WESTPORT.

Charleston Argus, Volume 1, Issue 8, 10 April 1867, Page 2

WESTPORT.

(From our own correspondent.) April 8. Hey Presto: A magic change, without the magic aid of anything beyond a few glittering grains of gold dust. When I wrote you last, there was a certa : n rumb ling portntous of a storm, but still we were in the most awful state of quietude. The Buller was abandoned by its best friends, and every one was prepared to hear of its ! funeral without loss of time. Many who who had stuck to it from time, comparatively speakinsr, immemorial, were fairly tired out, and left for fresh fields and | pastures new, and though it was known ! that a prospecting claim had been applied for, its value was held so lightly that but few troubled themselves on the subject. On the arrival of Mr Kynnersley, however, on Friday last, this horse assumed quite a different colour, and it was shown that, i whether a large field was or was not open, some splendid prospects had been obtained, The claim was granted, of course, without delay, and proves to be up the Orawaite, | though at preseut it can be only reached by a far more circuitous route than can be cut out at present. I shall content myself with stating that the discovery is genuine, a-ul in your next I shall go into detail in reference to it. I may, however, say that it is deep sinking, and that there is at present every appearance of a very large a id profitable goldfield having been opened up. This is just what the Buller people h<»ve been waiting for, and at length something has actually turned up. Any greater change in the aspect of a people could not well be imagined, for traders of all denominations look smiling and brimfull of hope, where a fortnight ago nothing but the gloom of despair was visible. Sections recently considered valueless, have been the scene of wordy wars and fistic combats, with ihe ultimate result of magisterial or warden's interference. Everything is on the rush, where everything only so short a time ago was somnolent. The best of this is, that it seems likely to be permanent, and a real rush worthy of the best harbour on the coast has commenced. Apropos of, though not in connection J with, the rush, I may refer to the tramway. There c:iu be no question that if the Pakihi tramway had been constructed, fewer sore j bones would have laid in Westport duringj the past few days, and the coffers of the company, had a company existed, would have been materially the richer for the traffic. Whether now or not it will be! constructed I cannot say, but I shouldl think it would, and a greater certainty profit I cannot see. At the same time jfl would be mere affectation in me to that the prospectus as at present gives anything

to matter will be Of course you cannot news other than of the great rush 9H Aaron's rod, it swallows up all, and not attempt to talk about anything may, however, go so far as to say is a strong suspicion of good good, in fact, as that at the opened a little way up the river. # ™ In election matters we have continued to be lively, and the first nomination for the township came off on Monday The interest displayed was by no meafl great, and rather showed itself in the evfl ing, when a free fight or two between partisans of different candidafH than at the hustings. There were thrj nominated, viz., Messrs Crate, Wright, afl Hankins; the two former I have referrJ to before, the latter was recently the editol of the local journal here. The show ol hands was in favor of Mr Wright, but asf the election is to take place on the day I send this away, I fear I shall not be able to give you the result, as I previously stated; however, the butcher will, I believe, carry off the palm, and a far worsJ choice might have been made. J