WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18924, 12 February 1927, Page 6

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. (BPrcUL TO THE PEZS3.) GREYMOUTH, February 11. Mr I. A. James, manager of the State Collieries, has returned from a visit to Huntly. Mr George Millar and Mrs Millar, Runanga, who have been visiting Huntly, will return to-morrow. The death occurred to-day at the Grey Hospital, of Mi John Neilan, aged eighty-four years. Deceased, who was a native of England, was one of the pioneers of the West Coast. He followed gold mining pursuits for many years at Nelson Creek, and in later years resided at Cobden. His wife predeceased him.

Mr John Hodgson, an old resident of Blackball, died at the Grey Hospital this morning, at the age of sixty years, death resulting from miners' phthisis. He is survived by two daughters and one son.

Mrs P. Brady and Miss Brady, 'Wellington, are the guests of Mrs G. Schaef, Tainui street.

Mrs and Miss Da vies, of Camerons, leave to-morrow, on a holiday trip to Wellington. Mr and Mrs J. G. Tenneut, Lake Coleridge, will arrive on Saturday next from Nelson, by motor, to attend the A. and P. Show. During their stay in Grevmouth they will be the guests of Mrs" A. V. Oliver.

Mr \V. A. Carter, of the Keefton railwav station staff, has been transferred to Christchurch. He will bo succeeded bv Mr S. C. Hobinson, of Lyttelton. *Mr W. R. Blow, New Zealand Government Tourist Department agent at Sydney, arrived in Hokitika last evening, and to-day proceeded to the Fran?; Josef Glacier region. He will return to Hokitika on Sunday, and leave by Tuesday's express for Christchurch. Several delegate* to the Medical Conference recently held at Dunedin are visiting the West Coast. A number arrived at Hokitika last evening, and are proceeding to the Waiho Glacier to-day, returning to Greymouth on Sunday. A large contingent will arrive nt Hokitika on Snturday night and go south on Sunday, with other parties to follow later. Dispute Settled. The linesmen employed by the Grey Power Board, who refused duty owing to the dismissal of a fellow workman, resumed work this morning, when Tomkies was reinstated by the engineer. Motors Collide. A motor-car drivi«n by Miss O'Halloran, daughter of Police-Inspector O'Halloran, came into collision with one of Messrs Griffen's motor-lorries on the Nelson Creek bridge at South Beach yesterday afternoon. It appears that the ear on getting on the bridge struck the side of the structure and the impact interfered with the steering gear, causing the car to swerve and collide sideon with the lorry. The mudguard and the steering gear of the car were damaged, and one of the lorry wheels was wrenched off. No ono was injured, but the occupants of the car had a narrow escape from being capsized over the bridge. Burf-Bathing Accident.

While surf-bathing at the Bouth Beach, Mrs James Crooks was caught by an undertow, which swept her with some force against a submerged log. She sustained a strained thumb and abrasions about the body. Tunnel Traffic. Goods traffic railed from the West Coast through the tunnel this week totalled 8915 tons. A total of approximately 4500 lambs and sheep was railed to Canterbury from the West Coast this week. Most of the sheep and lambs came from the Iriangahua and Murchison district. Eight trucks of cattle and two of pigs were also railed to the East Coast. Back to Coast. Th 6 proposal initiated by Mr R. Hunter, of Christchurch, and formerly of Runanga, of a "back to the Coast" trip, on similar lines to the "back to Ballarat" movement, which has become very popular in Victoria, is meeting with good support In the various West Coast centres, and it is understood that committees will bo set up to make suitable arrangements for the entertainment Of the ex-West Coasters on a return visit to their native soil. It has been suggested that the next Christmas holidays would be the most opportune time for the gathering.