HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1949, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

[Our Own Corresnondent]

HOKITIKA, October 4.

The building trade is brisk in Hokitika at present. A number of new homes are under construction in different parts of the town. Contracts have been let for more houses. The trade will be fully occupied for some time. Materials, howeevr, for certain classes of' work are difiicult to obtain. Progress is retarded to some extent. Sections are becoming hard to obtain. An area along the foot of the cemetery hill is gradually coming into use. The drainage is being improved. The Hokitika Basketball Club and Hockey Club will play a rugby match next Saturday afternoon. The young ladies will wear regular football costume. Mr Rupert Roberts will be the referee. The teams have commenced training. One team is training at the school grounds, while the other trains on the beach. Reports from those who watch the training say the ladies’ teams have acquired a high degree of skill, and the match promises to be very exciting. A quantity of rainbow trout ova. estimated at 100,000, was on Sunday placed in an upper tributary of the Arahura River, Harvey’s Creek, by members of the Westland Acclimatisation Society. Canterbury jealousy of the new aerodrome at Hokitika is attributed to the fact that it is seen to be destined for a first class airfield. The drainage is expected to be expedited with the machinery already on the site. Drains are to be piped, and the strip ’’unway from nor-west to southeast is having the surface perfected. Strangely, one local suggestion there has been that the feelings of people in larger centres ought to be studied in view of a desire for airfields similar to that at Hokitika!

The late Mr. Wm. H. Agnew, whose death has occured at Hokitika, was for 25 years bush foreman at the Rimu Gold Dredging Company, residing for 19 years at Rimu and for six years at Hokitika. Besides his widow, the deceased is survived by five married daughters. Mesdames J. Wilson (Maimai), Gardyne (Blackwater), C. Adam (Christchurch), A. Noble and T. Harris (Hokitika); five sons, Messrs. Leslie (Three Mile), Douglas (Nelson) James (Kaniere), William (Haast), George (Hokitika); also two sisters, Mesdames G. Gilmore (Okarito), and F. Paris (Wellington), and two brothers, Messrs. Forrest Agnew (Melbourne) and George Agnew (Milton). At a meeting of the Queen Carnival Committee of the Rugby Union, Miss Betty Bristow was chosen as the Rugby queen for the carnival. Miss Jean Stoop has been selected as the Hockey Club queen. The basketball and Cricket Clubs have yet to elect their queens. Whitebait catches over the past week-end were poor and on Monday the river was in light flood, with an improvement in local conditions. Better catches are hoped for seeing that the fish ffve running better in the Buller. The death occurred at the Westland Hospital early on Monday morning of Mr William Agnew a wellknown former resident of Rimu, where he followed sawmilling, and worked for many years as a bushman for West Coast Sawmills, later transferring to Rimu Gold Dredging Coy., and clearing the bush ahead of the dredge. He retired some years, ago and came to Hokitika to live. He was 72 years of age. Besides his wife he leaves a large family, all wellknown residents.

Excelsiors won the McLean Shield in the final match of the rugby season at Greymorth on Saturday, the final score being 22-14. The win of the Excelsior team completed a very fine record for the Westland Rugby Sub-Union this season. The Westland Sub-Union held the DittmanShield against all challengers, and the win of Excelsiors now ranks the team as the leading team of the West Coast, and completes a good record for the district.

The members of the Brunner Working Men’s Club visited Hokitika to play a match with the Hoktiika Club for the Federated Club’s Challenge Cup (held by Hokitika), for the forty-five's, table tennis and darts. Hokitika won the cup from Runanga. At forty-five’s, competition was very keen there being a draw, each club winning 65 legs. Two Hokitika club players won the prize for the most games, securing 16, while two Brunner players won 15. Hokitika won the tabla tennis by the handsome margin of six to nil. In the darts, Brunner made an endeavour to even the score, but Hokitika won 2 nil. The visitors were entertained at supper. Greymouth, Waiuta, Reefton, Runanga and Greymouth Clubs are entitled to challenge for the cup, the games to be played at Hokitika Club.

The members of the Hokitika Working Men’s Club were the guests of St Mary’s Club when teams _ of both clubs took part in competitions (cards, table tennis and darts). The Workingmen’s Club introduced darts to St Mary’s Club and the next games should see some spirited competition. A return evening will be held at the Working Men’s Club at an early date.