WEST COAST NEWS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22908, 3 January 1940, Page 3

WEST COAST NEWS

BIG INCREASES SHQWN

CUSTOMS COLLECTIONS AT GREYMOUTH

FIGURES FOR NINE MONTHS

There was an increase of £41,782 5s 9d in the customs revenue .collected, at the customshouse, Greymouth, during the nine months of the 1939-40 financial year., ' . The figures, with .those for the corresponding period last; year shown in parenthesis, are:—Customs duties, £48,069 13s lid (£43,286 Qs 2d); sales tax, £28,227 15s 7d (£26,105 Hs sd); gold duty, £34,382 18s 6d (£21,603 3| 9d)- total collections. £160,364 13s 7d (£i18,582 7s lOd). . During the three months ended December 31, there was also a big. mcr“asl of £19,948 17* i 3d in total amount collected. The Aghres are. Customs duties £13,646 3s (£15,763 0s 9d); sales tax (£9685 l6s ldK ( Alfe 4 total S conec'ted during December last year was £9686 18s more than the total collected in De £®^ er £4474 The figures are: Customs duties, £4474 10s 9d (£5576 12s 8d); sales.tax, £3329 14s 8d (£3107 6s 9d);.gold duty, £3466 12s lid; total collections, £24,610 13s 2d (£14.923 15s 2d).

LOWEST IN EIGHT YEARS

RAINFALL AT GREYMOUTH The rainfall recorded at Greymouth /litrinj# - last vear was - tlis least since 1932, although there were 215 wet days* The total fall was 83.40 inches, and June, with 11.17 inches on 24 days, was the wettest month of last yaar, During December last, 6.11 inches fell on 15 days, the heaviest fall being 1.68 inches, on December 2. The following table shows the rainfall in inches for the months of December, and for the years, since 1934, the number of wet days being shown in parenthesis; —

Dec, Year. 1939 .. 6.11 (15) 83.40 (215) 1938 16-86 (27) 121.40 (210) till 6.16 (16) 91.85 (204) rgjg . 10.11 (18) 96.63 (207) 1935 4.26 (16) 91.37 (164) 1834 1-63 (4) 86.09 (117)

BOWLS

BULLER TOURNAMENT

WIN FOR E. SHILTON’S RINK

At the end of section play l n t* l6 Thiller Bowling Centres rinks xouniament, Westport Club rinks, skipped_by C Mitchell and A. J. Green, had five wins each. Rinks with four wms each were those skipped by E. Skilton, H. Levy, and P. Struthers (Westport), and J. Simpson (Seddonville). In the quarter finals, played at Westport on Saturday, Skilton beat Levy, Struthers beat Simpson. . . In the semi-finals, Mitchell beat Struthers and Skilton beat Gr final was a particularly keen game. At the nineteenth head Mitchell led by 23 to 19, but Skilton scored a next head and went on to win by 28 to 23 The winning rink was E. Skiiton (S), J. Metson, A. Taylor, and J. Watson, and the runner-up C. Mitchell (s) J. Daily, A. Dunlop, and S. Jenkins. The Head Shield for the Buller rinks* championship was presentei Mr Skilton by Mr J. Huddlestone (president of the Buller Centre).

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

NO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS ON BULLER ROADS

Although there has been a considerable amount of traffic on Buller district roads during the holidays, no serious accidents have been reported. Several vehicles have had ml shaps m which they have been damaged but the occupants in. every case have eshave been noticed on the roads. The camping grounds have been freely patronised, and, at various vantage points on the Westport-Grey mouth coastal road campers have S6 Thfe road - has a special attraction for travellers at the present time because of the exceptionally thick and beautiful growth of rata, some parts of the hillside being almost covered with the flower. There is also a big growth of rata on the Buller Gorge and Lewis Pass.

OBITUARY

MRS M. J. KAYE

The death occurred on Monday evening of one of Westport’s best known residents, Mrs Margaret Jane Kaye, aged 72 years, . She was a native ox Charleston. Her husband died some years ago. She leaves four sons— Messrs Douglas, Gordon, William, and Fergus Kaye—and three daughters, Mesdames K. Thompson and Maxted (Christchurch), and Miss Dorothea Kaye (Westport).

MR R. GIBSON

The death occurred at Westport on Sunday of Mr Robert Gibson aged 77 years. He was employed at -Millerton as a coal miner for many years after coming to New Zealand from Hamilton, Scotland, 60 years ago. He leaves a widow, four' sons, Messrs Jaxnes (Hokitika), Frank (Millerton), Robert (Oamaru), and Harold (Westport), and four daughters, Mesdames T. Burchfield (Millerton)', Campbell heim), J, ; Goulding (Christchurch), and A. Shaw (Westport).

SHIPPING

PORT OP GREYMOUTH

[THE PRESS Special Service.!

GBEVMOWTH, January 2. The Purlri safled on Saturday^! ternoon with timber for Onehunga and Port waiHata arrived on Saturday night from Wanganui, and sailed. again j>oon Stm midnight for .Westport. Tarakohe, an Th?Hokitika arrived last night from Fostoa, ■■ , ■;

PERSONAL NOTES

greymouth

Mrs E. McDonald (Kumara) left yesterday by aeroplane for Wellington on a holiday visit to her daughter, Mrs G. L The Hon; D. G. Sullivan and Mrs Sullivan arrived on Monday evening from Maruia on a .private visit to Greymouth and left yesterday morning for Westport. . . Captain H. Moar. harbourmaster at Greymouth, is on a holiday visit to Wellington. - , . „ Mr P McGirr, of Auckland, is on a visit to Mr and Mrs P. Boun/jayy street. . . Mrs D. Thompson left'yesterday on her return to Auckland. Mr and Mrs J. Mather, who have been on a visit to Mr and Mrs K. J*. Woodhouse, Tainui street, left yesterday on their return to Christchurch. Mr J. Phillips left yesterday on his return to Wellington. Mr J. Hewlett returned yesterday to Christchurch. • ~, The Hon. E. H. Northcroft left yesterday on his return to Christchurch. Mrs W Musson and Miss J. Musson yesterday left for Christchurch. ‘ Miss M. Ginn left yesterday on her return to Dunedin. , .Mr and Mrs 1 8. Eatwell yesterday returned to Christchurch. Mr and Mrs O, McLean left yesterday on a holiday visit to Wellington, Miss Joan Cameron; left yesterday on her return to Wellington. • The Rev. Brother Herbert, of Suva, Fiji, formerly director of the Marist Brothers’ School at Greymouth, left yesterday on his return to Christchurch. , J „ . Mr D. F. Mursell, district manager of the A.M.P. Society at Greymouth, who will leave to-morrow on transfer to Wanganui, was bidden farewell by the staff and presented with a decanter set. The presentation was made by Mr J. Hood, who for those present wished Mr Mursell happiness and success in his new district. , .. , Captain E. Caldwell, who left yesterday on his return, to Burnham camp, was met by the staff of the Greymouth post office and presented with, a wallet of notes with which to buy an officer’s travelling trunk. The presentation was made by the Chief Postmaster (Mr C. W. Browne), who wished Captain. Caldwell a sale return. Other speakers who expressed thgjr good wishes were the accountant (Mr J W. S. Shrimp ton), the assistant supervisor of the telegraph branch (Mr C T Tassell). the supervisor of the clerical branch (Mr M. K. B. Sheard) and Miss Hill.; of the money order branch."

WESTPORT

Mrs P. Veale and son (Hokitika) are Vi M^s g rs^ e . S Ka r ye (Christ Church) and W. Kaye (Wellington) are visiting their parents at Westport., Mr J. Dollomore (Welhn gt on) _is visiting relations in Buner distnct H Liovell, who has been visit ing Westport, returned to Wellington ° n M? a F Ur G ay Woodward left on Friday on a visit to Wellington and Auckland. Mr and Mrs J. Lyall (Christchurch). Worth) is visiting relations at Burnett s Face. Mr N Bentley (Wellington) is visitins relations at Westport. _ Mr D. Sutherland (Dunedin) was a visitor to Westport over the week-end. The friends of Mr M. ,95f has left to join the ground staff of the New Royal Air Force met bim last week, when’ hn their behalf Mr W. Cpsey presented him with a token of their esteem. As a token of appreciation of his work for the Buller Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Mr S. Lowe was presented with a silver cigarette case bv Mr J. Hateley (vice-president), at a gathering before his return to (Granity) t. received advice of his transfer to Shannon, ‘and will begin duties there on February 1. He will be replaced ™ £r °,™y to the Bev. A. C.mereu end Miss M, Lynih (Levin) visited Westport last week.. Mr and Mrs T. Atchison and daughter who have been visiting Westport, returned to Nelson on Sunday. Mr J. S.'Strachan, who has been visiting his parents at Westport, returned to Auckland on Sunday.

HIBERNIAN SOCIETY ANNIVERSARY

FIRST BRANCH. FORMED AT ADDISONS

Yesterday was the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the first branch of the Hibernian Society in New Zealand, when the Addisons Lodge was opened. In 1869, when the now. almost derelict township was the .centre ,of one of the richest goldfields m the Dominion'the men of Addisons col-, lected sufficient money to pay the expenses of a visit to New Zealmid by Mr Bvrne the president of the Vic torian combined, branches of the society and he reached Addisons January 2 1870 The movement spread throughout New Zealand, now .almost every town has a branch _of the so cietv The first president of the; Addisons branch was the late Mr' Timothy Gallagher; member of , the House of Representatives for the. Buller district, and the late Mr Patrick Moran was the first secretary. The opemng ceremony was held in the store, adjorning the Shamrock Hotel. which although still standing, has lost its licence.

CHILDREN LEAVE FOR HEALTH GAMP

Fourteen children, - seven from the Grey district, five from Inangahua, and two from Westland, left yesterday morning to enter the summer^ health camp at Rangiora. Nurse Hughes of the staff of the Greymouth Hospital, was in charge,of the party.