HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 27 September 1939, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our,Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA, September 26. A serious accident befell Mr. Robot' Seyb. of Kaihinu, an employee of W J. Bruce and Co., electrical engineers whereby he lost the four lingers of hi: right hand. Seyb. who is left handed was chopping wood when the axt handle caught in*his clothing and tin axe struck his right hand/ ‘Vmpletel.s severing all four lingers about the second joint. lie was taken to West? land Hospital for treatment, where h( is progressing as well as can be expected.

Mr. R. Cox, postmaster at Hokitika has been officially notified that his retirement from the service on superannuation will lake effect from Saturday next, September 30th. The St. Mary’s Table Tennis Club played a return match with the St, Paul’s Club in the former’s Clubrooms last evening, St. Paul’s winning by 27 games to 21 games. Visitors to Hokitika who are guests I at Hotel Westland include:—Mr. and Mrs. Matheson; Mr. J. B. Lymburn (Dunedin); Mr. A. A. Goldie (Auckland); Mr S. Bearpark (Christchurch); Mrs. J l . W. Williamson (Timaru). Rimu Flat dredge return on Monday ' was 171 ozs. 17 dwts. of gold from I 49.498 yards for 1321 hours.

The school committee last evening ; appointed Mr. G. R. Armstrong as caretaker out of seven applicants, in succession to Mr. F. Clark, whose resignation was accepted with regret. Mr. Clark is taking up a position in Greymouth. A meeting of representatives of the various churches and the Hokitika Borough Council, was held last evening to discuss the question of rating of Church properties. The representatives of the Churches were: Rev. Thorpe, Messrs Ward and Wild (Anglican), Rev. Father Finerty (Catholic), Rev. Hanna and Messrs Oliver and i [Duff (Wesleyan), Messrs Parkhill and I I Mclntyre (Presbyterian), and Adjutant Rawcliffe (Salvation Army). ’Die iMayor (Mr. G. A. Perry), said that the ichurch properties in question were loI gaily rateable. The Council considered that if a charge of one half of the actual rating were made, it would bo a liberal settlement. Mr. Wild stated that the church people considered this I reasonable. The Council decided on | the Mayor’s motion, seconded bv Cr. 1 iCaliari, that church properties be I charged 50 per cent, of the raiinq | valuation. This is the first time since' .the inception of the borough that | church properties have been subjected ' Jo a rating impost. | A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening. Present were the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Perry), Crs. W. H. Stopforth, J. L. Turner, J. Fox. C. Callari, D. Stuart and A. R. Elcock. Mr. W. J. Radford and Mr., J. N. Robinson, representing the! Kanieri Electric Ltd. were present; to ' discuss terms for the ensuing ten years I of the contract for lighting in the Borough. Mr. Radford said costs had increased very considerably in the last ten years, in some instances as much as 68 per cent. The present contract had not shown much profit. He had been very disappointed that his company’s offer of their plant to the Gov-, ernnrent had not been accepted, owing no doubt to difficulties that had arisen in connection with , the financial position, which would be further aggravated by the war. In regard to the prices charged by the Company for lighting and power, out of 40 power boards in New Zealand the prices of four only were below his Company. Cr. Turner asked if the Company was prepared to give any reduction on the pre-' sent, charge. Mr. Radford said that at the present time, the answer was' nq, ; The Mayor, apked if the Company was prepared 'to make the same charges as were being made at Greymouth. Mr. Radford said Greymouth ' had a population of 6,000, while Hokitika had only 2,600, and was not in

the same position as to costs. Cr. Turner thought all parts of the country should be charged the same amount and that could only be done if all the power lines were under GoyI eminent control. Mr. Radford said • charges for lighting and power were ! practically the same as in Greymouth, • where lighting was 6d for the first JOO units per month and 4d after. Hokitika was 6d for the first 200 and 4d after. The minimum was 2s 6d in Greymouth and 4s in Hokitika. For power the charge was lid in both 'places, Hokitika having a minimum monthly of 4s and Greymouth 2s 6d. For water heating the charges were:

Greymouth id to Id and Hokitika id ,! to 3-8 d; domestic services: Hokitika Id. Grevmouth 2d; metres: Greymouth nil, Hokitika 4d. The Mayor considered that a renewal of present charges would be fair. Mr. Radford stated that if there had been no increase in costs, the Company would probably have considered a reduction. At present, they did not know what increases they would have ,to ' meet- in the next ten years. The i Mayor said under the contract between the Company and the Council, . every ten years the question of pur-

chase of the Company’s property, or a revision of the charges, came up for i decision. The Council had to agree that night to the terms laid down by [the Company or have the matter dealt [with by arbitration. He felt that the iCouncil should accept the terms. Cr. |Turner: There does not appear to be anything else to be done. The Mayor I moved that the schedule of prices subemitted by the Company the same as {at present, be accepted'for the coming ten years. This was seconded by Cr.’ Stuart, who thought the offer was very fair and reasonable. The motion was carried without dissent.