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Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1925, Page 2

Mails which left Wellington on the !)th December via San Francisco arrived in London on the Oth January. Mr E. Cliolerton. optican, will he visiting Hokitika for one day only on Tuesday, January 20th. Regarding Duller district representation at the Exhibition at Dunedin, the Westport Borough Council lias notified the organising secretary that the Council has asked its committee of General Purposes to go further into the ouestinn of amalgamating with other West Coast local bodies in fi provincial display. The Committee is to meet on Wednesday next. The member for Puller, Mr 11. E. Holland, has intimated. his intent ion of attending the next meeting of the Duller Progress League to advocate united Coast action, and it is expected that this will come to pass.

Something in the nature of a plague of caterpillars lias visited the Eordell district, states the Wanganui correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times,” leaving in its wake considerable damage in the oaUields. When the pest was noticed the fanners lost no time in getting their hinders to work. The caterpillars climb the stalk and nip it through, the seed portion falling to the ground. It was also noticed that once they have been through the crop the stock do not eat the straw too freely. It is some five years since there has been an invasion of caterpillars in the same district. On that occasion a train was held up hv myriads of the pest on the railway track at Wangueim. making the line greasy. At tin- Westland Hospital on Saturday afternoon, Mrs Maria Evans, aged 8J vears, a very old resident cl the Kmnara district, died after a few weeks illness. In the palmy days of the goldfield, Mrs Evans resided with her husband at The Break on the Hillmans road, but since the demise of her husband, resided in the town of Kumara. Serious illness overtaking her, friends induced her to go lo the Westland Hospital. The old lady who was also a!liicted with deafness, was of a quiet and kindly disposition, and was esteemed |,v all who knew her. Interment took place at the Hokitika cemetery this forenoon, the He'd. Perkins being the officiating clergyman.

• lust after the express from Greymouth to Christchurch entered the Otira 'funnel, on Friday, an electric current collecting arm, on one of the two engines wbi'-li were hauling the train through the tunnel, broke. Ihe train was brought to a -la. 1 1st ill. a.s the other engine was not sulliciently power!nl to haul it. 'I lie train was cut in hall', the one engine taking the three front carriages through first. The other three carriages and the guard s van were taken through later. The passengers on the rear carriages had to spend nearly an hour ill the tunnel. As a result of the mishap, one hour and twenty minutes were lost. However, on the journey I non An loir’s Pass Lo Christchurch, the engine-driver made good time, and the express was only half an hour late in reaching Christchurch. As a result of the breakdown, the train from Christchurch to Greylunutli was delayed at Arthur’s Pass until the train from Grcymuulh had cleared the tunnel.

When n case ostensibly c-oiilniiiiug Vale locks was opened up at Dunedin on .Friday by a hardware linn, it was ihsenvcml Inal nmrc Ilian halt tin ■ funds were missing. and Hint six laiily weighty firebricks were snhslil nled In. llicni. Ihc case, when delivery was lakcn. appeared to lie in perfect •.••ui--11 it inn. and an extraordinary leal nre rI lial I lie I |iirnn vv liicli linnn I 1 1 and vv liii !i nas in one piei e showed no sign ol having keen tampered with, whilst the wood was not marked, as undoubtedly it would have been it a nnil-pullei hail been used. The consignment was branded: Rlfllb. gross,” and only sullieient bricks were put in to make the weight. The locks were shipped I rum New York, and it is considered that tin 1 substitution toil; place in America. Lliough how it was done outside the local lock factory is a problem that the local firm is not aide to venture an opinion on. This not the first time that the same concern has had a load of bricks foisted on it lrom America, where pillaging has evidently been reduced a line art.

Ford Owners: Reliable and automatic lubricating system ensured with “ King ” Automatic Oiler which requires no attention but greatly lengthens life of ear. It. P. Al. Manning and Co., 5 Bedford Row, Christchurch. —Advt.