WEST COAST NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 22

WEST COAST NEWS

(From Ouh Own Correspondent.) July 5. Ihe coal mining industry in the district has been suffering from a mild panic on account of the alleged difficulty oi getting lid of the output. it has been stated that the market on the Coast is glutied, and that c-oal consigned to Wellington has been diverted to Gisborne, the hulks in Wellington being full. ihe statement has also been made that large quantities or coal are in Lyttelton Harbour. Hunkering coal is not so largely required on account of the decrease in overseas shipping. Shipping companies are c-hury ot receiving coal unless there is a reasonable prospect of immediate discharge. Warnings have been received from Christchurch not to ship ally more coal to that city however good the quality, ihe reason given for the decline in demand j s the large importations of foreign coni. Ihe situation, however, is not as serious as would appear from these representations, ihe large quantities of coal m Wellington Harbour are chic to trouble on the waterfront. Though regular supplies are reaching Lyttelton from overseas, they arc all absorbed by the supply of lignite in Christchurch, but no super abundance of good coal, and of first-class coal there is very little. It is true that mines at Reefton have ceased operations, but this is because they are not exporting screened household coal, for which there is a large demand, lney have damaged their own trade bv exporting unscreened coal that has been littlo better than slack. This consumers will not buy at the price, and merchants are therefore ceasing to order it, as they stand to lose on their present stocks. They are ready to purchase Coast coal if they have a guarantee of quality. The true position of the industry is indicated by the fact that during the last week in June over 8000 tons were shipped from the Westporf mines and over 7000 from Greymouth, which is rather in excess of the average. Timber Trade. — i went comerence. held m Christchurch between representatives of the West Coast sawmillers and the North Canterbury timber merchants revealed no change in the prospects ot the timber industry. The conference was held specially to consider the question ot dealing with the output of the mihs, and its distribution in Canterbury, ine suggestion had been made that the output of the mills should be pooled. As the cost of production has not decreased, but rather increased with the lessened output, tne mills declined to out prices, preferring m some cases to dose down. Wages amne consume 68 per cent, of the total cost oi production, and there is no prospect oi economising on that item before next Apn . ihe results of the conference have not been disclosed, but a suggested scheme tor dealing with the output was drawn up and will be considered further .by interested p.uties on the Coast, when probably a runner conference with the merchants will r Lle piol i osal of Melbourne w*r 41 ° , ln * Cl ' easu t rom ls to 3s or 4s nor S' ‘ lle dat >' on importations of certain timbers, whicli include inferior New Zea- !;™ ” lte p “ )e > ls not expected to have any serious effect upon the export trade of the Coast Most of the white pine expo. ted is for butter boxes, and is indisponsab.e to Australia, and this class of timber J. ex empted from the increased rate The ;-v’ r , PllI P rim! Paper Company counf, hod %! eas^ s of ku 'S:e areas of timber country on the Coast, some time ago sent quantities of various kinds of timber from he disrrict t° London. This was made up “ has pl \ ovod <? fie first-class news--KnT, r f l'i a V d . am ply proves tlie suitability of the local timber for the manufacture of such paper. Town of Greymouth.— ,i At the instigation of the Fire Board the Greymouth Borough Council is a 4in moving m the diToc.ion of bavin- 4 sped ion made of all unused buildings n Hon Jail" ! Wlth U view 10 the demoliHnn Th I£ll iU i e ln a dilapidated condihon Ihe removal oi such buildings would vastly improve the appears no of the town and w n.h the near approach of the comnle’ non of the Otira Tunnel ti , roddents are btconuug more self-conscious n: ,1 d-sirn'i-of a moia? favourable verdict from outsiders. I ie Borough Council decided to call ■ pubuc met ring to discuss the question of tne erection in Ihe town of a cenotaph or oHier memorial to the soldiers who had lost '.(U .uvm the war. Both the proposed old people s home arid the avenue of oaks in lligii street were intended as memorials nut vlte oaks have failed, and the scheme lor the home is m a stare of conn Won On account of public dissatisfaction with ihe order© of preference in the carry inout ot borough works, the council at its last meeting resolved to rescind all previous resolutions authorising any work, except taose which are already in hand. The perennial subject of the town waiesupply has again been thoroughly discussed by the Borough Council. The council is faced by the necessity lor the pvovis'ou of aii emergency unit for tile present pumpin', scheme, which would entail an expenditure m several thousands of pounds The nor remote possibility also of a slight alteration m the course of the river would involve serious expenditure. In spite therein!,,f inofi.el 'bat at the time of the eleeHon of .ie present ooimcillors the ratepayers decided against a grin il alien scheme, the eonneil has iinaniiiiously decided to submit such a scheme once more to ihe public. It is expected that tile County Conned, the Bunanga Borough Council, .and the fA]idea Town Board will co-operate in the nr-posi-tion. in which case the cosf to tlie ratepaveis will not he more than £20.000 or £'40.000, and Ihe cost of upkeep of the piascid pumping scheme will more than provide file interest on that amount. Personal. Mr H. Belshuw, 8.A.. lias been, appointed tutor to the W.K.A. on the West Coast. He lias had a brilliant scholastic career, having matriculated at the age of 15, speuring first place in tile Dominion j„ English, lie obtained iiis It.A. degree at tire a-e of IP. lie has lieen iw-i-cml mas! r at the Ashburton High School, and is at frresent agricultural instruelor ai Hie 11 •• T. cl,_ uh',l I I ..Mi School. He has written a valuable the • . on dairv farming in Vew Zenbrnd. Mr F A. Kil-hingham, of the firm of Giunness and fx itehingloim, of Givymi.'itli. has iie.en appointed (drown solicitor. JTo, 100, has had a distmgnisfred career. He has held the Welkins medal, and at Ctinlerbury ('oliege was awarded exhibition honours in political economy and English history. He lias allaitied his M.A. and LL.B, degrees, with honours in political

science. He has been for some time acting tnto-r in economics to the W.E.A. He is a native of Greymouth, and still a young /man.