WATAROA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1945, Page 3

WATAROA NOTES

[Our Own Correspondent] The Glaciers, both the Franz Josef and the Fox, are slowly receding back. Possibly the wet Season is part of the cause of the icefields melting. The general opinion is that the ice-face at both glaciers will come forward again especially if a severe winter is experienced. A ‘b'est of the heart” broadcast, which was recently given over Station 4ZB, Dunedin, came. out very distinctly at Wataroa, and was quite an attraction for listeners who marvelled that reception could be so efficient at such a distance. The Public Works Department is at present lifting the approach to the Waitangi bridge, ar_i with the erection of a stop bank on the stream) side of the approach, all danger to the highwayshould.be past. This work is well in hand and it is proposed) that a large bull-dozer should form a road deviation near Parker’s Creek, whore the river is threatening the main highway. A wonderful harbour, opening straight out to the sea, exists now at Okarito, and with the cutting of the areas of silver pine for railway sleepers and other classes of timber, constant shipping could be carried on. If the war was over, and ships available, as was,the case many years ago when the ships traded direct from Sydney to Okarito, there is no question history would repeat itself. Mr. and Mrs. G. Taylor, who have been in charge of Mr. A. R. Wallis’s cook-house at Wataroa, anticipate moving to North Canterbury and will take up farming persuits there. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, Lumsden, will take over the cook-house at the sawmill. ‘ The Rev. Father Quinn, Ahaura, has this week been a visitor to Wataroa and South Westland, where he was formerly stationed. A large cattle sale took place yesterday and there were some excellent lines of cattle offering.