WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19104, 13 September 1927, Page 14

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. (SPECIAL TO ISZ PE2SS.) GREYMOUTH, September s&n A. Lowe (Auckland) is visiting her sister, Miss M. McKay (High ■treet).' .The Rev. W. Greenslade, who has been attending the St. Paul's Methodist Church Diamond Jubilee celebrations, vrill leave on his return to Canterbury-to-morrow. Mr J. McNaughton (Auckland) is visiting his parents, Mr and Mrs J. R. McNaughton, Sawyer's creek road. Mr T. R. Atehley, of the National Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, who las been'"'transferred to the Greymouth ■branch, will take up his duties next ■week. • Mr J. R. McNaughton, who has been an officer of the National Bank of New Zealand for forty-two years, and has teen thirty-four years on the West Coast, has asked to be allowed to retire, and has been advised that the request will be granted in the near future on the appointment of a successor. Mr McNaughton has for the past eleven years been in charge of the Greymouth branch. . ~ Mrs T. Harris, of Hamilton, is ti.vguest of Mrs J. Collogan, Chapel street. Mr H. A. Templcr, manager of tie Bank of New South Wales, Edcnda e, Southland, has been appointed to tne management of the Greymouth branch in succession to Mr E. B. Mabin The funeral of tho late Mr John Andrew O'Hara, who died suddenly at his residence at Cobden on Saturday evening took place at Karoro cemetery this afternoon, when there was a tendance of mourners, including repi<--sentatives of the Railway Department. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. T. X Cuttle. Blackball Mine. ' Breaches of the Mining Act were preferred against William Parsonage and James Neibon,. managers of he Blackball Mine, at the Greymouth Magistrate's Court to-day. The informations . were laid by Oliver J. Davis, DisSlnspector of Mines, the defendants neing separately charged that on June 30th they did fail to produce in such mine, at a time when there, were perBonß therein, an adequate amount of ventilation to dilute :and render harmless noxious gases to such an extent that all roads, levels, and workings were ma nt ; - state for working and passing therein, contrary to Section 91 of the Coal Mines Act, 1925. • A -, , *«•„ Defendants were represented by Mr J. W. Hannan, who entered a plea or. cuiltv. Inspector Davis stated that the ventilation for some time past was below the standard required by the Act. Samplea were taken, and the managers were notified that if things did not lm- - prove they would be prosecuted. Another examination showed 1M per cent. and-1.48 per cent, of carbon dioxide gas , in two working places. The Act allowed a maximum, of only. 1 per cent. Mr Hannan said that it was impossible : . for the managers to. tell what per- • centage was present without an analysis being made.' The samples had to he forwarded to Wellington. It was admitted that in two working places a little under 'two per cent., of carbon . dioxide gas was noticeable, but splices" there was more'than the required twenty per cent, of oxygen. The only way the managers could account for the accumulation of gas was that a "brattice door might possibly have been left open./. Carbon; dioxide. waß not an explosive. gas. . r William -Parsonage said that he inspected: the working plajccs with theexamining deputy, two hours before the inspector's visit, and the miners made no complaint;.- He ;f ound that a brattice' door- had been interfered with, and he-replaced the door. The ventilation in'this particular place-was better than it had been for.weeks, and the deputy Teported it as. good.. The Blackball Mine was provided.with adequate ventilation facilities. A stone tunnel had recently been driven, at a cost of £3OOO, . to improve the ventilation. The brat- '. tiee door might have bceri left open . again after he closed it.. Bratticedoors were sometimes truckers,- especially if the doors got ,wet, but they were essential. Inspector Davis stated that abous 63,000 cuoic feet of air was travelling . through the fan, but only about fifty ■ per cent, of the air was circulating in the working places. Some of the men had been coming out in an unsatisfac- • tory condition. "When it gets to that stage where gas is discernible with a. naked light," said the Inspector, "it is about time some action was taken, and :when the men complain the manage--1•' • ment-should take notice." The Inspector suggested that t.ere was ample air going into the mine, but it was. i not being distributed to the best advantage. . ' Mr Meldrum, S.M., stated that the penalty imposed for a breach of Section .91 of the Act was a fine not exceed- • ing £SO. • .-.■>■• Mr Hannan stated that both defendants had been mine managers for many ye&xn, and it was the first time they had been charged with a breach/of the Act. . ' ~. .Inspector Davis: We are not asking for a heavy penalty. All we want is to improve the ventilation. Each of -.he defendants was fined £5 and 10s costs.' Magistrate's. Court. : Mr'W.'Meldrum, S.M., presided at ? to-day's sitting of the Grey Magistrate's Court. Fines and costs totalling 15s were imposed on each of the following defendants for cycling at night without lights H. Stußbs W. Amor, A. Elferv', R. V. Frew, A. Parkinson D., ■ Dunwoodie, E. E. McPherson, and L. H.Gelwdie. ; . - . For obstructing the footpath ur McXay street by backin e a motor-lorry thereon J. P. Hewisbn was fined os and costs. ' ', , , • t Nellie McGratb, who rode her bicycle in Tainui street without at least one hand .on the handlebar, was similarly penalised. ■' , SamueP Dillon, of Roa, pleaded gttjlty to a charge of obscene , language after a ball in the Wallsend Hall at three o'clock on the morning of August 19tb ,",■,'. Defendant said that, he had a few drinks and was not sure of what he laid on the occasion. A fine of £3 was inflicted, with costs. Inquest on Ganger. An inquest was held at Greymouth to-day before Mr W. Meldrum, Coroner, concerning the death of James Mouat Laughton, which occurred last Thursday evening in the Grey Hospital, following an accident whilst tipping a truck of stone on the north tiphead.at Cobden at about 11 a.m. on that day. 1 Mr "W. P. McCarthy appeared for deceased's relatives and Mr F. A. Kitchingham for the Harbour Hoard. Dr. J. F C. Moore, medical superintendent of the Grey Hospital, detailed the .nature of Laiighton's injuries. Death was duo to angina pectoris and shock as the result of tho injuries rcceired. "Evidence.was given to the effect that X/mightori was a ganger employed by the 'Grey Harbour Board. On tho moraine or .-Thursday last, he, along irith,otW workmen, was engaged'in tfomag trucks of stone at the north * *»NKL Vte n Ih* Btono started to sljdo •£• mi Jm iruefc appeared to lift from

the back, breaking the chains and shooting backwards. The buffer struck Morgan, the engine-driver, throwing him clear, while it threw Laughton about twentv feet to the. empty truck' behind, and'then jammed him between the two buffers. ~ Edward Brown, Inspector of ->*achinerv. said he examined the chains used 'for holding the truck to tne. rails while being tipped. Both chains were verv defective. Had the chains Peen in" good condition they would have lieen suitable for the work. Richard Jones Williams, Harbour Board overseer, stated that he was m charge of the operations at the tiphead' The chains were in use from three to four months. They were not subjected to any particular test l'ie supplv of materials for use by the men was not stinted. There had been no previous serious accident at that pat-, ticular work. . The following verdict was returned: "That death was due to angina pectoris, following injury to the kidneys, and shock, resulting; from an aecide.it at the north tiphead, Cobden the evidence showed that the accident was due to defective chains being used to hold the wheels of the trucks in position while the stone was being tipped out.'' Westport Coal Shipments. During week, the "Westport-Stock-I ton Coal Company shipped 2924 tons of coal. The Westport Coal Company shipped G738 tons of coal and u" tons of coke during the same period. ! Presentation. Mr Ij. B. Mabin, manager of the Greymouth branch of the National Bank, who is leaving shortly, on transfer to Nelson was presented by the parishioners of Holy Trinity Church with a wallet and cheque. Kugby Football. The following team has been selected to represent Bullcr and West Coast combined at Westport next Saturday, against the combined Golden Bay, Nelson, and Marlborough team, in the first of the trial matches to select the team for .South Africa: J. King, C. Kearns, M. Houston, M. Jamieson, E. Sherlock, H. Jamieson, J. McCleary, T. .O'Neill, J. Devaney, E. Tunnicliffe, F. Freitas (captain), G. Stewart, J. Caldwell, W. McKnight, A. Mcintosh. Emergencies: L. Griffith and C. Fell. The Grey Locomotive Eugby team met'Otira in a match at the Railway township yesterday, the game resulting in Grey's favour by 12 points to 3. For the winners tries were scored by Nicholson and Hannam, the latter kicking two penalty goals. Crawford scored a-try for Otira. Inquest. An inquest into the death of John Andrew O'Hara who died suddenly at his residence at Cobden on Saturday evening was held at to-day before Mr W. Meldrum, coroner. After hearing the medical evidence a verdict was returned of death from heart failure.

Greymouth Diamond Jubilee. The Minister for Defence has advised Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., that the annual camp of the "C" Company, First Battalion, Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast Eegiment, will be held on the racecourse at Omoto during the Borough Jubilee celebrations. Motor-Cyclist Injured. A molor-cylist named E. Baxter, residing at Stillwater, received injuries in an accident at Chesterfield yesterday, necessitating his removal ■to the .West-land Hospital for treatment. Supreme Court. The quarterly Supreme Court sittings of the West Coast circuit will commence at Westport before His Honour, Mr Justice Adams on Wednesday. The Greymouth sittings will be held on Tuesday, September 20th. and the Hokitika sittings will probably be on Friday or Saturday next. • Mr Justice ■Adams, and his Associate, Mr D. W. Russell, will arrive at Westport from Christchurch to-morrow evening.