LOCAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 33, 10 February 1869, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS.

At a meeting of the Executive Council held last night, it was decided that no further steps should be taken, with regards to the reception of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, until an opportunity had been afforded to the public of expressing an opinion on the subject For this purpose a meeting, as will be seen by our advertising columns, has been convened for Monday evening next at the Provincial Hall. The Nathan Troupe have published a very tempting programme for to-morrow night. We have no doubt that La Petite Marion has many fervent admirers in Nelson who will eagerly avail themselves of this opportunity of witnessing her perform in some of her favorite characters. We bad occasion to remark the other day on the facility with which the inmates of the Lunatic Asylum were enabled to make their escape from that establishment. We are glad to find that the Government have engaged an additional keeper, and also authorised the erection of a new ward, for which the plans are already .prepared, and the building of which will be proceeded with without delay. We trust that these precautions will prove efficacious, and that we shall hear no more of escaped lunatics wandering about the streets. We have to thank the Provincial Secretary for supplying us with the following interesting extract from Mr Dutton's monthly report. The Westland authorities, have frequently been held up as a pattern of energy and enterprise, which the Nelson Government would do well to imitate, more especially with regard to the working of the coal mines, ou the West Coast. As a refutation of the rash . statements and wild surmises of what the

former has done, and what the latter might do, Mr Duttou's remarks are of considerable value, and will, we are sure, be perused with much interest by our readers : — ' This has been a busy month at the mine, as the entire stoppage of the Westland Mine just at the time when there was an increased demand for coal for shipment, has kept all hands fully employed. I have received £477 Is. for coals, &c, during th* 3 month, the expenses amounting to only £234 18s. 10d., which gives an apparent probt for the month of £242 2s. 2d., but a fnll week's wages have yet to be deducted as pay day is only once a fortnight. There will, still however, be a considerable profit. This exceptional demand is consequent on the arrival of a number of vessels from Melbourne. The works at the mine are going on well, and if anything like the present demand for coal continues, the next two months will show a large profit. The Westland Mine was stopped about ten days ago, ia consequence, it is stated, of the delay of the Council to grant wharf accommodation and a terminus for the Railway at Greymouth. The sum of £477 mentioned by Mr Button as having been received for coals during the month, may not appear a very large one to us in Nelson where we are iv the habit of paying between £2 and £3 per ton for that article, but it must be remembered that the price at the pit's mouth is only 10s per ton, the amount quoted therefore, represents something like 1000 tons as the result of one month's mining.