The Hokitika Guardian SATURDAY, JANUARY 14th, 1922. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian SATURDAY, JANUARY 14th, 1922. THE WEEK.

The Weßtland Chamber of Commerce took an important step this week when deciding to convene a meeting of representatives of local bodies of the district to formulate a progressive policy of development for the town, and district within the means of the people The time is opportune for this. Everything points to the fact that year by year from now on the influx of visitors will continue to increase. The town wants to prepare for this friendly invasion. One of the complaints recurring year by year is the lack of accommodation for travellers. It is necessary to provide for more people, and it is well to educate public opinion on that point and stimulate enterprise. Then with regard to civic amenities the town requires to outfit itself to better advantage. The water supply question whether or not the future of the town is considered, requires improvement now. There is a serious leak- ! age apparently going on, and this requires preventing. Whether the leaky wood pipes can be cured by repair work is another question. It looks, almost like preparing for a new reticulation service—at all events over several sections. Leaks are manifesting ,

themselves at various points all too frequently, and the repair work has to be done over and over again. This is not economical nor at all satisfactory to the public who continue to be kept short of water. There is also great concern in regard to any outbreak of Tires with the poor pressure of late, and the matter ha s reached that stage now that the public look for a definite improvement to the supply.

Thkwb are other questions for public consideration which could be raised and need not be anticipated at this stage, suffice it to say that the movement affords the opportuniy for a full review of the position, and it the repiesentatives of the local bodies go into the matter fully such a conference will be pregnant with possibilities. The occasion is one for tin; town to assume some responsibility as to its municipal requirements. While there are bodies to deal with several branches of local government, there are those who lack the initiative perhaps chiefly because of lack of coinage. There seems to be no reason now why the town should not face works affording a permanent improvement. There are drainage and other matters to relieve storm water which should be carried out. Also street improvements are c a ll e d f°i‘ which would he of lasting benefit if works of necessity were mapped out, a. loan scheme could be devised which would ensure the position being met in a reasonable way, and not at any undue cost to the ratepayers. The works could be carried on over a period of time, and in this way there would be no burden of taxation. It is the soundest way to face the position, for local revenue would be available for purely maintenance work, which the introduction of permanent material for drains and channelling would greatly reduce Opportuity does not always knock at the door, but the chance is coming now, and the people should be alive ti. their responsibilities in t : hq matter ( civic improvement.

The desire to see reafforestation begun in a practical way in this district is a natural one. Here is a district wher? the forest grows luxuriantly, so why seek other locations for plantations of an experimental nature? Westland is the home of the forest, and nature does her forestry work lavishly. Yet it has been the custom hitherto to attempt plantation work in localities entirely opposite to Coast conditions. There are the sand dunes of the North Island where planting is in hand. There are plantations at Hanmer, at Tapanui and at Nelson on the' Moutere Hills. It is said there are some 40,000 acres of State plantations in New Zealand. Under the policy outlined it is proposed to add another 30,000 acres to the State planted area in the Rotorua, Tlanmer, and Tapanui, districts. Westland is omitted—boycotted—why? It is well therefore for a local agitation to bo started'and to remind the authorities that by ignoring Westland they are missing the opportunity of the best land and climate for reafforestation. There are thousands of acres of Crown lands hereabouts suitable for afforestation, and although the Forestry Department has its officers here, nothing is done to further what is considered a necessary part of any well devised forestry plan. It would be interesting to note the cost of the plantations in other centres, and the liability always existing of fire in those places, West Coast forests are practically immune from fire, which is another reason why this should be a favoured spot, not merely for experiment, but for actual afforestation.

The week was enlivened by the visit of the Greymouth amateurs. An interchange of visits of the nature referred to should have a very excellent effect on tli two communities. The Greymouth performers are to be congratulated upon the success achieved, and upon the good work done. The talent available in the northern town is very promising. A visitor from Sydney who was present at the second performance here, considered) the production one of the best amateur performances he had seen. While the Coast talent has done uniformly good work over a number of years, it must not be forgotten that the pupils have at their disposal a very excellent mentor in Mr Tom Pollard. Mr Pollard has been coming and going on the Coast now over a very long period, and this fact reminds us how much we have been beholden to his talents and enterprise in regard to the superior class of opera whioh has been staged here. Also there is the manner of staging to be considered, and Mr Pollard has done his best with the material at his disposal to bring his productions up to metropolitan standard. The theatre going public really ow r e a great debt of gratitude to Mr Pollard for the opportunities he has afforded in witnessing operas and such higher class productions which would otherwise have been denied Coast patrons. In the latest production, Mr Pollard has used very pleasantly the talented amateurs of Greymouth as a vehicle to entertain the public with a vary pleasing and popular opera.

In referring to personal effort and giving praise where credit is due, mention might be. made very fittingly of the generous services of the Scoutmaster who controlled the camp of boy scouts at the Waitaha during the new year holi-

days. We had the pleasure in, Thursday’s issue of publishing an outline report of the Camp and the public would have read with interest what was done. . An outing of the mature referred to is a very pleasant experience for a lad, and under the system adopted the experience would be all for hig physical and mental betterment. Work of the character referred to among the rising generation is very necessary and its utility should manifest itself in due course. The Scout movement should be a very poplar one. It aims at out of' djoors life, where everything is : natural and not artificial. To give the young minds a desire for things that , are natural, and creating a taste for ' the out door life, is quite worth while, A movement of this character under a painstaking and self-sacrificing leader is worthy, the highest commendation. No doubt parents will be extremely pleased to see thir children following up the Scout hobby and give them every encouragement to support the movement, which is altogether for the improvement of tho lads and moulding them into a right spirit of loyal citizenship and good fellowship one with another.