WESTPORT ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1051, 14 February 1911, Page 6

WESTPORT ITEMS.

(By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Westport, February 13. Under the neiv municipal franchise there promises to bo a plethora of candidates "for the Borough' Council 'election. The present council has taken preliminary steps to raise a special loan of' .£IO,OOO at a reduced rate of interest to pay oft the overdraft. According to tho last statement of accounts, the general , account shows a debit of .£11,431. In this statement appears an item,, temporary loan account .£539!), money lent -by tho public to the council at 4 ner cent., payable on demand, and bearing interest for the actual time invested. As the council has to'pay 5$ per cent, to tho bank on overdraft, tho arrangement with, the public must etFcct a considerable saving. At a meeting of daii.; farmers in Westport on Saturday, it was decided, to accept an offer by* Mr. Christie, actin™ on behalf of a - syndicate, to establish a butter factory in Westport, conditional on a gunranteo of 400 cows being forthcoming. Promises for 15C were/made in the room. Tho proposal gives the right of purchase, to the "supplier's at tho expiration of four years.. Tho" broad rich river flats extending from where , tho Duller River omcrges from the gorge to tho sea border have all been taken up, and when tho bushfolling is completed should make admirable dairying . farms. Such ventures as ■ these show that tho Cciast, 'hitherto regarded as almost purely mineral country, has other apparently profitable resources. At the School Committee meeting tonight, it was resolved to grant n holiday as a. recognition of the performanco of a pupil of the secondary school, named Gill'ord; in securing first nlaco in, the Dominion in the Junior National Scholarship, gaining the hignest marks since the institution of the scholarship,