WEST COAST HEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 26

WEST COAST HEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) June 12. The quarterly meeting of local bodies which uas held last week at Hokitika considered a variety of subjects of prime importance to the southern portion of the district. The Canterbury Progress League was requested to take steps to ensure closer co-ordination between the departments responsible for the tunnel, 60 as to expedite the date of its opening. ,In oraer to hasten the introduction of elective power for industrial purposes, it was decided to convene a conference of all industrialists in the district to discuss the subject generally and to calculate approximately the requirements of the district, and to invite members of the Power Board to attend. The question of harbour and wharf improvements and the restoration of the shipping trade was also considered and steps taken to arrive at some practical decision. The old bone of contention of the portion of the Westland district included in the Grey Harbour Board district was exhumed, and xmw of the probability that after the establishment of railway communication these localities will be better served by railway than by sea, it was resolved to petition Parliament to have the Westland area eliminated from the Greymouth Harbour district. One of the most vital questions to this part of the district which came under discussion, and which has elicited notice in other places, war that of the forestry regulations and the restrictions placed upon the timber trade. Opinion is divided Hn this district upon tbo Forestry Department’s policy, but in the south the verdict is .pivetty generally adverse. Complaint is made of the inactivity of tne, Department, and the impracticability of Us proposals. But the aspect of the question which most seriously affects this locality is the restriction of the export of rimu timber to Australia. It is considered that this regulation is menacing the most valuable industry of the district. If Australia finds another source of supply it will be difficult to build up again the trado with Westland. Otira Tunnel.— Choruses of complaint and protest are still heard on every hand over the delay m the date of opening the tunnel. Those responsible for the work, however, appear to be undisturbed. The public probably does not realise the difficulty of avoiding delay where three separate authorities are engaged on the same work, nor the amount of work that has to be done in instituting an entirely new mode of locomotion. The one particular in which there appears to have been unnecessary loss of time is in the framing of the drivers. Four of these arrived at Otira last week, but for lack of accommodation were obliged to make their headquarters in Greymouth. A party inCiUamg the contracting company’s engineer went into the tunnel a few days ago on a battery locomotive and towing one” of the mam line locomotives. Some electrical iestmrr was done with satisfactory results A. number of Christchurch engineering students were of the party. Two locomotives will be required to draw a full load u-p the tunnel grade. Only one of -the five is yet reedy and probably small loads capable of drawiy by one engine, will at first be taken until me workings are fully proved Meantime the reasonable attitude for business men and others is to possess their souls in patience.- The district has managed for 50 years without through trains, and a few weeks’ longer waiting will not seriously affect it. Ihe mistake of some business men lias been m making their arrangements on He f assumption that the line would he reauy by a given date, Some inconvenience is now caused to such b.v having to wait, or to resume negotiations under the old I regime. —Farming.— , A conference of the district sub-centre of Lie New Zealand Farmers’ Union last week carried resolutions asking Government to enforce the law respecting ragwort and Californian thistle, which are spreading rapidly ■ n the district, and also to cut these weeds ] on the Crown lands and river beds. Tt also urged the appointment of a resident veterinary officer for the .district, and a reduction in tho direct taxation of land. It further requested the removal of the protection of 1 leer. | A large meeting of the Golden Coast Co- | operative Dairy Association last week de- | aided, in view of the long distance which j Marina farmers have to send their cream, I t-o approve a proposal to erect a factory in ! the Marina Valley at Station Creek. It is | hoped t-o have the factory ready for next j milking season about September. At prei sent cream has to bo conveyed over 40 I miles. I Items.— Tlie first annual meeting of the Groj- | month Beautifying Association, held last week, indicated that public interest in .ts I work was at a very low ebh. The balance j sheet sh.,we:l a slight deficit. The few enI tlmsiasls however, decided to carry on, and officers wero rppointed for another year.

The Westport School of Mines has deemed to muive a special display of minerals at the forthcoming Exhibition at Hokitika. The Commissioner of Crown Lands for South Westland reports that in the vicinity of Haast Pass deer are causing much damage, and ho is inclined to recommend Government to Withdraw protection from the herds between the Maintain and Turnbull livers. „ A representative of the National Electrical Engineering company arrived in Greymouth, and recommenced investigating, possible sources for steam and hydro-electricity. J ho Power Board requires a report for one steam and two water sources. There died last week at Cobden. at the age of 86, Mr Geo. (Jheverton, who figured prominently m the old gold digging days of this district. He was in charge of the works connected with the Greymouth to ivumara tramway, and drew the plans for tho cage over the Teramakau River. For the last 10 years of his active life he was employed at the State collieries. He arrived at Port Chalmers in 1857. After tho hold-up of shipping at Westport on account of bad weather, the export of eoai last week was 20,1C0 tons, which constitutes a record since pre-war days. For the lust four months of this year Westport shows the largest export trade in the Dominion. Greymouth comes third, with Auckland intervening. For the whole of lost year the order 01 amount ot export trade was Westport, Greymouth, Auckland.