HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 16 February 1945, Page 8

HOKITIKA NOTES

[Our Own Corresnondentl. HOKITIKA, February 15. Following the visit of Hon. J. O’Brien, the Public Works Department to-day took over the work of protecting the south-west end of the town from river erosion. Yesterday the Minister inspected the wharf in company with Messrs Langbein (Inspecting Engineer, Public Works Department), Kensington (Private Secretary), E. F. Evans (District Engineer), and F. Miller (Engineer-in-Charge at Hokitika. Then there was a conference with the. Harbour Board and the Mayor. It was stated that the engineers had decided that the best method to adopt would be the dumping of 2,000 tons of stone at the break opposite the box factory, the portions of structure lying in the river to be pulled to the shore, as otherwise they might cause serious damage in the event of a flood. Every effort will be made to hold the remaining portion of the wharf in front of the transit shed, and quantities of stone will be (lumped between the rows of piles holding the wharf in front of the transit sheds.

comprising the Mayor (Mr A. R. Elcock), and Mr W. H. Stopforth (Chairman of the Business Men’s Association), who requested that the The Minister received a deputation Minister request the Postmaster-Gen-eral to give authority for the building of a new post office in Hokitika. The Minister was shown over the old post office, and Mr Stopforth said it was unfair to ask the staff to work under such conditions as existed in the building. The Minister said there was a difficulty in getting builders with such a lot of housing now required. He would, However, take the mutter up with the Hon. P. C. Webb on his return to Wellington, and urge that the new office he put under way at once. Messrs W. H. Nicol and A. Howat left to-day to attend a Rotary conference in Auckland, Mesdames Nicol and Howat accompanying them.

The Gael sailed for Wellington with a full cargo of timber, and is expected back next week. She will probably make a trip to Milford Sound with coal for the hostel. On February 28, on her return, she is to go to Port Nelson for overhaul.