WESTPORT NOTES

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1938, Page 11

WESTPORT NOTES

[Our Own Correspondent] Shipping: WESTPORT, December 3. The Kaitoa is due irom Tarakohe to-night, loading coal for Nelson on Monday. The Titoki is expected from Wanganui to-night, and loads coal for New Plymouth. The Canopus is due from Auckland this afternoon, to load coal for return to Auckland, expecting to be despatched on Monday. The James Cook has been delayed by weather conditions, and is completing the coal loading to-day, sailing for Noumea to-morrow morning. The Wingatui is expected from Wellington to-morrow morning, with general cargo, and after discharging on Monday loads coal for return to Wellington. The Kaimai is to leave Wellington to-night and is due to load coal on Monday for New Plymouth and Wellington. The Karepo is expected from Gisborne about Monday, 12th inst., to load coal for Auckland and Portland. The Poolta is due from Greymouth about the 13th-inst., partly-loaded, and completes here for Napier and Gisborne. Personal: Mr Cecil Ray, of Karamea, was a visitor to Westport yesterday. Mr and Mrs Moir, of Nelson, are visitors to Westport. Mr James Ramsay, of the Employers’ Association, is visiting Westport. Mr J. Small leaves this morning for Christchurch on transfer in the railway service.

Mr E. Fitzsimmons, of Christchurch, who has been visiting Westport, has returned to Christchurch. Messrs W. Bird and W. Harris, of Karamea. and C. Jones, of Kongahu, were visitors to Westport yesterday. Miss Eunice Pullar was successful in passing her music examination for the L.R.S.M., and'Miss Josephine Enright in rudiments, at the recent Convent examinations. Mr and Mrs Hastings and family, who have been the guests of Mr and Mrs H. Gaskell, leave this morning on return to Wellington.

Mrs Mooney and daughter, of Christchurch, are visiting Westport as the guests of Mrs McManus, of the Commercial Hotel. The death took place at Tahuna, Nelson, yesterday, of Mr Fred Mockett. Deceased was until lately proprietor of Hampden Hotel, Murchison, now conducted by his son, Walter. Besides his wife, son and daughter, the late Mr Mockett is survived by two brothers, Alf (Westport), and Walter (Dargaville), and three sisters, Mrs Wells (Appleby), Mrs Jack McPherson (Wakefield), and Mrs Squire (Blenheim), to all of whom sympathy is extended in their bereavement. Mr Alf Mockett and son, George, have proceeded to Nelson to attend the funeral.

Ministerial: On Friday, the Hon. P. C. Webb, accompanied by his party, and Mr C. F. Schadick and Mr D. J. D. Archer, paid a visit to' Denniston. Owing to the heavy rain, the proposed visit to Burnett’s Face mine was held over. Several private deputations were heard. An inspection was also made of the brick works at Waimangaroa, and Mr Webb expressed the hope that more work on a larger scale would be done in the near future.

Valedictory: Close on fifty officers of the Public Works Department of Westport, Karamea and Inangahua Junction assembled in the local Public Works office to bid farewell to Mr A. C. Bascand, Public Works Engineer, who has been appointed engineer for the Westport Harbour, and also to bid farewell to Mr J. Smart, a member of the office staff, who has been transferred to Greymouth. Mr A. G. Park presided, and stated that he had given Mr Bascand the duty of farewelling Mr Smart. In bidding farewell to Mr Smart, Mr Bascand referred appreciatively to his sterling qualities as an officer. He had been in close touch with Mr Smart, and found him just as good a sport and just as sincere in his work, inside the office and outside. Mr Smart had co-operated with him in the fostering of cricket in the district. Mr B. Seyb also spoke, and the presentation, consisting of a travelling rug and a pair of military hair brushes, was made. Mr Smart, tn replying, thanked Mr Bascand and the officers for their splendid help in all matters. Saying farewell to Westport was a hard task, but he hoped to be back again in the town on various occasions. Mr Park, in congratulating Mr Bascand on his promotion, and bidding farewell to him as an officer of the Public Works Department, trusted that he would prove as successful in the harbour work as he had been in his late department. The people of the district were looking to him to improve the harbour, and he felt sure that their faith in his capabilities would not be displaced. Mr Halley, on behalf of the Karamea staff of the Department, congratulated Mr Bascand on his promotion, and said that he was undoubtedly the righf man for the right job. He extended the best wishes of the Karamea residents for all the work that had been done by Mr Bascand. Mr B. Seyb, or behalf of the Westport office staff: Mr Anderson, for the Stores Department; and Mr Wilkinson, for the outside staff, also spoke appreciatively o 1 Mr Bascand’s ready help and cooperation. Miss Brown made the presentation, consisting of a set of crystal tumblers and jug, and an afternoon tea set and silver tray, and wished Mr Bascand the best of wishes foi his new duties. Mr Bascand, in reply joined in with Mrs Bascand in ex tending thanks to the staff for tht wonderful gift. He wished further t( thank all members of the staff fo: their co-operation during their asso ciation, and he hoped that the sarm spirit' would prevail as regards M Park and Mr Halley. Mr Park wel corned Mr Halley to the Westport of fice, and also extende'd best wishes t : Mr Neil, successor of Mr Smart. , Swamp Drainage:

Plans for an extensive drainage scheme, and work in connection with the task of confining the various rivers and creeks between Waimangaroa and Granity to their proper banks, were contained in a statement made yesterday by the Hon. P. C. Webb, who has for the past week been engaged on an extensive tour of the northern end of the Buller electorate. Mr Webb said that reports had already been drawn up by the Public

Works Department as to the cost and possible procedure of work, and he was confident that the return from the land after this hqd been drained and safeguarded against possible flooding, would more than repay the cost of the scheme. The scheme involves the stopping of erosion at the Waimangaroa River, protection and drainage work at the Big Ditch and the 14-mile Creek, the latter being a fruitful source of expense to both the Railway Department and the County Council. The Minister is confident that the drainage of the swamp area will enable a large area to be brought into production, and incidentally protect public and private property, by the harnessing of the streams. The proposal of the Minister will meet with general approval from all sections of the community, who are all now strongly in favour of the Government’s policy of land clearing and reclamation.

Trotting Club Trophies: At present being exhibited in Mr C. Walker’s shop window, Palmerston Street, is the silver rose bowl donated to the Westport Trotting Club by Mr H. and Miss E. Morgan for presentation to the winning owner of the Westport Trotting Cup Handicap at the club’s mid-summer meeting this month; also gold-mounted whips donated by Messrs J. Bird and W. T. Spence to be presented to the winner of the Westport Trotting Club Handicap and Seddonville Handicap Trots respectively.