WESTPORT NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 51, 19 April 1895, Page 9

WESTPORT NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By Old Identity.)

Aprill 7, 189.1. Mb Michael Gavan Doffy, of Wellington, has been appointed steward of the Westport District Hospital; There were nineteen applicants for the pieitioo. Mr Thomas Eastcott, the late steward, resigned to accept the appointment of dispenser in the Nelson Hospital. Mr Duffy has held similar positions in Victoria and New Zealand. It has been decided to hold an art-union in aid of the convent building fund. The drawing is to take place on New Year's Day. The debt remaining on the convent building is £400. A stiong committee was elected from amongst the members of the congregation last Monday evening, a meeting of which is being held this evening to arrange the priza list and make other arrangements necessary towards bringing the praiseworthy project to a successful issue. It was intended at first to have a bazaar, bat the idea was abandoned, not wishing to clash with the Presbyterian Bazaar at Christmas. Mr Cornelius Deane, the newly-elected member for Karamea Biding, vice Mr George J. Cooper, deceased, took his seat at the quarterly meeting of the Bailer County Council, held last week. Mr Deane was also present at the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board matting, that body being composed of borough and county members. The Buller County Council has reduced the salary of their engineer by £35 per annum ; county clerk, £25 ; and the chairman's allowance was fixed at £80 instead of £100. The members' travelling expenses were also reduced £1 each per meeting. This step has been rendered compulsory owing to the embarrassed condition of the oounty council's fiances. Mr James Lynch, barrister and solicitor, formerly of Beifton, has permanently taken up the practice of his profession in Westport. Mr Lynch, in addition to being a sound lawyer, is a clever musician, and he will be a great acquisition to local musical circles, hie presence will also add strength to tbe choir of St Canice's Church. The Knights of Labour, of which Society there has been a branch established at Mokininui for two years past, have leased the Mokibinui Goal Co's mine for two years, with the option of renewal for a further term. The company receive a royalty of Is per ton, and they find a market for the coal raised. Mr Thomas Alexander, formerly of Brunnerton, has been elected mine manager by his brother co-operators, It is sincerely to be hoped, for the sake of all parties concerned, that this mine will be profitably worked under the new order of things. The Knights of Labour 00. send a cargo of coal to New Plymouth to-morrow by the s.s. Oriti. Work is going on satisfactory at the Cardiff mine, Mokihimri. They shipped 4,187 tona during the month of March. A large interest is locally held in this mine. Bailie and Co. have been appointed local agents ; the head office is in Ohriatchurch. The pioneer coal mine of the district, the Westport Coal Company's Ooalbrookdale mine, continues to hold the lead, the output for the month of March baing 18,379 tons. This company has let all the outside work such as lowering co*l on the incline tipping, etc , by contract. The Westporfc Coal Company have resumed active operations towards the development of their very valuable coal deposits at Granity Creek. Several large contracts are in hand. When this mine is in full swing it is expected the management will be in a position to place coal of an excellent quality o.j the market at a cheaper rate than at presort, -md at (ha same time more handsomely repay the Dunedin and other shareholders fjr th^ir oatctprize in developing a colonial industry. The Westport Goal Co. has been a good friend to this dis;rict, and are, therefore, well deserving the best wishes of the commnnity ia all their undertakings. Messrs Gale and Seager, directors of the MAihinui Coal Co,, are expected here this week from Wellington. Mr James Colvm, of Westport, has been elected a director of this company. In the recent Nelson Education Board election the local candidate (Mr Colvio) proved victorions. The other two successful candidates were Messrs Talbot and Hursthouse. Oae of tha defeated candidates had bean a member continuously for twenty years, Mi Colsin is to be congratulated upon being tbe first representative from the Coast elected to a seat on the Board, ani I am sure bis straightforward actions on the Board will fully justify the honour conferred npon him. Two of the most useful membars on the Board, viz , Major Frankly n and Mr Maginnity, are old coasters. I repeat this fact, as in my last communication the word "coasters " was cruelly mutilated by the intelligent " comp." k At the March meeting of the Nelson Education Bo .rd the request of the Bishopß to have tho Catholic Schools inspecied by the Board's inspectors was further held over. The matter is to be dealt with at tbe next meeting on the 17th inst. I learn that Major Franklyn will table a motion acceding to the reasonable request, Mr Colvin takes his Beat at this meeting. A well-known Addißoa's Flat miner, Mr Daniel McNamarft, had the misfortune to have his right leg broken by a fall of earth ia his claim a few days ago. The sufferer was brought to town and lam

pleased to say he ia progressing favourably towards recovery trader the care of Dr Willis. The initial entertainment of the pupils attending the High School of the Convent takes place at the Princess Theatre on Easter Monday night. The tickets are going off rapidly and an excellent programme is in rehearsal. A foesicker in the bed of Maori Creek, Mokihinai, unearthed a soz. nufget the other day. Judging from the appearance of the nugget, which is now in the possession of Mr Timothy Oorby, Goal Creek, it has come away from one of the quartz reefs that abound la the neighbourhood of the find. Thanks to the energy of the chairman ( Mr James Scanlon) the Buller Domain Board are making extensive improvements in tbe. walks, etc.