GOLD MINING ON WEST COAST

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21941, 16 November 1936, Page 4

GOLD MINING ON WEST COAST

REORGANISATION OF SCHEME

POLICY OUTLINED BY ENGINEER

A conference of mining engineer’s and supervisors on the West Coast was held at Waiula on Friday, following the reorganisation of the gold prospecting scheme directly under the Department of Labour. The party was the guest of the Blackwater Mines, Ltd., and in the morning the working of the battery and the treatment plant were inspected. In the afternoon an inspection of the various underground workings of the mine was made under the supervision of the manager, Mr T. R. Hogg, and the various underground officials. An address about the policy of the department in the future was given after the completion of the underground inspection by the chief mining engineer at Greymouth, Mr S. W. S. Strong. The procedure of carrying out detailed prospecting operations in various areas was outlined, more particularly in reference to the Reefton district, where arrangements are being pushed ahead to get under way several tunnels and trenches, and later shafts. Under the new scheme a thorough survey, embracing every aspect of the country will be made, and if promising indications are found, larger prospecting parties will be used. At present the majority of the miners employed under the subsidy scheme are only raking over old workings, and are not looking for new fields. If the surveys are satisfactory i.ew methods will bo adopted, and the richest localities concentrated on. Other areas not showing the same promise will be left, and the men put to work where they will have the best chance of securing a return. Mr Strong, as chief mining engineer, will reorganise the whole administration of the gold prospecting scheme in the South Island, and will later visit Takaka, Collingwocd, and Otago, with a similar object of co-ordinating the whole of the operations on a systematic basis.

GREYMOUTH PLUNKET SOCIETY

ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR ANNUAL FETE Arrangements for the annual fete and rose day, which will be held next Friday, were made at a meeting of the Greymouth branch of the Plunket Society recently. Mrs Barrett presided. The nurses’ reports were as follows: —Town; Visits to homes, 184; visits to office, 288; babies, 237; older children, 75; town total, 600. . Country: Visits to homes, 207; visits to office, adults 191, babies, 177; older children, 34; country total, 402. The total number of new cases was 32.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH BUILDING FUND

GARDEN PAMC? TO ASSIST FUNDS To raise funds for the Holy Trinity Church building fund a garden party was held at the home of Mr Page on Saturday afternoon. Considering the unfavourable weather, there was a good attendance. Mrs F. A. Kitchingham was the organiser. The Greymouth Municipal Band attended, and the Bishop of Nelson, the Rt. Rev. W. G. Hilliard, v/as also present. The various stalls in the grounds were well patronised, and the visitors were entertained with competitions. The stallholders were:—Cake, Mesdames H. Herring, H. Chalk, Stanley White, and A. E. Kilgour; work, Mesdames Topliss, E. Parfilt, and Miss Pratt; afternoon tea, Mesdames Wills, Sullivan, Gleeson, Leech, and Collins; lady with 100 pockets, Miss Pound.

CRICKET COMPETITIONS

RESULTS OF MATCHES AT GREYMOUTH

There was ideal weather for the continuation of the Sunday cricket competiton at Greymouth yesterday. A two-point win was secured by United in a match against Marist B. Cobden, who was playing Marist A, also gained a two-point win. Cobden scored 122 runs, the best scorers being B. Knapp 62, R. Barlow 15, and G. Knapp 13. O. Morris took six wickets for 35 runs, and H. Greenwood three for 27. Marist scored 63, the best batsmen being H. Greenwood 27 runs, F. Bayley 13, and B. Tindall 12. Bowling, D. Knapp took four wickets for 7 runs, A. Vaughan one for 15. R. Barlow one for 13, J. Greatbatch two for 10, W. Coom one for 2, and N. Adams one for 0.

When stumps were drawn United had six wickets down for 133 runs in the second innings. In United’s first innings P. Allen scored 19, M. Marshall 21, G. Swinburne not out 11. The total for the first innings was 67. Bowling, J. Mathews took five wickets for 20. runs, X Cornish two for 20, P. Allsop three for 21. In the second innings W. Rapley 34 retired, B. Marshall 52 retired, M. Marshall 17 not out. D. Clancy took two wickets for 8 runs. P. Allsop one for 13, and J. Cornish one for 8. Marist scored 57 in its first innings, P. Allsop 19, D. Clancy 17. J. Simmonds took two wickets for 24 runs, W. Rapley four for 29, P. Allen three for 3. EIGHT DAYS OUT FROM MELBOURNE TOPSAIL SCHOONER REACHES GREYMOUTH In contrast to the voyage from Greymouth to Melbourne, when it took 16 days, the auxiliary topsail schooner, Huia, reached Greymouth yesterday morning at 11 o’clock, having taken eight days for the voyage from Melbourne. For the first two days the Huia had fine weather, and she then struck rough westerly weather for five days. This had died away by the time Greymouth was reached. After discharging here she will sail for Westport, Portland, and Auckland to complete discharge of a cargo of explosives.

The annual Rugby ball held on Friday night in the gymnasium was well attended in spite of the wet night, the floor was well filled and the music was played by the Broadway Boys’ dance band. Mrs Willis and partner won the statue waltz and Miss Paul and partner the Monte Carlo. Representatives of the country teams attended., There was also a number *"om -Waiuta.