WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18888, 31 December 1926, Page 12

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. (SPBOJU. TO THB MESS), GREYMOUTH, December 30. Colonel H. Griffen, of the Defend Department, Wellington, arrived by today's express on a visit to relative! in Groymouth. Tho Rev. Tathei- Moiiaghan, of &t. Bede's College, Christchurch, arrived by to-day's express, and is a guest at St. Patrick's Presbytery. Air and Mrs William Richardson. Oamaru, are the guests of Mr J c Saunders, Marsden road. Mr and Mrs Richardson will visit the Glaciers be-' fore returning to Canterbury. Mr Eric Gilmour, who has been spending the holidays with his sister, Mrs J. McLean, Sawyer's .Creek road, left this morning for the North Island Miss Gwen Townsend (Darfield) is the guest of Mr and Mrs I. A. James Cowper "street. ' Captain Middleton, of the Salvation Army, Reefton, has received notice -of his transfer to Oxford. Captain and Mrs Middleton will leave Reefton about January 11th. The incoming officers to Reefton are Captain Blick and Lioutenant Copp, from Geraldine. The marriage was solemnised at Holv Trinity Church this morning, the Rev. J. F. Martin officiating, of Ida, second daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert Newman, Baxter's Siding, and Larry, second son of Mr and Mrs E. Stratford, Aratika. Mr and Mrs Stratford left later for Christchurch, where the honeymoon will be spent. At the Reefton Methodist Church yesterday the marriage was solemnised of Annie Catherine, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs R. G. Morrison, Shiel street, Reefton, and George, fifth son of Mr and Mrs D. Catley, Reuwicktown, Marlborough. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Alice Morrison, and Mr Fred Catley, brother of the bridegroom, was best man. The Rev. C. Robinson officiated. Mr and Mrs Catley left by to-day'» express for Christchurch, en route to Blenheim.

Mr and Mrs W. L. Patterson return* ed from Christchurch this afternoon. Mr and Mrs D. o'Sullivan arrived from Wellington this afternoon, to spend a holiday in Grcymouth.

The funeral of the late Mr David Hyndman, the victim of the drowning accident at Cobden on Tuesday evening, took place at Karoro this afternoon, when there was a largo attendance. The Rev. J. F. Martin officiated at the Holy Trinity Church, and at the graveside. The death of Mr Henry A. Blank, a well-known Hokitika citizen, occurred at the Westland Hospital last evening. The late Mr Blank was a native of Canterbury, and was 54 years of age at the time of his death. He was a mem« ber of the Hokitika Borough Council, on which he was chairman of the Works Committee. He was president of the Acclimatisation Society, a member of. the Westland Hospital Board, and a prominent Druid. He followed the pceu- " pation of wheelwright and blacksmith, being in partnership with Mr C. Ber« ondt. He was a man of fine physique, but he never recovered from a severe attack of influenza contracted in Sep-, tember last. He leaves a widow and a' family of three daughters. and four' son« ' .-..''.'.; ■ Inquest. l :/ An inquest concerning the death oi David Hyndman, aged 26, who Was drowned at Cobden on Tuesday eyi'iiv" ing was held at Greymouth to-day/.liy Mr Meldrum, Coroner. Evidence '.was given by.Mrs Esther Carey, rjpsic|ing .. at Bright street, Cobden, to tb'f;'e|fe?t',' u: ' that when she was crossing the Cob'den' ','■ bridge about four o'clock on Tuesday'afternoon, she heard repeated cougningy and on looking down into the lagoon ; she saw a man swimmiug across towards ; the rocks of the retaining wall! He , was using the overarm stroke,- ,but changed to the breast stroke, and thensank. He did not cry out, and she had ' no idea that he was in difficulties. She. called out to a man on the bank of the river who was undressing, and he swam I out to the place where Hyndman had , j disappeared. A number of other bathers also went over, but when witness left, the body had not been found. John Robert Gamble, miner, residing

in Gresson street, Greyniouth, said he was first cousin of Hyndman. The latter suggested a swim in the lagoon, bat witness was not agreeable,,and he tried to dissuade Hyndman from going in _, the water as raey were too hot for swimming at the time. His cousin was quits sober. He dived straight into the water and was swimming well, so witneis thought he was all right. The distance of three chains across to the rocks was nothing to a good swimmer like Hyatt* man. When witness saw him stop swim* ming, he did not think Hyndman wa» in any danger, but when he sank witness immediately went out after Mm. Two boys also tried to find the body. ' Evidence was also given by George Thomson and Constable Baird, of 000- ■ The CoToner returned a verdict ta&t r deceased was accidentally drowned.

Boys Camping Out. Under the perfect weather conditions prevailing, forty Greymouth Boy Scouts' are camping out at Gladstone. Scoutmaster S. Butcher and Assitant* Scout- . masters J. Mann and A. Baty are in charge of the party. A party of «• |, teen Christchurch boys is alio camping at Stoney Creek, where an enjoyable . outing is being spent. Dobson Relief Funds. The Dobson Belief Fund totals £118? < 16s Bd. .; Westport Magistrate's Court. ; At the Westport Magistrate's Court, ' before Mr H. A. Young, 8.M., Samuel Evans was charged with theft on p™' <• counts, and with escaping from custotty.. t He was remanded until; January MB. Henry George Parson, who recently arrived in Westport as a stowawayJJ, the steamer. Kaiapoi, was convieiedjw»., fined 20s on a charge of drunkenness