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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 459, 30 January 1869, Page 2

It is altogether superfluous—it would even flavour of the impertinent— to notice at any length, at this time of day, and in Westport, the merits of the entertainments given by the Nathan Family a3 a family, or the marvellous merits of Littlo Marion as its most distinguished member. It is sufficient to say that they have given an entertainment to enable people to know that there was an excellent entertainment. And it is sufficient to say that there is to be another entertainment to assure people that it will be equally distinguished by excellence. It would, indeed, be a piece of assumption to dilate upon the ability of each individual member of the company, or on the comparative perfection of the company as a whole. Criticism has exhausted itself through the medium of the columns of nearly every newspaper in the colonies, and, as, in the Australasian alone, "Jaques"has devoted not only sentences, but columns to a critical and highly complimentary notice of Little Marion's natural tale ts an I acquired accomplishments, we might well be excused from saying any thing at nil. It is only necessary to say, as a simple record of a local event, that the Familv re-appearcd in Westport on Thursday evening, and that they did so on a new, neat, commodious, and convenient stage which has recently been added to the Masonic Hall bv Messrs Tonks and Hughes, of the Empiro Hotel; that they made their second appearance last evening ; and that they give their third entertainment this evening, with, in the stereotype language of the stage, as well as literally and truly, " an entire change of performance." If the public should desire anv more information, wo recommend a perusal of the advertisement in another column. And if the Family consider themselves deserving cf more notice by the Press, we beg to assure them that, having written somo scores of notices or their entertainments, and having read some hundreds, there is not, without palpable paraphrasing, a word more to say. A very painful and distressing accident occurred yesterday afternoon to a boy of six year 3 of age, named Tommy White, son of Thomas White, a waterman residing in Westport. Some persons were playing quoits in some vacant ground behind the west aide of Gladstone street, in the neighbourhood of Mr Emanuel's hotel. Just as oue of the players had thrown a quoit he saw the boy, who was

coming from school, and was running to . join his playmates, approach the spot at which they were playing. He c died to the child, warning him of .his danger, but the child unfortunately ran in the direction which the quoit was taking, and it struck Mm on the base of the skull, and penetrated until the brain protruded. The child was immediately carried homo, and was visited both by Dr. Thorpe and Dr. Bruen, but very slight hope is entertained as to his recovery. Much sympathy is felt for the unfortunate pireats of tha child, and for the person at whose hand the accident unhappily happened. By the telegraphic news to hand from Charleston and Brighton, it will be observed that Mr Hennelly has a majority of fifty votes over Mr Bain. The probability, therefore, is that, unless a very strong muster was made for Mr Bain at Cobden.Mr Hennelly has been returned as a member of the Provincial Council. The Progress Committee met yesterday. There was a conversation on the subjects of Separation, and of the Buller Road. The Chairman (Mr Tyler) expressed himself considerably de-interested in the question by the r'dieulous insinuation that he was prompted to move in the mtitter by the ambition of becom ing County Chairman. Other members of the Committee urged the Chairman to be indifferent to any s oh remarks, and to continue his interest in the general question. There was a conversation also on the subject of the Buller Road, and the Secretary was instructed to address a letter to the Executive pointing out its necessity as a Provincial work. By the arrival of the s.s. Rangitoto at Hokitika, the news has been received that the s.s. Albambra had broken down 500 miles from Melbourne, and had put back to that port. The majority of her passengers have come on by the Rangitoto. By the Rangitoto, the Suez mail was also received. We learn from Deadman's Creek that Graham and party have come on payable gold witli two feet of wash-dirt. They were in 700 feet when they struck wash. They then raised their level about 17 feet, drove 50 feet further in, and are now preparing to wash. Muliins and p;irty are in 10U0 feet, but have not yet struck gold. A party of Germans are at present prospecting between the Fairdowns and the Waimongaroa river. The following price for lamb is quoted in a Canterbury paper—Fore-quarter, Is. 9d.; Hind-quarter, 2s. 3d. each. The cutter Hope is going to the Teremakau. It is not generally known, says the Hokitika Daily News, that that river was entered by the Emerald Isle, schooner, in :' ISG4, and from it the first Westland gold , was sent by Maories overland to Christchurch. I A Board of Health has boen appointed for Greymouth. The Greymouth and Greenstone Tramway 1 Company have resolved on a preliminary - survey, and havo made a small call of ss. fc uer share. The General Government Gazette of tho ; 20th inst. contains a record of the reserves for public buildings or other purposes of ■ the General Government in the town of Wostport. Westport is gazetted as the principal * polling-place for Westland North, for the • election of members of the House of Repre- > sentatives. The other polling-plaors are at j_ Caledonian Terrace, Addison's Flat, Charles- , ton, Brighton, Cobden, Ahaura, and Camptown.

A correspondent of the Ilokitika Evening Star, who gives an account of his visit to the Greenstone diggings, thus moralises on shilling drinks:—"Oh, old identities of the Greenstone, I pity you— but, as a friend of mine remarked, ,' what can be expected from people who keep up the obsolete institution of shilling drinks? ' By the way, I fcrgot to say, the shilling drink question in Westland is similar to that of the disestablishment of the Church in England—the Liberals, i.e., evcrybody.not publicans, going in for reducing the price, so as to make a nobbier purchaseable with the coin which rhymes with the namo of a well-known purveyor of swankay ; the Conservatives predicting the ruin of New Zealand when ever silver less in value than a ehuling is rendered current coin of the County. But this is a digression into a question which doesn't greatly affect the permanency and prosperity of the diggings, so I will discontinue it." The General Government have called for tenders, to close on March 8, for the erection of three lighthouses—one of wood, on Farewell spit; one of wood, on Cape Campbell; one of stone, on Nugget Point. Tho twenty-seventh anniversary of the foundation of the Nelson Province will be celebrated on Monday and Tuesday, tho Ist and 2nd days of February nest.