Untitled

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1136, 26 December 1873, Page 2

The next meeting of the Borough Council will be held on the 7th proximo, instead of the 17th as previously stated. The handicap for the champion foot race at Greyinouth, of 440, 200, and 300 yards distances, has obtained 18 nominations, including all the crack runners of the district. The two men placed at scratch are Pat Twohill and Joe Bolton.

The Eeturning Officer discovered, and of course disallowed, thirty-five cases of double voting at the recent Nelson Superintendency Election, some on one side and some on the other.

The Iriangahua Herald, of the 20th instant, reports sales effected in Rainy Creek scrip at 4s, with upward tendency. The dividend just given on the Break o' Day represents £l6O 3a 4d per share. Mr Vogel is expected to visit Westland about the 6th proximo. It is not stated whether he will come on to Westport. Mr Todd has been re-elected Mayor of Hokitika. The only other candidate was Councillor Hawkins.

The Greymouth Evening Star, under its new proprietary, has been enlarged. The late proprietors, in returning thanks for the gratifying amount of support accorded them, assure the public that, but for engagements elsewhere, they would not end the pleasure and the profit of being publishers in Greymouth.

Mr Walter Abernethy's punt for Bentham street ferry was launched off the beach in Molesworth street, on Wednesday morning

amid a great amount of " sailoring" and expenditure of lung power. The punt has been well and substantially built by Etaveneaux and Gerrie, and is well adapted for all present traffic crossing the river to and from Addison's. The punt has been towed up stream to her station, and will be very shortly put in running order. Some splendid quartz specimens have been again brought down from the Halcyon claim, Mokihinui. The stone is on view at the Kawatiri Hotel, Nelson street. Negotiations are pending for the immediate erection of crushing machinery.

There was a grand jollification at Mr Braithwaite's Caledonian Terrace, on Christmas Eve, a free invitation having been sent round to all the terrace boys. It was a social gathering, although rising out of the recent political contest. Some foolish money had been won, and the winning man spent it among his friends and neighbours right merrily.

At the Eiverton Caledonian sports, arranged for Boxing Day, two novel events are introduced, one being a " cock-fight" for 15s, and a "President and Directors Race," advance and retreat, for a case of champagne. There will also be a Baby Show, a special prize to be given by " a successful Colonist" for the finest baby under 18 months of age. There is now opened in premises in Lyttelton street, next the Theatre Royal, a display of jewellery, gems, and trinkets, well fitted for Christmas and New Tear's purchase and presentation. Mr Singer of Greymouth has arrived, per Wallace, with a choice selection of fashionable bijouterie, and intimates his intention of disposing of his stock at prices that should command ready sale. His advertisement, appearing in this issue, more particularly sets forth the attractions of his glittering collection. A meeting of the Westport Race Committee was held on Tuesday evening, at Gilmer's Hotel, and entries received for the Town Plate, to be run on the first day, and the Buller Handicap and Railway Stakes, on the second day. The horses entered being M'Ketterick's Why Not, Tizard's Corsair, Simpson's Kettledrum, M'Ketterick's Connaught Ranger, M'Kenna's Spuds, and Lang's Stranger. As a good price has been paid for the privilege of selling " c'rect cards of the races," it is only just to the speculator' that full particulars should appear only on those cards. It maybe mentioned that the Committee have found it expedient to withdraw two small events from their programme, namely, the Trial Stakes and Publican's Parse.

The concert at Addison's, on Tuesday, attracted a large concourse of people, and was, as a consequence, a success in the direction intended, as realising a substantial donation to the funds of the Hospital. The programme was lengthy and comprised songs, readings, and recitations, as also some negro minstrelsy by the " Addisonian Black Tulips," who made their first appearance. The fun lasted until midnight, and the affair was a most jolly commencement of Christmas holiday making.

, An accident happened to William Dowd at Addison's, on Friday evening last. In crossing a plank, placed as a footbridge across a race, his foot slipped and he fell into the race, breaking his right arm and dislocating the elbow of the other arm. He was brought into the Hospital for treatment.

The permanent levels of Palmerston street are now being taken, and pedestrians, equestrians, and drivers of wheeled vehicles, may hope that at no distant date the '• ways" of the Borough will be mended, so far as the principal thoroughfare is concerned.

The Lyttelton Times suggests a mutual arrangement between the several Provincial Governments and the Colonial Government, with a view to the suspension of all public works during harvest. It avers that if some such measure is not adopted, the consequences to the country will be serious.

The charge against Dr Coughty, of the ship Chile, is proceeding at Auckland. The evidence of Mrs Vessy was most sensational, and discloses most barbarous conduct on the part of the doctor. He had the woman up from morning to night tied to the capstan during the hottest day of the voyage, with her feet off the deck.

Lovers of a good wholesome barley bree will do well to pay a passing call and leave their New Year's orders at Mr Eobert Stewart's new brewery, corner of Eintoul and Palmerston streets. They will thus gratify their palates and encourage native industry. Stewart's "New Zealand Brewery" ia yet in its infancy, but the article produced is first rate, being a light, palatable beverage and approaching as nearly as possible the home brewed stingo of which colonial beerists talk so much and taste so little. As a family beer it is excellent, and the price charged is moderate enough to make even Good Templars take to beer for their stomach's sake and inward infirmities.

The poll for the Westland Superintendency is fixed for January 3rd. Four candidates are nominated—Hon. J. Bonar, Mr White, M.H.R., C. H. Hoos, late County Chairman, and Mr W. Stanton. The Nelson Colonist of the 19th instant, says, We believe that a dinner to Mr O'Conor was given at Mr M'Gee's hotel, on Wednesday evening last, but whether of a political or purely social character we are unable to state, as the customary invitation was omitted in our case.

A hint to unlacky fishermen, who fail to make a haul by ordinary means, may be taken from the following:—With such an agent as dynamite or giant powder, residents in Levuka need never be without the luxury of fish, says the Fiji Times. We saw a shot thrown amongst a shoal yesterday, by the discharge of which thousands of fish were killed. Some score or more of natives eagerly jumped into the water, enjoying the fun of diving after the spoil. Mr F. Simmons, Principal of the Nelson College, in an address at the distribution of prizes said: —" There was one Nelson production to which he failed to find any attention had been called at the Exhibition. It was the Nelson dialect of the English language. It is spoken with the mouth shut. All short syllables, and, generally speaking, the letter H are left out; and pompous words of Latin origin are preferred to short English words, and these words are generally wrongly used. People never begin a thing here, they always commence it, they don't even commence doing it; they commence to do it. They don't help you to cabbage; they assist you to it. This vulgarising of the English language is a serious thing. Next to our history our language is our most precious heritage. The German language has made the German Empire, English is pretty nearly all that remains to keep our own together. Parents can do more than schoolmasters to secure at least a careful, clear, articulation." The Nelson Examiner of the 18th inst. says:—The earth seems to be rather shaky in these parts 1 We are assured that on

Tuesday, between noon and one o'o'osk p.m., a smart double shock pasbed under Nelson. We see from a contemporary that on Saturday week, and alo on Monday week, sharp shocks were felt at Taranaki. We can only hope that these visitants will always be as gentle, for their presence—on the last four or five occasions—has been scarcely noticeable.

Some of the electors in Blenheim have been advocating that in the election of Mayor now impending, a lady should be elected to preside over the Borough Council, arguing that the Municipal Corporations Act gives the same privilege to women as to men. Others electors object, and one signing himself " Canny" advertises his opinion in the Express that a " wee bittie " of the Council should be composed of the softer sex, but it is too inueh to have one for Mayor. Probably being impressed with the idea that the grey mare might prove the better horse.