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Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1928, Page 2

The annual general meeting of the Hokitika Jazz Club will be held in Mclntosh's Club Room-, at 7 o'clock this (Wednesday) evening.- Advl. The Hokitika races take place tomorrow. There tire eigilt events on the card, all well idled. The lirsj race takes place tit a (juarter past, twelve. The complete arrangements made point to n very pleasant and .successful afternoon. It up]tears that in spite of the opposition of the Government authorities to allow of the liberation of opossums ill the fiord lands of Smith Westland. Ilial these animals are making their appearance in fairly large numbers there. This may he gathered from the lari that <ni a recent, trip to Milford Sound a party who made only a brief excursion into the hush in the vicinity of file shore there came across a mttnher of the carcases of skinned opossums, showing that there are enough of ihe animal.,; about to attract the presence o) illicit trappers.

In a statement of the separate Ridings. expenditure submitted at the County Council meeting yesterday, it was shown the three Ridings had small credit balances after the year’s work. From an allocation of £321, the .Northern Hiding spent £294. In the Central Riding {lie allocation was £BOB, and the expenditure £BOI. The •.Southern Riding spent L'B4o out of its; allocation of £88(5. The total allocation at the commencement of the year was £2015, and of tills sum .61915 was spent, leaving a net credit of £7(l. There was £lO7 available per month for the Riding expenditure, and the actual rate of expenditure was £lO2 monthly. In thus living within the means available the Ridings assisted to tide over a difficult period and helped to reduce the general debt ns was disclosed in another paragraph of the Treasurer’s statement.

It was reported at the meeting of the Ciniiilv Council yesterday that ilie Separate Ridings had ■‘lived’’ within the means available during the past financial year. 11l addition, the general measure of economy and restraint on expenditure enabled a considerable recovery to be offeclod in the County Fund Account. The overdraft a year ago was £3.110, the highest for several years. The year which closed on the 31st. ult. left an overdraft of £1,01”. thus showing a recovery of £1,1523. The revenue generally was well maintained. The rates collected approximated the total for the previous year, though £3OO were lost by the withdrawal of non rateable timber-bearing lands. The sum. however, was made up under another heading, about £3BO being collected by the special timber levy for the lost rating power. It is not contemplated. it was stated, that it will be necessary to increase the general rate for this year, while it is boned with the subsidy to be derived for secondary highways that additional funds will be available for Separate Ridings and County road works generally.

Eur necklets—rjuite a lot, finest finality. Prices reasonable. At McKay’s. I) rapers.—Advt. Wlmt a lot of coats to choose from ! Yes ;—we have ust opened up 100 new coats, ex Rotorua, from London. Call and see them.—McKay's, the Leading Drapers.—Advt. Just opened up: A lot of new hosiery, good quality lines in silk, silk and wool and all wool : prices 3s lid to 14s lid. —-McKay's, the Leading Drapers.— -Advt. We offer exceptional value in Kaiapoi Dress Flannels, all the fashionable shades 20 inch at 2s 6d per yard ; 40 inch at 4s 6d; pure Merino Flannels at 3s fid; exclusive dress lengths in •54 inch at 12s fid.—Schroder and Co. —Advt. Sharland’s Table Vinegar is ideal for all purposes. Rich and piquant in flavour. Sold in bottle or bulk. Insist on Sharland’s.—Advt.

Visit our showroom and inspect the latest in children’s wool and artificial silk breechette sets, new cardigans, millinery, frocks and furs. All marked at keen ' prices.—Schroder and Cl'.— Advt. Sticky furniture polish collects dust. Tse liquid “ Tan-01 ” and obtain a hard, dry, surface that will not smear. All grorers.—Advt. The best polish for floors, linoleums, and furniture is “Tan-01.” Easy to Apply, and gives a longer shine. Does

Our new liats have arrived. Call and see the great display at McKay’s. —-Advt.

A notice concerning the route for drivers of motors and vehicles to the Hokitika racecourse to-morrow appears in this issue.

The light rain that had fallen early in the day yesterday increased to a steady downpour in the later afternoon. and all night heavy rain continued. The rain stopped after daylight. The rainfall for the 24 hours to !) o’clock this morning totalled 2.32 inches.

Sfc. Mary’s Club opened its euchre season last evening and as the weather conditions were not favourable there was only a fair attendance. The following wore the successful winners. Ist. Mr M. McGavin ; 2nd. Mrs Veale: drd. Mr P. Kidd: Ith. Mr J. Tibbies. ■Supper was served at the conclusion of play.

There was heavy rain on Monday night in the district north of Westport, a press wire from which place states that the rains caused numerous slips on the Westport-Karamea main highway. On the Arapito section no fewer than 16 slips have occurred. Slips are also reported on the Granity-Milierton track and on the Conn’s Creek line, but it is expected that these will he cleared to-day.

A thrilling story of a race with death is told in Ashburton. A local garage proprietor was asked to go to Christchurch to procure a certain serum in an endeavour to save the life of a fourteen-year-old girl suffering from infantile paralysis. lie needed ik) second bidding and set off at breakneck speed for the city. There lie procured what was wanted and started back, reaching Ashburton two hours and twenty minutes after he had set out. In the meantime, however, the sufferer had passed away.

Til years gone by, in the days when the steamer Jane Douglas was trading regularly to South AAestland, the part owner of the vessel. 1 lie late Mr James Molloy, on several occasions secured a number of Maori hens, and liberated: them on Open Bav Island, off Okuru. These native birds have multiplied exceedingly, and at present the island is over-run with them, our informant stating there are more Maori liens on the island than in all the rest of South Westland at present. The overcrowding, however, is having the effect of reducing the .si/e of the birds which are smaller in si/'’ than formerly, hut they are still aide to make a very noticeable din at night as a result of their large numbers.

At G rev mouth yesterday two men, .John IJamiiion and Noel liagorty. appeared before Air J. 'lament, •J.I .. charged with being rogues and vagabonds and with being found without lawful excuse on licensed premises by night. Seiiior-Sergant ltonch staled that on Saturday night the accused men called at the Australasian Hotel for a drink, which was refused them hy the licensee. .Mr It. isosard, .'ll midnight. All' l/./.ard found both men ill the kitchen looking for something to out. lie turned them out. and the next lie Heard ot them was at A o'clock on .Sunday morning, when a housemaid inhumed him that the two men had demanded her bedroom, which-was detached from the house. Air l/./.ard found tile two men asleep, and telephoned lor the police, t unstable Crowley going out and arresting them. Both accused pleaded guilty, and were sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment.

While the northern rivers of Ihe Const are, having considerable trouble with their bars, at Hokitika the channel is now in a better condition than fur some time, a straight run out and depth of IT feet. The main stream that for some time past has come down the centre channel is now hearing hard against the north breakwater about the signal station, where there is a depth of well over thirty feet, at low water. The erosion is making a dancer to the training wall, where one oile at least lia?, iwshed out and fallen away. The scour i- sweeping into the river the sand at the hack of the breastwork, and there is a possible danger, in the event of a heavy flood, of the training wall being endangered at that .particular point. From the signal station to the river mouth there is a deep channel the water lining deeper than it has neon for a considerable time. the. last tew light Hoods having made a very successful scour, having a far better effect than former heavy floods.

To ho marooned throughout the night on 11 small rook, whioli had boon detached Iron) tlic nuiinlnml by tlio iinomiug tide, was tlio unenviable experience of a party of four fishermen who left Greymouth for the Twelve .Mile, near Bnrrvtown, on a crayfishing expedition on Good Friday. The parly which consisted of Mosers 1). Douglas (CroymouthV F. Armstrong (flladstono Sidino), and two sons of -Mr F. Rr.ustridge (Greymnutli). took up their ipiarters on one of the rocks on Ilk: beach in that locality. While fishing the tide came in, leaving then: completely isolated in their inhospitable surroundings. Darkness came on, and throughout the night heavy rain fell, while the seas broke over the party, who wore compelled to remain on the rock until eight o’clock on Saturday morning, when the tide receded .sufficiently to enable them to make a safe landing. They were in a pitiable plight, and feared they would be swept into the sea by the fury of the waves. None of them is suffering any ilieffeets from the ordeal.