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Westport Times, Volume X, Issue 1349, 28 January 1876, Page 2

Mails will close for Hokitika and the South, this (Friday) evening at 7.30, per Charles Edward. Provided the necessary funds are donated in the usual liberal spirit of tho Westport public, it is proposed that the annual picnic tor juveniles shall be held at Martin's Island on Tuesday next, the Ist February, that date being the anniversary of Nelson Province and usually observed as a holiday. In this instance perhaps it will be the last occasion when the existence of the province will be considered worth noticing. The Greymouth Jockey Club discussed on Saturday evening last the advisability of organising a race meet for St. Patrick's Day. Without committing themselves to any decided course, it was resqlvod to comWUiiicate with the Hoiritika. Club and ask the.n to send a copy of their intending pro?

gramme for Easter. If it be a lilieral one then the Greymouth Club will probably co-opevate to induce owners to send horses to the Coast. The Grey Evening Star states that about six weeks ago a flood in the river Teremakau, counled with a heavy sea, piled a large quantity of black sand on the beach, which was found to be auriferous, and a good number'of miners set into work und were doing pretty fairly for some time, but the richest stand is now nearly worked out, and claim holders are anxiously waiting for some rough weather, which they sny will throw up another instalment of payable sand. The rain on Thursday evening last opportunely extinguished the bush tires raging around Beefton, but the destruction of mining plant will cause serious delay in work, and litigation is already threatened to obtain adjustment of claims made for damages and compensation. The Herald correspondent says that direct losses do not erced £500. The following telegram from the Ahaura appeared in the Grey River Argus of Saturday last:—"The town is surrounded by bush fires through gross carelessness in lighting a fire on the Convent grounds to clear the scrub. The fire spread. The Warden's house, now occupied by MiReeves, had a narrow escape. Staite's, and particularly Wakefield's houses, are now in great danger. People are all working well to confine the fire to the bush. Fortunately the wivid is favorable." The rain has since subdued the fire. Precautions against the spread of typhoid fever which have been drawn up and circulated in liugland by order of the sanitary authorities have been reprinted for free circulation by the General Governmentof New Zealand. A number of copies have been sent to different parts of the colony for distribution. The concluding paragraph says . —" If fever be in your neighborhood, but not as yet in your house, take the following precautions to keep, it out:— Drink no water that is open to the least suspicion, or if you can get no other, boil it before drinking. Use no closet or privy that is used by houses iu which there is already fever. Give immediate notice to the Sanitary Inspector of any nuisance in your neighborhood, such as a stinking drain or gully, heaps of offensive refuse, and the like. Use all your influence to insist upon the preceding precautions being strictly carried out by your neighbors whose houses are already infected."

Tlio West Coast Times, advocating the division of existing large electoral districts into smaller ones, alleges among other reasons the cost of canvassing and contesting an election, which virtually amounts to buying a seat. It says that in almost every case in the Grey Valley and llokitika districts, the candidates, or their friends for theiu, have spent hundreds upon hundreds in presenting themselves before the electors, and in defraying the unavoidable accompanying costs of a contested election. "The lesson of the two local elections is that there is a necessity for smaller districts, and it is to be expected that our new members will advocate the propriety of a reduction in their area, or of others similarly situated. Such were precisely the viow3 taken by Mr Barff. when it was first mooted, and subsequently proposed, that an additional, member should be given to tho district of Uokitika, and it is to be expected that they will remain as his views on the first occasion which arises for tho discussion of the subject of re-dutributiug representation." The West Coast Times of Saturday, in an article referring to the Roefton Wardenship, complains that Mr tVarden Price, and Mr Harry Kenrick, who has for so many years performed the duties of Clerk to the Resident Magistrate's and District Courts, Greymouth have been overlooked. Owing to some slight mishap, tho p.s. Charles Edward, after leaving Nelson for the Coast, had to put back, and thus will not leave Westport for south until t'riday night. A notice has boon posted at tho Survey - oißce intimating that no eligible tenders have been received for clearing the slips on the Bnller road between the Nine Mile Ferry and the Big Ohika River. The s.s. Ringarooma, on passing Charleston on Friday last, saluted the residents ot the town by tiring a gun, which the Herald says, judging from the report, was extra loaded for the occasion. It is reported that an luvercargill contractor has obtained the contract for laying the permanent r.-ay on No. 2 section of the Mount Rochfort Railway. Mr Joseph Smith, many years a resideut of Charleston, is leaving the colony for England. He 13 to be entertained this evening by a banquet to be given by the members of Court " Charleston," Ancient Order of Foresters.

The Directors of the Four-mile Water Race Company, Charleston, have determined on sending a deputation to Wellington for the purpose of having an interview with the Minister of Public Works, with a view of obtaining some monetary assistance from the Government towards the completion of the race. The two gentlemen selected by the directors as a deputation— Messrs Samuel Turner and Roger Walker — an- men whoso mining experience should enable the Government to arrive at correct conclusions on all points connected with the construction of the race, and their intimate knowledge of the mineral resources of the district will, doubtless, aid much in guiding the Executive in their intentions as to g! anting the assistance asked for. Tae deputation will leave Wostport by the first boat going north, and sanguine hopes are entertained that their mission will terminate favorably.

Mr Vincent Pykc said at Cromwell :— "I do not agree with the common cant, conveyed hy such phrases as ' measures not men.' Scriptural warrant and human experience both teach that, as grapes cannot be gathered from thorns nor figs from thistles, so neither can good measures bo expected from evil or incompetent men. The true course for the people at this solemn juncture of their affairs is to have regard to both measures and men, and to select whomsoever best combines the essential requisites in his own person," Mr Thomas Crumpton, late of Charleston, after much travelling to and fro in search of a new location, has started iu business at Blenheim as a eoachbuikler and wheelwright. The Immigration Officer at Nelson has commenced to take action against immigrants who have neglected to pay sums due on promissory notes for advances made for outiit "previous to embarkation. A man named Mercer, an arrival by the Adamant, was sued on tho IChh instant for £7, and was ordered to make payment by instalments of 1 Us per week. The Nelson Mail of the 15th instant says, "A large number of their friends met. on the wharf on that date to Did farewell to Captain and iMrs Bough, who took their tinal departure from Nelson by the Phcebe, en route fpr Englanfl, Captain Bough is

one of those who we can ill afford to lose, and his loss will be severely felt in Nelson, for whenever a charitable action was to be done his was a hand to do it. He carries with him the good wishes of all his numerous acquaintances." Mr Gray, the Inspector of Post-Offices, who has been in Westport for some days, past, left per s.s. Murray yesterday for kelson. He has expressed himself as well satisfied with existing Postal arrangements in this district. In view of any need for increased convenience for the posting- of letters, he has authorised Mr Postmaster Shrimpton, whenever he considers it necessary, to open an additional receiving office at the lower end of town, Mr Horn's shop being the place decided on. The town lelter carrier will in future wear a neat uniform, which is now being made at Mr P. Sontgen's establishment. It is intended to hold races as usual at Doughboy Pint on St. Patrick's Day. The Upper Duller Jockey Club meet on the Ist proximo to arrange their programme. It is stated that the cause of the Provincial Engineer being superseded was the undue interference of the Provincial Secretary with the department supposed to be under the control of the Engineer, and as Millar, P.S.A., has never yet been known to *' knuckle under" when the matter in dispute involved a tampering with his prerogatives, it is more than likely that there is good foundation for the rumor. A. meeting of the Westport Jockey Club will be held to-morrow evening to discuss the possibilities and probabilities of arranging for races on or about St. Patrick's Day. Business at Jteefton is reported as being continuously brisk and business frontages command excellent prices. The Times of Friday last =.ays that an offer of £14 per foot for a full section in a central part of the town has been refused. New premises are being opened iu various branches of business.

The rough ballasting of the Brnnner railway has been completed, and the platform in front of the Grey mouth jfost-otfice is being formed. The old Post-office, says the Star, is to serve the purpose of- a railway station, the postal department being about to remove to the new otllees, on the old Hospital reserve. The second locomotive is to be put together shortly. Three passenger carriages and a large number of trucks are now ready to run on the line, but it has not been definitely settled when the opening will take place, although it was currently rumored that it will be on or about the 14th of February. The hands at- work will be knocked off on Satur lay 29th inst., am! many will probably Hud their to Westport in anticipation of work on the Mount Kochfort line. It has been resolved by the Hokitika Jockey Club to hold a race meeting early in March. It is the intention of the Club to publish a programme in a few days, offering stakes for two days' events of not less than il-1-00, and a sub-committee has been appointed 10 confer with the Greymouth Club, as to the days of the race meetings at each place.

Recognition of the services of Mr John White, as member for the Hokitika district in the General Assembly for five years, is intended in the shape of a substantial testimonial.

Mr C. E. Button, while thanking the electors of the Hokitika District for his return to the House of Representatives, is reported by theAVest Coast Times to have said : —" He -would alludo to the principal question which would come before Parliament, a question wbicbrclwarfed. all others, Edueation- r _ Hi? was determined to .endeavour to deliver the country from religious influence" on education. Religion had an internal vitality. Ho did not want to give assistance to religion which wanted no assistance. He wanted to see church and state separated." The statement was received with loud applause.

llolloway's Ointment and Pills.—Notable Facts.—lntense heat augments tlio annoyances of skin diseases and encourages the development of febrile disorders ; wherefore they should, as they may, be remove'! by these determent and purifying 1 preparations. In stomach complaints, liver affections, pains and spasius in the bowels, llolloway's unguent well rubbed over the affected part immediately gives the greatest ease, prevents congestions and iullammatiou, cheeks threatening diarrhoea and incipient cholera. The poorer inhabitants of large cities will find these remedies to be their best frieud when any pestilence rages, or when from unknown causes eruptions, boils, abscesses, or ulcerations betoken the presence of taints or impurities within the system, and call for instant and effective curative medicines.— A DVT.