KUMARA NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 9 February 1929, Page 7

KUMARA NOTES.

(From Our Correspondent.) The annual picnic organised by the combined sawmills of the district will be held at Taipo on 16th February. The Committee are already organising to make it even better than the last. The deputation from the School Committee which waited on the Hon W. A. Veitch in regard to the Department allowing a subsidy on the proceeds of the entertainment to replace school books and roll of honour, have enlisted the financial support of two visitors from Hokitika who were there on the day. Both donations are well above the average, and the Committee are very grateful. Complaints ar© coming from the Fire Brigade that some person or persons are interfering with the firefighting appliances. New hose which has never been used has been wilfully cut, and other parts of the gear have been tampered with. Kumara is proud of its and residents are disgusted to think that anyone can stoop to such contemptible mischief.

The Kumara Cricket Club are having a successful season, and with ordinary luck should be able to bfing the Shield t 0 Kumara. The Kumara schools joined with Hokitika in the excursion to Lake Mahinapua,. but the number attending from this quarter was not nearly as many as in former years. The Kumara State School, which was destroyed by fire in August, 1928, has been rebuilt on the same spot, and on Monday last the scholars re-assem-bled there. The Committee and parents are well pleased at the expeditious manner in which the rebuilding was carried out,, and a letter of ap preciation was sent to the Board complimenting th e foreman and staff on the very fine building. Nurse Goad, of the Westland Hospital staff., who spent her holidays in Kumara, has returned to take up her duties.

Mr and Mrs Hugh Steel, who have taken over the Post Office Hotel from Mr A. Cowie at Hokitika, will have the best wishes of their many Kumara friends. During their long residence in Kumara they .were esteemed citi zens, and are sur e to do well in the heart of Hokitika. Miss Irene Hay, the newly appointed assistant mistress at the State School, took up her duties on Monday last. Connie,, the li tie daughter of Mr Richard Aldridge, broke her arm while at play at Wataroa during the holidays. Miss Millie Holmes had the misfortune to break her arm. caused by a fall at her home. Mi's Mabel Griffin, of the Christchurch Road, is at present an inmate of the Grey Hospital. Mr L. Stuart junr inflicted a nasty cut on his leg with an axe, while at his work in the bush at Treacey’s Mill, Christchurch Road. It is reported that very extensive works will be commenced shortly at the hydro electric works at Dillmanstown. The Borough Council have a number of men employed putting in large concrete pipes across Seddon Street, from the Fire Station to the Zig-zag Road, across the main highway. Since the heavy-lorry traffic, the old timber often breaks away, and that has been a source of considerable expense to the Borough. Although costly to the Borough the new concrete tunnel, when finished, will be a solid, permanent job.

The state of the Cemetery has always caused the Borough a certain amount of worry. Lack of funds has been the principal cause of the neglect. and several suggestions have been advanced to meet the difficulty. A handsome donation of £5 has been offered by an ex-Kumaraite to the Reserves Committee, and a meeting of the Commi'tee is to be held at an early date, to go thoroughly into the question and raise funds,, so that a couple of men could be put on to clean the whole place up and put it in order.