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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 478, 16 March 1869, Page 2

The present expectation is that the Duke of Edinburgh will reach Wellington on the 2Sth of this month. Of his progress from that point there has been no programme published. The General Government has, in fact, so much upon its hands at present, to maintain even a semblance of loyalty among the Natives, that they may be forgiven the forgetting of details the neglect of which would, at any other time, to inexcusable. All the information we have on the subject at present is an unauthenticated newspaper report that from "Wellington His Royal Highness will proceed to Nelson. The report is both unauthenticated and made by a Nelson paper. Therefore, with characteristic mconsiderateness for anything but Nelson, it is not added how, if ever, the Duke is likely to leave that pleasant place. His date of arrival there ia expected to be

the 7th of April, and his stay to be of two or three days' duration, during which there is to be some horse-racing, not to speak of such uncommon and essentially ducal diversions as rabbit and pigeon shooting! Shades of African elephants; conceive yourselves being recorded in His Royal Highness's gamelist with Nelson rabbits! Whether on leaving Nelson the Duke will proceed to the West Coast ports, and from Hokitika overland to Christchurch, doth not appear. He probably will do so, and probably, also, he would find the overland journey from Hokitika one of the most pleasant incidents of his visit to the colony, though, if he wants to realise the magnificence of New Zealand scenery, he must visit Milford Sound. It was, however, Sir George Grey's programme that he should have proceeded to Christchurch overland, by the Wairau Gorge, the Upper Clarence, and Jollie's Pass, and that may now be the alternative. His visiting Westport, we imagine, is very doubtful. If the Provincial Government have any shame left in them, the chances are that he will not do so, for if there is, in the colony, a picture of concentrated " seediness," it is to be seen on the banks of the Buller, and how much the Government have done to contribute to the beggarly aspect of what might have been at least a cheerful-looking if not a bustling little town, umst be as well known to themselves as it is to everybody else