WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 34

WEST COAST NEWS.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) January 19. The New River dredge at Dunganville yielded 85oz. The dredge is now working on good payable ground, and the outlook for the new year is encouraging. A somewhat abortive attempt was made during the week at Westport to revive interest in gold prospecting in the Buller and Murchison districts. A prospector of some experience brought before a meeting presided over by the president of the School of Mines a scheme for the formation of a syndicate for gold prospecting. He was very optimistic in his opinions respecting the mineral wealth of the Buller district, but received little encouragement from the meeting. „ It was finally decided that the promoter should make a canvass of business people for support for his project, and apply to the Government for a prospecting subsidy. ITEMS.

The arrangement for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York are well in hand in each centre. The Royal visitors stay a night in Westport and two hours at Reefton. The arrangements have been altered so as to allow them to travel from Greymouth to Hokitika via Kumara by motor instead of direct by train. This will make it a much more interesting trip, as the road pass thi-ugh some of the scenes of the romantic days of the early gold digging. An elaborate programme has been drawn up for the Hokitika celebrations. It’includes entertainment for a large number of school children from the southern districts, for the conveyance of whom by motor where there is no railway the Government has voted a generous grant. The ballot for the election of the officials of the Denniston Miners’ Union aroused considerable interest, and there was some keen competition. Mr W. Coppersmith was elected president by a majority of only eight votes, and Mr Hayes secretary by a majority of 27. The Grevmouth Telephone Exchange is at present undergoing alterations prior to the erection of the new switchboard, which has been in contemplation for a long time, and is now due from Wellington. Increased accommodation is needed at the Greymouth Post Office, and the matter is under consideration by the Minister of Public Works. The building trade at Greymouth continues brisk. Contractors during 1926 enjoyed what was almost a boon in residential buildings, and the prospects for its continuance this year are bright. The Government is contemplating the erection of a number of houses oil the Karoro road, and the general activity is attracting the attention of contractors from Christchurch. .. At a meeting of directors of the Brunner Colliery (Ltd.) the former resolution to increase the capital from £30,000 to £lOO,OOO was confirmed. The consulting engineer and a representative of the directorate from Auckland paid a tribute to the work of unwatering the mine and the development that had been done. It was decided to continue this development, in the hope of soon producing coal. A visit was paid to the Wallsend mine, where general and satisfactory progress is . being made. The weather conditions throughout the district are still very uncertain and unseasonable. After a brief spell of fine weather, rain and cold have been again general. At Greymouth in 24 hours there was a rainfall of 120 points. At Reefton

there was a slight fall of snow, and at Arthur’s Pass a steady fall for several hours. The district has become so accustomed to rain that even a short space of fine weather causes inconvenience. At Reefton householders and gardeners were beginning to suffer before the last rain, and some of the sawmills liave been obliged to convey water long distances so as to obviate the necessity for a long - haulage of logs. This was due to the up of small streams which had been depended on for water for the mills. Notwithstanding the activity in housebuilding in some parts, the sawmills of the district are still doing very little. In the Inangahua district the industry has become so stagnant that there is talk of an amalgamation of the various interests. South Westland is again providing a good number of fat lambs this season for the Canterbury market. A consignment of 10 trucks (part of a lot of 50 trucks) was sent to Addington during the week. One Canterbury firm has secured a line of 3000 lambs from the Mataroa district, which will be brought by motor lorry to the railhead at Ross. The Taylorville School Committee has reached the limit of its patience in refer-’’’ ence to necessary repairs to the schooj. Three years ago the Education Board, promised to have the repairs attended to at once, and since then representations have again been made without result. The committee has therefore decided chafe', unless the repairs are begun by February 1 the members will on that date resign their office.

Visitors by motor still continue to arrive in the district, and the South Westland trip maintains its popularity. Another bridge on this route has been completed, and a second will be finished this month. Three others are on the list for erection during this year, Though the holiday season is past the trains to and from Canterbury continue to carry heavy contingents. While hitherto cars were conveyed usually by train between Springfield and Arthur’s Pass, they have been recently undertaking that section under their own power. Amongst recent’ visitors has been a noted 'Continental botanist, who made various excursions in the neighbourhood qf Arthur’s Pass, en route to Westport and Hokitika. One of the romantic incidents of the trip through the Buller Gorge—viz., the ferry across the river in the Nine Mile punt—has been eliminated by the advance of modern methods. The historic structure is, However, not to relapse into an old age of uselessness, as it will be floated down the river and utilised in connection with the proposed harbour works. Unemployment has been rife since the Christmas holidays. The Dobson disaster and the slackness of the timber trade are partly responsible for this condition. Some of the Dobson miners who had been provided with temporary employment have now gone to Huntly. The local coal mines are fully staffed, and work, especially for unskilled men, is hard to find. The goods traffic through the Otira tunnel during the week amounted to 6245 tons. The Dobson Relief • Fund has nowreached £1165.