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West Coast Times, Issue 231, 19 June 1866, Page 2

Mr George Donne has' mado an'angomont, for tho uso of the Theatro Royal (Shakspoaro) for tho performances of tho Stovons' troupe, who will mako their first appoaranco there tomorrow ovening.

Telegraphic communication with Christchurch was resumed on Sunday afternoon, and our usual daily messago will bo found in anothor column.

Tho committee of tho Masonio Ball, it will bo scon, givo notice that no tickets will bo issued after to-day; Tho Prince of Wales Opera Houso will, curly to-morrow morning, bo handed ovor to tho committee for tho purposo of decoration and othor neoossary preparations.. Thoro will, of oourso, bo no porform - anco at tho Theatre to-morrow evening.

Mr Warden Aylmor, in his official voport upon tho Totara district, states that " tho late rains havo been of groat sorvico to tho majority of tho miners at Totara, who havo beon for a long timo unablo to wash] up, owing to tho groat searoity ot wator. Nothorwood and party, and James and party, avo driving two largo tunnels undor tho township of Ross, lo act as tail-races, and also as a means of working tho extended claims. Tho Totara Pioneer Company's raco will bo finished in a fort* night. It has boon,a long ond cxponsivo undertaking, but ono, I'm sure, will pay handsomely, as the supply of water for washing purposes, on Jones's creek, is vor# email and uuoortain, aud many aro ahxiously looking forward towards its completions A groat number of extended claims havo boon applied for and granted, and I trust to bo ablo by this moans to sottlo tho majority of the population in tho district for some yoars." Estimated population, 3000; of which 600 follow occupations other than that of mining. During the wcok ending Saturday, Juno 9, twonty-flvo casos woro disposed of in tho Police Court.

The pieces announced for tho Prince of Wales Opera' llouso this evening, aro the " Momentous Question," and " Bon Bolt."

Tho criminal calondor for tho weok ending Juno 16th was not vory houvy, although a littlo in oxcoss of tho ono which proccoded it. At tho Residont Magistrate's Court 1 man was committed ,• and 10 malos and 1 .fomnlo sentenced ■ to difforont terms of hard labor. Against this number thoro were 7 sontenced men and 1 dobtor discharged. Total number of confines in tho old gaol ut tho abovo dalo, 12 malos and 1 foinalo, undor sontonco, 2 prisoners on remand, and 10 dobtors. In tho now gaol 35 ooramittod men. * Mr. Gtillospio lias announcod his intention of addressing the electors of tho Kaniori this ovoning, at tho Star Hotel.

. An inquest was held yoslorday at tho Islay Hotol, by Dr. Bcswick, tho district coronor, upon tho body of the L'ortuguoso, John Williams, who droppod down doud in tho bar-room on Saturday last. Tho ovidouco of Dr. Dormott, who mado a poßt mortem examination, having boon heard, a verdict of diod from diseaso of the hoart was rotumed.

Wo aro glad to hear that our Gorman brethren at Rosslown are up and doing, having formed themselves into an association which promises to bo produolivo of much good. In Victoria such spciotios. woro commou,-and very luvgoly supported by nativos of tho Fatherland, who aro thus onablod to moot togothor nightly, and givo full play to thoii 1 national characteristics. Tho utmost decorum usually presided over theso meetings, tho amusomonts consisting of music, cards, chess, and debating. Libraries are also gonorally attached to those clubs, and mutual reliof funds established in tho ovont of any member boing striokon down by accident or sioknoss. Wo havo known theso societies work remarkably well on tho Australian mines, and aro glad that ono is at last formed hero. Tho Rosstown association is tho -first instituted in Wostland, but wo trust it will bo followod by many others having Iho liko objeots in view. A mooting of members of tho Ohuvoh of Eugland was hold at the Supromo Court Houso last ovening, for tho purposo of taking into consideration tho prosont state of the Ohuvoh in Wostland, and to dovise moans to place it on a firmer basis. Tho Bishop of Christohuroh proaidod, and oponod tho proceedings by stating that according to autlio. rily veafed in him, ho had sent lo England

r a second clergyman for Hokitika, aud had in • structed his ton to obtain, if possiblo, asuitablo person. In this procodure he was uphold by tho proceedings of a formor meeting, whioh ho had convened in Hokitika a considorablo lime baok, whon ho first visited tho district. A sum of LIOO was then collootod to defray travelling oxponses, &o. Ho (the Bishop) was informed by his son that groat difficulty had beon oxporienced in inducing any clorgyraan to come forward 5 but that at last a gontlomau had accepted tho offer. By the ond of August both might bo expected in Hokitika, but as thafc noriod was somewhat distant, ho (the Bishop) thought it advis* ablo in tho moantimo to iuinistrato himaolf. Respecting tho nocossary -funds for tho support of two olorgymen, ho could inform tho mooting that his son's income would bo paid out of tho general church funds of tho diocoße, so that ho would bo no epoeial expense to Wcatland. Tho Bishop, however, said that he had promised a stipond of L3OO ft-year td the othor gentleman, and judging from tho amount collected in that Court House, whonover Borvico was hold thoro, ho felt suro that tho district could woll bear that oxponso, aud contribute) somothing besides towards gonor'a church expenses. Ho had called this meeting to make provision for houso accommodation for his son and tho othov clergyman, who would cortainly need a place to sholtor thorn whon thoy arrived. Both woro unmarried mon, and both well ablo to rough it, especially his son, who was used to colonial life. Ho hoped and boliovod they would be a blessing and not a burden to the district. Mv Warden Sohaw, as treasurer to the ohui'oh committee, mado a statemont of its financial affairs, and from his account it appoared thoro was property in hand of about L6O to the credit of tho committee This ho considered as amply suflloiont to cloar tho ground on which it was proposed to oroot the parsonage, Mr Salo thought thafT tho sense of tho mooting should bo takon on the general subjoot of buildings. A long discussion ensued, Mr South advocating tho eroctiou of a church, as well as a clorgymau's residence, expressing his boliof that tho com* mittco would bo justified in incurring a dobt for tho purposo. Ho would cheerfully bond a list to pay a specified sum in instalments, tho whole amount to be paid up at the ond of a stated timo. Mr. Binnoy op* posed this suggestion, maintaining that there was nothing liko paying up at once. He, howovor, quite ngroou with the last speaker that a ohui'oh should be no secondary consideration j it ought to be thoir flvst care, as a niinistor could in tho mtanwhile obtain plenty of house accommodation at' niodorate rates in Hokitika. Several gentlemen spogf to tho quostion and it was evident that (ho 'meeting supported tho viowe of the last two spoalcers. Mr South accordingly proposed " that a church committoo, consisting of tho following gentleman bo appointed for tho purposo of considering the subject of tho erection of a church and parsonage, and that such committoo bo empowered to collect funds for tho purpose, and in the moantimo provide a suitable habitation for any olergymon who might arrive : — Messrs Sale, Fitzgorald,Sohaw, South, Hungerfovd, Beswick, Binnoy, Craig, Whito, Eaton, Smith, Ayhno'r, Groor, Roohfort, Wintor, Pritchavd, Browning, and Campboll, with power to add to thoir number." Tins resolution boing 'put to tho meeting, was cavriod unanimously. Tho first mooting of tho committoo was appointod to bo held in the Supremo Court-houso, on Thursday ovoning next, at V o'clock. After thanking tlie meoting for its nttontlunco, tho Bishop then dissolved it.

Wo quoto from tho " Otago Daily Times " that Mr Warden Bootham, in his monthly report from tho Wakatip district, undor dato May 31st, Bays :— " Until tho last few days wo liaro onjoyod flao opon woathor j during tho month, wator for sluicing nnd other purposes hua consequently boon scarce. A now vcef has boon discovered, which has boon named tho Nugget j I boliovo from tho coarse natuvo of the gold found through the stone. Soveral loases have been applied fov upon it and othor roofs. A considorablo quantity of gricultaural land is also under application on the, Uppor Shotovor portion of tho district since my last roport. I havo accepted contracts for tho completion of tho road from Maori Point to tho Londonderry Creek ; whon this is thrown open to trafllo, and the bridgo built norosi tho Shotovor, tho difficulty of roachingl3kippors will bo vory much lessonod. Southborg and Co. wore to olmston their turbino whool on tho 31st xilt. A vory largo party would havo loft Qnconstown to bo prosont, had not the woathor boon very unfayorublo, and that great bugbear, tho rivor, high. Preliminary prospecting operations arc being persovorod in by many of the companies, in spito of tho Bovority of tho cold, at Skippers. Wo want labor vory badly, as woll for farm and othot work us for mining purposos. Curront prices' of provisions — Flour, L4O por ton ; oatmeal, 6d per lb j bacon, 2s 2d por lb ; ham, 2s 6d por lb j tea, 2s 6d to 3s per lb } coffee, Is 9d por lb j sugar, 6id to por lb 5 moat, 3d to 10 por lb 5 ohcoso, 2s por lb j potatoes, Ll6 pev ton 5 hay, L 9 per ton j oats, 7si6d por bushol. Wages — Minors. L 4 10s per wook 5 roadmen, 10s to 12s per day 5 farm servants, L 2 por weok and found 5 fomalo sorvauts, L 35 to LSO por annum. Population, 1161, of whom 626 are ongagod in business."