HOKITIKA. REPATRIATION COMMITTEE

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1920, Page 4

HOKITIKA. REPATRIATION COMMITTEE

MONDAY, JANUARY 19. A special meeting of the above Committee was held at the County Chambers at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon. There were present:—Mr G. A. Perry (Chairman), Hon J. Grimmond, Messrs 0. Davies, J. J. Breeze, and T. W. Duff. Apology was made for the absence of Mr J. A. Murdoch. The Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands was present by invitation of the Chairman.

It was explained that the business was to arrange for a party of returned soldiers to take up the white pine belt of timber at Back Creek for sawmilling purposes. The area was 630 acres, of which 200 would be granted as a sawmilling area and the balance held under reservation. The Government had intended originally to dispose of the standing timber by auction, but in consequences of representations made on behalf of the soldiers, the decision had been altered to allow the discharged men to take up the proposition in the usual way. The Repatriation Department suggested that a small private company be formed, and the Department would loan the money to purchase a plant, the advance being up to £3OO

per man. The Chief Commissioner and the committee conferred as to details, and the original applicants later waited on the Committee. The position was outlined by the Chairman to the men, all of whom were local residents of the Rimu- j Woodstock district. After discussion the suggested arrangement for a private company of thirteen members—all men with a practical knowledge of milling—was agreed to. The following were the names proposedVVm Nancekivell, John B. Nancekivell, WiS Wil loughby, Fred Willoughby, W. P. Boyd, Jas. Cooper, Jas. Corsan, Frank Keenan, A. R. Wells, H. Wells, E. Y. Stoop, R.’Stuart and T. Stuart^ The special conditions tor a memorandum of asociation will be fixed as soon as the full particulars are received from Government, and the local Committee will recommend loans to the men in accordance with the terms of the Discharged Soldiers’ Act. The Committee dealt with some other special business, recommending a loan of £3OO towards a motor carrying easiness ; and referring to the Chairman the transfer of a loan if the conditions were found satisfactory. The matter of a temporary advance for a land transaction was held over for further enquiry. .