MR O’BRIEN’S VISIT

Grey River Argus, 12 September 1944, Page 4

MR O’BRIEN’S VISIT

DEPUTATIONS MET. Hon. J'. O’Brien, Minister of Transport and Marine, who visited his electorate over the week-end, yesterday met a deputation at Hokitika. The Mayor (Mr. A. R. Elcock) was in the chair and representatives of the Westland Hospital Board, also Mr. Richards (Kumara), were present. The deputation brought before Mr. O’Brien " the question of securing ‘the services of another doctor for Hokitika and also a doctor for South Westland, and asked him to interview the Minister of Health on the matter. There is at present only one doctor in the whole-of the Westland district. The erection of a new Post Office at Hokitika was discussed and Mr. O’Brien was .asked to discuss with the Postmaster-General the question of when and where the Post Office was to be built. Other matters discussed were the possibility; of constructing an aerodrome for the West Coast on Cemetery Hill, the deputation asking that this site be investigated along with others; and the erection of houses for pensioners similar to those in Christchurch, and at least another ten State houses, at Hokitika. It was stated that .there was &• great shortage of houses there.

Mr. O’Brien promised to look into all of these matters'. During the afternoon the Mayor and Mr. O’Brien spoke in support of the Victory Loan at a performance given in the street by the Bond Waggon party. PROGRESS LEAGUE’S DEPUTATION. Mr. W. D. Taylor (President) and Mr. J. M. Bunt, .representing the Westland District Progress League, waited on Mr. O’Brien last evening asking whether the Question of a deep-sea harbour for the West Coast was to be investigated and if so in what way it would be investigated. They suggested the possibility of setting up a commission. Mr. O’Brien sa.id that there would not be a commission but that the best engineers that could b e found, with a knowledge of conditions such as obtained on the Coast, would be brought here to report on both the Greymouth and Westport harbours and also on the possibility of constructing a deep-sea harbour here. They would then confer with our own New Zealand engineers.