WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3590, 2 January 1923, Page 26

WEST COAST NEWS.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) December 26. The export of timber from Ureymouth during the past four weeks has amounted to 2,671,625 ft. Reverting to the question ot timber royalties which was considered last week by the Westland Chamber of Commerce, ttie conference convened by that body has met in Greymouth during this week, and the whole subject tnorcughly discussed. There were present district members of Parliament and representatives of all county councils. Assurances of support in any action taken were received from the Collingwood and Motueka Councils. The conference took a serious view of the financial situation created by the Government’s action respecting the royalties. A resolution was passed to the effect that'the conferencerecommended county councils to send deputations to Parliament during the next session to urge the Government to appoint the promised commission to inquire and report upon the extent to which local bodies have suffered loss of revenue from royalties, consequent upon the passing of the Forests Act, and to decide upon the provision which should be made from State Forest revenues, it further resolved to remind the Prime Minister of promises made in 1913 and later With respect to past revenue, particularly rents and goldfields revenue, and to request that the amount due to local bodies be elicited. The conference decided to consider, through the various county solicitors, the question of framing joint by-laws applicable over the whole of the county areas. Stock.— At the usual stock sale at Wataroa last week prices were unexpectedly fully £1 higher than at the previous sale. At Harihari prices were maintained. Over 100 bales of wool were exported from Greymouth last month. Coal.— The export of coal last week from the Westport mines was 14,304 tons, and from tbe Greymouth mines for the past four weeks the output has been 16,166 tons, ihe Westport returns do not include those from private co-operative mines at Mokihinui, and the output may therefore be regarded as exceptionally good, especially for the summer season. The shipping, in harmony with the production of coal, has been unusually brisk, steamers even loading two abreast, 'ihe prospects for the miners and tradespeople for Christmas are bright. The coal outlook is at present very encouraging. ' The success of the boring operations at Dobson is considered to prove the existence of a large field in the Brunner district. A seam 20ft thick has been struck, and hopes for the revival of the industry in this locality are again renewed. The seam was discovered at a depth of over 1000 ft, several thinner seams having been pierced at higher levels. At the annual meeting of the debenture holders of the i’aparoa Company the manager stated that this mine was in a better condition than when it was taken over several years ago. He considered that when the Otira tunnel was open the coal would be landed on the Lyttelton wharves at 6s 4d per ton cheaper than at present, and as Paparoa coal was increasing in popularity as steam coal, the position of the mine would be improved. Inter alia, he gave it as his opinion, however, that the tunnel would not be open for traffic until June or July next. The Hunanga railway station has been removed to a site at the junction with the line to the Port Elizabeth mine, and will be opened this week. —Hydro-electric Power.— Now that the Electric Power Board has been constituted for the Grey district, interest is being revived in the supply of power, and its best source. A number of sJhemes have ’ieen suggested, but those most competent to judge favour the Arnold River scheme. The Arnold flows from Lake Brunner, a sheet of water with an area of 14 square miles, into the Grey River after a course of 17 miles. In a direct line, however, the distance between the lake and the confluence between the Arnold and the Grey is only 11 miles. The flow of the river, as measured by ihe director of the geological survey when it was low, was given as (/j0 cubic feet- per second. This would provide about 16,000 horse power, or a net available supply of about 10.000. This is estimated to be sufficient for 100,000 inhabitants at the present requirements, and for 50,000 with the probable requirements of 10 years hence. If this scheme is adopted there would be a choice of two methods before the Power Board. One would be to convey the water in a conduit from the lake to the neighbourhood of Stillwater, and the other would be to build a dam and use a larger proportion of water at a low head. The former scheme would have the. longer life, but the initial cost would be greater. —Cycling Tour.— A party of students from the Christchurch Training College have recently been on a cycling tour of the district, visiting Waiho, Ivanieri, and the Coast towns. The weather conditions were not very favourable, but the party appear to have enjoyed themselves. Some idea of the kind of weather which has been lately experienced may be gained from the fact that at Hokitika during the past two and a.-half months no less than. 41 inches of rain have fallen. —Various. — The competition for the Watkins Medal in the Greymouth District High School was this year specially keen. The medal is awarded'to the proficiency candidate gaining the highest number of marks. The result this year was a tie between a boy and a girl. The Scott Memorial Essay also, which was established in memory of a teacher and inspector for many years in the Grey district, evoked this year keen interest, there being over 30 competitors. A representative gathering was held this week in the Hokitika Town Hall to bid farewell to Mr R. S. Galbraith. Commissioner of Crown Lands, who has heen transferred to Invercargill. A presentation was made to Mrs Galbraith. Mr Galbraith, who is in a post ion to judge, predicted a

prosperous future for dairying in this dis trict. About 100 members of the State Miners Union have been prosecuted by the Labour Department for taking part in a stop-work meeting last month. The hearing is fixed for next month. The stop-work meeting was connected with the seamen’s disputa There is considerable feeling between union and non-union members-of crews of vessels in Greymouth. Several quarrels have already taken place, and the fear is expressed that if the vessels are still in port at Christmas time the larger license of the holiday time may lead to trouble. Four of the pioneers of the district have died during the past week, their ages rang ing from 80 to 88, an average of 84js.