WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 22

WEST COAST NEWS.

(From Oltr Own Correspondent.) June 21. The coal exports from the district have lately been only, moderate. The Westport Coal Company lias shipped an average for the past few weeks of about 4000 tons, and the Westport-Stockton Company not more than half that amount. It is in this district that .the co-operative mining is most in evidence. The Minister of Mines on his late visit inspected the whole of the mines, and was greatly impressed with the possibilities of the industry, if only a little more heart could be infused into it. In the- Greymouth mines, including .Blackball and Reefto-n, only 3715 tons wore exported last week. Apparently the men are disposed again towards an irritation policy, and avail themselves of any excuse to censo work. On Monday last work was interrupted by a slip on the lino, which prevenetd the train from Greymouth getting through. But on Tuesday another small siip, which could have been cleared rn an hour, was made the pretext for another day off. Though the truckers were prepared to work, the shortage of miners -necessitated closing down. On the following clay the position was reversed, the miners being willing to resume but the truckers feeling aggrieved at the miners’ attitude on the previous day. On Thursday trouble with the rope boys again interfered with work, so that several days have been lost where there was really occasion for the loss of only one. There are no further developments at the Alexandra gold reefs. Some excitement was caused during the week at Reefton by the discovery on the surface of a road of some specks of gold. A couple of hours' washing of the dust resulted in the recovery of sdw.t of gold, and since then the neighbourhood h-as been carefully examined, with promising results. After heavy rain a few days ago several finds were made, the largest being a nugge-t weighing ldwt. The crushing returns at the Blackwater mines for the month of May were 2744 tons crushed, for a value of £4416 in gold. Reports from Capleston are encouraging. In No. 1 level of the Fiery Cross mine, where the stone previously broke after continuing for SOft, what is evidently the same reef lias again bt&rn pjpked up, 2ft thick, and showing gold to the naked eye. During the month of April there was exported from Greymouth 26460 z of gold, valued at £10,49-9, and for the four months ending April 30 the gold exported was valued at £24.235. Other returns of ex. ports show £29,693 worth of produce for the month of April, the total value of produce exported for the 12 months ending on April 30 having- been £403,323. For the same period there was an increase in the amount of timber exported as compared with the previous year, the figures being, 18.554,364 ft. valued at £164.443, for 1920, and 23,322.142 fr., valued at. £213,859, for 19-21. For the month of April last the timber exported was I,SOO,CCQft, valued at £13,131. —Town Beautifying.— Considerable opposition was shown in a recent meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council to the expenditure of any further money on town beautifying. A good deal of this work was clone by the late Cr Smith, several improvements adding greatly to the appearance of the town. A number of memorial oaks presented by Mr Seddon, M.P., and planted on the main outlet from the town, have had an unfortunate experience, only some three dozen out of over 150 being still alive. The council decided to replace the oaks with rhododendrons, and to retrench on further beautifying schemes. There are few towns that would better repay a little money spent on ornamentation. —Borough Employees.— At the last meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council a series of petitions was. presented by the employees and gasworks bands asking for an increase in their annual holidays, mid in the rate of wages, and also for a reduction of the work week to 44 hours. In the case of the gasworks employees the petitions were lefererd to the Finance Committee, and in the case of the Borough Employees they were held over for three months. —\Y eattier Condition.-. After a summer and autumn drier than usual, exceptionally heavy rains are being now experienced. _ Last week the rainfall for 24 hours was 3in, and in one hour the Grey River rose 15in. The speed of the river was 11 knots an hour, and it was estimated that it was emptying from its watershed of 1600 square miles at the rate of 625.000 tons per minute. A tremendous sea has been raging on the bar. There were live steamers in the river, which were compelled to keep their propellers going to ease the terrific strain. Had the port been empty the chairman of the Harbour Board declares that the flood would have saved the board £2OOO by a complete- scouring of the river; but with steamers berthed the shingle accumulates about their stems and frequently leaves them touching bottom when the flood subsides. A good deal of interruption has occurred in the railway traffic, both on the Otira line and on the mine lines, on account of slips and washouts. ihe flood has had a disastrous effect upon the Greymo-nth water supply. Pending repairs to. the reservoir, the water was being pumped direct from the river, and under existing conditions was absolutely until inkable. - -War Tanks.— An enterprising lju.-iness man is introducing to the dnirici a ••whippet’’ armoured funk, to lie use! no the saw mills in hauling logs from the bush. A trial is to be made during the next few weeks. The tank can b- controlled by one man, is to bo driven by benzine, and will cost £IOOO. It will have the advantage over light rails of being able to bring logs from any direction. Should the experiment be sucoi---?ui. the importer is prepared to supply a dozen more. Otira Tunnel. Through unforeseen circumstances it is probable that the electrification of the Otira Tunnel will he delayed beyond the time when its completion was anticipated. It had been h -pad that it would lie finished bv the time that the rails were laid, but there is now no possibility of that being done, and s t seems a pity that the Government did not place its orders earlier. There are at present 176 public works employees at Iho two ends of the tunnel, and with the exception of the electrification the work promises to be completed in good time.