WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 28 November 1925, Page 19

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. tspsciAL to -rat. rßtss.") GREYMOUTII, November 27. Mr 1\ X. Kingswell, managing director of the Maori Creek Gold Dredging Company, who is on a business visit to the West Coast, will return to Auckland uu Tuesday. The Rev. J. 1\ Martin, who has beeu attending the Methodist ISynod in Blenheim, wiii return to Grcyniouth tomorrow. The death took place this morning of Mr "William Arthur Roberts, aged 44 Deceased, who was a son-iu-a.w.(.'t' fr James Brislane. was a native of "Victoria. He was engaged for some years as a. carpenter with the Reeftou Coal Company, and had resided in Greymouth for the past two years. '.lie leaves a widow and family of four children. The cause of death was miners' phthisis. Mrs P. H. Denton, honorary secretary of the Greymouth branch of the Plunket Society, will leave for Dunedin tomorrow to attend the annua] conference which commences on December '2nd. The death occurred at. Deuniston of Mr Alfred Wells, a miner, aged thirtylive years. He was a widower, and leaves three children. Mr J. W. Dick, stationmastcr. Reeften, is confined to his room through indisposition. Mr Chambers, relieving officer, will arrive from Christchurdi tomorrow evening to take up Mr Dick's duties.

Mr J. J. Burrows, of the llailwav Department, 'Wellington, who has 'been conducting sight-testing examinations on +he West Coast on behalf of the Department, will leave for Christchureh to-morrow.

Grey Caledonian Society. There was a large attendance of members of the Grey Caledonian Society at the annual meeting this evening. Chieftain D. McKay presided. The annual report showed the affairs of the Society to be in a very flourishing condition. There were no liabilities, and the balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £24 9s Id. A motion of condolence with the McLean family in their recent bereavement was carried. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—Chief, Mr 0. McLean; chieftains, Messrs W. Cochrane, D. McKay, J. Tennant, J. McLean, E. J. C. Hay, N. B. McCallum, and C. McQueen; treasurer, Mr D. Tennent; secretary, Mr J. G. Hanibleton; committee, Messrs C. Millar, J. S. Moss, N. Grant, J. Forbes, and(R. T. Bush; official piper, Mr E. J. C. Hay. It waa decided to resume the monthly inglesides in March next. The meeting was followed by an enjoyable social evening, which was interspersed with dancing and musical and vocal items. Mining Matters. At the annual meeting of shareholders of the Wealth of Nations Mine, held at Beefton, Mr R, T. Cooper waß re-eleeted to the directorate, and Messrs Castle and Cooper were appointed auditors.

The chairman, Mr E. W. Spencer, said the repairing of the shaft was proceeding satisfactorily. Five square sets of timber were now -An position, as well as light logging, making 24 feet now completed. A resolution was adopted thanking the Mines Department for dealing with and granting the company a subsidy so promptly.

It was announced that the battery hands were engaged in the bush procuring logs for the mill, so that all the shaft timber necessary can be supplied without any delay. Good progress is being made with the erection of the pontoons and machinery of the Maori Greek Gold Dredging Company's dredge at Dunganville. At present forty-one men are employed, and it is expected that dredging operations will be in full swing early in the New Year. The Weather. Puring the past few days there has been a big fall in the temperature, the weather being more reminiscent of June than November. The unseasonable conditions have caused a heavy financial loss to local drapery firms, who have done little or no business in new spring lines. Fierce, cold, westerly gales have prevailed for tne past week. Following yesterday's cold snap, there was a light coating of snow on the Paparoas this morning. Beports from Reefton state that snow has fallen on the higher levels, and the countryside in the vicinity of the Globe Mine was covered with a light mantle. The conditions moderated slightly this afternoon, but towards evening heavy showers fell. The fury of the gale has not abated, and the outlook for the weekend is anything but promising. Motor Collision. A Ford car, driven by Mr H. G. Dennc, of The Bristol Piano Company, capsized through colliding with a Dort car this evening at the intersection of Buceleugh and Shakespeare streets. Mr Denne received a nasty cut on the leg, but the injury is not serious. Another occupant escaped with a few bruises. The Ford was extensively damaged, the heavier car coming through the ordeal with twisted springs and a bent duniirn- iron. Tunnel Traffic. In spite of the delay caused owing to the washout, traffic through the tunnel for the weejc ending to-morrow is approximately 7636 tons. Owing to a rush of orders from the East Coast prior to the holiday season,, a muchincreased tonnage will be railed from liere during the next few weeks.

Memorial Services. The memorial serviec for the late Queen Alexandra was very Largely attended at the Town Half to-day* The Municipal Band was in attendance, and appropriate hymns were sung by the large assemblage. Impressive addresses were delivered by the Mayor (Mr W. H. Parfitt), Archdeacon Carr, and Captain Bell, of the Salvation Army. Two beautiful wreaths were placed upon the Cenotaph by (he Mayor and Mayoress. Memorial services were also held at. Hokitika, AVestport,; and uther Coast towns. Warning Signal. At the monthly meeting of the Westland branch of the Canterbury Automobile Association, held at Hokitika last evening, it was decided that the secretary be instructed to communicate with the Greymouth Association, asking its co-operation in erecting something practical in the way of a warning signal at the Teremakau bridge. Blackberry Pest. | The Hon. W. H. Melntyre returned to ! Westport last evening from Wellington, where, along with Mr H. Atmore, M.P., j be has been interviewing the Minister of Finance, with a. view to obtaining ; from the Government a grant of £IOOO ; towards the cost of sending Dr. Tillyard to Great Britain, America, and Europe to study a number of the pests, such as the blackberry, gorse, ragwort, earwig, etc., which have arrived from these countries, and are doing such great damage to the Dominion. Dr. Tillyard, who is a member of the staff of the

Cawthron Institute, and the most outstanding entomologist in the Southern Isles, will leave the Dominion for America in April. Alleged. Assault. George Shaw, a fireman in the steamer Waipori, was arrested this evening on a charge of assaulting the captain, Michael Joseph Hurley. The case will be heard at the Magistrate's Court to-morrow morning.