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Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1917, Page 2

The Westland Tobacco Fund, instituted | at) the, end of 1914 by the Westland County Council on the motion of Cr. Bruce, is still in the expressive language of an oft read advertisement, “Still going strong,” From the outset the fund was associated with the Overseas Club with headquarters in London, and was conducted by the County Council for some time., The control of patriotic funds being made restrictive the fund was next passed over to the Hon. Correspondent of the Overseas Club, and finally taken over entirely by the Hokitika Branch of the big London organisation. Throughout the three years the fund has been in continuous operation, from figures published to-day it will be seen that it has reached a total of £9.15. The three separatestages of collection gave the following results: Westland County Council, £4lO 6s 9d; IJon. Correspondent £l61 1 4 S lOd, Hokitika Overseas Branch, £383 9 S 2d; or a grand total of £955 0 9d. There i s one month of the three years s till to go, and the desire is to raise the £IOOO mark with the total. The whole of the money is being raised and applied without any deduction from the funds collected. Here, the full amount raised is sent Homo regularly month by month without any cost > the Bank of New Zealand assisting by remitting the amount free of exchange. In England the Overseas Club there handles the remittance free of charge, despite the cost of administration of a large fund such as it lias grown in its'Em-pire-wide application. The gifts sent to the soldiers and sailors are greatly appreciated and much apprised by the men who convey their grateful thanks in post-card acknowledgements by every mail. The effort to raise £45 in this Christina's month should be accomplished with comparative ease. Small contributions from the many will achieve the result, and the more hearts at the front will be gladdened.

The Mines Report of last year made a very sweeping statement about the reef prospects at Mount Greenland near Ross, which statement at the time was very far from the truth, and the prophecy in the report has been belied long ago by actual happenings. The report of the Inspecfling-Engineer saifl the “small battery .... is being run

in a most unbusiness like manner, and the future prospects are very doubtful.” If it is “unbusinesslike” to achieve a result which pays expenses, and pays off capital cost, then the management are guilty of the charge, while the “doubtful future prospects” may he measured by the fact that the developments continue to encourage an extension of the enterprise, and other areas are being taken up in the vicinity, and important developments may he looked for. In this year’s Mines Report, the compilers have been more discreet in regard to Mount Greenland affairs is considered the better part,of valour,- and all reference' to the matter is avoided by the Inspec-ting-Engincer. The district Inspector of Mines, however, refers to the field with some studied details, in the midst of which there is the admission of “some rich patches in the reef, hut as no systematic sampling has been done the-average value is not known.” It is rather a graceless way to avoid direct reference to the prophecy of the previous report. The matter was referred to at tlie Chamber of Commerce meeting on Tuesday night, when tlie meeting decided to ask the Alining suh-Committee to prepare a report on the position, and in dim course supply a .copy of same to the Minister of Alines. In this as i u other matters the community will have to take, cai® of themselves, and it- well that the Chamber has taken up the subject with that end in view.