Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1921. WAYS AND MEANS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1921, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1921. WAYS AND MEANS.

Fkom the man in the street we learn that the idea of a Five Thousand Club for Hokitika is considered a good one. Tilers is the smack of course of hitching your waggon to a star, but upward and onward must be the motto if we wish to rise. There can, however be no worthy effort without ways and means to accomplish the task. The local Isxlies are not- only restricted by law in what they may or may not, do, Lilt invariably the local bodies have overdrafts with limits, and financial help from that source caiinot he stable. If the ways and means have to be found, they will require to be found from the people themselves. This could bo done in two ways. The first is tlu- direct and profitable method of straight out donations. The second is by some form of entertainment—preferably out of doors. Tlie town of Napier has a Thirty Thousand Club which is run on very popular lines, and it derives its effective Jrevenue from the Mnrdi Gras run every year for the purpose. This is a popular form of carnival which draws a large attendance. The programme is varied in the extreme. and will take a lot of work to carry it through successfully. But success seems to continually crowd the efforts which is considered quite worth while. Thousands of people are drawn into Napier each year to witness the display, and directly and indirectly the town derives great advantages. It is for Hokitika to try and do something likewise—if it wishes to see itself grow in stature. There is the firm impression abroad that with the opening of the Fast and West Coast railway, this centre will receive a great impetus. As the southern terminus of the railway it will lie the jumping off station for .South Westland, which is the promised land of marked development in the days to come. Hokitika is the starting point for the wonderful scenic attractions in the south—unique among which is theWaiho Glacier. The town has a future as a tourist centre and to enjoy that trade to the fullest it must rehabilitate Itself. There is no reason why the town should not develop 0 secondary industries, and become in a modest way a manufacturing centre also. It is largely a ease of the people helping themselves, to se e so desirable an objective attained. It is quite worth while to seek to provide additional employment so that population might be attracted and the town double itself in size. A Five Thousand Club provided with means to carry on propaganda work could do a great deal towards the end in view. The outward appearance of the place could be improved so as to make it an attractive residential place for retired folk. Its climate is good and the cost of living here is as low as anywhere in the Dominion. There i # s plenty of building space, and with the streets put in oTdcr. sanitation affected, the living conditions would lie such as to draw population into permanent residence. The opportunity

srems to hi' one which should l>e taken up, for it will he all to th e benefit of the place, present and prospective. It can grow modestly, a simple beginning would lay the foundation for great;r things to come, and enterprise and courage will see many things accomplished. Now is tho time for a practical beginning.