BLACKBALL NOTES

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1949, Page 2

BLACKBALL NOTES

(.Our Own Correspondent). The Blackball Ladies’ Bowling Club have been well represented by the rink composed of Mesdames Brown, Meikle, Walker and Knowles (skip) at the West Coast tourney. They played good bowls and were successful in going a fair distance. They are expected back by to-night’s bus A general meeting of the Hall and Welfare Society met in the Miners’ Hall last Sunday to finalise the letting of the hall for a further term to West Coast Amusements Ltd. The leasee having agreed to provide new seating accommodation as soon as possible, the society agreed to let the lease go through. It was decided that when the hall is leased for a ball or other functions, the lessee be held responsible for any damage to the property. It was reported that some irresponsibles, possibly juveniles, had threatened to damage the portrait in the hall of Mr P. C. Webb, and that the matter therefore had been referred to the police. One cannot conceive .however, that, anybody aware of all that has been done by Mr Webb for Blackball, especially during the dark days of the depression, as well as since, would think of dishonouring them in such a manner. Had it not been for Mr Webb, who persuaded his colleagues in the Government to purchase the Blackball mine and continue it in operation as a national enterprise, Blackball might by this time have become another ghost town. The children therefore should be made aware of what Mr Webb has done for their native place. Mr and Mrs E. Dumpleton and family, Stafford Street, have left to take over a smallgoods business at Timaru. Mr Dumpleton and his father before him, carried on a successful bakery business in Blackball for very many years, and always merited the support and goodwill of the people of the district. Mr Dumpleton disposed of the business here some years ago to Mr Downes, of Christchurch. The Dumpleton family will carry with them the good wishes, of their many friends for continued success in their new environment. Mr and Mrs Dumpleton and family left for Timaru yesterday. Mrs E. MacDonald and her daughter have arrived back from Dunedin, bearing the good news that hef son, Mr R. C. MacDonald, is now on the fair way to recovery, after undergoing a dangerous operation. Mr A. Kennedy has left for Wellington where he will represent the Blackball District Miners’ Union in the Stockton open cast mining dispute.