OPUNAKE NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1926, Page 14

OPUNAKE NEWS.

SPRING FLOWER. SHOW, (From Our Own Correspondent.) The annual spring flower show is io be held in the Town Hall, Opunake, on Monday, September 20, and the usual interest is expected to be taken in the event. The show is under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church. There is a wide range of competitions in the show, and considerable interest should be aroused. SHINGLE FROM FORESHORE. The shingle found along the foreshore was the subject of a case at the sitting of the local Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday before Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M. A claim was made by the Opunake Harbour Board against Mr. O. G. Northcott, contractor, for royalty on shingle alleged by the board as taken from their property, the foreshore. The defendant denied having taken any shingle from the board’s properties, save what he had admitted, 20 yards from the beach. The board claimed that he had taken shingle from the mouth of the Waiau River, which, it was alleged, was within the endowments by the 1912 Opunake Harbour Board Act. The magistrate said that he was not satisfied that the board's property extended to the far bank of the Waiau, and desired an authoritative plan to be put. in showing clearly how far the board’s foreshore extended, the “south bank” mentioned in the Act not being, in his opinion, a sufficient description. Leave was given the board to file an amended statement of claim in respect of 300 yards of shingle admittedly taken from along the south bank of the Waiau for concrete work in connection with the railway works, though the defendant stated that the department promised that no royalty would be payable on this, as it was for the Government. The case was adjourned, to be brought on at seven days’ notice. The case was aroused some interest, as it is more or less a test case. THE RAILWAY. A slightly augmented service is now being run to and from Hawera, namely, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in each w-eck. In the summer the trains in to Opunake should be well patronised by visitors to the beach, but why do not the department delay the return trip for a few hours? They could easily depart at three o’clock or a little later, instead of remaining only about three-quarters of an hour at Opunake. This would give passengers some little time at Opunake and should not increase the expense of the service whatever. The trains running in to Opunake in the morning are more satisfactory to the local business people than an outward train would be, as the latter might. entice too many people to do their shopping out of the district.