WESTPORT.

Charleston Argus, Volume 1, Issue 7, 6 April 1867, Page 2

WESTPORT.

CFrom our own correspondent.) April 5, 1867. In the dearth of anything else, politics have taken a start in this place, and really we are getting into an intense state of excitement in connection with the ensuing election. A meeting was held in the early part of the week by Mr Crate, one of the candidates for our sweet voices, or, rather, votes ; and anofher was held on Thursday night by Mr Wright, another, and a local candidate, seeking election at our hands. In my last I forwarded a condensed report of the first meeting, but it did not appear, and I may, therefore, briefly recapitulate its tenor. In the first place, the candidate made a great speech, and were he able to carry out a tithe of what he promised, he would unquestionably be " the man for Galway " all over. Rut words are cheap, and must have weight to have influence, so I, with a very very largo number of others, only take a small per centage of prom : ses as likely to ripen into fact, and came to the conclusion that at the present juncture Mr Crate would not suit our book. Just now we do not want to send a windbag as our representative, and till we do, I think, presumptuous as such an opinion may be, that Mr Crate's claims are particularly minute. He will, however, promise anything from a railway to a street cutting, and rumour has it that, m kfiticipatiou of victory, he has already pledged ! himself to bestow one or more Government j appointments. This may be, and I think it | is, a canard,but at all events it is certain that there are some amongst us already grateful I for favors to come. It will be a dreadful 1 disappointment, 1 fear, to that class when ; the poll is declared on Tuesday next, for | anyone with a much more remote chance of return I never knew in my experience. So much for that meeting. Now the last was of a totally different character, and the holder of it (Mr Wright) was most enthusiastically received. He touched on all the most prominent topics, and his ideas were .'jound and good, and gave considerable satisfaction to his audience. No doubt in time he will grow into a good member, and he has plenty of brains to acquire; political knowledge, but at the same time j he is fearfully raw, and, though possessed of the best intentions, he is not likely, for a session or two at least, to cut any figure in the provincial legislature. The pedagogue candidate (Mr Fraser) was present at the meeting, but for some unexplained reason was specially quiet, and gave no sign of coming forward. On the contrary, he seemed to enter heart and soul into Mr Wright's views, and I may, therefore, be justified in putting him down as scratched for fhe approaching race. As might have been expected, a vote of confidence was passed in Mr Wright, and it seemed as

It would be expectedt^P^^^^^^^^^H on that occasion and, as night as it were, we may amount of gas from the three any quantity of amusement to tn^^^H take delight in baiting candidates. After this yarn, you will, probably, licTTk had enough of elections, and mining topics will, I imagine, be the most welcome. To begin with the districts nearest, I may say that good gold is being got from Waite's Pakihis, though it is not sufficiently pay- J able to induce your readers to at once up swag and be off. As I told you" befojJß there are good tucker diggings, with al chance of improvement, for a large number of people, and as yet that is the most favorable report I can make of it. From the north, the good accounts have received partial confirmation; but at the same time the difficulties previously spoken of exist still, and miners are very reasonably chary of venturing upon such a wild goose chase. 1 From your quarter the reports are all "couleur de rose," and I hope that they may long continue so. Of course I cannot, and would not if I could, venture to tread on your territory. As epicures are said to keep the choicest morsel for the last mouthful, so [ give yoiy the cream of my views in a concluding paragraph. It is currently reported, and from personal knowledge I add thatthe information can be traced to the police, that a prospecting claim has been applied for for ground within five miles of Westport. It is stated to be of richness, and at the time of writing this (11 p.m.) a large number of our most > steady traders are preparing for a start ini the morning. I do not happen to be 011J of the few who know the locality, so sLdfl keep in bed, and let it be discoverecli me; but I have every confidence "as* there being some foundation for the faH Could I have ascertained more, I gladly have done so; but my will leave early in the morning, and I leave the matter just where I nienced it. There is, however, excitement about it here, and appears in print you will, heard moje. ~ ~~ As to general news there the place is in a state of The Nelson came in on W short of fuel, having been into the Grey, or to land her the Fakihi. She had to cut wood and left for the south on The lights of a steamer, Stormbird, can be seen off in the Her arrival has been expected Thursday mornin^^^^^H I have just time to say outside is the Stormbird, and steamer from the North, Kennedy, but not yet mad^^^^^H