WESTPORT NOTES

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1923, Page 7

WESTPORT NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent.) The foundation work of the laundry connected with the Buller District Hospital extensions has been completed, and the building is now proceeding. After the West Coast v. Buller rep. football match, the playing area in Vic-, toria Square underwent a. systematic rolling. In getting 25 per cent of the gate takings, the Council scored a big win. After the experiment last Saturday, our City Fathers can have no misgivings in regard to granting the use of Victoria Square for further representative games, providing, of course, the weather gods behave themselves. Hockey fixtures set down for Thursday afternoon of this week were again postponed, partly on account of the influenza. The odour of the’ churnedup ground at the Trotting course is as much a complaint as was the playing area last season in Victoria Square. Experts put the latter down to the seagull nuisance. Apparently, there’s only one remedy for this in continued bad weather, and that is to repair to a sandy or loamy playing ground—the Westport Jockey Club’s area for instance. Sport for the most part must eventually settle itself at the beach end of the town. The Westport “News” and the Westport “Times” send copies of their paper to the Old People’s Home and the Hospital, and charge for them. The “Argus” goes into both institutions gratis. While local proprietors prefer to sell their publications to the indigent old and the sick, the other takes a delight in send them copies free of charge. The only other free copy of the “Argus” which comes to Westport is left at the O’Connor Home. What has the public to say to this? Tin-kcttlcrs at the Hamilton-Bailie wedding on Thursday night were evidently well satisfied with the. “takings.” They sang “For they arc Jolly Good Fellows,” and kids don’t do that for nothing! Miss Ethel Wright, formerly of Westport, who gave up a lucrative appointment in the Public Trust Office n few years ago to study nursing, has been appointed Phinket Nurse in the Mangahao District. Mr Parkinson, chef at the Club Hotel, was responsible for the carving and serving of the splendid supper put on at the Labour Party’s Ball on tlie 13 th. Mrs 11. E. Holland, wife of the Member for Buller, returns at the end of August from Australia. Mr D. Moloney’s six years’ service as hon. secretary to the Westport Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party, is to be recognized by a social given in his honour. He will bo the recipient of a presentation on the night of the function.

Mr Guy Simpson, brother of Dr James Simpson, late of Millerton, is at tached to the crew of the Kahika.

Mr R. Hobbs, R.S., who recently gave up his farm property at Maori Point, Karamea, is now resident in New Plymouth where ho has received an. engineering appointment. The old Catholic Church bell from Charleston has been hung in the belfry at St. Caniee’s. The contract for the addition to St. Caniee’s will bo completed in a week’s time. Mr Claude Sawyers, son of Captain and Mrs Sawyers, Beach Road, was included in the North Island junior hockey team which played against the South at Christchurch last Saturday. Mrs C. Bradley, whose illness news sitated her entering the Buller District Hospital, has recovered and returned to Granity.

WESTPORTONIAN’S NOTES. The new Brass Band were having a practice at the Empire Hall on Wednesday night, and although not- an R.A.M., I venture to assert that in the near future the citizens will be delighted with some real good stuff. Mr Stan Wheatley is the conductor, which should mean something. When the weather improves, and the beach is once again going strong, that will be the time to enjoy the music and no doubt it will be available. At Hospital Board meetings there is generally a report presented by the Caretaker of the Old People’s Homo, as to the number of inmates, the state of their health etc.* There is generally attached to the report, a statement as to how ninny eggs the fowls have laid since the previous meeting, and to the general reader it always appears as if the fowls were doing their bit; the number of eggs produced appearing quite large. This, would imply that the inmates should bo in clover as regards that article of diet, but judge of my consternation when I was informed that, on a Friday, the old folks were regaled with one solitary sample of hen-fruit! Maybe it is desired to have Friday kept as near as possible a fast day, but I fancy neither the old folks’ religious susceptibilities nor their stomachs would be upset by doubling the ration. Relative to Hospital Board matters, there was quite an outbreak of approval upon the reported statement of one of the new members of the that it would be a decent act to get some of the old folks to the pictures occasionally, and motor cars to take them to and fro, and, even to go so far as to give them a glass of ale of an evening, before retiring. This remark, emanating from such an authority, would naturally set the old folks building eastlcs in the air, and it is hardly a fair think to raise hopes without an effort at fulfilment. Even one egg- on a Friday will not produce vitality enough to keep their hopes buoyed up. Still relative to Hospital Board mat-

tors, would it be considered an impertinence to suggest that the charitable aid part of the business be altered, and that a welfare committee be substituted? This is done. I understand, in Wellington, and might serve in a manner to remove the nasty taste in the mouth, when the necessitous arc in need of help, but revolt at the idea of taking charity. Ministers, in replies to questions, are often so wide of the mark, that if the ordinary individual followed a similar course, he would be termed a liar. As an example Mr H . E. Holland, M.P., asked the Premier when he was going to fulfil his promise of providing Westport with an up-to-date bucket dredge, It is on record that when Mr Massey was angling after the Harbour Board endowments, he made many promises, and amongst them was the one mentioned by the Member for Buller. Note Mr Massey’s reply:—“There is an up-to-date- bucket dredge working there now!” What a flippant reply, what a misleading reply. Io a matter of such importance to the people of the Buller! The bucket dredge is loaned for a short period, and this is the manner in which the Honorable Minister fulfils his promise. A question of national importance re the Bullot process of meat preservation was put to Air Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture, by Mr H. E. Hol land, and was replied to in such a manner as to show 7 that the Minister knew very little about it. This is an important discovery, made by a person named Bullot. Certain ingredients, harmless to health, arc introduced intc the meat, preserving it for a very long period, over many months in fact. In Orange, New South Wales, butchers have been utilising this process for quite a long period. Consignments have been sent to South Africa, taken thousands of miles into the interior, and proved eminently satisfactory.' Thr process would be infinitely more economical than the freezing one, and would help the Dominion to compete with Argentina with success. It is a pity the Minister did not offer to institute inquiries in a matter affecting the conn try so materially.