmosphere during the past few days has been hazy with the smoke from scrub fires in the back country, more especially in the direction of the north, while the motors in the streets also have raised clouds of dust in all directions. It is understood that when the electrical scheme in the Dillmanstown locality is established, four or five sawmills at least will discard steam and utilise the new power for their machinery. Yesterday morning a very old resident of Hokitika, Miss Annie Bock, passed away at the Westland Hospital. She had come here in the early days from Victoria, with her father. The late Mr Alex. Bock, of the firm of Johnston and Co, ironmongers, of Revell Street, was a brother of deceased. Mrs Palmer, wife of Mr Herbert S. Palmer, of St Andrews, South Canterbury, died on Friday at the Westland Hospital, after a lengthy illness, at th • age of 48 years. She was a native of Wellington, and had of late resided at Ross with her sister, Mrs P. Bridgman. She leaves a family of three sons and one daughter. The funeral takes place at Timaru. A Jersey bull on Friday made an attack on Mr Houliston, the well known farmer, at Koiterangi, and, though he managed to beat off the bull with a stick, he sustained a severe shock. The bull was subsequently destroyed.

The local Athletic and Cycling Club meets to-morrow at 8 p.m., to arrange for forthcoming sports and whippet races.

The Borough Council has adopted the proposals of Cr I). J. Evans as to obtaining estimates of the cost of widening Hampden Street roadway, tar-scal-ing Fitzherbcrt and Hampden Street roadways, and also the footways of Cass Square. The footpaths at the State School grounds are to be tarsealed forthwith, and latter part of Sewell Street and the roadway of Revell Street. The Council is to ar_ range with the Gas Company for the supply of as much tar as is required, the Works Manager having intimated that the Company were making a special cut in price in favour of the Council.

At the local Abattoir last month, 551 animals were examined, including 245 sheep, 207 lambs, 46 bullocks, 19 cows, 21 heifers, 5 calves; one bullock and three cows being condemned. The fees, £7l 3s 3d, were £7 12s 9d less than for previous December. During November, the N.Z. Refrigerating Coy sent here 49 sheep and one bullock, the fees being £2 14s. At the Borough Council meeting on Friday there were present: The Mayor (Mr G. A. Perry), Crs G. Henry, S. Heenan, J. King, D. J. Evans, A. (’. Armstrong, W. Jeffries, A. R. Elico-k and T. W. Duff. The Fire Brigade advised that the steam engine cannot pump water at the well at the junction of Revell and Stafford Streets, and ‘t was decided that repairs be made to this well and that the others be inspected. Mr J. Cutbush (workman) was granted his holidays. Grey County Council forwarded cheque for £3O 0s 3d, being proportion of heavy traffic fees to December, 1927. Blackball Picnic Committee asked for use of Cass

Square on 20th inst, for purpose of their annual picnic, and the request was granted. A letter was read from P. Fcron and Son, Ltd, Christchurch, re condemned fish. Mr R. Lynn, Custodian, town clock, asked that a new ladder be supplied, as the one in use is unsafe; and one is to be supplied. Mr W. Gaylor (Borough Inspector) was granted his holidays. Mr C. E. Sparkes, sanitary contractor, wrote re renewal of sanitary contract, and consideration was deferred to next meeting. The State Insurance forwarded a cheque for I £4 12s 4d, in payment of claim for sick (leave for slaughterman. Mr M. Houston’s application for auctioneer’s license was granted. Bandmaster Hodgkins, Auckland, wrote inquiring whether any I opening for Bandmaster in Hokitika was available, and the letter was referred to the Band. Miss E. Ward, Fitz- | herbert Street, wrote pointing out that the excessive overgrowth of gorse on the Borough Reserve.. adjoining her property, constitutes a menace to the safety of her residence in the event of fire. The matter was referred to the Overseer for attention. The. Inspector, Public Health, directed that notice to be served on owner of premises in regard to drainage. The Treasurer reported receipts £433 5s 9d, payments £633 12s Bd, credit balance £799 17s Id, loan account credit balance £69 16s. Accounts amounting to £663 12s 8d were passed for payment. The Works Com. mittcc recommended including in next year’s programme an application from Mr A. Cowie for kerb in g, and in response to Mr Harcourt’s application for a drain to be cleared, that a fourinch earthenware pipe, be laid to connect with Hampden Street, the estimated cost being £5. Work done last month on borough streets, as recorded by the Foreman, included a general cleaning for the holidays, and the use of the grader on North Revell, Hampden, Sewell, Weld, Fitzhcrbert, Tancred and Bealey Streets., while the footpaths in parts of Revell, Wharf, Camp, Tancred, Fitzherbert, Hamilton, Bealey, Gibson Quay, Beach and Hampden Streets were chipped. A section between Fitzhcrbert and Bealey Streets in Weld Street was graded and gravelled, and one at McKay’s corner, in Tancrfed Street. The spoil was used in filling and level, ling Bealey Street drain between Weld and Stafford Streets; also in Brittan Street drain between Weld Street and Gibson Quay. Growth in several of the streets was cut where it was too

rough for the Council’s mower. Sewell Street drain fell in near Mr Robinson’s, and was repaired, also a drain in Boaley Street. The water supply pipe line was attended to on three occasions, twice at Kanieri Forks in repairing, and on the night of the 13th a blow-out took place on Tucker Flat. Leaks were repaired in various parts of the town. Six 18-inch and one 1-foot concrete pipes were made during the month. The water in the reservoir averaged 6 ft 3 ins for the month.