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Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1236, 11 December 1874, Page 2

Among our southern neighbors Westport is getting into good repute. At Hokitika the rumour has spread on semi official authority that within two years time Westport will export a hundred tons of coal for every one sent out from the Grey, and business men are awaking to the fact that despised Westport has a great future before it.

Correspondence for the United Kingdom: Continent of Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the West Indias (via San Eraneisco) also the Sandwich Islands, will be forwarded from Westport by every steamer going North to catch the mail leaving Nelson on the 23rd instant.

The apathy displayed in due recognition of the services of Volunteer Fire Brigades is not confined to Westporfc. At the last meeting of the Greymouth Brigade several members complained that after undergoing the bullocking work of dragging the engine to the scene of a late fire they foundTthe stand pipes blocked with timber, aud none of the bystanders would lend a hand to help to get the engine in working order. There is evidently in Greymouth one citizen who cithher does not approve of Provincial institutions in Westland, or who prefers shop to politics, business to pleasure, any day. Nineteen local firms announced their intention to close their premises on the anniversary of the foundation of the Province, and they gratuitously added to their advertisement thus : "N.B. —Mr W. J. Coates, merchant, is the only person who refuses to acquiesce in the above movement."

A numerously signed requisition has been tendered Mr T, C. Tabart of Hokitika to allow himself to be nominated as candidate for the Mayoralty of that Borough.

Mesdamos Bice and Daniells had one of their periodical interviews with his Worship on Wednesday, touching their too liberal patronage of vendors of strong liquors. Mn Daniells rendered further tribute to her Majesty to the extent of ten shillings. Mrs Rice elected to temporarily retire from an unkind world for forty-eight hours.

Mr Sheahan, true to the promise made the patrons of the Theatre Royal that be would from time to time introduce a succession of novelties, has engaged the services for ono or two evening of Mr \V. A Chapman, the noted magician and antispiritist, and with him also Miss Ada Bonnifon, whose speciality bears the designation of Deuterscopiaor, more plainly, second sight. In addition to the many startling and inexplicable illusions of modern magic, of which Mr Chapman presents a never failing variety, he gives a clever expose of spirit rapping and table turning and performs all tho tricks which charlatans attribute to tho agency of unseen spirits. Miss Bonnifon's peifo.'inanco is unique in its kind, and unattempted by any other person in the colonies. Blindfolded and so placed that no suspicion of peeping may bo held, tho lady medium describes with minute detail any article placed in Mr Chapman's hands, ho standing in the body of tho hall and receiving anything the audience choose to place in his keeping for a few moments. The entertainment should draw a largo audience, and preparations for the reception of visitors will bo carefully arranged.

On Monday the newly arrived immigrants were set to work clearing Cobden street from Palmerston to Peel street, and by knocking off time had put a tolerably good face on their work and will, no doubt, in tho course of a week or so, open up access to tho sections facing the street, many of which are exceedingly good building sites. There are some rumors afloat, but to which too much credence should not bo attached that tho new arrivals do not care " muchly" for work, and that in Colonial parlance they are already jibbing, preferring to waste tho day lounging about on the river bank or around the bars of hostelries where a straight pint of beer for sixpence is the current tariff. It must be allowed that among any given number of men there will, in the ordinary course of things, be a proportion of ne'er do wells, who like work so well and no further that they would, whenever chance occurs, lie down alongside it; rind among the indiscriminate mass of immigrants shipped to New Zealand there will be found not a few who came out for the good of the country they left behind them ; but taken all in all the immigrants asyet finding their way toWestpcrtare not a bad lot. When they have shaken into their places and dropped down to the manners and customs of their neighbors, they will no doubt make fair average citizens, and for the bad marks among them, if any such there be, they will soon find Westport is not a pleasanc abiding place for their kind. During the month of November measles werevery prevalent throughout the Otago province Tho school children in many districts were badly affected with the disease.

The examination for Provincial scholarships took placo on Wednesday throughout the Province. The examination at Westport, by meaii3 of printed questions to which candidates were required to append written answers, was under the supervision of Dr Giles. Thee were no candidates from the Westport school, and only two from Charleston. G. Harle from Mr .Moore's school, and J. Ormond from Mr Delar.ey's.

The successful issue of the elaborate preparations for viewing the transit cf Venus is as yet doubtful. The sky during the early portion of Wednesday was gloomy and overcast, although just about one o'clock the atmosphere cleared and the sun shone out. Local sky gazers were intently occupied, and those who had patience were favored with good views of the phenomenon. We reported a few days since that it was rumored a deep seam of black sand had been struck in the Brighton district. The telegram from our Charleston correspondent now gives confirmation of the report. The Nelson Mail reports that Mr Levestam has been offered and has accepted the office of Inspector of Machinery for the Middle District of New Zealand. The district will include Nelson, Marlborough, Wellington, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, and Poverty Bay. There will bo three other districts, for each of which an Inspector will bo appointed, namely, Auckland. Canterbury, and Otago. At the last sitting of the Nelson Central Board of Education a resolution was carried to enforce payment of arrears of rent duo on educational sections leased in Westport in September 1873. A very significant resolution was adopted at the sitting of the Nelson Central Board of Education on the 3rd instan f . Two applicants for subsidies for schools at Granville and Nelson Creek, wore laid before the Board and it was resolved "1. That the application from Granville, together with other similar applications, be referred to the consideration of the Government, the Board having no funds wherewith to aid these schools. 2, That the Secretary lay before the Government a statement of all fresh applications for subsidies received during the current financial year. 3. That the Board is disposed to entertain favorably all such applications, whenever the funds at its disposal will admit of its so doing. 4. That, in the meantime, the Secreta"rv write to the applicants for full particulars, and inform them of what the Board is doing in respect of their applications." A notice -of motion was also given "That, in future, the statement of the Board's bank account be appended, each month, to the published minutes." The demands on the Board for assistance exceed the resources, and it is doubtful whether the Provincial Government will be able to render the necessai-y assistance. Meanwhile periodical publication of the cash account of the Board will have one good effect in showing anplieants how much, or rather how little, they may expect in the way of subsidy. It is the fashion just now to notice the commencement of new industries in New Zealand even of minor grade, organ grinding, umbrella mending, scissor sharpening and so forth. Thus is precedent given for noting that a vendor of pies now nightly plies his vocation in Westport. Mr Farwig has built him a regular cockney can, and " pies hot" seem in good demand.

There was no meeting of the Borough Council on Wednesday evening, Cr Stitt being tho only member who put in an arjpearance. Tho meeting stands adjourned until to-night. There is a screw loose in Municipal matters. Infusion of now blood does not seem to givo strengh which is the attribute of unity. There is defection amon,' tho elder members and resignations are impending.

Good observations were taken of tho transit of Venns at Hokitika on Wednesday, all tho different phases from the first to the last moment of external contact having been distinctly visible At Westport also, had sufficiently powerful instruments bsen available, correct observations might have been recorded. Telegrams note the measure of success elsewhere.

Professor Hol'oway, who has obtained a world-wide renown in connection with tho pills and ointment bearing his name, has been recently subjected to a fraud which he is desirous of exposing. Some porson3 in Sydney haye be.n vending pills as being

those of Professor Holloway, which are only spurious imitations of that gentleman's preparations. The labels of tho spurious article aro inscribed " Holloway's Pills, New York," but the Professor has no place or agency in.America. This of itself would be bad enough, but as if to complicate the affair a person in Melbourne has been writing to the Argus, as if in the interest of Professor Holloway, and claiir.ing to be his travelling agent, whereas the Professor has no travelling agent. The whole matter bears the aspect of an attempt at a great fraud, and it certainly demands investigation.—Adv.