WAITARA.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1922, Page 6

WAITARA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) December 2. At one part of Waitara’s exsitence the port was visited regularly by coastal boats carrying merchandise, coal, produce, timber, etc. Those days have gone (unfortunately for Waitara) in favor of the New Plymouth breakwater. It is on the cards now that the tug Wetere, and Messrs. T. Borthwick’s and Sons' fleet of barges will be saying good-bye to their old home, it being mooted that the firm have decided to lighter no more meat to Home liners in the roadstead. However, it is consolation to know that we still have the Mahoe, and it is unlikely that she will leave us for some years to come.

The Waitara Municipal Band, who won the quick-step competition at the “Mardi Gras” at Stratford on Thursday last, were given a cheering welcome on their arrival. The band, who travelled by ’bus, alighted just outside the town, and without any warning approached the town playing their test piece “Invercargill.” Cheers were given on all sides, and the conductor (Mr. C. Sampson) was warmly congratulated. It was through his persistent efforts that the band has been resuscitated. With the help of a few old players he enlisted several youths, with the result that with assiduous practice the band is now worthy of a good deal more respect than it has met with in the past. A meeting, comprising the executives of the Waitara Chamber of Commerce and the Seaside and Surf Bathing Society, was held on Wednesday evening last to consider the matter of sea erosion. The opinion was expressed, that the crumbling away of the south wall at the entrance to the river had caused the sea to cut off the south-east point whereby sand is carried into the river at a greater rate than in the days when the wall caused the sand to go round. It was decided to write to the Harbor Board, suggesting that the report of a marine engineer be obtained as to the need of the south wall from the point of view of tjie maintenance of the harbor. The matter of popularising the beach was also brought up, and it ’is proposed to advertise at a later date with a view to getting visitors to Waitara’s seaside resort.

The engagement ifi announced of Mr. Frank Procter, second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Procter, of Waitara, to 'Miss Jenny C. R. Fraser, fourth daughter of Mrs. C. and the late Mr. Alex Fraser, of Springburn, Glasgow.