THE WEST COAST.

Otago Witness, Issue 4032, 23 June 1931, Page 27

THE WEST COAST.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) COAL MINING. June 17. The situation amongst the coal mines at present is of such a complicated and uncertain character, _ with so many changes, that the position for the moment doesn’t count for much. It is probably altering while it is being defined. At Charming Creek, where the demonstration by Millerton miners recently took place against the co-operative workers, matters are just now quiescent, the men working without interference by other miners, though the Westport Watersiders’ Union have given notice that they will not handle coal from the mine, some of which is already in the railway yards and two steamers being due to load it. The same decision applies to Cascade coal, which is also co-operative. Blackball, however, is at present the vortex of strife. The long-standing dispute between the Miners’ Union and the management remains unsettled, and the union refuses to allow any work until this end is reached. In pursuance of this policy a mass demonstration has been held by miners from all the Grey Valley collieries against the operations of the new private company which recently started on a portion of the Blackball Company’s freehold. This meant, of course, that none of the mines was working. The next move will probably be a demonstration against the Briandale colliery, near Runanga. The Blackball Union men have formally agreed to accept no work unless it is officially permitted by the union. The new mine has been declared black and shopkeepers given to understand that they are expected to refuse the men supplies. The union has pledged itself to fight the tribute system to the last. In the face of all this interruption of work we have the incomplete fulfilment of railway orders explained by the mere fact of their eccentricity and uncertainty.

Boring operations are about to be commenced on a State coal area at the Ten Mile Creek under the supervision of the Mines Department. Prospecting has been done here during the past six months with highly satisfactory results.

PERSONAL.

Dr B. L. Wilson, acting medical superintendent of the Invercargill Hospital, is expected shortly to take up his new duties at the Westland Hospital. Mr A. E. Prince, of the Christchurch branch of the National Bank, has been appointed manager at Greymouth in succession to Mr E. C. Fletcher, who is retiring on superannuation. Mr Prince was formerly for some years stationed at the bank’s Reefton office. Mr F. H. Chambers, railway station master at Runanga, had the misfortune to lose a leg as the result of an accident on the platform during the week. When exchanging tablets he slipped between the platform and the line. A silver cup has been presented by the Westland Competitions Society to Miss Rose Parker, of Kanieri, for the fine promise she showed at the recent festival. Mr A. Cowles, 8.A., senior inspector of schools, who has retired on superannuation, had as his first appointment, in 1889, the position of assistant at Boatmans in this district, that centre being at the time a busy gold mining town. During the past week there was celebrated the anniversary of the death of two of the outstanding figures in the history of this district. On June 10, 1906, the Hon. R. J. Seddon, Prime Minister of New Zealand died, and on June 10, 1913, Sir Arthur Guinness, who represented the Grey district in Parliament from 1884 till his death. Mr Barton Ginger, of Wellington, who adjudicated in the elocutionary section at the recent festival in connection with the Westland Competitions Society, has been retained in the same capacity for next year.

GENERAL.

The discontinuance of the No. 5 Employment scheme will affect about 300 men in the Grey district. The J£ayor of Greymouth convened a meeting to consider the question of their relief, and there is a probability of a number of them being given work by the Harbour Board. Heavy rain at last week-end had the effect of deepening the Greymouth bar, which had shoaled to about 16 feet. The flood in the Grey River scoured it to 24 feet, and enabled several detained steamers to clear. A provisional revaluation of Greymouth Borough properties indicates (though the final figures are not yet available) that there will be a considerable increase in capital values, the chief increases being in Mackay street in the business area, this having now become the principal street in the town, and the south-eastern suburban area in the residential portion, this section of the town having grown very rapidly of late years. The increase in value will, the Mayor states, not result in any additional revenue from rates. The Westland Competitions Society has reported a loss of £32 on its recent festival, the loss being mainly due to the fact that the. theatre was not available for the evening sessions. The state of the Greymouth bar last week diverted a considerable amount of traffic to the railway, the consequence being that for four days the tonnage through the Otira tunnel amounted to 10,118 tons, which is a full average of a week’s haulage for some time past. The intermittent character of the work of the watersiders at Greymouth has made their lot a hard one for some time past. There are 180 of them on the list, and for the last three months it is stated that their average wage has been 22s per week, and to this there is now to be applied the 10 per cent. cut. The little steamer Gael, of Hokitika, which was recently fitted with Diesel engines, is ready for commission. An electric installation has been added. A trial of the engines was very satisfactory. The fishing steamer Maud, of Hokitika, recently went-ashore at the entrance to

the Hokitika River. She was lifted on to skids preparatory to relaunching, but these were undermined by heavy seas during the week, and the vessel has again been let down and severely buffeted. The Arthur’s Pass National Park Board has recently decided upon a number of improvements in the way of facilities to visitors. Sites for motor camps have been reserved in several localities, and it has been decided to form a track to the ski-ing grounds. A school building has been purchased and altered so as to be suitable for social gatherings and for shelter in wet weather. An additional shelter provided at the station will also prove useful. For a period of four weeks ended May 23 there were exported from Greymouth 1.260,646 feet of timber and 16,120 tons of coal. Of the latter the State mines supplied 5041 tons, Dobson mine 2826 tons, Rapahoe 2054 tons, and Wallsend 1913 tons.