GREYMOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 25, 15 October 1886, Page 11

GREYMOUTH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

September 28. 1886. The services of an excellent officer and worthy citizen have been at length recognised by the authorities, and Sergeant Moller, of Hokitika has been promoted to the rank of first-class sergeant. The unanimous wish of his numerous friends is that he may long live to enjoy his promotion. The Rev. Father Walsh, of Kumara, whose health has been failing for a long time past, has left the West Coast, on a visit to the Old Country in order to regain, if that is possible, his former vigour.

The Rev. Father Brown, also of Kumara, has been transferred to Timaru. Before their departure, both these rev. gentlemen were the recipients of very affectionate farewell addresses, and very substantial testimonials from their parishioners.

The charge of the Kumara parish has been committed to the Eev. Father McManus. On the 18th inst., the Koranui took away the Rev. Father Martin, of Hokitika, who has long been a martyr to rheumatism, and who has departed for Sydney to try the effect of a more genial climate on his malady. No man in Greymouth has displayed more energy or has given more time aud attention to remedy the mistake committed by former members of the Borough Council in not providing a suitable recreation ground for the citizens than has Councillor Sheedy. In the Council and out of it he has constantly and forcibly advocated the necessity that exists for a recreation ground, and had his fellow councillors lent him reasonable assistance his object in this direction would have been long ago attained. There is hardly any accounting for the culpable negligence of our public men in this matter. For instance, at the last meeting of the Borough Council, Cr. Sheedy, having evidently directed the Mayor's attention to the subject on a previous occasion, asked him to explain the action he had taken to acquire a piece of ground commonly known as Wolfe's Paddock, for a recreation ground, and to the intense surprise and disgust of the questioner, the Mayor replied that the land had become the property of a private company, and thus an excellent chance of securing what is so Very essential has been lost, and Mr. Sheedy's efforts have in a manner been so far thwarted. But he is not the man to let the question drop, and no doubt success will finally crown his efforts, I learn that the Defence Minister has refused to contribute anything towards the cost of holding a review of the West Coast Volunteers at Greymouth on the 9th of November next, although the amount asked for does not exceed four shillings per head. Formerly no objection was raised to this modest request, but for some reason unknown, the West Coasters appear to have fallen into disfavour with the Government. Whilst assistance is refused our men, it is readily given for similar purposes in other districts of the Colony. It cannot for a moment be denied that field exercise by several companies together is not only advantageous, but even indispensable to the thorough training of Volunteers, and, moreover, the value of that spirit of emulation among the several companies which such meetings would incite cannot be over-estimated.

It is reported, too, that the services of the Brunnerton Rifle Volunteers have not been accepted. This is the more inexplicable when one reads, at the same time, that the services — whatever that means — of a cadet corps at Kaiapoi have been deemed worthy of recognition.

The Greymouth sub-lessees have formed what they style " a Protection Association."

At a meeting of the Westland Law Society held in the Supreme Court Library, Hokitika, on Monday, the 13th inst., Mr. Guinness moved that sittings of the Supreme Court be held henceforth in Greymouth, as well as in Hokitika. The motion was, however, lost by the casting vote of the chairman. The mover of this resolution must have been weH aware of the opposition it would meet with from the Hokitika lawyers, whose voting power was equal to that of Greymouth, with the advantage of the casting vote, and I think if he meant business he ought to have let the sub] eel alone until he could count on assistance from either Reefton or Westport. Of course, Hokitika generally is indignant at such an attempt, but Hokitika loses sight of the fact that Greymouth is the most central town on the Coast, and that the business done there exceeds that done in all the other West Coast towns put together, so that the day must come sooner or later when Supreme Court sittings must be held in Greymouth, and when it will be made the official, as it is now the commercial, capital of Westland.

The ingenious devices sometimes resorted to by madmen, for those who attempt to take their own lives must be classed aa such, almost strikes one with wonder and' amazement. A shoemaker, named Walker, who resided in Maori Creek, having resolved on suicide, left the beaten tracks of strychnine, prussic acid, rough-on-rats, ct hoc genus oinne, and struck out in a direction hitherto entirely unexplored. Placing a charge of dynamite in a delf jar underneath a chair, he seated himself thereon and fired the charge. The force of the explosion took effect in a downward direction, and did not cause immediate death, but his legs were horribly lacerated by the fragments of delf and presented a most appalling sight. Finding the dynamite scheme a failure, he crawled to his bed, seized a knife previously deposited there, and with it gashed his throat, and also inflicted sevqsi deep wounds on his breast. la

t ■* at ? he waß foa °d fod conveyed to the Grey River hospital, Jr,?nL,? c *T ?x? x P lred -- A °2,th 8 r suicide is reported from Brunnerton. A miner named Treasure walked deliberately into Auu v*>-,- c back of hlB cotta g fi » and immediately disappeared. Although diligent search has been made, the body has not yet been recovered Both Walker and Treasure are said to have been very hard-working, inoffensive men, widely known and highly esteemed. (I have heard that Walker, who belonged to the Established Church never was known to refuse a subscription to any charitable object.) Unfortunately for themselves, they at times indulged too freely in drink, and to this failing is due the aad termination of their livea. . A y°"^g lady named Taylor, residing near Lake Brunner, lost her life suddenly this week. She left her parents' house to search for cattle, and not returning at a seasonable hour, a search was inBtituted, with the result that her body was discovered in a creek From the evidence given at the inquest, it appears she attempted to cross a stream which was in flood at the time, and getting swept off the ford, she was unable to regain it, and was drowned. Yet another fatal accident to record. A man named Davie supposed to be but a short time ia the Colony, fell off the wharf on Monday night, the 27th inst., and was drowned. His body was found this mormng lying on the shingle close to the river in front of Hungerford and McKay's work shop. Two more accidents, both of which nearly proved fatal took place lately close to Brunnerton, the one to Mr. Fraser, the other to a youth named Thos. O'Brien. Fraser was piloting a raft down the river when, at the Falls above Brunnerton, the raft got submerged and Fraser was swept info the current. Were it not for the prompt action of Mr. C. Curtis, who noticed the mishap and sprang boldly into the river to the rescue of Fraser, whom he brought safely to land, there would be one more added to the long list of fatal accidents during the past few iays.—The youth O'Brien was driving a dray along the public road, when, in some unaccountable way, he fell from his seat and one of the wheels passed over his thigh. Fortunately, with the exception of a severe crushing, he sustained no injury, and he is now fast recovering. Owing to the serious damage caused to coal through breakage after it leaves the mine, damage estimated at an average of one shilling per ton, the Greymouth Harbour Board offered a premium , some time ago, for the best invention for preventing the loss referred to. Mr. Brinble, a local tinsmith has succeeded, inventing what is probably the best coa! snoot yet seen or devised in the Colony. It not only reduces the breakage to a minimum, but also trims the coals. The invention consists of a square shaped hopper suspended by chains to any convenient place over the vessel's hold. At the bottom of the hopper, is a short, round shoot, and the main shoot is attached to this in such a way that it can be turned round in any direction and at any angle. The body of the shoot is constructed on the telescopic principle, and is capable of being lengthened or shortened at pleasure in a few seconds. The extreme end of theßhoot has a fan-shaped contrivance for spreading the coals in the hold. Coals cm be run into the body of the shoot from any species of railway-truck, cart, or other receptacle, either from a side of a wharf, staith, or a coal hopper lifted and suspended over the vessel's hold. The coals passing down the hopper glide into the shoot, which delivers them wherever required. The discharge of coals can be directed to any part of the ship, and by a slight alteration to the end of the shoot, it can be applied to fill bunkers in almost any part of the vessel. Such an invention i? of great importance to a coal producing district, and it is claimed for it that a saving of nearly a shilling per ton will be effected by its use. Mr. Martin Kennedy, proprietor of the Brunner Coal Mine, has been absent in Sydney some weeks, for the purpose of procuring additional steamers for his coal trade. A good article requires no puffing, and will force itself into prominence through its own inherent values.

The Mayor read a letter from the Under-Secretary for the Colony, at the last meeting of the Borough Council. The letter stated that in order to mark the general appreciation entertained for the efforts of the Prince of Wales (not of whalea— Captain Jackson Barry claims that proud distinction) in his connection with the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, it was proposed to present him with a testimonial, and concluded by asking the Mayor to put the matter before the public, with a view to co-oporation. The amount of a subscription must not exceed two guineas.