WEST COAST LETTERS.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7266, 28 January 1889, Page 2

WEST COAST LETTERS.

[raox oub _o__t__po~>__r__.3 GREYMOUTH, January 19. The Pukaki arrived from Lyttelton on Monday and after taking in a cargo of close upon 1700 tons of coal and coke in a draught of 16 feet sailed for Port Pirie and Adelaide on Thursday. As the bar was in excellent order ho difficulty was expert. enced in bringing tbe vessel into port and dispatching her with such an exceptionally large cargo. This is the third visit we have had from this fine steamer, and on each occasion she has been handled with as much ease as many of the smaller boats, which goes a long way to dispel all doubts as to the utility of our harbourmaster. Monday being the anniversary of the opening of the Brunner mines was observed as a dose holiday by the miners, and though causing considerable incon* venience to shipowners in that no coal was procurable for the vessels in port, there was no alternative but to submit to it with a good grace, as nothing will induce ihe men to go to work on these occasions, r Spending the greater part of their existence in the bowels of the earth, they very naturally take every oppurtunity that is offered of enjoying a day's outing, and -«s this was the last holiday available tot some time to' come they made'ttuCbest use ofit. Mr Vowell, the newly appointed, town clerk and surveyor to the Brunner Borough Council, arrived a tew days ago and entered upon his duties en Tdesday. The Grey district is now; well supplied with surveyors; indeed they are becoming as plentiful as the members of the legal ana medical professions—the supply being in excess of the demand. Although several of tbe waggoners have paid their license fees, others decline to do so, aad in accordance with a resolution of the County Council, one of tike recalcitrants, Mr J. W. Mitchell, appeared before the Resident Magistrate On Tuesday. After hearing the case, Major Keddell reserved his decision till Thursday, when he gave judgment for the defendant. The Grey County Council have instructed their solicitor to institute proceedings against the Brunner Borough Council for the recovery of £1,500, the amount of the award made by the Auditor-General several months ago, if the money is not paid by the 30th inst. The work of raising-be stone wall, extending from Cobden bridge to a point op* site the Bank of New Zealand, has been commenced. A concrete parapet about three feet high is to be formed on the . the existing stonework; this will not only prevent the river from overflowing into town, but it will act as a protection against-accident, there being np guard rail at present to preventanyone, especially children, from walking over the embankment. A double purpose is thereby served, and the Board is to be commended for putting the work so promptly in hand. Regarding the difficulty the County Council found itself in in the matter of the additional loan of £1,350 for the construction of the Wallsend-Taylorville suspension footbridge, it was resolved to obtain special Leglslatkm to authorise- the County Council to levy the necessary special rate in connection therewith, and to request the contractor to delay proceeding further with the work till the loan was obtained. This, however,. the contractor declines to do; the material.is daily expected to arrive, and as soon as this comes to hand he will proceed with its erection. He maintains that be signed the contract in good faith, and the Council is, therefore, liable, and will be called upon to provide the funds as he requires them; under these circamstances be will complete his contract within the specified time. ••-■••■ The Black Ball Coal Company are taking to develops their valuable coal seams, and as Messrs Smith and Hamilton are likewise acting as regards their extensive coal lease at the Seven Mile, we may look for an early commencement of active operations. The question arises, seeing that the Grey Valley and Westport mines are more than equal to meet the demand within the colony, where is a market to be .found for so large an output of coal unless we are to beeorae exporters to foreign laudsf Probably this departure is in contemplation—if so, I wish the proprietors every success in their spirited enterprise. The inner training wall in course of con. struction belaw Cobden bridge is causing the harbourmaster some J uneasiness at present, owing to the fact of the current throwingtheshingleover towards the town, thereby silting up the berthing accommodation at the eastern end of the wharf. It is anticipated, however, that this fault will remedy itsalf as the wall progresses, and will eventually act as a means of keeping a uniform depth of water alongside the wharf, although in the meantime I believe it will be found necessary to employ the dredge to deepen the channel. As a rule this is of very little use in a river such as the Grey, but there are occasions, such as I have mentioned, what the services of the dredge become necessary. The Flsk Jubilee singers are announced to appear in Greymouth on the 24th, 23th. and 26th instant, and as it Is the first visit of this talent** troupe to the West Coast, I have no doubt they will be liberally patronised. The town of Greymouth is very much in need of a good town hall; the volunteer and public halls are good epongh in'their way, T>ut they are quite unfitted to accommodate theatrical or such like troupes of any distinction, in fact the absence of a commodious hall, with the necessary aeeessories, deters theatricals from visiting Greymouth. I hope the time Is not far distant when some of onr enterprising townspeople wil see their way to erect a building of such dimensions . •as will induce a few good companies to pay us occasional visits, for until j this is done we shall have to content ourselves with third or, fourth., rate actors who may deem it worth their while to extend their' tour to th# Coastasalastreaoarce.

- We wad With pleasure the meet-OffOf the Midland RailwsyCmS_at held in London ia November waa Stated by the chairman tb_£%*2_* would be resumed as soon as p-ssiy. ;*& carried to completion wi„_in sfarS*_l Tills reassuring news was shor&_fc discounted by a report whicjf_g» currency through the columns J*** WBUJQfQTON BvKmNQ Press, JLJJ that the company had decided to _wgg the undertaking, and that GovS__* had been notified to this effect. Th-SS* meat, however, is not credited h£??|_ local papers consider it a mere attribute it to the well known satfe!*-* entertained by a section of the WellSjS press towards the undertaking fas_fj_| first inception. The Gkky in concluding an article on the «n£_3 says: " After looking into ths _-wgß> clearly as our information and IigSKS allow, we have not the Blightif|f_J*_* hensiOh of tbe company not c_rf*k_sst the work to its completion, no mora B__ we have of its ultimate profit speculation." It is understood t__ri_ representative, Mr Guinness, h_*jrij_? himself on communication trfflpS* Government in the alleged ab___~___fy of the work, thus all doubt onK_J__S_ shonld be set at rest in the course n»_s__ days. * ***»

The hydraulics again I your readers »m probably say, but as these cranes co_i_w* one of the most important items feS! harbonr improvements, I deem it nrr__ii to refer to them from time to fciß-i«2£ to the serious defects which have _**___* covered in their construction. I£_32is_ my last letter that the damage si_S___j by tbe upper crane had been «m_St? was no sooner at work, howevte-_*»: another defect was discovered J£~E previously noticed that the e_ai_~gS_w_s an astonishing amount of wetr _*_»_--? and since the crane has been set to w_* again the same extraordinary »_Mt_i__s friction has been noticeable, «S__t_2 opinion of experts is that an -__i-lv »■£ chain would be required every tews____l On Monday morning it was fens, necessary to unreeve the chain a. jotfc overhaul it, as it would have_art__<-__: than two months. As there were sm_J practical men present when thacbtlaS, taken down, their opinion ma; be of el!: value. They all agreed that nothing wrou be so well calculated to overcome aaf__z extraordinary amount of friction MaWfe rope; thus, unless the Harbour Be_td.-|2 prepared to provide a new chain overrate or three months, they would do w_T_l consider the suggestion. There fir _ »_: rope in use in connection with the oft* and it works as well as could be SSaC The manufacture of wire ropes afflfe been brought to such perfection tUpM? rival flax or manilla flexibility. &-_!& The farmers and gardeners in t_g{_--> district suffered great loss owinj*;/4*>_ late wet season, while on the other had the mining industry benefited _y~fcfc fc very large extent. More, gold h_. T feb purchased by the banks during t-*ltt few months than daring any - UJtj le»M for years past. The Argus st&ttjHtt "in some of our mining'centres"a-fjn deal more gold has been boag_t-W~> storekeepers than when' the ttsppglfe was much greater." In the -Jtf'_!ij_ district, more gold has been obtainaA ft are informed by agood authority, t_an__ been for a like period during the hot fn years. It has been much tae-aiila Maori Creek, and this, tew, nofcrmfcili_£ ing that some of the host yielding dilaj along the Red River have been .tb»S out eighteen months or twoyM»%» The same may be -aid of other- miafia centres, and tnis has been dne akflelyb the great amount of rain -this .Jtiaa, There are many back spurs and terraces that can be attaeeeuK__y worked only in wet weather or try sa__ of stored water. It is from such jflaSsia these that a great deal of the Mi jag come that has found its way to &c _a_j lately. This unusual yield help exercising a beneficial effect .jmthe business of Greymouth ani~ _£& proportionately in the labour It Is well nigh impossible for any section of the community to e_jo£~BK_. peritv without a general <ii_W_it!__i§S4)J benefit. '-'fi"; *:."■■■—