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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1008, 27 September 1872, Page 2

The date of the proposed races at Eeefton will be decided at the next meeting of the Reefton Club, taking place on Wednesday, 2nd proximo. Dr Hector may possibly soon pay another flying visit to Westport, as he has been instructed by the Government to proceed to Hokitika. for the purpose of inspecting the Kanieri coal-field, and reporting thereon. At an extraordinary meeting of the shareholders in the Anderson Creek Quartz Mining Company, it has been decided to increase the capital to £38,000, in shares of £1 each. We understand that his Honor Judge Harvey has granted an order to wind up the Westland Quartz Crushing Company. Willie Steele, S.N.S. as he terms himself, "Southland's Natural Songster," has, after a lengthened pilgrimage from town to town in New Zealand, turned up at Weafcport, and purposes giving a conceit at the new school-house, Palmerston street, this evening. Willie is a retired letter-carrier of excentric genius and poetical proclivities. He composes his own simple lays and sings them to his own music, making no pretension to be an artist, but seeking to earn an honest crust for himself and a strong brood of bairns, located somewhere in Southland. He claims to be the oldest teetotaller in the colony, has served Her Majesty to the full extent of his ability, and now assumes the vocation of a wandering minstrel because, having lost his humble appointment through ill health, he has no better means of keeping the wolf from the door. As a rule he is kindly received wherever he appears, and Westport * good folks ' will no doubt accord him a friendly greeting. He sings on one evening only in each town he visits.

A report reached town yesterday that the copper plates and gold thereon, had been taken from the boxes in Ashton and party's claim, at Giles Terrace, but no definite information has been given to the police.

Another cargo boat was launched by the builder George Geary, ou Wednesday last, and was quickly filled up with loading for her first up-river trip. The new craft is a smart clinker built boat, carrying- seven tons burden, and was built to the order oi Lilly and party. The Stamp Duty on cheques was only reduced to one penny after considerable debate in the House. Clauses 20 and 21, exempting cheques and receipts of Friendly Societies, was struck out by voices on the first discussion, aud by the Chairman's casting vote in the division on the latter clause, and Mr Steward's amendment, proposing to exempt Municipal and Road Board receipts, was also rejected by 28 to 12.

Coughs, colds, and catarrhs are still exceedingly prevalent here, especially anions the young folk, So much so that the School Committee are seriously considering the advisability of closing the school for a brief interval,

Dwan and Co., will offer for sale at Charleston, to-morrow, the Theatre Royal Hotel property in Princes street. The Rev. Mr Flnvell has reconsidered his decision as to removing from Charleston to Reefton, and will, with the Bishop's consent, remain for the present with his old congregation. At a special meeting of the Vestry of St. Marks, the following resolution was passed in reference to the above, "That this Vestry,—feeling assured that it i 3 the wishes of the congregation,— earnestly request Mr Flavell to remain in Charleston, at least for the present, provided the Bishop's consent can be obtained." We trust for the future the vestry may find then- hands strengthened by the action of the congregation, and that the threatened loss of their pastor may imbue them with a fresh incentive to more liberally support their church than has,; of late been the case with many, though fortunately not all of the congregation. While there is so much talk of the San Francisco mail service, and all our attention is concentrated upon the establishment of the speediest possible communication with the old country, it seems as if the services between the different parts of the colony were totally lost sight of. On Monday morning the-16th instant, the Nebraska arrived in Auckland. With ordinary management the Nelson portion of the mail might have been delivered by mid-day on the following Wednesday, aud the Westport portion during the next twenty-four hours. Yet we find that the Phcebe, the boat connecting Nelson -with the Manukau, did not arrive in Nelson until Friday, and tho mail only reached here Tuesday night, more than eight full days after its arrival in the colony. Mr Arthur Collins of Nelson is spoken of as a probable candidate for the Superintendence of tbo Province. We learn by a private telegram, from Wellington that this gentleman has placed himself under the wing of E. J. O'Conor, upon whose influence he relies for a majority of votes. And in return we may presume that if, by any possible chance, Mr Collins was elected he would use what influence he possessed to favor the "majority of votes " for Mr O'Conor a? County Chairman of the proposed new county. Verily our promised honors seem questionable blessings. Mr Henry James Whittnore, one of the earliest settlers in Greymouth, died on Tuesday last, aged forty. The 'Argus' sa/s his early death is much to be attributed to the severe shock and losses sustained by hiru during tho late flood, in which his house and other premises were destroyed, followed as that was by the great bush fire, in which his new premises were only saved as by a miracle.

A rather clever swindle was successfully carried out on several people in Christchurch on Wednesday week. During the day several men were seen hawking what they a.iid were new potatoes brought down

from Melbourne in the Tararua, aud succeeded in placing several kits of them. Of course not a little surprise was expressed at new potatoes being in so early, but the explanation about the Tararua and the apparently bona fide apparanoe of the potatoes set doubts at rest with the purchasers until the time for cooking arrived, when the clever swindle wa3 at once detected. The potatoes were, of course, old ones, which, in order to make them appear new, had been deprived of the peel, then carefully smoothed-and rubbed with oil, in to give them the requisite appearance to deceive the eye—a tric|f which was very cleverly executed. Some of the potatoes were sold at 6d per pound. An accident occurred on the Grey River on Sunday last, but fortunately with no serious results, a cargo boat was returning from an up-country trip, with some passengers, one of them being a female—Mrs Clark. While running Snag- Falls, the boat struck a snag, and went to pieces, parting amidships. The crew and passengers were of course immersed; some of them reached the shore, and the others were rescued by a boat whici. was ceming down the river at the time.

During the six weeks quarantine of the steamer Hero at Port Jackson, the passengers published a manuscript journal, which they termed " Loganiana.' It has now been republished in printed form, and contains some very humorous matter bv Frank Weston and others who happened to be passengers. A waltz by Professor Saunders is attached, dedicated to Captain Logan. " Loganiana" is published at a shilling, and will no doubt command a large sale. A Wellington correspondent informs us that the general opinion is that the session will last about five weeks longer, but it is quite possible there may be a strong fight yet that may tend to indefinitely delay the prorogation, or even result in a dissolution. Some strikingly conspicuous advertisements have for a few months pust appeared in certain New Zealand newspapers settinpforth the merits and cheapness of Norton's Oride Gold Watches. A telegram from Dunedin states that Drafts on C. P. Norton and Co., New York, who advertised their watches in most papers in the colonies have been returned endorsed—" No one can be found to honor draft. Firm broken up. Parties arrested for swindling." The Wellington ' Independent' says : " It is to be hoped that Mr Curtis will be placed in that position which entails the least exertion, Really he is unfit for anything but the red tape and sealing-<vax office, and we are quite sure that he will not give any occasion for any censure upon the nomadic habits of Ministers. There is probably not a man in the House who has seen less of the Colony, who has less desire to see any part of it—except that immediately surrounding his own house—than Mr Curtis, He will make an admirable dummy, and we suppose that he is placed in the Ministry pretty much on the same principle as that which induces sugar dealers of small capital to line their shelves with empty boxes, for the purpose of gaining the credit of having a large stock." The typical mountain has again brought forth the typical mouse. On this occasion the merest atomical abortion. The spasmodic efforts and sore travail of Nelson oSicials, the hurried rushing to and fro, and questionable tactics of the " bob-a-uob " agents, scouring Nelson city, and Nelson Province for signatures to the anti-separa-tion petition, has culminated in the following result. The ' Wellington Post,' the ministerial organ of the day says, on the 18th instant, that " In the' House this afternoon Mr J. Shephard presented twenty seven petitions, signed by 3,002 powonj rocidon t.s in various parts of the Nelson South-West Goldlields, against any alteration of the existing provincial boundaries. As he presented petition after petition, and loaded the table with them, there was immense laughter in the House." 3902 persons represent .fust about one sixth of the population of the Nelson Province.

The 'Taupeka Times' says:—An exodus of Chinese to the West Coast is taking place, Between two hundred and three hundred Celestials have, within the last month, left Taupeka for Hokitika, and large numbers are expected to follow shortly. The cause of the exodus is stated to be favorable reports from the West Coast, supervening upon the severity of winter.