LOCAL AND MINING.

West Coast Times, Issue 49, 26 September 1865, Page 2

LOCAL AND MINING.

The contractors for tho building of tho Supremo Court-house nro pushing on the work rapidly, and thoro is ovory appoaranco of it being completed by tho specified timo. It is a wonderful improvomont on our usual camp architec- i turo, but it is lo bo hoped that some improvement will bo mado in tho approaches, as Sewell and Wold streets nro in a state of swamp, not at all conducivo to either good temper or clcnnlinoss. Several applications having been mado to tho ownors of tho steamer Bruco, sho is now laid on for a trip to tho South, tho vaguo flying rumours from thence having caused considerable oxcitement both among tho mining and morenntilo ooinmunity. Tho place to bo visited by tho Bruco will bo tho bay named after hor when sho visited it with Captain Gibson, in May last. Tho Miskin is also to call tkoro on lior homeward trip. Tho Maid of tho Yarro, wo are glad to say, has mado another and most successful trip this timo \mdor tho command of Captain Hughos, and sho is now safe and sound at tho wharf, having landed her cargo and passongors in excellent order and condition. Sho has mado a rapid passago, having como north about, called at Nelson and shipped cargo, and yet only occupied six days in. tho trip. Tho Alhambra was advortised to loavo Dunedin for this port on tho 21st instant, and as sho will como south about sho may bo oxpoctcd hourly. Tho Egmont was advortised to sail yesterday, but owing to tho boisterous weather tho Bruco was unablo to go out to lior, and hor dopnrturo is thoroforo postponed to this day. Tho Dancing Wavo, wo aro pleased to announce, was safoly launched on Saturday last, and is now in tho lagoon. Sho has sustained littlo or no injury, and will soon bo again in tho trado. Captain Brown, lalo of tho Crest of tho Wave, takes command of her, and sho could not bo entrusted to bettor hands. An old friend, tho John Bullock, has again nppoai'cd off tho port, but whothor sho will bo moro successful on tho present than on tho past trip remains to bo proved. Sho is from Kolson on this occasion, but wo aro not ablo to givo any details of hor cargo. It is to bo hoped, howevor, that no theatrical individuals aro doponding on soats and flooring, tho loss of which Thatcher used so frequently ■to lamont. On hor last trip to tho port sho frequented tho roadsload for about threo months, and genorally was luolcy enough to eland out to sea when a fair

wind came on. Perhaps now, with tlio steam power at command, she may find herself across the bar, and the consignees may bo moro fortunate than on tho former occasion.

Auckland lins been defeated in the General Assembly on both of her pet projects, — tho shifting of tho port of call for tho Panama steamers from Wellington to Auckland and Otngo ; and also oil tho question of separation, and tho erection of Auckland into a separate colony. The discussion of tlieso two subjects called forth soino strong remarks from Ministers against tho selfish tendencies of Auckland and Otago ; and, as a consequonco, when tho question of tho ropeal of tho Now Provinces Act was considered, Mr. Macandrow rofusod to go on with it, on tho ground that a disposition was displayed by tho Govcrmnont to aggrandize tho Cook's Straits settlements at tho oxponso of Auckland and Otago, and thorcforo the mombors of those latter provincos would porrait tho power of Wellington to bo weakened by tho soparationof Wanganui, and that of Canterbury by tho soparation of Timaru and tho West Coast. Our northern files do not contain matter of very great importance, Tho celobratod state trial for soditious libol, against Mr. Davis, has resulted in tho acquittal of tho prisoner, amid tho olioors of the court. From Opotiki, tho scono of tho brutal murdor of tho Roy. Mr. Volknor, wo learn that a landing had boon effected by tho colonial troops and thoir nativo allies, though matters at one timo boro a serious aspocfc in consequence of tho stranding of tho steamor Huntress, within pistol-shot of tho shore whore tho Hau-haus woro known to bo in force. Tho Huntress was piloted by Captain Levy, whoso conduct in rcforonco to tho rescue of tho Roy. Mr. Graco has given his namo a wido-sprcad renown. Ho was placed under arrest, but on tho matter being referred to Wellington ho was libovatod, as ho was not in tho oinploy of tho Govornmont, or a licensed pilot. Several skirmishes and raids had taken placo, resulting in tho burning of several wharos and tho death of soino thirteen of tho rohols ; and, to quote from tho report of the correspondent of tho " Wellington Advertiser "— " Judging from tho expression of .fooling, tho conclusion is unavoidable that it will not require a very largo hulk or a spacious gaol to hold all tho prisoners which will bo takou." Wo loam with considorablo astonishment that tho customs authoi-ilios at Mclbonrno havo determined not to allow tho shipment under bond of dutiable goods for this port in vossols of loss than 60 tons burden. A rather strange termination to tho' Lady of tho Lako dispute has occurred, if wo aro rightly informed. As our readers may bo aware, a dispute between tho captain and agents recently occurred, tho result of which — whether rightly or wrongly — was tho committal of tho latter for trial. Since thon this craft has been offered for salo, but up to tho present timo without success ; and wo now hear that tho authorities havo stopped in and interIjoscd a bar to hey going to son, again uness somo groat alterations aro mado in her, as she is alleged to bo unsoaworthy. Ono of thoso moral epidomics with which our minors nro periodically afflicted is now raging fiercely amongst us, and tho ravages it is making aro becoming so sovious as to demand, on our part, a few words of advico and warning. During tho past fortnight reports of heavy finds far south havo boon in circulation, and tho fact of two cutters having been laid on for somo unknown locality that way, still further induced mon to boliovo that something had really been struck worth looking after. Unfortunately theso boats havo been unablo to cross tho bar until last Saturday, when ono of them sailed, and is now doubtless somo distanco on her road; had thoy only got away when first ready tho matter would lxavo boon for a timo forgotten until really roliablo accounts had reached us from thonco. As it is, what aro tho results P a town filled with an eager and excited crowd, whoso thoughts and faces aro all turned in ono direction, and who aro roady to start on this wild gooso chaso, and spond thoir last shilling in doing so. Minors, wo aro afraid, will novor loam by oxporionco, thoroforo wo considor it useless to rovorfc to tlio disastrous results that _ havo followed headstrong and indiscriminate rushing, but will content ourselves by asking tho siinplo quostions, cau any ono inform us what reason thoi'o is for the proscnt rush P and whether ono roliablo account from tho south has reached thorn P For our own part wo can truthfully assort that wo think wo know as much of tho matter as our neighbours, and wo most emphatically doiiy thoro is tho slightest causo for tho prosont stampodo, and prophesy that results tlio most disastrous aro likely to follow it. Wo understand from a paragraph in tlio " Nelson Examinor," that tho stoamoi* Nelson has boon loasod to Messrs Cross, Gibbons, Redwood, Wright, Walker, and S. Robinson, at a rental of £2000 a-year ; with tho understanding that tho boat shall run onco a month to Marlborough.