LOCAL AND MINING.

West Coast Times, Issue 46, 19 September 1865, Page 2

LOCAL AND MINING.

Another caso of general avorago for Hokitika consignees occurred on Saturday, and to render it the more aggravating tho cai'go had been transhipped tho same day from tho Alhambra, and tho gcntlomon in question doubtless hugged themselves with tho dolnsivo idea that this timo at least they would be safe, as every precaution had been taken — tho sorviccs of tho Yarra having boon engaged. Tho circumstances aro as follows : — On Saturday morning the schooner Dolphin was towod out to tho Alhambra to lighter her ; sho remained alougsido all day and received on board a full cargo, and when tido served in tho evening tho Yarra again took her in tow and mado for tho bar, which they crossed safoly although there was a considerable soa rolling in at tho timo. On getting fairly into the channel and mooting tho full forco of tho current, it was scon that tho Yarra had more than sho could manage, and after a quarter of an hour's hard steaming, during which timo sho apparently mado not tho slightest headway, and tho heavy swell sotting both vessels on to tho boach, Captain Nicol, to savo the stoamor, had to cut tho Dolphin adrift, and loavo hor to hor fato. It was soon decided that, as sho was in tho breakers, and thoro boing but littlo wind at tho timo, hor canvass was of no service to fako her out again. Had thoro only been a " slant " from tho south sho might havo boon saved, but as ifc was sho soon took tho ground, and at low water on Sunday aftornoon was high and dry on the beach. After casting hor adrift tho Yarra at onco stoamod up tho river, making not tho slightest offbrt to savo tho unfortunate- hookor. Wo certainly think a littlo oxortion iv so good a causo might havo boon mado without seriously endangering tho safety of tho stoamor, but doubtless Captain Mitchell thought otherwise It was also tho goncral opinion of those on tho beach at tho timo, that tho bar was taken too far to tho northward, and that 100 great a length of tow lino was used, tho Dolphin in consequence crossing further to tho northward than tho Yarra, and thereby mooting with moro of tho two conjoined currents, tho frcshot from tho rivor, and tho northerly sot along the coast ; this, of courso, would make a great difference to tho steamer, sho having as much moro resistance to ovorcomo, and not being particularly powerful, was not equal to the occasioa — tho result was auothor wreck.

Tho small portion of wharf already completed is so unmistakoably a work no less useful then ornamental, that tho further extension of it must bo regarded as a direct boon to us of Hokitika, and we feel tho greatest satisfaction in making known to tho public that tho Government havo decided upon at onco extending tho present lino to a point opposite- Messrs Hall and Finlay's, in Wharf street. Mr M. Eagar is tho contractor, and from that gentleman's well known antecedents in Victoria and olsowhoro, and his untiring energy and porsovoranco, wo havo ovory reason in believing that tho job will bo completed at no very distant clato. It is to bo hoped that tho remaining portion to I3ell & Rao's timber yard, and which is yet unbegun, will meet with that attention its urgency requires, for tho present unsightly state of tho river bank, and tho serious inroads made by tho lato floods, imperatively demand that tho work should bo proceeded with at onco.

At last there- scorns a likelihood of Rovoll street boing made practicable for foot passengers, and tho present stato of mud and misory becoming a thing of tho past ; much reason for congratulation will tho inhabitants havo when that most noccssary work is complete Tondors for making the street wore accepted on Saturday last, tho contractors binding thomsolvoa to finish in twenty-one days, under a penalty of £5 (ov every day over

lime. Messrs Evulcsiield and Svianslon stood as sureties for them. The now street will havo footpaths six feet wido from tho river to tho Empiro Hold, but from thenco to Wold street thoir width will bo increased to seven foot. Wo aro glad this work is fairly in hand, as wo really aro getting tired of grumbling at tho present disgraceful slato of our principal thoroughfare

Wo aro requested to draw attention to the extensive salo by auction of clothing, &c, which is to take placo this day, by Mossrs. B. Joseph and Co., nt tho long room in tho Bull and Mouth Hotel. This will bo tho first salo hold in Hokilika by Messrs. Joseph and Co., and no doubt will command attention.

Tho barquo Sorato, from Sydney, which arrived in our roadstead on Friday last, brought B*l pnssongors for this port. Loft Sydnoy on Tuesday, the 6th instant, and anchored off tho Groy, mistaking it for Hokitika, on tho 14th. She has again sailed for Sydnoy.

Thoro is a rumour from Wellington that tho Government intend to discontinue Iho subsidies to intorprovincial steamers, as well as to tho intercolonial ones — Iho stoamors running between Auckland and Sydney, and between Otago and Melbourne.

Additional facilities for communication between Hokitika and Nolson will bo shortly enjoyed, by tho employment of tho twin-scrow sloamor |Kennedy, just purchased by Messrs N. Edwards and Co., ownors of tho steamers Wallaby and Lyttelton, from tho A.S.N. Company, in Sydney, aud which wo may look to arrive from Nelson in about a week from tho present date Sho is an iron boat, 135 foot long, ninotcen foot beam, will carry 150 tons of cargo, on a draft of four feet of water, and has a builders' measurement of 240 tons. Wo understand Iho price given for Iho Konnedy was L9OOO.

The ownors of the steamer Nelson (tho Nelson aud Marlborough Steam Navigation Company) havo resolved to wind up tho company, which, wo suppose will at once put at an end to all specidation on the chances of hor ever rovisiliug this port. Tho " Examiner," in an oxccllont articlo on tho subject, says : — "Notwithstanding tho groat incroaso of tho coasting trado resulting from tho important discoveries on tho West. Coast, and tho peculiar naturo of tho harbors thoro, for which this vessel is so suitable — and, abovo all, in spito of tho positive proof which several of tho shareholders must possess from thoir own private- exporionco of the lucrativo naturo of tho undertaking — it is suddenly resolved to wind up tho company. To those who aro outside, this resolution was most astounding. That men would agrco to suddenly debar themselves from tho profitable employment of Ihoir capital, when, having ovorcomo all tho difficulties of their undertaking, and a substantial roward was actually within their grasp, was what no man could understand."

Tho town of Hokitika is roundly " reckoned up" in the following paragraph, which appears iv tho " Nelson Examinor" of tho 9th instant: — "Notwithstanding tho substantial character of tho buildings in Hokitika, and tho wonderful growth of tho placo, it is a wretched spot to live in, nothing around it but sand, swamp, and impenetrable bush. Tho only things wanted to complete tho misery of thoso who arc compelled to rcsido there, boing a heavy flood aud an earthquake"

An accidont occurred on tho Bivor Groy last Thursday, to some men who wore employed in rafting timbor, and by which ono of thoir number camo to an untimely end. In bringing timber down this rivor a boat is gcnorally mado uso of to tow tho raft, and it is vory evident that this custom must entail groat danger on thoso in hor 5 for, in certain placos, whoro thoro aro rapids, tho raft becomes unmanageable, and for a timo is ontircly at tho morcy of the stream ; and if thoso in tho boat avo not remarkably smart, thoy aro vory liablo to bo overrun Iry it, and thus capsized. Such an occurrence is tho one tp which wo havo alluded, and tho locality whoro it look place is about two miles abovo tho Groy Township, at a part of tho rivor called Snag Falls. Four men in a boat woro lowing a raft down, and arriving at tho abovo placo, which is vory dangerous, tho raft took complete charge of horsolf and all connected with hor, and coming foul of tho boat, capsized it, and throw tho poor fellows into tho river. Thrco of tho number succeeded in clinging to tho boat, but Iho othor was washed away and drowned, and tho body has not yet been recovered.

A trotting match is to como off to-day between Mr Win. Pox's horse, "Touch-mc-if-you-can," and Mr G. Dunn's mulo, "Chili." Distance two miles, commencing near the Two-Mile Creek ; tho courso will bo on tho boach running towards town. Pox stakes £15 against Dunn's ,ClO, and tho whole amount was deposited at tho Jockoy Club on settling night of lalo races. A good doal of inlorost scorns attached to this race.

To-morrow ovoning a public mooting will bo hold, at eight o'clock, at tho Harp of Erin, to tako into consideration tho desirability of potilior'mg tho Government with rospoct te tho salo of town allotmonts.

Wo notice by an advertisement that a mooting of tho Committee of Management for tho Public Hospital, will bo held this evoning at fho Empire Hotel.

A party from the Kuniori called upon us last night to lodge a complaint against tho officials at tho Post-office, which we hopo for their credit's sako is not correct. His statement was — that ho had como down oxprcssly for lotters, and hnd boon waiting lu3 turn for four hours, and when it arrived tho hour boing fivo o'clock Ihoy had refused to tako his namo, thus entailing upon him tho loss of anothor day as ho feels convinced thoro are lottors for him, and will como down again. Wo ccrlninly think this a hard case, — tho very fact of a man having come from such a distnnco surely ought to ontitlo him to a liltlo consideration, as travelling in this country and tho loss of timo occasioned thereby is no slight affair. At tho same timo wo can quito understand tho necessity that exists of closing tho offico at a cortain hour, or tho distribution of lottors might bo continued to an indefinite period, when thoro is a heavy rush of applicants.