WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17990, 6 February 1924, Page 11

WEST COAST NOTES

o GOODS DISAPPEAR. (special to "tsk pbess.") GKESTMOUTH, February o. The disappearance during the weekend of a truekload of goods left on the Greymouth wharf is reported to be exercising the minds of the railwayauthorities and the police. The circumstances indicate either a mistake on the part of the authorities or a particularly smart piece of work by persons lacking respect for other people's property. The truck was loaded on the wharf oh Saturday, in readiness for •despatch to the Otira line to-day, and the contents included fowl-wheat, potatoes, benzine, kerosene, and other goods, the load weighing about one- and a-half tons, and being valued at about £6O. The guard of the train, upon arrival at Stillwater to-day, discovered that the truck was empty. The matter is in the hands of the i>olice, who are inclined to believe that the goods may have been loaded by mistake into one of the steamers which has sinco left the port or the truck was attached to a train leaving for another part of the district. A Heavy Train. Ten carriages were required to accommodate the large number of passengers who left by to-day's express for Christchureh. Many of the stallholders and others connected with the Hokitika Exhibition were on board. They were given a rousing send-off at Hokitika station, and coloured streamers were freely used, giving the scene a carnival appearance. Personal. Bishop Kemptkorne, of Melanesia, son of a. former vicar of the. parish, Archdeacon Kempthorne, will arrive in Greymouth on Wednesday from Nelson. The Bourke Feud. For. a month, to pass by without some of the troubles of the . Bourkes of Barrytown being ventilated in the Magistrate's Court is an occurrence uncommon enough to arouse comment. There have been charges of assault and theft, and even accusations of a more serious character, in which.is apparently a feud which has lasted for many years. Another episode was enacted at the Magistrate's Court to-day, before Mr "W. Meldrum, S.M., when James Bourke (Mr Joyce) was charged with assaulting John Bourke, jun., at Barrytown, and with wilfully damaging the windscreen of a Ford car, the property of Mrs C. Bourke.

Mr Paterson, for complainant, said that James Bourke had struck the lad, who was his nephew, a blow in the back with a tomahawk. John Bourke, jun., said that in company with his father he was driving his uncle's . cattle - out of a paddock ■■when James Bourke attacked him with the tomahawk. Witness ran away, and was pursued by defendant and his son, the former threatening to kill witness. As a result.of his injuries. he came into Greymouth to a doctor and reported to the police. On a later occasion, 'at v the ■ Seventeen-Mile, witness was driving a ' car when he met James Bourke with a mob of cattle. At a signal from defendant, the witness backed the car to let the cattle pass, and got out, at which defendant commenced throwing stones at tho car,' one going through the windscreen.

To Mr Joyce: There had been trouble between the two families, but witness had not interfered with defendant's cattle. He was driving a straight course in the car. and he would swear tho windscreen was not broken by a cow's horn. After this, however, he admitted' running into the car of Mr Dixon, of Greymouth. John Bourke, sen., gave his version of the tomahawk attack. Defendant was trving to stop his cattle being driven "through slip panels, and waved a tomahawk. After the blow was struck witness threw a stone and hit defendant on the head. A son of the latter George Bourke, menaced him with a slasher. To Mr Joyce: "Witness knew nothing of complaints to the police by James Bourke. He had kept defendant and his son from attacking him by threateninc them with stones. Senior-Sergeant McCarthy said he examined the lad's injuries, which were fairly severe. James Bourke, the defendant, said that when he went to look after his cattle he was struck on the head by a stone thrown by his brother. "The Bourkes fight me in packs like wolves! " exclaimed witness. Johu Bourke, jun., had stampeded the cattle by driving the car into them, and the windscreen had been broken, he thought, by a Hereford's horn. The Bench said the assault with the tomahawk was proved. A fine of £2 and costs was inflicted on James Bourke for the assault, and he was bound over in one surety of £25 to keep the peace for 12 months. John Bourke, sen., and John Bourke, jun., were also bound over on the same terms, and each party was ordered to pay his own costs. Farm Deal The farm property of Messrs Shields and Wallace at Ikamatua has been sold to Mr W. O'Malley for £9500. Pottery Clay. The Department of Industry and Commerce is stated to be investigating the.

possibilities of a pottcrv clay found in the Ikamatua district. "Local residents believe the eiav has a future commercially. Coal Trade. The coal dcliverv business is _ far from being a very parable one in Greymouth, and more than one merchant has recent!v forsaken it for other avocations. The drawbn.-ks are stated to be an inability to procure supplies o: good household eoaf and the credit system, which necessitates :' cond deal ot time being spent in book-keeping-. Engineering Awards. There is a movement afoot to have engineers in the various trade? in Greymouth and district work under Arbitration Court awards. A meeting was held this evening under the auspices of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers to take the preliminary steps to obtain an award. Main Highways. Air G. T. Murray, representing the Alain Highways Board; met the representatives of" the four West Coast County Councils in conference this evening to discuss the roads which the local bodies desire to be declared main highways. Those present were Messrs J. Higgins (Grev County Council), chairman, D. "Alclver (Inangnhua County Council), D. Archer (Buller Countv Council). D. J. Evans and T. W. Duff (Westland Countv Council), and Mr J. O 'Brien, M.P. Mr Murray said it was hoped that at the next "meeting of the Board all the Boards would have their declarations in. Ho would like to hear explanations from the various representatives as to why the rates were so high on the West Coast and the revenue so low. The West Const secured greater assistance in the maintenance of roads than any. other districts except tourist districts. It had exceeded what was granted in other districts £1 to £2. and in view of complaints from these dis 1 tricts the view was held by some that the best way out of the difficulty was to declare the roads Government roads. The . maintenance per mile on the West Coast was not excessive. Possibly with different valuations and lower rates the revenue would be higher. It was recognised that the Coast must have assistance, but special treatment would bring complaints from other districts.

A discussion ensued regarding the maintenance money spent by the various counties on the roads suggested as main highways. > Air Archer gave reasons for the decline in the revenue of the Buller County Council, and Air Higgins outlined the reasons for a request that the Greymouth-Westport coastal road should be declared a Government road at once.

Mr Murray said it appeared to him that the coastal road would take a number of years to mako fit for traffic, and there was no reason why it should not be made a, Government road at a later period. Air Evans detailed tho reasons for the comparatively small amount of revenue collected by tho Westland County Council, and what would be necessary to increase it. Improved access to South Westland would greatly increase population in that district. There was a notable increase between Boss and Waiho, but south of there no increase was discornible. Tho bridges between Hokitika and Boss were in a deplorable state of disrepair, and it would cost £3OOO to put them in order.

Mr Alurray said he was greatly interested in the discussion regarding the counties, but he failed to understand why the rates were so high and tho revenue so low, even when allowances were made for the climate.

.....WESTLAND- HOSPITAL BOARD. (special to "tee PRESS.") HOKITIKA, February 5. At a meeting of the Westland Hospital Board, Mr W. J. Jeffries protested against a statement made, at the meeting of the Grey Board that the former body had been making a good thing out of the Otira Hospital. A loss of nearly £ISOO had been sustained in less than four years. The position was that the' Westland Board was forced to close the Hospital, and statements that the Otira people were badly treated were quite false. Mr G. Davidson said it had been insinuated at the meeting of the Grey Board that Hokitika was pulling the strings to prevent the erection of the Old People's Home' at Greymouth, but Hokitika did not wish to be spoon-fed, and could run a home more cheaply than Greymouth. The decision could only- be made by the Minister. It was resolved to -supply the former secretary at Otira and Mr J. O'Brien, M.P., with a statement showing the true position with regard to Otira Hospital. The Exhibition. The work of dismantling the stalls at the Exhibition has been proceeding apace during the past couple of days, and many exhibitors were enabled to leave Hokitika this morning, some travelling overland to Christchurch. The exhibitors speak in terms of praise of the way they were entertained at the conclusion of the Exhibition and their treatment both by the townspeople and Exhibition authorities. School Committee. At the last meeting-of the Hokitika School Committee it was reported by the rector that the roll number was 433. Of 41 pupils presented 30 had gained proficiency certificates.