WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3517, 9 August 1921, Page 22

WEST COAST NEWS.

U'no.’J (Jlii (JIY.N CuKKEarQXDENT.) , ■ , August 2. spew... liicciDig of me t,i . mouth slniiibir ot V ~ in. ire a- ueu iiv lock • " C'jin-idci tile critical j . !i,.n vvii.c.i Jias ‘w “ 1 -‘ ei-cixiiec I- 1 tile uniLer naiu.-iry m Ule Mte.ci. 1 tie Aiayor cmunc.i iho 1 ' •li oi u men can ce.-ivi-iy ' " L 'v. . - "in,. ii, p, number of Um «>.'•»Mniis i:,vc bi compelled n> c.o-sc uoan. L p till Uie piirenr, now over, 'nc while jiinc mills have oecii kept at- Juil tunc. Now civil tins trade is menaced bv liie iiK-rcu-cd i!iip.,it duty placcil up ,11 it .5 Ile Attaint. tun Gu\ ci iiinciu. Ine duty 0> .l-'i' lh'J feet, and indications are trial it will soon not pay tniilefs to export ll - ,J ho Aus Italian market has men ut a 1 ea: dt'id to the West Coast millers. At ' msi'ie; able exp use the l iinu expoia trade was c-.lab;hhi'd, but subsequently prohibited oy tue Goveiimieiit, and the district could ,l,a . Uiioi ' J U: l°-se the white pine turtle as ueU \ bt. mpotitnm with (begon pm,', which can be delivered in Australia at 3s 6d per XcJ i leet loss fruigtit than New Zealand umber, and increased harbour board rates te'i; muer factors which are threatening to etLingiG one of the district’s staple indust l ies. Mill owners generally take a serious view of the situation, one of the leading- milters staling emphatically that tho lote or the Australian trade would involve the closing of half the mills on the Coast. J hei'e v, as no part of the Dominion which would oe so seriously affected by the new tank as the West Coast. It was finally ex'Cide t.tat other Chambers of Gommerce, local bodies, and timber workers’ unions be invited to co-o’vrate with this chamber in bringing the inatttr under the notice ot die -Acting' Prime Alimster with a view to inducing the Australian Government to r f’ so . . lho imposition and to request that unite pine be put on ihe same preference footing as butter boards, and that New Zealand be placed on tho same scale of duty as England. Strong representations have already been made by the Dominion ban-millers’ Federation towards rettmo- all white pine admitted to Australia at,° the. same duty, and getting New Zealand placed on tne same basis a.s England. Failing tho success of these measures, the West Coast sail millers consider that the price of firstc I ass white pine would have to be so increased as to render the industry independent of second-class timber. Railway Changes. A proposed alteration in the railway timetaino for the V: estland section, whicli was t.o have come, into force on August 1, was anticipated by the Greymouth Chamber of Comnu rce, and it was decided to wait upon toe Dr ti l'i Iraflic .Manager upon the quest'O". as Flie propos, d changes would restrict traffic and lessen the time available for country Visitors ic town. The suggested revision lias, however, been held over for the present, with a probability of being cancelled al together. Winter Hardship. b' mug cases of distress resulting from unemployment are not numerous in the district. there have recently been reported several instances amounting almost to dostii utdon. I taile is Generally dull, especially in Reefton. where the streets are almost- deserted. A rumour that the Energetic Mine is about to resume operations is raising expectations of employment for_ some who are out of work, and a revival of industrial conditions. Fewer applications for relief in the district have been made during July than in June. War Memorial.-—• There is some danger, apparently, of the proposal to erect a Y\ ar Memorial Cenotaph in Greymouth dying, as is not rarely tlie manner of Greymouth proposal®, of inanition. If was proposed to raise £IOOO. but so far lititl" enthusiasm is being displayed in the mat tor. One of the country centres has decided upon a memorial of its own, and if other places follow this example it will upset the calculations of the committee, as ir was anticipated tint the whole district would concentrate upon the central scheme. —foal Outlook.— The c-oal situation is still somewhat obscute. Complaints continue to be made at the mines of the difficulty in getting rid of coal. Even for the best household coal it is said there is no market, anil cargoes are being dumped into yards already fully stocked. The Blackball mines opened again last week after being doed for a week on account of insufficient storage. The position is spoken id as desperate, and the public are urged to take steps to protect the trade against continual importation. On the other liaiid, authentic reports are received from Chi islciiui'ch that there is no surplus there, and instances have been reported of applicants having been refused supplies by merchants on the ground that they had onli sufficient for their regular customers. If stocks are accumulating in the district it is because mote is being hewn, as the exports continue at the usual rate. Tlie Westport mines last week shipped 9609 tons. Progress of Tunnel.—■ The workers at tlie Arthur’s Pass end of the Otira tunned have, completed their part of the work, and it is expected that the

whole of the lining will be finished in oix weeks’ time, when the tunnel will be given a thorough clean up. The member for Boiler has urged the Minister of Public Works to find employment for tlie men at the Bealey end on the Bnliei Gorge line. They are amongst the most capable railway construction men in the dominion, and he considers it inadvisable to allow them to become dispersed throughout the country seeking employment. —Kekatahi Dairy Company.— The Kokafahi Dairy Company has just eon hided the most successful year of its I i-fory. T 1 10 ifKTODSP in the output of hut tor. as co’npa”Oil v. i 11i tho previous year, is 39 tons, D.i.l ihe increase in receipts amnunis to £20.000. This represent? about £IO,OOO for ill'Teased output, and £IO,OOO for augmented price. The production for the year w:■■ 150 tons.