WESTPORT NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 9 February 1929, Page 7

WESTPORT NOTES.

(Our Own Corresuondeut.) WESTPORT, February 8. j Mr McCormack, leading filt-tf, ranway. workshops, is on houdaj leave. Attention is drawn to an advertisement in this issue concerning ihll sale of a<~iarm. The block of luitu concerned ia coasidi ied one of thj bert in the district. The stock i. going with the farm. The mortgage, is transferable, making the deposit a very moderate ampuiit. The notices which it was deeidi-’id should be erected to denote wuere . übbi.-h should be deposited at the Leaver Sett! .meat, will not now- be required, as Dr Telford’s advice is to be followed, and a destructor is to bi: provided, the cost of which itill be allowed for in the Borough estimates. Mr C. StZjpheu, of the local ehed. staff is transferred to Dunedin, and leaves Westport on Saturday. Mrs Scott-Henry, of Domett Street, received Word yesterday of the death at Nelson, of her mother, Jlrs Henry, wife, of -the late Mr Peter Henry, both being pioneers of Karamea. Deceased was a native of the Sh! eland Islands, and 81 years of age. She came to New Zealand 54 years ago with her late husband and settled al Karamea, but the climate not agi e ing with, deceased, Mr and Mrs Henry removed toi Nelson, where they remained until their deaths. Mr Henry pijideccusing his wife by four months She is survived by four daughters, Mrs Scott-Henry, Westport; Mes dames Milne and Patehett, Bb.nheim: and Miss Henry, Nelson; and three sons, Mrs Thomas Henry, Wanganui; Mr Frank Henry, Kaikouia; and Mi George Henry, Nelson. Mrs Scott: Henry left to-day for Nelson. Buller Electorate.

MINISTERIAL COMMUNICATIONS Mr H. E. Holland, M.P.. has received the following Ministerial communications relating to the Buller electorate : — „ , Stockton Post Office.—From the Postmaster General:—ln reference to your letter of the 21st January, protesting on behalf of the residents of Stockton against, the proposal to remove the local Post Office from its present location, I beg to inform you thaj it has been decided to continue the office in the accommodation now occupied. , Coal Freights.—From the Minister of -Railways: —I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 24th December, 1928, respecting the rates on coal produced by the co-operative mines around Greymou’h; and, in reply, have to advise you that the Chamber’ of Commerce, Greymouth. commuicatcd with the General Manager of Railways and myself regarding this matter,' and 'for your information I attach hereto a copy of the reply sent by me to th e Secretary of ihe above body. Your representations _ have, however, been carefully considered; but I regret being unable to sanction any alteration to the rates for West Coast coal oil the linos of your suggestion. The Minister’s let’er to the Chamber of Commerce sets forth that the coal mined on the Grey coalfield has always been treated as a bituminous commodity, whereas the mineral obtained around Reefton and in Otago and Southland have been classed as native or biown coals. The Minister ’ays that he understands the Chamber of Commerce’s chief complaint is against the classification of Reeftou coal, the contention being that if it is not actually a bituminous product, it is so close as to warrant it being charged as such. He (Mr Taverner) admits that the line of demarcation between this class of eoal and coal from Point Elizabeth is very small and when- for railway classification purposes it was decided to give it the -benefit of the brown coal rate. He points out that, after having had the cheap rate for many years, It would be difficult t 0 alter the classification of the Reefton coal. At the same time, he could not afford to stand the heavy loss in revenue which would eventuate should coal from any one of the Grey mines be reduced to class "R.” The Minister further says that it 'ls purely a case of degree, and even though he should be able to authorise a reduction in the rate for coal from the Point Elizabeth mines, it would not remove tile circumstances which gave ris a to the representations, viz, the different Yates on the various classes of coal. He adds that he has had representations from other mines producing bituminous coals requesting that if it is not possible to reduce the rate on their product, the rate on the Reefton coal should be increased. To rnake a general reduction on all coal from the Grey coalfield at the present juncture would not be possible owing to the serious effect it would have on the Railway Department's finances. The Minister’s letter concludes: The whole position resolves itself into the fortune of Commercial trading., your coal having been considered as of a bituminous nature, and therefore subject to the higher freight charges, while the coals from, say, Kaitangata, Wairio, or Reefton have been classed as soft coals, and receive the benefit of the lower rating.