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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1963, 20 August 1869, Page 2

Extension of Mains—This morning the workmen in the employ of the Waterworks Company, commenced laying mains at the west or upper side of the Octagon. It is intended, we believe, to extend the mains from that point to the end of Stuart street east. Port Chalmers. —Charles Rogers, chief mate of the ship Challenger, was received into the Gaol to-day, from Port Chalmers, under a sentence of 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labor, for assaulting James Wilson, sailmaker of said ship, when at sea, on or about the 16th ultimo. Mr James Fulton, R.M., was the committing Magistrate. The Fiji Trade.—The cutter, Surprise, belonging to this port, has recently been purchased by Mr Gnndry for the Fijian trade. She is at present on Messrs Jacksons’ slip, at Port Chalmers, where she is undergoing extensive rep irs, in addition to which she is being coppered, and is admirably adrpted for the Island trade. She is well known as a fast-sailing vessel on this coast, and also as an excellent sea boat. She leaves for Lcvuka, Ovaln, about the middle of next week.

JPki Mrs Harry iSIPSnn; who takes tier bS|t evening, : .fc only to ha|| a full, but a soats*||r thedress circle nave/bben freely token, the general fJ&jr in wh'ch Mrs Jackson is held, no pro pmjpds needed to foretelljfiat all other parts ollfog believe this would be the case under any cir curnstances as a merely just recognition of Mil Jackson’s merit as an actress, but the bin of-fare offers unusual attractions In In the first place, a 1 to: he of more than ordinary merit, is to be olayed, named '“Helping Hands,” and helping hands have handsomely come, forward to uive effect to it, in Messrs White, Whitworth, Fisher, and,(to Ides. Mrs Jackson, who haheen scen%to such advantage in “ Lady And ley’s Secret,’’and othensev- re characi ers, is to-night to appear as ainambermaid ; and Miss Forde is announced to sing that sweet Scotch ballad, “Auld addition to the comedy, %e burlesque ala Japan, a ballet, and “ Handy Andy,” ar;e announced, so that Mrs Jackson does not ■ rely merely upon her personal claims to support, but has provided in addition a rich theatrical treat.

The County System.—Judging byWestland finauce, Mr Stafford’s nostrum for superseding Provincialism does not answer, '(’he following is an extract from a report of the County Council“ On Thursday, in answer to a question, the Chairman stated that the reason why payments had not been made -was simply because the Bank of New Zealand declined to honor the drafts of the County, or afford any more accommodation whatever. The account was overdrawn about L6OOO, but this was only a portion of the amount that had been agreed on. The agreement was that an overdraft of L 15,000 should be allowed, certainly, but that not more than L 20.000, should under any circumstances he drawn. Since then the Bank had indirectly refused to carry their contract out; and. he believed the County of Westland had just cause of action for damage done to its credit by the course taken, which was in the highest degree damaging to its credit. During the last eight days lie had asked for the paltry sum of 1.50 to meet small contingencies, and the manager had refused even that accommodation. He reported that he thought th County Council had just cause of act'on against the Bank of New Zealand, and if the Committee would support him, ho was in favor of an action being taken.

The Gold Discovery. —During the last four or fiv« days a large number of spe. ciniens of quartz all taken, we believe, from the Opuha gorge, or its vicinity—have been exhibited in Timaru, and have caused much public excitement, from what is believed to be by the beet judges, the very promising character of the quart?, Reports of all kinds have of cause been rife, and it is positively asserted that there are one or two parties at work on alluvial -ground near tljg Opuha who are making wages, but that they have decided to keep the discovery a secret until they hit upon really good ground. It is known that a party of gentlemen consisting of Mr (4. Healey, Mr K, B. Taylor (storekeeper), and others, left Timaru on Sunday morning for the purpose of visiting the locality, but beyond this bare fact nothing is known of their movem nts.— Since ttie above was in type, we learn that Mr Taylor has returned to Timaru, arriving last evening. He reports the prospects as very likely, and states that the three men on the ground are exc'-e.dipgly sanguine of opening out alluvial diggings as well as payable quartz reefs. They are very desirous of keeping the locality a secret, but it is now very generally known to be on the run of Mr Tripp, and the reef is believed to be aeontir.uation of the one at winch Thcw and party are at work near the Opuha. A fine specimen of wash dirt, containing gold was shown to us last evening, and is really the right sort of stuff. If it can be obtained in sufficient quantities, there need no longer be doubt as to a payable field being opened, No doubt in a few (lays we shall have further and more definite inforipation. — Timaru Herald.

The Westland County Treasurer. —lt was announced, a few days ago, that the County Treasurer of Westland had made au attempt to abscond, certain “irregularities ” having be n found in Ins accounts by au officer sept from the Colonial Treasury to make au inspection. The following ac count of the attempted escape and capture is from a Hokitika contemporary t—“ The capture of Mr Winter, the County Treasurer, was this morning very cleverly effected by the nolice. A warrant has been issued for hisVpprehcnsion last nfeht, owing to certain defalcations—it is said to the amount of L2soo—having been discovered in the accounts. As he was not to be feund at his private residence, the police were ac o»ce pin on tho alert, and a strict wa eh was kept at the whapf to prevent his escape by means of vessels leaving £be port, suspicion being directed to the Martha sml I.avinia, which vessel had been announced to leave this morning. This vessel left the wharf without anything being seen of the missing man, but while she was being towed down the river a boat was shot out from the beach below the flagstaff, and a constable (Elliot) who was stationed in the vicinity made out the passenger to be the man wanted. He at once communicated with Detective Browne, and that officer jumped into a boat and started it) pursuit, aud a very exciting race ensued, the boat containing the runaway being a long way ahead. Fortune, however, favored the pursuer, for the tug (the Lioness) which had the schooner astern got ashore on the beach, which of course caused delay. The boat containing the absconder had by this time reached the schooner, and he clambered on board. But as the tug steamer did uot get released from her difficulties, the schooner was uuable to proceed, and this afforded time for the boat with the detective to get alongside, when he sprung on board and secured his prisoner. A few minutes afterwards a boat from the wharf was signalled for, and on its arrival at the vessel the prisoner and his captor got on board, accompanied by Sergeant-Major Hickson, who had arrived by another boat. The prisoner was lauded at the Customs shed, where he r.« ma ned for some time, it is said, in a very prostrated state. On his being brought up to the shed by Sergeant-Major Hickson and Detective Browne, a large crowd of persons who had been watching the proceedings, assembled to witness the landing of the prisoner, and not only pi essed forward—hindering the action of the police in the execution of thdr duty-bub even indulged iu bootings Whether the hooters were sympathisers with the accused, or were rejoicing at his capture, tho censure they

merit is equal. The prisoner was detained for some time in the transit shed, and when idle curiosity had abated he was conveyed to the lock-up at the camp.” The following relates the sequel so far : George Winter appeared before the Resident ..Magistrate yesterday, and was charged withe ‘having stolen L 2,501), the moneys of the corporation of the County Council and inhabitants of West'and. Mr Harvey appeared to prosecute, and Mr South for the accused. The case was only partially gone into, and a remand for eight days was granted. Bail was allowed, the accused in L 3.000, and two sureties of L 1,500 each. The late exjiose in the Treasury has necessitated considerable and complete changes. Mr L ihman, M.C.C. for Greymouth, has been appointed to the temporary charm of the Treasury, and wi l act as Paymaster for a short time. Weave, however, authoris' d to state that Mr Lahman, has not the slight jst intention of being even a candidate for she permanent appointment, and that he accepts the office at present without fee or reward. We are told that a private, meeting of the members of the County Council took place yesterday, the “ Irregularities ” in the Treasury being the subject that gathered them together. Whether the Council will be promptly summoned or not remains fo be proved, but that a searching inquiry into every department is imperatively demanded, we fancy there cannot be a doubt.

Gold Reports.— Mr Wynn Williams sent in a report to his Honor the DeputySuperintendent yesterday morning. Mr Williams states that he proceeded with Mr Warner, mining manager of the Prospecting Company, as requested, to inspect the reef in the Waipara district, from which he brought specimens, in which it was alleged gold was found. Left at 4 a.m. on Friday, the 13th, and arrived at the locality at 4 p.m., after a very tedious journey, part of which was performed on foot. Took a tomahawii with him, and in a few minutes dug out of the reef several specimens, corresponding exactly, as Mr Warner informed him, with the one previously tested by Mr Stansell. He had, therefore, merely to say that there was a very large reef of slaty quartz, from whence he got the specimens, and he was satisfied, from careful inspection, that the reef became exposed by the action of the flood in February, 1868. He could not, of course, express any opinion aa to whether the specimens contain d gold or not, as that would be decided by those who were competent to judge. His duty was simply to state that he took the specimens from the reef discovered by Mr Warner, and if they contained gold, he thought the Government'would be "justified in proclaiming a goldfield. The following is Mr Stansell’s report on the specimens that were submitted to him for anal;, sis “ Christchurch', Aug. 16, IB6o.—Sir, - I have submitted the specimens of quartz which I received from you to a very careful assay, with the following results:—Gold, 0; platinum, 0 ; silver, 0; iron, present, {do not know where the specimen came from, but it js of a different appearance to that which I received from the Gold Prospecting Company, and which contained gold. The streaks on the quartz are simply oxide of iron. The proper name for the quartz I leave to the geologist. I havie jjimpJy tried for the noble metals, and find none preset. [ have the honor, &c., J. Brough Stauscll.” 'Lyti-efqjL Times, 17th instant.