HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 22 April 1943, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA. April 2x. Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon (Chairman of the Pensions Board) is visiting Vi estland and has gone to the Glaciers. - The following committee has been set up to control distribution of cycle tyres in Westland: Business representative Mr. L. S. Ross, education representative, Mr. A. Armstrong, Government representative, Mr. H. C. Harvey. Mr. W. M. Fraser has been recommended as Secretary. . At the meeting of the Business Men’s Association, the following holidays were agreed upon: Late mghr, Thursday; shops to close on Good Friday., Easter Saturday and Easter Monday and reopen on Tuesday. Butchers will observe these holidays and bakers will open on Saturday, ft was resolved to set up a committee for forwarding parcels to prisoners of war. Mr. F. G. Olli ver was appointed assistant secretary, and 'treasurer. Mr. Bryne gave notice of motion in favour of closing at 8.3 U on Friday nights and re-opening halt an earlier on Saturday mornings, it was resolved to write and express appreciation to the Hon. J. O.Brien for the prompt manner in which ne completed the arrangements for the running of the rail-car service to Ross, and also for his assistance m setting up the Local Committee tor the distribution of cycle tyres. In regard to the overland rail-car. service,' complaints are made that a fanshare of seats is not available to patrons booking here. Inquiries showed ten seats are reserved on one car for Hokitika bookings, but when a double unit runs to Christchurch all seats have been booked at Greymouth, the authorities at the local office not being aware of the second unit until all seats were, booked. At the Borough Council meeting last evening there were present the Mayor (Mr. A. R. Elcock) Crs. G. Heinz, C. Caliari, W. H. Stopforth, L. Ross, and E. W. Heenan. Receipts were reported as £1,320 19s sd, and expenditure £1,204 2s 4d. Accounts amounting to £1,199 were passed. The Council accorded a vote of sympathy to Cr. D. P. Stuart in the' loss of his brother, Mr. Joseph Stuart. The Mayor brought up theancregse in the Hospital Board levy. To the Council it would be £3OO. It was proposed that the Hospital Board call a conference of Hospital Boards of the West Coast to consider asking for an increase in subsidy from the Government. West Coast local bodies had an excellent case on account of sparsely populated areas. The hospital levy on local bodies on the West Coast averaged whereas in other* parts of New Zealand tor similar towns and counties it was only a halfpenny. Hospital Boards were only receiving bodies, and local authorities were collecting agencies, and therefore were most concerned and should call the conference. The Council adopted the Mayor’s motion to call a conference, including Buller, Greymouth, Reefton, Ross and Kumara', to be held in Hokitika. The Mayor and. Town Clerk were empowered to act as conveners. The State Advances Corporation asked for attention to footpaths and surroundings at the state houses block .Stafford Street, also for the Council to take over the main drains through the block. Cr. Heenan said that tor some time the Corporation had been asking for attention to footpaths, also Mr. Houston, the local agent. He thought it was the duty of the Council to give attention to the footpaths immediately. All the houses were occupied and rates were being paid. The Government had constructed a 'model housing block, solving the housing problem. The Mayor said the footpaths were not in good order The Council could refer the matter to the Works Committee for immediate attention. Rushes would be grubbed off and the paths metalled. It was decided not to assume any responsibility for drainage. The Beautifying Society wrote complaining of rubbish being dumped in Tancred Street, and it was resolved to take immediate action against any offender. The Society forwarded a plain of proposed improvements to the main “highway between Weld and Stafford Streets. The Council approved of the plan and complimentary remarks were made as to the excellent work by the Society. It was resolved to ask Mr. G. H. Chapman to proceed to Wellington to ‘undergo a course of training in E.P.S. Mr. S. J. Roberts and 14 other ratepayers wrote objecting to the removal of a light at Hoffmann and Stafford Streets. It was decided not to remove the light, but to instal a further light at the town boundary. Mr,

A. Wells was granted lease of a' section on Gibson Quay. The action ot the Works Committee in purchasing a new horse was approved. It was decided to remove further trees in Cass Square. Mr. W H. A. Stopfortn was granted, permission to intal a septic tank at his premises in Revell Street. Mrs. Ellen ’Haddock, Stafford Street wrote asking that tfie drain along the frontage of her residence be cleaned out as flooding is caused in wet weather through the drain being blocked.—Left to Works Committee for attention. R. Ireland, Jollie Street was granted grazing rights on unformed street providing he keeps down growth and keeps fences in order.