WEST COAST NEWS STATE MINERS’UNION BALLOTS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24482, 3 February 1945, Page 4

WEST COAST NEWS

STATE MINERS’UNION BALLOTS

GREYMOUTH WATER SUPPLY CONSIDERATION OP LARGER PUMPING STATION Following consideration of a report by the Greymouth Borough Engineer on the question of the future of the borough water supply, in which he suggested as alternatives a gravitation supply from Roaring Meg, in the Moonlight district, or the construction of a pumping station considerably larger than the present one, the Greymouth Borough Council, at a special meeting, asked the engineer (Mr A. J. Fairmaid) to prepare a detailed report on it. Moving a motion to this effect, Mr J. B. Kent said that something would have to be done quickly. -Seconding the motipn, Cr. F. F. BousMdge said that, while he had been h6peful of getting a gravitation scheme and would have liked to have seen it. he did not think the time was opportune to go on with it at present. The only alternative was an improved pumping station, and perhaps the gravitation scheme could be considered later. The Mayor (Mr F. A. Kitchingham) said that the Roaring Meg scheme, though it should have been almost without operative cost, would have been a big scheme and would almost inevitably have taken more time than the council could afford to wait. The pumping figure has gone up by leaps and bounds, apd in the event of a major breakdown there would be no margin at all.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM

GREYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL SUGGESTIONS The Greymouth Borough Council-at a special meeting discussed a number of matters on which it was suggested that representations might be made to the select Parliamentary committee on meal government. A committee consisting of the, Mayor (Mr F. A. Kitchingham) and Crs. F. F. BouStridge and J. B. Kent was set up to go further in-, to the .points raised and bring down a report for submission to the select committee. The matter of removal of the borough stables to a more suitable site in William street was discussed, and the question was referred back to the works committee for investigation. The question of reducing the space in the newspaper room at the library, ana also a report by the town clock committee was discussed, but action was deferred.

MAGISTRATE’S COURT AT HOKITIKA

FINE FOR. UNLAWFUL CONVERSION In the Magistrate’s Court at Hokitika yesterday Charles Columbus Clare, a labourer, of Had Had, was fined £5 for unlawfully converting to his own use a motor truck, the property of the North Beach Crushing Company, Greymouth. He was also ordered to make good damage to the truck amounting to £SO. On a charge of stealing three gallons of petrol valued at 9s 9d, the property of the same company,, he was fined £2 and ordered to pay the price of the petrol. On a further charge of being the driver of a motor truck involved in an accident causing personal injury to Lewis Tamili, he failed to reporf the accident to the police, he was convicted and discharged, . Mr A. R. Elcock appeared for the accused, who pleaded guilty to the three charges.

Senior-Sergeant W. Brown stated the accused was employed by the company that owned the truck, and was engaged in stone crushing on the riverbed. Last Saturday the river was rising, and the accused hired a taxi and went to the riverbed where, with the assistance of two Maoris* he removed some gear from the riverbed to safety. The taxi could not wait, so to get back to the Hari Hari !Hotel the accused took the truck. From the hotel he took the two Maoris, to the dairy factory where some stores were purchased. Later in the day the Maoris wanted to be driven to either Wataroa or Franz Josef. This the accused re-' fused to do, but they later persuaded him to. drive them to the Pukekura Hotel. On the way back to Hari Hari the truck capsized over a 15-foot bank, one of the Maoris receiving injuries to one of his shoulders." For the accused Mr Elcock stated that he had paid £9 to have the truck taken to the Hari Hari garage, and had also offered to take possession of the truck at the company’s estimated value of ,£SO. ‘lt would probably cost another £SO to repair it. . Other Cases James Murel Woolhouse was fined 10s and ordered to pay costs (255) on a charge of attempting to cross a railway line when the line was not cjear. William .Joseph Shields, Daniel Joseph Agnew, Frank Matson, and Reginald Day were fined 5s each for operating unlicensed wireless sets. Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., was on the Bench.

WARDEN’S COURT AT . HOKITIKA

In the Warden’s Court at Hokitika, Mr A. A. McLachlan granted the following applications;—Kanierl Gold Dredging Company, ordinary prospecting licence: James Stanley Langford, ordinary prospecting licence (four applications); Charles Smith and Mark Tekoehi, renewal of dam licence No. 264. The surrender i was accepted as from January 18, 1945, of d mining privilege held by Arahura Gold Dredging, Ltd. SPECIAL COURSE .AT BLAKETOWN SCHOOL Blaketown School pupils this year will undertake a special course of’ art, and this course may next year be extended to all local schools. This information is contained in a letter received by Mr F. W. Coleman, headmaster of the Blaketown School, from the Education Department. It states that during 1945 all' schools in the Christchurch metropolitan area will put into practice a scheme in art, which has been compiled by lecturers in the four training colleges. The progress of this scheme will be observed throughout the year and arrangements made for the adoption and publication by the department at the end of the year. That this work may be undertaken in districts not immediately in touch with the training colleges, the senior inspector has selected Blaketown School as the centre for this area, and Miss S. Thompson has been appointed as an additional member of the staff for 1945. commencing duties on February 13. To introduce the scheme, it is suggested that she be entrusted with art work in the school, and if results are satisfactory expansion of the scheme to all schools in the district will be considered.

SHIPPING

PORT OF GREYMOUTH • ” The Press " Special Service GREYMOUTH, February 2. The Holmlea is expected to-morrow morning to load coal for Plcton. . The Karu has sailed with timber for Wellington. The Kaimiro is expected to-morrow to load coal for Wellington. The Poolta is expected to-night to load coal for Wellington. The Rata is expected to-morrow to load coal for New Plymouth. Rainfall at Reefton.— ln January rain fell at Reefton on 15 days. The total was 11.47 inches, with a maximum fall of 3.38 inches on January 18. The month was one in which there was the heaviest fall for January for many years. I

MR G. E ENGLISH RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT Mr G. E. English has beep re-elected president of the State Miners’ Union, defeating Mr J. Devine, jun., ■by 281 votes to 165.-, a majority- Of 116 votes. Five informal votes were cast. The ballot for other offices resulted; -vice-president, Mr Bert Fisher 232 (elected). Mr F. Baxendale 207; informal 12. Check-inspector. Strongman mine, Mr J. Harrington 127 (elected), Mr T. Anderson 76. Deputy-check-in-spector, Strongman mine, Mr A. Shaw 113 (elected). Mr J. Finer 87; informal 13. Deputy-check-inspector, Liverpool mine. Mr J. Gillaly 42 (elected), Mr G. E. English 35; informal 3. Scrutineer of cavil, Strongman mine, Mr J. Gray 35 (elected), Mr Jock Bell 28; informal 1. Delegate to Grey Miners’ Central Committee, Mr J. Harrington, 198 (elected), Mr W. Connolly 150, Mr F. G. Thorripson 81; informal 22.

KARORO RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION

The Karoro Ratepayers’ Association, at its monthly meeting, discussed the question of clearing blackberries off the roadside, and it was decided to ask owners of vacant sections to clear their sections at the same time as the roadsides, are cleared. The question of extra lights for the area was discussed and, as the funds in hand would permit one if not. two more lights, the matter’ will be, dealt with at the next meeting. It was teported that £2O was how in hand for the children’s playing area, and every effort is to be made to increase this. The secretary was instructed to approach the Post and Telegraph Department again regarding the installation of a slot telephone in a central part of Karoro. It was decided to ask Messrs Kennedy Bros., _,td„ to arrange that the last bus for Karoro will not leave Greymouth before 10.30 p.m., and the bus from Karoro to Greymouth not earlier than 10.45 p.m. ’ •

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S VISIT POSTPONED

The proposed visit of Sir Harry Batterbee. High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, and Lady Batterbee has been postponed, according to advice received by the Town Clerk at Greymouth (Mr F. H. Denton). Sir Harry Batterbee has expressed the hope that he will be. able to make the visit at a later date.

PERSONAL NOTES

GREYMOUTH Mr H. W. Hay, supervisor of themoney order branch of the Chief, post* Office, Greymouth, has received’ advice of his promotion to the position of assistant-auditor at Central Post Office, Wellington. Mr Hay has been stationed at Greymouth for the last seven years and for four years has been district organiser for national war savings. Mr A. N. Campbell, District Rehabilitation Officer at Greymouth, is on annual leave and has left for Wanganui and Auckland. He was accompanied by Mrs Campbell. In Mr Campbell’s absence Mr T. H. Jones is Acting-District Rehabilitation Officer at Greymouth. HOKITIKA t A recent list of men of the New Zealand Division mentioned in dispatches contains the name of Warrant Officer II D. J. Spence. He is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs David Spence, of Christchurch, formerly of Rimu, near Hokitika. Of a family of.seven sons and one daughter, all with the exception of one son volunteered for overseas service. Two of the sons have been killed in action, one is a prisoner of war in Germany, one has returned to New Zealand, and the other, along with Warrant Officer Spence, is on active service in Italy. Nurse M. Spence wafe on duty in the Alexandria Hospital when it was bombed, and she returned to New Zealand shortly afterwards. HARI HARI STOCK SALE There was an entry of 120 mixed cattle and 220 sheep at the Hari Hari stock sale this week. There was good competition for all classes of young forward stock, but cows, especially the unfinished Jersey class, were hard to dispose of. Tlie sheep, chifefly young ewes, sold well. Principal sales were:—John Adamson, 10 fat heifers at £9 ss, 6 two-year-old steers at £B, 2 yearling steers at £3; P. Lucas, 1 fat icow at £5 10s; D. Houston, 1 fat cow at £6 10s; Ford Bros., 1 cow and calf at £sf G, L, Dledrlchs, 6 calves at 52s 6d; H. Wallace, 5 yearling heifers at £4 12s 6d; T. Cron, 9 cows at £7 10s; A. J. Wall, 6 steers at £7 17s 6d; A. J. Graham, 1 vealer and 1 yearling steer at £3 17s 6d; J.- J, Mclntosh, 4 heifers at ,£9 7s 6d, 2 yearling steers- at - £3; Peter Hansen, 1 steer'at £7 12s 6d; G. Manshlp, 3 runners at £6 7s 6d; T. Foster, 1 runner at £3 12s 6d| L. Wall, 1 fat cow at £4 10s; F. R. Woodham, 111 ewes (mixed ages) at 19s 6d, 35 two and four-tooth ewes at 355, 8 wethers at 275, 50 mixed-sex lambs at 17s 6d, 16 cull lambs at 13s 6d. ' Greymouth Theft Charge.—On a charge of stealing 7s 6d (which was adjourned from last Wednesday) Jane Lyons Rothera, aged 20, appeared before Mr A. A.’McLachlan, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth yesterday. The case vas adjourned' till May 7, subject to defendant taking voluntarily an essential occupation. Inangahua Gift Parcels.—This week the Inangahua District Patriotic Com-r mittee packed and sent 108 patriotic gift parcels overseas from Reefton. This is the full district quota for the present quarter of the year. Mr J. Discaciati carried out the work.