WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19171, 30 November 1927, Page 4

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. (special to the pbess.) GREYMOUTH, November 29. Mr John Gieseking, of Christchureh, arrived by to-day's express, on a visit to his relatives. Mr Robert Ronton returned from Christchureh by the express this evening. Mrs H. Macandrew arrived from Christchureh by the express to-day on a visit to her daughter, Mrs S. White, of Grevmouth. Dr. Dunn and Mr F. D. Wood, of Westport, left for Christchureh to-day to attend the annual gathering of the Masonic Grand Lodge. Mr Gordon McKay left to-day for Christchureh, where his father, Mr Wm. McKay, formerly a well-known draper here, and at Hokitika and Nelson, is critically ill. Nurse Radcliffe, of the Grey Hospital staff, met with an accident a few weeks ago, and she left for her home at Heathcote Valley, Christchureh, to-day. Mr and Mrs Percy Austin, of Christchurch, are spending a holiday in Greymouth. Mr John Smeaton, Mayor of Brunner, who was operated on for appendicitis at the Grey Hospital last week, is making good progress. Miss F. I. Broad (New Plymouth) who has been visiting her mother returned this morning, accompanied by her sister, Miss D. Broad. Mr L. B. Miller is visiting Christchurch. Mr and Mrs Breach, of Heathcote, who have been visiting Captain and Mrs Straehan, Blaketown, returned home i this morning. Mrs Fred Tolmie, of Rangiora, who has been spending a holiday in Greymouth, returned home this morning. Mr and Mrs W. Falvey, who have been visiting Mrs S. Sullivan, have returned to Christchureh. Mr T. McNeil, Cobden, left this morning for Christchureh. Mrs J. Olsen left this morning on a visit to Timaru. Mrs T. Sim left to-day on a holiday visit to Christchureh, Mr J. Morrissey, of Te Kinga, has entered the Grey River Hospital. Mr and Mrs Hay, for some years resident at Moana, left last week for Christchureh. Mr and Mrs J. W. Brownlee, of Havolock, are on a visit to Ruru. Mr Brownlee is managing diroctor of the Lake Brunner Sawmill Company. Barrytown Road Slip. The repairing of the road on Batty's hill at tne Twelve Mile on the % Grey-mouth-Barrytown road, has been commenced. Gelignite was taken to the scene of the landslip yesterday and is being used for blasting away the dangerously loose rock overhanging the road. A large amount of debris will have to be cleared. JBiver Erosion. The vagaries of the Grey river in the vicinity of the town bridges is causing some concern. A start has been made to lay a screen of rock to protect the- railway line near the signal cabin on the riverside line from erosion, also an extra siding adjacent to the spot. The Weather. Beautiful sunshine, such as prevailed to-day throughout the West Coast is doubly appreciated after the unseasonable conditions for many weeks past. The young people are taking again to surfing and the various sports areas demonstrate that summer time is being utilised to the utmost. The Municipal workmen are taking the opportunity to repair the road surfaces with asphalt. Whether or not the weather has any effect on them, whitebait continue to run on the West Coast in fair quantities, and to-day's express took one hundred fins of the fish to Christchureh. Pororari Beach. There has been an agitation by the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce against a proposal to use the Pororari Beach, Punakaiki, as a cattle reserve. The protest has evidently been successful, as the Commissioner of Crown Lands Hokitika, announces that the auction of the lease, to have been held tomorrow, has been cancelled, and the reserve withdrawn from sale. Timber Industry. There are evidences of some improvement in the Australian demand for white pine, and a substantial consignment is going forward by the steamer Ihumata. The trade in red pine and white pine, however, is not expected to show any great improvement till about February, when the demand is likely to come nearer to the supply.