DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 284, 10 May 1915, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

OPUNAKE HiRBOR BOARD, The animal meeting of the Opunake Harbor Board was held on Thursday. Present: Messrs T. P. Huglison (chairman), A. H. Moore, C. 11. Hurst, and J. Macfie. Mr. A. O'Brien, the newly; appointed secretary, took his scat. | The annual balance-sheet was read,' and showed: —Receipts: Credit balancej £7 3s; rent town reserves £SO l!)s 2d: I total £57 IPs 3d. Expenditure: Motor; hire £5; printing and advertising £l.l 2s (id. returning officer . £l4 14s l()d; I commission and stamps £8 fts; sundries; £l3 Os Id; total £5!) Ills sd. Assets: Balance in bank £l3 Os Id; rent outstanding 4d; reserves (Government valuation)) £1735; total £l7t>2 3s sd. Liabilities: Printing and .advertising £2 Is (id; engineer £so;\udit fee 13s 4d; election expenses £26 Is 3d; members' out of pocket expenses £1 (Is Gd; legal expenses £1 10s. total £Bl Cs (id. The chairman, in his report, stated that the board's efforts to float the £50,000 loan at the rate of interest stipulated had been unsuccessful, lie i deeply regretted the project had not pro-j grossed better than it had. Owing 10 pressure of business he was unable to! accept nomination for the position of j chairman. !

The balance-sheet and report were adopted.

Mr. Huglison proposed 3lr. Hurst for the position, but he declined, stating in doing so that lie \vas very.' sorry to hear Mr. Huglison did not intend to accept re-election, and strongly urged Mr. Huglison to reconsider his decision, which lie did after some pressure. The board could not accede to the request of AYai Yep to an extension of lease of sections 2to 12. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote in reply to the board that more recent surveys indicated loss of land to board's section near AVaiau River on account of erosion. Accounts were passed for payment.

The contractor for the erection of the County Office (Mr, Tory) lias lm.d some difficulty in obtaining reinforcing rods for the concrete walls; consequently no start has been made. The boiling down works is still closed down, and all stock now condemned is either destroyed or driven to the nearest works, which is some considerable distance from Opunake. The Land Court is still Bitting, and the natives squatting about. The town foreman daily gathers bucketsful of peanut shells from the footpaths. The Opunake bowlers journeyed to Pihama oil Thursday and took part in J the closing of the season. An enjoyable I time was spent. ' * The amusements during the week have been the Croquet Club's "nirair," Miss O'Brien's assembly, and Wilson's Pictures. Mr. Mcßeyi!Gld-3 left on Monday on his trij> to Syl.ny. Tie wis a.u iiipt.iiied by Miss Macßeynolds. OMATA. Tilings arc astir here at present for the Belgian Relief Fund. Ci'r.\/».-isers have been busy around the district and have met with a good response. I believe tlie r< *h 'donations are well t\er half a century, besides cattle, calves, rigs, vegetables, etc. It ii- iutflid-.'! Id a "Fancy Fair" in the hall to dispose of the gifts, and to run a free brake from town for th/> purpose of helping the fund. We have been very fortunate in getting Mr. A. Nieolls to hold his clearing sale on May l!)th instead of May :20th, the date fixed for the "Fancy Fair" Mr, Mil's has .sold his farm and is leaving for the Wanganui district towards the end of the present month.