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West Coast Times, 18 March 1910, Page 2

The Rev. H. Ranston will conduct services in the Methodist Church at Ross on Sunday next.' All accounts against the First Westland Rifles must be sent in by the 31st inst.

A return just published shows that tho number of estates in the Dominion the capital value of which is over £50,000, is 240.

In this issue Messrs J. Toomcy (Hokitika) and T. Kennedy (Kumara) return thanks to tho ratepayers for electing them as members of the Westland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

Tenders to be addressed to the Public Works Office, Greymouth, will be received up to noon of Thursday, 31st Marcli, 1910, for the erection of a police gaol at Greymouth. For particulars sec advertisement in. this issue.

A match will be fired on the Kanieri Range on Saturday, the 19th inst., between teams picked on the ground by the Captain and Lieutenant, firing to commence at 2 o’clock. All who can be present are requested to attend.

Hockey players are reminded of the annual meeting of the Hokitika Hockey Chib to be held at 8 o’clock this evening in the Aquatic Club rooms. The annual report and balance sheet will be presented, and business of a general nature will be presented.

The police arc still searching the beach for the bodies of tbe victims of the Greymouth launch fatality. The Greymouth police are watching the beach north and south of Greymouih, while the Hokitika police are patrolling between tbe Teremakau and Totara rivers.

Mr Wchley, scnr., of the well-known firm of Wehley Sons and (Jol'ton, piano and organ tuners, repairers and importers, is now in Hokitika, and will take the earliest opportunity of calling on clients. Address: lied Lion Hotel, —Advt.

At the Athletic Championship meeting at Grey mouth yesterday, the Highland Fling contest was won by Alice Woolhouso, of Hokitika, 22 dancers competing. This entitles the winner (for her very creditable performance) to a gold medal and the championship ol the West Coast. Mr Ronald McGregor, who train-d the successful conipeti'or is des>n;ng of a tiihute of praise for the success that attended the efforts of his pupil.

At noon yesterday tho Stafford-Wai-mea dredge could he heard blowing its whistle very loudly. The reason of which was that a log had struck one of the pontoons and caused a hole of small size to be torn in the planking of the dredge. A number of dredge hands at once plugged up the hole temporary and in doing so had to wade in the water up to their necks, but luckily nothing of a serious nature interfered with the dredge.

No one can accuse Mr Patou of sameness. His address last night was as different as could he from the previous speeches, both in, matter and delivery. Part of it was devoted to a strong protest against the narrowness that would exalt some one particular church and limit salvation to its members. Miss Shand sang a solo, and the choir, conducted by Mr Perry, gave able help. Mr Paton speaks again tonight. On Sunday afternoon he will speak to men on the purity question.

The following is the Rev. D. C. Rates’ summary and weather forecast;— Cloudy and unsettled weather has pass.ed at times in all parts of the country, with showery weather on tho East Coast and southern districts of tho South Island. Present indications are for a rising barometer, especially in the south; strong southerly winds are probable generally, and especially about the East Cape, where tho conditions are rather ominous. Rain is probable on the East Coast, and cool and misty weather elsewhere at times.

It is hardly necessary that we should remind the public of the Irish National Concert to he held this evening in the Princess Theatre, Hokitika.. A very interesting programme has been arranged and all the leading amateurs of the district are giving their services. There is a peculiar charm about Irish music and song that appeals to all To-night Ireland’s swfcetest melodies will be sung and played, and patrons may rest assured that they will enjoy the entertainment. The proceeds of the concert are to be devoted to a very worthy object—the upkeep of the Hokitika Catholic Schools.

Nominations for all events at the Easter meeting of the Westland Racing Club close at the Post Office Hotel this evening at . 9 o’clock, The committee of the club meet at that hour to receive nominations and, to make general arrangments for the forthcoming meeting. The sale of rights in connection with the gathering takes place at the Princess Theatre to-morrow afternoon at 3 o’clock. From all appearances the race meeting will attract largo entries and the gathering should prove an unusually successful one:

Speaking of St. Patrick’s' College, Wellington, the editor of the “Triad” says:—“ Many of our most valuable citizens to-day were boys at St. Patrick’s College a few years ago. We have good schools and colleges enough, but it is the thoroughness and humanity, the clarified comraonsense, of the St. Patrick’s College system that commends it. The teaching fathers touch the life of the boys at every point. The Rector is not a figure in the mist, an unapproachable personage, as are the headmasters of so many of our great English schools; he is, instead, the personal friend .of every hoy in his charge.

Yesterday his Excellency the Governor and the Hon Mr Fowlds, accompanied by the Hospital Trustees, paid a visit to tb.e Westland Hospital, the President of the Trustees Mr Tourney, escorting the Governor round the building, His Excellency expressed himself much pleased with the neatness of the institution and the provision made for the care am] comfort of the inmates Opportunity was taken to point out to Hon Mr Eowlds how necessary it was that the institution should have added to it a new wing, and probably now the Minister has personally inspected the structure, he may give the matter more favourable consideration.

His Excellency the Governor and party arrived at Stafford at half-past eleven yesterday morning by landau, accompanied by Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., and members of the Westland County Council. They were met by a large number of townspeople and the school children, who heartily cheered phe Governor upon his arrival. Mr Sandle, in a few well chosen words, extended a hearty welcome to his Excellency upon his visit to the district, and sincerely regretted his departure from the Dominion. After his Excellency briefly replied a move was made towards Kumara (where Lord Plunket was entertained at a social last night), a halt being made at Goldsborough, wile re his Excellency was prosent/ed with an address of welcome and also entertained at Hanrahan’s Hotel by the people of that town.

At the .annual meeting of the New Zealand Athletie Union, held in Greymouth yesterday, Mr Perkins (dreymouth) moved “That the Union take over the control of cycling races in the Dominion. The mover raised the question of the inconvenience that had keen caused to athletic bodies by the cycling races being under a different control. He instanced several cases an which these matters had occurred. Mr Perkins said it was evident that there was no confidence in the League of Wheelmen and it seemed as if it would be a case of New Zealand against the North Canterbury Centre of the League. He instaucVd the trouble the Hibernian Society had with a competitor and the delay that had taken place in answering their correspondence. As regards the West Coast all the clubs would be in a position to support a good meeting in Grey mouth. The question was then put to the vote and was carried by L’4 votes and proxies to 4 the dissenters present being Messrs Duncan, Corcoran and Parrott. On the motion of Mr Perkins it was decided that the Union take control of cycling from July 31st.

Mr Phillips, tuner and representative for the Dresden Company, Ltd., has arrived in Hokitika and is prepared to receive orders.—Advt.

There is displayed in the case for Iresh exhibits at Canterbury Museum part of a very interesting collection of rocks presented by Hr Hell, of the Geological Survey. The collection is composed mostly ol specimens from tho West Coast, and amongst them are serpentine, asbestos, and other locks. On® o) the specimens is auriferous quartz, containing mixed sulphide, with an appreciable quantity of silver and copper. It was obtained irom the main Rangitoto reel. There are also specimens of quartz from tho Wilherforce reef at tho head of tho Rakaia. In the case there is also a large sample of very fine coal from Para para, a collection of rocks from New South Wales, and fossils sent out from Scotland by Mr R. Dunlop, who visited New Zealand some time ago. Amongst other specimens there is a striated surface of rock obtained from Hogan’s Road, Wakatipu.

r lwo wharf workers were concerned in a somewhat unusual case at Welling to.i on Monday, in which Jas. Hooper (Mr Hindmarsh) proceeded against Joseph Thomas (Mr P W. Jackson) on a charge of having, on March 3, on Wellington wharf, used insulting words: “hullo, Amy; Amy Rock—hullo, Amy Rock,” with intent to provoke a breach ol the peace. Hooper stated that delendant had been in tho habit of calling out, “Hello, Amy Rock, hullo Amy,” whenever witness passed him. He had asked defendant to desist, but defendant took no notice, and witness now sought the protection of the court. He believed that Amy Rock was a criminal and he objected to being called after any criminal in New Zealand. Defendant denied having called plaintiff “Amy Rock.” It was a common thing on the wharf for a man to say to another “Amy Rook could do bettor than that,” the implied meaning being the reverse of complimentary. His Worship, who listened patiently to the evidence, held that defendant must be convicted. The words, as used, were insulting. Persons working on the whari were not, as a rule, thin-skinned and they could stand a good deal of chaff. It might not be an offence to call a person “Amy Rock” once, but persistence in so calling would make it insulting. Defendant would bo fined 20s and costs 40s, in default seven days’ imprisonment. On the subject of the fine imposed upon a street preacher in Christchurch, the Lyttelton Times obeserves;—There may be degrees in the amount of obstruction that is caused in the Square by different organisations ,but there

is no doubt tha the Salvation Army,

the Socialist orators, and the Prohibition Party, to select three of a number of regular contributors to open air demonstrations, are at least as guilty as the scapegoat that has been selected for punishment. A test case, to be of any value, should be brought against the strongest possible organisation and against the party who seems most likely to go to a higher tribunal for an ultimato decision. To lay a charge against a travelling missionary, whose worldly equipment consisted mainly of enthusiasm for his “message,” and whose behaviour had been entirely courteous and respectful towards authority was the height of misplaced officialism. There was no chance of this particular offender settling the val idity of the Council's by-law by appeal ,and after his punishment the authorities are simply where they were before.

There is a serious dearth of female labour in Victoria. Hundreds of housewives are dailywringing their hands in despair at the fact, but, after all, with them it is only inconvenience that follows. In the factories business suffers. The managers pen tempting advertisements, and walk hopefully to tlie works next morning. They are all having the same experience—not a single response. The reason for this dearth is that the number of factories in Victoria have increased at a remarkable rate in recent years, and this summer they have been working at high pressure. In 1898 there were 16,410 females employed in factories. Last year the number bad grown to 31,736, an increase of nearly 100 per cent. The growth of factories seems to have outstepped the increase in the female labour market. Another reason can be given for the dearth. Twelve montht ago Parliament decreed that no girl under 15 years of age should be allowed in a factory. Straightaway 1000 girls between 13 and 15 years of age, had to leave their benches. It is noteworthy that girls are not displacing men in the factories. That is taking place in clerical work, with which the present dearth has nothing whatever to do.