WEST COAST NOTES.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17632, 8 December 1922, Page 14

WEST COAST NOTES.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. (SPEOIAI. TO "THE PRESS.") GREYMOUTH, December 7. The Westland Chamber of Commerce, at its monthly meeting, received a let-, ter from the Minister of Mines promising that the question of a geological survey in South Westland would receive practical attention when an opportune time arrives to release one of the geological surveyors, at present fully employed. The Chamber resolved to draw the Minister's, attention to the proposal to attract British capital to New Zealand, and point out that the mineral resources of the Dominion should be fully investigated as a means of attracting overseas enterprise. The Associated Chambers of Commerce, Wellington, wrote drawing attention to the postal proposal to advertise on letters as a means of rais- • ing additional revenue, and asking for an expression of opinion. It was resolved that in the opinion of the Chamber, advertising ill the direction suggested should be restricted solely to public services. The Chamber agreed to make an enquiry regarding the support probable for a continuous telephone service to Hokitika. The opening of the Otira tunnel for regular traffic was discussed. But Mr Butler suggested that a definite date for the opening should be fixed. Some reports were abroad that certain electrical parts were required, which were likely to delay the opening. It was very necessary for commercial people to have the information, as trade was being affected. Mr Wild said the people were waiting for the opening of the tunnel, and information should be obtained as soon as possible. People were waiting for cheap freights and orders were being delayed in consequence. It was decided to place the' matter before the Government. • Wataroa Dairy Factory. A new wing has' been added to the Wataroa dairy factory building at Matainui, and a butter-making plant installed. The first half-ton of butter -has been sent north to West Coast agents. The factory is now receiving cream from as far south ■ as four miles south of Waiho Gorge, and as far north as Mount Hercules. Election Day. There was favourable weather conditions for election day, and the various party organlSfrs were early at work bringing possible supporters to the booths. In his 93rd year, Mr John Walton was one of the oldest voters who attended the polling booth. He made his journey to and from the booth unattended, and scorned the aid of a motor-car. Polling increased in briskness as passed on, but there were no Unseemly incidents. The usual crowd at night watched the screening of the results. Blackball Miners. The outlook for the miners deprived of employment as a result of the fire in the Blackball mine is now considerably brighter. Yesterday's conference was attended by Messrs A. H. Kimbell (Under-Secretary of the Mines Department), X D. Gillies (Public Works district engineer), J. Watson (mine manager), T. G. Daly (president of the Miners' Union), and W. Balderston (secretary of the Miners' Union). It was arranged that married men should be given as much work gp soesible at

Boa and the State mines, and single men would be offered co-operative contract work on the roads in the district. When the Blackball mine is unßealed, all the old employees will be reengaged if they so desire. A meeting of the Miners' Union was held at Blackball last evening. A ballot was taken, and it was decided to resume work in No. 1 section on Monday. The votes in favour of resumption totalled 110, and thoße against 36. Ten men from Blackball commenced work at the James mine yesterday, and so far two or three have been put on at Kewauui. About 20 are to be found work at the latter mine. It is intended to provide employment for 20 to 25 Blackball men at the Eoa mine. Some will start at once, and it is hoped to employ 15 by the end of next week. The remainder will be taken as soon as work can be prepared for them. Mr Kimbell received several private deputations at Greymouth. He visited the State mine this morning, and left for Eeefton this afternoon. Motoring Mishaps. West Coast roads are not the easiest in the Dominion for motorists to travel in safety, and minor mishaps are frequent. Two lucky escapes were recorded this week. Messrs F. S- Wood and Geo. Taylor were returning from Christchurch and when about 36 miles out from Nelson on their way to Westport, the stub-axle broke and before tie car could be pulled up, it went over the side of the road, turning over tnd over down a steep declivity until it came to the creek some 70ft below. Fortunately, the occupants slipped out of the ear and beating it in the descent escaped with nothing worse than a severe shock and; minor injuries. The car was greatly damaged. On Sunday Mr Ouwejan, in his motor-car, with Messrs George Carr and Tom Pain as guests, had a mishap at the Ohika. When taking the high road recently formed, something went wrong with the car, and it capsized over the side of the road, somersaulting twice and landing uoside down on the lower road, about "20ft below the high road. Mr Ouwejan was ejected from the car in. its downward passage, but Messrs Pain and Carr crawled out when the car came to a standstill. No one was hurt. The engine was still going. The car was considerably damaged, window screen, hood, lamps, axle and Bprings being broken. Hokitika B.S.A. Whatever apathy there may be in some district branches of the Returned Soldiers' Association, the Hokitika branch is increasing its activities. At a meeting of the branch this week, votes of thanks were passed to Mr W. E. Leadley and Colonel Young, tor their assistance in making the recent re-union so successful. The president brought forward a proposal to establish a club room. It was stated that the Horicultural Hall would be available shortly, and the cost for necessary alterations would not be large. ' There was a desire for a club-room on the part of the men. The proposal was accepted as very good in the interests of the men, and it was felt good results would follow when local quarters were provided. The president stated that a billiard table had been promised some time ago, and that offer was still available for acceptance. Mr D. J. Evans added that' if the club became permanently established on satisfactory lines, he thought they could go further and later build an Anzac Hall which could be made revenue producing. That, however, would depend on the response of the men to the initial proposal in regard to the quarters now proposed to be put in order for the purpose. Timber Supplies Held Up. The seamen's action in causing a shipping hold-up, is having ill results on the Coast timber industry, which, before the trouble happened, was taking 6 tuxa for - the better after the.

reoent slump. At Hokitika alone, tnere are about two million feet 01 timber waiting shipment to Australia. Some of the local mills are closing down because skids are full, and there is no stacking room to go on cutting. Stools h at Greymouth are also very heavy, i;nO what with the effects of the hold-up on coal exports arid watersiders' earn ings, it will be not too luxurious a Christmas in many Coast households this Season. Blackball s fire. Blackball is a township of despondency since the fire at the mine, and many hard luck cases could be detailed, especially among the newcomers, some of whom had invested their savings in houses, and brought, their families from the Old Country. The stall, some of whom have been in the company's service for many years, will probably find that they, must seek pastures new, and those who own the houses they dwell in, may be particularly hard hit. The agitators causing trouble at Coast mines rarely hkve " a stake in the district," and it is less a hardship for them to migrate. At a meeting of the Union, it was agreed that it was desirable to have- an "early "enquiry into the causes of the fire. Orchestral Society. The Greymouth Orchestral Society has won a very high position in the esteem of the music-loving public ; that it continues to hold such a position is demonstrated by the consistently crowded" attendance at every concert. The Society gave its 63rd concert, which concluded the 1922 season, this week, when a well-varied programme was much enjoyed by an audience that packed the Opera House. Mr B. AMoss, the veteran conductor, who was received with appreciative a.ppl&U6o, l ß to be heartily congratulated ou the distinctly high standard achieved by the orchestra. Constant, assiduous practice is necessary to ensure the success of any musical combination, and the Greymouth Society owes much to the organising ability and artistic control exercised by Mr Moss. The active membership of the Society is kept well up to "concert pitch," and no opportunity of securing good players is lost. J n Society is doing good work m supplying the community with music or a hist class, and the increasing support fortnj coming should encourage the orchestra j in its future development.