THE WEST COAST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3831, 16 August 1927, Page 34

THE WEST COAST.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) August 10. Important developments are pending in relation to the development of the James State mine and the modernising of the working plant. A visit to the mine was paid during the week by the Under-secre-tary of Mines, and in consultation with tlie superintendent and secretary of the State mines, and the, engineer of the Grey Power Board the question of electrifying the mine was considered. The question as to whether the Mines Department should supply its own generating plant or link up with the Power Board supply was left open for the present. The question of introducing the most modern appliances for hewing the coal was also discussed. Members of the co-operative party working at Rewanui were also met by the Under-secretary, and several matters of importance to them arranged. A fire which broke out recently in the old workings of the Reddale colliery at Burke’s Creek, near Reef ton. has been got under control. No marketable coal has been destroyed.

Good progress continues to be made with the development of the Cascade mine, in the Buller Gorge. Nearly 20 men are working on a seam of coal 20ft thick, and the output of coal lias reached 70 tons per day.

The State mine was idle one day during the past week. WESTLAND ACCLI MAT ISATTON SOCIETY.

Considerable activity was indicated at the last meeting of the Westland Acclimatisation Society. Its request for improvement to the Ilaast Pass track ami Burke hut has been ‘avourably recommended by the Tourist Department tn the Public Works Department. The forest service has recommended the introduction of opossums to South Westland, and the society has asked the member for the district to urge the proposal in Parliament. A suggestion of the Otago Society that the Westland deer-stalking season be in April was not entertained, as the date is too late for the high country, and English stalkers have been advised that it will open in March. An offer by the Otago Society of 10,000 brown trout fry fo liberation in the Haast River was thankfully accepted, and arrangements made for their, distribution. The society has made a grant of £75 towards the Dorothy Falls road, and £l5 towards the Progress League’s advertising scheme.

JOTTINGS. The new valuations for the borough of Greyniouth show the capital value of properties to be £943,850, and the unimproved value £268,178. These figures represent an increase of £21,150 over the previous year’s in the capital value, while the unimproved value remains practically the same. A great improvement has lately been made in* the conditions of travel on the Main South road by the erection of bridges. The Westland County Council has erected three bridges, the latest being that over Granite Creek, near Ferguson’s, which is about to be opened for traffic. The Government is building a bridge over Dry Creek, which will be completed during the spring. These structures practically complete the negotiation' of the more difficult streams on the motor run as far as Mount Hercules, so that the tourist traffic of the approaching season will be under decidedly improved conditions.

After a month’s work on the GreymouthWcstport coast road the contractor has made good progress under difficult conditions of transport of material and equipment. The advance should now be more rapid, and the contractor is confident that the work will be completed within contract time, which was eight months. At a special meeting of the Greyniouth Borough Council held during the week it was decided to increase the Hospital levy by three-eighths of a penny to meet the levy, which is a serious tax on the councils resources, being about one-third of its income, or between £4OOO and £5OOO. Repairs to the Blackball bridge are now- sufficiently advanced to permit ordinary traffic to be resumed. The railway station at Doi ison has been shifted, and the lines in the yard have been rearranged to meet additional requirements of the mine. Considerable railway activity is going on at Elmer Lane, a mile out from the Greyniouth station, where a new engine round-house is being built. A coal elevator, 50ft high, with a capacity of 200 tons, is also to be erected, whence coal will be fed to the engines. \\ hi le blasting operations were taking place recently in connection with the Coast road contract an auriferous lead was discovered. Unfortunate! v there is no water in the vicinity for sluicing, so that probably development will not at present be possible.

The Public Works Department has been recently constructing a section of road between Spring Junction and Station Creek. The completion of this road will give through communication between Reefton and Murchison, via Marcia Springs, a rout that will be interesting from the tourists’ point of view and that will open up a large tract of agricultural country.

Mrs Coulson, wife of Mr H. M. Coulson, a prominent business man of Hokitika and a member of several local bodies, died during the week. Mr Coulson is absent in London, and cables of condolence have been sent him by the member for the district, the mayor, the chairman of the County Council, and the Hon. H. L. Michel. At the funeral the Girl Guides paraded in full strength, and a number of wreaths were sent from Christchurch. The Minister of Public Works has intimated that for the relief of unemployment 20 men will be placed on road work extending the Lake Kanieri road from Haus Bay towards Dorothy Falls. Heavy snow has fallen on the ranges during the past week. The excursionists on the week-end trip from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass and Otira found ISin on some parts of the gorge. The Reefton Progress League has requested the Minister <?f Mines to try to secure the adoption of some measure whereby the carrying on of gold mining, especially quartz mining, may be facilitated. Its suggestion is that there be either a direct subsidy of £1 for £1 on expenditure, or a subsidy up to 30s per ounce on gold won where the yield does

not exceed half an ounce per ton, or sufficient to yield £2 per ton. The Westland Dairy Company has received an offer of Is 5d for all butter up to the end of November. Of the 10 finalists in the Dominion screen star contests, at a crowded gathering in the Opera House Miss Dale Austen was voted first place, with Miss Vera Hodge second.