The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 140, 13 June 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1872.

Drawing-room Entertainment. — Mr. Hoskins and Miss Colville gave another entertainment last night which proved as successful as any of the former ones. They will appear again to-morrow evening, for which occasion a most attractive programme has been published. Winter Evening Entertainments. — The second of this series of entertainments will take place on Tuesday evening next, when the Rev. G. H. Johnstone will give an account of his recent trip to Reefton. From a genileman of his observation, power of description, and general command of language, a most interesting narrative may be expected. The second part will consist of vocal and instrumental music of which a programme will be published in due course. The Westport Land Purchase. — Mr. Gibbs has given notice that he will move to-night, "That his Honor the Superintendent be respectfully requested to place on the " Appropriation Bill " the sum of £155, for the purpose of repaying to Mr. O'Conor the value of certain sections bought by him in Westport, upon his assigning the same to the Superintendent." — Mr. O'Conor is to move tomorrow, "That the resolution moved by the Provincial Solicitor, reflecting upon Mr. O'Conor for the purchase of certain sections in Westport, be rescinded." Waikouaiti Election.— As will be seen by the following figures, the electors of the district of Waikouaiti have expressed themselves in the most practical manner possible as being opposed to the existing Government, SirD. Monro having obtained a triumphant majority over tbe whole of his opponents. At the close of the poll,which took place yes ter day, the numbers stood as follows : — Monro, 218 ; Webster, 50 ; Preston, 40 ; Hutchinson, 16 ; Cutten,?; Thompson, 4. A few small returns had not come in at tbe time the telegram was despatched, but they would not in any way affect the result so far as the winning candidate was concerned. Report of the Doran's Reef Company Committee. — The following report of the Select Committee appointed to take into consideration and report upon the advance of £250 to the Doran's Reef Company was laid on the table last night : — "Your Committee have to report that, after reading and considering the correspondence laid on the Council table, they have the honor to submit for adoption by the Council the following resolution :— - That, taking into consideration the position of the Doran's Reef Company at the time the sum of £250 was advanced by the Government, and the fact that £110 had heen expended by the Company on a public road, the Council is of opinion that the Government was justified under the circumstances in advancing the said £250." — (Signed) William Gibbs, Chairman.

Brunner and Cobden Tramway. — A good work was done by the Provincial Council last night in authorising the Government to commence, without delay, the construction of a . tramway from the Brunner mine to Cobden. For some time past there has been a difficulty, occasiobed by the vagaries of the river when in a flooded state, in getting boats to and from the mine, and the consequence is not only that the supply of coal has run short at the port, but that the men are leaving the mine and seeking work, as no regular employment can be found for them in getting out the coal. It will, therefore, be allowed on all sides that a more legitimate work could not. be undertaken than such an one as

will place this mine in easy and regular communication with the port. The present state of New Zealand in reference to its coal supply is a perfect anomaly. With "manifold and magnificent seams," as was said by one of the speakers in the Council last night, distributed throughout the whole colony from its northern to its southernmost pomt — seams of coal, not of a second rale character, but of a quality unsurpassed by the best Newcastle produce — we are yet almost erjtirely dependent upon New South Wales for our supplies. At present, owing to some misunderstanding on the subject of freights, there is a scarcity of coal throughout the whole colony. Steamers are delayed in th? various ports by their inability to obtain fuel, and there is every prospect of even the limited supply required for domestic purposes running short. However unpleasant this may be just as the winter is setting in, we shall have no cause to regret the circumstance if it rouses up tbe people fo demand that tbe Government shall take some more practical steps than the mere obtaining of reports towards developing our extensive and valuable coalfields. Notwithstanding the possibility that exists of the General Government at some future date commencing the line of railway frora the Bruoner Mine to Greymouth, we repeat that the Council acted wisely last night in passing the resolution referred to.