WESTPORT NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 3 April 1922, Page 7

WESTPORT NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent.) Mr Collins, of the firm of Collins, Harman and Mannings, architects, will remain in Westport, to supervise the architectural side of the new alterations to the Buller District Hospital. Mrs R. Patterson is leaving next wook to spend Easter holiday in Christchurch, with her daughter, who is a student at the University. During her visit to Canterbury, Mrs Pattinson will call at the various hospital institutions, and incidentally gather information and knowledge which may be of value to the local Board. Mr Mannings advised the Hospital Board at its special meeting on Friday night, that it would be necessary for him to make a slight alteration in the heating apparatus for the child Ten’s ward. It was proposed to do away with the central stove, similar to those now standing in tin' main wards, and his substitute for same had been approved by the officer in control of the Health Department. The alteration would not involve further expense, j The advisability of doing away with the I central stove system was unanimously | approved of. I it was mentioned at the County .Chambers on Friday night that £9O of j the Garment and Comfort Fund had I been spent at Christmas time on new ‘suits and other articles of clothing for | the inmates of the old people’s home. I A lengthy list of the requirements needed for the equipment of the child ren’s ward was presented to the Ilospi tai Board on Friday night. Members . decided that tenders for supply should ' be called, and wherever possible and 1 reasonable, the Board should purchase locally. Special Meeting on Hospital Extensions. At a special meeting of the Buller District Hospital, held in the County Chambers on Friday night, the follow ing tenders for alterations and extensions to the local institution were re ! reived: — Ilinkey, Christchurch, £9675: i Frazer and Paine, £8544 15s; Hunter. I Westport, £16,210; Fanckhiirst, Reefton. I £10,294; Scanlon, Westport £10,384; ■Higgins, Murchison, £12,000; Hodges. .Masterton, £11,331 12s; Wood, Wellington, £12,688; Calvert, Christchurch, £9871; I’enrose, Addington, £9485. The following members were present: Mr.

R. Patterson (Chairman), Hon. Mr W. Mclntyre; Messrs Caldwell, Thomas and Mrs. C. Patterson; Messrs Munnings and Collins, official architects; also Dr. Foote. When the tenders were opened and read out, to the meeting by the Secretary, Mr. W. Mclntyre said the Board had no option but to accept the lowest tmider. Hi* moved that the lowest tender, Messrs Frazer and Paine s, be accepted, provided they could give the necessary guarantee. Mr Caldwell said he was of the same opinion, but he would like to know who the contractors-’ guarantors were before he voted. He was anxious to see the job commenced immediately and carried to a successful issue. The Chairman explained that this was a matter of impossibility. After a little conversational discussion, -Mr Thomas seconded Hon. Mr Mclntyre’s proposition, which was carried with one dissentient voice—Mr Caldwell’s. The meeting decided that if the guarantees were not satisfactory I to the Chairman and Secretary, the said officials be empowered to accept the next lowest tender. Or. Thomas, who has been proclaiming loud and long from the mountaintops that the Buller District Hospital should subsidise the salary of the Medical Ofiicer on Denniston II ill, has at last driven his arrow home by getting a unanimous vote from the local Board in favour of a £5O yearly contribution. The tight for this concession has been a long and arduous one, and residents on the Hill will now have reason to sing: “Hail, the conquering hero comes! ’’

AVESTPORTONIAN’S notes

Nir McArley, General Stecretary of tlie En«ineJrivers’, Firemen and C leaners’ Association, is visiting Westport, and met the members of the Association on Thursday evening. It is reported that the proceedings ixe-.e o a convivial characters, and there was no discord to mar the harmony. Everything went along as merry as wedding bells. This manner of meeting executive officers has its advantages and also perhaps its disadvantages. It lias been recorded that at a. somewhat similar gathering up North, the General Manager honoured the proceedings with his presence ami was treated right royally; aye, even as royally, ns it was stated he treated those over whom he ruled. The members of the E.F. and C.A. "'ere l- ,ie best treated in the world.” Words to this ell'ect were flashed from end to end of the Dominion. Maybe a member or two has an uneasy feeling that perhaps the occasion could bo more advantageously utilised in discussing the advisability of making a move in the direction of bilking ' u;? the various associations comprised within the railway service; but then, again, seeing that everyone seems Imppv, why worry? Let the gallant s eight Labour M’s .I’. da the worrying. > Arrangements are in progress for 1 establishing a juvenile branch of the ® Oddfellows Order in Westport. Tins I should prove advantageous to the s youth and the order alike as the juvo ‘ eniles will automatically swell the ’ membership of the parent lodge am' at the same time make provisiot a,gainst sickness ami accident wink yet in their teens. It is to he hopec o |the attempt will prove successful. I A case of distress from the mines t. is being freely talked about in town

and efforts are to he made to g"'e some relief. A concert is talked of and there are already offers of energetic sellers of tickets. It ap)>ears that the breadwinner, hoping to lienefit his health, came to -'God's Own, ’ bringing his wife and family. 11l fortune followed him and ho passed to the Great Beyond, leaving those near and dear to him totally unprovided for. Being but a new arrival, the wife will be debarred from the willow's pension. It is hoped that generous response will be made to the appeal and that the sale of tickets wdl be a record. There were, some amongst us whe prognosticated when the Government assumed control of the Harbour Board Works would proceed m leaps and bounds. lam not positive that then faith is to be rewarded; but certain it is that there is a move on. . Carpenters have been nailing some fresh weatherboards on the blacksmith's s-fmy and engine shed and there is talk about the quarries being started for a. wh>l< to get some stone to make up the places on the breakwater, which hav<

been flattened out by the sea.. Those loyal people who communicated with the Premier urging the wiping out of local contracts and nullifying the I efforts of the member for the district, will perhaps feel satisfied with their action. All those vague statements about the British Admirality wanting to utilise the port and the era. of prosperity that wa.s about to dawn, are for the nonce pigeon holed. They will be brought- out again, when the occasion arises for more dope. It is currently reported that about ISO guarantors will have to dub up about a quid each in fulfilment of their contract. Better take shares in the “Argus”— nim-o lasting benefit would accrue. It is also currently reported that some of the o’d stayers are stayers no longer On the last night, when they were looking for guarantors, these stayers stayed away. No. they hadn’t got cold feet, some of them had been to the front or chased others there. They simply had—well had their “doots,” as Sandy says, "Once bit, twice shy.”