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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 401, 12 November 1868, Page 2

The approach of Christmas and the great holiday season of the year has reminded those who know that " all work and no play make Jack a dull boy," that it is high time that some steps were being taken for the organisation of publicsports. A meeting has, therefore, been called for this evening, when it is hoped that all who take an interest in athletic exercises, in the qualities of horseflesh, or in the merits of boat-builders and boat-men, will meet at the Empire Hotel. Westport possesses excellent facilities for horse-racing, regattas, or other descriptions of sports, and it is believed that it only requires early and active exertions to have as attractive public amusements at the annual holiday as on any other part of the »Vest Coast. The first necessary step, however, is the provision of sufficient prize-money to induce competition between those who are experts in riding, rowing, or in these other exercises which are recognised as old English or Caledonian games. It is for the purpose of taking this initiatory step that the meeting for this evening is called. With the examples of public spirit which have, in previous years, been given in connection with the same matter, at Hokitika, Greymouth, and elsewhere, and with the example already given this year by the people of Charleston, it would be discreditable if Westport should not prove equally public-spirited, at a time like the present, when the district is generally prosperous, and we do not believe it requires more than a simple announcement of the meeting of this eveniug, to secure a large attendance, and to secure an amount of liberality on the part of the inhabitants sufficient to enable an excellent programme of sports to be prepared.

Gladstone street or Powell's Wharf, which has been a very isolated and forlorn structure since the inroads made by the late flood, is again being made available for the purposes of traffic. Under the supervision of the Harbor Master, Captain Leech, a bridge or gangway is being constructed, so as to connect the wharf with the river bank ; and although the wharf is only, in itself, an apology for wharf accommodation, it will, by this expedient, be made sufficiently convenient for the shipment or discharge of cargo. Already the schooner Excelsior, which arrived yesterday, from Dunedin, has been moored alongside it, and, with the gangway completed, it may again be the regular and preferable mooring place for steamers visiting the port. It would certainly be more desirable if, in appearance, it had less design of precipitating itself wholesale into the river, but, so long as it serves a useful purpose, its decrepid appearance may be forgiven, in consideration of the good purpose which it has already served. During the session of the General Synod of the Church of England at Auckland, the question of boundaries between the dioceses of Nelson and Christchurch came under discussion. It had been proposed by the Diocesan Synod of Nelson that the whole of Westland should be taken under the ecclesiastical supervision of the Bishop of Nelson; but after full consideration of the matter, the General Synod divided against the proposal, and it was determined that the boundary line between the Dioceses should be the River Teremakau on the West Coast and the Biver Hurunui on the East. Westland, therefore, south of the Teremakau belongs to the Diocese of Christchurch.

it was stated yesterday that the Charleston Cricket Club had opened the season by a soratch match on Monday last. The match, says our correspondent, was between two elevens chosen by Mr. Jones and Mr. Simpson. The scores were not very large, but, as it is the first of the j season, the players have not " got there eye in," and the ground is too rough and heavy to let the ball travel tar. The bowling was superior to the batting. In the latter there is great room for improvement, there being too much of what is termed " poking about the wicket;" but, as the season advances, they, will, no

doubt, play with more confidence. With a little practice, we think the club ought to turn out an eleven that will try the metal of either Brighton or Westport. The Warden's Court at Westport has lately had a large amount of business to transact. Yesterday there were numerous applicants for head-races, tail-races, and tunnels, chiefly in connection with the working of terraces on the Great North Lead. Head-races were granted to Joseph Forsyth and party, K. W. Eedmond, James Fyfe, James Glass and party, John

Cooper and party, W. Redman, Robert Wilson and party, W. Harper, Joseph Sullivan and party, John Bray and party, Alexander Peter, James M'Gowan and party, and Thomas H.Norman. A tailrace was granted to Alex. Berne, and Kenneth M'Leod and Thomas Jemison and party had dams registered. Applications for head-races were made by parties represented by James M'Gowan, Andrew O'Shannassy, and Lawrence Larsen, but the applications were postponed until Friday, to enable the parties to prove who pegged out the race applied

for. A tunnel was granted to John Nicholson and five others," extending 200 feet from Ballaarat Creek; a tunnel of 500 feet to Charles M'Alister and four others at Hatter's Terrace; a tunnel of 200 feet to James M'Gowan, at the Caledonian Terrace ; and a tunnel of 300 feet on the same terrace, to Fergus Bannerman. For the past week, the hard-labor prisoners in Westport Gaol, have been employed in valuable, though uncomfortable,

work, cutting drains in some of the back streets, and opening others in which the drainage had become interrupted. The work has already been useful in draining considerable areas of wet or damp ground in situations where the existence of such ground was calculculated to be very detrimental to public health, and although the accommodation of the prison is not of a kind favorable to the convenience of prisoners returning at their diet hours or at evenings, with wet feet and

draggled moleskins, the public advantage sufficient to make up for the loss whichindividual prisoners may experience in their domestic life, The amateur dramatists who have been lately studying " parts" for a public performance have sufficiently advanced with their studies as to have hopes of making their debut on the evening of Monday next. They are to have a rehearsal tomorrow, at half-past three o'clock, in the Theatre Eoyal, the free use of which Mr Trimble has granted for the performance.

The entertainment will be for the benefi

of the widow and orphans of Major Von Tempsky, and it is expected that some of the late Major's countrymen residing in Westport will take part in the programme for the evening, by giving their assistance as vocalists, either solo or in chorus. Messrs Bull and Bond are the contractors for the erection of the Westport AthenEeum, with the building of which they are now proceeding. They are also employed in the construction of some fencing around the Government Reserve, which should have the effect of giving the official quarters a more compact appearance than they have hitherto possessed. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, the only police cases were two charges of drunkenness, in each of which the delinquents were fined, or ordered to be imprisoned. Richardson, the fisherman, went over the bar yesterday in his boat, and, although late on the tide, he was rewarded by catching a groper fifty pounds in weight, and a considerable number of

rock-cod and mullec. In the roadstead, and in the river, fish are at present very abundant, and form a considerable accession to the meat supplies of the town. In consequence of the cost of carriage, the digging districts only partially share in the advantages supposed to accrue from fish diet.

From a gentleman who has arrived from Mohikinui we learn that the Amateur sailed- thence on Tuesday evening. It was expected that the Enterprise would sail last evening. They bring cargoes of Mohikinui coal, for which Mr

Garvin is agent, and on board the Amateur there is also some cargo belongto Mr Stitt, storekeeper, who is giving up business at Mohikiuui. The preparations for the launching of the cutter Volunteer were so far advanced that it is expected that, by this time, she has been successI fully floated. On Tuesday next the .Supreme Court sits at Westport. The calendar of criminal cases is light. The most important mining case is that of Luke and party v. Perry and part}'. In it the members of the local bar and other legal gentlemen have been retained.

The weather for the past few clays has been the Gnest and the most genial that has been experienced in Westport for many mouths, After the heavy rain-fall and low temperature which have been, for a very long time, the experience of those residing on this part of the West Coast, it is almost a degree too warm, but that dependeth much upon constitutional temperament, or on the consumption of physical .stimulents. It has induced, among many, a desire that Westport were provided with public baths, but, with water abundantly supplied, facilities for washing, with a due observance of decency, do not exist.