The ninth North Coast of New South Wales Surf Championships was held at Kempsey-Crescent Head Beach on Sunday, January 25, 1970.

The 31-event program attracted almost 400 competitors from Forster to Cudgen, on the Queensland border, and provided the meagre number of spectators with an exciting day's surfing, despite the small seas that were running.

Local clubs came in for their share of the trophies which were evenly distributed throughout clubs along the coast. Possibly the major upset of the day was the defeat of Port Macquarie club by Coffs Harbour in the boat races.

Port Macquarie had performed well this season and was considered to be the favourite for the three boat races. Port Macquarie members took out the junior surf teams and the cadet surf teams. Bob March and M. Dingle finished second and third in the junior surf and P. Waters put in a powerful finish to be placed second to P. McKenna, of Woolgoolga in the cadet surf. In the overall point score Macksville-Scotts Head club were victorious with 44 points. Port Macquarie was second with 32, and Yamba with 30, was third.

Organisers were disappointed at the gate takings, $96.59. However, it is expected that the carnival would show a profit due to the nomination fees paid by clubs. Beach event entries were possibly the largest ever for the championships. The carnival next year will be held in the North Coast Branch.

Pioneer gives better service

Pioneer Concrete's cement silo at Hibbard has been raised 13 and a half feet to allow for the installation of an air-slide filler. The new filler has two advantages: it expedites the filling of the trucks and eliminates the dust problem in nearby houses. The silo, weighing five tons, holds 40 tons of cement or four truckloads.

People in the train smash

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Perrott of Kempsey, were among the injured passengers when the North Coast Mail crashed at Ryde on Wednesday morning. Their only daughter, Sharon, was among those killed in the dreadful level crossing smash at Kempsey, in 1968.

Alan Perrott is a son of the former well known shire councillor, Claude Perrott. The Bellingen man who died following the accident yesterday was on his way to Wollongong, commencing long service leave after 40 years with the PMG. Jeff Marshall of Port Macquarie, was a passenger and fortunately not on the injured list. Another well-known Port Macquarie businessman (and a confirmed anti-air traveller) Athol Platt, was to have travelled on the North Coast Mail but switched rides at the last minute.

Chamber meeting

The first meeting of the Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce for 1970, will be held tonight at the Clifton Restaurant, after dinner at 6.30pm. Chamber secretary Bill Parsons said items listed for tonight's meeting required the urgent attention of every member of the chamber. Included in the agenda are such controversial topics as the town hall, tourist prices and extension of trading hours during the peak holiday periods.