HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 10 February 1931, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(From Our Ovi T n Correspondent). | HOKITIKA, February 9. The* death occurred yesterday of Mr James Smith retired farmer of Rolieston Street, at the age of 77 years. The deceased had been in New Z.xilaind over sixity years. Ho was one of the pioneer farmers at Koiterangi when the settlement was first opened ; there, nearly fifty years aigo and re-j inttiiivd there for many years. He was j of a geniad disposition and was res- I peeted by all with whom he came iu| contact. He was a successful settler | and took an interest in the progress of local affair-. He is survived by a wife, who r >sides here with one •laughter, Miss At. Smith.. Two daughters airo married, residing at Koiterangi, Mesdamas H. Fleming and Michel. There are five sons, namely,, Ernest, Chark's, John, Henry and Eric. i A public meeting will be held on | Thursday at the Town Hall to form an' executive for collecting funds fori Earthquake Belief. All are cordially invited to attend. A benefit dance in tlid of the ’quake sufferers will be held in All Saint’s Hall on Friday next. A proposal has been, made from 1 local sawmillers that the West Coast; Sawmill*. rs Association offer a. donatii.ii of a. shipment of building timber for the use of the sufferers in. the earthquake area. The Hokitika schools’ excursion to Bln.* kba.ll takes place on Wednesday l cs originally intended. Two trains will, run. the first leaving at 7.45 a.m.., and! stopping only at Ku.mara, the second lea\ing at 8.35 a.m.. and stopping at all wayside stations. The trains leave, Blackball on return at 6 p.m., and (‘•.20. p..m. At St. Mary’s Church yesterday at the morning masses reference was made by the Bov. Father Finerty, to the di 1 astrons earthquake. He spoke feelingly of the loss of life, am! while urging the congregation fo remember the. departed in charitable prayers, he hoped that the berea ved relatives would be given the strength to hear with resignation die heavy trial sent them. He also urged generous support for the relief funds.

The local relief fund is uow £234. la'est. donations being:—Rimn Gold ’ .-cvlg'ng Goy £7/10/-; Kaniori Elee Goy £7/10/-; Mr and Airs Naneol.ivell £2/2/-; G. Mclntosh Senr. £l/-. (>/-. Mr and Mi's J. N. Rob'n'on £2/2/-| A'l Saint’s Sunday School 10/-; Dr. Aland! £5/5/-; Mr and Airs D. Steven-1 son £3/3/-: June £l/1/-: ' Lad-- 5/-. W. AVeiblitz £l/0/-; C’. Camp ( Im'! £l/0/-; Hygiene Fish Al'irt £l/1/-:; Frank Cliestorman £l/1/- Duff T. H ■ £2/2/ ; W E. Williams £5/5/-. A. I I A’a.rrall £l/1/-; Hokitika Clirysanthea 1 Him. Soefety £l/1/-; Rev. and Mrs: | Knights £l/1/-; Olson, 1,0/-. G. F. I . 9/-; Donald McLeod £l/1/-; C D.l | Hart £l/1/-: Miss £3/3/-. Airs F. ; : Wall 10/-; Turner and Co., £l/1/-; i j Mrs D'nimick Senr., £l/0/-; John 1 I Crop]! £2/2/-. Mr and Airs Folley £2/-1 ] 12/-; Hokitika Railway Staff £5/0/-; ’ ID. (’, Sts >eter 10/6. ' It is understood that there will be. 1 again an open season for j Ihfs year as a means of lessening un- | 1 employment. The Swimming Club’s Carn.vat ( I tu.kes place at the Municipal Baths It 'to-morrow night at 7.30. Exrolb'nt 1 totalling nearly sixty, have been received -so that there will ' be an assurance of a good night’s entertainment. Mr Parry has kindly ofI fered fo supp’y orcin'Str’nal music for the occasio n by the renomied “La I P:irrvphone>. ” Popular prices. Adults i j I', Children 6d. In the local iGtun Club’s sweepstake yesterday (six birds), the results l were:—P. D. Htqgherty 4, W. Darby 3 J. Hale 5, G. Tomlinson 4, R. Thom- | p on IL T. Perry 2, J Kerr 4, E. ' Lloyd G, F. B. Lewis 3, J J. Mclni tosh senr. 5, J. Mclntosh junr. 4, G. i 3 King 4, Mr E. J. Lloyd won withj ! six birds, Mr Mclntosh senr and J.' i Hal ■ t ed for 2nd place. In the shoot| off Hale won on the' third bird. Thophyl shoot:—C. J. King (6 handicap) 1.2z 1 ! P. "D. Dougherty (4) 6; Mclntosh junr i (4) 7; Mclntosh senr. (4) 10; J. Hale (4) 10. Darby (4) G; J. Kerr (6) 9; Tomlirruon (2) 9; R.. Da ; rs (2) 3; C. •L Lloyd (3) 8; H. Parry (2) 4; F. 1 B. Lewis (4) 8.; The Secretary C. J. King winner of the trophy (handsome gun case) has donated the' trophy to I b 6 shot for on February 22nd at the (’lub’s & rounds. Shoot to commence at j 2.30 p.m,. Nomination 5/-. The proi ceed-A to he donated to the earthquake l relief. At. the mooting of the Westland 1 Gounty Council to-morrow Councillor Murdoch will move that the Council. | m the interests of the ratepayers and i owners of min-ng properties and in--1 tending applicants within the County enter its strong protest against thi imposition of further fees and charges j upon application of Warden for minI ing rights aw indicated by a circular ju’-T issued by the Commissioner of I (!roo Lands, Mrs Ei. Nightingale, formerly of the I Domiiron Hotel, Hokitika, with her I daughter Valerie who was on a. visit to | Napier at the time of the earthquake, | j eturned to Hokitika, on Saturday i nitghh, well pleased to b.o back again ! and safe-. When the quake, occurred I they were out shopping. The ordeal , was terrifying. In attempting to es- ' tape from the- budding both wore ! thrown down,, which was fortunate, ,- had they escaped! into the street, the ' possibility'wore that they would have I been struck by falling debris. As it will, the goods in the shop came tumbi Png down and both were bruised a.nd ‘ cut by these. When ablp t.o escape j from the roc,king building, a scene of ' devastation met their gaze in the busiI news part of the town, every way 11r>y looked disaster met their view. There was great alarm, aill bein ( g overi come by the sud'denness of the visitation. The quakes continued w’-th lesviolence. Shortly fires broke out but ' it was discovered the water had failed! and the brigade had to pump water from various points. All worked with feverish zeail to help. There was a .(shortage of clean water, excepting for very urgent, uses. Bathing and wash-

ing w 're out of the question, but food was always i n plenty. Airs Nightingale and her daughter were ovaeiv.ited bv train fijom Napier on Friday morning, along with many others,' ■some destine,! to hospitals. A'l 1 t’Joiig (he lino at every stopp ng p uc ‘.i foods ami comforts were supplied. Several of the pasengfers were bound for the Sout.l’4 Island, anil the ferry steamer was delayed to enable the through connection to lie made. Another visitor t.o Napier, who returned on Saturday night, was Air D. J. Evans, who had spent the previous week-end in the town with friends. Air Evans said he and his friends o ’ tlie holiday trip had been most, impressed witli the cleanly and orderly appearance of the town and its importance. He had been accorded the opportunity to inspect various buildings and institutions about the town in the business area, and these are now labl to waste. The gained bv so recent a x-isit has impressed on Air Evans’ mind the. tremendous loss caused by the destruction of the. business centre. Mrs W. K?9ler, hostess of Keller s Hotel Isis received from Mrs I'l'i Menzies, of ‘ ‘ Aberfeldy.’ ’ Drumm-

oyne, Svdnev, mother of the fam° l Tasman flier, a letter, appreciative of tin kindness .extended to her so n dur‘ng his stay here. Tn thanking Keller {for; the beautiful grepnstone spoon sent her as a. momento of Guy Mouzie’s visit, Mrs Menzies say s she appreciates the- kind thoughts prompting the gift and also the kind sentiments extended towards the aviator, cf whose achievements his relatives are 'cry proud, but, she adds: “I «ann ot forget the fhe.t thifti he is safe means more to us than anything else. You, I feel sure, would understand how dreadful was the suspense while we awaited news of him. He tells me that in New Zealand people have been most wonderfully kind to him, and he. 4 officially ment.’ibned you among them. I hope at some future date to visit four beautiful and be able p.<ivonally to thank some of your good people,”