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West Coast Times, Issue 333, 17 October 1866, Page 2

At the meeting of the Municipal Council held last evening, Mr Harvey was elected Town Solicitor by a majority of one vote over Mr Rees. . * A meeting of the shareholders of the Maori Eesei-ve* Gold-mining Company (Limited), was held on Monday evening last, at M'Guire and Lyneh's Swan Hotel. Mr Higgins was called to the chair. The minutes of the former .meeting wore read and confirmed. The secretary's report wai read, and pronounced satisfactory, as shewing that tho company was making good progress. The tender for cutting the tail race was accepted, and the manager was instructed to see that operations were immediately commenced. It was also suggested and resolved, that the deed of aisociation should be at once prepared, and the scrip issued. ' As compared with the one preceding it, last week's criminal calendar shews a slight-de-crease in the number of cases disposed of by hjs Worship, as only one prisoner was committed for trial, three sentenced lo the hard labor gang, and one -to solitary confinement. The latter were handed over to the safe keeping of Sergeant M'Myh, who, in his reportupon the Rcvell street Gaol for the week ending the 13th instant states, that against the four men so admitted four males were discharged from custody. The number of prisoners remaining in the Gaol at tho above date was sixteen males and one female, their classification being — hard labor gang, eight males and two females ; simple imprisonment, one male ; on'remand, seven males..

An alarm of lire was given last evening at about half past seven o'clock, and it was quickly discovered that the spot in which the flames had broken out was a cottage occupied by Mr Ross, at the north end of Eevell street, between the Royal George Hotel and Dr JTouug's residence. The Eire Brigade turned out with their usual alacrity. 'Owing, however, to the prompt measures taken by Captain Millard, and one or two members of the Brigade who happened to be on the spot at the time ? the services of the Brigade as a body were not required, the iiames having" boen effectually got under before their arrival. The paper and canvas inside the cottage were completely destroyed, but luckily this was the extent of the (jamago done. G-ibson'B Quay presented quite a scene of excitement 3 esterday afternoon, on the arrival of the Yavra from the roadstead, a report having been industriously circulated and accptjd as true, that the notorious Sullivan, dre&sed up with care to avoid recognition, was amongst the passengers. This caused an immense crowd to assemble, which so blocked up ihe roaJwuy that, but for tjie vigorous interference oi the police tho shed would have been inaccessible. In the middle of the crowd a number of carts were drawn up in line, and the drivers made an excellent thing of it by charging one shilling a head to parties for permission to mount, and thus obtain a good view of the prisoner when he should land. They were, however, doomed to disappointment, as no Sullivan made his appearance. It was afterwards stated that ho had been cleverly smuggled on shore dressed a la digger, and laden with the usual " swag," but we can assure the public that such was not the case, and morever that the authorities here are quite in the dark as to the probable time of his arrival. The following are the District Gaol returns, as snpplied by Mr Dale, for the week ending Saturday, October 13th: — Admitted on committal, one male ; discharged, one debtor. The number and classification of prisoners confined in the gaol at the above date are as follow : — Committed for trial, nine males ; Undergoing sentence of hard labor, twentyfive males ; simply imprisoned, two males • debtors, 3 ; — totaf, thirty-nine males. jfßy the courtesy of Captain Smith, one of f the passengers by the Christchurch coach, we are enabled lo lay before our readers the following details of the oocurronceß which mavktx its late journey overland, On Friday mow« ing last the wph left Chvißtohuvoh, and wt«

tied along at the usual speed until Porter's river wns reached. There further progre % was stayed, as the stream, swollen by the late rains, had deepened the channel to such nn extent that the banks on either sido were perpendicular, and Borcrnl feet high. This decided the driver to return to the Accommodation House in the Pass, where the coach romainou that night; and noxfc morning , having obtained the assistance of six men belonging to the raid gang, made another start. On arriving 'at the river the men set to work, and cat a roadway through the bant, and £he coach crossed the river safely, although it had to bo lifted bodily on to the bank at the opposite sido. Caas's River was arrived at that evening, and there the coach remained on Saturday night and Sunday until 3 p.m. We are quite in the dark as to the cause of this delay, but believe it was occasioned by rumors of the state of the country further on.' These received direct confirmation by the arrival, on horseback, of the passengers and mails which left Hokitika on Friday morning last by the usual coach, but were compelledto leave it at Blake's Camp, as the Teremakau had broken through the road in several places, for the time, quite closing it to wheeled vehicles. The passengers from Christchurch accordingly changed places with those from Hokitika, aud pushed through the Boaley and ArtlmrVf i^as^es and the Otira Gorge on horsback, arriving at the Otira , Accommodation House by nine o'clock that evening (Sunday.) s Started again next morning, and reached Blake's camp by seven o'clock, where they trousferred themselves to the coach there waiting,and proceeded onward towards the Taipo. Between Blake's and the the road has been cut through by the Toremukau in three places. The first two were forded without difficulty, but ia attempting to cross the third (half a mile from the Taipo) the coach was washed some distance down the stream, and, the ring bolt breaking, the front and after parts of the coach separated, the body of tlie vehicle being carried away and landed upon a sandbank. Forturtately there was only one passenger inside, and she wus pulled out iv the very nick of time by Captain Smith, who, at great peril to himself, succeeded in swimming on shore with her. The box and lore-wheels of the coach were landed by the horses, which were kepj well in hand by Mr Knox, the driver, who nevjjr once lost his presence of uimd, and encouraged his fellow travellers to stick by the coach, and all would" be well. - This they would have done but for the accident we have above alluded to, as Captain Smith had the box seat, and left it only to rescue the helpless female inside. 4 The Taipo accommodation house was reached on foot, and the party received every attention from the inmates, and and after remaining there a short time they left iv an express waggon, and arrived in town on Monday night. Captain Smith says that from the Bealey to Blake's, the road is much damaged, but strange to relate the most dangerous parts of it stood the best, and Arthur's , pass and the Otira gorge are quite passable ; but the Bealey pass is a complete wreck, ' aud between " Alexander's" and the Otira the road is much cut up. The floods were extremely heavy, and in their effects more disastroas than any which preceded the district, and we fear that a large outlay will have to be expended ere the road is restored to its original condition. "We cannot but compliment Captain Smith for the gallantry he displayed in rescuing his fellowpassenger, and Mr Knox is entitled to credit for his skill and coolness, to which, in a great measure, may be attributed the salvation of the party. The mail and passengers' luggage were, <of course, carried away in the coach aud yesterday, Mr Crawley, the manager, accompanied by Mr Knox, left town on horseback, to,- if possible, recover them. He returned last night, without the mails, as there was no reaching the couch in the then flooded state of the river. Messrs Cobb and Co. seem determined to keep the line open, as yesterday morning the mail and passengers for Christchurch were despatched at the usual hour, and most sincerely do we wish them a safe and pleasant journey. Jy