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West Coast Times, Issue 241, 30 June 1866, Page 2

It will be seen that Mr Bright invites tho eleotors of Hokjtika to meet him at tho Theatro Royal on Monday ovoniug next. 'Owing to tho oitonsivo daniago sustained by 'tho telegraph wire, and the ■ impossibility of access to tho lino in many parts from tho heavy floods, it is wo foar likoly that communication with Christchurch will continuo to bo interrupted for 6omo days. Tho great sensation play of " Tho Oorsioan Brothers," with all tho original scenic effoots produced by Mr Charles Kean whon this drama excited such a oonsation in London, is aimouncod ,at tho Princo of Wales Opera Houßo this ovoning; The complimontnry benefit given to Mr Gcorgo Donne lust night at tho Theatro Royal, was a very groat supcoss, tho houso being quite full Tho porformauoea of tho Stoveiw' family elicited general applause. Mr Donno bfcing called, roturncd thanks for tho patronago ho had received, and stated that tho noxt performance of tho company would bo positively tho last in Hokitika. Wo havo no doubt after this announcement that thero will bo a full houso to-night. Anothor day has passed by without oitho tho arrival or dopartui'o of Oobb's coaches, and in consequence wo avo still without our usual Ohristchuroh advices. . In what cornor of tho prpvinco tho overland coaoh is sojourning is unknown tousj but itaeoms just psasiblo (hat tho Typo may hav,o brought it up through tho bridge ovor that Btroam having been washed away. Tho Grey ooaches aro of course, gazing wistfuUy at eaoh other from opposite sides of the Teromakau.

At a late hour last night thoro wa3 no indication of a ohango in tho weather whioh still continues wintery in tho oxtremo. All day tho town was dolugod with rain, whioh was occasionally varied by heavy hail showers, that boat with pitiloss sovority upon thoso unfortunates whose busiuoss compelled them to bo abroad. As tho day varied a slight ohango for tho bettor was poroeptiblo, tho sky overhead boing inoro .broken and onco or twico tho sun poepod through and shod his gladsome beams upon tho saturated coast. Sooin howovor, was he shut in again, for tho hoavy bank of clouds, which novor leffc tho Westorn horizon, spread themsolvos over tho heavens and tho town was again enveloped in, driving mist and rain.

A vory sad accidont, which threatens ruthor eorious results, occurred on Thursday week past nt Messrs. Findlay and Haworth's saw mills, on upper Gibson's Quay. Tho suireror is a native of Sweden, who, accompanied iby Ilia matos, had applied for and obtained employment at tho mill on tho previous day only. They wore all quite unacquainted with tho work, and this inoxporionco begetting a slight awkwardness, in all probability caused tho mishap. Thoro wero somo heavy logs to bo sawn through, and one of these had beon rolled on tho bonoh ready for cutting, when most unaccountably it slipped off again, and iv trying to avoid it tho Swodo etumblod baokwards over another pioco of timber, and tho falling log caught his left leg botwoon them, breaking tho bones and bruising it most frightfully. Ho was at onco oxtricatod, and sinco then has boon attended upon by Dr. Beswiok, who (although tho leg ia in a vory sad state) ontortains hopes that ho will buo" ceed in saving it. Tho lato gold robbory on board tho Barwou has not boon unattended by good results, for it has wnrnoil ship-owners and captains of that which is almost certain to occur should tho precious motal confided to thoir caro bo not oarofully stowod and guardod. Doter. mined to uso tho utmost precaution, and provout tho ropotition of such an affair on board their vossol, Mesors Muomoikan uud Blaokwood havo fitted tho Gothenburg with a new iron safe, of novel construction, and capablo of containing 70,000 ounces of gold. It is flxod

by itsolf, in a small room adjoining tho cap' tarn's cabin, and no one is permittod to either open or close it ftttvo tlte captain himtsolf assisted by one man, for it is -so contrived that two men aro roquirod to look or unlock it. A raassivo look secures tho door, across whioh runs a hoavy iron bar, that oxtondß through tho bulkhoad into tho cn.ptdin'B stateroom, whol'o it id fastonod to tho ship's sido bjr a large padlock, and this bar has to bo first romovod oro the koy can bo inserted into the othor lock} and tho keys, both of tho room' and tho safo novor leave tho captain*B possession ; and through tho peculiarities of tho fastoning and great strongth of tho safe, to opon it would bo impossible, without their aid. Wo avo glad to find that tho Gothenburg has been tho first vossol to introduce this reform, and think the patronago of the banks would bo woll bestowed in rewarding it. We havo roceivod intelligence from tho Hau Him goldfiokl up to tho 26th inst. A correspondent, writing thenco, statos that tho Hau Hau township promises to continuo an important rendezvous for minors who aro engaged in prospecting tho adjoining country. Not' withstanding tho inclomonoy of tho season, there aro many parties out, and although nothing dofluito is known concerning their movements, it is tho general belief that now ground will be shortly oponod. Thoro aro about 1600 minors employed on tho various workings, who aro making from "steady tucker" to high wages. Good claims aro by no moans scarco j but tho superabundance of. water and largo bouldors, which roquiro powdor to move them, much retard tho work. At tho old township on tho,Throc-Milo, bovowu* largo sluicing parties nro profitably employed, somo of ■whom draw (hoir supply of wator from tho main cronlr, across which oxtensivo dams havo beon thrown. Othors again depend upon tho smalior streams whioh run into it, and to convoy this wator to tho workings flumes havo beon constructed across the main creek. Worked in so syatomatio a inannor, tho ground pays vory woll, indeed euoh enterprise, will not only bo rewarded by high but permanent returns as well. Porhaps tho only puddlor in tho district is at work on tho Threo-Milo, whoro a pug-mill has" boon orootod, which is driven by horse-power. It pays tho proprietor vory woll indood. Tho doop lead is still boing traced, and, as it is bonding at prcsont) promises to run into Tucker Flat. Tho olaims bottomed show a slight falling off in tho yield, which, however, neod exoito no serious apprehension of a collapso, poo? ground boing mot with in tho very centre of the best loads of gold over opened. Somo of tho outsido ground, that was onco desertod as worthless, has boon again takon up, and is now handsomely remunerating tho holders; and claims, whioh wero workod out and desoitod, having fallon into tho hands of mombors of tho I "Blook and Pillar Company," aro yiolding somotliing ovor small wagoß. A corrospondont .from tho Hau Hau . gives us tho following information respecting tho Union Chapel and Literary Institution thoro : — " I am glad to inform you that tho Evangolioal Union ehapol is progressing in a vory satisfactory inannor, tho carponters having noarly finished tho framework, and aro confldont in finishing tlioir contract towards tho end of noxtweok (should matorials bo at hand); if so (D.V.) it vrill be oponed by two services on an early Sunday, when it is to bo hopod that on that day, as woll as on each succeed, ing Sunday, tho minors, storokoepcrs, &0., on tho Three Milo, aud adjacont diggings, will tttko advantago of attonding tlu's placo of worship, which they havo so liberally obmo forward to support. Our library (in conueotion with tho Litorary Instituto' of tho Socioty) is at prosont small, but soloot } but with yours and other gontlomon'a proffered liberality, wo will bo able to improvo upon thoso long ovonings much to our advantago. Thero will bo a comfortablo firo for our week nights' comfort. In [all probability wo may havo lecture nights ; if so, wo shall endeavor to get a Uokitikian up to this wilderness— tho subject of lcctiiro to be, " Tho necessity of Literary Institutes towards tho advancement; of chilization, and culttiro of tho intelloct." This looturo will bo gratis to. all Hokitikians, when wo tako into consideration tho bad state of tho Grovernmont track to tho lecture-room j bufc moro especially whon wo consider that tho capital of Westlaud is totally destitute of oithor litorary, toraporanco, or reading so-" oieties. "Hou! mo mißoruin," should bo tho cry of nil, if any, of tho men of intellect residing in the world-famed Hokitikn." Wo aro glad to hoar that Messrs Parkor & Co., whoso punt was carried away on tho memorable night of last Thursday wook, intend to replaco it with a now ono of Westlaud build. Wo boliovo it is thoir, iutontion to place it a little highor up tho river than tho old position, and that tho Govornmont have promised them a lease if they do so, but rofuso to grant ono for tho original crossing place. Messrs Thompson and Aldridgo, whoso pile-driving machino was carried out to sea on tho samo night, and washed ashore oloso to tho Montozuma, havo removed it back to tho rivor side. Tho inclomont weather has, howovor, stopped tho j work in progress thoro.