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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 180, 27 February 1868, Page 2

Boat Accident, —An accident, fortunately attended with no fatal results, occurred to a boat loaded with passengers returning from the Wanganui steamer, moored alongside the south shore of the Buller. The boat came broadside on to a stern line ot the Wanganui and capsized ; the whole of the passengers were precipitated into the water, and succeeded in keeping afloat until a boat from the shore picked them up. No blame attaches in any way to the boatman, who was in quite as great a difficulty as the rest of the passengers. Me. Eastwood's Benefit .On Priday evening Mr Eastwood takes a benefit at Hamilton's Adelphi Theatre. No doubt some people will ask who is Mr Eastwood ? and in reply we may add that to anybody who bas had anything to do with theatres or theatricals in the colonies, nobody is better known. He has been for years the travelling agent of the Christy's Minstrels and the Nathan troupe, in which capacity he has visited not only every town in New Zealand, but also in Australia, and we doubt much whether any man has seen more of Australasian life or has a better acquaintance with professional notabilities than Mr Eastwood, and every town he has visited as agent he has not only been deservedly respected, but has gained the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact with. It will be seen by the programme that the two champion dancers of the colonies will be present —Mr Peel and Johnny Burgess, of whose performances it will be needless to say any thing. Along with these are several other well-known favorities; and altogether such a programme has seldom been presented in Westport, the inhabitants of which will, no doubt, give Mr Eastwood a bumper.

Another Sinecure Appointment. The Wanganui Times of the 20th inst, says : —Colonel Haultain has been Gazetted as Inspector of Militia and Volunteers. Will the gallant Auckland renegade draw his salary as Defence Minister, and also as Inspector of Militia and Volunteers ? What about the Financial Reform League which our Wellington contemporaries said some time ago was to be inaugurated there ? Either the Wellington press is not doing its duty, or the people of Wellington do not deserve the seat of G-overnment. Mabame Fanny Simonsen's Benefit. —Last evening a grand complimentary benefit was given to this distinguished artiste at Stephenson's A ssembly Rooms, under the patronage of the Freemasons of Westport. The pro-

gramme comprised selections from th° operas of "II Trovatore," " Ernani," i " Dinorah," " Maritana," " Somnambula," and "La Traviata," the whole of which were beautifully rendered— i more especially the Shadow Dance ] from Moyerbt er's opera of " Dinorah," i by Madame Simonsen. She also sang Crouch's protty ballad of " Dermot i Asthore," and the " Harp in the Air." M. Simonsen, as usual, was excellent, ; and he played " The Bird on the Tree" and " Paganini's Carnival of Venice," in a manner that necessitated an encore. Miss Jones sang several ballads in a pleasing manner, wbile Mr Price amused the audience with his comic songs. We are sorry to lose the acquaintance of these talented artistes so soon, and we only hope that it is not tbe last we may pee of them. Fighting at Opotiki.—By the steamer Ahuriri which arrived at Wellington on Saturday nigbt official intelligence was received of the fighting at Opotiki mentioned in our last issue. Of the particulars a friend at Wellington writes us as follows : —" It appears that a large body of Uriweras had been for some time previously prowling about in the vicinity of Opotiki plundering the district and threatening the settlement itself. Major St John raised a small body of Military settlers and made an expedition against the marauders, but finding them in greater force than had been anticipated withdrew his men and retired to camp. On the following night another expedition started under Major Mair, Resident Magistrate at Opotiki. After a long march under cover of night they suddenly came upon the enemy and forthwith attacked them. After a short but sharp struggle the rebels fled, lesving eight of their number on the field dead, or dying. The Opotiki garrison being very weak Major Mair shortly afterwards proceeded to Tauranga for reinforcements." It is to be hoped that this affair will be followed up and the Uriweras taught a salutary lesson. Whenever marauders disturb the peace of a district they should at once be firmly dealt with and made to feel they cannot do so with impunity. Sin George Grey.—-The Melbourne Arc/us says : —We observe from the home papers that Sir Geerge Grey has been appointed to his old government of the Cape Colony, in succession to Sir Philip Wodehouse, who has returned home.

Deep Rea Pishixo.—The Otago Times of the Ist says : —The deep sea fishing ketch Iledcliff, returned from her second cruise early yesterday morning, with a fine sample of fish, including sole, flounder, abouka, skate, ling, and cod. On this trip she again was unfortunate in carrying away her net, not however, by getting foul of nn uneven bottom, but solely by the weight of the fish in the first haul, whereby sixteen feet of the bunt was entirely lost. Captain Liddle and his crew made a temporary repair, and continued fishing until they got a reasonable cargo, with which they returned to the Port. The ketch will now be thoroughly overhauled and supplied with new rigging, and, previous to another cruise, she will be supplied with a new net ordered from Melbourne and expected to arrive per Alhambra.

"Water without Wells. We believe (says the Standard) that the troops forming the expedition to Abyssinia,are likely to have the benefit of a simple and clever American invention for procuring water from a considerable depth below the surface without the labor and delay of sinking wells. An iron tube, similar to ordinary gas piping, and of an inoh or more in diameter, furnished at the bottom with a tempered steel point, and pierced with small holes for a foot or two from the point, is driven or worked by hand a few inches into the ground, just far enough to allow it to stand upright and support a weight without falling. A strong iron clamp is then fixed by clamping screws to the tube at a short distance above the ground, and considerably higher up the tube, which is some six feet or so in length, is attached another clamp supporting two pulleys. An iron monkey, i or cylindrical weight, through which the tube passes, can be raised or lowered by means of cords passing over these pulleys. The monkey, being raised by two men, is allowed to fall on the lower clamp with a series of repeated blows, driving the tube into the ground. When the lower clamp becomes level with the surface of the earth, it is raised up the tube, as are the clamps supporting the pulley of the monkey, and successive lengths of tubing can be screwed on to reach any required depth below the surface. The tube having been driven down far enough for its point to reach water, a common suction pump is applied, and the water is drawn up. As the water is pumped up, the sand and gravel

round tho point of the tube fall away, and a small pool or well is formed, from which water is drawn with the greatest facility. Under ordinary conditions of soil, three quarters of an hour will suffice to establish a pump of clear water ; but of course the time must vary with circumstances. "We understand that tho invention was used in the American war to supply detachments of Federal troops. Experiments were recently made at Chatham, under orders of the War Department, by a party of the Royal Engineer establishment, and in an hour and a half water was obtained from below fourteen feet of chalk. The attention of the Emperor of the French has been directed to the invention, and he has sent over o England, where the inventors now tre, to make inquiries, which have resulted, we believe, in his desiring to see for himself the results which have appeared satisfactory to his agent.

Croup Cubed by Sulphur.—The Medical Gazette, of Paris, states that M. Langanterie of Paris, after observing the effect of sulphur on the. oidium of grape vines, was led to administer it in several cases of croup. He mixes a teaspoonful of sulphur hi a glass of water and gives a teaspoonful of this mixture every hour. The effect is described as wonderful. The disease is cured in two days, the only symptom remaining being a cough arising from the presence of loose pieces of false membrane in the trachea. Mr L. says he has followed this plan in seven cases, all being severe, especially the last, in whicii the child was cyanotic, with protruded rolling eyes and noisy respiration.