OUR WEST COAST LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 13

OUR WEST COAST LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Ross, July 19. "shutting the stable door, 4c." One of the present Reefton mining companies has announced that for the future rio receipt for calls if paid by cheque will be given until the same be paid by the bank on which it is drawn ; also, no calls are to be allowed to be drawn for through the bank. How many Dunedin and other people might now be in pocket had this been made a hard and fast rule when Reefton was in the heyday of prosperity. Alas, it is shutting the stable door after the colt bas bolted ; but doubtless the wise departure is begotten of the unwelcome facts every day apparent in the appalling number of liquidations now in transitu through the law courts. TOWING DOLLY. The Greymouth Harbour Board seem to be greatly concerned over some statement made up Westport way about the inability of Grey's local tug, for at the last monthly meeting a special committee was appointed to inquire into the fact as to whether the tug could or could not tow the Dolly from Westport. The information that the tug seemed unable to tow any vessel that could cross the bar apparently astounded the astute members of the Grey Board, who concluded that " something must be very wrong." A WOULD-BE LEGISLATOR. • The mayor of Ross distinguished himself last Thursday as a law expositor. I told you in a previous letter about the indignation of a number of ratepayers at being struck off the burgess roll without any rhyme or reason by his Worship, and also that they were applying to have their names reinstated. On these applications coming before the council, the mayor, standing up and assuming all the gravity of a Solon, told the councillors that according to his reading of the law no person could have his name inserted on the roll who was other than an occupant or, owner of a rateable property within theborough, and the rates on which were paid within the limited time. " Occupant," quoth he, " must be a person who resides on the property in respect of which his name appears on the roll, and therefore we cannot insert the names of these applicants because they do not live on the rated properties." Since hearing the foregoing unique exposition I have gone through the mining laws, and find that one may occupy a hill, a fiat, a valley, or even a creek, be rated for it, and be entitled to vote in respect of same. Under the Municipal Corporations Act, land, houses, pigstyes, and fowl roosta may be rated, and their" owners' names placed on the roll in respect thereof ; but as the mayor thinks otherwise, and so far induced his council to adopt his views that they pointedly refused to gcant the applications, I begin to have my doubts 'about the law. This wise exponent of the law talks of putting himself forward as a candidate for election as representative for Westland in Parliament in the next general elections. INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. The exhibition which is to be held at Greymouth commences on December 20 next, and promises to be a great success. The promoters, who have already worked most assiduously in its interests, have received favourable replies from the heads of most of the local governing bodies on the West Coast, who we willing to co-operate with the management and assist local industries in every way. It is proposed to keep the exhibition open for one month, and the Grey people are already pluming themselves on the solid advantage which such an exhibition is likely to confer on their town. THE GREY-HOKITIKA RAILWAY. Considerable anxiety is felt by Westlanders over the tardy appearance of station buildings, rolling stock, &c, on the Grey-Hokitika line. Since its opening on her Majesty's birthday, the way for traffic seems no further advanced. The only crumb of comfort which reaches us is that the plans for the station buildings have all been prepared, and as soon as Parliament has authorised the necessary expenditure they are to be put in hand. Meanwhile a number of persons desirous of entering the timber trade are securing belts of bush land between the Teremak*u and Hokitika for the purpose of putting up sawmills and bringing timber by rail to the port of Greymouth. THE COAL CREEK RAILWAY. In addition to the resolutions sent to Government by the late public meeting at Greymouth, advocating the. construction of a railway line from the port to the Coal creek mines, the Greymouth Borough Council held a special meeting last night and agreed to send a deputation to wait upon the Ministry with a view to pointing out the advisability of the work being undertaken

by the Government. It is estimated to cost only £15,000. AN UNFORTUNATE DOMINIE. An unfortunate schoolmaster, doing duty under the Westland Board of Education at Kumara, is being made a battledore and shuttlecock of by the Kumara and Hokitika morning papers. It appears that in another capacity he fell from the paths of rectitude, but repenting, he returned from the broad into the' narrow way. However, the Hokitika and Kumara scribes seem determined that he shall not continue to follow up the path of life eternal, and demand that for his former backsliding he shall be utterly ruined and discharged from the State school, where, by his work, he has proved himself an efficient teacher. It would appear, however, that the board, exercising all -roe virtues of nineteenth century Christians, are determined to give the young man another chance, consequently the malignancy of the two disappointed scribes daily glares its horrid features through the "long primer" columns of the Kumara and Hokitika dailies, much to the disgust of a sympathetic, long-suffer-ing, and ever-forgiving public. STRUCK IT IN SUNDAY CREEK. After patiently boring a tunnel 1100 ft in length, and through reef, for the last six months, a party at the locality bearing the somewhat euphonious name of Sunday creek, No Town, struck auriferous wash. Most unfortunately they struck the gutter some 20ft too shallow, in consequence of which the party will have to go back some distance in the tunnel to bring up a fresh fall. Notwithstanding that the prospects are barely payable, the party are undaunted, and having applied for and obtained a three-acre claim, they are losing no time in commencing the necessary work, and I may add that it is the general opinion that they will cut into a deep run of payable wash. THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE LAW. A mining case was adjudicated on last Saturday at Ross by Mr Macfarlane which is another demonstration of the law's uncertainties. It seems that a party of miners obtained a grant of a water light two years ago from Mr Macfarlane. They cut the race, and used the water therein for their mining claim. After a time, the ground getting poor, they left it, it seems, for a couplt of months for the more lucrative employment offering on the co-operative works on the Main South road. Intending, however, to return after completing their section, they got protection for their mining rights, and before the certificate for the waterrace ran out took good care to have it renewed. No. 2 party casting envious eyes on the property applied for the race, and their application was granted by Mr Macfarlane. Thus two prior rights existed for one race. No. 1 party, utterly ignorant of what had transpired in their absence, had a ray of light suddenly shot into them by hearing that No. 2 party were applying for an extension of the identical race hela by them, and roused by curiosity as much as by indignation, they appeared at the court on the day of application to object. Among other evidence offered by tkem in support of their title was the certificate of registration, but. extraordinary to relate, the magistrate pointedly refused to look at it, and granted the application for extension to party No. 2, in conse- | -quence of which party No. 1 have signified their intention of appealing to a superior court. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. West Coast public opinion is unanimous in congratulating Mr Arthur Robert Guinness on his elevation to the position of Chairman of Committees in the House of Representatives, deeming him eminently qualified to fill the onerous duties attached to the office. The special claim of 30 acres, situated at the Kanieri Forks, which I told you in a previous letter was objected to by a number of diggers, has been partially granted by Mr Warden Macfarlane giving applicants 15 acres. The Hokitika unemployed, having, through the mayor, put in applications for more work on the Hokitika and Grey railway, the ballasting and platelaying on which has been completed, the resident engineer curtly replied that the unemployed will not be lost sight of. The Westland County Council has deferred its notice of motion respecting a loan of £6000 under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act sine die] In connection with the proposed deviation of a portion of the Larrikins Terrace road, Kumara, by the Westland County Council, a number of miners and business people are sending in claims for compensation. So heavy do these appear to be that I am afraid it will have the effect of strangling the proposal. The Buller County Council has notified defaulters that all arrears of the special rate' for the Argyle water race loan are to be sued for next week ; consequently there is consternation among the Charlestonians, who talk of engaging Sir Robert Stout in their defence. As I anticipated, the Anglican Church social, held at Greymouth to welcome the very popular Bishop of Nelson, was a big success. Addresses by the Bishop and the Rev. Mr Wright filled in a pleasant hour, and the rest of the evening was as agreeably passed in vocal and instrumental efforts by the local talent. The Greymouth Education Board have at length decided to establish schools at Moana and Bruce Bays, Lake Brunner. The report to be furnished to Government on the state of the Brunner mines is to be the joint production of Messrs Mackay, Gordon, and Cochrane. Mr E. J. Lord, civil engineer, Greymouth, is also to report on the state of the hill above the mines, with a view to ascertaining whether or not the ground will stand after the coal has been removed from beneath. Here is a pliun for the Direct Veto men :— During the hearing of a case in the Reefton Resident Magistrate's Court last week, it was adduced in evidence that a local hotelkeeper had paid £250 for beer sold by him during the last 10 months. As there are 19 public houses in Reefton, some of the Alliance men pan calculate what amount would have been paid in that time to the local brewers. Replying to his Worship's horrified ejaculation, Mr Free pointed out that this amount only represented a portion of the sum spent in drink in the town, as a great many preferred whisky to beer. The gold thief has been making a haul at the Upper Buller, Westport, some dastardly wretch having cleaned down an unfortunate miner's boxes and stolen therefrom about 40oz of gold. The police are investigating the matter. Mr O'Regan has informed the Westportonians that, providing Sir Robert Stout does not stand for Inangahua at the general election, he will dp so. Will Sir Robert oblige this budding politician 1 •* The Westport ladies have resolved to form a female Court of Foresters in that town, in'connection with the Nelson district of the Ancient Order of Foresters. . One of Greymouth's local sawmillers, having received an order to cut 2,000,000 ft of timber, is now busy at work. I regret to inform you that owing to the continued exodus of colliers Brunnerton is fast approaching that similitude so beautifully pourtrayed by-Oliver Goldsmith. A young cattle thief named Charles Craig was arrested last Friday at Inangahua Junction, charged with the larceny of 118 sheep, valued at £59, the property of John Kerr, on Lake station, near Top house. The Westport justices remanded the lad to Nelson. Last Saturday Mr Ronayne," district railway manager, while superintending unloading operations at tbe Greymouth wharf, had his foot so severely crushed by the fall of a piece of iron as to incapacitate him for some time. The Greymouth Borough Council have an overdraft of £3560, and the council, naturally a little scared thereat, are following the fashion by considering a retrenchment scheme. The Buller County Council's finances do not appear to be in a healthier state than those of any of its West Coast neighboiira, consequently they are applying to the general milch cow, the Government, who, according to telegraphic information from Messrs Stout and O'Connor, appear willing to assist the straitened council. The Westport Times reports that a squared log of birch, containing 2000 ft of timber and weighing five tons, has been cut in the bush, and lies by the side of the Ngakawau railway. When sawn it is estimated to be worth £12. It is said that the moment the Grey Valley Coal Company abandon their lease at Brunnerton it will be taken up by practical and experienced minersmen, too, who know where to find coal and plenty of it. > The Westport clergy are working up a fiz about the .threadbare question, of Bible reading in.

schools. .The local papers calmly advise them notto put themselves out about it because they will never gain their point. The Westland County Council has preferred a claim against the Ross Borough Council for £53 rates on the unfinished Mikonui water race. As the part rated is simply a hole in a hill the borough council has instructed its solicitor to resist the claim. The Westport Borough Council allows the local fire brigade £300 per annum. ' Matters municipal at Westport appear to be healthy and progressive, as last year the council's overdraft was £2608, while on July 11 of this year it stood at only Respecting the Coal creek railway ,line construction, information has been received from Wellington by the Grey Star that the result of an interview by Sir Robert Stout and Mr Guinness is that the Premier is favourable to the idea if 5 per cent, interest on the cost of construction be guaranteed. „ . Just as I am closing up, news of a deplorable coach disaster reaches me from the Lyell. As you have been supplied with a telegraphic account of the sad affair I need not enter into details.