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Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1919, Page 2

Mr H. H. Allison (C. 1.) at present headmaster of • West Lyttelton School has beeh appointed headmaster of Grey District High School.

Several racehorses from Canterbury arrived on Saturday afternoon to fulfill engagements at the Hokitika meeting which opens on Friday next. Additional horses are due this afternoon and to-morrow. The course is in splendid order for the meeting.

In the general election of 1905 when the late Mr Seddon reached the summit of his success, the strength of the parties was : Liberals 60; Reformers 15 ; Independents 5. The present House is practically, Government 50, Opposition 30.

There are very heavy bookings in the coastwise steamers (telegraphs a Wellington correspondent). The demand for passage to the South Island exceeds the supply of berths available, although extra steamers have been put on. No passages are now available for Wednesday and Saturday. There will be a bigger rush at the New Year. To-morrow( Tuesday) afternoon com. mencing at two o’clock, Messrs M. Houston and Co will hold an importtant auction sale of freehold town property and furniture and effects on the premises of Mrs Irving, upper Sewell | Street. The freehold section is of a ! quarter of an acre with five roomed ' dwelling thereon. Also the whole of j the furniture and effects, details ap-

pearing in.another column of this issue. During the next fortnight the local Band will be making an appeal to the public’for financial help to assist them in liquidating the amount of £9l 15s sd, duty charged on the new instruments. The band is very strong in membership at present, having 27 playing members, and the programmes to be submitted during the holidays will be of the very latest music recently received from England.

Sir James Allen is “the father” of the new House of Representatives. Prior to Wednesday last, he shared with Sir Joseph Ward and Sir James Carroll the distinction of having been elected for ten Parliaments, and of having sat in Parliament for 38 sessions. These three knights were all returned for thq first time on the same day. Sir Joseph Ward and Sir James Carroll now drop—temporarily, at all events—out of public life.

The Pacific Cable Board notify: “Owing to extra heavy traffic being handled, due to interrupted main Eastern cable route, work is suffering considerable delay. Ordinary messages to the United Kingdom 3 days delay, and ordinary messages from the United Kingdom 2 days delay, and deferred traffic twelve and a half days delay. The American traffic is also severely de- > wed, and thefle is little prospect of handling the ’Xmas traffic without serious delay. The public are urged to confine messages to urgent business.

A correspondent writes, —A pleasant ceremony took place on Wednesday afternoon when Miss M. M. Duncan of South Spit wa s united in holy matrimony to Mr George Steele of Warwickshire, England, now residing at Kokatahi, by the Rev. P. B. Fraser, ft the Manse. The bride was attended by Miffs Holley as bridesmaid and the bridegroom was supported by Mr P. Heslan of Kokatahi, while Mr Orr gave the bride away. Later the party returned to Mrs Robert Orr’s where afternoon tea was partaken of. Mr and Mrs Steele left for Christchurch for their honeymoon.

During the holidays remember Ranie Crawfords Red Star Whisky is the best Mark Sprot and Co. wholesale agents. —Advt.

The Christmas shopping centre of the West Coast; greatest variety and largest stocks of novelty gift goods. We do not charge fancy ’Xmas prices. All are marked in plain figures at bedrock prices. Look out for big discriptive price lists circulating through this newspaper. Call and see the widest selection of gift goods we have ever shown. A galaxy of presents to suit every trade at McGruer and Co’s Hokitika and Grey mouth.—Advt.