WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18672, 22 April 1926, Page 14

WEST COAST NOTES

SERIOUS FIRE AT GREYMOUTH. isrEcur. to "the priss. ") GREYMOUTH, April 21. A five-roomed Louse, owned by Messrs Sehaef Bros., and occupied by Mr W. Hill, vvas totally destroyed by fire shortly after two o'clock this morning. The brigade lost no time after the alarm was given, in arriving on the scene, but despite a determined effort were unable to stop the blaze from spreading to Sehaef's workshop, situated at the rear of the dwelling, which was gutted. Two motor-buses owned by Mr 11. ilahn, and a number of privately-owned cars were removed with difficulty from the main building. The lire, by this time, had spread to the workshop and garage, seriously damaging eight cars that were stored in the workshop, some of which were in the courso of repair. The cars damaged belonged to the following owners: Joseph McCabe (Cobdenj, F. Higgins (CobdeiiJ,' Davis (Blackball), A. J. Ale In roe (lkainatua), J. M. Houlahan (Grevmouth), Woods (Westport), S. Southam (Grevmouth), and General Motors, Greymouth. The dwelling occupied by Mr Hill was insured for £75 with the Phoenix office. Mr Hill's furniture was insured for £250, and his pinno for £ls, .with tho N.Z. Insurance Co. The estimated loss on the dwelling is £175, and Mr Hill estimates his loss at £l2O. Three motor-cars and three chassis valued at £6OO, and fittings valued at £2OO, which were uninsured, were totally destroyed. The fittings were insured for £7OO, with the British Trading Co., but thero was no insurance.on tho workshop or garage buildings. A hugo stock of oil and benzine in a store built of concrete, were' adjacent to the scat of tho fire. Messrs Sehaef Brothers are heavy losers. It is doubtful whether tho insurance on the fittings will cover the loss suffered, the whole of tho machinery, tools, and fittings being lost. The cars damaged by fire included a new Oldsmobile and Chevrolet, a Chevrolet once used, a Chevrolet racer, an Essex, a Ford, a Calthorpe, and one other car. The insurances on the cars were not available this evening. Hahn's new bus is insured for £llsO in the State Office, and the old one for £450 with the Yorkshire Co. Under the circumstances, the brigade made a remarkably good save, as the location of the firo was in the centre of a block of wooden buildings. Person^ Mr and Mrs H. W. Kitchinghamhave returned from a visit to the North Island. Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., left to-day for Dnnedin. Mr Gordon Smith, Eketahuna, is visiting Mr and Mrs B. Smith, Greymouth. Mr H. Chapman, Hallway District Traffic Manager for Canterbury and Westland, who has been visiting' the West Coast officially, will return tomorrow to' Christchurch. Mr J. Flaherty, chief engineer of. the s.s. Waitemata, is recovering from a-serious illness, at tho Dunedin Hospital. His brother, Mr Jas. Flaherty, of South Beach, will return from Dunedin to-morrow. Mr W. J. Mcllroy, of Chris tchurch, and formerly of Kwnara and Greymouth, is on a visit to the West Coast. Mr and Mrs F. Newman, of Hokitika, returned from Christchurch this j evening. Mrs George Bignell will leave tomorrow, on a visit to Christchurch. Miss L. McCullam has returned from a visit to Dunedin. West Coast League. .At -a meeting"' of the West Coast League Centre,, the committee- appointed, to go into the suggested Auckland' visit, with the Finance Committee,' reported that it was too early, in the season for such a big undertaking, and that -it- was proposed to write to Mr Mair asking him to enquire on behalf of this League, as to the probable gates and expenses. The Committee's recommendation to wait till later on in the season was adopted. The referee in the Eunanga v. Blackball senior game, at Dunollie, reported having to order W. Hansen, of tho Blackball team,' off tho field for alleged unnecessarily rough play. An explanation was received from the player, and it was' decided to caution him, any further complaints to bo severely dealt with. ' . Messrs Moore, Larcombe, S. Thomas, and C. Hall were elected delegates to appoint referees for tho various matches. The matter of the schools'-competi-tion was held over, ponding enquiry from tho various schools. Five teams were nominated. West Coast Rugby Union. At a meeting of the West Coast Rugby Union, it was resolved to ask the Greymouth Borough Council for an allotment of a proportion of Saturdays during the season, on the Recreation Ground this year, and to point out that the ground was used on very few Saturdays last football year. League. ' It has been definitely decided to establish the League code at Denniston, and a meeting will be held this week for the purpose of electing officers and arranging fixtures.for this season. In addition to a goodly muster of juniors, the membership already includes a full thirteen of senior players. Mining. There is no change in the position concerning the dispute at the Stockton mine, which is still idle. The miners engaged at the James and Rewanui collieries, have averaged under four working days, per week since the new year, owing to a scarcity of orders. Increased Unemployment. Employers of labour report a marked increase during the past month in the number of applications for work. One employer ■ stated to-day that most of the applicants are of a good type, and would have readily obtained employment a few months ago. Among the applicants who waited upon one employer were two young men who had journeyed - from Gisborne in quest of work. "They wero a likely looking pair, and told me they had walked most of the way," he said, "but unfortunately, I had no work for them." Grey Electric Power. Grey was given its first taste of the quality of tho electric current from the Dobson power-house this evening, when the Dispatch Foundry Co.'s showrooms, and the shop verandahs adjoining, were illuminated with 15 lights ranging in size from five to fifteen hundred candle-power. The lighting was very effective and attracted considerable public interest. About two dozen Greymouth dwellings are now connected with the current, and quite a large batch of now consumers have Bigned up during the past few days. The street lighting equipment for the installation of two hundred street lights, is due at Grey within tho next fortnight. Elaborate provision has been made for street lighting arrangements, and when completed, it is expected that Greymouth will be one of the best lighted towns of its size in the Dominion.