HOKITIKA NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1928, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA, December 12. It is reported that a large tree (about 100 feet in II ngth) ia lying j u the fairway of the river f below the signal station, and that it is dangerous to shipping and requires attention by the authorities concerned. The Zingara sailed this morning for Wellington, with a cargo of sawn limU r, also cheese ami wool. The Bcjrough Council staff is at present engaged in cleaning up for Christmas, the. grader and grass mower being used with go’od effect on the streets .

The - following players will r present Hokitika Cricket Club in the Cup competition match—Hokitika v Rua tapu at thte Mental Hospital grounds on the 16th.:—Turner, Halliday, Banister,’Koch, Nightingale, King, Keller, Daly, Diedrich, D'atie, Stapleton. Play will commendi at 11 a.m.

The cargo of the Ihumata, which sailed for Melbourne qn Saturday night from Greymouth, included two trucks of tinned whitebait from the Hokitika canning factory.

Au important discussion at yesterday’s County Council meeting was in regard to the protection of the settlers at the Little Wanganui River, near Hnrihari, ’from the danger of Hood damage. Cr W. 11. Chinn moved that the Minister of Public Works be in cited to visit the locality to confer with the settlers as to the most definite action to be taken to protect the Settlement ffcroin the serious injury possible in heavy floods in the Little Wanganui. He said that a big flood might even take away the butter factory, The bridge over the stream confined the flow, and caused debris to be deposited in a fan-like way below the structure. The methods of river protection used were to his liking. Messrs W. Searle and J. Donova’n, the other Southern members, supported the motion, the latter saying a big flood would ruin the Harihari district under the existing conditions. Cr B. Ward agreed iher e was a real danger, and said Cr Chinn should draw up a comprehensive report for the Government on the matter. Cr J. H. Murdoch oppo ed the motion, as he hell that the Stale’s engineers were th< ••i.jht ones to advise as to the methods nccess.rv for projection. Otherwise rhev m ght incur a big ro-pom-i--bibty. At a point on higher ground he river ccnld be deflected, a >d th ’’ .. .ve .hie. : ugg. s'ions b. I’orc ;h-«-Co'iy.c.l. • M, Sharp should ho asked iii report, as h ■ had lu'ea ••..■it d-.A ■ :or that pu 'H -e. Tin* (vovernnm* idfl • Y 1' .■ :<■ T’j. G '■ hinn’.- nu.£.••’. .-I* .ig th w ri ’.v >uld not brook delay. Cr Chinn sa d delay had resulted through nobody be ing willing to accept any rtspon.-ibi !ity, because one settler. Mr Minehan, ‘‘cared protection works would flood his property. The settlers could not undertake the responsibility for the work needed. Cr W. J. Jeffries agreed with Cr Murdoch. The bridge was not threatened >ut the settler whose valu able property at cither side D’C river threatened , a damages claim if any works erected flooded his land. Th're were 13 homesteads menaced, also £14,000 worth of public property The matter must be referred io the en gincers. The motion of klr Chinn warn rried.

The County Council decided yesterday to find £5O, if Mr Stewart does likewise, and the Government votos £3OO. to make the Three and Five Mile track-; at Okarito fit for the convey

ance oi the machinery to the new min ing claims in that locality., and some planks in the Okarito Forks bridgi ire to be renewed.

The Blue Spur road, which is used by timber mill lorries, was discussed yesterday by the County Council which received from the Public Works Department an intimation that it could pot approve an authorisation of £2OO for repairs. The Chairman niov

ul that if the milling company found £5O in advance, the Council vote a sjm ilar : uni. Cr B. Ward seconded, saying many complaint as to th? read and come to him, and cither it must be •(■paired or the heavy traffic must stop. The millers had put some heavy ma ta rial into the ruts, but jo r some time this would hamper the lignt traffic. The motion, which Cr Jeffrie- supported, was carried.