WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19178, 8 December 1927, Page 7

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. iSFZC'IAI. TO THB ?MSS.) GREYMOUTH, December 7. Mr A. If. Galbraith, City Engineer for Christchurch, who is visiting the Coast, left for South "Westland this afternoon. Mr Galbraith will return to Christchurch on Saturday. Mr IT. Watkinson, Public Works Engineer, is suffering from an attack of sciatica.

Mr S. T. Stewart, of Dunedin, is visitins; liokitika. Mr E. 11. Andrews, of the Canterbury Education Board, arrived from Christchurch yesterday, lie visited Runanga this morning, proceeding to Kumara, liokitika, and South Westland this afternoon.

Sister T. A. Tomlinson, of the Ashbur ton Hospital staff, is visiting her parents, Mr and Mrs T. F. Tomlinson.

Mrs M. Macgregor will leave to-mor-row for Wellington. Commissioner Hay, of the Salvation Army, accompanied by Brigadier Bladiu, Young People's Secretary, will arrive from \yestport to-morrow. They will be the guests of Mr and Mrs Joseph McLean, Heaphv street. Brigadier Wallace, of the Salvation Army, will arrive from Weatport tomorrow evening, and will be the guest of Ensign and Mrs Friberg. State Mine. So far there are no new developments with regard to the dispute over the extraction of pillars in the Anderson seam of the Middle Brake colliery. The State mine was idle to-day, through shortage of shipping facilities. The James mine "will work to-morrow, but there will be no work at the Liverpool mine. Magistrate's Court. At the Greymouth Magistrate's Court, before Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., judgment by default was given for Maggie Jackson against William McDermott for £123 4s, with Court costs £2 10s, and solicitor's feo £4 2s. Michael Minehan, farmer, of Cobden, claimed possession of: premises and £l4 5s from William Hart, painter, of Cobden. - An order was made for possession, warrant to issue on or after January 10th, 1928, and judgment was given for plaintiff for £l4 as, with £1 10s Court costs, and £2 12s solicitor's fee. Accidents. Through a dray which he was driving coming into collision with a motorlorry near Dunollie yesterday, Mr W. O'Neill suffered slight concussion. He is progressing satisfactorily. As the result of a collision between a motor-car and motor-cycle on the Blackwater road, the cyclist, Mr S. Avery, suffered a broken jaw. The Weather. The weatlier, which had been wet and squally since early yesterday morning, cleared this afternoon. Harbour Board Donations. Tho Greymouth Harbour Board has given £lO 10s to the Mercantile Marine Service Association, £5 5s to the A. and P. Association, and two lifebuoys to the Blackball School Baths Committee. Compensation Claim. At the meeting of the Greymouth Harbour Board, Mr W. P. McCarthy, solicitor, wrote forwarding notice of a claim for £3OOO damages arising out of the death of J. Laugliton on September Bth, at the North Tiphead, and intimating that negligence on the part of tho Board had beon alleged. If.no settlement was reached it was intended to claim through the Supreme Court session next March. On the motion of the chairman (Mr J. Steer) it was resolved to reply that the Board disclaimed all liability beyond the amount payable under the Workmen's Compensation for Accidents Act. Croldmining. Regarding tho Buller Riverside Co.'s goldmining venture at Newton Plat, a Westport resident with an intimate knowledge of tho "locality, said that round about fifty years ago, both banks of the river at the company's claim were thoroughly worked down to the water's edge, and that the diggers were making up to £6O per week with the tin dish alone. It was only reasonable to supose that heavy virgin deposits must lie below the water level.. The Holidays. The Federation of Shopkeepers, Westport, having taken the necessary steps to comply with the award, intend to observe Tuesday, January 3rd, as a public holiday in lieu of Easter Saturday. Timber Trade. The timber shipped from Greymouth during the past eleven months shows a decrease of between nine and ten million feet compared with the corresponding period last year. The greatest shrinkage has been that in the trade within the Dominion, namely, close upon six and a half million feet. In the Aus. tralian trade the decrease has been little more than half as great, or about three and a half million feet. The November shipments to New Zealand ports show an increase, and are almost equal to those for the corresponding month of last year, thus indicating an improvement in the New Zealand demand.