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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 268, 22 November 1879, Page 2

Holders of shares in the Wellington Company's mine at Waimangaroa, Westport. (says the New Zealandtr) will be delighted at the news that a splendid 15ft seam of hard coal has been struck in the mine. Mr Nicholas Andrews, who has made the discovery, visited Wellington some few weeks ago to communicate with Captain Williams and other shareholders here on his find, but we presume it waa deemed advisable to be reticent until assurance was received beyond all doubt that a veritable seam of hard coal had been fouud in au easily accessible position. This appears now to be an accomplished fact, and will give an instant impetus to the trade of Westport, every appliance having long since been ready for bringing down the coal from the mine and loading vessels. A vessel of 200 tons burthen will be able to moor at the staiths, get her cargo shot down her hatches, trimmed, and out to sea again in a day. We learn from another source that the manager of the Westport Colliery Company states that they will be in a position to ship coal on the Ist January next. There are already some two or three thousand tons of hewn coal stored in the tunnel, awaiting the completion of the incline works to permit of its being brought down by rail to the port. When tbis quantity is cleared out of the way we understand further drives will be put in, in order to reach a seam of what is locally known as the Coalbrokdale coal, a true cauuel coal of splendid marketable value. A supplement to the New Zealand Gazette of the 14th instant contains a new tariff of charges to come into effect on the railways of the Colony, on the Ist instant Among special concessions noted are the issue of family season tickets, for not less than four persons, at two-thirds the rate of ordinary season tickets for each person; ; the issue of season tickets at half-rates for apprentices and pupil teachers; season tickets for scholars and students at 10 per cent, per quarter ; second-class, similar concessions to the wives and families of railway officers and employes, and school party tickets at the rate of one first-class single ticket for every four children, and of one ticket for every two bom fide teachers accompanying them. A.n awkward mishap (cays the Marlborrugh Time*) occurred to the young trout which were sent on Monday for distribution in the Picton district. They were taken from the box in which they arrived at Picton aud put into a bucket placed near the pump on Mr James premises, while the gentlemen in charge of them went to tea. During their absence a servant girl, wanting to use the bucket, and being unaware or forgetful of what waa in it, emptied its contents into the sink. The catastrophe was discovered in time to save about half the fish which were picked up with a spoon and put into safer quarters. During the delivery of his address at the Wesleyan Church on the Home Missions (says the Southland Times), the Rev Mr Reid, perhaps unwittingly, gave his hearers an illustration of the autocratic tendenices of the ex-Premier. Alluding to tbe warm friend Sir George Grey was to the Maoris, of which he had ample opportunities of judging during the time he resided as a missionary amongst them, tbe rev gentleman said: " Sir George and myself were excellent friends, too, for a long time; in fact, we were on very good terms until I had occasion to contradict him once or twice." The audience appeared to enjoy the " hit," and some present laughed heartily. It would seem the pair '• made it up," however, for the speaker remarked: " But we are good friends now." The harbor of Melbourne is to be improved at a cost of £1,200,000, so as to admit of ships of any burden coming right up to the citylu the London Ecclesiastical Gazette a sporting parson advertises for a chance to trade his power of winning souls for an opportunity to shoot partriges, in these terms : " Wanted, by a Beneficed Clergyman, Shooting, in August or September, in return for taking Sunday duty. Address, Vicar, care of, &c, Bedford street, Strand, London, W. C."