The Westport Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1048, 21 February 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1873.

Pending a reply to the memorial lately forwarded to tbe Greneral Government, praying for the initiation of public works on the youth-west Goldfields, and the expenditure thereon of the money voted during the last session, public opinion seems unanimously to favor the construction of a railway from Westport to the Ngakawhau coalfields. It is true the actual vote of money was for the opening up of the Mount Rochfort coal mines, but as practically Ngakawhau and Mount Rochfort are but two points of one vast coalfield ; it would be but merest quibbling to raise objection to the prayer of the memorialists. The immediate reproductiveness of the proposed work is abundantly assured and in fact the monetary profit to accrue from the undertaking will increase in proportionate ratio with the celerity shown in bringing such works to completion. The present time is essentially one of action, the " coal question " now agitating, or at least strongly interesting, the commercial mind throughout JSew Zealand will brook no delay. No temporising policy, or the quips and eranks of circumlocution, will satisfy the instant demands of commerce. From port to port in New Zealand, and from Australian shores, the cry comes for coal. A hundred industries languish, and mighty interests are jeopardised by reason of present lack of this one mineral treasure, and if New Zealand rulers would be true to their expressed policy of fostering colonial industry, and expanding colonial resources they cannot afford to overlook the immense field for action on the West Coast of the South Island. Grey mouth having succeeded in attracting attention to the Brunner coal mine, and assured a commencement of profitable trade therefrom ; the inhabitants of Westport would be but neglecting their own best interests, and none the less those of the Province they inhabit, if they were not constant in inducing similar action here. It may be objected that the construction of railway works must necessitate, under the most favoring circumstances, a comparatively long lapse of time from the turning of the first sod until final completion, and thus negatively obstruct the instant expansion of the coal industry. But the mere fact of railway works being commenced would give such an instant impetus to commercial activity that residents here, compelled by present adverse circumstances to withhold from active support of any private undertaking with regard to the development of the coal mines, would take courage, and having the means more immediately at their command, would invest in coal mining shares, and foster by every possible means the floating of one or more companies formed to carry on a temporary coal trade by means of steamers running between the Ngakawhau and Buller, until the completion of the line permitted a larger extension of. the trade. It is evident in this direction all efforts, to be successful, must tend. The Buller river is the port on the West Coast from which alone a large trade with coal carrying craft can be carried on, at all seasons of the year, unless indeed it were possible by a large expenditure of money to create an artificial entrance to the Ngakawhau, which would make that river constantly available. But the success of any such work would be extremely problematical, and at the best but tentative—a costly experiment in fact, which any government not endowed with a very plethora of wealth would be rash to attempt. The railway works to be effective need not be elaborate or expensive. There absolutely exist no engineering difficulties to be overcome between the Buller and the Ngakawhau rivers. The line might be carried on nearly a dead level the entire distance of twenty miles, and in its construction & lesson might be v\ ell taken from American engineers. It has been convincingly proved that in the States wooden railways, over which trains run at the rate of twentyfive miles per hour, and as smoothly as on the best iron rails, answer for all purposes. The great fact is that many such roads only cost 5000 dollars a mile, including right of way, clearing, grading, constructing, engines, cars, depots, engine and repairing shops, warehouses, and everything complete, excepting larger bridges.

Mails for the Australian Colonies via Melbourne and United Kingdom via Suez, will close at Bluff to-day, 21st instant at 10 a.m. Telegrams for transmission must be presented at Westport office sharp at 9 o'clock this morning. The next sitting of the District Court will be held on Monday, the 24th instant. His Honor the Superintendent since his arrival here has visited the Ngakawhau coal-mine.' and yesterday went down to Charleston. On Wednesday a deputation from the Towing Track Company waited on him with a view of bringing under his notice tho desirability of the Track being purchased by tho Provincial Government and made free to the public His Honor fully concurred with the opinions expressed by tho deputation and has, we believe, promised to recommend the Provincial Council to accept tho transfer of the present rights of the Towing Track Company; and give in return a certain amount'

of Land Scrip negotiable for purchase of land in any part of the Province. His Lordship, Dr. Moran is expected to arrive here on Saturday next. He will leave Eeel'ton early in the morning, and should there bo a boat ready at Christy's when he arrives there, he will reach Westport about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. On his arrival he will be received by members of the congregation, and an address from the laity will be rSad," Ve believe, by Mr E. J: O'Conor. His Lordship the Bishop will preach at Westport, .morning and erening, on Sunday next, and on .Monday will visit Charleston. We hear that his sojourn in the district will be limited to one week. The telegram we received for publication in our last issue referring to the proposed coal company, seems a little mixed, and though, at first reading, apparently referring to the Ngakawhau mine has evidently reference to the obtaining of immediate coal supplies from the Grey. A more explicit telegram appears in the Herald of the 15fch. "It says a meeting was held to-day, the 14th, for the purpose of establishing a company to work the Grey Coal mine, the Superintendent in the chair. Eesolutions were passed in favour of forming a company with a capital of £50,000, in £lO shares, of which £G only is intended to be called up, in easy calls. One-third of the shares-are received for allotment in Wellington, and the rest throughout the colony." We also received on the 15th, the following additional telegram:—" Coal company 1400 shares taken. Mr Seed, of the Customs, states that whilst detained at Westport for a steamer, he visited the mine recently opened at the Ngakawhau river, and brought a few bags of coal therefrom to Wellington. He stated that any considerable development of that mine would necessitate a road or railway to Westport. He believed tbe supply from the Brunner mine for all present purposes to be practically unlimited." Indirectly the successful floating of the proposed company will improve the standing of the Ngakawhau mine in public estimation. It yet awaits proof that the Grey river will permit at all times and seasons an uninterrupted coal traffic, and in any case the success of one company will induce the floating of others. As before remarked much depends upon the tact and boldness to be displayed by the holders of the Ngakawhau mine, in inviting public co-operation, and none the less upon the early commencement of the long contemplated railway works from this port. Sarah Featherstone of unenviable noto-" riety in Westport, -was sentenced on Wednesday to pay a fine of £S or in default to suffer five weeks imprisonment, for having used abusive language, and having committed an assault by throwing stones at a young woman named Peel living at Keating's Hotel, Wharf street. The watch-house doing at present double duty as prison and police quarters during the removal of the gaol buildings, is now crowded with prisoners, both male and female. Murray's circus troupe arrived by the Kennedy yesterday, and will perform here for two nights. They will also visit Charleston, and probably Eeefton and the Lyell. Since their la3t visit here the strength of the company and stud has been materially increased, and from the Press notices of their appearances at the various towns lately visited, the performance will no doubt be in every respect worthy of i public patronage. They have a new tent, the horses are newly caparisoned and the riders have new costumes. The stud comprises ten well trained horses, a lilliputian pony, and a performing mule. The company include the Jullian acrobatic troupe, Mr Murray, his daughter Miss Mary Murray, little Charlie, Mr James Brame, and some others of good repute, and the ring master is the well known Mr Wills. Miss Clara Stephenson, with her company, returning from Charleston, after a failaverage weeks dramatic business there, have, since re-opening at the Masonic, presented a succession of good sterling performances, deserving a far better attendance than has been accorded. Qn Monday evening last, with the assistance of some of our local amateurs, the company played the highly sensational drama " the Kelief of Lucknow." As a spectacular piece abounding in highly wrought situations and fairly bristling with " alarums and incursions," it needs plenty of stage room aud a host of accessories, and considering the limited means at command, the drama was exceedingly well mounted, and the performers, alike professional and amateur, did more than passing well. The following night a good programme of light pieces were presented, but unfortunately to an indifferent house. On Wednesday, the occasion of Miss Stephenson's benefit, Sheridan Knowles's five act play "The Hunchback," was produced. Julia was of course the character impersonated by Miss Stephenson, and she achieved a success therein, which very highly impressed the audience with her histrionic talents. Master Walter was played with no less skill by Mr Burford, and the various scenes between Walter and Julia were received with more genuine applause than is often rendered. Both were twice called before the curtain, and their reception was cordial. Mr Herman essayed the character of Sir Thomas, and in this, as in other impersonations, gives good promise of being a useful actor when experience shall have aided his present good memory and careful study. Mr Simmonds as Modus, had a character that suited him well, and of which he made much, and last, but not least, Miss Tilly Andrews created a very favorable impression by her piquant personation of the coquet; ! tish Helen of the story, and proved that she is able to do something more than warble prettily dainty little songs and comic ballads. Death has been busy among the Charleston population of late. Scarcely had the shock caused by the death of young ('usack passed away than the news was received of the death of the wife of Mr George Aldous. The Herald says:—"On Sunday morning Mr Aldous received, by telegraph, from his father-in-law, the harrowing intelligence that during the night his wife had died in giving birth to a child. The blow to him may be more readily imagined than described, as only a fortnight or so Ms wife left Charleston in perfect health to visit her father and mother, who are dwelling near Blenheim. The greatest sympathy is expressed on all sides for Mr Aldous, as also for Mr and Mrs Mitchell, the parents of the deceased, and so painful was the impression produced upon the minds of the inhabitants by these two calamities, that, in St. Mark's Chnrch, on Sunday evening, a sermon was preached to the subject, and in the Methodist Free Church prayers were offered up for the bereft friends. On Monday morning again, Constable Williams also received intelligence by telegraph that his wife had died. Yet another name remains to be added to the list of dead and gone. Harry Hyder, well known as a miner, and also as a good light weight rider, took suddenly bad on Monday from the effects of an old rupture, and was taken to the Hospital, where, on Tuesday, after a surgical operation was performed upon him by Doctors Henry and Thorpe, as a la3t resource to relievo him, he died.

Pell's Accommodation Hopso at Larry's forming a portion of the insolvent estate of Pell and Atkinson, was sold at auction on Thursday week for the sum of £SO. The purchasers are Messrs Stitt Bros. Nearly 200 signatures have" been obtained by Dr Buhner to the memorial to the Superintendent, praying for an early sale of the town laiuls,.at Reef ton. •The Herald- Bavs:,.£t is, satisfactory to learn that the Quality of the gold produced from the Inangahua reefs is 'very superior. Late parcels have bnen disposed of at £3 18s per ounce, with the understanding that a further payment will be made of one to two shillings per ounce, after receiving the result of assay from Melbourne. At a meeting of the Westland County Council held on the 12th instant, the Chairman read the following telegram received from Wellington:—" Chairman County Council, Hokitika.' Would you bo inclined to let or lease to an influential public company Grey Coal Reserve within County Westland, and opposite the Brunner Coal Mine. An answer to-day, or at earliest convenience, will be very obliging. Cha3. O'Neil." After a rather prolonged discussion the following message was forwarded to Mr O'Neil in reply:—"Council will be prepared to receive an offer from substantial public company for leasing Grey Coal Reserve, and will give the matter their favorable consideration." The Wellington Independent in waxing wroth at the prospect of a coal famine in this land of plenty, it says : —" The New Castle strike continues, which being interpreted means that we shall all very soon be without an ounce of coal, unless it should happen to occur to some one that we have any quantity of the article in our own country, and that we might as well use it by way of a change. Oh for a good old irresponsible tyrant for a few months, who would kick into the outer darkness he so well deserves to be in, the Superintendent of Nelson!— The Greymouth poultry and flower exhibition, held last week, was a great success. It was held under the auspices of the local Horticultural and Poultry Societies and prizes were given for green-house plants cut flowers, fruit, and vegetables, and it included several hundred exhibits from Hokitika. The feathered exhibits, although not large in numbers, were of a very superior class to what might be expected on the Coast, and included Spanish, black red game fowl, duck wing, game, gold spangled hamburgs, silver pencilled, .bramahs, cochins, bantams, and barn-door fowls, as also ducks, geese, and lastly a host of canaries in full song. An exhibition of the kind on a small scale might be organised in Westport and could not fail to prove attractive.

The following is the report made by the committee appointed by the Nelson Central Board of Education, to consider the amendment of the present Education Act:—" 1. By the second clause of the Amendment Act of 1869, the appointment of teachers is vested in the Local Committees. Your Committee are of opinion, that a regular system of promotion should be established, and that the teachers in the employment of the province should be organised into a service. The Committee are strongly of opinion that the more important appointments should not be filled up by persons who, whatever their education and their intellectual advantages may be, have not given proof of their teaching power in the employment of the province, unless indeed the Inspector shall have certified that no person able and willing to accept a given appointment can be found in the service of the province. The very modest remuneration, which is all that can be at present given, makes it necessary to have recourse to a system of promotion to attract promising recruits into the service, and to encourage zeal and energy." 2. " Your Committee would also recommend, that the 37th clause of the Act of 1863 should be repealed. Experience has convinced your Committee, that no religious instruction whatever can be said to be ' free from all controversial character." They are, however, fully alive to the advisability of affording to the clergy and to other members of the various religious denominations, every reasonable facility for instructing the children according to the wishes and views of their parents. It is accordingly recommended, that the use of the school-rooms should be granted out of school hours to any person or persons who may profess to be anx<'ous to communicate such instruction, provided that due securitv is given for the safety of the property o"f the Board, and for the necessary cleansing of the premises. Hop picking has commenced at Nelson. As a rule, however, the crop will be light, the dry and hot summer having been unfavorable to their growth. Eeferring to the registration of electors, the Nelson Examiner says, presumedly referring to the Goldfields, that " There is an effort being made elsewhere, without disguise, to swamp the old settled districts, in the election of Superintendent, and though we have no desire to see those parts of the country neglected or ignored, we should make an effort to keep our full share of influence in what may prove an important matter." A northern contemporary says :—" The work of preparing the new Goldfields Bill, to be presented in the next session of Parliament, has been entrusted by the Executive Government, to Mr B. C. Haggitt, Mr T.|L. Shepherd, M.R.E, and Mr Mouatt.' The qualification of oae of these gentlemen is that he has probably never seen a goldfield, and most assuredly knows nothing about one." The Carandini family gave their opening performance at Greymouth last evening. The Eev Dr Moran arrived at Greymouth from Greenstone on Saturday afternoon last and was met in Chapel street by a large concourse of his local congregation. Mr W. Baldwin, the travelling subcommissioner for the Government scheme of life assurance, will visit Greymouth in a week or ten days, and will afterwards in all probability come on to Westport. To avoid misapprehension we may mention that the statement, extensively paragraphed by our contemporaries, that Mr Alexander Eeid of the Grey Argus had succeeded Mr D. M. Luckie as editor of the Nelson Colonist, is incorrect. Mr Eeid is still in Greymouth. We are informed, upon good authority, that the memorials of the parishioneers of All Saints and of the other parishes in the Archdeaconry of Westland, praying that the Archdeacon be not removed, have been so far successful that the Bishop of the Diocese has intimated to the Board of Nominators that the. Archdeacon will not accept the euro of St Michael and All All Angels, Christchurch. The Archdeacon's removal from residence in vyestland is postponed indefinitely, but with the intimation that when at a future time occasion may demand such removal, the interests of the Church generally will have to be taken into consideration. The proprietor of the Alhambra Assembly Rooms at H.okitika has recently brought an action against a brother publican named

Hiue, to recover'Xi.oo damages for enticing from his servioo, a young damsel recently imported direct > from Melbourne. In evidence the plaintiff said > the profit on each girl was about £1 per day air more, and that & strong healthy girl would dance fifteen to twenty dances every night. A sister of the girl in dispute had also been in the employ of plaintiff, but she had left, objecting to tho goings on of some of her female companions, who jumped on the knees of men, and let them strike matches on the soles of their boots and other things of the kind, and one of them kissed a black man. His worship considered, without attempting to preach morality, that any decent woman would be quite right in leaving the house, and gave judgment for defendant with costs £5 19s. A newspaper is projected at Marton, Wanganui District, with a capital of £2OOO, in 20s shares. What may happen to a procrastinating prosecutor on the West Coast says the Greymouth Star, was strikingly exemplified on Wednesday last, in the District Court. A man named Patrick Brophy, seduced by the charms of the fair sex, accompanied one of its houris home, having at the time £2l in his pocket. After hours of delightful dalliance he rose to take his leave and found that the money was missing, and no eloquence that he was master of could effect its restoration. The aid of the police was invoked and the fair enslaver was committed for trial, but on the case being called no Brophy put in an appearance and a £SO recognizance was estreated. Shortly afterwards he turned up but too late, for his Delilah had been realised, and he was informed that he would have to pay the above amount for the privilege of initiating her prosecution unless the Minister of Justice would remit the penalty. In case of not cashing up he must go to gaol, and if that, takes place he will have to lie there till circumlocution has run its course and the sought-for release is granted. What with losing £2l in the first place, being punished with another £so in the second, and the risk of gaol as a climax, we fancy that Mr Brophy will be more select in his associates in future, and that he will not look back on the Christmas 1872 as either being a very fortunate or very merry one. Messrs Thompson, Smith and Barkley are about to erect a brick warehouse at Greymouth.