WESTPORT NOTES

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1937, Page 3

WESTPORT NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent] Labour Matters: WESTPORT, August 13. The lady members of the Westport branch of the N.Z. Labour Party, held their monthly meeting yesterday. Mrs. Ridsdale presided over a large attendance. The Social Committee reported that the sum of £7 had been raised through the medium of card parties and on the recommendation of the parent branch it was decided to vote the sum of £5 to the Campaign Fund and £2 to the Standard Appeal Fund. The Social Committee was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for their fine efforts. Mrs. G. Williams spoke to the meeting at length on the respresentatives of women in the Labour Movement. The speaker dealt with the subject in a very interesting manner and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for her address. It was decided to tender a social function to Mr. W. Sherlock in celebration of his birthday on Sunday evening, August loth., at the Labour Rooms, and to extend an invitation to Borough Councillors to be present. An offer by Mrs. Williams to give a demonstration on tricketing at the next monthly meeting was accepted with thanks. After the transaction of routine business the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chair. A dainty afternoon tea was served.

Bowling—Westport Club: Mr. Geo. Head, presided over a large attendance at the annual meeting of the Westport Bowling Club held last evening. The balance sheet showing a credit balance of £2B 12s 2d, was adopted. The Social Committee and Secretary (Mr. Arthur Fletcher), were congratulated on the result of their year’s work, which showed a credit balance of £39 16s 3d. It was decided to support the decision of the Buller Centre to hold a Christmas Tournament. The sum of £1 Is was donated to the Hospital Radio Fund. It was agreed that the matter of Club colours be left to the General Committee. Mr. J. Stanley was elected a life member of the Club. It was decided to officially open the season on Labour Day. The election of officers resulted as follows: Patron: Mr. J. H. Harkness. President: Mr. G. Head. Vice-Presidents: Messrs F. Morgan, J. Brown, J. Green, C. Sara. Hon. Secretary: Mr. J. H. Levy. Assistant Secretary: Mr. F. Skilton. Hon. Treasurer: Mr. G. Campbell. Management Committee: Messrs A. Taylor, E. Chapman, E. Farr, F. Knight, E. Lees, A. Morley, W. .Hart. Match Committee: Messrs Knight, Burt and Powell. Social Committee: Messrs W. Hart, A. Fletcher, A. Morley, P. Struthers, E. Lee, J. Brown, E. Chapman, B. Gibbard. Ground Committee: Nottle, Farr and Skilton. Caretaker: Mr. J. McLeod. Delegate to Centre: Mr. F. Morgan. Honorary Auditor: Mr. J. Radford, to whom a vote of thanks was recorded. Trustees: Messrs J. H. Harkness, P. Struthers, G. Campbell. New members: Messrs Brown, G. Jones, J. Robertson, A. Dunlop, W. Spence, R. Lodge, S. Jenkins, W. 01ierenshaw.

Unemployed Union: A scheme to provide a week’s work at Christmas for men on sustenance was outlined at a recent meeting of the Westport Relief and General Workers’ Union by the President, Mr. T. Cranson. The proposal involves the raising of funds which together i with a Government subsidy will enable men to receive a full week’s work at standard rates at a time when the extra money will be most needed. The suggestion, explained Mr. Cranson, was placed before the Mayor, Mr. J. Kilkenny, and the Employment officer, Mr. G. Mitchell, both of whom promised co-operation in the working of the Scheme. It was pointed out at the meeting, that there was a possibility that by Christmas the No. 5 Scheme would be aoandoned and the amount required to make a success of the proposal would be based on the assumption that about 30 men would be on sustenance payments at that period. It is hoped to raise the necessary finance through the medium of an appeal to the various organisations. Commenting on the proposal, Mr. Cranson said the spirit behind the desire of the men to help themselves would be appreciated by the Government and Local bodies. The labour made available in this way could be utilised in connection with the Holland Memorial Hall or other work, concluded the speaker.

Hockey: On Victoria Square yesterday, m the ladies’ game, Rivals defeated Westport by three goals to nil, scored by Misses J. Walls, J. Fairley and Mrs. Hazeldine. In the men’s games Westport defeated Wesley 6/2 and Athletic defeated Rovers 4/2. At Stockton, the home team played a scoreless draw with Ramblers (Westport)..

Reserved Decision: In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Mr. Raymond Ferner gave ms reserved decision to a case in which a local publican was charged with opening, exposing and selling .ai-ei hours, and also with permitting drunkenness on the premises, the Magistrate and Sergeant of Ponce visiting the premises and yesterday morning the Magistrate gave his decision. He said the evidence showed the licensee was visiting Granity at the time of the alleged offences. The evidence was that the premises nad been left in charge of a sister. Constable Webby had said the barman stated he was in charge and had authority to supply liquor to lodgers, but the barman denied he said that. The Magistrate continued that he was not prepared to find that the barman made that admission and he found the constable’s memory of observation wanting in his recollection of certain parariel matters and, in particular, in his account of the beds in one of the rooms he was shown. The defendant, in evidence, had stated that the barman’s instructions were to serve no one after hours, not even boarders; that the barman had no keys, that defendant served ah drinks to lodgers or boarders after nours and that the barman was let into the bar on Sunday mornings for the sole purpose of cleaning it, the keys not being left with him. As was to be expected, the barman confirmed Jhe evidence on those points. . The defence was, said the Magistrate, that in acting as he did, the barman was acting outside the scope of his authority. The law was well settled that if a barman sold liquor after hours without the authority express or implied of the licensee, the

licensee was not liable. 11l the case under consideration the evidence went to show that the barman had no authority to serve lodgers. That was the evidence of the defendant and of the barman. He would have no hesitation at all in holding to the contrary if there were sufficient in the evidence to rebut the evidence of the defendant and the barman, but beyond the actual supply itself, there was little or no such evidence. In any case the evidence of defendant and the barman appeared to be at least as reliable as the police evidence. The informations for selling, exposing and opening must therefore be dismissed. In view of the fact that he had already found that the barman had no authority to sell to a lodger at all, concluded the Magistrate, the information for permitting drunkenness must be dismissed also. New School Site:

Hon. W. H. Mclntyre, Chairman of Nelson Education Board, Mr. H. J. Thornton, Secretary, and Mr. J. H. Harkness, conferred with members of Westport School Committee yesterday in connection with the selection of a site for the new school to be erected at Westport, and it was finally decided that the present site was the most suitable. It is intended to have a first class school erected, Two buildings with twelve class rooms, supplied with the most up-to-date conveniences. The wooden buildings connected to the present school will be demolished and the brick structures offered to the Government for use as offices. The old technical school building facing Henley Street, will be used as an assembly hall. Adequate recreational space of 21 acres will .be available ( when the buildings are reconstructed. The plans of the new school have been carefully considered and less room will be needed, as a result of the probable decapitation when me higher classes will go into the secondary school.

Messrs Mclntyre, Thornton and Harkness will inspect the site for the Tiromoana school to-day and discuss its proposed removal with the committee, later going on to Reefton.

Hospital Radio Fund: Additional donations to the above fund are: Millerton Medical Association, £l/1/0; Seddonville Women’s Institute £l/0/0; Karamea School 8/9; Sundry amounts, 8/-; Kongahu School 6/10; previously acknowledged, £223/15/0; total, £228/0/7. Shipping: The Te Aroha, Poolta and Canopus sailed yesterday. The Wingatui arrived last evening and the Kekerangu this morning. The Kaiwarra is due to-night. The Kaimai is due to load at Westport on Monday. She completes her cargo for Wellington at Greymouth.