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Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1148, 6 February 1874, Page 2

The southern mails, per Kennedy, will close at 8 this evening. We have to intimate that Messrs Eeid and Co., have no longer any business connection with either of the papers published in Grey mouth. We are informed that at the Mokihinui reefs a full share in No. 2 North has been sold for £4O ; that in No. 1 South, gold has been struck, and that in Nos. 3 and 4 North and three and 4 South application have been made for leases. Latest quotations of Lyell mining shares give Central's at J25 per quarter, Break o' Day's at 20s. and Oriental's at Is Bd. The Eeefton Hibernian Society contemplate giving a ball and supper on the 17th March next. The return match between the Westport anil Charleston Club will be played on Easter Monday. A cricket club is in course of enrolment at Capleston, and is likely to comprise tome good players. The Inanjjahua Road Board has elected Mr Don de la pnrrjui'as to act as secretary,

overseer of works, collector of rates, &c, at a fixed salary of iJ4 10s per week, with an a tditimial allowance of live shillings per week for rent of olflee.

Messrs Thompson, Smith, and Barkley have taken possession of their new premises in Palmerston street, and the change, from a business point of view, is both good and necessary. The new promises, which, by the way, have been built by Messrs P. -Rehberg and Co., with faithful attention to details, and witfc remarkable expedition, occupy a first-class position and comprise a spacious drapery store, fronted with commanding plate-glass windows, and furnished with counters, fittings, and appurtenances necessary tothedraperybusiness, all finished in substantial and first-class style. Messrs Thompson, Smith, and Barkley are now opening new goods, and in a day or two their " Victoria House " will be in readiness to supply patrons with all possible requirements in drapery and clothing. The VVestport Borough Council, in stern regard for economical expenditure of ratepayer's money, have chosen to accept a tender from the local party of malcontents who have lately started a factious but by no means legitimate trade opposition under the title of the Bnllor News Company. Their tender is at a rate that will not permit these amateur dabbh.rs iu printer's ink to pa.v their employees a honest day's wage. We do not presume to question the wisdom or motives of pur Municipal Solons, but we question much the probability of their escaping the general experience that the cheapest bargain is generally the dearest in the ouJ. We question also the probability of notices to ratepayers obtaining the necessary publicity through the medium chosen by the Borough Council. Having however given our leaders a guarantee to supply them daily with all items of news of general interest, we shall, apart from all other considerations treat the Borough Council notifications purely as news matter, and publish the same gratuitously for the Borough Council. We may receive scant thanks for this, but in the interest of our readers, whether ratepayers or not, we shall be only fulfilling the intent wherewith we started the publication of our evening issue. A Melbourne telegram states that it i 3 believed that Mr W. J. T. Clarke's estate will pay to the Government about .£84,000, as probate duty. He leaves his Victorian property to his eldest son William, and that in New Zealand to Joseph Clarke, His wife obtains £3OO a year. A gathering of United Christians was advertise! to take place lately at Nelson, to hold special open-air services. The advertisements suggested that friends should bring their own luncheon.

The unanimous consent of the Provincial Council, in giving decision upon the Government proposition to borrow a quarter of a million for public works, has exceedingly pleased the Nelson people, and visitors in the Council Hall expressed their approbation by hand clapping and stamping on the floor, to the extreme horror of the Speake The Lyell Argus says that Mr White, acting under the instructions of the Provincial Government, has commenced throwing a wire rope across the Newton. One of the so called chairs, in vogue in the locality, is to be suspended from the rope. By its means foot passengers who may happen to possess strong nerves will be enabled to cross dry shod even in case of a freshet. The Inangahua Herald says : —lt is currently reported that Mr Inspector Shallcross has decided to recommend that a gaol be uitJObed at llccflon, to which persoaa undergoing sentences may be forwarded from Lyell and Ahaura districts. By this means it is suggested expense will be saved to the province, the cost of transferring prisoners to Cobden and Westporfc being excessive, while an additional advantage will be gained in the better discipline which can then be enforced in respect to the treatment of prisoners at Keefton.

The Postmaster desires us to state that he lias arranged for the Reefton, Lyell and up-country mails to be delivered in Westport on Monday and Thursday afternoons at 4 p.m., and that the mails will close on Thursday at 7.30 p.m., and late letters till 10 p.m. We are also informed that Post Offices are now opened at Boatman's, Hampden, and Hatakitaki.' The number of patients on the books of the Westport Hospital for the month ending' 31st January was as follows:—In Hospital on Ist January, 7, admitted daring the month, 5; discharged, 7; remaining at end of month, 5. All now doing well.

Another wheeled vehicle has made its appearance in Westport streets. Mr C. Christie now every morning brings round to his customers their daily supplies of milk and vegetables in a neatly-built spring cart, the handiwork of Mr Malloy, coach and wheelwright, of Nelson street. The trap is well built, and should lead to orders being given for similar ones, as also even lighter vehicles. The opening of the Nine Mile road now gives our cits a chance for

carriage exercise." Mr Shrimpton, for some time acting Postmaster at Westpovt, has been now appointed Postmaster, and he intends, we understand, making at once some necessary changes in office arrangements. The telegraph and postal departments will be kept quite distinct from each other, and it is probable additions will be made to the present buildings, both for office purposes and for household accommodation for the Postmaster and his family. In point of fact such addition is absolutely needed, taking into account the increasing business of both the Post Office and Telegraph department. For the latter office an additional Cadet has been appointed. "We learn that the amalgam taken from the plates of tho Wealth of Nations claim for list week's crushing amounted to 328 ounces. The boxes were not cleaned out, as the annual meeting takes place on the 9th instant, and the manager has decided not to clean up till the 7th, so as to bring everything to account for the meeting. The Greymouth Mail says the Westland Provincial Council will most probably meet about the middle of (he present month. The Greymouth Progress Committee are endeavoring to obtain the services of Mr Moriarly, C.E., to report ou harbor improvements. It has also been suggested that bonuses might be offered for the most efficient and economical plans for the construction of the works necessary to make Greymouth a harbor accessible to ship 3 of large tonnage. Such bonuses to be money prizes with an additional inducement to the successful competitor of the appointment of Superintendent of the work.

A new feature in insurance business has been introduced in New Zealand by the Standard Insurance Company. The articles of association comprise a clause entitling all insurers " whose accounts show a credit balauce for the year" to divide among them a portion of the surplus profits of the Company. This renders the nearest approach there is to a Mutual Fire Office. The Westland Register of the 2nd inst., says:—Mr Iloulahan, brewer, of Stafford,

was arrested on Saturday raorniijigj charged with having somg casks belonging to Messrs Pizzey and Co. in his possession. The defendant was immediately bailed out. The registration of electors would seem to have beeoino a local industry in Westland. " Chiflbnnier " in the Register says :—No loss than five pertinacious individuals have presented him with printed slips, for which each one demanded one shilling coin of the realm, promising for that moderate sum to place him on the roll. A man named Farley has been fined 40s by the Greymouth Resident Magistrate for assaulting a Chinaman.

The Charleston Herald says : —During the past few days a very heavy sea has been rolling, dashing, and foaming in mad fury along our immediate coast line; to many it has occasioned considerable injury and annoyance, to others it will be beneficial, particularly so to the combers, for it has been the means of thoroughly cleaning down the grey sand and leaving a deposit of the " auriferous black," in some instances, wo are informed, of a very superior description. The damage on the Nile beach, has been a loss of some eighteen flume boxes which were unshipped and carried out to sea ; this property belonged to Jones and party. Parson's hotel also suffered from the fury of the waves which at times half submerged the house and garden. On the Nine-mile beach a dreadful havoc has been made of the claims on the back lead. The damage done by the washing up of the tail races and filling in the claims, choking the pumps, &c, will be a serious loss to this portion of the beachworkers.

A meeting of shareholders in the Fourmile Water Race Company is advertised to take place at Charleston this evening. We understand that a portion of the business of the meeting will be the election of a sfciff of officials for the ensuing twelve months.

A telegram has been received from Mr J R Fisher, M.P.C,, wherein he states that he has carried his motion for a subsidy of five hundred pounds (for steam service to coastal ports and tender for Melbourne boats) and that Mr Sharp ha 3 tabled a motion, to come on for discussion thi; evening, urging on the Ngakawhau Railway works.