WESTPORT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 49, 5 April 1895, Page 19

WESTPORT.

(From an occasional Correspondent.) The Tariff Commission ore causing great dissatisfaction, owing to the manner they are hurrying through the West Coast. Evidently they are not in love with this part of New Zealand, aud are trying to make up for the time lost in more congenial society in other parts, They were advertised to meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, and give 15 minutes to each witness, whereas they did not meet for busineßS before 8 p.m. They could have sent a telephone message from the Inangahua Junction that tbpy would not arrive in time to meet aa advertised, instead of keeping witnesses waiting their arrival Some of them did n A turn up to give their evidence at 8 o'clock, as they were under the impression the Commission would not meet before morning, in consequence of them coming by coach instead of by private conveyance — aB it was given out they were coming, A deputation of business people, introduced by the Member for the district, waited on the CommiEsioners when they opened business, requesting them to visit Denniston and Mokihinui to take evidence! BB there were committees appointed there to give evidence. The chairman, Mijor Stewart, to whom we give credit for being at least courteous to the deputation, which is tnora than we can. say of other members of the Commission, and particularly Messrs T. McKenzie and Tanner, stated that thu Commission had to sit at NelBon on Monday. It was pointed out by our Member that a steamer would leave here on Saturday arriving at NeKon on Monday. But no ; they would not alter their programme, as Mr Tanner sang out — " We have decided to go overland, and will not alter our a rangements." It was pointed out to them the great value the evidence would be to them, and as some of the Commission said they had left their luggage at the Junction, offers were made to have it brought down by coach this afternoon. No inducement could alter their decision to enjoy the luxury of the overland trip to Nelson, and I do not wonder at it, for it is really enj >yable at aiy time, but how much more so when travelling aa such an important body as Tariff Commissioners. 1 hope this ig the last time the country will be put to such an expense. I fail to see anything the Commissioners are doing that could not be done by committees appointed for that purpose in cash borough, and their reports presented to Parliament through the Member of the district. The townspeople who attended to give evidence decided, aa thry had been treated in a discourteous manner by the Commission, th( y would withdraw and enter their protest, if euch a thing can bo done, hereaf er. No doubt the Commission have lost sjmo valuable evidence on other matters brides coal — euch asbolland used by tailors, leather used by harness maker?, etc , etc. The bazaar announced to take placa next Christmas has been postponed to the following Christmas in order not to clash with the Presbyterians, who are having a baziar on the date first name!. An art union to assist in paying off the debt on the convent of Mercy takes place on New \ ear's D.iy, tickets for which will be printed Boon, There has been no curate appointed to Ibis district yet. The duties, especially since the League of thu» Cross and Sacred Heart Society have buen in existence here, fall heavily on a single priest.

Some small grazing runs are now open for application at the Crown Lands Cffice, Dunedin. An auction will bu he'i there on Tuesday, April 30 at 11 a m. Now is the time for farmers to turn their th jugbts to the adnntagcß of the Walter A. Wood Company's " Favourite prai i and fertiliser drill." All that is needed to assure them if i> s s-uperiori y to everything else uf the kind ia the personal inspection which the firm invites.