CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 169, 14 February 1868, Page 2

CHARLESTON NEWS.

After the rebuke passed on us by the Herald for daring to comment on Charleston matters, we ought to feel some diffidence in approaching such a subject, but when we remember that the Times and Argus, separately and collectively, had existence in this town long before the Herald was conceived, much less born into being (such as it is), and also that the little paper, emanating as it does from a neighboring town, is as much a Brighton as a Charleston paper,our diffidence changes to amused wonder cat the rebuker's impudence. This again tnrns to semething like indignation when we look at the attempt made by that paper to

turn the position of Charleston. Are we to be ruled entirely from Brighton? Our Magistrate, instead of being a resident amongst us, is now a resident at Brighton, our so-called representa-

tives are both of them Brighton men, and, according to the Herald, it would appear that no one is entitled to comment upon the affairs of Charleston put the gentleman who owns that paper, and issues his orders from the office of the Brighton Times. We understand the Rev. Mr Harvey is to hold Divine service and administer baptismal rites, at Charleston, on Sunday evening next. The recent elections, both north and south of the Grey, have shown to demonstration the glaring absurdity of the laws relating thereto. Confining our remarks to this province the first thing that strikes one is the ridiculous anomaly of the largest district of the South-West Goldfields being virtually unrepresented. It is doubtful whether the whole of the country from Cobden to the Little Grey, containing, according to the last census, a larger population than either Brighton, Westport, or Charleston, will poll more than a dozen votes. Again the various restrictions operate most unjustly ou electors. In Charleston, for example, about threefourths of the business people found themselves, from one cause or another, disqualified, and these were mostly the older residents. One merchant had taken out no less than nine licenses yet discovered that he had no vote; another man with six was turned back, and the same thing occurred in a lesser degree with miners. We beg to call attention to the benefit of Mr J. W. Black, which takes place on Friday evening, at the

Empire Theatre. In doing so we need not remind our readers of the liberality always evinced by Mr Black in freely giving his services in aid of charitable purposes, for they are all well aware of the fact. "We have no doubt Mr Black will have a full house.