HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1948, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Cwn Correspondent). HOKITIKA, October 6. Whitebait catches have increased slightly in Flokit ka during the past two days, but the outlook is not encouraging to fishermen, as conditions have been ideal for fishing. A large shark was caught inside the river mouth when Mr. A. Benjamin fishing near the signal station at the entrance to, the Hokitika River, with a herring line, r hooked a silx-fpot shark. Playing the shark carefully, he managed to land it on the beach. Its weight would be about 70 pounds. The sea conditions during the past few days have been calm, and runs of Kawhai and Mullet have been noticed up the main river. Mr. I. Tully of Motueka was a visitor to Hokitika on Wednesday. Cargoes are building up at Hokitika fop southern ports, awaiting the arrival of the new ship Hauiti. The Works Department have some large steel girders for bridge construction in the far south, also quantities of concrete pipes for drainage. The ship is expected to commence trading at an’ early date. The “usual cargoes for Christmas and New Year requirements to carry over the holiday period will not be despatched until nearer Christmas.

At the annual meeting, Mrs I. Perry presiding, the Croquet Club elected officers as follows: Captain, Mrs W. MacFarlane; vice-captain, Mrs G. Veale; secretary and treasurer, Mrs R. Paterson; committee, Mesdames Preston, G. King, F. Andrews, I. Perry, G. Perry, P. R. Whitford, T. O’Sullivan.

On Saturday next a rally of West Coast Scouts and Cubs will be held on Cass Square. Scouts Ying Louis (Hokitika) and Gordon Robinson (Cobden) have been selected to represent the West Coast at the PanPacific Jamboree in Melbourne after Christmas. In a badminton match, Hokitika Club defeated St. Columba Club by 251 points, 11 sets, to 135 points, 1 set. At the local R.S.A. meeting it was reported there were 401 financial members. Four new members were elected. A donation of £5 towards the Rose Day appeal of Christchurch R.S.A. was voted. Accounts for £35 were passed. It was decided to form a sub-committee to investigate cases requiring assistance from the Patriotic and Canteen Funds, and to report to the local Patriotic Welfare Committee. It was reported that Greymouth R.S.A. would play the local R.S.A. for the “Alamein” Rugby Shield on Saturday. It was reported there were three ex-servicemen in Westland Hospital, and three in the Old People’s Home. Messrs Peake and Fraser were appointed visitors. The hall committee is to furnish an estimate of the cost of extending the hall. Mr G. Cederman is proceeding to Fiji with machines made by him for the Fiji Agriculture Department to extract starch from tapioca. These machines were first made in Malaya, and Mr Cederman used the designs from that country. In Fiji starch hitherto lias been extracted only by hand.