SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

West Coast Times, Issue 630, 1 October 1867, Page 5

SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

The Mayor and Town Council of Hokitika retire from office on the 9th inst., to make room for their successors under the provisions of the " Hokitika Municipal Corporation Ordinauce." The Council consists of nine members, and in the first instance the Mayor was elected by them from amongst their own number. The present Council consists of Mr James Bonar, Mayor, and Messrs W. Shaw, J. R. Anderson, E. Prosser, R. Ecclesfield, T. C. Clarke, A. Hungerford, and A. Cumming. The seat of Mr Fitzsimmons, the ninth Councillor, became vacant a few days since, under the operation of one of the clauses of the Ordinance. Under ordinary circumstances the Mayor and four Councillors only would retire annually. But in the present instance the Town Solicitor has put .a construction on the Ordinance, which necessitates a new election of the whole number. The nomination day is fixedfor Saturday next, and the contest promises to excite more than usual interest. Mr Bonar does not offer himself for re-election, having accepted the political office of Secretary for the Goldfields. Mr Shaw announces in our issue of this morning that he is a candidate. None of the other retiring councillors have yet made any sign, nor have any requisitions been presented to them on the part of the ratepayers, although that compliment has been paid to some three or four new men. Under the law as it now stands the Mayor of the town is to be elected by vote of the ratepayers on the 20th day of October, from amongst the Councillors previously elected on the 9th. Election to the Council is thus necessarily an avenue to the Mayoralty. This arrangement adds greatly to the interest of the present occasion. It is expected that a large number of candidates will enter the field; but those who are most anxious to see municipal institutions established on a broad, firm, and popular basis, deprecate any course on the part of the ratepayers that would deprive the town of the services of men who have gained a title to public confidence by their past devotion to its interests, and whose experience gives them a special qualification for public usefulness. The Ordinance appoints the ninth day of October for the annual Municipal election. Under one clause, however, power is reserved under certain circumstances to defer the election until the day following, or within three days after. It so happens that in the present year, the ninth of October is a solemn fast day of the Jews, and in order not to deprive a large and influential section of citizens of the opportunity of recording their suffrages, the Council directed the Town Solicitor to examine the provisions of the Ordinance, with a view to discover whether an adjournment of the day of election might not take place under it, to meet the circumstances of the case. Mr Harvey has succeeded in reading the Ordinance so as to harmonise with the very proper wishes of the Council, and the poll for town councillors will, accordingly, take place on the 10th instead of the 9th of October. The Mayor and Corporation have forwarded an address to his Excellency Sir George Grey, on the occasion of his approaching relinquishnient of the office of Governor of New Zealand. At a meeting of the Council, held on .the 20th, the following draft address was ordered, on the motion of Councillor Shaw, seconded by Councillor Anderson, to be engrossed, and forwarded to Mr Moorhouse for presentation :—: — To His Excellency Sir G-eob&e G-eey, X.C.8., Governor and Commaudev-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand, and Vice-Admiral of the same. Sib, — We, the "undersigned, tho Mayor and Corporation of the Town of Holdtika, desii'o to express to your Excellency, the profound regret with which we have learnt that tho Colony is about to be dejH'ived of your services as its Governor. During a lengthened tonure of office as her Majesty's representative in New Zealand, your Excellency lias watched the development of its resources, the rapid increase in its commerce, and the growth of its political institutions ; and your Excellency's name will ever remain associated with one of the most interesting, and momentous periods of its history. We congratulate your Excellency upon tho success which has" attended your endeavors to establish peace between the British settlers in the Colony, and the aboriginal race, and upon tho comparative tivmquility that prevails at the moment of your abandoning the reins of power. "Representing, however, those peaceful and industrial interests, the promotion of which wo arc awaro has always been one of the main objects of your government ; we congratulate your Excellency still more upon the great extension of settlement, and the advancement of trade, which has marked the interval since you first arrived as the Queen's representative in New Zealand. It will, we are persuaded, be amongst the most satisfactory recollections of a long public service — that the Colony has so greatly prospered under your rule. Wo had lately the honor of receiving your Excellency as a distinguished guest on your tour through the Middle Islaud, aud mindful of the great interest you were pleased to manifest in the district, aud obliged by your subsequent remembrance of it, we cannot allow you to quit the shores of New Zealand, without tendering you this expression of our respect, aud of our sense of the distinguished services your Excellency has rendered to the Queen and to tho Empire. We have the honor to subscribe ourselves, . Your Excellency's Huuiblo and obedient servants. An approaching sale of town lands in Hokitika has been gazetted, but efforts arc being made to induce some special legislation under which the conditions of sale may bo amended. Under the Goldfields Regulations, the lands in townships were purchaseable on a preferential claim by persons in lawful occupation by virtue of their miners' rights or business licenses. If those persQnji, instead of taking up t;heU; lands

at a fixed price, chose to stand the ctianees of the auction-room, the value of the improvements they had effected was added to the purchase money, so that they had a title to compensation which sufficiently protected their interests. These regulations, however, have ceased to have effect since Hokitika has been withdrawn from the goldfields. Two very complicated legal questions have arisen in connection with this subject, the details of which would little interest our home readers. It is hoped that the action of the Grneral Assembly will ensure justice to be done. In theatrical matters we have to note changes. The City Theatre has been temporarily closed. The Prince of Wales Opera House, a large and costly building, has undergone improvements and been re-decorated. A new season has opened under the management of Mr Bartlett, the proprietor, and we are looking forward to a visit from Mrs and Mr Robert Heir, colonial favorites of old standing. The Hokitika Literary Society is in many respects a great success. A large number of books have lately been imported from Melbourne, and in aid of the library funds ■•a series of lectures has been commenced. • The two already delivered have been of a very high order. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper opened the course by an able and elaborate essay on " Memory, its Nature and Use ;" and this was followed by Mr S. M. South, Barrister, in a most interesting and comprehensive discourse under the title of " Sketches on Geology." Other lectures are about to follow, which we hope will sustain the standard now established. - A chess club has been projected ; but no active steps have yet been taken for its formation. A cricket club, now in its early infancy, promises to ensure a large amount of sustaining support. An amateur dramatic club, under the designation of the "Caxton," has just been organised. As its name imports it is composed chiefly of gentlemen connected with the Press. It has selected for its first representation Sheridan's fine comedy of the " School for Scandal." It is to be hoped the success of the performance will justify the ambition of the club. We have literally nothing to report in connection with ecclesiastical matters, except that the whole of the religious denominations continue to exhibit a healthy vitality. Yesterday was the New Year's Day of the Jews, and was very strictly observed by the- members of that community. The Westland Board of Education, appointed by his Honor the Superintendent, has commenced its sittings, and we trust to have the opportunity of reporting from month to month the steady progress of the cause of education in the district under its auspices. The month has witnessed, as usual, a considerable influx and efflux of populalation, tho balance being, however, largely in favor of the district. We continue to receive arrivals from the neighboring colonies, attracted by the substantial evidences of our practically inexhaustible mineral wealth; whilst the considerable section of movers who, whatever their local success may be, have an uncontrollable appetite for "new rushes," are returning wiser men to the rich fields they had thoughtlessly abandoned. The gold return of the district is steadily maintaining itself, and notwithstanding the very serious check to mining operations occasioned by the long drought, we are enabled to record for the month a good average export of upwards of thirty thousand" ounces from Holdtika and the Grey. We refer to our shipping columns for a more than usuallyinteresting chronicle of a month's news. The weather has been remarkably fine, and the health of the district continues good. Our resume of the proceedings of the Supreme Court will show the satisfactory lightness of our criminal calendar. Under the title of The Month will be found a record of such accidents and offences, and other local incidents, as make up the story of our life. We have only to add that town improvements in Holdtika are rapidly progressing, and in our next Summary we shall furnish a detailed notice of Hew buildings and other works which mark the rapid development of the town and its suburbs.