GREYMOUTH.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 259, 30 May 1868, Page 3

GREYMOUTH.

(from our own correspondent.) May 28. Greymouth is tarred with the same brush, as regards business, as your town of "Westport, and the rest of the "West Coast. The weather here is beautiful, but ■cold. The Nelson Coal Company, as you are aware, are defunct, but their manager has just been let in for £IOO damages, in an action brought against them by a Mr Lucas, with w r hom they had contracted for the sale of the plant for conveying coal portwards from the mine. Mr Harrison, M.H.E., M.C.C., addressed an audience at Cobden, on Monday evening, relative to the proposed annexation of the townsnip and country to Eazorback, to the district ofWestland. The scheme, although doubtless very palatable to the Westland district, was not swallowed by the men of Cobden, and they expressed themselves determined to " bide a wee"

before they changed their ruling power, and if any change hereafter was to take place, fchey would prefer Grevmouth alia the district to Teremakau being joined to Cobden in a separate province. The river being the boundary line between the provinces is a great evil, but this is overlooked by them, and the general expression of feeling at the meeting was in favor of the Nelsoii Government over Westland, and more especially was the scheme opposed, from the fact of the whole cost of the road making from Christchurch to Hokitika having been saddled most unjustly on the new district.

The diggings between here and Bazorback, although presenting no very new features continue to employ pi-ofitabry a good population. Up the river several old minors who have returned froin Queensland, have gone to try their luck. The boat leaves so soon that I must apologise for short-comings in this letter, and will hope to do you more justice next time.

Tre Carandini family are shortly expected, when I believe their sorjourn on the West Coast will end. The Queen's birthday was kept up here by the various dancing saloons and concert halls, but iu all other respects very little display was made. The Southland from Hokitika has just entered the river.

A man was committed to take his trial at the next criminal sittings of the Hokitika District Court on Tuesday last, charged with attempting a rape. The opening ' of the Freemason's Lodge here, by Mr Lazaar P.D.Gr.M. was a brilliant affair on Monday, and about 35 members of the Craft, were present at the installation, and at the evening's banquet. The whole of the regalia was made in Greymouth, and every praise is due to the promoters for the handsome and costly way, in which every portion of the proceedings were celebrated.