HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 12 June 1942, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent*

HOKITIKA, June 11.

The Westland County Council has (accepted the tender of Mr. G. B. Saunders for the erection of a bridge over Johnny Walker creek, Harihari district, at £1930. Other tenders were: Mr. W. Robbin, (Combined work) £3970; Mr. F. G. Wilkins (bridge only) £1573. Yesterday afternoon the electrical generating plant of Bruce Bay Timbers, Ltd., damaged in a recent storm, was set again in operation, having been renovated by Mr. A. Chapman of the staff of Kanieri Electric, Ltd., assisted by the Bruce B(ay mill staff. It is hoped that the bridge across the Mahatahi River will be repaired within four or five weeks, under direction of Mr. G. Butler (Mill Manager) and' to have sawmilling operations then resumed. In reconditioning the plant the men worked long hours, fully half a mile of pipes having to be repaired besides work on the electrical installation. Meantime' Bruce Bay residents are again able to use their radios and electrical appliances, and are naturally pleased at this. On Tuesday evening Captain Curtis pud Major McKnight visited here to recruit sufficient men for two platoons to carry out military training. To a largely attended meeting, over which the Mayor, Mr. A. R. Elcock, presided, thev outlined the opportunities offered, and keen interest in the formation of a company was shown, nearly fifty enrolling. It was arranged that an officer from Greymouth should each evening visit here to enlise more men so that a company could be established as soon as possible. At Kanieri Women’s Institute meeting, Mrs Wells, presiding. Mrs A. Morris and Misses P. Rooney and D. Morris were the competition winners. Mrs Ritchie read the aspirations; and Mesdames Rooney and Wells were the hostesses. It was decided to obtain wool for members to knit for the forces. Basketball fixtures for Saturday:— Koiterangi A v. Old Giris at 2.15 (Referee Mr. Batt); Koiterangi B v. Victorians (Mrs. Gosling); Convent Sec. A. v. School, at 2.50 (Mr. Batt); School B. v. St. Pats. (Miss Duff); Hospital v. St, Marys at 3.25 (Mr. Batt); Koiterangi A v. Victorians (Miss Duff); Koiterangi B. v. Old Giris. 4 p.m. (Mr. Batt); Hospital v. Convent Sec. B. (Miss Duff). The R.S.A. at the annual meeting elected the following officers: — Patron Mr. D. J. Evans; President, Mr. J. S. Bain; Vice President, Mr. W. Fraser; Committee, Messrs P. E. Whitford, P. Loyd, G. King, H. Wells, G. Gilchrist, G. Wilson, F. McGregor, T. N. Mitchell, J. Peham, J. Hutchison; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. R, Patterson. The Secretary’s honorarum was fixed at £5O and auditor’s fee at £2/2. It was reported that poppy sales had exceeded £lOO. Membership figures are: Hokitika 302, Kumara 33, R.oss 23. There has been £97 expended to meet cases of distress during the year, £lO was to the local patriotic art union, and £7/10/raised from card tournaments. Twelve recently returned soldiers had joined the Association. It was decided to go on with the formation of a women’s branch. Receipts have totalled £609, including membership fees £7l, social revenue £l2O, hall rental revenue £B2, and poppies £ll5, there being also a credit of £lB9, which had now increased to £236, the years outlay having been: Secretary’s honorarium £5O, hall caretaxer £4B, lighting, etc., £23, poppies £4O, badges £2l. Liabilities were £306, and assets £1835. Sick, and* wounded fund receipts were £79, - and payments £7B, with £29 credit in hand. It was decided to send a Christmas parcel to members on active service. The Manpower Committee (Messrs J. M. Robertson, A. J. Panther and P. J. McLean), sat at Hokitika yesterday and dealt with the following appeals:—Adjourned sine die: Peter Hansen, James George Gillingham, Thomas AJjphonso Condon, Thomas Seddon Harcourt, John J'ames Havill, John F. Andrews, Wm. D. Monk and David John Chinn (all farmers), and Royce David Williams and Frank Stewart (Rimu Gold Dredging Coy.) Adjourned for review in three months: Michael Atkinson (bricklayer), Ernest Arthur Cooke (farmer), Stephen Arthur Honey (miner), Ronald Penwell (fruiterer), Eric Dunn Rankin (Griffen and Smith), Malcolm James Davidson (engineer). Held over: Charles James Lucas (sawmiller). Adjourned for two months for review: Francis Wallis Keen (butcher). To be released from

camp: Sydney J’ames Kirby. To do three months’ training:.. Richard Cumming (lorry driver), Thomas T. Condon (farmer). Decision was reserved on an application by Carl Schroder (hotelkeeper) for time to put his affairs in order and for leave to withdraw his appeal. Scooter Seymour King, Scoutmaster of the Hokitika Group, was on Wednesday evening presented at Westport with a certificate of merit ,in recognition of his services to the Scout movement in New Zealand, by the Provincial Commissioner, Mr. W. A. Smith, of Westport.