CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 163, 7 February 1868, Page 3

CHARLESTON NEWS.

We beg to call our readers' attention to Mr Singer's benefit, which takes place this (Friday) evening. Mr Singor, as a first-class musician, has done much towards the introduction and encouragement in Charleston ■of good music, and has afforded the inhabitants many an intellectual treat, and we trust that a good house will somewhat repay him for the time and labor he has spent hero. A public meeting was held at the "Shamrock Hotel on Thursday evening, to listen to Mr Graham, who had come from the Buller to address the electors as a candidate for the Grey district. Mr Dwan occupied the chair, and after some facetious remarks, stated that he retired from the contest in favor of Mr Graham, who then addressed the meeting for a short time, after which followed a number of absurd questions and answers, all tending to show the burlesquecharacter ■of the affair, but there was not a sufficiently large crowd present to ma'ie much fun. Doubtless the dismal weather had something todo with the tameness of the meeting.

The contractor has not been long in erecting the survey office, which now stands on the right hand side of the Courthouse, and has the effect of making the latter look smaller and more insignificant than ever. It is a pity that so fine a site should not be graced by a better building. We ■really think the time has arrived for a larger Courthouse to be provided, or a new front might be given to the present structure, presenting a little more imposing an appearance, and at the same time affording increased accommodation for the transaction of the large amount of business which daily passes through the Court. Mr Bain held a very numerously attended meeting at Brighton last week, when he explained at some lenth his views and opinions on several subjects affecting the welfare and progress of the district, apparently to the •satisfaction of his hearers who, through the chairman, Mr Neale, passed the iusual vote of confidence. A committee was afterwards formed, consisting of Messrs A. Gr. Neale, llimmer, Prout, Bull, Cusaek, Green, Sutherland, Stewart, Delargy, Nevin, Palmer, and Lofty, to secure Mr Bain's return.