HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 18 October 1932, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent). HOKITIKA, October 17. Mr John Peake, Assistant County Clerk, aged 63 years, married, a well known and esteemed resident, who has been acting for some time past as Clerk of the Westland .County Council in the absence, through illness, of Mr D. Evans, has been missing sine, lust night. He was last seen last evening on Gibson Quay, where he was watching the flood in the river. It is feared that Mr Peake may have ap proached the bank too closely and fallen into the river. A search is being ■made on the assumption that Mr Peake may have fallen into tho river. Quiet and unassuming in disposition, he has always been highly respected, and his disappearance has come as a shock to his many friends. A lire at the plantation of the For estry Department on. the Ross road, a few miles south of Rimu, caused ex tensive damage on Friday, something like a couple of thousand trees having been burnt. The fire extended over an area of about eighteen acres. Owing to there being a Forestry Department employee camped nearby, greater damage was prevented. Ho obtained th*' aid of eight telegraph linesmen in the* vicinity, and after a fight till sunset lhev got the fire under control. The* trees will mean a considerable, loss, bu* an accurate estimate is not yet. avail able. Mr F. L. Turley, who was passing when th© fire began, sent word from Ruatapu to the Forestry office, and a number of men were sent from Hokitika. to assist in fighting the flames.

The Hokitika Borough Council has en(erod a protest against the proposal Io (dose flip local Stamp’ and Deeds Office. At its monthly meeting the Mayor, Mr G. A. Perry, said th e proposal meant that the local offices of these departments were to ho transfe* red to Christchurch. A strong protest should be entered against the action of Cabinet. It. was stated that the re * commendation had been adopted, and would take effect after March 31, 1933. Many reasons wore given in support of the retention of the ’Stamp and Deeds Offices at Hokitika, chief among them being tho comparatively negligent amount that would be saved annua l lv. the increasing amount of business transacted on tho Coast necessitating local supervision, the delay caused while the business was transacted r>n tho other side, the extra expense ami additional fees to clients for scare,n. stamps, and registering, and tho fact that suitable accomnipdat ion and fire- ’ roof buildings worn already provided | lien'. Crs. J. King and Elcock also objected, stating less than £lOO a year would be saved, and that tho Mayor and Mr J. A. Murdoch could be sent to Wellington as a deputation to protest. During the past month relief work crs in tho Borough were engaged on the botanical reserve, which has been grubbed of rushes and gorse, and the debris is now being put in heaps. Jollie Street hill is still being graded, and the crown of "the hill stilT requires to be cut down. Tho gravel pit in Salo Street was stripped of clay and a considerable quantity of gravel brought down. The entrance to the cemetery has been widened and tho fence and gate is now being moved further back. The town reserves are employing a number, and a. number are at the aerodrome. Two are levelling at the entrance to the racecourse amt grubbing out gorse, and Iwo have beeu '(•yfhiiig growth on the sides of the streets, and two or three have been working on tin' harbour. Tho Mayor, Air G. A. Perry, sent lhe following telegram to the Premier:—“Hope that Economic Commission’s recommeuflation relative, to withdrawal of Gycy Harbour subsidy will not be given effect to as such clearly a breach of agreement made with the Board and would most seriously affect Harbour Board ’s finance, and cause stoppage of absolutely essential works now in progress. The Premier replied acknowledging the telegram and promising consideration. Interest has been attracted by an improved gobi mining screen and table designed bv Mr Geo Heppell, of Hokitika. Details of the contrivance will appear in the Argus. If 1 h,» apparatus proves as efficient as expected, it. will be a matter of some importance for the industry. The whole plant has been thoroughly worked out and has been favourably spoken of by many of our leading men. who are versed in mining.

At tin' Borough Council’s monthly meeting, Mr Wm. White, Gibson’s Quay made application for permission to erect a. hut on Gibson’s Quay Road Reserve, between Livingstone St reel and Town Belt. The section selected has a frontage of about three chains. The application was granted*. The N.Z. Refrigerating Coy., advised that 63 sheep were delivered into Hokitika during August, The Public Trustee forwarded cancelled coupons at £B7 10s in respect of interest on abattoirs loan due on September 1. Messrs Chcstcrnmn and W. Wicblitz of the staff were granted annual leave. G. Sutherland was granted a second hand dealer’s license. Mrs Eliza Knight wrote asking that Reserve No. 535 Sale Street be cleared of growth and drawing attention to the unsatisfactory condition of fence between her property and the reserve. It was decided that applicant be asked Io pay half tho cost. Tho Health Inspector. Greym’outh. asked that, drain inlets in TTall Street bo trapped, and trap inlets be substituted for stand-pipes in w all/piped drairvMr L. P. K. Gooch’s application for a depot for storage of goods at premises at. the corner of Stafford and Salp Streets was granted. Messrs Keenan and Nancekivejl intimated lhev had relinquished their lease for kerbside petrol pumps in Stafford St. The Swimming Club pointed out that the six- inch pipe which drains the swimming baths is inadequate, and asked that a 12-inch pipe be installed. A Councillor said that it was strange that the request should have been left at such a lime when finance was so difficult. The Mayor said they had riot got the. funds. It was too big a

I job. It was decided that the cost was too great for the Council to undertake thp. job at the present time. The financial statement showed receipts £9BB 10s 3d, and expenditure £1047 2s 3d. There was a credit of £266 10s lid in the district fund-account. Accounts totalling £2449 18s 5d were passed for payment. - The folloiving stock was slaughtered at the municipal abattoirs during September:—Shoop 294. cows 6. pigs 3. calves 4. heifers 38, bullocks 41. Ono bullock and one oow vvor w vendemned.