THE WEST COAST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 34

THE WEST COAST.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) July 20. The Canterbury’ farmers' excursion took place during the week. There were 321 passengers on the train, including 49 ladies. Elaborate preparations had been made for their entertainment. They were met at Hokitika by a large number of farmers, and taken next day to Kokatahi and Koeterangi and to Lake Kanieri. They’ inspected a herd of Hereford bullocks and a flock of prime sheep at the former settlements. They’ visited the Rimu dredge and the Westland Central Factory, and were entertained by Dr Teichehnann at a lantern lecture on Westland scenery. On the run to Kanieri an unprepared item was added to the programme by one of the cars catching fire. No serious damage, however, was done. The weather was fine, and the snow-covered Alps appearing at their best with an extra mantle of white. COAL INDUSTRY.

A report which has been circulated in the district to the effect that Newcastle coal is being landed in New Zealand ports at 3s per ton cheaper than West Coast coal can be supplied appears to be having a deleterious effect on the local trade. At Westport the almost unprecedented experience of the lapse of a whole week without the export of a single truck of coal has caused some disquietude. 'lhe Blackball mine has had broken time lately, and was idle on one day of the past week. Other mines in the Grey district are unaffected. At the I’aparoa mine efforts are being concentrated just now on driving through a iault, which will enable a new section of the field to be opened up. This work will occupy a few months, but in the meantime the mine is continuing work. The second of the brick barracks for housing the unmarried men employed by the Grey Collieries at Dobson is nearing completion. It will accommodate 24 men. The first of these barracks was built last year, and with the completion of the second one the single men will all be provided for. The Prime Minister has been invited to officially open the Cascade Creek section of the Buller Gorge railway at the end of this week. The opening of this line will enable coal to be railed from the Cascade Creek mine. The Mayor of Westport recently stated that 2.000.000 tons of coal were in sight at this mine, and beyond it are large slate deposits and timber areas, besides an estimate ot 70.000,000 tons of coal, all of which will be released by the Gorge railway when it is completed through to Inangahua Junction. JOTTINGS.

A shipment of prime sheep for butchering was received at Greymouth from the North Island during the week. This is an unusual occurrence nowadays. Up till 15 vears ago practically the whole of the meat consumed in the district norted but of late years it has men i o °allv produced in increasing quantity, until the district is now only sellsupporting, but even a consnlei able iPO r< tC S O rt 1 -?ffie t ’c-irried through the Otira ’’w.rf’lK.s been -1 Building, though it may be some before the work is undeitaken. Another small bridge has been comnleted on the Main South road and tw others will be finished m a week 01 two. This will afford a clear inn as • Mitiinui except at times ot unusually waS m ßoai h d their policy for the present to concentrate on the completion of bridges. . . The Minister ot Public MoiL- is in vestmating the river erosion menace at Waitau'd. where the safety ot a settler s homestead and a branch road arc tlneat-

Cn The Kumara water races will be taken over bv the Westland 1 ower. Ltd., at the beginning of next month Ihe electrical plant has been ordered Hom L land and should arrive in six months time'. Most of the staff who have been in care of the race will be retained by the company, and employed pending the arrival of the plant in preparatory uoik Power will probably be d ’ stM . pu through the reticulated area eaily m the Grevmouth Borough Councils proportion of the hospital levies tor tie ensuing year has been 1 y £1377 10s 2d, making its total levy £4836 0s 2d. The increase was severely criticised. and it was (minted out that the outstanding accounts due to the hospital amounted to £28,000. Ihe chairman of the Hospital Board, however, explained that the apparently excessive amount ot bad debts was due to the compulsory charge of full rates m every ease both for Hospital and Ohl Peoples Home patients, while in many eases payment of fees was not possible. A large proportion of the £28.000. which covered a period of five years, must necessarily be written off. Where payment is to be expected every eftort is made to sccuie it, and the board had during toe past five years sued for more accounts than any other local body. Messrs Stewart and Chapman s large sawmill at Ross, which lias had broken time over a long period on account of lack of orders, has resumed work. At the last meeting of the Grey l/ower Board it was reported that there' are now 1110 consumers of electric power, and the resumption of the Dobson consumption brings the tax close to the maximum capacity’. Provision will shortly have to be made for an extension of power. A special meeting is to be held in a few weeks to consider the financial position and to receive the reports respecting hydro-electric sources of supply. A return of exports from Greymouth for a month ending June 25 shows that 16,687 tons of coal had been exported and 2,869,084 ft of timber. The Blackball mine was the largest exporter of coal, with the State mines second.

Alterations are being made at the Otira Railway Station to provide better accommodation for the clerical staff.

Shipping at Westport has been very quiet for the past week mainly’ on account of the slackness in the coal output. Both the Millerton and the' Denniston mines have been idle for a good part of the week.

The little steamer Nile belonging to the Karamea Co-operative Dairy Company has been purchased by a p.ivate firm, and will be used to trade between Wellington and Pelorus Sound. The weather has been very’ cold, and a good deal of rain has fallen. The temperature Jias been as low as lOdeg below freezing point, which is quite exceptional for this district.