Untitled

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 154, 28 January 1868, Page 2

In consequence of the arrival of the Panama Mail we are compelled to hold over correspondence and other articles in type. Appointments. The Superintendents has appointed the following gentlemen as harbor-masters on the South-West Groldfields : Westport, Mr Samuel A. Leech; Constant Bay, Mr Alexander Beveridge ; Woodpecker Bay and Fox's River, Mr Thomas Bradby; and Mokihinui, Mr James Milne

The Westport Election.—The great day, " big with the fate" of each candidate, dawned without a cloud, and a brilliant sunshine blazed throughout the day on the little crowd that hung' about the precincts of the Courthouse with excited pertinacity for six mortal hours, from 10 till 4, with little to relieve their their patient watch but intermittent visits to the surrounding " pubs" for purposes of liquid refreshment. The Commismissioner's office was open at 10 o'clock as the polling-place, Mr Kynnersley sitting as Returning Officer, and Mr Neill acting as scrutineer for Mr Smith. Messrs O'Toole and Grillespie for Mr Graham, Mr Porter for Mr Tom Goodwin, and Mr Crate being unrepresented. Mr Graham's cohort was earliest in the field, and for the first two or three hours seemed to be carrying every thing before him, bringing up l'resh relays of miners and exhibiting great activity in remedying the effects of this insouciance or forgetfulness, by leading them into Dr. Giles, who as Warden was kept pretty busy all day long in taking affidavits concerning lost miners' rights and certificates of various other lapses that would have precluded the applicants from voting. Mr Smith's adherents did not appear in any great numbers until late in the day, when he began to draw rapidly a-head of his opponent. Messrs Crate and Goodwin might, as we yesterday predicted, be considered as altogether out of the hunt, the former only polling altogether the mystic number Seven! and the latter two ! ! As four o'clock drew near, the crowd and the excitement became greater than we should have believed Westport capable of. Several states of the poll were published at different hours by the rival candidates, with an array of mythical numbers, never, alas, fulfilled. At four o'clock a written paper was affixed to the door of the Court House to the following effect : Graham, 74 ; Smith, 74; Crate, 7 ; Goodwin, 2. By this it will be seen that 175 votes were polled, a much larger number than was anticipa-'

ted. There was an utter absence of any of the demonstrations usual at ■elections in the old country, in the way of ribbons, banuers, &c, but there was an unusual feature in the shape of two rival bell-ringers who vigorously advocated the merits of their respective emloyers. The result of the poll will be fficially declared at noon on "Wednesday. The Latest Gazette. —A General Government Gazette of the 22nd, of which by some accident, only a single copy has arrived here, contains a number of notifications of interest to our readers here. Extended jurisdiction is given to Magistrates up to £IOO in the Nelson South-West Groldfields. Messrs Kynnersley, Broad, and Dutton, are the Magistrates who will have this jurisdiction. The District Court of Westland is divided into two districts, that of Westland and that of Westland North, The northern boundary commences at the Mackay River, (Karatnea) runs eastward to Mount Arthur, thence to the River Growan, at its junction with the Buller, thence to the saddle of the Hurunui and Teremakau, and thence along the southern boundary of the Province to the sea. Judge Clark will preside in both districts. In "Westland North, Mr F. Harris is appointed to act as Clerk of the Court, and Mr "William Pitt as Crown-Prosecutor. Mr John Munro is appointed as Official-Assignee, under the " Mining Companies' Limited Liability Act." And rules are given for regulating fees to be paid under bankruptcy in the Supreme and District Courts.

The Caledonian Lead. Everything in this district wears an aspect of business and stability that augurs well for its future success. Two large streets have been formed, and the whole of the sections have been taken up, while publichouses and stores are going up in all directions. On New Ballarat the building of huts and preparing timber for blocking out is the order of the day. There is a goodly sprinkling of the fair sex, and the township presents quite a husy appearance—there being about GOO persons up on the leads. On the Middle or Cornish Terrace, a new rush took place on Friday. Russell and party, after seven months race-cutting, have struck on splendid gold, which will pay them for all their trouble and outlay. Hughes and party's claim on the terrace is also paying very well—the washdirt yielding from £2O to £25 per week per man. The Grermau Terrace is also looking well, and there are a great many people prospecting on both sides of the terrace. Mr Dewdney is busily engaged in erecting a sub. stantial butcher's shop on the lead, which shows that he, as one of the oldest residents on the Caledonian Lead, must be satisfied with its permanency.

A Phantom Ship.—lt seems the " Flying Dutchman" must have again made his appearance in the southern seas. Our Shipping reporter fancied he saw a vessel called the Albatross coming in in tow of the Southland on Sunday night, and reported the circumstance m yesterday's issue. On Monday morning he discovered this to have been a delusion. The Albatross didn't come in at all, but went right on to Hokitika, But curiously enough, the shipping reporter of the Star saw the same phantom, and recorded the fact in yesterday evening's paper among the entries of January 26. This is one of the most singular instances of hallucination we have met with.

The District Court.—A rumour is current, for which we believe there is very good foundation, that there will be no criminal sitting of the District Court in this locality at the period originally named, but this cannot be defrai ly known until his Honor the Judge has signified his pleasure on the subject. An Impertinent Assumption.— The Evening Star of last night makes an assertion in an elaborate leader of eight lines on the subject of the election, that is characteristically impudent. It states that " Mr J. V. Smith has gained the day, and we are proud of it." In another column is the announcement of the result of the polling, in which Mr Smith and Mr Graham are each stated to have polled 74 votes. As the casting vote rests with the Returning Officer, it savors somewhat of presumption to thus pre-judge his decision, and although it may very well be that we none of us have any doubt of the result, it would have no more than decent to give Mr Kynnersley the opportunity of first declaring on whom his choice should fall. Prorogation op Parliament. The General Government Gazette, of the 21st inst., contains a proclamation from His Excellency Sir George Grey, proroguing the Parliament of New Zealand from the 31st inst. to the 17th day of March next

DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY.— There seems to be a great confusion respecting declarations of insolvency, as to whether protection commences at the time the declaration is filed or not till it has been gazetted. For the information of our readers, we beg to draw attention to the clauses bearing on this subject, viz., the 47th, 48th, and 49th clauses of the New Bankruptcy Act: —Clause 47 : " After the filing of the declaration, the Court may, on the application of the debtor or any creditor proving his debt to the satisfaction of the Court, restrain any action, suit, or proceeding against the debtor on such terms as the Court may think fit." Clause 48: "Notice of the filing of the declaration shall be gazetted." Clause 49 : " After notice of the filing of the declaration has been gazetted, no execution, attachment, or other process against the debtor's property in respect of and any debt; and no process against his person in respect of any debt other than such process by writ or warrant as may be had against a debtor about to depart out of New Zealand, shall be available without leave of the Court." The 91st clause of the same Act also bears upon this subject as follows :--" If the bankrupt, in coming to surrender, or after surrender, and while protected is arrested for debt, or 911 an escape warrant he shall, on producing to the officer arresting him and giving to such officer a copy thereof be immediately discharged, and if any officer detains the bankrupt after he has produced his protection to the officer beyond the time necessary for obtaining a copy thereof, the officer shall be liable to forfeit a sum not exceeding five pounds for every day during which he detains the bankrupt."

As" Answer to Me Crate.—lt will be in the recollection of our readers that Mr Crate stated that neither the Commissioner or the Provincial Council had power to grant permission to charge tolls on tracks, &c. The Provincial Government Gazette of the 23rd instant, gives permission to Mr Thomas Jones, to charge a toll for five years, for every person crossing the Orawaiti Bridge ; and to Mr Stevenson, to construct a track to the Caledonian Terrace, and charge toll, for a period of six months; and to Mr John Scott, for a similar object.

New Insolvents.—The following new insolvents appear in the Gazette —Harry Mann, of Charleston, brewer Stephen Thomas Brent, of Westport, builder; Charles Marton Fox, of Charleston ; Charles Flood, of Nelson, tailor ; Alexander Hamilton King and Edward Cowley, at Westport, merchants.

The First Cargo of Potatoes.— The Volunteer has arrived at the Buller from Manukau with a cargo of potatoes in good order and condition, which will be offered for sale by Mr Beauchamp, at Stanley "Wharf, on Wednesday.

Gold at the Kawatj. The Weekly Express, an Auckland paper, says:—" The auriferous resources of this province are increasing daily. The latest discovery is that by Sir George Grey himself, of some rich gold-bear-ing quartz on the Island of Kawau, near the ' Bee Hive.' Eight or ten very fine specimens were brought up to town in the St. Kilda, on Monday, by his Excellency's Private Secretary (the Eev. F. Thatcher). The gold is found in green-looking quartz, which is very thickly impregnated with the precious metal. There is no doubt the discovery is one of great importance. This is the first time gold has been discovered at the Kawau, and we congratulate his Excellency upon the increased value it will give to his island home."