WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 4 December 1930, Page 9

WEST COAST NOTES

PROSPECTING FOR GOLD. (SPICLiX TO THE I-BX3S.) GREYMOUTH, December 3. A number of mill-owners who have been idle through the closing of sawmills on the West Coast intend to go prospecting for gold, in the hope of earning something. In the meantime, several of the men will try the Nelson, creek district, where only one mill out of four remains cutting. Waimakariri River. Mr F. Harley, secretary of the Greymouth Automobile has received advice that the survey of the site for the proposed bridge at the Waimakariri river will be completed at the end of this week. The bridge, which will be of light construction with long spans, is estimated to cost between £.3000 and £4OOO, and is being built primarily for motor traffic. The approaches are estimated to cost about £.5000.

Approximately one and a half miles of road will have to be formed on the Bealey side, and one mile on the West Coast side. This will afford an opportunity to absorb temporarily some of the unemployed. Acclimatisation Society. Tlie Grey district Acclimatisation Society met last evening, Mr O. Beck presiding over a good attendance. Mr J. W. Stubbs was re-elected secretary. It was decided that the secretary should write to the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society and endeavour to arrange for Mr J. Digby, head ranger for the Canterbury district, to pay a visit at an early date to the West Coast. The question of appointing a local ranger was left to the secretary and the president. The secretary was instructed to make enquiries as to the minimum fine for the unlawful taking of trout, and of native game: and it was decided that a list of the holders of fishing licenses in the district be forwarded to all the district rangers, and to each member of the Council. The Department of Internal Affairs wrote notifying that a bonus of 2s per tail would be paid on all deer destroyed in the South Island. School Committees. The Blackball School Committee met last evening. Mr G. W. Nuttall (chairman) presided. A letter was received from the County Council regarding the road access to the new school, advising that it was not the Council's fault that there had been delay in having the road made to the new school site. After discussion it was.resolved that half an hour weekly be given to Bible teaching in the school, and the secretary was instructed to write to the Education Board regarding the matter. It was resolved that the secretary should enquire from the Minister for Education, if a subsidy would be available for money raised by the committee fur a School dental elioic.

The Reefton School Committee met last evening. Present—Messrs W. B. Auld (chairman), Dobson, Campbell, Pankhurst, Lawn, and Cleaver. The chairman reported that the members of the committee had interviewed Mr G. C. Black, M.P. for Motueka, in connexion with the erection of a new school. Mr Black had stated that the Minister for Education was emphatic concerning the new building, and if the authority were not forthcoming in the present financial year it would certainly be attended to in the early part of the new financial year. Heed Testing. Mr C. M. Hume, Federation Supervisor of Herd Testing, has forwarded a letter to Mr F. W. Baillie (secretary of the West - Coast Herd Testing Association) expressing satisfaction with the average test for last month. . The average per group indicated that there was a wide range of production on the West Coast, the lowest group being 27.13, as against the highest, 34.16. The highest cow in each group ranged from 501b fat up to 851b indicating that there were a large number of really high producing cows on the West Coast.

Beachcombing. A party of unemployed men have commenced operations at South Beach, Greymouth, treating the black sand there. Their plant cost about £.25, and they are reported to be making satisfactory wages. Wedding. A pretty wedding was solemnised at Holy Trinity Church this afternoon, when Malcolm Bruce Charteris, of Greymouth, youngest son of Mr and the late Mrs R. Charteris, of Taumarunui, was married to Rona Margaret East, only daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Ferguson, of Karoro. Archdeacon Jermvn officiated. The bride wore a charming ankle-length dress of mother-of-pearl satin beaute, with a tight-fitting bodice and flared skirt dipping at the back. Her veil matched her dress, and she carried a shower, bouquet of pale pink roses and maidenhair fern.

The bridesmaids were Misses Celia Burns, who wore a frock of turquoiseblue georgette over an underdress of satin beaute, with long cape; Esma Whyte, who wore peach georgette with an underdress of peach satin beaute; and Jean Whyte, who wore eau-de-nil satin beaute. They all wore Bangkok hats with ribbon and crinoline trimmings to match their frocks. They also carried bouquets. Jean Bell attended as flower-girl, and wore a frock of pale blue georgette made in Early Victorian style. She carried an Early Victorian posy. Mr Ross Langbein was best man, and Messrs Allan Lemin and lan Ferguson were the groomsmen. After the ceremony, a reception was held, Mrs Ferguson receiving her guests in a frock of black celanese, with hat and coat to match. She carried a bouquet of roses. Sir and Mrs Charteris left later for the south on their honeymoon, the bride travelling in a brown celanese silk frock, with shoes and hat to tone, and a wine velour coat trimmed with fur.

Cycle Bo ad Raoee. A cycle road race to Paroa and back was held this evening, when a large number of »pectators w«re present.

There were fourteen, starters. The result was: — Charles Watson (2min 40sec) .1 E. Swift (2min" 40sec) ' .. 2 W. Glen (3min) , 3 Won comfortably by 300 - yards. "A length between second and third. L. Hogarth (3min 30sec) was fourth. Time 26min 42 l-ssec. The fastest time was made by H. Turtill (24min 35see), beating >iiH previous record for the race by four seconds. Accident. An accident occurred at the Mount David sluicing Company's water-race at Blackwater yesterday, when several yards of dirt suddenly came away, burying a man named Frank Holling, who was severely injured about the head and wrist. He was removed to the Beefton Hospital for treatments - - Young Man Sentenced. A young man named Boberfc W. Blythe • pleaded guilty at the Hokitik* Magistrate's Court to-day to being without visiblo means of support. He was sentenced to seven, days' imprisonment.