WESTPORT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 541, 9 January 1868, Page 4

WESTPORT.

The Westport Star, of the 14th Dec., says: — A gentleman who arrived in town this morning from Brighton speaks in a very discouraging tone of the existing state of things in that district. He reports that many miners have gone elsewhere, that the exodus still continues while those remaining are not tankini? croorl i*£itii , * r 5 a «7»TTT> yr i V . -ny> Two excellent specimens of the Kakapo or night parrot, are now to be seen at the Commercial Hotel. They were discovered by a dog in a hole beneath a large boulder, and subsequently secured in a most perfect condition. Although these birds have been known for many years, only a few live specimens have yet been known to the public ; they are entirely confined to the West Coast of New Zealand, The pair in question are evidently male and female, the male bird having a finer looking head, but otherwise of the same size and color, viz., a brilliant green. Our readers are aware, that like the typical New Zealand birds, viz.. Kiwi, Rohi, Weka or Wood-hen, this bird the Kakapo cannot fly, but against this it has the advantage of being able to burrow under the roots and stumps of the trees or under boulders ; to enable it to do which it is provided with very large and powerful claws. It is a real parrot, having the characteristic gait of this species, walking with two toes extended before, and two behind ; it only ventures out of its lair by night, the eyes not being adapted for the light of the day. In fact it may be denominated a nightground parrot. In size it is larger than the generality of parrots and remarkably stout, especially towards the shoulders; in this respect resembling its night colleague, the owl, having however, instead of the sombre color, as bright a plumage as any bird we have seen. THE NhW HUSH TO THE CALEDONIAN. The Westport Times of the 13th ult. says:— The latest intelligence from the new rush states that there are between 40 and 50 men on the ground, and two payable claims have beeu bottomed. The tunnelling is from the face of the terrace, and it is expected that the ground will be thoroughly proved with in a fortnight. GOLD FROM MOKIHINUI. About the first sign of substantial progress ghen forth by Mokihinui, occurs in the shape of 282 ozs. of gold sent dovrn by the Murray for shipment on board the Otago, by the Bank of New Zealand. The Nelson took away about 1000 ozs. on same account to Nelson. LATEST INTELLIGENCE FROM MOKIHINUI. A gentleman that came from Mokihinui yesterday by Cobb & Go’s coach, has kindly given us the following information. He states that a shaft was bottomed on the flat (on Wednesday) at the back of the township of Mokihinui, and a dish of the washdirt gave a prospect of seven grains of gold. He also states that a great number ol claims were immediately taken up, and if the present fine weather continues, a great number of shafts will be bottomed and the ground properly tried. We hope it may turn out well, as it will give a large number of miners employment and also a fresh impetus to business, which unfortunately is at the the present time much required iu the district of Mokihinui.