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Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1186, 26 June 1874, Page 2

Mails for the United Kingdom. Continent of Europe, Asia, Africa, America, the West Indies (via San Francisco) ; also the Sandwich and Fiji Islands, and Northern Provinces of New Zealand, will be forwarded by every steamer to Nelson to catcli the mail leaving there on July Ist. We are loth to refer to the snarling propensities of the individuals permitted to write paragraphs for the Bailor News, but must remark that they do not gain, either for themselves or employers, any credit by casting unjust aspersions on the Westport Times and Star. On Wednesday the News quoted a paragraph from our columns relating to the services of signalmen on the Coast being dispensed with, and said "no steps whatever have yet been taken, and as far as Westport is concerned, there is at tbe present moment not a particle of truth in it." Our authority was perfectly reliable. Steps had been taken at the time we wrote, and although it is possible that the Buller News may have been informed that at the present moment action has been postponed, that is no reason for accusing us of publishing an untruth. Such petty and illnatured quibbling is a disgrace to journalism. In fact it is not journalism, but partakes more of the license permitted a bullying barrister in Court. Aptly termed legalised blackguardism; In consequence of some editorial comments in the Wellington Evening Post on Mr Dransfield, tho former Mayor of the city, the W.M., of tho Pacific Masonic Lodge, writes to E. J. Gillon, the editor of the Post, requesting that in conscquenco of his personal attack on Brother Dransfield, he would not attend a banquet to be held in the Masonic Hall on the 24th, as bis presence would mar the enjoyment of the

evening. Mr Gillon publishes the correspondence, and in his reply stignatisos the letter as a piece of gross impertinence, aud subversive of tho principles of Masonry. Ho declines to be responsible to any association for what appears in the columns of the Post. Ho says ho will forward a statement of the whole case to tho Grand Lodge of England to show how Masonry has beeeh prostituted in the matter. Mr Holloway, agent of tho Labourers' Association, has visited Heefton, and has been invited by his Honor the Superintendent to proceed to Nelson. The Reef ton Courier recommends the repeal of the Goldfields Act, in toto, and that application be made to place Reefton under the Municipal Ordinance

The Lyell Amateur Dramatic Club gave its first performance on Saturday evening last, for the benefit of tho Water Supply Committee. The programme comprised musical selections, nigger business, and the ever verdant builesquo of Bombastcs Furioso.

An accident happened at No. 2 South Larry's on Wednesday week to a young man named William Kennedy. He was engaged hauling logs, when one rolled on him aud injured his spine. His legs shortly afterwards became paralysed.

The Courier of Thursday's date, says :—- The temperature of Reefton during the past day or two has beoii truly Siberian, or, as it is locally expressed, " thirty degrees below freezo." The frost is severe beyond the recollection evon of that ancient and much-abused authority, " the oldest white inhabitant." This morning every drop of stagnant water was frozen over to a thickness of many inches, and a few *' early birds" enjoyed the treat of a genuine skate over tho pouds at the foot of Shiel street, the water of which was frozen to a depth of threo inches.

Very satisfactory news was received from Reefton last evening. The reef has been struck in tho Anderson-Invincible tunnel, and shares had already advanced in the market.

The Building Society Committee met last evening to compile rules to submit to the shareholders. The shareholders will meet again on Tuesday evening to complete the business. A peculiar case of fish poisoning occurred recently at the Ngakawhau. Messrs Grey and Ross of tho steamer Ino, were experimenting with some groper fish there, endeavouring to extract oil from the liver, which they had boiled. Experimenting still further they ate a small portion of the tempting looking morsel, and the result was that within a few hours afterwards the outer skin on their hands and arms peeled off in shreds, just as if they had suffered scalding. The work of forming a footpath along Bright Street, from the corner of Palinerston street St. John's Church, has been commenced, and will when finished, be of very great convenience to pedestrians travelling in that direction. Under the previsions of tho '.' Nelson Highways Act, 1872." A meeting of voters will he held at the Matakitaki police station, at noon the 6th proximo, to nominate six persons to form Road Board for the District of Hampden, A proclamation appears in the Now Zealand Gazette of the 18th instant, delegating to the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, under the Goldfields Act Amendment Act, 1868, power to authorise entry on native land for goldmining, whenever by lease, agreement, or otherwise, by consent of the owners, the native titlo has been extinguished.

The appointment of "William Grey, Esq., as Secretary to the General Post Office of Now Zealand, has been Gazetted. At the Nelson Supreme Court, in bankruptcy, on Friday last, an order was made confirming the appointment of Mr J. E. Mabin as trustee in the estate of William Stavert. The application of Mr A, Adams for a declaration of the complete execution of Deed of Arrangement made in the case of J. E. Fisher, was adjourned for a fortnight. A new Post and Telegraph Office, is about to be erected at Greymouth.