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Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1928, Page 4

A social and dance will be held in the Upper Koiternngi Hall on Wednesday next, Oct. 17th. The annual meeting of the Westland Competitions Society takes place at the County Chambers at 7.30 o’clock topinorrow evening. All interested in the welfare of the Society are cordially invited to attend. The supporters of Mr Seddon interested in the Westland campaign are reminded of a meeting at the County Chambers to-night at 8 o’clock to set up a committee. Mr Seddon will be present, and will address the meeting. Mr Seddon’s political address to the electors to Hokitika generally will he given in the Princess Theatre on Thursday, November Ist, at the close of his northern tour.

Owing to the adverse weather, the Greymouth Bowling Club has decided to’postpone t.ic opening of the season until Wednesday, Oct. 31st.

Captain William Strachaq, who has reined from the position of Senior Signalman for the Greymouth Harbour Board, was on Friday presented by the Board’s staff with a goldmounted umbrella, suitably inscribed.

Summer time was ushered in yesterday morning with a fine day, one- of the best experienced for the last few weeks, and the day proved a very welcome one A new moon came in early, so that it is to he Imped it will prove an improvement on the past, month.

In spite of the recent wet weather tne Kokatahi Road is in better condition than it lias been for years. Only a few pot holes in a couple of places are to he seen on the ten mile stretch, an improvement that is greatly appreciated by users of the thoroughfare, while it is noticeable that there are many roadside dumps of gravel ready for repair work when required.

Shortly after 4 a.m. on Sunday an outbreak of fire occurred in a garage store room of A. G. Sime, baker, of Westport, and besides doing considerable dam go to the garage, destroyed apparently beyond repair, a motor delivery van. Sime is at present at Dunedin engaged in the Golf Champion, ships.

Mr George Gardner, engine driver, who was seriously injured as the result of the explosion in the boiler house at the Rewanui State Mine on Friday, died at'STp.m. yesterday afternoon at the Grey River Hospital. Deceased’s right foot was badly crushed and ne was severely burned about tne arms and back. He also suffered considerably from shock; so much so, that for some time Dr Meade would not allow him to lie removed to the special train waiting to convey him do Greymouth.

A foretaste of the welcome that awaits him from Scots throughout New Zealand was experienced by Lord Lovat in the Auckland Town Hall on Monday (says the “New Zealand Herald”). As he was leaving the City Council Chamber, a voice flung a greeting in Gaelic, and Lord Lovat, who promptly replied in the same tongue, found himself in a laughing group of four or fiye people, all off whom had come from some part of his great Highland estates. The Gaelic had come from Mr John Gardiner, a thirty years’ resident of New Zealand, who had been brought up in the village of Beauly, two miles from Beaufort Castle, Lord Lovat’s seat near Inverness, and who well remembered him as a young man. Others in the group were two veteran Presbyteriaon ministers, the Revs. William Macdonald and/J. D. McKenzie. The •warmth of the greeting on both sides wholly disproved the common notion that the Scots are a dour people. In his speech Lord Lovat had expressed his pleasure “at again meeting an old Scots friend, Sir George Fowlds.”

Simultaneously with the opening off the Rugby football season in England there was important news affecting the game Imperially. One item from South Africa, where the Rugby Board had heard New Zealand’s case stated, showed that the Dominions were dissatisfied with the “slow-moving” Rugby Union at Home and the other item contained the interesting proposal that an Imperial carnival should be arranged when the British Rugby team visited Australia and New Zealand in 1930. “When the New Zealanders were over heie last (states the “ Athletic News”) “they were accompanied by special missionaries entrusted with the task of persuading the International Board to give New Zealand, New South Wales, and South Africa a more powerful voice in the control of the game than they have hitherto enjoyed. The logic of supremacy on the field, as veil as other causes, led to a sympathetic hearing, and to certain action which was at least a half-way stage. Rut, judging from a Cape Town message, the Dominions ifeel that the time has come for 1 * tbe full concession to be made.”

A farmer named L. Waters, Tutahi, near Murchison, was struck by lightning during last week, when s tand r ing near a five bar gate. He was thrown over the gate, landing twelve feet on the othersido. He regained consciousness after an hour, but was paralysed and speechless for a further hour. Later ho complained of pains in the back. It was then discovered that the outline of a tree which the lightning must have reflected on his back before striking was impressed thereon. Apart from stiffness, he was himself again in two days. It was a terrifying experience for a man to endure, and he has made a remarkable recovery.