WEST COAST NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17986, 1 February 1924, Page 11

WEST COAST NOTES.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I (special TO "THE PEJSSS.") GREYMOUTH, January 31. A special meeting of the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce was held this afternoon, Mr W. R. Kettle presiding. Stnndage, manager of the Bank of New Zealand, was welcomed to the Chamber. The chairman said, with regard to the question of native leases, ■ that Judge Rawson, Native Trustee, at present in Greymouth, and "was prepared to discuss any proposals emanating from the Chamber. -the committee already appointedthe chairman and Messrs T. E. Coates, H. P. Doogan, and F. H. Kitchingham W33 authorised to meet Judge Rawson to-morrow to discuss with him the possibility of promoting a Bill to give satisfaction to t.he Natives and the lessees. A discission then ensued in committee as to the naturo c£ the proposal to be made. Fishing Season. A local resident made an unusual catch yesterday at the wharf. While fishing with a light line he landed an 111b schnappcr, a species of fish seldom caught in the Grey River. Trout fishing has been an unexciting sport this \ ear in the lower reaches of the river, as the catches have been few and the fish in poor condition. This is thought to be partly due to there being plenty of feed further up the river. Athletics. Mr A. Reid, of the Union Hotel, Greymouth, has given a gold medal for the most points in the championship events at the athletic carnival early in "March. There are indications that this sports gathering will attract numerous athletes from Canterbury, and a number, of competitors are also expected from Invereargill and -the North. Island. A Wet Month. The month of January has been verywet in Greymouth, nearly 13in having fallen, and there being 19 days with rain. To equal this fall it is necessary, to go back to October, 1922, when the month's rainfall exceeded 13in. The i heaviest fall this month was 2.18 in on ! January Bth.. j State Mines. It is expected in mining circles that should the State Mines Department show opposition to the demands made by the miners yesterday for the improvements in wages and conditions recently granted to the miners in the privately-owned collieries, the State Miners' Union will seek affiliation with the West Coast Miners' Council, a body which, up to the present, has displayed no great anxiety to secure their adherence, appearing rather to regard this union as a source of weakness. It is known that those at present controlling the policy of the miners looked with disfavour on a proposal to involve the State miners in the recent deadlock, it being well known that the sane unionists arc in the majority at the State collieries, and there was thus little likelihood of their being influenced into continuing a struggle over a protracted period. The proposals submitted yesterday to the superintendent of the State mines seem to indicate that for the present the offer of the Department to employ the miners on a co-operative contract basis has not found acceptance. Buller Electorate. Sir Maui Pomare, Minister of Health, will visit the Buller electorate on March 13th, and will perform the opening ceremony in connexion with tho children's ward at tho Buller Hospital. Tho Minister of Public Works has authorised the expenditure of £3OO on the track from Brown's Creek to Alexander Reefs. Personal. ' • A civic farewell was tendered Mr R. G. Caigou, draughtsman in. the Public Works Department, who left to-day to take up a position in the head office at Wellington. Grey Electric Power Board. At a meeting of the Grey District Electric Power Board, it was decided to drill tho bed of the Arnold River in order to prove the field. (The offer of the National Electric Company to do the work at a cost of £550 was accepted, it being stated that tho work ! would be commenced on Saturday by a gang of workmen from Christchnrch. Hibernian Society. Ono of the largest gatherings held at Westport will take place early in April, being- the triennial meeting of tho Hibernian Society of New Zealand. Groat preparations are being made locally for the function. This district was responsible for the first establishment of the society in New Zealand, the pioneers of Charleston and Addisons being the originators of the Lodge, so far as New Zealand is concerned. It is expected that about sixty delegates from all parts of New Zealand will be in attendance at the conference, which is expected ; to last over the greater part of a week. A Young Milker. Who is the youngest regular yolunteer milker in tho Dominion? Ma.wheraiti has an example hard to beat. The three-year-old son of a well-known local farmer milks a heavy-producing cow twice daily. He not only bails up the cow and leg-ropes it, but also feeds and paddocks the animal. They appear to have formed a strong mutual attachment, and it is stated that on one occasion when the boy was absent through illness, the cow almost ceased yielding milk, although it was in the middle of the season. Railway Wreckers? What appears to be a vei®y delibo) attempt at wrecking traffic on the < . Foulwind line occurred on Sat' night at Carter's Junction (say Westport "News"). Somcon' . ing along the line noticed the • ' ction, and remoyed it, but late .: as replaced, and, it is understood •• .i:- the cause, of some damage. T. :...ager going out on Monday morni . oticed some stones jammed in. tl points, which, had a train * beer- -ling on the lines, might have ca a derailment. It is understood the matter will be the subject c ce investigation. Grey Hospi <ard. A meeting of t' rey Hospital Board was held t' ; Mr J. J. Hannan being' .: chair. Mr J. O'Briei: ~ introduced a deputation from He stated that the Governmec ■ withdrawn the subsidy for tb- ital at Otira, and the Westland ital Board, which controlled tlu . district, refused to receive a d ■ on on tho subject. The resider Otira songht to bo brought un. : jurisdiction of the Grey Boar'. ling vhich they intended to - h o. of the Canterbury Boa - . ' '? T'-. :-lic Works authorities stateu t-iai v.) Cottage-Hos-pital could be use•" future for the nurpose for which built, but no subsidy would be \ Q Mr "Johnston spt inly for the Otira residents. H that the hospital at Otira had b \ as a chaxi-

table institution, and when a protest had been made to the Westland Board it had been closed up. There were now 200 residents at Otira, and eight new : comers were arriving that day. It was hoped to bring in .Arthur's Pass also.

The chairman said the difficulty was there was no rateable property at Otira.

Mr Johnstone said that the residents were willing to pay all the expense's of running the Cottage Hospital and a nurse's salary. The grievance of the Westland Board was that the Railway Department had refused to pay a subsidy, as it would create a precedent. In answer to a question, Mr Johnston said that there were to be ten extra men at Otira when tho Railway Department took control of the' tunnel. The men were prepared to make weekly subscriptions, and would be content with a small nursing staff. Tho chairman said geographically Otira would be better suited to be under the Grey Board. It was resolved to obtniu a, definition of the aTea songht to be transferred.

The Buller Hospital Board wrote, intimating that it would support tho erection of a clinical laboratory at Greymouth.

On tho motion of the chairman it wa3 decided that copies of the correspondence in reference to tho Old People's Home be sent to Messrs O'Brien and Holland, members for-the constituent 'districts, and they be requested to call upon the Minister to deal immediately with the Board's application for consent to proceeding with tho building of the home, and to grant the application in confirmation of the verbal consent already given by the Hon. C. J. Parr, his predecessor. It was also decided to make application for the £2OO authorised for the building. A committee, consisting of Messrs J. W. Hannan, J. Irvine, and J. Brislane, was appointed to go into the cost of extensive improvements and additions to ■ tho hospital building, ■ as recommended by the medical superintendent, also to ascertain what arrangement could bo made for financial accommodation. OtrSb reals of Diphtheria. Diphtheria has increased during the last few days, and a number of children are confined to the Grey Hospital with tho complaint. Many of, them are from the country districts near Greymouth. X A medical practitioner said that Greymouth was one of those towns where cases of diphtheria arose right through tho year, and though during the last few days there was a slight increase, ho attached no importance to it. "I attribute the trouble to the poor drainage system," said the docto'. "Another cause of the increase ir> >0 number of diphtheria cases is leeay'e'd vegetation near the bush s. The trouble starts with' the i r roats of the children, and I believe .i at decayed vegetation is primarily responsible, but drainage is the most -.erious thing, and needs attention." Stock for Addington. Mr A. Doig, secretary of the Grey Yalloy Farmers' Union has received -the following better, with regard to the transit of live stock from Westland to the Addington market, arrangements have been made to run a train through to Christchnrch on Tuesdays. Stock loaded by the morning train from Reefton on Tuesdays will in future reach Addington about 10.30 p.m. the same day. Mot6r-Cycling Club. At a meeting of the Greymouth Motor-Cycle Club, presided over by Mr J. Fairbairn, it was decided to hold a combined picnic and sports meeting' on February 17th at Camerons. A large and vaTied programme was arranged. fire brigade. (special to ''tee pbess."-; HOKITTEIA, January 31. • A special meeting of the Hokitika Fire Brigade was held last evening, Superintendent Braddon presiding. The secretary (Mr J. Glakin) was appointed the Brigade's representative at the Fire Brigades' Conference at Botorua on February 11th. A balance-sheet submitted showed a credit' balance of ii.l 7 from the recent

demonstration, . £l4 13a being from the U.S.A. minstrel troupe's entertainment. Motor Vehicles. A motion' to quash the ' Westland County by-law relative to the licensing of motor vehicles has been lodged in the office of the Supreme Court, Hokitika. Tho motion will come up for hearing at the March sitting of the Supremo Court. Mr A. G. Pilkington will act for the party moving to upset tho by-law, and it is understood a K.C. will act at the major sitting. Mr Park, county solicitor, will appear for tho local body. • Swimming Club. At a meeting of the Hokitika Swimming Club,, it was decided, in view of tho Grey Club also having fixed February 13th as the date of its carnival, to hold an evening carnival on Monday, February 11th. It is anticipated that swimmers representative of both clubs ■Will compete at the two carnivals. The following intimated that they would give trophies for .the night carnival: Messrs Houston, Paterson, Bergair.ini, Staveley, Tomlinson, and J. J. Mcintosh. Sale of Stud Stock. A sale of portion of the stud stock from Canterbury competing at the A. and P. Show was held at Hokitika yesterday. .'The following 'sales were made: — , ■> Friesians. On account Mr J. McAnulty, Winch-, more— GiiS.. Bull, aged, Sir Abbekirk Boy. Mr A. Scott, Bruce Bay .. 21 Bull, two years, Abbe King Segis, Mr J. Spence, Koiterangi .. 35 Bull, yearling, Hero, van Clover, Mr J. S. Young, Kokatahi .. 25 Bull, yearling, Pietjo Abbekirk, Mr W. A. Smith, WaitaJiu.. .. 29 Jerseys. On account Mr T. H. Overton, Lakeside—' Cow, Milkmaid of Awhitu, Mr L. E. Laugeson, Chesterfield .. 40 On account Canterbury Agricultural College— Bull, 18 months, Lincoln Lally, Mr T. E. Coates,, Greymouth ... 10 On account Mr James Hunt. Nelson— Bull, yearling, Ballamona Golddust, Mr J. J. Mcintosh, Hokitika .. . • .. 28 On account Mr H. W. Nieholls, Richmond — Bull, yearling, Kaiwhare's Pompey, Mr W. Robinson, Reefton .. 25 Ayrshires. On account Mr C. Morgan Williams, Ohoka — Bull. 2yrs, Maesgwyn Matehlight, Mr C. B. Morgan, Woodville .. 50 Bull, yearling, Maesgwyn Taffy, Mr A. Jamieson, Koiterangi .. 12 On account Mr J. Parlane, Cashmere-" Bull, yearling, Gowan Wee McGregor, Mr .A. Bradev, Arahura .. .. y Shorthorns. On aceount Mr R. Peach, Ashley Bank— Bull, yearling, Ashley Bank Surprise. Mrs T. Moynihan, Lower Kokatahi . - -. 50 Bull, Red Earl, Mr J. Spence, Rimu 25