WEST COAST NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18958, 2 January 1930, Page 16

WEST COAST NEWS.

WEATHER FOR PAST YEAR. I (Special to the “Star.” GREYMOUTII, December 31. ' To many West Coasters the year ending to-day has seemed to be "one of almost continuous rainfall, but although the total fall is well up to the West Coast average, it is actually only about five inches greater than in 1928. The total for 1929, exclusive of the rainfall for the twenty-four hours ending at 9 a.m. to-morrow, is 94.1 Sin, compared with 89.46 in last year. Individual falls were, however, heavier this year, the total being recorded on 184 days, compared with 203 days in 1928. During 1929 rain fell more or less on just over half of the 365 days in the year. The greatest monthly fall this year was 14.52 in in November, with March 13.04 in and December 12.82 in running it close. The heaviest fall for any one period of twent}---four hours during 1929 was 3.50 in on March 6. The maximum fall this month was l.OOin on December 5. The variability of the West Coast climate is instanced by the fact that ■whereas April, 1928, was the wettest month last year with 14.24 in of rain on twenty-six days, April, 1925, was the driest month this year with only 2.Slin on eight days. Details of the rainfall during 1929 are as follow: January G.B4in on eighteen days; February s.3Sin on fifteen days; March 13.04 in on seventeen days; April 2.81 in on eight days; May 3.98 in on eight days; June 9.77 in on twenty days; July 7.20 in on thirteen days; August 5.29 in on twelve days; September 6.10 in on twenty-one days; October 6.38 m on eleven days; November 14.52 in on nineteen days; December 12.82 in on twenty-two days; total 94.18 in on 184 days (exclusive of to-day). CAR CRASHES INTO FENCE. An accident occurred last night

I when a car driven by Mr L. Stevenson, of Hokitika, ran off the road ap ! preaching M’Grath’s Crossing at South ■ Beach, when proceeding to Hokitika | and crashed into a fence. Mr StevenI son had an arm broken and sustain- | ed other injuries. The other occupants j of the car, including three ladies, esi caped with a severe shaking. but I were able to proceed to Hokitika. j MOTORS IN COLLISION. \ A collision occurred yesterday afteri noon on the Omoto Road between a j car driven by Mr Herbert Stratford ; and a service car driven by Mr HerJ bert Bradley. The service car was I proceeding to Westport and the private car to Greymouth when both rounded a sharp bend and collided head on. The car driven by Mr Stratford was badly damaged, the right front wheel, the front spring and lamps and the steering gear being smashed. The car had to be towed to Greymouth. The service car proceeded to Westport. The drivers and the occupants of the cars were uninjured. BANKRUPTCIES DURING YEAR. So far as bankruptcies were concerned the Grey district this year was in the same position as in the previous year, the number of failures being six. The least prosperous year during the past decade was 1925, when ten bankruptcies occurred. Detailed figures for recent years are as follow:—1921, 2; 1922, 4 , '1923, 2; 1924, 3; 1925, 10; 1926, 6; 1927, 8; 1928, 6; 1929, 6. REVALUATION OF BOROUGH. The revaluation of the borough of Greymouth is now being carried out by Mr A. Naylor, who was appointed for the purpose by the Greymouth Borough Council. The revaluation is to be completed before January 15, and any objections must be lodged before February 15. WEDDING. The marriage of Mr Hugh Ramsay Reid to Miss Mary Ellen Anderson was celebrated at St Patrick’s Church this

morning. The Rev Father Long performed the ceremony and also celebrated nuptial Mass. The bride, who wore a beautiful frock of nut brown lace over georgette with a large hat of the same colour and carried an exquisite bouquet of autumn tinted carnations and roses and poppies, was escorted to the altar by Mr Alan Smith. She was attended by Miss Aggie Reid, sister of the bridegroom, and Miss Mary Martin, niece of the bridegroom. The bridesmaids’ dresses were of pale pink georgette, and they wore beautiful hats of the same shade. Their flowers were pink carnations and roses. Mr Emil J. Hall, of Timaru, was best man, and Mr William Reid was groomsman. The bride and bridegroom left on a motoring tour of the South Island, the bride wearing a blue crepe marocain frock with a large black hat and a black georgette coat. PERSONAL. Mr A. K. Williams, of the Public Works Department, Greymouth. ha:been transferred to Wellington. Miss Alice Hannan arrived yesterday on a visit to her sister, Mrs W. P M’Carthy. Mr and Mrs 11. S. Nightingale left today for Christchurch and Ashburton. Mrs Pearson, of Kumara, left to-day on a holiday visit to Invercargill and Stewart Island. Mr W. Gaulter, of Cobden, an employee at Ogilvie and Co.’s mill at Gladstone, who sustained a fractured skull by being struck by the limb of a tree, is progressing satisfactorily at the Grey Hospital. HOKITIKA. STEADY DEVELOPMENT IN PAST YEAR. (Special to the “ Star.’’) HOKITIKA, December 31. I The year ended to-day with rathen wet weather. The rainfall for the year* has been substantial, and though it will£ be in the region of 100 inches it will be below the average. The storm and! flood damage for the has beerf. much below the average. The bright* sunshine recorded for the year was over 2000 hours, and but for the weather of the past two months much more satisfactory record would'] have been made. The year has been a prosperous one for the district, private enterprise manifesting itself in various directions. Kanieri Electric. Ltd., and Westland Electric, Ltd., both contemplate considerable development in the new year. The Rimu dredge is also to be enlarged to cope with the deeper and richer ground which is known to exist on the lower Rimu Flat. Gold dredging will also be commenced on the sea beaches. A large company centred in Auckland has acquired over 2000 acres of land on the Hokitika River and it is now being drained for flax milling on an extensive scale. A like enterprise by a Canterbury company is to be put in motion at Wataroa, South Westland. Stock and dairy produce has been showing a considerable increase of late due to the ample feed supplies, while the timber industry is rec 'ving a fillip as a result of an extension of the Australian trade. The general outlook is very promising and the prospects for Westland are considered as bright as j ever they were. The new year will see an agitation started for an extension of the railway beyond Ross to tap the forest wealth of South Westland and utilise the timber for export. It is hoped also to see a move for closer settlement in some of the dairying centres which are already well roaded and where large areas suitable for cutting up are available. SUCCESSFUL RACE MEETING. The stipendiary stewards’ report on the Westland Racing Club’s recent meeting stated that the meeting had been very successful in every way. The racing had been clean and well contested. The track was in good racing order, though soft, and all the officials had been very attentive to their duties. All the appointments were in good order. The Hon 11. L. Michel congratu- I lated the club on the meeting, which was the most successful one-day meeting held by the club. The programme for the two (lavs’ racing on April 2-'* and 24 was adopted. The stakes aggregate i'l2GO.