WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18602, 29 January 1926, Page 11

WEST COAST NOTES

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD. .SI'ECIAL TO "THE TSESS ! GREYMOUTH, January -^ The members of the Main Highways Board arrived this : ?rnoon from South Westland. They were wet later at the Crev Counts- n..;mtil Chambers by a deput trom ■ '■ Grey County Council, Greymouth Borough Co"n cll > Automobile Association, and Gre>mouth Jockey Club. The following representaiives >-ere present: Messrs AY. Hannan, D. Baybutt, J. Rya», -jHiggins (Grey County Council), W. «•. Kettle, T. E. Coates (Grey Jockey Club), H. Watkins.m (chairman, number 12 Highways Council), W. H. Parfitt (Mayor), J. B. Kent. I*. F. D° o ' gau, J. O'Brien (Greymouth Borough Coi:;,-;!; Dr. McKav, Messrs G. RHarker, and AY. F. Harley (Automobile Association), ..n.i Mr A. J. losS (traffic inspector;. , Mr J. \\ Hannan. chairman oi uw Grev Coumv C'juncil, extended a welcome to the' members of the Board. H« referred to the position of the Grey County, which was rated at i-'O P« l milo, while the'liuller and lnangab.ua Counties were rated at £lO per mile, and the .estland County at £1- P er mile. , Mr i\ W. rurkert (chairman or tlio Main Highways Board) returned thanks o behalf of the Board for the cordial welcome. He congratulated the Grey County Council on the splendid condition of their roads, adding that the Board's work would be light if other counties maintained their roads in a similar way. He. added that the Board's policy was mainly to assist those counties that were struggling tinder difficulties. After several matters had been discussed, Mr Furkert said he was sympathetic with the request for an improvement to the south approach to the Teramakau railway bridge. Personally he favoured a wig-wag signal, but he would promise to confer with the Railway Department with a view to having improvemo made. He added that the fact of the bridge being sometimes closed left a false sense of security when open to traffic. With regard to the wideniug of the Tera-makau-Paroa road, he was favourable to placing a sum of money on the estimates for that purpose, providing the County Council would do its share. The Board was sympathetic with the request for improvements to the county portion of the Omoto road, and agreed to assist as far as possible. The matter of allocation of the rates of the various counties would also be attended to. In connexion with the completion of the coastal road between Greymouth and Westport, the chairman of the Board said that the road in its present state was of no use to anyone, j and he promised to make further enquiries into :'..& matter with a view tp having it completed. The Board would personally inspect the northern portion of the county to-morrow, and any reasonable requests would be favourably considered. A deputation from the Greymouth Borough Council and Jockey Club then waited on the Board in connexion with the Greymouth Borough portion of the Omoto road. It was stated that owing to the narrowness of the road, ano>its numerous curves, it was ex- . tremely dangerous for traffic, especially on race days, when traffic was exceptionally heavy. The president of the Greymouth Jockey Club (Mr T. E. Coates) stated that the West Coast League Football Centre had leased the racecourse for their Sunday matches, and between eighty and ninety cars traversed the road with passengers on Sundays in the football season. Mr Furkert said the Board had no power to widen borough roads. He instanced _ a North Islaud town with a population of 3000, which inaugurated an improvement scheme costing £70,000, yet Greymouth with a population of over 5000, could not spend £SOO. Mr Jull said that in a borough with a population of 6000 or under, half of the cost paid to the Counties would be contributed to the borough. He contended that most of the motor traffic front both the North and South Islands arrive in Greymouth by that route, and Greymouth reaps the advantage. The Board was agreeable to assisting counties which had to maintain thousands of miles of road and of bridges, but when it came to a borough of Greymouth's size asking for assistance, he considered it was asking too much. The Borough Council representatives said that the borough was receiving very little revenue from the road which was costly to maintain. Mr_ Wynyard said that when the machinery of the Board was in proper working order for collecting traffic fees, the Greymouth Borough' Council would be receiving a considerable sum from fees which might assist tliem considerably. The members will leave to-morrow Tor Reefton and Westport. Motor Accident. While Mr Walter Scott was driving a motor-car towards the goods sheds this morning, the vehicle ran into a wire rope which was stretched across the ; road for the purpose of unloading a new car from a railway truck to the loading bank. Through colliding with tho rope the windscreen of Mr Scott's Dodge car was shattered, and he suffered severe abrasions to the face.

Personal.' The Rev. W. A. Hay, of Durham street Methodist Church, Christchurch, who has been officiating at St. John's Presbyterian Church during the absence of the Rev. T. N. Cuttle, returned this morning to Christchurch. Mr B. R. Sword, Assistant Divisional of New Zealand Railways, returned this morning to Christchurch. The death of Mr George "Williamson, formerly licensee of the Club Hotel, took place at the Grey Hospital unexpectedly this morning. The late Mr Williamson, who entered the hospital on Saturday last for treatment, was fifty-two years of age. He leaves a widow and two sons. There was a large attendance of town cud country residents at the funeral of the late Mr Joseph Hanraban, which took place at Kararo this afternoon. The Rev. Father Maguire, assisted by the Rev. Father Fogartv. officiated at the St. Patrick's Church and the graveside. Mrs C. Ring is the 'guest of Mrs Ring (Greymouth). Mr Roddv. of the Greymouth Magistrate's Court staff, left to-day on transfer to Lawrence. At Wellington yesterday Miss M.irjorie Butland, second daughter of Mr and Mrs H. Butland, of Hokitika, was married to Mr George F. Geary, only son of Mr and Mrs J. Geary, of San Rafale, California. The wedding took place at St. Andrew's' Church, the Rev. E. Orr officiating. Last night, at the residence of the bride's relatives, a number of friends were entertained, when good wishes were extended to the bride and bridegroom and their parents. Mr and .Mts Geary will visit Hokitika at Easter. Mrs'M. J. Fogarty returned this evening from Christehureh and Dunediu. Mr J. Colville Cook, who was recently appointed instructor of woodwork at the Westport Technical High School, arrived from Auckland, via Christchurch, last evening. Mr Cook, eight years ago, was at Greymouth in a similar