WESTPORT NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 13 February 1928, Page 7

WESTPORT NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) WESTPORT, February 11. The Westport-Stockton Coal Mining Company’s balance sheet has been issued. The year’s output of coal was 144,625 tons, a ninerease over 1926 of 29.853 tons. The Chairman’s report says that “Trade conditions during the year have been quite good. Prospects for the coming year have led your Directors to make arrangements for further increasing the output. The outstanding excellence of Stockton coal now generally recognised. After allowing for depreciation, the year’s operations resulted in a working surplus of £5582 0s 6d. This amount has boon allocated in reduction of the capital cost of the abandoned flume, which must be written off as soon as possible

Recently, when Mr IT. F. Holland, M.P., gave an address on the life of Robert Burns, there was a difference of opinion as to whether Burns was so addicted to strong drink as his detractors state. The following paragraph may be of interest in showing that Scotsmen are at present being weaned of fondness for whisky:—“Liquor licenses in Scotland are disappearing at an average rate of 100 a year. Tn 1900 Gieie were 11,482 licenses, last year only 8800. Out of 12’5 areas, There are now 330 which haze neither a public house nor a grocer’s license.

'll cse areas cover consideribiy more, tl an one-quarter of the whois country. In the same connects i, it may be note*l that ihe annual Federation luncheons of Bur..-» Clubs have been run o ; •.» teetotal basis for the past two Y( f.i s. ’ ’

The funeral jf Mr John Rutledge tv 1 place on F Rlay afternoon from t';j residence of deceased’s son-in-law, Al- A. Davies, Fvnrilly Street, the in-

t r ment being mad.* at tie Orawaiti Cemetery. The last rites were performed by the Rev Mr Burnett.

Mr and Mrs. Stewart of Derby street will leave for Christchurch toMr. Pettit left for Greymouth yesterday. Miss Ward left for Reefton today. N(irSC"Cooper left for Wellington to-day. Air. A. Hastings left today for Christchurch. Mr. and Mrs. A. Mann, who were married at Granity yesterday, left this morning for Christchurch on their honeymoon.

Mr. T. Whittle ,secretary of the Dennston Miners’ Union, who has been visiting Nelson, returned to Denniston yesterday.

The Haleric, which arrived from Auckland this afternoon, jwas* built in HebberenJ on-Tyne in 1918 and is a vessel of 399.3 feet length, 52.2 feet beam, 28.5 ft. depth of holds and tonnage of 3217 nett and. 5169 gross with engines of 517 h.p. She is commanded by Captain Smith.

An Oddfellow conference will be held, Reeftbln on Wednesday. Westport will be represented by P.G. ’s A.E. Hagedorn, P.G. E.J. Chapman will represent Charleston and P.D.G.M. P. Power yill represent Ngakawau. The district secretary Mr. G. hl. Powell will also attend. P.G. S. Duffy of the Reefton Lodge will leave with the Reefton contingent on Wednesday morning. The Westport Harbour returns for the month are as follows: Output Westport Goal Co, coal 32445 tons 7 cwt. Westport Coal Co., coke 97 tons 3 cwt. Westport-Stockton Co., 8859

tons, 15 cwt. Co-op mining parties 8086 tons, 5 cwt., Total 49488 tons 10 cwt. ,Exports: Westport Coal Co., coal 30881 tons, 16 cwt, Westport Coal Co., coke 112 tons 4 cwt., West-port-Stockton Co., 8845 tons 5 cwt., Co-op. mining parties 8086 tons 5 cwt. Total 47,925 tons 10 cwt.

Export of timber: 81,300 sup. feet. During the month 40 steamers and | 3 auxiliary sailers, representing 40,‘O4l tons, entered, the port, and 38 steamers and 3 auxiliary sailers representing 36,935 tons left the port. Total tonange for the month 76,000. tons. Mean high) water, river 24ft. I 6in., bar; 21ft. lOin. Rainfall: 2.89 inches for 6 days’ rain. INQUEST.

The inquest Was concluded on Friday concerning the death of Janies Barry, a miner at Millerton, who died in the Buller Hospital from injuries received in the mine.

Mr. E. R. Fox. Coroner, presided James Banks, a miner at Denniston, gave evidence of identification. Dr. W. J. Dickel said that deceased was admitted to the Buller HospiW Dr. Roote had carried out an exaw- jaa ‘ tion and it was decided to operate. It was found that the small intestine had been punctured and the abdomen Was full of fluid. Dr. Foote, re marked at the time that there was only one chance in a hundred of him recovering. The wound was oversown and drainage tubes put in. H e improved somewhat, but then extension began to take place into the thorax and ic developed right sided empyerma. An operation w|a‘s performed but his condition did not improve. He gradually sank and died. He died on February Ist. The primary cause of death was the accident and the secondary cause was empyerma following abdominal injury. It would not have made any difference if deceased had been conveyed to the hos-

pi tai sooner. William Watson gave evidence that he was working with Berry, at the time of the accident. Deceased was shovelling coal into a coal box when a stone weighing about half a ewt gave and struck the handle o i his shovel and pressed it into his abdomen. ’"The blow did not knock him down. He noticed a lump on Hs abdomen. Deceased complained of t er ’ rible pain. Witness sent for the shiftman and deceased was cabled out of the mine. Deceased was a vory steady workman and an experienced miner. William Daniel Butler, mine manager at Millerton, gave corroborative evidence. He bid. examined the place where deceased, was working, and it appeared t<* Be safe. All precautions ' bad been taken. D r> ff. B. Campbell said that lie examined deceased at the mine mouth. IL/ was suffering from shock and had received a severe blow in the abdomen. He *Jiad him conveyed to his homo and kept him under observation. There was marked evidence of internal injury. There Was no extra danger to life through not sending him to the hospital sooner. He had reasonable grounds to suppose that an operation was necessary. The Coroner .stated 'that! he had come to the conclusion that it was desirable in country districts when an assident ossured and it appeared that the patient should be removed to the hospital as soon as possible, that an operation might bo necessary as delay of only a few hours' niighe tend to endanger life. H e returned a verdict that deceased died from empyerma following an injury to the abdomen accidentally received while working in the Millerton coal mine on December 9, 1927*.