OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1918, Page 3

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

Captain Hammond, of the X.S.S. Co., conferred with members of the Opunake Harbor Board and local importers on I snipping matters. The chairman of the Harborlioard (Mr Huglison) placed bofore him the restricted finances of the board, the only revenue being from endowments of land ( £lofl year). The. board had signed an agreement to takeover the jetly when Mr Cave completes repairs. He asked if tiie Company would assist ill providing a iiirf-boat for lighterage. Captain Ilammond made it clear that the Company would be prepared to resume running as usual to Opunake when the Admiralty's embargo was lifted, but the resumption would only be on condition that the Board or some other authority took control of and liability for the cargo from the ship's slings and gave more effective discharging of cargo. If these conditions were fulfilled the steamer wouJd resume calling. The Board decided to meet the wishes of the Company. Whether the boat resumes trading at the pert depends not so much on the Admiralty's embargo but upon tl\c contractor. as to whether he will have the repairs done. They were to be completed within two months, and the Board does not take over control until repairs are poiiiiilMert. The end of the two months is at hand, and the work has not been started. Bad weather has been the draw-back. On Wednesday the Red Cross "Onr Day" was marked oi;t for special efforts by the ladies and close on £l3O was raised. This is very good, when it is considered the Egmont Patriotic district only includes Opunake, Te Kiri and Pihnma.' The other parts of the county work through other patriotic societies Mr E. Thorpe, of Thorpe and Callachan, met with an accident last week. Whilst engi'ged on a stack of bags he slipped and severely sprained his ankle. The Opunake Dairy commenced matins casein lar.t Monday. Thee was a lai'je attendance at the Returned Soldiers'" Ball on Wednesday evening. The hall was prettily decorated nikau, tree ferns, and bunting being artistically arranged. A large iminoer of dancers were dressed in fancy costumes, several being of very original design. Cosgrove's orchestra, from Manaia. supplied tho dance music. The slimier tables were aailv decorated awl laden with the good things that are not scarce in New Zealand. Messrs C. jHic'a'v. D. Des Forges and C. Andrews were M.C.'s