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Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1932, Page 4

The Westland Trotting Club’s meeting is taking place on the Hokitika race course l this afternoon,

To-night at the Soldier’s Han Mr Fred ‘Smith and Ivs orchestra from Christchurch wifi give One of their popular dance programmes, daheitlg commencing at 8.30 o’clock.

Saturday night was an- extremely cold and boisterous one. There was a heavy rain and an occasional hail shower, and some of the wind gusts were very strong. The morning broke cloudy, with the blow running out. There was an improvement in the weather as the day wo-e on and the afternoon was fine and sunny, though liable to cloud up at times.

It was not to be expected that traffic through the Otira tunnel during 1931 would equal to that of the previous £ear, which was a record, ilie prevailing slackness in trade has had an adverse effect on railway as well as other classes of business, and naturally there was a considerable decrease in the traffic through the tunnel, which has now been opened for e’ght years .-.nd four months. During tlio year just ended the tonnage amounted to 445,232 tons, a decrease of 174,767 tons, as compared with the freight dealt with the previous year.

Cabled advice was received on Satur--1 day of the death at ‘Melbourne of Mr Fred Nightingale. Deceased was a resident Of Hokitika, and 64 years of. age. Hu s was the second son of the late Mr James Nightingale a well known contractor and one of the members of the Jackson Bay settlement. Deceased was a compositor, having served lus apprenticeship with the West Coast Times. Oven forty years ago he went to Tasmania wJiere he resided for many years being pn ithe Staff Of the Hobart Mercury. Softie few years ago he removed to Melbourne. Of late he had not beai in the best of health. Deceased leaves a widow and one son in Melbourne and one daughter i(Mrs Roskrudge of Wellington). IHe was a brother of the'late Mr C. J: Nightingale of Hokitika. One brother, Mr Henry Nightingale is residing at Grevtown, and a sister, 'Mrs (Clarke, is at Mauriceville in the North Island.

All electrical storm, of remarkable intensity, Waited 'Christchurch early on Friday evening. ± lie sky clouded over late in the afternoon, and presaged a storm. About half past six rain s.et in. Then the city was shaken by a terrific thunder clap, which, coming after a dead stillness, caused alarm in many homes. It was preceded by livid lightning flashes. Windows rattled and desks and shelves quivered. Then came drenching rain, whcch caught many people. completely unawares. This gave place to a heavy fall of hail lasting, however, only a few minutes, and steady rain again set in. It was accompanied by lightning and thunder.

“Maim Maori” writes to the “Auckland Star”: — “Some time ago I mentioned a long-standing disappointment at not hearing the nightingale on a visit to the Old Country had been softened after hearing a gramophone record of the famous singer, for I then came to the eonclus on that in the tui we had a much finer singer. A dyed-in-the-wool Englishman poohpoohed the idea, and said that it was mere insular prejudice, lie recalled how he had listened entranced to a nightingale half the night in a Sussex glade, and he was sure that the incense burned at the shrine of the bird by Kents, Arnold and other poets was not a whit too fulsome, lie could not imagine a liner song. However, he is just hack from a holiday at Wniheke. where he heard the tui for the first time. Truth compelled him to admit that he was amazed and charmed hevond telling. He had not believed that tho throat of bird could utter such lovely sounds. He conlcsses that the tui is the superior songster, and since his return he has done nothing hut marvel at the beauty ot its song. ’

Blazers, bathing suits, silk underwear. Pure silk gloves, Pure silk hose, in all the latest shades at all prices can lie found at Sell ruder and Co. Priced most moderately. Inspection cordially invited —Phone 121 s. fall early before the pick is gone. Advt. Summer < olds are dangerous—he prepared! Ke< p a bottle ol Nazol always by yon. It’s the scientific remedy. 120 doses for 2s fid. fit' ilogfis for Is (id.—Advt.

The Gael left Hokitika on Saturday evening for Wellington, hut encountered heavy seas along the coast and was forced to seek shelter at Greymouth continuing the journey latc-r. The Gael is expected to leave Wellington for Hokitika in about three week’s time.

Hr L. F. Casey, captain of the West Coast representative cricket team which played Ashburton district team on Friday and Saturday, met uitli a;; accident soon after the first day’s play ended. He was cycling in East Street, Ashburton, when he was knocked down by a motor car, sustaining injuries to his right hip and arm. 'Mr Casey returned with the team yesterday morning, hut it will be a few days before lie is (piite fit again.

Yesterday afternoon members of tbo Committee of the ICS.A. visited cue Mental Hopital, where parcels of comforts were distributed to the oxsoldier inmateis to the number of about thirteen. The presents were very gratefully accepted by the men, with whom half an hour was parsed with li'ensa i conveirrjition. During the year, with the assistance of the Bed Cro«.s branch at Christchurch, regular weekly contributions of smokes etc are sent to the me.n by the local R.S.A., and the gifts are appreciated greatly.

Some itnproveiiielit was last evening reported in the condition of Mrs D. McKay, who sustained severe burns on New Year's Eve when singeing a goose at her res : dotiee, High Street, Greymouth, says the “Argus.” Her clothing ignited, and she suffered very serious burns to- her body and legs. Her son, Air A. L. McKay, valiantly put out the flames, but not before be had suffered severe burns to both hands and arms, the flesh on his bands being .burned to the bone. Roth are inmates of the Grey Hospital where their condition last evening was reported to be slightly improved. Mrs ’ McKay’s daughter, Miss McKay, also sustained burns to her fingers and hand, but not to 1 such a serious extent as her brother.

Now is the time to secure gifts at very low prices. Fancy sox, shirts, ties, belts, trousers, init'al and plain handkerchiefs all for the men at McKavs.—Advt.

A beautiful range of Art Silk Curtain Yets, “and fadeless curtain nets’’ are now opening out at Schroder and Co ; It will be to your advantage to call early, as they are marked at ft price to suit the most fa-stidious.—Advt.

Muddy skins transformed into clear complexions by eating Yeaston Tablets. 2s 6d for 36, 5s 6d for lOC M E. Williams, Chemist.—Advt.

Indigestion! Eat "Y eastern Tablets which assist in correct assimilation of food. .36 for 2s 6d, 100 for os 6d. W. E. Williams, Chemist.—Advt.