WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 27

WEST COAST NEWS.

(Fbom Oub Own Corbespondent.) GREYMOUTH, February 25. Tenders are being called for the supply of the electrical, plant for the Otira tunnel. Fair progress is being made with the tunnel, considering the inadequate number of men employed, and the wet conditions under which they are working. The general opinion is that it will be-three years before trains are runriing through, and in the meantime the. need for through rail communication is rapidly increasing. The passenger traffic this summer has been heavier than ever before, and there have been several occasions of congestion at the coach connection, passengers being compellel to return from 'Arthur's'Tass to Christchurch. In anticipation of the increased goods traffio which will follow upon the establishment of through connection, the Railway Department proposes to effect extensive alterations and improvements on the Otira line. A considerable deviation in the -line will be made at Stillwater, which will necessitate the junction being located further up the Reefton line. There will be nine "island" platforms to facilitate the passing <.f trains. Several of the present stations will be enlarged and overbridges constructed. The District Engineer considers that if they could be found, 400 men could be. employed on these works for the next three years. Forty houses for the staff alone will have to be erected at Otira, and large yards will be required both at Otira and Arthur's Pass, to accommodate the goods traffio through the tunnel, where trains will be run continuously day and night. _ The work of easing curves and strengthening the line in the Brunner section, and the alterations at Stillwater Junction, have, been already commenced, and the engineer anticipates that all the work will be completed by the time the tunnel is ready for tise. Swamp Lands.—

The Greymouth Chamber of Commerce has decided, tipon the request of settlers in the neighbourhood of Kumara Junction, to ask the Government to further consider the question of establishing an experimental farm in that locality. The. undertaking will involve a somewhat difficult scheme of drainage on account of the clay and cement subsoil,, but it is considered that the character of the land will amply justify the experiment. The whole question of the drainage of swamp ,lands is at present receiving attention throughout the district There are extensive areas of swamp land in the province, which, if drainage were found practicable, could be transformed into rich pastoral and agricultural country. Mr J. R. Thompson, the chief drainage engineer, is proposing to visit the Coast, and has been commissioned to iepo»t on the draininsr of the La Fontaine Creek in Westland Counly. The Grey County Council has reauested the Minister of Lands to authorise him. at the same time to visit and report on the various swamp areas in the Grey County. Coal Development.—

Arrangements have been completed for the installation of machinery for the new coal mine at Dobson. Goal has been proved at a depth of 572 feet, and a large number of men are already employed in preparatory work. The promoter states that the whole of the required capital both-for development and general trading purposes has been raised. It is expected that the coal will be reached by October next. The old Wallsend Mine property, comprising 150 acres, whioh has been lying idle for many years, has been purchased by a local syndicate. The new owners intend at onoe to pump out the mine and install new machinery. The railway revenue from these mines will accrue to the Greymouth Harbour Board as the line is Harbour Board endowment, and in the present condition of the Board's finances, will prove a valuable acquisition. These two enterprises, taken in » connection with the recent development of the adjacent North Brunner Mine, will give an impetus to the locality and greatly improve the coal industry of the district. 4 As the Dobson Company is to be co-operative, the best possible results should be secured.

Much satisfaction is felt at the settlement of th« coal dispute reached by the recent conference, especially with the prospect of the resumption of full work and the reopening of closed mines. To this district thf. results should be most beneficial:

The Greymouth Borough Council, at a recent meeting decided to support a request from the Runanga Council asking that improvements be made by the Government in the conditions at the coal mines. The Council considered that improvements wore imperative in order to stop-the exodus from the mines. The actual position is difficult to ascertain. In the Westport district complaints have been .loudest, and the exodus greatest, yet the annual report of the West-r>ort-Stockton Mine indicates thnt . the housinsr and general provision for the miners* comfort nxe all that could reasonably be expected. Railwayman.—

Some dissatisfaction is felt by enginedrivers and firemen of the local railways rn account of certain new regulations which have come into operation since last April. These employees are not now paid for the times of enforced waiting during intervals between trains, though they are required to bo ready during these periods at the call of the Department. The West-land section, it appears, is the only one where such a clause is operative, and is doubtless due to the exceptional irregularity > of the timetable. Another cause of grievance is that whereas men who have driven an engine for 12 montha aro entitled to be classed afc

permanent drivers at a higher rate of pay, there are instances where men hare far exceeded that period without receiving the higher status. It is- also stated that "on annual holiday leave, such acting drivers receive only a fireman's wage, and; acting firemen only that of a cleaner. Gold Mining.—

The trouble at the New Big River Gold Mining Company's ■ Mine which has bean existent since November last, and which had become serious, has been satisfactorily settled, and the miners are returning to work. All employees have been granted an increase of wages, and the housing conditions and working- shifts are to be adjusted by representatives of the • Union and the mine management- The affairs of this mine are apparently otherwise in a. flourishing condition. It is authoritatively stated that while the actual cash amount of paid lip oapital is enly £6OO, the amount paid on the 24,000 shares being only 6d per share," yet- dividends have been paid»to the extent of £103,200. The Hochstettcr Goldfields, Ltd., has lust had a wash up of 123 ounces, a great improvement on any previous output, but far short of what will be necessary in so large an enterprise.