HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1942, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent) HOKITIKA, August 19. At the Magistrate’s Court to-day before Mr G. G. Chisholm, S.M., Joseph George Matthew Prout was charged with failing to report for military service. It was stated he was drawn in the ballot on August 9, 1941. He appealed on conscientious grounds. The appeal was dismissed. He was ordered to report for noncombatant service in the Dental Corp, but failed to do so. He was ordered to be detained in a defaulters’ camp. Alexander Murt was fined £1 with costs for driving without a license, and J. Davern was lined 10s with costs for cycling on a footpath. At the Borough Council’s meeting on Monday evening the Town Clerk reported that for the past year there been a loss of £209 on account of the cemetery. Owing to the ,<neW ground in use being of a heavy nature, it had taken six hours to dig one' grave, and as one hour was occupied with the funeral, the Sexton Pad to be paid £1 16s 3d in overtime, while on a following Sunday six hours was occupied m digging a grave, one hour in starting a grave and one hour with the funeral, the overtime amounting to £2. With the present rates for interment, £2 10s | for an adult grave and £1 for a child’s grave, the council would be! forced to consider an increase in ' fees for digging graves or for interment on Saturdays and Sundays. Half the interments were from the County areas. The council received no assistance from the County Council towards maintenance of the cemetery. It was resolved to increase the fees by 10s all round, the new rates to operate as from September 1.

At Arahura Women’s Institute meeting competitions resulted: Best bloom, Mrs Finch 1, Mrs Cunningham 2; best article from an old gramophone record, Miss M. Bradley 1, Mrs J. .Bradley 2. Mrs Mclntyre read the aspirations. The roll call was ‘‘The Oldest Card.” A donation was made towards the maintenance of the lepers on the island of Makogai. Mrs Bassett demonstated needlework. Mrs Cunningham expressed thanks for assistance given by all the members during the year. All members made a contribution to the soldiers’ fund. At Koiterangi Women’s Institute meeting Mrs Smith onesided. Mrs Little read the aspirations. The roll call was: “First impressions and recollections of our own district.” Three seed potatoes were given to each member to plant for a special competition. Competition winners wers Mesdames W. and S. Havill, and Mrs E. Smith won a Lady Galway Guild competition. Mrs J. Michel conducted a “bring and buy.’ Mrs Little had charge of the “wandering shilling." . M. B. James was the winner or the Golf Club’s No. 5 bogey match on Saturday, other scores being: Chesney, Gillespie, Wells 3 down, Every, Mclntyre, Taylor, Ecciesheld 4 down, Harper, Spiers 6 down, Hay and Thomas 8 down. At the Borough Council meeting on Monday there were present the Mayor (Mr A. R. Elcock), Crs W. H. Stopforth, K. Aitken, G. Havill, LS. Ross, G. Heinz, D. P. Stuart and T W Duff. The Mayor welcomed Cr Ross, who took his seat for the first time, after having had an ‘illness since his election. Accounts totalling £1703 18s 3d were passed. Crs. Stuart, Duff and Heinz were authorised to bring down a report dealing with persons removing sand from the beach above high water mark. It was decided to permit carriers to take sand from the beach but only at places approved by the council.' The Town Clerk submitted the estimates, the rates being maintained at 2s in the £.