WEST COAST NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20498, 17 March 1932, Page 5

WEST COAST NOTES.

PERSONAL. (SI JECUL, TO TAB PRESS.) GREYMOTJTH, March 16. Mr and Mrs Alex Aitken, who have been visiting the West Coast, returned yesterday to Christchurch. Mrs T. Sinnott and Mrs Sheehan left yesterday on a holiday visit to Christchurch. Miss Grace Grant, who has been visiting her parents at Camerons, returned yesterday to Wellington. Messrs J. G'ongreve and G. Herring left yesterday on a visit to Christchurch. Mr Claude Ring, who has been visiting' Greymouth, returned yesterday to Christchurch; Mr and Mrs .T. Ahearn, who have been visiting Christchurch and Waimate, returned to Greymouth yesterdaj'. Miss L. Gillingham, who has been visiting friends at Cobden and Westport, returned yesterday to Melbourne. Obituary. The death occurred at Hector 011 Monday, of Mr .Tames Parrish, aged 63. Mr Parrish was a native of Monmouth, England, and been in New Zealand nine years. He is-survived by five daughters and seven sons, i . Ottra Tunnel. Freight railed through the Otira tunnel .'for. last week totalled 12,152 tons, compared with 8528 tons for the corresponding period last year, and 12,847 tons in 1930. • Hydro Works. . The Works Committee of the Grey Electric Power Boa,rd made a visit to the works at Eaimata yesterday, where they found satisfactory, progress being made. The continued fine weather has enabled the contractors to' make up lost. time. A thirty feet section of the dam in the Arnold is now above water level, while the coffer dam has been scaled and concrete was poured in yesterday. Only about forty feet of the dam remains to be pumped out and excavated and the completion of this work will finish the contract.

Magistrate's Court. A sitting of the Greymouth Magistrate's Court was held yesterday, Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., presiding. Robert Shaw, aged 23, appeared on remand, charged with theft of a diamond and sapphire tie pin, the property of William Rosenberg, Tiroroa. Accused pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily. The police reported that the tie-pin had been recovered. Accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within twelve months, and was ordered to pay £5 li>s, the cost of bringing him from Weheka. A claim for rent, £l7 30s, and possession of a tenement, was made by Mrs Mary Heaphy against Frederick McGrath. After hearing evidence; the Magistrate gave judgment for the plaintiff for the amount claimed, and costs £3* 9s, and made an order for possession of the tenement on or before April 12th. Farmers* Union. The quarterly meeting of the Provincial Council of the West Coast Farmers' Union was held yesterday, the president, Mr Denis Shannahan, presiding. Correspondence was read in reference to La Fontaine swamp at Harihari. The secretary stated that as a result of correspondence, the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr T. Cagney) was arranging a visit of the,members of the Westland Land Board to the swamp, with the object of putting the improvement of the land by unemployed labour into hand. ' , It was decided to support the Hawke s Bay Union in its protest against the inclusion of foreign countries' representatives at the Ottawa Conference. Rifle Shooting. The third competition for the Grey Defence Rifle Club's trophy was held on Sunday, Rifleman G. Anderson heading the score with 99. Rifleman Garth was runner-up with 98, and Riflemen Preu* dergast, and A. Ilenry wi-re next, with 77. With one shoot to go, the following are leading:—J. Phibbs 10 points, G. Anderson 8, and T. Garth 6 points. Westland Hospital. The Westland Hospital Board met on Monday evening, the chairman, Mr .T. J. Breeze, presiding. The Wellington Hospital Board wrote recommending a change in the Hospital Board system 6f control. The Hospital Boards'. Association wrote recommending that opportunity bo given for discussing any proposed changes in hospital systems. It was decided to protest against any alteration in hospital government on the lines suggested by Mr Campbell Begg. Finally, it was resolved that a protest be made against the hurrying through of legislation, affecting hospitals, in the House. ■ , The Board concurred in the . view expressed by the Grey Hospital Board, that no arrangement be made with the Timber Workers' Union until such as all arrears in hospital dues were paid. Technical School.

The Board of the Greymouth Technical School met oh Monday evening, the chairman, Mr T. E. Coatcs, presiding.. The Principal, Mr A. McLaren, stated that tliere were 323 pupils in attendance, an increase over the number at this time last year. The number from Dobson, Taylorville,, Stillwater, and Blackball had decreased by half. About one-third of the pupils (103) came to school by train. If the Economy Commission's recommendatious were adopted the school 'a attendance would drop considerably; It would be a great pity were the children to have to pay their fares to school.

The chairman did not think the free travelling by trains of school children would be stopped. It was decided to send letters to the Minister for Education and to Mr James O'Brien, M.P., protesting against tile proposal. The Principal reported that young men in trades were not attending the evening classes, and suggested that something be done to get them to take up studies in earnest. Mr Turley mentioned that there were very few apprentices in Greymouth. He did not think, therefore, that attendances would, at best, lie very numerous. " Garden Competition. In connexion with the recent A. and P. Show at Beefton, a garden competition was held. Mr W. D, Murray, of Greymouth, who judged the gardens, awarded the first prize to Mr D. Black, of Black's Point. Beefton Hospital. An incipient fire was discovered, after a considerable search yesterday, in the upper floor of the Beeftbn Efospital, where the hot water £ip<3s went through the floor, A bucket, of water was sufficient to quench the flames onee the fire was located.