THE PAPANUI ELECTIONS.

West Coast Times, Issue 392, 27 December 1866, Page 2

THE PAPANUI ELECTIONS.

The re-election of Ministers resulted satisfactorily for the Stewart party. On Monday last a poll was held at Papanui, the return being as follows : — Duncan 23? Stewart 230 * St. Quinten 133 Beswick was returned without opposition for Mandeville. The greatest excitement prevailed at Christchurch duiing the day, which merged into a feeling of gratification, as it is believed that ministers will command a good working majority, which will allow the business 'of the session to proceed without further interruption.

. The advantages -offered by the Hokifcika River for all kinds of aquatic sports, have been seized by a committee of gentlemen to inaugurate a regatta, which will lake place today, weather permitting, and which wdl comprise events of sufficient variety and value to attract a large number of competitors and spectators. The programme announces whaleboat, skitf, and sailing races, together with the usual laughter-provoking duck hunt, a full account of which is published in our advertising columns. Wo observe, also, that a eoccmd day's sport is projected, particulars of which will appear in to-morrow b isßue; aq<} w? pfsftd gpare&y »y t\\tn fcbiv fl?»t B°kWfy lf.'Sui* 1 - ):• • wt« Mi 1 flMflH-js} M"''] Ml'!

The salo of tho sites for booths, &c., on the occasion df tho forthcoming racc^ tookplaco y. Bter.doy at Jonbs & M'Glaslian's Marl, Rjvcli street, No.th.- There was a very large attendance, and the bidding was very spirited, tho sale realising a very, handsome quota to the ra.-e"funcU, as will be seen by tho i olio wing statement: — No. 1 was purchas'-d by Mr Curtis fjr Lsd ; 2 hy Mr Ho^an fjr L 35 ; 3 by Mr Lghtfoot for L 35; 4by Mr ilßao for L 29; 5 by Mr N -es for L 32; 6 by Mr Gdrvies for L 55; 7 by Mr Cnllen for L 18; 8 by Mr O'Donn 11 fjr L 46; 9 by Mr Harris for Ll6; 10 t>y Mr Dodd for L4S j four stalls for confectionery, oysters, restaurant, &c, brought L 36 10s, thus making the total result of the sale amount to L 149 Us.

The public will do well in carefully examining am L 3 notes of the Bank of New South Wales that may be offered in the way of business, as a number of forgod notes have been circulated during the past week at Greyniouth, and we fear in Hokitika also. Our Grey contemporary, in its issue of the 25th, states that, on Monday, '* each of the three banks in town discovered a forged L 5 note amongst its recoipts. The forgeries purport to bo issued at Auckland, but they aro signed 'H. Goulston,' who is the manager oF the Nelsori branch. 'Winy are not printed on bank paper, and instead of the words ' Five pounds' being impressed in fine small characters in the centre of the note, there are simply a number of fine straight lines. The imitations, although easy of detection by skilled persons, aro liable to deceive the inexperienced, and it is, therefore, necessary that the public should be particular is ascertaining the genuineuess of notes tendered to them. The forgeries are supposed to emanate from Melbourne." We have much satisfaction in stating that that which threatened to prove a very serious calamity his received an early and decided check by the arrest of one of the parties who Was doing the "smashing" business, and his guilt is placed beyond doubt, a3 he is known to have passed one of the notes, and on his person were found no fewer than twenty-six of the spurious productions corresponding exacily with the description given by the". "Grey Argus." Tho rascal in question is a Frenchman named Louis Bourcard, who on Monday la>t must have left Greymouth for Hokitika as in the afternoon he appeared at Saltwater Creek, and then called into the Commercial Hotel and engaged in billiards. He played and lost one game, and to pay for it tendered a five-pound note to the landlord, Mr Dinnie, who returned L 4 18s as change. Tue ma'i then lefr, and walked towards the Teremakau, and no suspicion as to the genuineness of the note wus excited uutil tne next morning, when having occasion for change Mr D.nnie applied at the store of Staito Brothers, and offered them the "fiver" he had received the previous day. One of the firm was, however) cognisant, of the fact that spurious paper had be^n circulated at Qveymouth, and closely examined tho piece in question, which lie at once pronounced a forgery. Mr Dinnie then and there proceeded to .the Police Camp, and gave information to Sergeant Slittery. That zealous officer iui mediately counselled hot pursuit, and a couple of horses having been pro uivd, the pair started, and tracked Bourcard to the Teremakau, where further traces of him were lost. But in nowise disheartened, the sergeant and Mr Dinnie pus-heel on for town, and assisted by the police, searched every house that they thought would be likely to sh lter him. He, however, was hoi to be found, but the following morning turned up quite \xnespected.y hi front of the Avid Reekie Hotel, and being recognised by Mr Dinnic, who with the sergeant had perambulated the streets .all night, was immediately arrested and conveyed to the lock-up. Besides the roll of bad notes sev.ral letters bearing his name, and also a half-sovereign of very doubtful appearance were found upon him, but nob a shilling of good money, and from this fact it is inferred ho has an accotnp ice to whose care is confided tlio proceeds of tlieir nefarious -practices. Bourcard was" brought up before the Resident Magistrate for examination yesterday and remanded to Greymouth.

Finer weather than that which marked yesterday coul 1 not be desired for the celebration of Cnristmas sporta. In fact, a lifcfle rain would have proved most beneficial, as the immense crowd that thronged Revell-street r.used such a clou i of dust that— combined with the intense heat, — induced a feeling akin to sufibcniion. The North Revell-stroet sports domnii'iicoc. at noon, the site chosen for their holding being in Sialford -street, ut the end of Gibson's Tramway, where a greasy pole, s\irrouuded by a rope ring, was erected. The indefatigable Mr Hamilton was in attendance to direct proceedings, nnd undoi* his able management everything progressed smoothly enough, albeit ha labored under im iwnso disadvantages, as the arena was most uniuitabL 1 , being cribbed nnd confined, and, as a natural consequence i;i such weather the heat was in sufferablc. The spo ts were commenced by several individuals essaying their powers of c.imbins, the entrance fee being 2s 6J ; but the failures were many and repeated, ani the field was at last left to a persevering young fellow named Tnompson, who finally sneceeded hi possessing himself of the prixe of L 2 which was placed upon the su mnit. The next event was the foot hurdle race, for which there were five entries. The first heat only was run, and was won by Orinoad ; BjII being second. The remainder of the competitors wore not placed. There were three entries for the sack race — Cooper, Stewart, and Swan ; a distance of fifteen yards being allowed the former, who was a mere youth. The race wus won easily by Swan, the others not having the slightest chance ag.iinst him. Wre-«tlin£, winch should have proved Hie chief sport of the da>, was then commenced ; but owing to a misunderstanding as to style, and an oversight on the part of the stewards, who ha I neglected to provi le jackets (which are considered indispensable by the men of Cornwall and Devon), nearly two hours were wasted in arranging preliminaries. r l?he difficulty was at last overcome by the men consenting to wrestle as they stood — catch-grips — ani nine entries were made. J. B;nson ai d S. Cowen paired for the first struggle, which mi won by the latter, who gave his man a fair backfall. The ring was then taken pos-iession of by G. Watson and R. Cook, when the latte.' prove I victorious. The third event was between J. Harkness a id R. Rutherfiml, and was not dciJed, as the crowd " rushed the ring," and a scene of indescribable confusion occurred, which brought the sports to an abrupt termination. Mr Hamilton did ull that man could do to restore order, but without avail,; and it was therefore decid d that ths wrestling should be postponed until to-morrow, to-day to be devoted •o tilting in the ring and other sports, as arranged in the programme. We are unable to do more than give a bare outline of the clay's proceedings, as to report in detail was impossible.

On Saturday last copies of the revised Estimates, under the heads of " Ordinary Receipts and Expenditure and Immigration," an I " Receipts an i Expenditure lor the Department of Laud and Works," were distributed amongst the members of the Council. We b. heve there is no intention to re-construcfc the Goldfields Estimates, which were originally framed with the concurrence of the members of the district. It was upon the Ordinary Estimates an J the Lmd Estimates that the res >lution winch in luceel the Stewart ministry to resign, was b.ised, and it is in connection with these that the alterations have been made fiat it is hoped will commend themselves to the favor of the Council.

If we ara to juJge of the progress and prosperity of Westport, as the Bailor River settlement is named, as evidenced by the appearance of the local journal, the first number of which is now to hand, we must say wo are considerably surprised as well as pleased. A short twelvemonth ago, when wo paid it a visit en route to Nelsoa, a Maori pith, a publicbouso, and a store, MtMtJtiitecl th» township \

dvoryifrhere prevailed, dnijr to be diversified By the pumiit of Billiard? unaer difficuttiOH on a table afflicted with rheumatics in every joint, and provided with cushions apparently manufactured of cast-iron, where every strok was a hazard indeed, and ofrener a losing than a winning one ; and a lengthened course of which was warranted to quaUfy for the Yarra Bend without the remotest chance of failure. We are, however, now happy to see that the magio power of gold has " changod all that," and that Westport promises to become no mean rival to its older brethren of the Grey and Hokitika. Tho "Westport Times and Buller Express" is the latest step of the settlement towards civilization, and judging from the specimen to hand, we can honestly congratulate the inhabitants of the Buller on having secured so able a representative, and trust that it will have a long and extended sphere of usefulness. Owners of horses arc specially reminded that all Entries and Nominations must bo made to-morrow evening, by 9 o'clock, at the Empire Hotel. The Clerk of the Course has thoughtfully' provided printed forms> to facilitate and simplify the mode tif drawing up the 1 necessary conditions of entoring ; and he dlso announced that he Will Be in attendance at the Empire from 6 o'clock, to render any assistance in his power to those who may require it. Mr Hamilton begs not to neglect furnishing themselves with the colors, as they are imperative.