WEST COAST NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 53

WEST COAST NOTES.

(FiJOM Ol'S OW COHHSSPOKDEXT ) GREYMOUTH, January 28.

The long-continued spell of cby weather i, beginning to be severely felt on the Coast, where se\eral sawmills havp had to elo=e down temporal lly on account of no water being available. In Greymouth the [ municipal authoiities have asked the citizens to do all possible to conserve the water supply. In the appeal it is pointed out that nearly 250,000 gallons aie being consumed daily, which is about 80 per head of population. The demand from Australia fqr white pine at the present tune is very heavy, and within the next month upwards of 3.000.000 superficial feet will be shipped. The Brunner Collieries Company is now (telegraphs the Grey Star's coriespondent) in full sowing for flotation. Shares are eagerly asked for, as it is recognised that the mine is an exceptionally good one. The properties included are Tv neside (which is putting out 80,000 ton= yearly) and the Wallsend mine, where several excellent seams exist. The minute the company is legisteied it is in the unique position of possessing a mine which is earning a large j early profit. •January 30. Works on the railway at Otira aie being pushed ahe-ad with all despatch, the b:g outtiug being so far completed as to allow of a line of rails being laid through to the Rolle->ton Budge, ihus enabling matei tal for ihe contractor to be transposed with expedition. A gang of woikern is busily engaaed (he 6iuface from the hillside, which, when removed, will lav bare the solid counuy and allow of boring operations to be commenced when desired. Mr Leslie Reynolds and ihe staff undei him are at pic-cnt ocoiipving tlioir time in a survey of llolTs Ciock. Woik here al-o is to be c immenced in a day or two. it 1m« been rauiing prettily heavily all d iy. so that tiie sluiccrs will now have a plentiful supply of water. Some sawmills that wore closed dovn owmjr to (he water .-upplv giving out will also be able to resr.iiie operations. There vveio 420 members of the Denniston Mineio' Ujiion present at the conference with the Prime Minister. It is understood that 36 of these voted against the acceptance of the Minister's mediation. The Prime Minister has promised Mr Colvin, M.P., that he sill /mjnediately

have plans prepared for a new post anv 1 telegraph office at Westport, and will hav\i an allocation made for the work at thfc earliest opportunity.

February \

The Reefton-Cronadon section of thfe Westport railway will be opened to traffic in a few weeks. Thereafter it is intended to push on with the next section, of fivv miles, to Boatmans, which it is hoped to have opened by this time next year. At Otir*: the railway works are beinf? pushed on with vigour, and a gang of men is now engaged at Goat Creek filling in the approach tv the bridge that 6pans this stream. Th» bridge over the Rolleston is almost decked-, and the opening in the face of the hill will soon take the definite form of the face of a tunnel. Men are at work constructing a track up Holt's Creek to enable the pipes for the water supply to be carried to the intake and along the route they are to follow. This is a work of some magnitude, but, as is characteristic of Mr Leslie Reynolds and his subordinates, their plans are apparently so well matured and their scheme of operations laid out to the minutest detail, that the work progresses with method and despatch.