THE GREY ELECTION.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 665, 31 May 1870, Page 2

THE GREY ELECTION.

NOMINATION OP PEANKLTN. THE NELSON AND COBDEN BAILWAY. THE CALTFOBNIAN SEEVICE. (BY ELEOTRIO TELEGRAPH.) (PBOM OUB OWN COBBESPONDENT.) GsETMOtrTH, May 30. Nomination of candidates for the Grey district took place at Cobden today. Wilkie, of Cobden, and Pranklyn were proposed. The latter was seconded by F. Atkinson, late of Westport, who took the occasion to denounce Messrs Eeid and O'Conor as dishonest men.

Pranklyn was very badly received. Show of hands as follows:—Wilkie 20, Pranklyn 2. Poll demanded on behalf of Pranklyn. 4.8 p.m. Pranklyn's seconder, Mr P. P. Atkinson had been struck off the Electoral Eoll at the Eevision Court held at Cobden last week.

Nelson, Monday. News arrived by the last mail that the General Government Commissioners have materially assisted in forwarding the Nelson and West Coast Eailway scheme. Preliminaries were being arranged at the departure of the Mail. Surveyors are to be sent out. The Cobden and Brunner secti on of the line will be first undertaken.

Wbmis-gtojt, Monday. A very large deputation waited on the Postmaster General, to ascertain the views of the Government on the resolutions passed at tbe public meeting about Californian service. Mr Pearce presented the resolutions and other papers, and made a few remarks, the substance of which was that the deputation were not hostile to Government, nor were mixed up with_thpse_who condemned GovernHall, nor were §Jn£o a cm\t.rsu>h wifo port any Company. The Postmaster-General, in reply, said he was glad of an opportunity of explaining this subject about which there had been much misrepresentation. The contract with Hall would cost little or nothing if the reduced cost of the Suez service be taken into account. He was anxious to enter into a contract, because he had reason to suppose that otherwise the line would go by Fiji, and New Zealand be only a branch. The contract at any rate could not be a loss. The first service was a success, and it was not his fault that the vessel was crowded. Mr Collie called on him at Auckland. He understood that in San Prancisco there was a struggle going on between Webb and Hall's friends. Halliday, Bremer and Co. and Webb wanted to dispose of vessels which the Pacific Railway had thrown out of employment from Honolulu. Hall wrote favorably and quite possibly had already arranged with Webb or Halliday subject to approval of Government. Hall's contract was so stringent he could do nothing without the assent of the Government. The PostmasterGeneral did not wish to be too sanguine and would say no more than that, it was quite possible a satisfactory arrangement was already made. He congratulated the deputation on their public spirit, but he was not sure that the action taken was not injurious. Firstly, it was a pity that the Colony should be mixed up with the local jealousies of Melbourne and Sydney. Secondly, Mr Collie had been led to expect that his large demand was reasonable whilst he (the PostmasterGeneral) had assured Mr Collie he could not expect such an amount, even if Hall's contract broke down. Touching the opinion of the Government, they looked on securing a direct service as the most important matter ; the port of call was a secondary matter. At present they vrefe quite content with Hall's contract but would, if allowed, like to see the steamers after touching at Auckland, proceed to Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, aad branch steamers from Manakau to Melbourne and Sydney. The Port Chalmers dock would soon be completed, and this would then be a thoroughly Colonial service. Government were determined to have nothing to do with any service which did not place New Zealand in a direct route. If the route was to be via Piji, let some other colony arrange it. He tried while at Sydney, to persuade the contractor to proceed from Auckland to Wellington, Lyttelton, and Otago, and he was sure that that was the best route. He presumed Wellington would not object to vessels going on to Lyttelton instead of to Melbourne. Government could not agree with the resolution that it was of the highest importance the route should be to Mel-

bourne. He would not invite tenders to Melbourne to the prejudice of the present contract, and would not consent to a subsidy such as Mr Collie asked. If Hall broke down he believed the United States would stipulate for Fiji, but the New Zealand Government would adhere to a direct route.

Mr Pearce thanked the PostmasterGeneral for the information. He was not authorised to speak for the whole deputation, but thought he might confidently say they would be highly pleased with steamers calling first at Auckland and then at other New Zealand ports. They were not bound to Mr Collie, and were prepared to insist upon a direct route.