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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 238, 6 May 1868, Page 2

Mr O'Brien, comedian, formerly well-known in Westport, has, we are sorry to say, fallen into troublous circumstances. We are requested to publish the following, which explains itself:—-Mrs O'Bripu sincerely thanks those gentlemen who so kindly came to her assistance to-day, by subscribing money to enable her to join her husband, who is at present lying ■sick in the hospital at Auckland. In future, Messrs Robertson and Co., stot-k and cattle salesmen, will supply a want long felt, and hold regular weekly sales on the South Spit, every Tuesday. There is, without doubt, great truth in the assertion, that humanity too frequently finds a species of pleasure in the misfortune of friends. Our Hokitika evening contemporary has a correspondent of a despondent frame of mind it appears, and hastens to publish a most lugubrious picture conceived by that unhappy man's distempered imagination. The Grey JRver Argus, loth that such a morsel should lack circulation, repeats the melancholy tale as follows : —" The following sad account of the present condition of the town of Westport appeared in the Hokitika Evening Star of the 28th inst.: —"A correspondent writing from the Buller informs us that commercially the town is all but collapsed. Rents have fallen more than one-half; numerous stores and shops are empty, and of money there is very little in circulation. Nobody can get in an account when called for, and the consequence is that as nobody is paid nobody is able to pay anybody. Very little gold is getting, and the miners are many of them being gradually starved out." We are greatly obliged for the commiseration implied, but really at present Westport is hardly quite so bad as represented, though dull enough. As far as the miners being starved out geos, this is certainly news, inasmuch as they have during the past month sent away nearly 17,000 ounces of gold through the Custom House, irrespective of what has been carried by private hand. We suppose that neither of our contemporaries can be jealous of Westport, or that the wish is father to the thought in these statements. Their industry, however, in publishing anything disparaging to this place is excessive, but it would be perhaps just as well in future if they would persuade their correspondents to write truth instead of fiction.

The Nelson Evening Mail has received a communication from Mr Alexander Kuight, a well-known and experienced Australian miner, who states that several diggers have lately been in town from the Karamea, who report vory favorably of the country, and describe it as being not only moist

promising, but also most extensive. One of them informed Mr Knight that in every place ho triod, he had found gold, of a quality inferior to none in New Zealand. But tho great drawback is the want of provisions. They state that if they could only get a bridle track cut over into the valley, so as to secure a constant supply of provisions, all the rest would be easy. This once accomplished, a *thonsaud diggers might go there at once and set to work, but until provisions can be packed over the ranges into the valley it is utterly useless to attempt working the goldfields there to profit They state that it takes them on an average three days out of six to " hump" their provisions over, and then they can only scratch over tho surface, but even at this kind of work they can make their pound per diem. They cannot sink, in order to test the richness or otherwise of the ground, nor have they been able to prospect any of the terraces for want of provisions, and they persist in affirming that unless provisions can bo got over to them in the valley, it is impossible that the country can ever be satisfactorily tested or worked. The diggers to whom Mr Knight alludes in his letter, brought down some specimens of the gold which they had obtained in the Karamea, which he describes as being " really beautiful samples, and superior to the old Ovens gold." The weather during the past three days has been splendid, and a recent visitor to the West Coast w T ould think its climate a most delightful one. The river has been very low, and a large number of persons have gone up to try their fortune in mining. From Lyell Creek some very good accounts have come down, and though there is nothing to justify anything like a rush, a great proportion of those at present at work are doing well, or in digging phrase, making good wages. There is a strong feeling amongst many that a considerable amount of auriferous 1 country will be opened up the Buller before long. We hope that this belief will be early realised. The police sheet again presented a blank this morning, not even a single " drunk " being called on to pay the penalty of his excess. There were a few civil cases of no public interest whatever.

The river, during the last two days, has literally swarmed with herring, and the disciples of Izaak Walton have had a busy and profitable time of it. A youth of our acquaintance yesterday caught five dozen and three, fishing from one of the craft, and others had great though not equally abundant luck. The fish are small, rather, but the quantity makes up for deficiency in size. It is not at all improbable that the shilling nobbier is doomed, an agreement having been entered into by a number of consumers not to pay more than sixpence for their refreshment, that being the price at Hokitika and other places. Whether the publicans or the association will give way remains to be seen. The Warwick (Queensland) Times mentioned a few days ago that the bushranger " Thunderbolt " had stuck up several parties on the Maryland road. It is now in possession of further particulars. When the bushranger had obtained possession of the money from a band, a little parleying took place, the bandmaster stating that it was very hard to take money from poor men, and that the sum the bushranger had got was the result of several days' playing. Thunderbolt replied he did not care—if it was his own brother he would take it; but coolly said if the party would give him their name 3 and addresses he would return the money to them if he succeeded in sticking up somo person who had a good sum. When parleying with Hart, whom he had stuck up and robbed of £lO5 the day previous, he said he wanted money, and he had a good mind to take the horse as well as the money. Hart expostulated upon the hardness of taking all the money, stating he was a poor man, and his horse " Miustrel " had won him the money. The bushranger said as he was a poor man he would return him£s, which he did. A report was circulated on Monday morning last that Thunderbolt had been in the town on Sunday evening, and that he had been at various publics, shouting for all hands. There is, however, not the slightest truth in the report. At Groulburn assizes lately, a man named Samuel Grarland was put on his trial for criminal assault on a young woman named Bridget Keyes, at Tass. The evidence taken was somewhat singular, and does not say much for the the morality of our neighbors over the border. As reported in the Goalburn Herald, ■ it was as follows ; " Bridget Keyes stated : I am sixteen years of age. I never went to school or to church. I don't know what

will bocome of me if I tell lies. I don't know what sort of people go to heaven. I don't know what a clergyman is. I think tho people who tell lies go to the same place as those who speak the truth. His Honor said the witness was not competent to give evidence iu the case. Sub-Inspector Brennan deposed : I have known the last witness for six or seven years. I have seen her at church several times. In Yass she knew the nature of an oath, and gave eivdence at the police court. Bridget Keyes was again put into tho box and stated : I might have been in the Catholic chapel in Yass. I don't know what I was there for. I know Dean Hanley, who is a priest. I have been in Yass gaol during the last two months." Witness was then committed to gaol for contempt of court until next morning. His Honor directed the jury to acquit the prisoner, who was accordingly discharged. Mr Emanuel, of the Little Grey Hotel, Gladstone-street has recently added to his former premises, the store adjoining, recently occupied by Messrs Wittowski Bros., and since then used as a drill-room. He intends to keep this addition still as a ball, skittle and drill room, and the Volunteers as hitherto will have the free use of it. On Friday next he gives a free ball and supper, and Avill no doubt have a large attendance. We wish more particularly to draw attention to this, as by an error in the advertisement in yesterday's paper it would appear that the ball was postponed till Monday, whereas it will come off on Friday. We hear that an indignation meeting has been held at Wanganui, and a committee appointed to investigate a hoax perpetrated through Mr Russell, the New Zealand bank agent there, the gold found by him at Waitotara having been planted. Numerous persons have been examined, but there is no clue. A Christchureh contemporary says: —" We hear, from the Waitaki, that an elephant which was being brought up to Christchureh overland from Dunedin has died from eating tutu. This is perhaps the strongest proof yet known of the virulence of this vegetable poison. A curious fact connected with this subject is, that horses never touch tutu.