RICHMOND.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 434, 20 December 1861, Page 2

RICHMOND.

On Monday evening last Mr. KomntOD met the electors at the Star and Garter, Richmond, Mr. Hubbard in the chair. The room was exceedingly crowded, and only about half the electors who had come to bear Mr. R. were able to obtain either sitting or standing room. In a speech about, an hour and ah If (onr* fiill of business and real information, Mr* R. addressed an attentive and gratified audience. His allusion to his last gre^t sin—that of ueglecring the West Coast Coal, was particularly character siic and happy, but it would be impossible for us to dojusnoe to it by our report The existence of this oval had been known ever, since the return of Mr. Brunner from its neighborhood, some 13 or 14 years ago; consequently known during the administration of Major Richmond and Mr. Stafford. He (Mr. Robinson) had obtained some specimens of it, s<>me of which he had got Dr.Tatton to analyse, and some lie had sent to England for the same purpose In both cases the report waa so highly satisfactoiy that he had hoped gome of our enterprising settlers, would have been in* duced to make the necessary arrangements to obtain a regular nipply of it. He did not think it was the duty of a g.tvijrnment to become coal merchants; but if the Council thought so, and would place the uecessary funds at his disposal, he had no particular oltj oiion to the bos ness. Governmeuts nevir did sucli things ecouoniically. Although he had advertised tor teodf is, the thirty tonsof coal lately imported had cost £10 per lonv Some of it,had bee a distributed to the steamers iv harbor, aid some of it to brewers, blacksmiths, &c, from all of whom he had obtained the most encouraging and satisfactory reports, and the report of the Provincial Engineer bad been seat to the paper for publication, £[c. wa,s quite alive to th«

value of such a coal-field, and would use h* utmost exertions to prevent it falling into the hands of such a company as the one who bad so long siuce undertaken to work the Pakawau coal-beds. The magnanimous gentlemen who had so much to say both about Mr. Robinson and Mr. SaitnuVrs, during their absence on Saturday i)i£ht,'were in vain called upon to let them hear those' charges now they were present Not a man moved'his tongue—but Mr. Butler informed Mr. Robinson lhat it had been asserted o» Saturday evening that the Wairau hud been lost to this province by Mr. Robinson's mismanagement. This enabled Mr. Robinson to put that saddle on the right horse—which h«i did to the eutire satisfaction of the whole meeting. . At the close of the meeting the fol'owine resolution was moved by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mr Wiu, and carried unanimously : That Mr. Robinson having, f<.r the last five years, In Id the high office of Superintendent of this province, and discharged the duties of that office with the most irreproachable integrity and prudence, is, in the opinion of this meeting, fully entitled to a renewal of the confidence that has been placed in him by the electors of this province." — Communicated