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West Coast Times, Issue 944, 1 October 1868, Page 2

Meetings were held last night at the Globe Hotel, Ha.mpcl.eii street, by three of the candidates who aspire to Municipal honors. Mr J. B. Clarke was the first name on the list, and he was enthusiastically received by a very large number of the electors. Mr Banks was voted to the chair. After this candidate had cxprescd his views on Municipal matters, seemingly to the satisfaction of Use electors, it was proposed and seconded tha* Mr Clarke was a fit and proper person to represent the ratepayers in the Borough Council. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr White was the next caudidate who addressed the meetiug. Mr Hyne officiated as Chairman, and in a few brief sentences introduced the candidate to the ratepayers. In his address, Mr White gave a clear and succinct review of the line ho would pursue, if returned to the Borough Council, lie said he was in favor of retrenchment, but by that lie meant real retrenchment, not the kind that sonic other of the eaudidates were continually harping upon, viz., the reduction of salaries, he did not consider that the work could be done much cheaper, nor yet that any of the officiiilu of the Corporation could be dispensed with if the ratepayers would bring the rates to the Town Clerk's office, then lie considered that the office of rale-collector could be abolished, but he very much doubted if they would do &o. He also said he was in favour of an emergency Hospital on thh side of the river, where cases of accident might be immediately attended to. Drainage he said was a most important -matter, and should receive his cirnesl attention if he were

relumed. Mr Dunlur moved, and it w;is seconded by Mr Hynes, "that the meeting give a vote of contidonce in Mr White. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr John Cross was the last candidate to address the meeting. Mr M'Haffie in the chair. The Candidate was very forcible in his remarks on the present defective state of drainage in the town, and would assure the ratepayers tliiit if he were elected a member of the Borough Council, that drainage and matters of like importance would receive his earnest attention. He wa«also in favour o£ the Mayor being elected by the people and not by the Councillors, and considered that the present almost impassable state of the streets was oE move importance to the inhabitants than the culling of trenches ihrougb the south spit, and that the rates would be better spent in making and forming the former than in abortive attempts at turning the course of the riverHe also considered that if the funds of the Corporation were unable to meet the outlay for street formation, that the Government should be asked to give the ratepayers the labor of the convicts to assist irt doing so. I Mr Cross was listened to with attention, and at the conclusion 01 his address, Mr Shaw proposed, and Mr Hay seconded the proposition, that Mr Cross was a fit and proper person to represent the electors in the Borough Council. Mr Button moved as an ameudmendment, and it was seconded by Mr Jonos, that Mr Cross was not a fit and proper person to represent tf»s ratepayers. Mr Button's motion Was List, the original motion beijig carried unanimously. ' A .vote of thanks was given to the Chairman in each instance. Mr M'Lcan Jack, a candidate for one of the vacant seats in the Boronglr Council addressed a large number of the ratepayers lest night at the Gibson's Quay Hotel. Mr Finlay was voted {■& the 'chair. During his aidrc.is this candidate gave a general review oi" the present state of municipal matters, and answered a great many questions to the apparent satisfaction of the meeting. It was proposed and seconded that Mr Jack was a fit and proper person to represent the ratepayers in the Borough Conn -il. The resolution was then }iut aM carried uhanimoUr-Jy, and a vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the. proceedings. Mr John White addressed a mooting of ratepayers, at ten o'clock, last night, at the Gridiron Hotel, Eevell street. Mr Hyde was voted to the chair. Mr White said that he had been subjected to v severe ordeal at his previous meeting in the Globe Hotel, and craved the indulgence of the meeting for ouly briefly touching upon the various topics of public interest, as he felt unequal to the task of making a lengthy atiuJCbS. lie then briefly recapitulated his previous speech, and answered several questions. Mr Armonds moved, and Mr Alcorn seconded— That Mr White was a fit and proper person to be returned as member of the Borough Council. The motion was carried unanimously amidst loud applause. After a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting separated. The fire-bell trill be rung to-day, at noon for the first time since its removal to the tnver lately erected at the Fire Brigade Hall in Revcll-sfcreet. We mention this in order that no alarm may be felt when the deep tones of the bell are heard pealing over the : town. No. 1 Company Weatfand ftiSes mastered for drill last night at Hahsen's room, under the command ol Lieut. Devore. Sergeant Carey put the Company through the bayonet exercise, in which they acquitted themselves with much credit. They were then practiced in filing and examining arms. After some time spent in skirmishing drill the men were dismissed. A general meeting of the shareholder In the Maori Reserve C4okl Mining Company Avill be lreld at -Men o*clcck, this evening, at LynclOs Swan Hotel. • Mr M'Lean lias resigned his seat as member of the Arahura Road Board in consequence of that body having determined that the track to Fourth should terminate in Stafford Town instead of joining the Waimca tack at Piper's Flat. The nomination of ! candidates for the sent vacated by Mr j M'Lean will take place at the Couvfc llou?e, Stafford Town, on Thursday next, and the poll, if necessary, on Wednesday, the 1 1th instant. The Chief Commissioner of Wastes Lands notifies that ccarlain sections, which are enumerated in an advertisement in another column, if not applied for the occupiers thereof at to day's sitting of the Board, will be put up to auction at the upset price of 5s per foot on the 2Gth instant. Mr John Cross will moot the ratepayers at the Ballarat Hotel this evening :it eight o'clock. Telegraphic communication, which for the last two days had been interrupted between Hokitika and Port Chalmers, was yesterday afternoon resumed. In consequence of the lateness of the hour at which Mr Cross Concluded his address . to the meeting at the Globe Hotel, Hampdenstreet, Mr Tait was unable to give an exposition of his views as announced. Yesterday afternoon the temerity of a number of men in crossing the bar in a whaleboat, was very nearly being attended with fatal results. Six watermen went from the wharf, and crossing the bar in safety, proceeded to visit several of the vessels iv the roadstead. Having done this, they headed for the river under canvas, but before coming to the bar sail was taken in, and oars were resorted to. Seizing an opportunity which they thought favoured their purpose, the men made a dash, and succeeded in weathering all but the last roller. Thus— a terrific wave— lifted the boat up and dashed it on the beach, turning it right over, and throwing the men into the surf. The water wa3 very shallow, and the men succeeded in getting on shore, wet through, but not otherwise injured. Colonel M'Donucll is not anxious to court popularity, judging from an anecdote related by a Wanganui paper. It runs thus :- -The people of Patea are much inceused at a most unwarrantable stretch of power on the part of Colonel M'Donncll . Mr Bailie, a settler at Patea, for some oilfence — writing to the newspapers, we believe — incurred the clispleasure of the Colonel, who sent for him to come to the block-house. As Mr Bailie had procured a substitute, who was then acting for him, he refused. A guard was sent for him, and without even a court-martial, he

was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. His hair was cut quite close, and other indignities inflicted upon him ; ho was liberated, after being in prison a day and a night. Mr Bailie hud never been sworn in, and considered that as he had procured a substitute he lud no right to serve. Mr Bailie is most respectably connected, and his friends are going to commence an action against Colonel M'Doimsll in the Supreme Court.

A shoal of whales was recently seen off the beach at Newcastle, New South Wales, One or two of them arc described as immense,

A sir, a of .£2O has been sent by the General Government to the widow of Major Von Tempsky, in anticipation of her pension. This step appears to have been token in accordance with the recommendation of Mr Graham, M.H.R. The Wellington Independent very properly urges that something should be done by the public for the assistance of the widows aad orphans of the men who fell at Te Ngutu o te Manu.

With reference to the Auckland goldfields, the Southern Cross of the 17th hist, says : — " The rumours of alluvial gold having been 'found to "refer to Mercury Bay, a lumber of restless spirits who are to fee found on every goldfieW bave packed up their swags ail A taken to the road. Yesterday, t\?o parties left in company, and purposed walking the ranges from Puriri, notwithstanding that the Maories insisted on their inability to crow the creek, owing to the recent heavy rains. Another batch, about twenty in number, left in a cutter, returning 1 in that direction for timber ; but considerable caution is evinced among the diggers, notwithstanding tbe glowing accounts, published in an Auckland paper of tlie accuracy of the discovery, The s.sTauranga, which left Auckland on Monday, took nearly one hundred passengers, And several cutters have leic With passengers ; but our own opinion la that the rush is quite uncalled for, and will end in disappoint nicnt to all concerned in it. ifiom out knowledge of the origin of the rumour in Auckland we

aye warranted in saying this. The author of the discovery, we may state, is an interested party, and this throws suspicion upon il at once. We may further state that the gold is not alluvial, as reported in AuokHnJ, for a sample brought from town was tested yesterday by Mr Severn, a<.sayer of the Union Hank, and found to 'be composed of 12 to 13

carat quality, 'and quartz washings instead of alluvial -gold. During the debate. on the "Want 'of C6riu» tlenee Motion," Tskt Yogel and Sir Stafford came into collision. The compliments exchanged on the occasion are thus reported in the Independent :—": — " Mr Vogel — The Hon. Colonial Secretary has said that only 200 Natives could be brought to bear oil one point. Mr Stafford— l tell the lion, member I never said that number. TIVO hon. man misquotes nio. Xc continually misrepresent. Mr Vogel— The hon. member's memory is defective. Mr Stafford— l have warned the hon. member before. If he refuses to retract an observation when told that it is incorrect, I for one will not be content to listen to him, and I -prill walk out of the House. [The Hon. Mi 1 Stafford IPft the House. 3