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Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1090, 18 July 1873, Page 2

The probabilities and possibilities of the new nomination of Councillors to-day, resulting in a walk over or a contested election seem about evenly balanced. Very many who desire above all things that the nine townsmen previously receiving the largest number of votes, should be now elected without contest, fear that their good intention may bo frustrated by the covert nomination of some ' dark horses,' whose names are not at present divulged, and that thus a new election, and its attendant delays, will be forced upon the public, and so are using efforts quietly to induce a i-elinquishmont of such intention. Others openly advocate a new election, and, if not prepared themselves to stand for office, are notking loth in urging others to go in and win.

The collection of subscriptions yesterday to meet the expense of sending tho deputation to Wellington to advocate the Kailway and Itiver Protection Works scheme, was cheerfully responded to by nearly every one called on, and Messrs Humphrey and Fisher will leave on their mission by the first boat going north. If by any possible good f jrtuno the nomination sind election of the nine chosen candidates for tho Municipality is accomplished to-morrow without the formality of contest it is the intention of the Council to meet for the purpose of passing resolutions or adopting such other measures as may bo deemed best calculated to strengthen the hands of the deputation. As a matter of strict routine tho Council elect will not be able to transact any puroly Municipal business until the third Wednesday after tho day of election, but as the chosen men in whose hands the management of Westport public affairs will so soon becomo vested, any recommendations or expression of wishes they may make will at once give greater weight and authority to tho mission of tho delegates, who will, in point of fact, then bo tho representatives and accredited agents of tho Municipality nd not merely of private individuals.

Consideration of this as affecting the public welfare, shonld induce those at present rashly inclined to urge on another election to pause therein. The electoral roll for the Buller District has assumed portentous dimensions, ami if voters enrolled thereon exercise their privileges with discretion, at the proper moment, their influence will turn the scale in favor of any candidate for the Suporiiltendental election. The heavy rain prevailing along the Coast, from Tuesday evening last, has raised freshets in all the rivers, but to no very dangerous extent; although a few hours more may witness a perceptible difference. The current in the Totara river was much swollen on Wednesday morning, and some difficulty was experienced in crossing with the coach from Charleston. Acting on information given by one who certainly knew better, the driver, George Bavan, headed his team to cross at the usual ford, but when in mid stream he found the water over the horses backs, and nearly knee deep on the box of the coach. Luckily the team dragged the coach through, without further mishap than a thorough soaking to the driver and hi 3 one solitary passenger. One refusal and one only we heard of, as given yesterday, for non-subscription to the delegate fund. It was this, " What! give money to any of you wealthy merchants to go on the spree and sport your figures at Wellington ? No ! Not I." The intelligent individual who thus responded is said to have expressed some slight ambition to be a Municipal Councillor " It' thoy'd only pay him for his time" he says. The local production of vegetables in the Buller District bids fair to yield, in a dearth of more legitimate news items, an average crop of subjects in the form of gigantic horticultural efforts. Pumpkins and peaches have had their season, and now big praties prevail. One of these, grown by Mr Brandt at the Landing, has been sent down to Westport as a curiosity. It weighs three pounds, plumping weight, and resembles a collection of good sized spuds massed together. The mildness of the season has caused new potatoes planted on the south side of the river to be nearly ready for the table.

Frost fish are in season, but as usual scarce to obtain. One of them, about four feet in length, had beached itself on the half-way beach, Charleston Road, on Tuesday morning, and was made prize of by Mr Simpson, coach proprietor. It was submitted to the critical taste of Charleston gourmands, and pronounced mo3t wholesome farin'. The Nelson Evening Mail reports that Mr Lightfoot has arrived in Nelson from the Bullor bringing with him some capital specimens of coal from the Owen. The scam which, where struck, is two feet six inches thick, is within a very few chains of tho proposed lino of railway, and only 65 miles from Nelson by way of the Hope. A well defined and auriferous leader has been struck in tho Maruia claim, Lyell, in the new low level tunnel, and about 130 feet from the surface. Messrs Webley Brothers, of Nelson, are now employing steam power and newly improved machinery in their cloth factory. A subscription list was recently opened at Charleston, for the purpose of defraying the funeral expenses and erecting a headstone in memory of the late Eev. W. D. Rusz, and the total collections amounted to £55. A suitable headstone and iron railing have been ordered from Melbourne. A policeman has been summoned at Reefton for the price of a coffin, which he was directed by tho coroner to precuro for interment of " Scotty " recently burnt to death there. The man died intestate, but his property realised the sum of £3O. The funeral expenses ought surely to have been at once paid out of this sum.

The American Newspaper Reporter says: " The chap who could do all the business he wanted without advertising, has been compelled to advertise at last. The new advertisement is headed * Sherjff's Sale.' " It is said that the Government has resolved to nominate Mr Seymour, the Superintendent of Marlborough, as Chairman of Committees. Mr T. L. Shephard has been the Chairman expectant. The Collingwood Coal Company, having put in their main drive some 350 feet, now intend carrying it 260 feet further inWhen this work is finished, and the value of the mine thus positively decided, the Directors intend to place the property before tho public for investment. Iteferring to the now Australian and New Zealand postal service, the Nelson Mail says : —Now is the time for an effort to make Nelson the coaling station of the Melbourne boats. The Ngakawhau coal, than which none more suitable for steam purposes exists, can be landed more easily and more cheaply in Nelson than, in any other of the New Zealand ports, but steamers are almost as much creatures of habit as are men, and once let these Melbourne boats, after the establishment of a regular subsidised service, get into the way of going on to Wellington to obtain their supply of fuel, and it will be found that the head-quarters of the Albion Coal Company will bo permanently fixed on the northern side of the straits instead of in Blind Bay, which is far better fitted by its geographical position to becomo the chief coaling station for the mail steamers both on their outward and inward voyages. Nature has favored us in this respect, and the General Government has been compelled to acknowledge that this is the most convenient spot in the colony for the distribution of the mails, A little push on the part of our mercantile men will mako it tho coaling port for M'Meckan and Co's steamers, and although this in itself may not be a matter of such great importance, it would bo a groat step in the direction of securing the principal

portion of tho trade of the Albion Company. Dunodin men say that the climate of Nelson is so soporific as to render it an undesirable spot for the meeting of the delegates of tie Company. The present seems to bo an excellent opportunity of showing t lat we are more wide awake than we are suppose d to be.

The Nelson Examiner say 3 have excellent unofficial authority for saying, that the report of Mr Calcutt, on the land Which tho province proposes handing over to the General Government as security for constructing a railway from Foxhill to Brunnerton —giving us railway communication from coast to coast—will be very favorable. Although the great mineral wealth of the Buller and Grey Valleys, and their tributaries, is indisputable, Mr Calcutt bases, as we understand, his estimate of the country on its adaptability for settle*ment, and its fine-growing timber. Perhaps it was right to look at it primarily from that point of view, but there can be no question that a railway once constructed, the developement of the mineral wealth of tho basins of the Buller and Grey will receive a wonderful stimulus, and seats of industry and population spring up in spots we at present little wot of. The following ships, forming the Australian squadron, will rendezvous at Wellington in October next: —The Clio, 21 guns. Commodore Stirling ; Rosario, 3 guns, Commander Challis; Blanche, 3 gunß, Commander Simpson ; Basilisk, 5 guns, Captain Moresby; Dido, 8 guns, Chapman; Alacrity, 1 gun, Simpson} Conflict, 1 gun; Renard, 1 gun; Sandfly, 1 gun ; Beagle, 1 gun.