The Westport Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 555, 16 September 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1869.

Since our last number there have been but few incidents associated with what our Charleston contemporary, with prophetic-soul, calls the "coming struggle " —the election of a Superintendent for the Province of Nelson. A -few of the electors in "Westport agreed to ascertain the probabilities of 'Mr Barnicpat's candidature, aocl telegraphed to that gentleman, asking if he would consent to be put in nomination, hopefully sugges ing that he would receive the support of five hundred votes on the West Coast. Mr Barnicoat lias the crodit of being most candid in his declaration that he will be no candidate on this occasion. In reply he telegraphed : —" I most positively and irrevocably decline to stand for the Superintendenxjy." A majority of the electors will, no doubt, *egretthat Mr Barnicoat's electioneering experience should have induced him to adopt this determined resolution. They might regret it less if they could turn their attention to an equally eligible candidate; but the contingencies of the coming election seem to be shaping towards onedisagreeabledenouement— Aut Curtis aut nullus. There is just one ray of hope left. A writer in the Charleston Herald, who unfortunately does not give even a hint of the individual's identity, tickles the electors' long ears and low "spirits with the promise that " a proper and a public man will be before them in a few days." At Nelson, meantime, the interest taken in the election is revealing itself only on the part of the present holder of the office, and through the medium of the advertising columns of the local Press. The cunning Curtis, with more certainty of a satisfactory result than attended the juvenile experiments of "Simple Simon," is preparing a supply of salt to be put upon the tails of the little birds that may still he shy. Lately this salt took the shape of pretty promises of pretty playthings—a real railway, a special settlement in " New Lancashire," and lots 6f nice things in niibihis. Now the shy ones are being "salted down" with an extract from that good old standing stock of political capital—the Nelson Dry Dock or Patent Slip. Simultaneous with the slightest hint of opposition, an announcement of a most iudeliuite and meaningless character, in re Dry Dock, is made on behalf of the Government, and through the advertising columns of the Nelson papers; whereupon the Examiner "sings pawns." With his eye ou this announcement, and as steadily retained there as an inconvenient tendency to wink will permit him to retain it, our contemporary says:— "We are glad .to see the Government is bestirring itself to induce capitalists to undertake the construction of a dry dock or slip in our harbor, and the very liberal guarantee of ten per cent, interest, for ten years, on the outlay in construction, should ensure its being speedily undertaken." it is not in the advertisement, but that docs not prevent the same authoritative medium from communicating the pleasing information that "exertions will be made to bring the subject under the notice of capitalists In the adjoining colonics as well as in jNcw Zealand." It is disgusting to feel ungenerous, or to live in a chronic state of unbelief, but it is impossible to notice the constant recurrence of similar "sops" rt certain times and seasons, without suspecting their source and the subjects for whom the pabulum is prepared. A dry dock let it be, by all means ; but let it be, not partially, but wholly political, and then its object will be understood and appreciated. It"a such a dock that is required, and chiefly required for the good old ship "The Superintendency," at present so sadly in want of overhaul from truck to keel.