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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 244, 13 May 1868, Page 2

Mr KYNNEitsiiEYhas indeed fallen into pleasant places. He is publicly thanked by the Superintendent, and as a natural sequence the Ndso7i Examiner echoes the Super's sentiments; the Provincial Council, knowing no better, accept Mr Curtis's endorsement of his virtues ; he is smiled on by the Grey River Argus, patronised by the Hokitika Evening Star, and last, not least, has two columns and a half devoted to his laudation in the resuscitated Celt. We have good grounds for thinking that the incense of adulation is grateful to his nostrils, but we doubt whether even Mr Kynuersley can stomach the Celt's last contribution without an inward qualm. Still, beyond doubt, at present he is master of the situation.' Whether or not he will be so after the Assembly meet remains to be proved ; we can bide our time. Though sorely tempted we forbear from further comment, but would point out that the subjoined remarkable letter, in reply to the still more remarkable production on the part of the Commissioner, was written by the Superintendent without any investigation whatever, and solely on the unsupported statement of Mr Kynnersley himself. Be it remembered too, that at this very time the Superintendent was perfectly well aware that the report of the circumstances which gave rise to these thanks had been publicly branded in a public meetin"as " untruthful," in the place where the events therein referred to took place, and that at the very time a memorial was being prepared to the General Assembly, praying for an inquiry into the whole case. This is the time selected by the Superintendent for his acknowledgements. Whether he wished to anticipate the Assembly's verdict or not we do not know, but it may prove that he has been considerably too hasty, and that in a higher court the judgment will, in all probability, be reversed with costs against the defendant and confu-iion to the impetuous provincial. The letter was as follows:

Superintendent's Office, May 6,1865. Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th ultimo, narrating, for the information of the Government, the occurrences of the previous month at Westport and Addison's Flat. I am directed by the Superintendent to convey to you the special thanks of the Government for the prudence as well as the firmness which have characterised your action under very difficult circumstances, and to congratulate you upon the highly successful result of your exertions, which have secured the vindication and re-es-tablishment of law and order, and have relieved the Government and the province from the very serious difficulties in which a less firm and a less prudent course on your part would have involved them. The Superintendent further instructs me to assure you, that he considers the colony is greatly indebted to you for the course you have pursued on this occasion, as he is convinced that, had you yielded to the pressing solicitations of a large number of influential and well-intentioned persons in the district under your management and control, a conflict would have ensued between different sections of the community, which would have led to the interruption of industrial pursuits, and most probably to serious loss of life, succeeded by a permanent hostility between different classes of the population, not only in the district within your jurisdiction as Commissioner of the South-West Goldfields, but also in other parts of the West Coast, most injurious to the peace, and most disastrous to the prosperity of the whole colony of New Zealand. I have, &c, Alfred Greenfield, Provincial Secretary.

The occupants of the coal reserve have the satisfaction of knowing that the Grovernment do not propose infcerfering at present with their tenure. That much is intelligible from the Council's proceedings, but anything further, or what the fate of the petition was ultimately, seems to be enveloped in the most perfect fog. A notice is stuck up on the Courthouse that the formal declaration of the poll for Westland North, in the election of a representative to the General Assembly, will be made on Saturday next. This certainly is an economical manner of making the announcement.

As will bo seen by advertisement there will bo an inspection of Volunteer arms to-night, as well as other business brought forward in connection with the corps. The celebrated Japanese troupe will appear in Westport for one night the lvth inst. at Hamilton's Apollo Music Hall. They then go on to Hokitika, but will make another cajl if the first proves profitable. These people are really the most extraordinary seen in the colonies, and their performances verge on the incredible olmost.

In the Police Court to-day, Andrew Jacobsen was charged witli obstructing the police in the execution of their duty It appears that the defendant was talkto the prisoners at work, and on persisting in it after being warned by Mr Maguire, was- given into custody. The Magistrate, as the offender was a foreigner, and did not consequently know the English law, let him oft' with a caution. J. Tirrell for drunkenness, was fined 20s or 24 hours.

Our evening contemporary, on authority, contradicts the report of the Bank of New South Wales being about to open a branch at Addison's Flat. From the same source we learn that the banks will not again open till there is an opening for fair competition for more than one bank. Although some months ago Addison's was not ripe for these institutions, it is so now, and whoever is first in the field will secure a good business. A number of claims are on payable gold that will take a length of time to work out, and it is surprising that this well-known fact has not stimulated banking enterprise anew. As it is as much Addison's gold is sold in, or goes to Charleston as to Westport.