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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 226, 22 April 1868, Page 2

The_ next sitting of the District Court is fixed for the 2nd of June, or as near as possible six weeks from this date. It is intended to hold these courts more frequently in future, though the exact intervals have not as yet, we believe, been fixed. This is, as it should be, for hitherto great delay has taken place in the despatch both of criminal and civil business that was set down for this jurisdiction.

A mail will be made up this day, at 11 o'clock a.m. for the Grey and Hokitika by the p.s. Bruce. Among other things that the police could very well turn their attention to, is the careless manner in which people leave obstacles of all descriptions out on the footpaths and thoroughfares during the night. Builders particularly are prone to forget that parts of building frames and other hard substances are unpleasant articles for the belated traveller to come in contact with. There are any quantity of impediments of one kind or another permitted where no friendly lamp gives warming, and the sooner they are reuiuvcu Liie uciaci.

It is not at all surprising that the most experienced Victorian diggers have oftentimes found all their mining knowledge acquired in Victoria or New South Wales perfectly valueless in New Zealand, for the more recent volcanic agencies in these islands, in many cases, completely upset all previous theory or practice. A singular instance of eccentricity on the part of of the New Zealand gold-producing powers, has recently been made manifest up the Buller. At Grange's Point, just a'jove what are called the old diggings, about twenty-eight miles from Westport, the road, or track rather, runs alongside and under a cliff or peak of the range that rises straight up some hundreds of feet at that point in a perpendicular face. On the top of such a place as this would, surely, under ordinary circumstances, be the last place in the world that gold would be looked for, but Henry Watson and party did seek, and what is more, found the precious metal there in good payable quantities in surfacing depth. The gold is described as weather, rather than water worn, coarse, and of good quality, and some of it was sold yesterday in this town. The prospectors are now getting in water for sluicing the spur, and when their work is finished they expect to be handsomely rewarded" for their labor. After this, prospectors need never despair of meeting with success in the most unpromising places, and those most at variance with the usually accepted theory of gold-getting. Distance certainly does lend very special enchantment to the view, as far as gold-mining goes, and in corroboration of this the news received from Wanganui yesterday set a number of people agog, and created a mild furore. As a matter of course the facts were generally exaggerated, and Wanganui is now looked on as the land of promise. The last news to hand we extract at length in another column, and we would specially point out that it is taken from the last published paper prior to the Charles Edward leaving. We cordially hope that the Wanganuites will open up a large auriferous country, for a good tract of that kind would attract an army of diggers, who would put an end to all the expense of Maori wars. At the same time it is at least slightly premature to get Wanganui fever from the very meagre intelligence at present to hand.

It Will be of interest to paronts to learn that the Eev. F. C. Simmons has been tbo successful candidate for the

mastership of the College at Nelson. The Colonist says:—The Board of Governors having gone through the onerous duty of making selections from forty applicants for the Head Mastership of Nelson College, have finally placed their choice on the Rev. E. C. Simmons, Rector of Dunedin High School, whose certificates and .local testimonials as a very successful and accomplished teacher aro of a very high order. Many other of the candidates were also very highly certified and well qualified for the post. Fifteen of the applications came from Victoria, eleven from New South "Wales, two from Queensland, and twelve from various parts of New Zealand. Amongst the various improvements that have been made, a portion of Walliby street, between Palmerston and Molesworth streets remains in its primitive state, and though a large number of dwellings are erected there the street is perfectly impassable excepting to pedestrians. The amount of work is nnt very great, and in order to connect the streets already made, it should be done at once. How contentedly the section-holders have remained up to the present time is extraordinary.

Tho Nelson Provincial Council were to meet yesterday at one o'clock. Business will be immediately proceeded with, and we shall look with some anxietyfor the Estimates in reference to grants for public works for the West Coast. We have received a letter from the proprietors of the ketch, Young America, in which they pay a very high they pay a very high compliment to Mr S. West of Mokihinui, for his valuable assistance in getting off that boat when she recently went ashore there. Mr West since Mr Milre left is acting harbor-master, and judging from the letter in question, there can be no doubt that he has discharged his duties most satisfactorily in this nstance.

We notice that the company which recently left Westport for Wanganui, consisting of Mrs Evereste, Messrs Eyan, Evereste, and others, were to give their first entertainment on Saturday last, in the Oddfellows Hall. The p.s., Bruce arrived from Mokihinui last evening, at 10.50 p.m., Captain Kerley only succeeded in getting ten tons of coals, though that was the principal object of his trip. The Dart, cutter, was waiting for a cargo of that mineral, but did not expect to get her load till Saturday. A rush is said to have set in to a terrace north of the river, but no particulars could be obtained in reference to it.

A change has taken place in the drill nights for the volunteers, and instead of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, as hitherto, Monday, Wednesday and Friday have been substituted. As before No. 1 squad will drill in the Assembly-rooms, and No. 2 in Wlttkowski's store. An announcement to this effect appears in our advertising columns.