WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18456, 10 August 1925, Page 14

WEST COAST NOTES

MINING MATTERS.

(special to "the press."} GKEYMOUTH, August 9. Lack of shipping has caused the closing down of the State mines until Tuesday.

Greymouth School Committee. At the montlily meeting of the Greymouth School Committee, the rector reported that the attendance at the main school was satisfactory, but that at Blaketown had been affected by an epidemic of-colds.

Members of the committee commented on the low state of finance, and it was agreed to make an* appeal later in the vear.

Reference was made by the rector to the supervision'of the children crossing the street when there was traffic passing. He stated that members of the staff attended to this duty. Religious instruction was , also carried out in accordance with the curriculum. At the committee's meeting several members liad made sweeping statements regarding; the standard' of writing at the school.-'" These were -detrimental, and could not be substantiated. The writing of pupils at the school would compare favourably with that of those at any other school in the Dominion. Every inspector had given a favourable report regarding the neatness of the children's work.

The chairman (Mr J. Tennent) and other members said the. remarks were jocular, and should not have been reported.

Hokiljika Town Clock. Qwing to the rusting of the iron pillars, supporting the town clock at Hokitika, it has been thrown out of action pending necessary repairs.

Otira Items. The Greymouth Main School third fifteen played an Otira "team on Saturday, and won by 9 points to 6. ' The visitors were surprised at the improvements that have been effected to the local ground. A basketball match was won by the Greymouth girls by 38 points to 2

, Greymouth Bar. Dredging operations are being carried out on the Greymouth bar. Representatives of the shipping companies have displayed s<sme. . alarm recently- at the insufficiency of water at the river mouth.

Tunnel Traffic. Goods traffic through the Otira tunnel continues to be heavy. Last week the aggregate of the trains'from west to east was 8449 tons..

American Fleet. Officers of the American • Fleet who are to visit Greymouth- will'be entertained at a civic ball.

Coal and Timber Freights.

Mr J". O'Brien, M.P., has advised the Mayor (Mr W. H. Parfitt) that he is afele to arrange for a deputation to the Prime Minister with reference to the increases in the railway freight on' coal and timber for August 14th, but he suggests that the Railway Board be interviewed on the previous day.-

Personal. Messrs H. J. Bignell and E.; Wild, members of the Canterbury. Education Board, left for ChristchuTch- on Saturday.

Mr and 1 Mrs ~D. Tennent and the Misses C. and A. Tennent liave gone to Palmerston North, where they will attend the wedding of Mr Blair Tennent.

Mr S. W. Ford, who has been absent in America, returned to Hokitikp during the week,' and will resume duties as engineer to the Bimu Gold Dredging Company. Mr Hurley, who has been relieving him, leaves on his return to America on Thursday. Mr J. D. Winghpm, manager of the New Zealand Rugby League team now in .Queensland, has suffered a' week's illness, but is recovering. • . ;Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., returned frftin Christ'church •on Saturday. . ■ Mr and Mrs H. D. James, who have been visting Queensland, returned to Greymouth yesterday. . Thq Eev. Father ' Fogarty returned from Christchnrch on Saturday. Mrs Honey arrived at Blackball yesterday from Parnell, rejoining her husband,/ Constable.. Honey, who was recently transferred.

Mr J. Lythgoe, engineer to the. Grey Power Board, returned from "Wellington on Saturday.' •; ' : , . Miss Q.. jCrouland is an inmate of the Grey Eiver Hospital, where she has undergone an operation.

Mr J. Lamberton is at present an inmate of* the'Grey'Hospital.

Sawmill Accident,

.George Woods,'driver of the locomotive at the Aratika sawmill, attempted to change gears on an incline, and the Engine 1 ran backwards for a mile v and; capsized into a gully. Woods jumped clear> but severely bruised and lacerated his right arm. He was admitted to the Grey Hospital. His assistant, James Crimmins, also jumped clear, and escaped without injury.

Association* Football. A five-a-side tournament was held at Blackball this afternoon, Bewanpi' winning the senior medals.. • Blackball seniors defeated Greymouth yesterday ,by 3 goals to 0.

, Golf. 4ln the final'of the ladies' championship of the Greymouth Golf Club, Mrs Seddon defeated Miss Meldrum, 4 and 2. The best cards returned on the men's medal matches pliayed at the week-end were as follows:—Senior: Seddon, 89—17—72; Rcvell, 86—13—73. Junior: Baker, 104—36—68: Fogarty, 106—36—70.