HOKITIKA NOUS

Grey River Argus, 26 March 1928, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOUS

(From Our Own Correspond nt.) HOKITIKA, March 25. The Railway staff assembled at the Hoktika Station on Friday afternoon, on the eve of the departure of Mr Craw, who has filled the office of station master, here for approximately four years, and a presentation was made to him oy Mr G. Clarke Roberts, who spoke of the many sterling qualities of the re cipient, and wished Mr and Mrs Craw and family every success in the future. Mr N. S. Dew, who is the new Station master at Hokitika, was welcomed, and he was assured that his stay here would be a very pleasant one. Mr Craw, who was then presented with a case of pipes, suitably responded, an I expressed his regret at leaving Hokitika. The singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” brought the meeting to a close. Mr Craw on Saturday proceeded to Greymouth, to which centre he has been promoted. Mr Joseph Kortegast, who has been over on a six months’ holiday to New Zealand, is returning to San Francisco, where he is engaged with an engineering company. The motor cycle accident in which Mr Edward Charles Rooney, of the Hoktika Post Office staff, sustained serious injury, occurred where Livingstone Street meets Stafford Street, on the road to Kanieri. There has been a lot of gorse at this point which should never have been allowed to remain, and prevented both Rooney and the other cyclist concerned, Mr John D. Stuart, eldest son of Mr Dave Stuart, sawmiller, from seeing each other as they were approaching at right angles to the road intersection. Stuart was coming into town, and when he came to the corner Rooney swerved across the road in an attempt to get further out, while Stuart pulled to the left, but his front wheel struck Rooney’s cycle amidships and both cycles and riders came down with a ('rash, Rooney being seriously injured, his right arm and leg being broken, while Stuart escaped with some bruises and skin abrasions. Rooney’s cycle was considerably smashed up, while Stuart’s front wheel was buckled. There was no one present to see the smash, except the two participants, but a few moments later a car came along and Rooney was taken to the hospital, where he received treatment. The right leg is broken at the thigh, and both bones on the right forearm were broken, both breaks being rather bad ones. There are no other injuries of any consequence, and his condition otherwise is good. The tar sealing on Cass Square by the Borough Council staff is now finished, and is a great improvement to the Square as a whole. Mr T. A. Johnston, the newly appointed District Engineer for the district, has been inspecting the highways in Westland County during the week. South Westland, Kokatahi, Koiterangi, and Lake Kanieri roads were inspected. Mr Holmes, of Wellington, who is making an inspection of the water supply pipe lines, met the Borough Coun-

cil on Friday, and stated he had bee over the pip? line that day, and woul make further inspection on the follov ing days. The Mayor stated he woul call the Council together when M Holmes had prepared his report. At the Railway Station on Frida afternoon Mr Vernon King, on the o<

casion of his marriage, was presente by the Railway staff with a case c stainless cutlery. The presentation w: mad? by Mr Craw, Stationmaster, wh

spoke of the many fine qualities of the recipient, and congratulated him on his joining the Benedicts. Mr King suitably responded. & The local racecourse should in good order on Easter Thursday the Westland Club’s meeting, as«t has been harrowed, top-dressed and lit® ed. As usual, the Easter meeting wil include two trotting events. During the past couple of days very welcome showers of rain have fallen, doing a lot of good to pastures and gardens, besides cooling the atmosphere. An earthquake was felt here shortly after 9 a.m. to-day, which, while not violent, was one of considerable duration. Comment is made on the fact that an Italian seismologist, Signor Beudandi, should have forecasted such a phenomenon both in the South Pacific and in Europe, especially as Christchurch reports a shock on Thursday morning. At the Borough Council meeting, a donation of £lO from the Beautifying Society was received. It was decided to grant the request of the Rev J. W. Hayward for the Council to tar seal the entrance to the Presbyterian Church, Stafford Street, from the gate of the church building, the cost to be paid by the applicant. The Treasurer reported receipts £335 14s lid, payments £132 2s Bd, balance to credit £551 19s Bd, drainage loan jhceount credit £l6 13s.—Received. Accounts amounting to £132 2s 8d were passed for payment. Reserves Committee recommended tenders be called for clearing all growth on the sides of Cass Square, and a man be put on for a week to do up Macandrcw Square. Arrangements have been made to deepen the partition ground between the Mental Hospital grounds and the cemetery. The Overseer has been instructed to finish off the fencing of Cemetery Hill as soon as the timber is delivered. It was recommended that the main roads at the Cemetery be tar sealed as circumstances permit. With respect to sections in Sale Street which have recently passed into possession of the Council, it was recommended that the Overseer report as to the cost of drainage to improve the value of the land for residential purposes. The report was adopted. The Public Works Committee recommended filling in the open drain in Sale Street between Weld and Stafford Street, at a cost of £26 10s. It was stated £B7 15s was required to complete the Bealey Street drain. The report stated the estimated cost of the fire plug and water mains in Stafford Street between Rolleston Street and Jollie Street was £132. It was recommended that the Council procure another 1000 gallons of Res-Mex. at a cost of £53 Bs. It also recommended that the Sewell Street drain, between the Clock Tower and the wharf, be completed as early as possible.