STOCKTON NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 9 December 1926, Page 6

STOCKTON NOTES.

(Our Owq Correspondent.? | The Stockton Coal Company’s boardJ ingliuuse has again changed Lamis. j Mrs Shiptou having passed it on tc Airs Dewar. | Weather conditions have been a bit | bitter here lately, though rather changeable. It is reported that the conditions at the bathhouse are not as they should be, and that the bathhouse attendant i> kept at his job longer hours than he should bo. Yet there are often wet idothos in the morning. One wonder.'JI that pays the Company better thar erecting an up-to-date plant. In the Miners’ Page of the Tuesday. November 30th issue of the “Argus,’ there appeared a paragraph supposediv dealing with the Stockton. Aline, bul instead, it was an attempt to have : L dig at the Stockton correspondent over ’ ;the paragraph which the Stockton Un--1 lion complained about. Now had that I writer read the par carefully before hi ? started his carping criticism, ho wouh Hhave seen there was no mention o , | anything on pay day, or any other par Hticnlar day for that matter, but whih 'trying to support the Stockton Execu ' live, the writer just anout “contra ' diets himself” when he says that if « r t t poor Union official makes a “mistake’ , ithey “flog him to death.” I have n( doubt that this joker is one of those t I who does not mind who gets criticised Iso long as it is not himself or those , I of his particular class, who like te • have everything their own way. with out let or hindrance. i The Gala Day Sports and Picnic i Committee at Ngakawau are getting everything into working order toi January Ist next. On Tuesday. Nov •ember 30, a deputation visited West ’ i port for tho purpose of arranging, if ’ possible, with the Returned Soldiers' ■ J Association, to avert a clash b’tween the two bodies, but unfortunately no agreement could bo arrivoor at, so there l will bo in the Buller district throe lots . j of amusement to choose from. A few weeks ago. Mr Mcßride met with a rather serious accident when working his famous trotting mare, Logan Spec, tho sulky which h<> was using breaking and throwing him to the ground. The mare then started to bolt, but he hung on to the reins for some time, when tho beast started tn | kick, and he had to let go. Then the imaro, having a free head, careered round the track ami eventually made 'for home. Fortunately. Air Mcßride ipot off with only a few small bruises. The mare is again working quietly, and .1,0 expects to have her in fine fettle I for tho Christmas meetings. I Mr Morganti’s nag seems to bo workjinr well, and should he heard of in tho (near future. It shows fair turn ot I speed, and will have to bo reckoned iwith in anv race in which it starts. I McDonald Brothers ’ string of three. | Charley Bell, Jessie 8011, and Jingle ■ Bell, are also putting in some good i work on the track, and are looking as ■fit as man can make them. Some of {the “shrewdies” say that they will bo i scooping something before the meetings are over. Groat excitement was caused here on Tuesday evening. November 30. when the owners of the locally-built fishing boat started to launch their craft. Both banks of the Ngakawau |river were lined with spectators, including the Mayor and Mayoress. With Skinpor Seaton in charge. tho little craft gallantly rode tho breakers at tho mouth of the river, and got to the open sea. She travelled out a considerable distance to a favourable spot, and started to fish. After a time she put back again, and saroly landed at the anchorage, amidst the wildest excitement, though the trip was not a success as far as marketable fish wore concerned. Still it was nor a failure, as- according to First Officer Dean, they only went for bait, ready for tho next day. Unfortunately, the weather conditions have prevented any further attempt up to the time of writing. Now that the Westport Diamond Jubile is drawing near, all old identities are expected to send word to Secretarv Black. Well, we have one in our midst who has boon a \nnr» time in tho Buller district. Ho first came through '• to Westport per boat, ami the first job

■be got was to cut wood for a Air Cox, [who was the bonifacp at one of the hotels. Then he drifted to Millerton, and lie says he saw ihe first truck of coal sent down the Millerton rope road. He afterwards went + o Mokihinui, and from there to the Lyell, and according to Mr L. Nichol’s statements, he must be one of the oldest pioneers of the district. Like several of the old timers, he can neither read nor write, but he can talk like a book. The travelling public can now get accommodation at Al«*Narn’s new hotel, and old and new friends will welcomed. Nothing has been spared to make this fine hostelry second to none on the Coast.