HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1948, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent) HOKITIKA, March 24. The m.v. Gael sailed at 9.30 a.in. on Wednesday for Wellington. Mr T. Smith, assistant engineer-in-chief to the Works Department arrived at the Haast aerodrome tni’s morning, with officials of the department. The party travelled by tne Works Department’s special plane. Progress League complains of Apathy The Progress League, at its meeting last night, elected the following, officers: F'resident Mr D. Friedlander vice-president Mr E. W. Heenan, patron: A letter to be written to Mr J. B. Kent, M.P., asking him to De patron; executive Messrs T. McAloon C. Murfitt, E. Taylor; council Messrs Friedlander, Rooney, Maunders, Sweeney, Hood, Preston, Hill, Green, Blank, Peart;. delegates to attend the meeting in Greymouth on Tuesday. April 6; president, vice-preSi-•deht, C. Murfltt and T. McAloon; secretary this. election was held in abeyance. Mr Blank said he had come to the conclusion that the people or Hokitika must not, want their town to progress. The .members of tne league who were striving for tne town’s progress were not out. to help themselves,' but were working for the, good of the people, and yet tne suoport of the town was not behind them. If the League was to continue, something must be done to awaken the people of Hokitika from the state of apathy into which they have drifted, to become active, merested citizens.” •’There are people who ask and expect the league to help them, mu these people will not help themselves. None are her tonight. W are cut to help them, but they do not bother to attend,” stated Mr I. J. Preston. Mr Blank added: “The same thing applies to those desirous of building houses. The league is aiming at. having more houses built in Hokitika. The members of the league here tonight do not want the houses. They are for returned servicemen raid l other citizens of Hokitika, and yet these people submit their names <m the list of new housed for the Progress League to advocate for, but do nothing else. These people should attend this meeting for it is their houses we are after. Mr W. M. Fraser, representing the R.S.A., said if seemed that the whole thing wrong with the people was their indifference. The only thing to be done was to inform the citizens of Hokitika that if they wanted the league to continue, their wholehearted support must be given. Otherwise the league would have to dissolve. Mr Blank also citicised the aosence of all the Post Office staff. After a letter from the Postmaster-General the Hon. F. Hackett, had been rerid, Mr Blank said it was clear that the league’s previous application for a permit had been overlooked. All the promises they had had were nothing but insincere assurances. The question of a renovated Post Office until a new one could be built was next discussed. Mr J. B. Kent M.P., had previously stated that £l9OO spent on renovation to the building would serve for the three years it would take for a new Post Office to be erected. It was decided that a further letter be sent to the proper channels urgenly requesting the new building and applying for a permit to erect same.

The question of State houses was lengthily discussed. It was stated that Hokitika was short of approximately 40 houses and that no State houses had been erected since 1941. Permission was granted last year for 10 State houses to be erected, but, though tenders were called no applications wre made. “The whole trouble with the erection of State Houses,” said Mr Hill, was that there was so much red tape’ attached to their erection that builders preferred private jobs. Mr Fraser: “The acme shortage or material is also responsible, but it has been suggested that this could be overcome to a great extent oy building with brick.” 1 It was moved that an urgent request for the erection of the necessary homes be forwarded to the Minister of Housing; that tenders be called. _