West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 680, 28 November 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1867.

We publish a full summary of telegraphic news by the Panama Mail, supplementing the brief messages to hand by the Anglo -Indian line from Europe, and furnishing much later intelligence from America. The steamer Mataura has made v very successful passage from Panama to Wellington, having accomplished the voyage in twenty-nine days. She brings an unusually large number of passengers — no fewer than fifty -eight — of whom three are for Hokitika, viz. : — Mr and Mrs Chining, and Mr Whittcn. By the Omeo we have late Melbourne and Dunedin papers. In Victoria, the preparations are progressing for the reception of the Duke of Edinburgh, and the first movements are being made in connection with the approaching General Election. We are indebted to our Dunedin file 3 for some interesting items of Wellington news. The correspondent of the " Daily Times," writing on the 18th instant, says—" Mr Hall, I understand, returns to Westland to-day. It is said that he will reside principally in Canterbury." The same writer, referring to the various rumors afloat as to the probable movements of Sir George Grey, inclines to the opinion that His Excellency will be advised by his friends to retire from the scene before the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh. Sir George's own inclinations, it is understood, prompt him to remain to entertain h is Royal Highness as a visitor at Kawau, and assist Sir George Bowen in tl c royal reception. " But," says the writer, " the more this has been discussed since then, the more the impression has prevailed amongst his Excellency's friends, that such a course would be likely to bring him into collision with Sir George Bowen, who may most likely feel no desire to begin his career in New Zealand by playing second fiddle. It is the general impression of his Excellency's friends that he should quit the Colony before Sir George Bowen's arrival, and it is considered very likely that he may leave by the Panama steamer on the Bth proximo." | In the meantime there is a general break up at Government House. The vice-regal staff is being disbanded, and the vico-regal residence itself being enlarged and rehabilitated, for the accommodation of a family man .of greater pretensions, and maintaining a larger menage than His present Excellency. It appears probable that Sir George Grey will leave Wellington

*• i hoi-r. aDy P'ltbas'ast'c demonstra^ ious 1 of :°g «,, ov X ile mo"c ihan a decent 1 'how 0" resoee';. \ 1 The c is no political news whatever i from WelKngton, ?nd no gossip even ' abov.t '. \e Westland County Aci. 1 In midst of news crowding mjou : ■is from all sources, we are compelled : •o hold over or • leading mailer. 1

lhat the HoVitika portion of the English mril, via Panama, did not ani7e by Cobb's cjaoh last evening, occasioned some disappointment i'> (o\»n. and induced the PostmasLer Mr Stevenson, to telegraph to Chi-ist-cliu-ch concerning it. The reply was that East Canterbury had not yet received its letters and papers by the above route. The mail arrived at Wellington on the 22nd, so we think ifc exceedingly likely that the Nelson and West Coast portions were shipped in the Rangitoto for transmission to their destinations. We expect the Rangitoto to-day. The weiilhcr, which has been tolerably fine .luring tho lust- four days, changed yesterday, about two p.m., when rain set in, which has cenLhued in a steady down pour up to tho time we a.o wi*iti.ig. A shocking nccident that cripples for life a 2-ie little boy named Barrett, occurred on G-ijaon's Quay, "yesterday morning. He wns aio ■vliivjbyanotbevlad who was wielding n mxc, a:id br *ome mischance Vie axe glance 2 f.-o >i tho wuoil and struck Bavnetfc on therigijf foot, severin , a large poiLion of it and fhiee of theioes. The lad's father happened to be close afc band, and ea'ried tho child home ond 'u:it. d for Dr. IBcswick, who wsa quickly jn a": •n'l'i'ii'e, and dressed the frightful wouna. Tjiec'Mld is prog?e*sin<; favorably, but is by no JDeans out of danger. It is notified by advertisement, which will be been in auother column, that in consequence of St. Andrew's Day fal'ing on Saturday, the usual Bank holiday will be held on Friday. A meeting of the Stewards of the Hokitika Annual Races was held, last evening, afc the British Empire Hotel, Revel! street. Mr. Carey m the chair. Plans and specifications were submitted by the architect, Mr Armson, for strengthening and improving the Grand Stand, when it was resolved that tenders be invited for tho exeontion of the work. In our notice of the Concert held at the Prince of Wales Opera House, on Tuesday evening, in aid of tho building fund of Sfc Mary's School, we inadvertently omitted to mention that two songs, viz., "When the Swallows," and "The Skipper and His Boy," wee in-jsi; artistically sung by a young lady, and. deservedly encored ; as was also a duel, "Flower G-atherers," sung by two young lucres. The suvf was nob near so high on the beach ,ieslerduy, and duiing the whole of <ne d..y seveivl labors were busily engaged in pui.ii'ig dowu fascines. Another gcoia w ; U be laid Io morrow, and the remainder, should „he weather prove favorable, Avill bo placed beibi'O the end of the week. We hope that for a time the worst is past, and that in future these works will greatly assist in making up the beach to such an extent ns in ml uve to prove a barrier to further encroaclir!ie'its from (he sea. Cobb's Coach arrived yesterday from Christchun li, afc 2.20 p.m., witli tho following passengers:—Mr Hewelt, all through, and three wayside. 'Ihe road is reported to be good, an 1 tho rivers low. Mr J. J. Bacfclett, the proprietor of the Pi'inco of W- les Opei-a House, landed from the s.s. Omeo yesfcerdrty, having retm aed from Melbourne with the following laOies and gentlemen, who n he hns engaged for the season : — Miss Asiiton, who will appeur as Columbine in the Chrisi mas pantomime ; Miss Kate Ryder ; Mr John Dunn, the celebrated low cOiiiedinn — the original English " Jim Crow," a id who has olso gained a high colonial reputation 5 Mr Ashton, harlequin; Mr Foiste"-, and Mr AUcu. We nay me,,t.iou tJ.afc Mis* Eloise Juno, who is veiy successful both io hugedy and comedy, aud M" Sfcunrt O'Brien, a>i actor of gieat versatility of talent;, will anivein the Gothenburg, and on thei" aivival the season wiU at once commence. Mr Bnrfcletfc has brought from Melbou -ne a new sensational d'-oma, entitled "The F-ying Scid," which ran for a year ia London, and is now being played very successfully ju Melbourne. He has aUo obtained a new pautomioie for Christmas, ca'led " G-ullivei* on J"'s travels," which will bs produced on a scale of great splendor, the sceuic effects being confided to Mr Wilson, and the mechanical a raugemenfcs to Mr Cooper. We may state, Mr HosVins, che comedian, is expected to arrive in February, and the Lyster Opera Troupe w' l appear in March. Mr Barfcletfc has had considerable difficulties to overcome in eugagiug his present company, and we wish him every success in his undertaking. We understand that other engagements are pending,' Mr Barfclofcfc having / engaged Mr Charles Young as his theatrical/ agent in Melbourne. " / Mr W. Fitzherbert is, by proclamation/in the " Gazette " of the 14fch instani, appointed Agent to proceed to Great /Britain, and to exercise the powers given Iby the Loans ConroJidation Act, and . tha Public Debts Act, of last session. \ Whales seem to have frequented thte coast more of late than for many years past. The " Waikouaiti Herald " states that, during the last week or two, several have been observed off Goodwood and Tumai, and between those places and the Otago Heads. While the steamer Taiaroa was lying in the shelter of Tantuku'Bay, on her last passage from the Molyneux to Catlm's River (says the '•Otago Daily Times") some of the passengers and crew went on shore on an exploring expedition. The country was found -to be of a sandstone formation, and covered with herbage, includingstrawberries in bloom, wild potatoes, and beds of peppermint. While strolling along by the banks of the river, a human skull was found. It was in fine preservation, and was apparently that of a European. We take the following sensation paragraph from the " Melbourne Ago " of the 16th instant: — "It was currently rumored in town last night that his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh had been thrown iVom his horse whilst out hunting, and had received a broken arm and leg. Our Adelaide telegrams make no mention of the accident, and ifc is generally believed to be a canard. Wo trust that ifc will turn out to be only a mistake, some such accident having befallen one of the officers of the Galatea on Yorke's Peninsula." We have Hobart Town files to the 13fch instant. Particulars of an accident entailing tho Jloss of Jfour boys whilst boating on the Perwent, are recorded,— Another old coloarisfc,

Captain Horlon, of Soinei cotes, near Ross, founder of Horton College, died on Sunday, the 3rd instant.— The " Mercwy" of the 3rd instant thus refers to the Champion Races : — " The chairman of the General Committee of the Champion Races, with the honorary secretary rsnd the clerk of the cour3e, visited the racecourse yesterday afternoonj and placed the new ranger, Mr Shadwick, in permanent charge. The ti"'f is in splendid condition, indeed the ground has never been in such order since ifc was a racecourse. The grass has come up finely, and will be rolled for the first time to-day. Drains nave been cut throughout, and furrows run, and wherever the running ground -was faulty ifc has been made good. The running ground is to be at once~enclosed with hurdles, and the training ground will be open in a few days, due notice being given." " Ifc is rumored," says the " Overland Mail for India," " that tho Queen will confer the honor of knighthood on some of the leading colonists, in connexion with fche visit of the Duke of Edinbu7-gh to Australia." 'The "Lyttelton Times" states:—"Advices by tho present mail inform us that Mr Ward hn9 negociated one hundred aud fifty thousand pounds worth of Canterbury debentures. Of these, fifty thousand form tho last parcel of the railway debentures. These were sold first, and realised 93. The second sale included debentures to the value of one hundred thousand pounds, which fetched ths comparatively high price of 94-. If Mr Ward could have known that the Provincial Loans were certain to be- guai'anteed, ho would probably have held bis Land, and not sold more than fifty thousands pounds worth of the last loan. That amount, as well as the railway debentures, he was, we believe, und3r orders to sell outright. But it was very natural, knowing the uncertainties attached to all legislation in New Zealand as well he does, and remembering the opporfcunies that have been let slip, and knowing also fche pressing pecuniai-y wants of the Province, that he should seize the opportunity of selling a sufficient quantity to cover current liabilities. We think the public wi'i endorse his act, though ifc may involve the probleumticol loss of two or three-thousand pounds. The " Melbourne Age" of fche 15th says : — " A very serious charge hao been made against fche Hon MV Baker, of South Australia — that having got Tip a corroboree of the natives for the enterfcaiuinent of the Prince, he endeavored to make the native women dance in a state of nudity. To the credit of the observers, they intimated their disapproval of fche proposal ; but ifc is a still more interesting fact that the native women themselves, with their relatives, declined the degrading proposition. There must be substantial truth in the -allegation, as our Adelaide contemporaries are said to have so emphatically censuved fche aosuvd proposal. There may be some mistake about the matter, as ifc is well known that the native women never do dance afc corroborees, their labors being confined to the supply of the mu^io. Probably, the hon. Mr Baker wished to introduce a novelty, so that our contemporaries may be justified in their virtuous indignation. No explanation of the business that can come is likely to palliate the ruffianism of Mr Baker, junior who, it is to be hoped, will be properly dealt with by tho police magistrates. We are informed that the sum of LBOO has been received at the Survey Office from the section,Jiolders in Revell street, in payment of the ipnvchttso money on their allotments in order to put the Government in possession of fche necessary funds for the prosecution of the beach protection works. We take the following from the " Melbourne Argus" of the 16th : Mr Barfcletfc, fche manager of the Prince of Wales Theatre, Hokifcika, afc present on a visit to Melbou">ie, for the purpose of engaging a dramatic company, was yesterday served with a 1 writ by Messrs Malleson anil England, the solicitors of fche Dramatic Authors' Society, for having performed pieces in New Zealand without the necessary license from the agent of the society here, Mr Goppin.