WESTPORT NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 23 May 1922, Page 8

WESTPORT NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent.) James Simpson of Karamoa, who brought his son to the Westport Hospital last Monday returned home today. Mr Simpson spent a most anxious week* hut was greatly relieved when informed by Dr Foote that the bullet I (result of a shot accident) had Ihtii removed from the hoy’s shoulder ami that all danger was now passed. With an excellent stock of coal in the railway waggons, ami an expectant big influx of cargo carriers, the present week should prove a very busy one at the waterfront. The Westport morning paper is hard I nt it trying to trot ouT a candidate to pit against our Harry Holland. No one seems to take the said paper too seriously. President Ryan and his associates of the Surf Club have in mind the holding of an immense gala for the opening season. We feel perfectly confident in predicting an event which will prove a red letter day in the history of the port. The usual fortnightly sitting of the KM. Court will be held to-day. Mr John O’Callaghan has so far recovered from his recent illness as to be able to go out for motor drives, weather permitting. A start has been made with the erection of a motor garage at upper Palmerston Street to the order of Air George Hawes. The site is fne one occupied for many years as a hoardinghouse, just beyond Messrs Mclntyre Pros’ premises. This is the first shop to be erected in Palmerston Street since pre-war days. We wish Mr Hawes success in his venture. There is a good deal of speculation as to who will succeed Mr C. G. Curtis as local agent for the Westport Coal Company. The flock of black swans which inhabit the swannery in the south lagoons established by the local Acclimatisation Society some years ago, have been unusually active of late, suggesting that a small boy with a pea-riflle—or some other irresponsible —has been disturbing the usual calm of these graceful birds. No doubt the police haw been taking notes. The “Popular Girl” competition for O’Connor Homo funds doesn’t appear to be opening too auspiciously. It has been announced that there are four candidates in the Held—Miss Champion (Railway), Miss mpson (hotels), Miss .’•hern (shop a.-s'. tant), and Miss Jones (sports). The »rouble appears to be that there are so many “sports’’ here . that they cannot make themselves I unanimous about a candidate. Such is i life, even in thv ranks of the “sport- ; ing’’ world. Mr George. Aitken (Rhodes’ Scholar) leaves on return to Wellington on Friday morning. The magnificent success which attended the efforts of the Surf Club in their first annual ball last Friday night just goes to show what can be accomplished without giving big hunks of advertising money to the local daily papMr F. Price had a very bad time last week, suffering from an attack of rheumatic gout. The senior football match in Victoria Square on Saturday afternoon was made more interesting by the inclusion of Westport’s Rhodes’ Scholar, who nlayed centre threc-quarftr for Rivals against Mokihinui. I am told by a Rugby enthusiast that the scholar played a good game, but did not get any support. We acknowledge a receipt of a press complimentary ticket from the Morgan Picture Proprietary for the DempseyCarpentier fight.

(By “ West port on ian. ’') Quite a long time ago a commit to? was set up by the West port Borough Council to consider and report upon the question of the municipality taking over the milk supply of the town. The committee worked well, went into th? < question thoroughly, collected data and i received expert advice, eventually meeting the milk suppliers to the town | for the purpose it possible of arriving ; at an equitable arrangement as regards price. Eventually this was fixed by | the suppliers at 2/- per gallon. They were then selling milk at 7d per quart to their customers, since then the majority, if not all of them, raised the price to fcd per quart. At the price I demanded of the Borough Council, -/- per gallon it was at once perceived . that the distribution could not be I undertaken and the consumers sup- | plied at the prevailing price. An at ( tem|*t was then nrdc to get alternative i prices for summer and winter sup- j plies but withcrj success ami the ef- j fort to supply the populace with pure • milk, regularly supplied ami equitably ■ divided, for tl-«‘ time being proved aim: - I five. As previously staled, the suppliers, after negotiations had broke*) i down, raised their price to Sd per qirnr' and about a month : go the Hospit: and Charitable Aid Board invited ten- , dors for amongst other commoditie■* milk. The successful tender was -!*|«1 per quart. Further comment is uniirc essary, unless it is to add that the successful tenderer was one of those i whose decision was that they could * 1 not supply the municipality under 2/per gallon. The Borough Council received a po lite refusal to its request to the Union Steam Ship Company, to land the passengers arriving by the Komata nt j the Merchandise Wharf, where provision is made for such, by way of waiting rooms*, conveniences, and an overhead bridge by which passengers and

their friends may reach the town in safety. The reply set forth that the expense ami delay entailed will not allow the proposition to be undertake?], ft is passing strange that the request has not received any support from the local papers, although it is not the first tin!*- such a request has been made. If c rgo is to be discharged from any of/ ihe company's boats, care has to be taken that it does not get damaged or wet, but the human . freight can be dumped out in any weather, at any time at any old place at all.* In the writer's opinion the next move should bi* towards th* 1 Government Marine Department, who now control the harbour ami probably the Progress League would be the better party to institute proceedings. As mentioned in a former note the Railway' Department have done all that appears possible to minimise the dangerous procedure at present existing, but there is a very grave danger still existing ami which could be totally obviated if th*’ U.S.S. Co. could be brought to see that human life was of more importance than profits. The matter of appointing a director of the Westport District Technical High School has caused a certain amount jf i comment, and peril ips ;i certain amount ’ of feeling ami when it was announced that .the Education Board would hold , its next meeting in Westport, possibly with the idea of getting an idea of the . true feeling existing amongst tin' ; people, it was thought that possibly j such a course might have a beneficial ; effect. But apparently the Education ■ Department do not see eye to eye with . the Education Board ami have vetoed • tin l proposition. So things are, as you j were. It might be a pertinent question just here, “Why is the appoint-] ment of a director necessary just j now?’’ The fitting up ofMhc school will hardly’ bo complete before Christ- ! mas and a director will cost from £256 , to £27.") for that period ami have noth- j ing to direct . In these economical t imes this is li.-u-dly righ t. Another matter that was to receive attention at the proposed meeting was the get- i ting together of the Board of Manage- I meat. This is n matter which should i be gone on with. I am led to believe that at least one of our leading citizens has secured his position and it that is a fact it is about time the whole board was constituted and nominations ami elections carried out without further delay. It should then be [ possible for the Board of Managers io I lie so de fi-eto and have a say as | to whom should manage or direct. Without for a moment wishing to ! stir up any sectarian strife I cannot j help remarking how an expression of ; opinion regarding one set of eircum--1 ane.es might be found applicable to I ..hers. I allude to the jury’s rider to i-'ieir verdict in Bishop Liston's case, ; .st concluded. How the wording would fit in with the Howard Elliott confraternity. The jury “considered I that Dr Liston was guilty of grave in- | discretion in using words capable of | an interpretation so calculated to give i offence to a large number of the nub- I lie of New Zealand, ami we hold that j he must bear the responsibility, in ,■ part at least, for unenviable notoriety ; that has followed his utterances.” The j only difference is that the Doctor was . brought to trial and the other was not. ’ It is stated that the Government is i about to make the' tinal settlement, as i regards harbour affairs, so we may soon > find out just how things stand. There will probably be some of our community who will heave a sigh of regret that the last vestige of local control has vanished, but the time is gone past for regrets. There were those amongst us who predicted a forward movement. There were rumours set afloat that the British Government were about to do ' something or other, to make our harbour file premier coaling station. Presumably these dreamers did not recognise that, the harbour is quite far enough advanced for the U.S.S. Co. and as Iffng as the dredge can keep the bar and the fairway clear they are satisfied that the harbour is good enough. \\ c are a long suffering people.