The Grey River Argus and Blackball News. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, MARCH 30.

Grey River Argus, 30 March 1906, Page 2

The Grey River Argus and Blackball News. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, MARCH 30.

The meeting of the Greymouth committee of the International Exhibition on Wednesday evening marked a distinct advance as regards matters connected with the representation of She district at New Zealand's World's Fair. Having got promises of an assured finance the committee very properly decided to apply for two thousand feet of space for the 'exhibits from this district, and t>>e indications are that that' space will probably not prove sufficient for requirements. A great deal will, of course, depend on the response which local manufacturers make to the canvass which is to be made of them. It ought not to be necessary to impress on those engaged in" local industries the very great advantages that they will derive from the -exhibiting of their manufactures. The fur-niture-makers of the town were instanced at the meeting of the. committee on Wednesday evening as a dass that would be greatly benefitted by taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the ■ Exhibition of bringing their goods under the notice of the hundreds of thousands who will be attracted to the Exhibition. And

what applies to the furniture trade. ap-

plies with equal force to all other local industries. Some may be inclined to think that because they are not in such a big way of business as firms

in other parts engaged in the manufacture of" the same class of goods that their exhibits are likely to suffer by comparison with those of their competitors. Such a consideration should not be allowed to outweigh their inclination to show the best they can manufacture. With quality as the standard and test the small manufac-

turer has an equal, sometimes a better, chance' as compared with the lar-

ger producer. An important poh-it was also stressed at the meeting ye have referred to and that was th '.t in all probability exhibitors of mariufac-

tures would not be under the necessity pf bringing thir exhibits back as the rules of the Exhibition provide for the sale of exhibits. In addition the probabilities are that many orders for goods similar to those exhibited would be obtained from persons who otherwise would have remained in ignorance of what our local industries are capable of producing. It has been well said that the present is an :ige of advertising, and that the business man who does not advertise might as well shut up shop. The Exhibition, considered from one point of view, is a huge advertisement, and consequently the opportunities it provides for advertising the capabilities of each district of the colony should be taken full advantage of. We hoped to be in a position to have given mte'idin-j exhibitors some definite information as to the concessions in steamer freights which will be made in respect to the carriage of exhibits from the Coast to Christchurch; but on enquiry from the local manager of the Union Company we were informed . that no advice has been received of such concessions though it is fully anticipated that such will be made. The date of the Exhibition is daily drawing nearer and we earnestly hope that' all engaged in local manufactures in this 1 town will do all in their power to assist the committee in making the exhibits from this town and firiria a distinct and successful feature of the I Exhibition.

The proposed trotting meeting to be held in connection with the International Exhibition, suggested by the President of the New Zealand Trotting Association, Mr P. Selig, and heartily supported by the Greymouth Trotting Club, will appeal to most lovers of the sport as highly desirable. In an interview, Mr Selig- briefly sketch ed his ideas as to the meeting. He was adverse to the New Zealand Association taking control of it, holding that it was the special function of the clubs to conduct and control it; but, in the event of the clubs not thinking well of his suggestion, he thought the Association might run such a meeting with little risk and with the likelihood of much profit. If, however, the other clubs': in the colony take the same view of the proposal as that taken by the Greymouth Club the question of the control of the meeting should not be difficult to solve and the sucess of the gathering should be assured. Mr Selig thinks that included in the programme there should be a big event, to be called the New Zealand International Exhibition Trotting Cup, to which .1 stake, say of £1000 should be added 750 sovereigns for the first horse, 150 for the second and 100 for the third. This amount he considers, would be readily subscribed or guaranteed by the* trotting clubs and racing clubs that include trotting events on their programmes, the Association to add a trophy, either of gold or silver emblematic of a trotting contest, to the, value, t say of about 200 soys. Such a meeting would, he is sure, attract an enormous crowd, including special visitors from a distance and the big stake might prove attractive enough for one or more entries from America. Further he thinks, it would be desirable if events could be arrang ed for 2.20, 2.30 and 2.40 horses. Much of the anticipated success uf the proposal will depend on whether a totalisator permit can be obtained for the meeting but the Conference might consider it in the interests of trotting to allot a permit for such ah important fixture. It is to be hoped that the proposed meeting- will find favor with clubs generally and that it will prove an attractive and successful function of the Exhibition.

It is understood that the Government intend to build a number of houses at Runanga for the workers • t the State Mine.

The Arahura's mails, which were .brought from Westport by the Waver-, ley "consisted .. .of . twenty hampgrs; : and^t^ .

. The . West vCoas't portion; qf \ the ; inward v ■San '.Francisco';,-mail7;>irasVi"des-patched last night from Wellington by the Kotuku for Westport.

The Westport district bands (says the Westport News) are practising hard at the test piece and march pieces for the Hokitika contest. The test selection, it is agreed amongst local bandsmen, is the hardest piece yet chosen for a West Coast contest.

The Westland Railway League which recently made representations in regard to the calling of tenders for the summit -tunnel contract of the East and West Coast railway, has received a reply to the effect that the matter is having earnest consideration of the Government.

The proposed conference between representatives of the North Island sawmillers and those on the Coast relative to the competition of mills not associated with the sawmillers associations, has been abandoned owing to the difficulty experienced by the North Island representatives in sparing the time for the journey.

The nature of Mr Solomon's injury in the accident he met with on the 'Ross Road on Tuesday evening was found to be fracture of the right hip The doctor set the injured limb, and states that it will be about four weeks before the patient may be removed to his home from Ross. Mr Solomon has the sympathy of very many friends in I Hokitika in his accident.

The attention of subscribers to the Library is drawn to the fact that there are still forty-two volumes which have not been returned to the secretary, Mr Foot. As arrangements are in a forward state for handing over the present stock of -books to the Borough Council, the library authorities will be glad if subscribers will at once return any volumes they may have belonging to the library.

A deputation representing the West Coast Timber Trading Company will wait on the Harbor Board at their meeting on Tuesday next to protest against the proposed rate on timber and also against the contemplated removal of the timber drying shed. Regarding the last-irjentioned matter an impression appears to have got abroad that the building has outgrown its usefulness. This is not the case, however, and the shed must always be an important factor in connection with the export trade in white pine. . . Letters have been received by the Sydney branch of the Chinese Empire Reform Association, giving deailed particulars of the arrangements made by the Chinese Government for five commissioners to visit Europe, America and Japan, for the purpose of enquiring into the different, forms of government, with a view of adopting an up-to-date Constitution for the future government of China. The Chinese Government has voted thesum of £80,000 to cover- the costs on 100 persons, such as interpreters private secretaries, and others. Two of the commissioners -will tour Japan and America,, while three will direct their attention to the whole of .Europe and the five will meet in Switzerland next summer. On their return to China a grand' council, consisting of the Chinese Ambassadors and Con suls from all parts of the worid, the commissioners, and the leading Government officials, will be held for the purpose of framing a new Constitution. The members of the Sydney branch of the Chinese Empire Refo r ai Association are desirbus (says the | Telegraph) that the commissioners should visit Australia, and with that object in view a general meeting was held the other night, .when it. was decided to cable to both the Chinese Ambassador at London and. Washington asking them to urge upon the commissioners the desire of the Syd ney Chinese, and promising them a •a royal welcome.

A lad named Clarence Jones left his home at Westport on Tuesday afternoon to go to school, and has nol been heard of since.

An epidemic of typhoid and scarlet fever has broken but at Waihi. Seve ral cases of scarlet fever are reported from one of the Wellington suburbs.

The Stratford Post says that during December and January thirteen dairyfactory companies in the vicinity of Stratford distributed £74,&35 among suppliers.

It will be gratifying news to local theatre-goers that the Living London Pictures Company, which has been appearing with great success before large and appreciative audiences in the Wellington Town Hall, intend visiting the West Coast during Easter and will show in this town.

A member of the local Golf Club who recently visited Westport states that the club there have made .extensive improvements in their links. • A number of the Westport Club intend visiting this town during the season to try conclusions with members of the local club.

Maoris and Europeans met at Taumarunui on March 19th and passed resolutions in favor of nift'Kg ; «::wi: timber down the Wanganui River being allowed. To reach the Wellington market rafting is considered necessary. According to the Wanganui Chronicle, the Auckland market absorbs barely thirteen per cent of the output from Taumamnui.

The District Engineer at Westport has received the following telegram from the Public Works Department : — Fifty good miners or tunnel men are required for work beyond Broken River on the Midland railway, Springfield end. Please let me know if any suitable men are available in your district who would be willing to go.

A special meting" of the Board of Trustees of the Reefton Hospitil was held on Wednesday, Mr Scantlebury chairman. There were present besides : — Messrs W. H. Bowater, E. Mclnroe, D. Blackadder, P. Butler, H Betts and J. Sevenson. After some discussion and an inspection of the Hospital buildings it was resolved to wire to the Premier asking him to send the Government architect down to consider plans for the building of a new hospital. — Times.

A runaway Reefton debtor shipped at Greymouth under an assumed name by the Mapourika last Friday leaving a number of creditors in Reefton, from whom he had obtained supplies. Two of the creditors decided to intercept him, and to carry that into effect one of them, Mr John Dick, made a trip to Westport and boarded the Mapourika. After making a search at Westport, Mr Dick had his suspicions aroused by a man lying in a bunk with his back to the centre, of the cabin, and pulling the blankets from the man he found the runaway, who was informed that the bailiff would arrest unless he came to a settlement. The man was perfectly dumfounded at being brought to book at Westport, having evidently congratulated himself on successfully eluding his creditors. He handed over what money was in his possession, was permitted to retain ss, and allowed to proceed on his journey.

In a statement recently made before the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Mr H. Quane gave the folli.-wmg particulars of the progress of the works on the East and West Coast railway : — At the Canterbury end the line is completed to Staircase Gully, g2 miles beyond Springfield ; the Staircase viaduct is practically finished. The formation thence to Broken River, 12 miles from Springfield, is three quarters done. The Broken River bridge is well advanced and the coach road well in hand. Some 350 men are at work on the East Coast. On the Westland side, the formation from Otira tj the tunnel mouth is under construction, : and two bridges being built. About. li 59 guine that the line will be finished in five years. "

It is understood, says the Westport News, that an effort on the part of Mr R. McKenzie, M.H.R., to block tlie erection of the briquetting plant and building- at Westport has been completely unsuccessful. In view of the English expert's emphatic declaration that Westport is the proper place in which to erect the plant, the action of Mr McKenzie, who was shown, in the deputation's interview with the Harbor Board, to be totally ignorant of the requirements of briquetting for market purposes, is deserving of anything but commendation. ItTis quite, clear from the facts placed before the Harbor Board at that meeting, that the erection of the plant at Seddonville would add to the expense of the undertaking and probably mean all the difference between non-success and success. Mr Me McKenzie's zeal outruns his discretion.

The value of the motor car was deEionstrated in- a rather unusual manuer at Invercargill on a recent Monday when one of the Warrimoo's pas sengers missed the last train to the PJuff '. He made enquiries for a "special" but found that one could hot leave in time to catch the boat, r.:\d then he thought of securing a motor car. Time was wasted in mak ing enquiries, and it was late in the afternoon when the belated' passengers secured the use of a car, and the services of an expert drivei.- Racing rown the Bluff road, the eighteen rviile stretch, much of it newly gravelkd, much of it tussock covered, and rot a little of it sandy, was -covered in forty • minutes, and the overjoyed traveller was able to rush on board j Ist as the gangway was being taken ti .->. He had his passage paid from Melbourne to England/ and had he missed the Warrimoo would have lost his luggage for some time, and a fair lump of money for eveir.'

"Just now," says a correspondent i:\ a Northern paper, "when there is s:-, much talk about- scarcity of potatoes owing ,to the- blight, and how Lnrd it will be for the natives without f.ic potato, whjCshould hot the yam hn introduced? I" suppose it grows in, the islands, and could be imported thn same as bananas. It is simply :: coarser-fibred, potato, and can be v:3=d boiled, baked, or roasted like a rotate.' It is very much the same m l-.r,te, /no sweetness, is easily cultivafed.i and should be, sold cheap. It fnrmM the everyday food of the.people of the, West Indian Islands, and ftlso in the Southern States of America aifaongv the negroes. We read of Banana King; who introduced the banana into . England, and made a fortune thereby. Let somebody try to cUj the same by the yam."

A jcase of much ado about nothing -.vas upon an incident which occurred on the evening train from Chiis.tchurch on March 22nd (says tin- Ashburton Mail). A local jewelizr who had been doing some, busincs.V in "Christchurch was returningwith' his purchases, which he placed in the rack of a carriage. After'leaving Rakaia, he decided to go into ari■othor carriage, leaving the package of jewellery in the carriage he was vacating, which was then occupied by two young men. On arriving at Ashburton the jeweller went to look rior his package, and" found that it was missing. Information was given to the police on the matter, and, the story gaining currency, rumour quick fy had it that theti of jewellery of value running into three figures had been committed The closing incident of this seiic-comedy took place the following Friday morning, wherone of the two young- men aforesaid returned the package — the real value c»f which was .£15 — to the police wit fc v apologies to thfc owner, stating that in their hurry in leaving the train they had taken the parcel in mistake.