Page 2 Advertisements Column 3

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 365, 1 October 1868, Page 2

We are informed that the culvert over a small branch creek, a little on the south side of the Orawaite bridge, although not long constructed, is already in such a bad state of repair as to be dangerous for horses passing over it. "We believe it is only necessary to call attention to the fact to have it remedied, for the expense of making the necessary repairs would be very trifling.

The public meeting which was to have been held lastjnight, to receive a re ceive from the Kynnersley Testimonial Provisional Committee, and decide upon what further steps should be taken, lapsed through want of sufficient attendance, due partly, no doubt, to the inclemency of the weather, and to the fact of another meeting being held elsewhere at the same hour. There being only twenty or thirty townspeople present, the committee posponedthe meeting until Monday evening next, in hopes of their obtaining a large muster of the public.

The tide of the Auckland rush appears to be decidedly on the turn. Not only has the upward flow of miners from the Coast entirely ceased, but news to hand by the steamer Nelson is sufficient to show that matters in Auckland have reached a crisis, and that the stream of population which has there been accumulating, is ready to run over and find its natural level again. The yield of gold has never borne any sort of proportion to the number of miners in the district, but a good many seem to have been buoyed up with the hope of some good alluvial diggings being opened out at Mercury Bay. According to the last accounts however, the prospect of anything good arising from that quarter has been completely blasted. The place has been declared a "rank duffer," and so enraged were the diggers who went there when they discovered their mistake, that they lynch-lawed the prosp ctors to the extent of shaving their heads, and afterwards turninothem adrift. "We believe that the reflux of miners will only be limited by their means, or ability to pay for their passage, and that we shall soon see a good few of them down this way again.

The Wellington Independent, of the 24th tilt., has a telegram from Duuedin which states that the firm of lioyse, Mudie, and Co. had failed j as also'Mr Millar, ofOmarau.