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West Coast Times, Issue 240, 29 June 1866, Page 2

■ Tho popular Scotch drama of Guy Mannering, and tho Momentous Question aro tho piece* announced at the Prince of Wales this evening. To-morrow tho Corsican Brothors h to bo produced with groat scenio effects.

A moeting of creditors in tho ostato of S. L. Marks and Co., of Qkavita, took placo yesterday, at tho offices of Mossrs. Oakos and Button) solicitors' of tho creditors. Wo learn that ono of tbo trustees lately appointed was requostcd to resign by a motion supported almost unanimously by those present.

Wo trust that Sir Qoovgo Donno will have a bumpor houso at tho complimentary boneflt to be givon him to-night at tho Theatre Royal, when tho Stevens troupo -will niako their lust appoaranco but one in Hokitika. Tho porformancos of this accomplished family aro of a most attractive oharaotor, and a most oxcellent programme is announced for this ovoning. In addition to the gymnastio foats, Mr P. B. Waters and Mr Georgo Ellis will appear, tho former singing the song of " Tho Wolf."

It is a matter of. somo surprise that, in a country so densely woodod as Wostland, whoro tho axo of tho minor is constantly at work felling those enormous troos which cumbor tho ground, ,sorious aooidonts do uofc moro ofton occur to thoso employod in cleaving tho bush. Thjp immunity is chiofly duo to tho care and skill displayed — minors being remarkably wary whilst "tin-owing timber," oxperionco having taught thorn how. serious is tho risk both to themsolvos aud neighbors, unless tho utmost precaution is usod. Mishaps, however, do sometimos ocour » and only tho day boforo yostorday an unfortunate man named Aloxandor Hinds, lost his lifo whilst clearing tho timber from his olaim on Oommissionov's Flat, Kaniori. It appears that a largo tree had been cut through, and in falling had broken down two smallor onos, and then caught in the fork of a good sized sapling, which prevented its rcaohing tho ground. Hinds immodiatoly cut into tho sapling, but whon about half-way through it split, and tho uppor part springiug up, struck him violently upon tho eido of his head,' and follod him to tho ground insfnsible. His mates immediately raisod him and sent for Dr. Anderson, who directed ho should bo romovod to tho Ballarat Hotol j but although ovory attention that medical aid could doviso was usod to restore him, ho continuod speoohless, and diod in tho course of tho aftornoon. Externally, savo a slight swelling, thoro was no mark of violence, but blood flowed freely from tho fight car until death iutcrvoned. Wo boliovo tho deceased was woll known in tho Waimoa distriot, whero several of his mates aro residing. An inquest will bo held on tho body to-day.

A mooting of tho Ohuroh of England Committoo was hold last ovoning, at tho Supremo Court Houbo. Thoro wore twolvo motnboi s present, and tho Right Roy. tho Bishop of Ohristchurch presided. Tho minutes of tho, last meeting having beon road and coufirmod, lottora from Messrs South, Fitzgerald, affd Craig woro read, oxousing thoir absonco on uccount of tho woatlior and pressing businose. ,A sub-committee was appoiuted to ascertain

tho cost of, clearing the Church Rosorvo, tho valuo of tho houso to bo oroctod on it, and report tho samo to tho general committee. To faoilitato tho collection of funds, tho town was divided into seven districts, and two mombors of tho committco appointed to ouch, with au> thority to solicit subscriptions on behalf of tho church. Tho names of tho districts aro as follow : — East Rovoll slrcot, West Rovoll street^ Weld and Sowoll strcot, Wharf street and Gibson's Quay to tho Post Ofllco, Uppor Gibson's Quay, Beach Btreot and its neighborhood, outskirts of tho town to tho north and north-cast. A finance committco was appointed, to pay outstanding debts and balarico accounts. Tho mcoting was thon adjourned until Wednesday ovoning, noxt, at 7 p.m. '

A travollor from Eosstown who arrived in town last night informod us that tho flood in tho Tptara district had boon unusually heavy, rondoi'ing tho rivor impas&ablo to either man or beast. A numbov of paokors and miners woro stuck up at tbo Long Ford, waiting for tho freshet to subside Jonos' Creek has olbo overflowed its banks, and washed away tho romainiug portion of the road from Rosstown to tho rivor, rendering Hid <soUutry not only noavly impaaßablo but most dangerous to travel. It is most dosirablo that tho Governmont should do something to remedy such a stato of things i had tho proverbial stitch in time beon taken, much after and unnecessary oxponso would havo boon sparod. As it is an ontiroly now traok must bo cut. , No mining nows worth rotailing has reachod us from thp Tdtard) BftVo that tlio majority of nutters on Jonos' Creok are busy at work washing up thoso long heaps of washdirt which accumulated whilst wator was Bcarco. In many instances vory hc!fif'''omo voturns aro tho result. Tho doop load is yot at a standstill ponding tho arrival of tho etoam machinory sent for. It i 9 stated that now ground has beon oponod up at tbo Totara, and a prospecting claim applied for ; but this roquires confirmation, and should not bo yot accoptod aa bona fido by )»»>.crd.

Tho Church of England ton mcoting, whioh elvduld havo boon hold at tho Kaniori last ovoning, has, in consoquonco of tho inolomont weather, beon postponod until to-morrow. Tho Bishop of Ohristohurch will preside on tho occasion.

West Coast winter woatlior provailod yestorday, storms of wind, bail, and rain swooping over tho town without intermission until tho middle of tho afternoon. Tlion tho wind lulled, and a slight improvement took place > but during tho ovoning tho olouds again banked up, and mm foil heavily, dissipating tho hopes on tort aincd of a littlo fine weatbor to dry up the streets, and voduco tho rivor to reasonable limits. Ncithor tho Groy or Cbristohurch coach nrrivod, having boon dolayed through the flooded stato of the country.

Q-roymouth has beon flooded, tho samo as Hokitika, and wo tako tho following from tho "Argus," rogrotting to find that it records loss of lifo:— "Tho bcoiio that was prosontod first thing yestorday morning was quito unoxpeotod, thoro not having beon tho loast reason during tho previous day to approhend any furthor riso of tho rivor. Tho fresh that was oroatod by tho two or thvoo days of hoavy rain wo had last week had quito eubsidod, and although tho rain continuod to fall in fitful showers it was not sufficient to affeot tho niver. Tho wind blow a perfect galo from tho N.W. and tho tomporaturo was much highor than it had boon for sovoral days, so much so as to materially altoi 1 tho appoaranco of tho back ranges, which forsomodays previously had beon clothed with snow. At daybroak it was evident that tho melting, of tho snow had boon accompanied by heavy rains in the interior, as tho river was swollen to tho top of its banks, and rushed down at a fearful rato. Boforo eight o'olook tho water was lovel with tho top of tho bank, and rushed ovor tho low ond of Boundary Btreot with tho speed of a mill-race, flowing along to tho lagoon, which, boing being backod up by tho tide, had spread its limits over tho greater portion of tho Government township. Maokay street, Boundary street, Amoy stroot, and Grcsson strbot, woro sovoral feot under water, and at tho lower ond of Riohmond Quay, thoro woro four or fivo foot of wator in houses, which aro thcmselvos oroctcd on piles four or fivo foot long. The occupiers of tho houses in Amoy streot and Gresson stroot woro placed in a most uncomfortablo plight, the wator being sovoral feot dcop on tho floors, and tho loose artiolos of furaituro floating about. Tho Camp Aosorvo was completely under water, and communication with tho Resident Magistrate's Court was out off, oxcopt by boat. To convoy somo idea of thp stato of tho town, wo may montion that Mr Eevoll sailed from tho Court Houbo, down tho Lagoon, all round tho baok of tho town, and moorod his boat to tho verandah of a storo in Boundary strcot. Sovoral acoidonts ocourrod by tho upsetting of canoes and boats' but wo havo not heard of anything serious from that oauso. Wo fear, howovor, that thoro has boon a great loss of proporty ateomo of tho up-river townships. At tho Twolvo Milo, tho river wa* up to tho bank at six a.m., and by tho foronoon the lower part of tbo township was fivo or six foot undor wator, tho goods in the storos boing boated out, and in many instancos lost. It is our painful duty to record that yestorday evoning, a boatman, in pulling across tho rivor, from tho forry noar Werita street, was carriod away by the flood, and swopt over tho bar to cortain destruction. Ho was observed to bo pulling in tho proper diroction for the still water on tho north sido of tho rivor, whon, all at ohco, ho appeared to looso control ovor his boat, which got broadsido to tho curronl, aud was swiftly hurlod down tho rivor, boyond all reach of Bafety. It is aupposod tho unfortunate man lost his prcsenco of mind, or that bis tholo-piue had given way. His namo has not transpirod, but ho was a Dutobmau, and had, during tho greater part of tho day, boon plying His boat, namod ' Tho Littlo Groy,' across the orook in Boundary streot."

A Winner at Cards. — A gontloraan riding ono day near Richmond, obsorvod a houso delightfully situated, aud asking his companion to whom it bolongod, was answorod, "To a cavdmakor." — "Upon my lilb," lie ropliod, " ono would imagine all that man's cards inual havo bpeu trumps."