WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18724, 22 June 1926, Page 15

WEST COAST NOTES

* MAGISTRATE'S COURT. (SPECUI, TO TOT EBI8S.) GEEYMOUTH, June 21. At a sitting of the Greymouth Magistrate's Court to-day, Mr W. Meldrum, ■ S.M., presided. For being found on licensed premises after hours, ten first offenders were < each convicted and ordered to pay costs 7s. Three second offenders were eacli fined £l, with costs 7s, and one fourth ' offender was fined £2, -vritli costs < 7s. < William Henry Gieskering, licensee , of the Brian Boru Hotel, who was represented by Mr W. P. McCarthy, ' pleaded guilty to a charge of exposing liquor for sale after hours on May loth) and was fined £2, with costs. A \ second charge of keeping open for sale was withdrawn. '• Frederick Hawken, licensee of the Dunollie Hotel, represented by Mr J. W. Hannan, pleaded guilty to a charge of exposing liquor for sale on Sunday, May 16th. A fine of £2, with i s costs, was imposed. A second charge \ of keeping open for the sale of liquor ' was withdrawn. For ridinor bicycles on the Grevmouth borough footpaths, William Blair, John Nicholas Carruthers, William Hall, James Peyton, and Frederick William Trainor were each fined ss, wth cosls 7s. For cycling at night without a light in Bright street, Cobden, on May 22nd, William Blundell was fined ; os with costs. Edward Watson was fined os, with costs, for leaving a motor-lorry standing without lights in Fox street, Cobden, on the evening of May 28th. b For failure to attend tho annual training camp at Burnham in March last, James'Ludwig Michejefeski was fined £l, with 7s costs. Tip Head Tragedy. An inquest touching the death of Ttobert Steele, one of the two victims of the boating tritgedy off the Grey Tip Head on May 30th last was held at Greymouth to-day before Mr Meldrum, Coroner. Evidence, was given by John Robert Gamble, the survivor.,of the tragedy, to the effect that witness, Steele, and a stranger, whose name was unknown to witness, went out over the Grey bar in a sailing boat. On the afternoon of the tragedy, at about 5 o'clock, they started to return. The boat had no engine. An hour later they reached the mouth of the Grey river and approaciied it from the south. On rounding the Tip they were caught by a swell and thrown on to the low rocks. It was low tide and the rocks were exposed for a considerable distance from the bar. While the boat was on the rocks a second swell caught and capsized it, the. backwash carrying them ' to sea. Witness managed to swim to the boat and caught the centreboard. Another swell then righted.the boat. The other men seemed to' swim in towards the rocks and he called out telling them to come back to the boat. During that time the current was taking the' boat out" to sea.. Ho heard . the other. . men calling out to the signalman for help. Witness also eang out; and a launch came to his assistance. When he ■ last saw his companions they were about ten yards away from the rocks. He was picked'up by the launch after hanging on to the . boat for about twenty minutes. He showed the men on the launch the place where he last saw his companions/,but they.could ; not be 'found. - The sea was making, and the launch had to return to port. Evidence of identification was given by William Armstrong and Hugh Steele, stepfather and brother respectively of deceased. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased was accidentally drowned at the rhoiith of the Grey river on May 80th last. Personal.' Misses D. and K. Oliver (Blaketown) leave to-morrow! morning on a holiday trip to Wellington. ■" ' -. Mr. W> Balderstone, of Blackball, who was admitted to the Grey Hospital last evening as the- result of injuries received in an Association football, match at Cobden, is reported to have sustained a slight concussion. His condition to-day-shows a slight improvement. . Mr C. Rasmnssen, an old resident of Lyell and the Buller district, died yes- !' terday at Westport after a long illness. The late Mr Rasmussen, who was over ' 80 years of age, leaves a widow and family of two married daughters, Mrs Menzies (Westport) and Mrs Duggan ' (Invercargill), and four sons, Dr. Rasmussen,. rector ,of "Highden," Palmers- » ton North, two in Westport, and'Mr ■ Bernard Rasmussen, who is engineer 1 on an oiltanker trading in the Persian "Gulf. One son was killed in the war. \ The wedding took place at the - Metholist Church, Napier, last week, of Francis, son of Mrs W. Bundle, ; Buccleugh street, Greymouth, and Amelia, daughter of Mr and Mrs H; ' Boustridge, Albert terrace, Greymouth.. • Mr and Mrs Bundle' are at present 1 visiting relatives in Grey. 1 Mrs.C. McQueen, Omoto road, left for Dunedin this morning owing to the !' • serious illness of her mother, Mrs John > Anderson. ' . . . . '• 1 Mr P. G. King, relieving road fore--1 man of the Eailways Traffic : Department, arrived from Chris.tchurch this 6V The death occurred at the .Westland » Hospital yesterday of Mr' Wm. Bain, ' azeef 81 years. Deceased was a native - of Wick, Scotland, and had resided on • tho West Coast for about 60 years. He \ was for a number of years a lieutenant . of the First Westland Bifles, and of late ' years resided at DMmnstownrKumara. ! Messrs-A. T.' Donnelly and C. S. Thomas, who have -been attending the Supremo Court sittings at Hokitika, will return to-morrow to Christchurch. _ : Mr Justice Adams and his associate, Mr D. W. Eussell, will return to Christchurch by to-morrow's express. Railway Matters. A locomotive which, has been specially fitted up to meet the recmirements of the Grey-Bewanui section t arrived from Christchurch this evening. The locomotive, which was formerly: employed on the same section, since underaoing alterations has been equipped with the superheating Bystem and a new, boiler With its increased efficiency, the locomotive will save the miming of two special trains to Eewanu, daily, ?hus marking one. of the initiall steps towards the working of tne Westland section on more economical and officient lines. Westport Coal Shipments. ' For the week ended Saturday, the Westport Coal Company, Ltd., shipped i 8177 tons 14cwt of coal and 64 tons ; , sewt of coke; the local sales total 200 | ■ tons 17cwt. • j , Miniatura Eifla Oluh. The Greymouth BaUway . Miniature Rifle Club concluded the second round ' for the president's trophy this evening. ' The following are some of the best ' scores:-J. Efford 84, A. Alexander 34, ' L G Wise 33 » A - Dow 33 ' A> S - g0 32 ' F Sadler 32, J. Mosley 31, E. Furaess . li, G. Webster 31, G.H. Smith 30 H.' . iPetrie 30. E. Furness and G. Smith tied for the hotty button, with a score. I of 33. In the shoot-off G. Smith proved 5 the winner. -