WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18229, 13 November 1924, Page 5

WEST COAST NOTES

STATE FARM.

(SPXCIAI* TO "THJS ?B«a«.")

GREYMOUTH, November 12,

Tl'lo Department of Agriculture'has let-a contract-for the erection'of a dairy and other buildings at the Waimaunga State Farm. . Mining Matters. For tho. third day in succession'there was no work at the State mines, which will be idle until shipping arrives. No time has- been lost at the James mine. Inangahua Band. • 1 The shortage of cornet players has virtually caused the dissolution of the Inangahua Band, which has been obliged to circularise other bands on the Coast with 'a view to obtaining; the services of sufficient instrumentalists for three days' racing at New Year. Traffic Control. • One of the measures decided upon by. tho Borough Council for increased efficiency in the control of street traffic is. the provision of a silent policeman at tile busiest intersection in the.town, that of Tainui and Mackay streets. This will be placed in position within a | few:-days. I Progress League.

Mr I. Patterson presided at the annual meeting of the Reefton Progress L< of officers resulted as. follows: —President, Mr I. Patteison; vice-president, Mr A. M; Carroll; treasurer, Mr J. Dick; .executive, Messrs J. Wilis, R. Gelston, T. Phillips, W. R. Morris and J. Patterson; .. Messrs Dick and J. McElwee were appointed delegates to. a conference with' the Rotokohu and Grey Valley branches of the Farmers'. Union.for the purpose of making representations to the Government for the. provision of a log-hauler to assist farmers.,in. clearing bush. land. ~ . n It-' was resolved to ask the Government to make some of the money from the" State Advances Office available in the-,district, and to urge the Pjxblic Works Department to expedite the grafts for bridges over the Upper Inangahua and Cliff and Rock Creeks. The secretary was instructed to write to " the Inangahua County Council asking 'it to effect improvements to the Maruia road and repairs to the mam Inangahua bridge. Complaints were expressed about the small amount on the Estimates for the Btiller Gorge railway, and it was decided to bring the views of the League | before the Government.

Scenic Besorts. The Tourist Department has decided to place m each of its offices-& copy of the- folder' now being prepared with the I object of advertising, the charming scenery within easy reach of Greymouth. Personal Mr J. Donnelly was elected secretary of,.the North Beach Domain Board at a-meeting at Westport last evening. ■ Mr P. Wills, of Greymouth, is lying dangerously ill at' Christchurch. ~ , Mr G. Pascoe, secretary of the North Blackwater Mines Ltd., left. Beef ton yesterday for Wellington, where a meeting of shareholders will be held. Mr H. N. Bainbridge, general mana-. ger' for Australasia for the Southern Union Insurance Company, is visiting the West Coast in company with Mr "W. 'A. Minriett, manager for Canterbury and Westland..At a concert given by the Greymouth i Municipal. Band, -Mr-W.. Stevenson, solo

cornetist, was presented with a gold fountain pen from the Band and with a wallet from the public on the eve of his departure for Wellington. The Mayor (Mr W. H. Parfitt) made the presentation. The .marriage was solemnised this afternoon at-- Holy Trinity Church, Greymouth, of Mr James L. Bourke, son of Mr and the late Mrs J. Bourke, of Barry town, to Miss Rose K. Young, daughter of Mr and Mrs S. Young, of Boddytov/n. Archdeacon Carr officiated. Miss P. L. Bourke was bridesmaid, and Mr E. J'. Cowan best man. After the ceremony the friends of the happy, couple were entertained at a reception at Mr H. Moore's tea rooms. Kail-way Enquiry. The Eailway Commissioners, Sir Sam Fay 1 and Sir Vincent Baven, and tho Departmental officers accompanying them, traversed the West Coast to-day, set-ting-out at 8 a an. from the Waiho Hotel, a few miles from the Franz Josef Glacier, which they ascended for some distance. Yesterday afternoon they entrained at Ross and travelled through : to Greymouth, where they interrupted their journey in order to pay a brief visit to the State mines at Rewanui. Later, they left for Reefton where a deputation was heard, and the last stage of-the journey was to Inangahua Junction, where they spend to-night, iomorroW;they visit Wcstport and inspect the Bulier section of railway, receiving deputations at' Westport in the evening and leaving on Friday morning Nelson.- At Reefton members of the Progress League laid before the Commis sioners matters affecting the district. Mr I. Patterson, president, urged tne consideration of the use of loea-l coa on the railways. He contended that. me brown coals were quite suitable. ■ ■ Mr A. E. Ayson said that Nightcaps . coal, which was inferior to that mined at Reefton, had been found suitable to the railways. Analyses of Reeftoiv coals were- submitted. Mr Ayson said he Aad no knowledge of Nightcaps coal being used in ships, although that from Re ton had been put to this use when mixed with Blackball or Paparoa coal. Mr Patterson quoted instances o Eeefton coal having been, used on West Coast railways between 1910 1916. Slack coal could be supplied a 8s per ton at Reefton station.. .fan James Hector had estimated that th were 700,000,000 tons in thefield the output at present, ow q to com petition, did not exceed 3000 tons month. A reduction in freight slack coal going to Canterbury was ae Sl S?r Sam Fay said the rate was less than one penny per ton p m Mr W. J. Morris said that on a full trainload the rate to Canterbury be The P d;isSility of .completmg the Bulier Gorge railway was also the speakers, who said tha was the natural port of the An alteration of the conditionf affecting +l>o nrovision of private sidings was asked for, and several suggestions advanced for' the improvement of the sys .tern. The carriage ofmmmgmachinery at a .concession freight was held to be fair At present there.was no Profit" 1 goidmtail- A bette S l , hoppers to encourage a nker trade with Lyttelton waft desirable.

WESTPORT ITEMS. (SPECIAL TO "THE PBMB. ) WESTPORT, November 12. The number of .child™ attending the Weatport Stnt. Seho.l ~ -ereainir The present total is 71W. Master K. Menzies, son of the Mayor,

(Continued at foot of next colnmn.)

is-the local Territorial" crack rifle shot under the age of 17. The annual athletic sports of the State schools have been postponed until December 11th owing to the. prevalence of epidemics. An Australian gold mining syndicate has taken out several prospecting licenses in the Karamea district. The amount of coal booked for shipment this week approximates 12,000 tons. The Railway Commission sits at Westport to-morrow. The Buller Progress League will present data vitally affecting the interests of the Buller district. The engagement is announced of Miss Mona Bright, formerly of Westport, to Mr J. McCarthy, of Motueka. reasonable. And then it's more like a cat; it's delicate, and must have shelter, so of course it-comes to the homestead You don't want ferrets, but you ought to get more stoats and weasels for rab-bit-infested runs. They would, keep