The Westport Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1037, 14 January 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1873.

The efforts of the residents in Westport to place themselves under Municipal rule have been so far thwarted by the accustomed obstructiveness of official routine that many have almost despaired obtaining the privilege sought for. By what combination of untowai'd circumstances and adverse influence it has so happened that the combined machinery of General and Provincial Government departments has proved unequal to perform the trifling duty of promptly constituting this town a Municipality, is one of those mysterious facts incident to the elaborate ' how not to do it' system of New Zealand Government, but nevertheless beyond the ken of ordinary mortals. But so it is that after waiting and watching for nearly seven hm.j „i.»iU., fr-nrn thn time the first petition was forwarded hence, the petitioners are now politely informed that they must e'en commence again and forward u. new petition. The least that can be said of such treatment is that it is exaspcratingly annoying. Still some few crumbs of comfort may be gathered on consideration of tho fact that now at last the petitioners may discern the beginning of the end. Tdey have but to sign another petition and their prayer may be granted. There is also the one good obtained that, although the delay has been vexatious, it has resulted in the enlargement of the boundaries of the Municipality'as first proposed, and the smoothing away of little.; legal difficulties that might have hampered the free action of the Municipal authorities. The constantly recurring wonderment is that such small emendations necessitated so exceedingly great delay. The one essential duty to themselves now incumbent upon the residents of Westport is to reduce to a minimum any chance of further delay by promptly obeying the behests of those in authority, and sign the second petition. As shown by the appended copies of official correspondence, there is now apparently nothing needed beyond the signatures of one hundred householders in Westport to declare Westport a municipality. The Municipal boundaries, as defined, will comprise a wide area of sections, the holders whereof, whether residents or absentees, will be subject to their share of Municipal taxation. The recent government proclamation declaring the Coal .Reserve no longer Crown Lands, has cleared away legal obstructions to the action of Municipal laws thereon, just so much as it has also taken away from tho Provincial Government the right, which before they exercised, of demanding payment for business licence fees by residents on tho reserve. On this point we refer our readers to the proclamation appearing in another column, but passing by any comment on this topic for the present, we would recommend that the petition now needed be prepared signed with the smallest possible loss of time. There should be no need of persuasive arguments to induce signatures. The hundred names appended to the first document will be again willingly given, a hundred more should be as easily obtained if the promptings of common sense, tho teachings of every day experience, the instinct of self interest, have aught of power in influencing the minds of those as yet unfamiliar with the duties of citizens. Duties they owe to themselves and to their neighbours. Wo do not maintain that Municipal Government will prove'a panacea for every ill under which Westportians suffer, but we believe it to be the one thing needful to raise this community from ftie slough of despond into which I

it liaß fallen. And nouo tbo less I necessary because Westport affaii-B have been so completely muddled by our rulers, that both General and Provincial authorities need the assistance of a local body to direct, or at least suggest, future action. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Dec. 28, 1872. Sib, Adverting to former correspondence on tbe subject of the proposel Municipality at Westport, I am*directed by the Colonial Secretary to state that the Government much regret that they can see no means by which they can spare the Petitioners the trouble of forwarding a new petition, as they are adrisod that if tbe Municipality were proclaimed within the boundaries described in the existing petition, tbo Corporation would 'ere long find themselves involved in a variety of legal difficulties. The Colonial Secretary feels sure petitioners will recognise that it will be better to forward another petition than to place themselves in such a position, and, with a view of assisting them, the Commissioneer of Crown Lands at Nelson, has been requested to prepare and forward to the Petitioners an accurate description of the Town of "Westport as shewn on the official map. I hare &c , G-. S. Cooper, Under-Secretary. A. D. Dobsok, Esq. Crown Lands Office, Nelson. Jan. 3, 1572. Sm, In accordance with instructions received from the Secretary for Crown Lands, I have the honor to forward for your information a description of the boundaries of the Town of Westport as shewn on the official map. I am, &c„ 11. C. Daniell. J. B. FisnEß, Esq. Description of the boundaries of the Town of Westport. Bounded on the northward by the high water mark of the South Pacific Ocean. On the eastward partly by a straight line bearing 155deg 53sec. drawn from the aforesaid high water mark in the direction of Domett street to tbe N.E. corner of the Municipal Beserve, thence by Domett street 155deg. 53sec. 625 links, 125 links, 3075 links, 125 and 7185 links. On the southward partly by Daniell street 2lsdeg. 53sec. 3800 links, 125 links and 1100 links ; partiy by a continuation of Palmerston street loodeg. 53sec ; 500 links, and partly by a line between sections 7a and 5 to the banks of the river Buller, bearing 245deg. 53sec. t r~,9n the Westward by the banks of the river Bulter, to the northern boundary as given above. IT. C. Daniel, Commissioner.

Anxious and indignant enquiries are made by the former holders of freehold sections on the old site of Westport, now long since covered by the sea, as to whether the promise.gireu by the Provincial Government of granting them compensation for their losses, will be honored by tardy observance or allowed to romaiu, among tfei...multitude of unredeemed pledges, which has made Nelson rule a by word of reproach and contempt. Tho allotment of sections on the now township site to holders of business licences was to have been followed by "a similar allotment to freeholders, and the promise, for the time, allayed any discontent prevailing in the minds of freeholders that their just claims had not been first considered. But six months have passed away, and nothing further has been done in the matter, and it can scarcely be wondered at that freeholders are becoming indignant, or that the Nelson Executive obtain a more than ordinary share of -wholesome blessings. It has been rumoured for some weeks past that Mr John Sharp might be expected to arrive in Westport as Commissioner in the matter, and it need hardly be said that his arrival is anxiously looked for, although doubts are entertained as to the reliability of the report.

Although somewhat late by reason of unavoidable causes, a brief notice of the formal opening of the Masonic Hall in Lyttleton street is worthy of place, as marking an interesting event in the annals of Westport. The ceremony of consecration took place on the 20th ult, and was Jperformed with Masonic observances by P.M. Geo. W. Harvey, Provincial Grand Steward, S.C., assisted by P. M's Humphrey and Kerr, and K.W.M., J. 13. Fisher, in the presence of a numerous gathering of the brotherhood of the Thistle Lodge Westport, and of visiting brethem from other lodges. The event was afterwards celebrated by a Masonic Banquet at theEmpirc Hotel.

Among other noted arrivals by the Charles Edward, there landed at Westport the indefatigable public officer Colonel Garton, General Government storekeeper, bringing with him his famous cold steel brand and small mallet, wherewith to mark indelible characters on every article supplied by tho General Government for use in the public offices. We hear that yesterday he visited each department, armed with a list of protentous dimensions 'arid gave two hours notice that he required the production of the articles therein named. The instant scurrying too and fro and hunting up of old brooms and forgotten trifles, ■ caused a most unusual activity to prevail in onr public offices.

Yesterday all the butchers shops in Westport were closed after mid-day, the supply of meat, dead or alive, having been completely consumed. If anything should happened to prevent the St. KUda steame coming in to-day, housekeepers will havo to prepare for a meat famine. Fish too are scarce, and town fed pork not tempting. As a cheering efidence that mining property at Addison's still maintains a good marketable value, may be noticed the gale during the last week, of one ninth share in O'Toole and party's claim, which share changed hands at £450. The last sale of shares in the claim was in July last, when two shares were sold for £3OO each. We hear tho seller of tho share for £450 is going back to the old country, by the San Francisco route.

Mr P. A. Jones, fortnorly well krown at Westport, ha 3 lately figured in the Police Court at Coromande l ., for u breach of the Licensing Ordinanco, and was fined £5; but tho magistrate had gone beyond the strict precept of the law, uud the defendant has since succeeded in extracting from him, in consideration of his injured feelings and the loss of bis business, compensation in the shape of a cash payment of £SO.

A correspondent of the ' Mail,' referring to the Foxtail Railway, writes.—"Owing its conception to agitation on the part of the population, it has successfully resisted repeated attempts at strangulation; and has at last; after considerable hesitation, arri? cd at the stage of ' ratification.' If it does not progress any faster than this it will be a tarnation long time before it eomo3 to a. termination.—Signed, Hallucination."

By the courtesy of the artist and owner we (' Hokitika Star') have been permitted to see a waxwork figure of the notorious criminal Noble, who was hanged at the Hokitika Gaol for murder. A cast of the head was taken within a few hours of the execution, and the likeness in the figure we have mentioned is said to be most striking. Tho figuro is draped in the clothes in which Noble was hanged, and the very hair, or perhaps more properly speaking, wool, which was attached to the scalp of the murderer., is now to be seen on the head of the.effigy, which, we understand, will in a few days be shipped for Melbourne, where it will take a plai* in Solder's Museum.

The juvenile residents in the Motueka Orphanage were made glad at Christmas time by the thoughtfulness of a number of the ladies of Nelson in sending over seasonable presents to be distributed among them. The ' Mail' says:—The excitement so manifestly apparent among the children as tho two boxes wero unpacked in their preseuce, and the contents spread out before them would have been gratifying to the kind donors could they have been present. Not much was said, but the sparkling eyes spoke more plainly than the tongues, as footballs, bats and balls, and suchlike were, one by one, taken out and handed to tho boys, while such articles as pertained to the work-table gave equal, if not greater satisfaction to the girls. "What! needles, thimble, bodkin, scissors, all my own. Oh, how kind!" Expressions such as these showed how valued were the gifts by tho elder children, while the joy of the younger ones at receiving toys befitting their age cannot be described in words.

Prize medals and honorary certificates have been awarded to exhibitors by the Commissioners of the Christchurch Interprovmcial Exhibition, and the list of names published. Singularly scant notice has been taken by the Christchurch papers of the mineral specimens sent by the lleefton and Westport Committees, nor have the commissioners as yet shown that they deem them, worthy of honorable mention. We notice in the * Lyttelton Times' of the 3rd instant that the sub-committee appointed to select exhibits for the Vienna Exhibition have included in their selection coal from Mount Bochfort. Ngakawhau, and Reef ton, also from the Brunner mine ; and specimens of gold, auriferous quartz, washdirt, and ores from tho Buller and Ueofton districts. Thus the chief intent of the local Committees, who took the trouble of collecting and forwarding specimens, has been accomplished. • The crushing from the Golden Fleece claim, of 683 tois 5 cwfc, in the machine, yielded 11150z3 10 dwtof retorted gOld, Wlllcn lias twa oonfc rWvn to Gr«y. mouth under police escort, granted on the recommendation of Mr Broad, in consequence of the late sticking up case. A reward of £250, with a free pardon to an accomplice, is offered for the apprehension and conviction of the offenders who stuck up and robbed Mr James Hayes near Ahaura on the 31st December. The ' Argus ' says : —ln consequence of the untiring and united exertions of tho Nelson and Westland police a chain of circumstances has been traced, which, it is said, in well-in-formed quarters, will shortly throw some light upon this mysterious robbery. No arrests have as yet been made. The recent assault upon Chinamen in Maori Gully was the subject of nine separate informations laid before the Greymouth bench on Friday last. One of the assailants was fined £lO and costs, another £6 and costs, and, with seven others, both were bound over to keep the peace for six months.

An old resident at Cobden, named Eobert Dudley, better knowit as the 'Pensioner,' died suddenly at Half Ounce on Tuesday last. An inquest was held, and a verdict of ' death from natural causes' returned.

The election of Mr Bobinson as County Chairman for Westland has well satisfied the Hokitika electors. At the opening of the County Council the Supreme Court House was crowded, and the election of chairman watched with great interest. Mr Smith was proposed by Mr Kennedy. The motion was negatived by five to four. Mr Bonar was then proposed by Mr Bobinson, and the division was the same in number. Mr Bonar, to facilitate a conclusion, declared that ho accepted the negative vote against him as final, Mr Bobinson was then proposed by Mr Cuming, and tho motion was carried by seven to two, Mr Smith and Mr Barff only voting against it. On the announcement of the result, the cheering was deafening and prolonged. The ' Argus' says that in the Grey district the spirit which the election has evoked is less one of open. approval than of hopeful expectation. To the majority, if not to all, Mr Bobinson is a stranger save by hearsay, and they simply accept the election as "a satisfactory one because, in point of unanimity, it compares so well with elections preceding, and because, for once, thoy do not object to tho blissfulness of ignorance.