WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 22

WEST COAST NEWS.

(Ffiou Ouk Own Correspondent.) August 16. For i lie whole o£ last week coach traffic through the lji.ii a Gorge was entirely snspended oyving to a honvv tall of snow. A considerable number of passengers, however, inducting a number of ladies, braved the citseomiort ot a trip through the tunnel. The Public Works Department undertook to convey mails by this route, and passengers, as far as accommodation cotnd be found, weie permitted to accompany them. About 150 on one occasion passed through, 100 from the Coast and half that number in the other direction. They experienced no inconvenience except over the unlined portion of about a mile, where the conditions were anything but pleasant. All -poke highly of the courtesy of the Public Works employees. A collection was taken tip in appreciation of the kindness of the deputy engineer, who personally accompanied the party, and at the half-way point one of the passengers expressed their thanks. Communication is now restored through the gorge. The Public Works Department has expressed its readiness in cases of future necessity to carry mails through the tunnel, but pa&sengers must go at their own risk. —Grey mouth Memorial:— Unfortunately public interest in the proposed war memorial cenotaph at Greymoutli continues to flag. With an objective rtf £IOOO, the actual result, after several weeks’ j appeal to the people, is about £7. The local ] R.S.A. has taken t! le matter up, and proposes to hold a gala day iii the Recreation Grounds, with football in fancy costume. This method, however, of raising monev has been severely criticised, and the School | Committee has declined to grant a halfholiday to the children for the occasion. The prospects, therefore, of success for the memorial are none too bright, the public apathy being no doubt partly due to the tardiness of the proposal. —W.E. A.— Mr H. Relshaw, 8.A.. who was recently appointed tutor to the W.E. A. for this district, began his work at Reefton last week. Professor Condliffe, of Canterbury College, states that his appointment marks a distinctforward step in the work of the University, and hopes j hat he will be the first of many college lecturers in outlying districts. Mr Belshaw is described as one of the most brilliant all-round students of the college, with considerable scientific training, especially in geology, lie was the best student of his year in English literature, and has contributed a valuable piece of economic .research in a. thesis on the Dairying Industry of Now Zealand. He has been cordially welcomed at public meetings in Grey mouth and Reef ton. and the best results are expected from his appointment. —Hokitika Savings Bank.— The Hokitika Savings Bank has concluded another year’s successful operations. It is now 55 years since the establishment of this institution, which claims to be the strongest of the five Similar institutions in the Dominion. Its assets now stand at £102,245 £58.000 of this being liquid; and the’ deposits amount to £86.713. Its investments are mainly local. Ihe bank has always shown itself to be public-spirited, and has been most generous in its support of every worthy cause in the district. Among its recent donations have been £IOOO towards the Westland Hospital Rebuilding Fund, £SOO towards the X-ra.v plaid, and £250 towards the local museum. It. was also most generous in its contributions to patriotic purposes during the war, and nude a handsome donation towards the relief of the dependents of British sailors who Lw their lives in the Battle of Jutland. —Gold Returns.— Very little has been reported lately from die goldfields of the district. The crushimreturns from ihe Blaokwater mines for July were 2809 tons crushed for £3911 value of gold. Working expense.- were £1722 and value oi development work £725. . outbicuk d lue —can.- .i, it j.- i,.,_ lievO", In spontaneous ■ uunr-ii occurred a few days ago in No. 17 of the _ Blackball coal mine, and interfered will, the ventilation of the main o>: i; ' secM! °n. The mine was in conn-cui m o <"wv: Section Xo. 17 has since’ ij-v.i sealed, aim work has been resumed. Conditions on the Grevinouth woWf,- on j, have- temporarily improved, as many as 150 men having on one day found euiplovinent during a rush of .-hipping. 'The ,'m provement, however, cannot continue until tp.-e position of the timber and coal unde improves. Resident- of ( 1 toy mouth are fortuimm in being able to secure supplies of whar waoiicc known as Xo. 1 State coal The .V 1 m . ,no _ hist year, and the supp.y of this coal, the cleanest and hotte-f for domestic purpos, - w l,i,.j, the -ourd-v produced < e-ixsl. What i- known as the i i.iil-iL.t_* Uoal ( oni paii\ i. now [flaoitio- () * the market limited supplies of this cod’ rake,, from the old Point" Elizabeth seam " ihe deal h took place lasi week ai the V. estpriri OKI People's Home of A!--- Carre one of the older I resident.- of ihe district’ and said to be the first European married m that town. Rhe was over 80 years of age. A huge tcnd-InC has occurred on the- } n ..: the road being- covered with debris. Connie employe! - are at work leariiig it. hut the expense is likely to !, . cm-idci-aide a,, appeal L to lie made to the ( ovc nnieiir The export of coal from the Grevinouth mines foi last week was 3476 ton-. The Mayor of Oreymonih takes rather a pessimistic view of the coal situation Wherever the blame may lie. ho considers llio fact that the increase in the Dominion'payment •• for foreign coal, from £189,000 in 1916 to £514.000 in I9?0 and £837.000’ few the fir.-t fix months of 1921, is Milii.-i-mily serious : and in spite of the Minister’s s ilpn; o:!t R' !l pres- id contract ■ must he cotn-plet-'d. b» advocates a oeiied effort to ner-Govri-nment to cancel iheir on- ' 1: a nn-i 11 s aiid ra\ tile penalty. The hurdon of ne !>rc-e: 1 1 ~ .did.,:, cert-ini . wei d.s hea \ ■ V . ... tWe ! C,.-t . „ here - ,7..„ "■ tl - mines have closed flown, and others arc • mprlli d to re.- ’ i- i llieii ~nli.nl. I'm ■ oral. M - Gibson I. n , r tin- 15 ft tie (re k S.a :.at»■ - i mil . ha.- b-cn ap--1 matron ~f the (Itiia I b.spital The Wes'land 1;,.-pital board last vreek mude a. pro ,'iituli ai to I)r Teiehel-

vice. Ho has proved himself an able surgeon a:i I a valuable citizen, having been a 'poei:! loh with the work ot the Borough : imn t ,e. ■ iel y. Ji • ■ v.as a most ardenr mountain climber. He i- * e 1 a t tin hospi t; 1 1 h \ D i Baird.