OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1918, Page 3

OPUNAKE.

(I'rom Our Own Correspondent.) The Opunakc Seaside Society will hold its annual fete on Wednesday, January ■jO. At a meeting on Wednesday night committees were set up to carry out arrangements for the proposed big day. , Ihe 1 own Board lias received a. reply ( from the Minister of Public Works, in answer to the application for the right ( to use the water power from the WaTuu river to generate electricity. The Minis- , ter, before granting the application, required to be satisfied that the board \vould not deprive present users of their riparian rights. From evidence, the department is under the impression that 1 the whole of the water would be diverted, and compensation claims were likely ' to arise. The department also wanted 1 reliable information as to the measurements of the river at the normal mini- 1 mum flow, so as to be assured that there ' was sufficient power for requirements. ' It is some months since the poll for ' raising a loan for electric lighting pur- 1 poses was taken, and the proposals were ' carried, but the scheme is 110 further ad- ' vanced. I Mr. Findlay, who has for some years ' been keenly associated with the graves of all old military settlers, wrote to the 1 board, pointing out that the department. ' would pay £n annually towards the upkeep of graves in the old A.C. cemetery. ' It, is strange that many old A.C. set- 1 tiers, who are in good circumstances, have not shown that spirit of comrade- ' ship in seeing that this Historic spot was ' kept decent. At the present time it is 1 overgrown with boxthorn. The ex-A.C. 1 M't.tlers and Town Board should see that. ] this cemetery is put in good order, and ' the spot made attractive to visitors. The ' Town Board appointed a c ommittee to ' inspect and report. 1 Very little business is now doing at 1 the Harbor Board meetings. When the loan proposals were being formulated the meeting* were long, and at times very ! debatable. Now the business consists ' of collecting rents from reserves and I gravel royalty. 1 The license of the Opunake jetty to the present owner terminated at the end of the year, and report had it that a new firm was desirous of taking over the jetty, but the negotiations have fall- 1 en through. 1 The spectacle of a dairy factory man- 1 ager and a supplier having a "set-to" over the milk cans" was observed ' one morning this week from the roadway. The Farmers' Co-op. Society and the Loan and Mercantile Agency' Company have taken out auctioneers' licenses from the Town Board. Tt means a windfall to the local authority of £BO, and it is the first time that licenses have been issued by the board.