LOCAL AND GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 25 July 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Sleep in peace and comfort at McFarlane’s Albion Hotel. The only up-to-date fire-proof hotel on the West Coast that caters for travellers and the general public. Early breakfasts n speciality. Tariff 10/- per day.—Advt. The Post Office reports week-end cable messages arc' subject to delay and senders should hand them in as early in the week as possible. Last week the Westport Coal Company shipped 7380 tons 10 cwt of coal and 37 tons 13 cwt of coke. Local sales were 295 tons 17 cwt. Mr J. M. Robertson, of “Westport, has just landed a new trotter there. The successful tenderer for the new Catholic Church at Waiutn is Afr Alan Wells ,of Reefton. A Melbourne cablegram states that a Labour member of the Victorian Legislative Council, Mr Disney, is introducing a Bill providing that no woman shall, by reason merely of her sox or of marriage, be disqualified from being a candidate for any election, whether for the State Assembly or Legislative Council, or from sitting and voting therein if elected.

The Martin Family have Deen in the carrying business for over 43 years, and have never yet failed the public. Noth ing too small or too large for us to handle. All trains met and goods consigned to us will be delivered with out customary guaranteed punctuality. H. Martin, No. 1 Carrier, Greymouth.- — Advt. A movement to secure tha election to Parliament of one or more members of their sex has been organised by a number of Auckland women. To secure the assistance of other women willing to support this effort they have formed a committee, aud nave called a meeting at which their objective will bo discussed. Special Bargains—Boys’ Oilskin Coats now 17/6, Boys’ Mackintosh Coats usually 39/6 now 19/6, Men’s Double-lined Oilcoats now 19/6. McGruer and Co., Greymouth, Reefton and Hokitika.—Advt.

| In Kok.ata.hi district at. present a I general poisoning of rabbits is being conduct-cd under direction of the local stock inspector. Air Alurray, contractor for the renewal of the Wallsend-Taylorville bridge, j s lhe successful tenderer for the erection of the bridge over the Waitangi River in .South Westland. It is stated that the tendency of timber prices remains a falling one, and that building sorts can be now bought on the Coast at 10/6 per 100 feet. ihe defendant is a married man with a young family; otherwise he is well behaved,’' said the police representative when prosecuting an offender at Dunedin Police Court. “The present session is not likely to be a long one," said the Prime Alinister. in the course of his reply to the timber workers' deputation the other morning. “Most of the members have very important business to attend to between now and Christmas. (Laughter.) lam afraid their first thought will be to make their calling and election sure." (Laughter.) A charge of stealing seventy packets of cigarettes ,some tobacco, and a bax of chocolates is being preferred at Westport against a man named Alex Miller. He was arrested at Fairdown on Sunday by Constable Alien, who is relieving at Denniston. The goods, which are alleged to have been stolen from the shop of Alargaret. Watkins, of Waimangaroa, were found at a hotel where Aliller had be-on staying. Says the Wellington “Dominion" with reference to the Timber “Workers: ‘•Some very serious charges were made by a deputation of timber workers to Ministers yesterday. The allegation was made and repeated that an inspector of jnachinory hud condemned boilers, and later on as the result of their enforced sale bought them at a low price, selling them again at a substantial profit. Clearly this is a matter which must be cleared up. It does not sound a very credible story, but it is not one that can be allowed to go into circulation without an authoritative answer." A “strike” that secured little pub*licity was that in which '.hp girls attending the cookery class at the Westport Technical School wore concerned. It has been the practice to get the pupils to wash the brooms, brushes, etc., but for some reason, or for none, th-e girls recalling how their fathers had acted on certain occasions, refused to bundle the brooms, and in reply to authorities' protests, packed up their crockery and went home. Subsequently, it is reported, arbitration prevented a continuance of the “dispute." The depth of water in the Boiough reservoir yesterday at 8 a.m. was 13ft. j Sin. In the opinion of Air R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) local bodies raiding loans to pay off their “.antecedent liabilities" are going to find themI selves in a very awkward situation un- ■ I less legislation is passed authorising 1 them to add flotation and oth-er expenses to the amount of the loan. Mr Wright told the House of Representatives recently that it- would cost the city of Wellington £17,000 to float its “antecedent liability’’ loan on the London market at 98. with interest at 51 per cent. The council could not spare £17,000 to pay these expenses, ; and unless the difficulty was met by j legislation he did not see how the < municipality could well comply with : the provisions of th-e Local Bodies’ ' Finance Act. I j Air T. Glover, of New Zealand Truth, has been appointed Melbourne cartoonj ist and writer for Sydney “Bulletin" a position which has been occupied with distinction by such gifted artists and penmen as the late Mr Alfred Vincent and Mr David Low. Air Glover, I who was born in Liverpool, England, ’ ran away from home when seventeen years of age, and with the spirit of ■adventure strong within him, shipped ion board a steamer leaving for New < Zealand at the munificent wage of Is per month. He left the vessel here (says the “Dominion"), and for a I lime was employed on a dairy farm in the Taranaki district. Having a bent 1 for journalism, he eventually found his , way back to Wellington, and became i a reader and subsequently a reporter on the “Dominion." Some ten years ago he left the staff of this paper to join “Truth," where he has been employed ever since.

j A Blackball resident was yesterday j charged at the local Court with havi ing stolen three fowls from the hen ’ roost of another Blackball resident, i For th-o defendant, whose name the ; Afagistrat© ordered to be suppressed, ; Air Joyce appeared, and stated a plea of guilty would be entered. Defend- ; ant, who on the night of the affair, had been under the influence of liquor, did not intend to steal the fowls, and had never previously been before the Court. He was working, hut his wife ■ was away. He asked that defend- • ant’s name he suppressed under the ’First Offenders’ Probation Act. The ■ evidence showed the owner of the ' fowls heard them being molested, and j went out in the darkness, and dis- ’ covered defendant with them. He ran • away without any explanation when ; they were taken by the owner. SeniorSergeant McCarthy said defendant had taken and had not voluntarily returned the fowls. The Bench fined defendant five shillings and costs.

“I want the timber royalties to bo payable off the saw," said Air R. W. Smith (Waimarino) when he was discussing timber production in the House of Representatives. He explained that under present conditions the man who took up a block of milling bush had to pay a large deposit. This prevented small men taking up the blocks. If the royalties could be paid “off the saw’," gangs of working bushmen would be able to take up timber areas, and they could be trusted to be more careful about the complete utilisation of the timber than the big men would be. We all know how cotton goods perish on the Coast owing to the climatic conditions; therefore it would be wise for this season’s whitebaiters to secure their netting from “The Alayfair" Men and Boys’ Wear Specialists. We are a new shop, consequently all our goods arc new, we have just landed direct from the manufacturers a good strong netting, mesh not too small and not too large, double thread. Price 2/11 per yard.—Advt. A motor-car with eight passengers from Wairakei to Rotorua had a narrow escape during a recent earthquake in the Taupo district (states the Auck land “Herald’s" correspondent) at a point where *he high cliffs fringe the road. When the shake was at its worst the passengers were horrified to see the whole face of tin* cliff apparently moving outward. Owing possibly to vibration the car failed to accelerate and a large section of earth descended behind it. Thon it fortunately gathered speed, and a huge mass of cliff came away, missing them by a second. The passengers and driver state that the whole face of the cliff seemed in motion, and was swaying backwards and forwards under the tremors. The attention of the travelling public is drawn to the additional service Newman Bros, purpose running between Reef ton and Westport to Nelson,, and vice versa, starting on Saturday next. The cars will leave Reefton and Westport on Saturdays and return from Nelson on Alonday, this service will fill a long felt want, and we hope the public will take advantnve same. Harley and Co. Ltd., the .Met local agents, will be pleased to supply all particulars.—Advt. A member of the Wanganui County Council reported at the last meeting of that body that it was time a new horse was obtained in one of the ridings. It took the horse three hours to get to the scene of work. He stated that the horse had once fallen over a cliff and nearly broken its back, since then it could “sit down like a dog." Another member suggested that the next sphere of usefulness should be a side show or the museum. It was decided to pension off the horse. Regarding the recent reported pegging out of a 200-acre coal lease by a Canterbury coal mine manager and one of his directors in Blackball district, there is another area adjoining the Blackball Coal Company’s holding. “Wall Brown’s," which is also to be taken up, as the party who had it has left aud the Canterbury capitalists

to-day feel disposed to give it a trial. There is the possibility of a mining revival on the Coast. The latest indication is the fact that a mining promoter in association with an American financier, has secured a license to prospect eight hundred acres from Lower Blackball to Roaring Aleg Creek, which area is being surveyed. The possibilities of increased trade with Coast households once the Otira Tunnel is opened, are not being overlooked by Christchurch retail establishments, and there are many rumour of a search for suitable business sites by Canterbury representatives. Such sites, however, are not easy to obtain, but they can be got at a price. Too often, this price is considered excessive by prospective purchasers. One site that has been disposed of by rumour-mong-1 ers time and again, is that at the corner of Mackay and Tainui Streets, occupied by a shed-like structure, and belonging to the estate of the I:de Air Felix Campbell. Gossip reported that a big Christchurch drapery establishment and a new hotel syndicate were competitors for its purchase, but nothing authoritative has yet been announced.