CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume 1, Issue 145, 17 January 1868, Page 3

CHARLESTON NEWS.

A change has taken place in the Postmastership. Mr Alexander has arrived from Christehurch, and taken over charge of the office from Mr Anderson, who proceeds to Dunedin. There was not much business done in the Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, the following being the only cases brought in for hearing, Twohill v. Costello, in which judgment was given for plaintiff by default, and Morrison v. Nahr and Curtis. The claim in this case was .£34 10s for wages, of which sum, Mr O'Neill, for defendants, stated £2O Is 6d was only due, and that amount was paid into Court. Judgment was given for the amount paid in, plaintiff to pay defendants £2 2s for costs.

We understand this to be a special night at the Bijou Theatre. A veryextensive and attractive bill of fare has been provided, calculated to exhibit the histrionic, musical, and comic talents of all the members of the Comedy Troupe, and the performances are announced to be under the patronage of J. B. Dutton, Esq., B.M. A meeting of gentlemen desirous of getting Mr James Hennelly to come forward as a candidate at the coming election was held at the Melbourne Hotel, on Wednesday evening, and the requisition, which appears in another column, was presented to that gentleman, and he consented to stand as a representative. A Committee, consisting of the following gentlemen, was then formed to secure Mr Hennelly's return : —Messrs Kennedy, Savage, Evans, Connolly, Clarke, W. Hunter, Curtis, and Davies, with power to add to their number. The requisition is signed by over 500 business people and miners resident in the district. We believe that Mr Duncan Keir has abandoned the idea of coming forward as a candidate, so that at the present moment there is only one candidate in the field. There being still, however, some time before the day of nomination, it is not improbable one or two others may be induced to come forward and contest the election. We hope so, as we do not believe iu an election which is a mere " walk over." Mr James Hennelly seems likely to carry the confidence of the electors, but it would be better, for many reasons, that the various important topics now on the tapis should be well ventilated by a full and free discussion at public meetings. It is Mr Hennelly's intention, we believe, to address the electors of Charleston, Brighton, and other localities at an early date.

Native Lands. The TarcmaJci Herald says:—'• "We hear that it is contemplated to issue the Crown grants for all confiscated territory between Waitara and Urenui, returned to the friendly natives, free from all restriction; so that the owners will he able to sell, let, or lease these lands just as they wish, without interference. On the other hand, we understand that it is proposed to restrict the sale of the 10,000 a*res of bush hack at Mataitawa in the Puketapu block, concerning the purchase of which a resolution was passed at the last session of the Provincial Council. This block belongs to the same natives who own the land along the coaßt. If, therefore, they sell the whole of the latter, they will still havo the other to fall back upon, and will not be reduced to a state of poverty for want of a piece to cultivate." Rabalais, the facetius divine, laid a wager that he would make a declaration of lovf in th pulpit; accordingly he took these wo-ds fcr hi 3 text from the Cantioles. "It is for you, woman, that I die."