WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18149, 12 August 1924, Page 6

WEST COAST NOTES

UNEMPLOYMENT.

i (S?£CUI> TO "IHB SESSS.' 5 ) . ' ! GBEYMOUTH, August .; 11. A considerable increase in the number of unemployed in Greymouth. has been noted during;the-past fortnight. A building contractor, who'put? in hand the clearing of a. section, has deluged with applications for W6rk. In conversation with 'the representative of' ".The Press" to-day, he stated that nearly 100 men had asked him for employment .since the job was . started. Strange to state, however, very faware registering at the Government Employment Bureau- During . the past week there were six registrations, and one of the applicants was placed. Tire. A live-roomed dwelling at Dunollie, owned by Mr O'Grady, of Wellington, was totally destroyed by fire on Saturday evening. Mr J. Guy, the occupier, and his family we're absent ii Greymouth at the time of the outbreak. The house was insured for £IOO, .but there was no cover on the contents. The Weather. Heavy rain fell practically all night, 95 points being registered oii the Harbour Board's gauge. The weather today has been threatening, . the sun bursting through only occasionally. Plmiket Society. A public meeting will be held in Greymouth shortly for the purpose of forming a branch of the Plunket Society. The town has been very, backward in this matter, many places much smaller in population having formed branches several years ago, while there has been no sustained effort of a similar character here. The Mayor (Mr W. H. Parfitt) will preside at the meeting. . • Personal. Mr W. Milner, who has been trans-ferred-to Palmerston, .wag entertained by the residents of Ahaura and presented with a pocket wallet. Mr D. Sword, stationmaster at Kumara Junction, and Mrs Sword were entertained by the residents prior to their departure for Orari, and Mr Sword was the recipient of a wallet of notes. Mr E. A. Malloch, of the Public Trust Office, Greymouth, has received notice of transfer to Hawera. Mr W. E. Holdgate, who is Mr Malloch's successor, will arrive from Christchurch on Thursday. Mr J. Shannon, of the Public Works, Office, Greymouth, has received notice of transfer to Wellington. Mr Arthur Clifton, who- was seriously injured in a mining accident near Eimu recently, is making satisfactory progress at the Westland Hospital. Mr T. W. Duff, another inmate, is convalescent.

Irmngaliua Miners' Union.

The second ballot for the election of a successor to Mr M. Fagan, . who has resigned the position of general secretary and workman's inspector of the Ina,ngahu.i Miners' Union, resulted as follows: —D. McKane 182 '(elected),"J. "W. Patterson 178. Long Honrs. . Farm work on the West Coast liaa one thing in coniinon with that elsewhere, if the experience of a lad who appeared in . the Court to-day can/bfe taken as a criterion. He was charged with failure to render personal-service under the " Defence Act,' and' gave as a roason for his non-attendance. tho fa.pt that his work occupied from.4 a.m. till after 7 p.m. every day of the wee?;. In reply to the Magistrate,'the';-youth said his wages were 25s a-week; Casualty. .... ; Mr Dominic' Coll, of Inangahtia {Valley, was run over by a' railway truck while loading sleepers ,at Eotokohu on Saturday evening. He was retfnovsd to the Eeefton Hospital, where 1 it was found necessary to amputate his leg.

Technical School Boaid,

Mr T. E. Coates presided over the J monthly, meeting of the Technical High School Board of Governors to-night. Advice was received "from Mr . J. O'Brien, M.P., that he had conveyed to the Minister of . Education ' the Board's request for a grant of. £SOOO for building extensions, but the Minister stated on the- advice of the Department's officers that the amount was exorbitant, and that. the - work - could be done for £3300? .He hoped to be able 1 to secure .Cabinet's approval for that amount in a few weeks' time. A special meeting of the Board was arranged to take place. on Friday to finally decxdo on the . question of the drainage of the grounds, an alternative scheme suggested by Mr J. Higgins to that now proposed to be considered. Mr J.. D. Lynch,' who wrote stating that owing to his having decided to-re-side in Christchurch,' he would not stand for re-election ,to, the ; Board,, was accorded a unanimous vote of. thanks for his services. : The different trades classes, especially the plumbing, classes, were repotted to bo making good progress both at Hokitika and at Greymouth. • '•■ ■ > Whether Archdeacon Carr's- request for the use. of. one of' the• eihoolrooEts for Anglican Church services";once;"a month should-be granted was again deferred for, another torbe - tlien. filially settled. ' ' ' ' "■ ' • A resolution of sympathy.; with the relatives of the late Mr Joseph Higson, killed at the State mines recently, who took a prominent part in the Queen Carnival, was carried.' .

Sunshine and. Bain.

For. the: week ending Sunday, • there •were 49 hours 48 minutes oi sunshine at Hokitika, and. 36 points of, rain.-