HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 23 February 1944, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

[Our Own Correspondent.] HOKITIKA, Feb. 22. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Pritchard of Auckland, who some years ago were well-known residents of Hokitika, arrived here this morning. Mrs. Jones of Kanieri has been advised that her son, Private W. E. Jones, has been removed from the 1 seriously Hl list. ' Mr. G. Bryant left yesterday on a visit to South Westland. Mr. W. A. Stopforth will leave Hokitika for South Westland this week. Mr. J. Stuart, son of Mr. and Mrs. D. P. Stuart, who recently returned from the Middle East, is busy looking up old friends throughout the district. „ Mr. G. A. Hayden. Secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, will visit Hokitika on Thursday, when he will meet the local Committee. O.S. Signalmen Arnold Spence and J Ritchie are at present spending leave with their families, at Koiteranm. They will be entertained by residents at a social evening before their departure for camp. The men who recently returned from service overseas will be given a civic welcome at the Soldiers’ Hall to-morrow evening. The lunction will take the form of a social, presided over by the Mayor, Mr. A. R. Elcock. . , .' National War Savings deposits at Hokitika last week amounted to 1203 11s 6d, which is 133 Ils 6dl more than the quota. , . Repairs are at present being carried out to the Princess Theatre. A new stage has been built, and the scenery will be completely renovated and new scenes painted ,by members of the Revue Society. The Revue Company will produce two revues this season, and active work has already commenced on the first productl0 An inquest concerning the death of Andrew Gribben, who died after a fall from a horse at Pukekura on January 26, was concluded before the Coroner (Mr. A. E. Benjamin). John Edwin Searle said he was riding his horse in company with Gribben, and when about 20 or 30 chains from the Take lanthe Hotel, they decided to have a race to it. Neither had had any intoxicating .liquor. The road was a metal one, and had many bends. When approaching a sharp bend he called out to Gribben to pull up a little, but apparently Gribben "did not hear him. Gribben caught up to him. at the bend, and hi trying to get round it, Gribben’s horse swung out wide and collided with his horse. His horse came down on top of Gribben’s. He went over to Gribben who was One 'of his ears was torn off, and the skull was exposed. He immediately caught his own horse and galloped to the hotel for help. Gribben was taken to the Westland Hospital by the' ambulance. Dr. D. A. Arnott, Medical Superintendent of the Westland Hospital, said that Gribben was suffering’ from a severe head injury, wwh cereoral irritation due to contusion of the brain. There was a compound fracture of the skull over the right parietal region, with marked lacerations •of the scalp, forehead and chin. He did not at any time regain full consciousness, and died on January 29 at 2.30 p-m. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.