Untitled

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 395, 5 November 1868, Page 2

A meoting of the Hospital Committee will be held this evening, as announced in our advertising columns. Business of importance in connection, we believe, with taking possession of the new building will be brought forward.

Mr Kynnersley left Westport last night per John Peun, and a warm leavetaking took place on his going a-board, particulars of which however, we are compelled to defer. A telegram was received yesterday from Captain and Adjutant Stack, intimating his intention of leaving Hokitika for Westport, by the steamer Charles Edward. "We presume this is a hint for our Volunteers to hold themselves in readiness to be inspected. We beg to draw attention to an advertisement which appears inanother column, calling for volunteers to serve in the Armed Constabulary Force, now being raised throughout the colony. Those men who come forward and are approved of, will be enlisted by Captain Stack, who may be expected to arrive in Westport in a day or two, and enquiries may be made of Mr Robinson, drill-instructor, at the Little G-rey Hotel. Very good reports come in from the new diggings discovered to the northward of Deadman's Creek. Quite an excitement on the subject prevails in the townships of Caledonian, and Giles', and a good many men are knocking round the neighborhood of the new ground situated under Hatter's Terrace within two miles of the Waimangoroa river. It is estimated from the prospects obtained by the prospectors, M'Gowan and party, that the diggings will pay about £ls to £2O per man. per week. The Nelson Q-overnment " Q-azette" of the 28th ult., notifies the acceptance

by his Excellency the Governor, of the resignation by Alfred Greenfield Esq., of the Wardenship of the Nelson South-west G-oldfields; of the appointment of receivers of land and gold revenue at Charleston, Westport and Cobdeu, in the persons of Charles Broad, Joseph Giles, and J. li. Dutton, Esqrs., respectively : also notifications of insolvency by Henry Bradley, publican, of Westport; of Thomas Tracy, storekeeper, of Addison's Flat; and of J. 11, Graham, miner, late of Packer's Point, near Westport. A handsome tea and coffeo service has been purchased in Dimodin by a few ef the passengers by the ill-fated Taranaki, when she was lost in Tory Channel, including the Bishop of Lichfield and Lord Bnrghley, for presentation to the wives of two settlers named Bowdeu, in recognition of their hospitality at that very critical time at Bovvden's Bay. The Grey River Argus reports that: —" Mining news from the up-river diggings still continues very encouraging, and great expectations are farmed for the coming summer. The population is increasing on most of the diggings, and the prospects of the miners are generally considered excellent. At Nelson Creek, the claims at the Lower Township are still giving good returns. The new lead, two miles fnrther up, is turning out remarkably well, and the new arrivals are all making their way in that direction. The sinking is shallow as yet, but it is believed to extand a great distance, and to run into deep ground. There is much business activity displayed, and new stores, public-houses, and billiard-rooms are being erected. At Barnicoat's, a few miles above Noble's, some forty men are making good wages, notwithstanding the high prices the miners have to pay for provisions. At Noble's, some new ground recently opened, is turning out well, and there has lately been a very apparent increase in the population ; the majority of the newcomers finding profitable employment. In this locality, great hopes are entertained of the success of a large water-race, which is now being surveyed, and. which will allow miles of of country now lying idle to be taken up and worked with good returns. The great want in this locality is water, and should this race be carried out successfully, the permanency of the diggings here will be insured for the next twenty years. At Orwell's Creek, up the Ab.au ra, there arc at present about 250 men doing pretty well. A new rush has been reported in this neighborhood, but the exact locality has not been made known. A few parties are at work at Barry's—the latest Ahaura Bush—some of whom are making from £9 to £l2 per week per man. The ground is very patchy ; Dut something good is expected to be struck in this locality soon. At No-town the water race companies are reported to be doing well; and throughout the other diggings the miners generally, are receiving satisfactory returns for their labor. The West Coast Times says: —"Intelligence was received in "town, on Saturday morning, that as the Persevere was crossing the bar at Greymouth through a terrific sea, her chief officer was washed overboard and drowned. The deceased, whose name is John Jones, was a tetotaller of thirty years standing, and was highly respected by all who knew him. lie was unmarried."

The late Earthqauake was not felt at Timaru jr at Dunedin, but at Danedin there had been for two days very high, tides. The time exhibited by the clock in 'he Telegraph office is now that of A ew Zealand Mean Time. This is in accordance with a resolution lately passed in the House of Representatives determining by statute the legalised time of the colony, which is now to be observed in all public offices. A contemporary writes :—" Of the utility of a ' mean time ' for the colony, now that the different parts of it are broughtinto close relationship with each other therere can be no doubt. The only quostion to be decided was what time should be used—whether the average meridian of New Zealand, the meridian which has an equal area lying to the east and to the west of it, or the average meridian of the few principal ports, should be taken. It was at length decided that the meridian of 172 deg. 30 m. east should be taken, because it is a close approximation to the average longitude of the colony, and also because it is llh. 30m. east of Greenwich, and being an even number is most suitable for calculations. The difference between New Zealand mean time and Wellington true time—or, in other words, the difference between average meridian adopted, and the time meridian of Wellington—will be 9m. 11. 55.; thus, after the Ist Novembor next, to

find Wellington true time (which how* ever will, we trust, fall generally into disuse) it will be necessary to add 9m. 11.5 sec. to the time used in the Government offices and the Telegraph office."