COMING EVENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1920, Page 2

COMING EVENTS.

Oct. 7. —Annual meeting, Hokitika Howling Club, Oct. 7th.—Princess Theatre, Pollard’s Pictures. Oct. B.—Princess Theatre, McLean’s Pictures. October B.—Tenders close fencing and clearing, with Fields Instructor, Hokitika. Oct. At 7.30 p.m. meeting of Borough Council. Oct. 13th.—Ordinary meeting Westland County Council. Oct. 13th.—Special meeting, Westland County Council. Oct ,13th.—Supreme Hall, Overseas Club, social dance. Oct. 20.—Westland Land Board meet ing. October 20-Ball, Town Hall, Rimu, aid Broken Hill miners. Oct. 25th.—Labour Day. October 27—M. Houston and Co., auction sale farm property, J. O’Connor, Wataroa. Oct. 30.—At 11 a.m. W. Jeffries and Co, auction sale properties, in Mart. October 30-At 11.30 a.m., M. Houston and Co., auction sale properties at rooms. Nov. 10.—County elections.

COAL 'PROSPECTING. The new find of coal at Mt. Camelback has given a. great impetus to the desire to see the locality fully prospected. The information which has been given of late in regard to the roal measures in that locality, has excited a good deal of public Preliminary steps were being taken to institute prospecting, when at the very outset a new and enhanced coal measure was discovered. This confirms the opinion of Dr Bell given away back in 1905, and there lias been remissness certainly that the advice given then was not followed up earlier. The coal ; inspected by Dr Bell was well spoken of, and in the light of present day experiences where the market is so hare of supplies, the commodity has a special value to the community. It is a, very indispensable article in the daily round, and looking to the future it will be in steady demand continually, for the reason that the present shortage will take years to make good, and in the meantime with through railway transport to the East Coast being provided, coal will be as scarce to buy on this Coast as it has been in recent times in i the remote centres. We are rationed now practically in regard to the coal coming into the district by rail, and we see that the position is not likely to grow much better in the future. It is now a case for the district doing, something for \itself and taking an interest in the development of its own coal measures which are said to |b e equal to domestic requirements at all events. Year after year thousands j of pounds are being sent out of the I district -for coal supplies and it will I be good business if the money is spent ■ within our own neighbourhood, and so be kept in local circulation. There is the opportunity now to do so, for ex- ' perts speak of the latest find of coal as the real article. If it can be proved to any extent, it will be a national reservoir for local supplies. In any case it promises to he an article equal to the requirements for lime-burning, and as such with a lime-kiln on the area close by, it will be of real value to the settlers from now on. Its presence so handy to the kiln will cut down the cost of fuel to an almost nominal amount compared with what coal from the State mine by rail to Hokitika, and cartage to Koiterangi, is costing. It will not he necessary in the future to carry coal to the local Newcastle— Koiterangi,— and the settlers will get an immediate benefit from this fact in cheaper lime—the great need of the local soils. v As was mentioned during the week, the deposit at Koiterangi does not exhaust local resource, lhere is a seam known to exist off the Kanieri Lake road, in the vicinity of wbirti Coal Creek takes its rise. The public will not be mindful of the interests nresent and prospective, if they do not look into the possibilities of this deposit also, with a view to utilising the fuel for local consumption. Natur,. las been lavish in her deposits of mineral wealth in Westland, and looking to the wealth which has been yielded in the past, the returns fully justify a further speculathion in prospecting for further stores of hidden mineral wealth ' which has come into special -alue by j reason of the circumstances now arising : in the Dominion. |