WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3714, 19 May 1925, Page 30

WEST COAST NEWS.

(Fbom Ou,b Own Correspondent.) GREYMOUTH, May 13. GREY RIVER HOSPITAL. At a special meeting of the Grey River Hospital .board, Air Hannan was re-elected chairman tor a further term, lie and his fellow-workers have the satisiaction oi knowing that during their term of office a great improvement has been made in the . _oa*auu avails, auU the institution is rapidly developing into one of the most effective oi its size in the Dominion. Figures which were quoted indicate that it is becoming increasingly popular, and, tnougn additions have been made to its accommodation, it is still taxed to its utmost capacity. In addition to the Rewa Maternity Hospital, which is under the control of the Hospital Board, and the Old People's Home now in course of construction, quite an elaborate programme oi development is in view. A Nurses’ Home and Children’s Ward are, to be added and two tuberculosis shelters erected. A laboratory is also to be built. The Westland Hospital Board was expected to have an interest in this, but though thev appear disinclined to share the cost, the Grey Board has decided in any case to proceed with it 3 establishment. Altogether, the anticipated expenditure on development i 3 expected to be about £19,030. A loan oi £25,000 was negotiated in connection with the Old People’s Home, but after the balance of this amount has been absorbed ■' e wll still be a deficiency of £4OOO. It is proposed to ask the public of Greymouth to raise which, with the Government subsidy, will provide that amount. For the post of Hospital Board secretary there were 30 applications. These were forwarded to t the Health Department, which returned them with the comment, that none possessed the necessary qualifications. MINING. Owing to the shoaling of the Greymouth bar and the consequent interruption of shipping, the Blackball mine has been idle for four days during the past week. The State mine has continued work. The output for the Westport Coal Company’s mine for the week was 7757 tons, and that of ihe Stockton mine 1294 tons. There was a stoppage of work on one day at the Stockton mine owing to a dispute between the management and the men, the latter contending that they were entitled to the minimum wage. Th preparations for unwatering the Wallsend mine have been delayed through a shortage of firebricks, difficulty having been experienced in securing enough for the boiler. Meanwhile the rest of the preparatory work is going on satisfactorily, the foundations for the engines having been completed and the poppet-heads erected. The manager of the Reefton Coal Company has boen to Christchurch endeavouring to form a company for the purpose of converting the local coal into coke. He is reported to have met with success The New River Gold Dredging Company nos accepted tenders for transferring the Ahaura dredging machinery and timber to the new site on Dungaville Flat. This work will occupy two months, after which the erection of the plant will be commenced. During the month of April the Wealth of Nation's mine crushed 666 tons of ore for n yield of £753. The evanido works also had n clean un. tho return for March and April being £616. JOTTINGS. Very heavy bookings are being made at tho Greymouth Tourist Bureau, and there is every indication that the record figures of Anril will be exceeded this month. Fifty men are now employed on tho TTullor Gory© rail wav, and a local grnvel pit has been opened to obtain ballast for the line. Work generally in tho district is difficult to get. The Hon. J. G. Coat©9, Minister of Public Works, intends shortly to visit th© district, ns there are several matters of importance that he wishes to deal with. TTie chairman of the Westland County Council has wired him suggesting that he extend his tour to South Westland, in the hope that he may be induced to authorise tne commencement of work on the Waihao bridge.

Sir Harry and Lady Lauder have been on a visit to the district. At Rotomanu, where Lady Lauder has a brother, she was asked to present the certificates to the successful candidates in the recent first-aid examinations. Several members of the Provincial Executive of the West Coast Farmers’ Lnion have during the past week toured the southern part of the district, canvassing in the interests of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Good meetings were held in several places, and at Waitaha a new branch was formed. The union is now thoroughly organised throughout the district, and is one of the strongest bodies on the Coast. The annual conference of the executive will be held at Greymouth at the end of tho month. For the four weeks ending April 25 the export of coal from Greymouth was 17,714 tons, the largest contributing mines being— State 7493 tons, Blackball 6513, and Paparoa 2296. r I he export of timber for the same period was 2,954,684 ft. Heavy trains have been leaving the district for Canterbury during the past week. On one day the traffic was well over 1000 tons, and the aggregate for the week is believed to be a record. The Canterbury Progress League's report, through its committee, on the South Island Main Trunk Tine has naturally evoked little sympathy and a "ood deal of criticism in this district. Considered, however, merely as part of a through railway system, without regard to the other purposes of a railway, there can be no denying the force of Ihe committee’s arguments. Cheaper construction, shorter distance, and a narrower ferry are facts that the most ardent advocate for their district will find it hard to counter. In common with the rest of the Dominion, this district is profoundly touched bv the death of the Prime Minister. Messages of condolence have been conveyed to Mrs Massey from various organisations, and from Grevmouth the Mayor, the member for the district, the chairmen of the Harbour Board and Chamber of Commerce, and tho Pro Grand Master of the New Zealand Grand Masonic Lodge will attend the funeral.