WESTPORT NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 880, 11 January 1889, Page 15

WESTPORT NEWS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Westport, January 4, The total Customs duties collected at the port of Westport, for the quarter ending the 31st December, amounted to £3783 OsHJd. The Chinaman Yia Yean, arrested at Wellington, was charged at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning with the larceny of £6 from his father, Yet Fong. An interpreter from Greymouth was engaged In the case. Yet Yong gave evidence as to his loss of the money, and of his grounds for suspecting the accused; but the only portion of the money found on the accused that he could identify as his property was a three-penny-piece with a hole in it. Mr Moynihan raised a point that the evidence of identification was not complete ; and the Magistrate dismißßed the case without calling upon the defence. The Stewards of the Westport Jockey Club held a meeting last evening. The Secretary reported that the Club had £9O in hand. The meeting decided to hold the annual autumn race meeting on Friday and Saturday, 22nd and 23rd February. A programme was arranged providing for £422 added money, including two handicaps of £75 and £IOO respectively. Several poultry fanciers in this town are arranging to hold a poultry and canary show I In the course of a few months. The material to ensure success is available in plenty, and besides, the residents in other parts of the Colony have promised to exhibit. The Christmas Racing Club Committee have £IOO to their credit, half of which was profit from the last meeting. In a very few hours yesterday two towns, men collected upward of thirty sovereigns, which it is intended to present to Constable McKinnon as a token of esteem from his many warm friends in Westport. The nresentation will bo accompanied by a testimonial with over seventy signatures, headed by the Mayor. The presentation will be made by Mr Bird at the next sitting of the Court at Lyell. Things are dull and flat here after the holidays. _ _ Westport, January 7. A quantity of rails for the Westport-Nga-kawau Coal Company have come to hand. Mr O’Conor is now in Wellington on bu'siness connected with the of the Mokihinui Coal Comnany’s property. The shareholders have refused the offer of the Sydney syndicate, and have now received an offer for the property from some Wellington capitalists. The coal export last week was 1641 tons. Westport, January 8. A meeting of the Red Queen, Southern Light, and Moklhinui Quartz Companies is called to empower the Directors to sell the mines to an English syndicate, or otherwise to deal with the property of the Com panies to the beßt advantage of the shareholders, and to wind up the Companies voluntarily. Westport, January 8. __ The number of wet days in Weatport in

18S8 totted up to IS2, or in other words it rained for six months, and beat tho record of 1887 by 52 days. The year was remarkably cold throughout. On January 25 the glass stood at 60deg. ; whilst on or about the same date in 1887 the glass stood at 117 deg. In fact throughout the year the glass seldom at any time reached 70deg. On 19th De. cetnber the glass stood at G2deg. November had the greatest number of wet days, there being 22, February, April and September had least, viz., 11 days each. The Ngakawau Coal Company intend sending down at once from Sydney pumping and hauling plant for the purpose of working to the dip In the “ duff" coal in the old Albion mine, expecting to reach hard coal there, and if successful they will be shipping marketable coal in a very few months. A poll of the ratepayers to decide whether the Borough Council may borrow £IOOO for the extension of the Corporation Gasworks and £SOO for the erection of a free reading room and public library will be taken tomorrow. ,