RANDOM NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1927, Page 1 (Supplement)

RANDOM NOTES.

(By A Rolling Stone). Lt should, in a fortnight's time be welcome change here for the Duke and Duchess from hot weather, and they may therefore yet regret having cut out late nights on the Coast, where the climate is so mu-h more like that 0/ their own cold country than at Auckland, where, 1 note, the natives find in the visit further scope for boa. ting, to the effect that they made it the occasion for the largest gathering yet seen tn the Dominion. There may have been ft hundred thousand gazing at the royal couple there on "Wednesday, but the rough-house tactics when cordons were broken are nothing for the visitors to write homo about. ITn sure that If they had been able to attend a ball here, the drosses on which some local females have “ lashod out’’ would have repaid them handsomely as a spectacle for the trouble. It is noteworthy that the Duchess soon caught on with the *‘boys in the gallery” at Auckland. She claims six centuries of a Scottish ancestry, which may explain why she Fo quickly sensed the feelings < f tn< New Zealanders. The Royal Family, as ft whole, have a Germanic ancestry, and «re naturally’ more phlegmatic. There is said to be a possibility of the Royal Family some day including an “Aus* pie,” who on growing up could doubtless he relied on to make things hum when touring. Meantime, the boosters will ensure this tour proving the biggest popular attraction of the year. Bn without them, it might be another •tory. I’m told that as the result of its confident calculations upon a good harvest of cash at the recent show having been tipset by the weather, the A. and P Association is inclined to drop its bundle. I trust this story is only an exaggeration. I could understand a f< nse of disappointment, hut that is no justification for skying the towel, because the show, whatever its financi.J result, is iloing good pioneering work and is destined, if continued, to do far better yet. There was a general belie! that, while the cattle were nothing to boast’about, every other class this year showed an improvement: and it is said that all over the country, the cattle of Into have not been tin to the previous standard, on account of the butter rbimp. So long as the Association remains solvent, therefore, there is no call for a funeral. However, there remain eleven months for the Association to recover its pucker, and I’m sure it will next year hit ’em up once more right and left to provide a list of prizes more attractive than ever. Of course, it might be worth while to try an innovation. There might lx* on * show arranged for the whole West Coast, which might be held at different places in succeeding years. Possibly, the biggest turn out might be secured in a farming locality. Kokatahi. for instance, is able to stage a verjj good winter show. Why not the Grey Valley? The time of the year is a big consideration, and there is also an advantage in wider organisation. but it would never do *0 be guided solely by the- past when the future is so much brighter. There is a •toady increase in the quantity of West Coast live stock, and the next thing is to better the quality. This time next year we shall probably Fee a main highway between here and Westport via Barry town, Punakaiki and Charleston. Though the President of our Chamber of Commerce is saying nothing, 1 for one, sus|>ect thr.t he has landed the mustard, and that we shall boon see a large number of men at work on the coastal road. I believe the Cabinet has yet to decide, but when the head of the Chamber says he is well satisfied with the results of his efforts, after he had started out with the idea that he would seek to secuie the road’s immediate completion, I can only conclude that the road is going to be put through this year. In that event, I ran foresee a bigger hostel at Punakaiki than that now so popular at Arthur’s Pass and it goes without saying that the coastal route wifi become the main one for motors travelling between here and either Buller or Neison. Heavy lorry traffic wiTT grow by leaps and bounds, too. Lt will then be for the Westland Chamber of Commerce to get the road between here and Hokitika completed along the roast, and the tourist will then be able in a day to get over most of the journey from Nelson to the Glaciers, or to leave there in the morning and spend the night at Punakaiki or Greymouth. I think the West Coasters Association in Christehuwh deserve every encou>ageiuent from this side ot the ranges in their project for an excursion hitlior in a week or two. I’m pleased to see that our Progress League is prepared to find the visitors plenty of < ntertam ment. As a matter «f fact, this trio will be a good preliminary for the proposed movement next Christ nas, know n as “Baek to tho Coast.’’ Moreover it is quite possible that, in a moot > - time there will bo a West Coast exeursum to Christchurch organised here, with the West Coasters Association in 'he < ity of the Plains providing faei ities there to entertain the visitors. The miners have, I think, had the public sympathy with them this week in their stand for greater safety precautions against the danger of sufloea* tion by gas. In fact, I’m prepared to admit that they have gained the sympathy of their bosses this time also. The'Dobson and Millerton tragedies have made one and all anxious to study safety. At tiie same time, it might be said that if the miners had not taken action of the species, yclept “direct, they might not have had their remedy so quickly. 1 daresay, it would he preferable to settle such a matter without a stoppage, if it were possible, but there is something more important than avoiding a stoppage of work, and it is avoidin'' a stoppage of breathing. The dairy farmers in many eases are inclined to think their lands will a millstone, rather than a blessing in future, but they should note the fact that a revival of purchasing such farms has begun in tho Waikato. That the straw to stow th“ wind’s direc-