WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20488, 5 March 1932, Page 5

WEST COAST NOTES

PERSONAL. * tSfECIAL TO THE PEESS.) GRIiYMOUTH, March 5. Messrs J. T. McKinty and T. Deere, who have been on a holiday visit to the North Island, returned yesterday. Mr H. Lister leaves on Saturday on a holiday visit to Sydney. Mrs George Wilson, who has been attending the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union Conference in Christchurch, returned yesterday. Mrs A. Mackley left yesterday on holiday to Sydney, to be present at the opening of the Sydney bridge. Mr H. P. Rasmussen, who has been appointed railway stationmaster at Westport, arrived yesterday from Christchurch and proceeded to Westport. Mr G. Nicholls, who has been attached to the staff of the Hank of New Zealand at Greyniouth for the past three years and has been transferred to Christchurch, left yesterday. Misses E. and A, Gill, who have been visiting friends in Greymoutli, will return 011 Monday to Adelaide. Mr and Mrs H. F. Vaughan (Christchurch) are visiting the West Coast. The Rev. and Mrs T. W. Parsons will leave Recfton shortly on a trip to England. The Mines. The James State and Liverpool State mines will be idle to-day. The Dobson and Brunner mines h,avo worked a full week this week. \ New Steam Crane. The Greymouth Harbour Board's new crane arrived in Greyniouth on Thursday by the Kaiinai. The crane has a lifting capacity of 25 tons, and will be added to the plant at the Cobden quarry. The crane will be erected by the Dispatch Foundry Company for the makers in Scotland. County Council. The Grey County Council met to-day, the chairman, Mr J. Ryall, presiding. Regarding the employment of men on farm work,-the County Engineer stated that it was understood that the workers' insurance issued by insurance companies did not cover men employed on farms, but only those employed as road workers. The Council was seeking a legal ruling on the point before unemployed were sent to farm work. The chairman said if it was found the men werb not insured under the county policies, farmers should provide the necessary cover.

Pending a legal ruling, and also one from the Counties' Association, it was decided to take every precaution to safeguard the county's position.

It was decided to' ask that the erection of a bridge over the Big River be placed on the current year's estimates.

The Public Works notified that the Mitchell's to Orangipuku River road had been completed, and the road was accordingly handed over to the Grey County to maintain. The Unemployment Board wrote that unemployed men could not be employed on farms if they displaced other men or prevent others from getting work. Four farmers applied for men for farm labour under the No. 5 Scheme. The applications were approved.

The chairman stated that an endeavour was being made to have the timber royalties reduced by half. This would affect the county revenue, and he thought the Council should oppose it. A motion on these lines was adopted. A deputation of Blackball miners waited on the Council on the question of unemployment at Blackball. It was stated that there wefe 174 men out of v/crk in Blackball. They asked that certain road repairs, tho water supply, and other county works be made unemployment works. Tho deputation also pointed out that men in other parts of the county were getting advantages regarding working in parts of the county other than those to which they belonged. The privilege should be extended to Blackball unemployed. They did not think it fair that people from outside tho district should come into the district and compete with the older residents for relief work.

It was resolved to send a telegram to Wellington asking that the allocation for unemployment relief in Blackball be increased, and suggesting that work be found on the Rough River road 'to Big Eiver for Blackball men.

It was decided to protest to the Minister for Internal Affairs against new arrivals in the Dominion getting preference over those already in the country. Fat Lambs. A consignment of 650 lambs from South Westland was forwarded last evening to the Belfast freezing works. Licensing Committee. The Westland Licensing Committee held its quarterly meeting yesterday, Mr. W. Meldrum, S.M., chairman, presiding. A number of transfers were approved. The plans for the erection of a new hotel at Kokiri to replace the building recently destroyed by fire were submitted for inspection and were approved. Magistrate's Court. A sitting of the Hokitika Magistrate's Court was held yesterday, Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., presiding. ' John William Gray appeared to answer charges of attempting suicide, and being a rogue and vagabpnd. The police stated that defendant had a lengthy list of minor offences, and had attempted to commit suicide by cutting a gash in his arm. He had drifted round the country drinking when money was given him. Prison treatment and Salvation Army care had had little effect. The Magistrate inflicted a sentence of four months "imprisonment at Paparua prison on each charge, the terms to be concurrent. A charge against Joins Hart for dangerous driving of • a motor-car, whidh arose out of his colliding with a motorlorry in November lsist, was dismissed, the Magistrate holding that bad visibility, obstructed view, and a long curved road were tho contributory causes of the accident.