WEST COAST NOTES

FALSE PRETENCES. (special to "thi tsess.") GREYMOUTH, August 21. i Stanley Reginald Ilarvey appeared before Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., this morning on two .charges of false pretences. Immaculately dressed, Harvey, a man with several aliases, who was brought to Grevmouth from Mt. Eden Gaol, where he is serving a sentence for a serious offence, discussed his position with tlie Magistrate aiul police officers with the utmost coolness. lie gave his age as 21 years. The charges to which he pleaded guilty were that on April 28th, with intent to defraud, he did obtain from Laurence Andrew Irikster, Grevmouth, goods to the value of £3 3s, by falsely representing lie was in the employ of Ted Schaef, and that on the same date he did obtain from Harold Chalk, Grevmouth, a pair of shoes valued at fii 12s Gd, by falsely representing that lie was a traveller in the employ of Ted Scliaef. He was ( sentenced to three months' imprisonmeat, the sentence to take effect on the completion of his present term. Obituary. Jhe death took place yesterday at Wcstport Hospital of Mr Martin Tomie, a miner, from injuries received through j his being struck by a fall of coal at the Millerton mine last week. I Advice lias been received of the ' death at Sydney last night of Samuel G. Ferguson, formerly of Ferguson's, South Westland, from heart failure. >Mr Ferguson on two occasions was : county chairman, and was a member of the County Council for many years. He had been on a health trip to Australia. Ilis age was seventy-five years. Personal. ■ Mr I. A. James, general manager of the State mines, left by to-day's express en route for Wellington, where ho will attend a conference in connexion with the; prospective schemes of co-operative coal-mining on the Coast. Mr G. Hunter also left for Wellington. General. The contract for driving the tunnel at the James mine has been let to Mr Quinn and party, Rewanui. The Eunanga Band has been reorganised, and prospects for a successful season are excellent. Stockton Mine Idle. 'Hie Dominion--.ride shortage of coal is not being dissipated any tnore speedily by stoppage of the. Stockton mine since"last Wednesday. The Stockton Miners' Union has attempted io induce other Coast unions to force tlit owners a conference on the_ points at issue. An important conference of the Isu!!er and Grey Unions, held at Blackball on Sunday, arrived at. certain decisions, which, if adopted by the rank and file, may be a prelude to another stoppage. Delegates from the conference put the position to the State Union, which apparently was not represented thereat. A conference nf miners' uniont was held ai Tte.efton on August 11th; when reorganisation was decided on.