PORT NICHOLSON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, 3 September 1842, Page 103

PORT NICHOLSON.

We have received the New Zealand Gazette to the 20th of August. The forthcoming election .of municipal officers is causing some stir among our neighbours. Some time since the working classes of Wellington appointed a committee to prepare a list of the names of gentlemen whom they deemed best qualified to compose the first council. On the 15th, a public meeting was held to receive the report of this committee, when the following names were submitted : Messrs. Hunter (senior), Lyon, Wade, Molesworth, Revans, Dorset, Waitt, W. A. Cooper, E. Johnstone, H. Taylor, j Catchpool, Wallace, Da vies, Hanson, Fitzherbert, Smith (Capt. W.), Machattie, Hort. A long discussion ensued, a few of the names being objected to, particularly Mr. Hanson's ; but the sense of the meeting being taken, the majority declared it should be retained. A new committee was afterwards appointed, for the " purpose of looking after the interests of the working men." We subjoin a few extracts from the Gazette : — j A whale was observed to have entered the Fort, and pursuit given, on Friday, 12 th inst. The parties in chase were, we are informed, men of some experience, and we entertained the most sanguine hopes that the prize, in this case, would not escape. The pursuit was for a few minutes rendered interesting by the style in which the tail of the animal was flourished, but the result was a failure. The whale was not struck. Had all the cetacea which have lately entered the Port been captured, the proceeds must have been considerable ; and we trust that on a future occasion the practical whalers will be more on the alert. The Vanguard brigantine, after a tedious voyage of ten days, entered our harbour on Sunday, from Akaroa. The resort of the American and French whalers to this settlement is very great; our correspondent mentions that no fewer than eight of these vessels left the harbour at the time the Vanguard took her departure. There are at this period a fleet of not fewer than 100 whalers off the South Island, and this unusual number is supposed to have in some way injured the bay fishing; the whales having been prevented approaching the coast. It is now considered that the shore fishing will certainly not repay the parties engaged, and that in fact many of them will be losers. Our correspondent has added that the largest number of whales reported to have been taken at any of the stations on the coast, was nine whales, yielding about 50 tuns of oiL We are sorry to repeat what we formerly said, when alluding to this subject, that the want of provirions was complained of at many of the stations, and" that the men employed at some of them had struck, entire!)' from this cause.