WEST COAST TIMES.

West Coast Times, Issue 85, 19 December 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES.

"TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1865-

The preßSure 6f late advertisements obliges its to witbold our usual leader, together with reports of law proceefl■iugs and other ldcat matter.

\Ve have to ncknbwledge Sydney papers to 'the 7th inst., to tho courtesy of Mess'rg. Fisher and to'Mifttof Mrßrittafn Dimedin pnpers 'to the 12£ b, bought to the Grdy by tho Star of 'the Evening. .' . , We have received dome 'particulars of the [accident by which a drayman and three horses lost their livesiast week in the Grey river. . The jnan's n/vnse is Twfdil, tCh ill he nppe'ara .to have 'lefta fctore situated some five miles'dn this side of tbfe Grey under tlio influence oi liquor, and to bavo fallen asleep on the dray, thus leaving it to the guidance of liis team, The leader" was a new horse, unused to the traok, f\'nd it Is bo* lieved that instead of making for the ordinary o roving place, be went down nniohgst 't)io • breakers where both animals and man wero drowned. A body supposed to be that of Tweed has been picked up at <* distance of about five miles from the spot where thn accident is conjectured to have taken place j but a good deal of ihaht seems to exist ns to the identity of the body, many who wore intima'to w|ib Tweed 'declaring him to baVc beon n man of muoh

larger build. The body found was a gooil deal decomposed, and shipped of its, clothes with the exception of the boots and a belt, so that no secondary evidelice existed to assist in identification. The bodies of the three horses have also been picked up at difierent points, arid the dray itself has also been washed on shore. Once more that ill-fated little steamer the Lady of the Lnke is about to put her owners to a serious expense, which added to those already incurred by her misfortunes, caused through her inadaptibilfcy for the navigation of tho Westland waters, will amount to a sum very- nearly sufficient to buy a new boat, Wo were in hope's she would be broken up for tho sake of her material, and tho engine and boilers transferred to the Kanieri, where they would have proved most useful in driving pumps to drain the ground. It seems, however, that her owners think she is 1 worth another trial, she now being in the hands of the contractor , who have commenced operations, for the purpose of once more relaunching her into the river, which, we hope, will terminate favorably. Wo are of opinion that the Lady of the Lake is not to be trusted over tho bar alone, and would suggest the advisability of her being taken charge of (when she takes her final departure) by either the Lioness or Yarra On Sunday. morning, tho launch of the John Bullock from the north spit into the river, terminated we are happy to say successfully, tho Yarra steam-tug fastening to her at high wator, dragging her off tho ways and up to the wharf. The preceding evening we had doubts whether tho result Mould bo so satisfactory, as tho schooner's bow took the ground when she left the ways, which placed her in a most awkward position, half on and half off, from which all subsequent efforts made to release her pioved unavailing ; and although the services of tho Yarra wore thon called into requisition they through the tide rececding so rapidly, proved too j late to be of any service. Tho weather, moreover, looked threatening and there is little doubt that had it rained heavily that night, (which would have brought a heavy freshet down the river next morning), the John Bullock's fate would have been similar to that of the Oraigievar and Dolphin, which in consequence of not being mooted alongside the wharf, were, when caught by the heavy flood of tho day, whirled out to sea, cast upon the beach and became total wrecks. We are, however, glad to see her safe in the river and trust her future career will be unattended by suoh a serious "contre temps" as the one that so lately befe her. The s.B. Lioness, that arrived from the Grey on Sunday evening, brings most unsatisfactory accounts of the state of the bar of that river. Sho reports only eight feet water on it at high tide, and the entrance much broken up into channels that are exceedingly difficult to navigate. Capt. Whitford informed us that so low is the river, that there was at low water on Saturday a distance of only about one hundred feet between the north and south spits ; and that in a few days no vessel would be able to enter or depart unless a fresh came down the river and cleared the sand away. He, however, gave us tho pleasing intelligence, that the report in circulation here on Saturday, touching the loss of tho Star of the Evening, was quite unfounded, that steamer not having yot mude her appearance. But as a sot off to this, the poor old Uleanor .vent on shore there on Thursday last, and now lies a complete wreck closo to the ill-fated p.s. Nelson. This intelligence is most unfavorable, and should there be a much longer continuation of tho piesent dry weather, our Grey brethren will havo cause to appoint a day for humiliation, fasting, and prayer, that the drought may cease and the river once more rise and clear away the accumulation of silt nt its mouth . For several days past we havo beon exceedingly doubtful and uneasy respecting our own bar, having been given to understand thero was only eight or nine feet of water on it, and that the sand was banking up most ominously ; but the report of Captain Turnbull, our Harbor-Master, has reassured us, he on Monday morning crossing the bar twice in the Lioness, taking soundings carefully each time. The result was most satisfactory, nine feet being the least depth and three fathoms the greatest— the latter water being found between the remains of the Titania and the North Spit, the channel again running nearly parallel with the beach — a most undesirable change, wo must allow, as it increases tho danger vessels have to incur when the surf is heavy, either entering or leaving the river. Under ordinary circumstances however, very little risk, if any, is run, as our two tags are amply sufficient to attend to the present shipping list, there being never tho slighest necessity for a vessel to sail in if sho wishes to tow. Tho Lioness is good in all weathers, and the plucky little Yarra will not bo refused if it is possible for her to face it. A good deal of notico has been attracted during the last fow days by a large vat lying in Weld street, in front 'of the premises of Messrs Pizzey and Arkell, of the Phoonix Brewery. Its contents are a thousand gallons, and it has been exceedingly well mtnufactured and finished of the white pine so abundant in tho Hokitika bush, by Mr John Edgar, cooper, Weld and Tnnored streets. We understand I but other two tats of cowesponcUng capacity, but of an oval I shape, are boing made of the same material, and ! by the same hand, for this brewery. An alteration in the fixturos of tho Resident Magistrate's Court has rendered it much more convenient for heating than it was when first used. Both the reporters' table and the witness box have been placed nearer the bench, and the change has not at all interfered with the general effect. The "dock " will Btrike most persons as being an unusually small and frail structure, indicating a sort of confidence on the part of tho authorities in the non-appearance in court of any very violent prisoners. We think tho facilities for distinct hearing in the court might be still further increased by a ceiling in tho roof at a level with the .top of the largo windows, and as aiohiteoturally there is nothing in the present open roof to make it a ' * thing of beauty" there is no reason why it should bo permitted to "livo for ever." ' Many witnesses - epecially Indies whose voices are sufficiently audible on other occasions — appear to think it the becomingthing to whisper and Bimper when they got into'the box, and tbo taßk of perpetually telling thoso bashful fair ones to speak up must naturally be a severo trial to the worthy magistrate's feelings as a justice and a gentleman. On Thursday last there was another narrow escapo from a fatal accident on the Teremakau, Through mismanagement on the part of the boatmen it is asserted a boat capsized and went down when near slioro. All on board were, however, saved. Our correspondent also informs us that on the same day, a body, fearfully decomposed, was found on the Tcromakau bpach. Our letter contains an ominous question — What is due for picking up a dead body t Does the frequency of theso " finds" suggest tho idea that it may be followed as a profitable employment f Information has reached us that gold in payable quantities has been discovered in tho immediate vicinity of Lake Brunner, by a party of two men Who have api lied for and obtained tho grant of ft prospecting claim from Mr Blackett, the Nel&bn Warden for the Grey district. The locality of tho discovery is closo to tho Lake, in the abovo district, about ten miles from tho head of tho Arnold. The prospects obtained wero from one to nix grains tho dish. Furthur details liivo not readied us, save that some oxcitemont in Groym<jiith wan the result tho Brunner dlstriot having beon long considered ns highly auriferous. Tiiero are also tumors of the discovery of a fresh g&ldfield a long .distanco inland, somowhoro at the head of the Groy River. Nothing authentic has, hbwove'r, reached us concerning it. Oil Sunday morning nn unfortunate man, in tho lnsthtngo of exhaustion, was carried to the camp by goinc gentlomen who bad brought him down from about six miles 'tip 'Kanlori river, having found him in tho bush in" a SlJooking state of emaciation It appears that, 'On Saturday, their attention had been arrested by bearing faint cries in tho scrub, and on instituting n eeai on they discovered the poor follow lying by

the side of a creek with the lower part of his body in the waier, having, apparently, attempted to drink, fallen in whilst so doing, and through excessive weakness was unable to recover himself. He was immediately taken to their boat and conveyed down tho river to fioki. tika, and handed over to the care of tbo authorities, at whose hands ho received every attontion that could be devised to restore him, and although at first it was fouud ho was too far gono to be recovered, we are happy to state that, in a few hours, he bo far recovered as to bo able to whisper that his name was John Slauss, and slate he had lost himself .in the bush whilst out prospecting, and to the best of his knowledge believes he had been fourteon days in the bus.li, seven of which he had been vithou,t food 'of any kind. He was well Supplied with' money, Ll9 being found upon him. 77p visited Him yesterday at the Swan Hotel, and were shocked at his appearance, tlie man being reduced to a mere skeleton, and so weak as to be unablo to answer any questions. He is, however, progressing favourably, and it is expected in a few days will bo out of danger;