The Westport Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 494, 22 April 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1869.

Otte Nelson contemporaries have not yet deigned to show in what respect the Separation Petition about to be forwarded from this portion of the province to the General Assembly errs. The Examiner has made the one broad assertion that the petition abounds with statements " which are very wide of the truth," but beyond this, there is no further attempt at proof or contradiction. The Mail after perusing a copy of the document, asserts that" in doing so we come across certain assertions which possess all the charms of novelty " and go on to say that they fear the framers have committed themselves to figures betraying a lamentable want of discretion. They however conclude by admitting that they have not yet compared the statements made in the petition with the hard dry facts of the blue books, and until they have accomplished this, withhold further comments, to be resumed on an early opportunity. Under the existing superfluity of loyalty on the part of Nelson duringthepastweek, when allhave been busily engaged framing programmes, concising invitation lists, arranging processions, making and taking speeches, and otherwise doing their little best to entertain Eoyalty, it is not to be wondered that such secondary subjects, as those emanating from the goldfields should for the time be entirely obliterated.—Had the framers of the Separation petition not concluded their duties before the end of March, they would have found a few more figures, facts, and arguments to be served upon the Legislative Assembly, through the hands of the Premier. It might have been shown that during the year ended 31st March last, for which period there was voted £25,500 for public works on the ISouth-West Goldfields, the sum of £12,265 lis 5d only has been expended, and, that as against £28,879 8s voted for departmental and other expenditure, oaly £26,494 12s 3d has been expended. The very handsome amount of £15,619 4s 4d has thus been saved or rather withheld by the Nelson Executive during the past twelve months from the shamefully miserable sum the Provin-

cial Council voted for the goldfields last session. On nearly every item has there been a saving or curtailing effected. Even on the paltry pittance of .£2OO voted for the establishment of libraries on the coast, the sum of £BO has been retained and only £l2O spent. What possible excuse can be given for this, by the Nelson Executive or newspapers to satisfy the minds of the inhabitants of this part of the Province ? It would seem that the mysterious error in the government accounts which has been a standing apology for such a length of time is at once, more than liquidated from the South-West Goldfields. It is to be hoped that some one of our members during the ensuing sitting will point out these injustices, with the view of striving to obtain, even during their concluding term of office oyer us, the termination of which is so anxiously sought, a more just and proportionate administration of that revenue derived from, but so scantily allotted to, the South-West Goldfields.