WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 34

WEST COAST NEWS.

(From Ocb Own Cobbbbpondbnt.) July 7. An outcrop of coal haa recently been discovered on private property at Kaiata, about three miles out from Greymouth in the Dobson direction. It is of good household quality and the little development work that has been done has revealed a fair-sized seam a few feet below the surface. Several coal seams were discovered in this neighbourhood in earlier years, but no attempt was * then made to turn them to commercial use. The Under Secretary for Mines and a member of the Government railway engineering staff visited the State mines during the week for the purpose of making inquiries regarding coal supplies suitable for the railways. Their report is understood to have been satisfactory as to the suitability of this coal in quantities sufficient to meet all demands of the Railway Department. The 192 horse-power Rees Roturbo pump recently imported for the Wallsend mine is being placed on a temporary foundation in the air shaft 640 feet below the surface. It will pump the water at the rate of 700 gallons per minute and as soon as it has been sufficiently lowered to free the air passage between the main haulage and the air shafts repairs to the mine and shaft will' be continued. The permanent foundations for the pumping and ventilation installations are expected to be finished within the next three months, when coal production will be resumed. GOLD. The newly erected dredge belonging to the New River Dredging Company began its work at Dunganville during the week. It is the second largest dredge in New Zealand. The pontoons are built of hardwood and kauri. Twenty-three men are at present employed. Several of the directors of the company have been down from Auckland during the week to see the beginning of the dredge’s work, and the expectations of the company promoters are high, as the ground has been thoroughly prospected and found to contain payable gold. A largely attended meeting, presided over by the County Chairman, was held at Reefton during the week, when & resolution was carried urging the Government to construct a road to the Alexander reef via Stevenson’s Flat. The success of the Alexander mine is past the problematical stage and of the two road routes suggested the Stevenson’s Flat proposal is locally considered preferable to that by Snowy Creek, which would traverse swampy country and be expensive to maintain: GREY POWER BOARD. At a special meeting of the Grey Powei; Board the financial report showed that the board was pretty close hauled. If the proposed programme for reticulation work is carried out there will be a deficiency of over £IOOO. The meeting after full consideration decided to carry out its proposals, and means will have to be adopted to raise more money. Any proposal to strike a rate will be strongly opposed in the country districts, where the feeling is that the board has been inconsiderate of their requirements, and has not fulfilled its promises. The mains superintendent has resigned his position. The chairman of the board, accompanied by the secretary and engineer, will attend the Power Boards’ Conference in Wellington on July 20. Excavation work has been commenced for the foundations of the power generating station at Blackball. The station will be similar to that at Dobson. It is expected to be completed in six months, so that power will be available when the mine resumes work after the Christmas vacation. ITEMS. The- long-projected swimming baths at Greymouth are likely soon to materialise. A site has been selected near to the Children’s Park and the main school. The estimated cost is £2500, of which the committee has in hand £2IOO. Twenty-eight steamers and one sailing vessel entered the port of Greymouth during the month of June. The total tonnage was 15,389. The Minister of Mines is calling for tenders, to close on July 21, for the disposal of the Kumar a water race. The Westland Power Board will meet in the interim to consider a proposal to take it over for the generation of electric power. The Buller County Council has received word that the Main Highways Board will recommend the Minister of Public Works to declare the Loopline road a main highway. This road crosses the Buller River at Westport, and joins the present main road beyond the punt ferry, some seven miles out from the town. Traffic via the ferry will be continued until the Loopline road is put in thorough order. Sister Shine, who for over five years has been matron-in-charge of the Rewa Maternity Home at Greymouth, has been obliged to resign her position on account of ill-health. She was tendered a farewell social by the Grey branch of the Plunket Society. She was presented, on behalf of the society, the medical profession, and Greymouth mothers, with a wallet of notes. Glowing tribute was paid to her excellent qualities as a nurse. _ A notable feature of the valedictory function wag the presence of about 100 babies who first saw the light at the Rewa Home. A new scenic route is shortly to be investigated from Okuru, in South Westland, to Lakes Wakatipu and Te Anau. At a meeting of the Westland Acclimatisation Society Mr G. H. Blank was elected president. Dr Teichelmann, the retiring president, was unable to continue the office on account of hig projected' trip to America. Reference was made to illicit opossum-taking and the spreading of poison in the bush. It was stated that in consequence of these practices there would probably have to be a close season for two years. At a meeting of the West Coast Farmers’ Union reference was made to the serious effect on winter feed caused by the ravages of deer in the Arahura-district. The conservator of forests and the member for Buller intimated that they would support a request for the removal of the protection of deer in Westland.

In reply to repeated requests for the provision of a train from Kumara to Greymouth for the convenience of school children the Minister of Railways has stated that such a train would cost £BOO per year, and would not give payable traffic. He offers, however, to run such a train if the Education Department will contribute £350 towards the cost. This offer the Education Department is not able to accept. Dr Telford has been visiting the district arranging for necessary precautions in view of a possible epidemic of influenza. So far. the epidemic is not serious, though there are a number of cases amongst school children.