The Westport Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1369.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 468, 20 February 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1369.

It was arranged that a meeting of the Progress Committee should be held at four o'clock yesterday aftir.ioon. Four members met —Messrs Alcorn, Ilumphroy, Field, and Milne—and they sat until a quarter to five o'clock, occasionally sending out one of their number as a scout, with the object of finding the Chairman or some of the other members, so that a quorum might be formed ; but each scout returned reporting that his mission had been in vaiu. That they were diligently searched for is very probable, Mr Milne being acquainted with one description of public resorts, and Mr Field being acquainted with others, and both being conscientious men. Possibly the other members were enjoying their siesta in some snug seclusion and, in weather like that of the dog-days, who cau blame them ? To prevent the recurrence of meetings thus lapsing, as they have done on several occasions, we would make a suggestion, although we believe it is shifting the blame of the Committee's apathy to anything but the real cause. It was a matter of convenience to the Press that they originally agreed to meet in the afternoon instead of in the evening, and the Press is grateful for their consideration. But if they find that the time of day—especially in the dog days —is not a convenient one for them, they might alter the time, and, if they choose, the day of meeting also. The discussion of local topics is as important as the passing of mere formal resolutions, and it is usual that meetings after business hours, attended by gentlemen who have had dinner, &c, and by reporters ditto, are highly satisfactory as to the amount spoken, however little may be done. From the very nature of such a body, and especially when they have to move such mountains as the Nelson Government, a Progress Committee cannot be expected to do much, and they may be well excused if they should say a great deal. "We noticed that a considerable convenience both to watermen and passengers crossing the river had been provided by the construction of a landing-stage and gangway at the end of Gladstone-street. We were mistaken, however, in saying that they had been constructed by the watermen. The work was done solely at the expense of Mr Morey, of the National Hotel, and of Messrs Tonks and Hughes of the Empire Hotel. Probably the Government will be generous enough, some day, to tli.mk these gentlemen for undertak-

ing one of the many little works which, but for the spirit of private individuals, would never be executed. In the Warden's Court yesterday, there was a claim by one Doyle against John Haydu for £7 4s, alleged to be owing to the complainant as wages for work in a claim at the Lyell. Mr Pitt stated that the case had been called on the previous day, but the complainant had not appeared. A fresh summons had been issued, but thef defendant was now undergoing a month's imprisonment for an assault, and he asked that the case should be adjourned for that period. The plaintiff pleaded tho hardship of delay to him, and wished that the case could at once be heard. The Warden was at a loss as to the powers of the gaoler to bring before the Court, for a civil debt, a prisoner in a criminal case. Mr Pitt was equally at a loss to give any precise information to his Worship on the subject. The Magistrate considered that he had no alternative but to adjourn the case, and it was adjourned until tho first Court day after the 16th of March, when the defendant will be discharged from prison. Hokitika papers complain that although the order is frequently given in the local courts " All witnesses concerned in this case will please leave the Court," there is no place for them to go, in fair weather or foul, hut the public street. The same complaint may he made in Westport. In fact it seems to have been, in more than that one respect, the object of the huilders of court-houses on the West Coast to do as much as possible for the convenience of the paid officials, and nothing for the accommodation of the paying public. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, on Tuesday, there was heard a " valentine case," which is thus reported:— Henry Hunt, of the Club Hotel, was charged with having assaulted and beaten Q. J. Wing, chemists' assistants, on Sunday, the 14th instant. The complainant stated that he went into Mr Prosser's shop on Sunday, on business. Hunt was there, and he at once said, " You are anything but a gentleman," struck him on the nose with his finger, then hit him on the side of the head with his open hand, knocked his hat off, kicked it into the street, and asked him to come outside and fight him. Complainant made no remark gave no provocation whatever, and did not know what Hunt was angry for. He ran away, and Hunt chased him round town, until he got shelter in the Oriental Hotel After evidence had been given, the Magis. trate said the charge was one of assault, which had arisen out of a document which had been sent to a lady residing at the defendant's hotel. The document was a disgraceful and obscene one, which ought not to have been sent to any female. There was a sufficient amount of provocation given to warrant the defendant in striking the complainant, but he should not have gone so far as he did. If he had not followed the complainant out on the street, and challenged him to fight, he should have dismissed the case, with a severe reprimand to both Wing and Tucker, who had drawn up a document which was a disgrace to them. As it was, he would fine the defendant Is and costs.

The Australian news received by the Omeo is of little interest. In Victoria, tenders have been called for a loan of £300,000. The steamer Formosa had been wrecked off Point Nepean. A rush had taken place to Fiddler's Creek, near Avoca. The sinking is 103 and 104 feet: lead 300 feet wide ; extent of washdirt, 5 and 6 feet. Sixteen pennyweights to the load have been got, but there is a very great want of water, as much as fourpenoa being charged for a bucketful. A woman named Ann Shields has died at Ballarat, through taking an overdose of painkiller. Diamond Creek is now free from the smallpox. Fourteen days had elapsed since the occurrence cf any case. The Westland County Council have by a majority pledged themselves to the principle of borrowing money for the construction of works of public utility, such as roads, tracks, bridges, &c. Mr Boaar and Mr Sale strongly opposed it, and the point is still a disputed one, but it is left to a committee to negotiate the loan. Notwithstanding the point, the Bank of New Zealand, it is said, is prepared to advance ,£20,000.

Accounts from the Greenstone continue to represent that the district is over-populated by both miners and business people. Of some new ground on this side of the Grey, the Argus saj's : —" During the last few days there ha 3 been a steady flow of population up the river, the news from the new ground opened up in the vicinity of the Orwell Creek and Noble's Gully, being very encouraging. The lead on Napoleon Terrace is proved for a considerable distance, and is found to be very rich. A rush has taken place to the spur leading down from Napoleon Creek, pa/able gold having been struck there at a depth of sixty feet by Cornish Dick and party. New ground has also been struck a little distance from Waterloo Flat, skirting the foot of Wellington Terrace, immediately above the rise of the spur leading down into Noble's Gully. The lucky party in this instance is the well-known Liverpool Bill, and his prospects are said to be four pennyweights to the dish. We notice that there is a movement on foot amongst the Foresters and the two lodges of Oddfellows in Hokitika, to cooperate together for the purpose of raising a fund as a nucleus towards the estblishment of a Benevolent Asylum. Lately the inhabitants of Nelson Creek made some serious charges of neglect of duty against Police-sergeant Walsh, stationed at Nelson Creek. The charges were made to Mr Dutton, Warden of the District, but he sent the letter back asking the complainants to reassert their statements publicly. The case is altogether somewhat anomalous. It is anomalous by a Warden being made the recipient of complaints against a subordinate officer of police, and it is anomalous to find a Warden, once accepting that position, refusing to inquire into imputations which, he himself says, are " so serious that if substantiated the officer is not only unfit to have

charge of Nelson Creek, but he is a disgru.cc to the police force, and ought_at once to be removed from it." A mint is shortly to be established in Melbourne. The necessary machinery is expected to leave England, during this month, for the colony. Mr James Spence, of the firm of Spence Brothers, has left Hokitika for England. One of the firm continues the business. The Hokitika Evening Star states that the impression that members of the County Council are compensated for their services when serving on Committees is incorrect. In the Westland County Council, Mr Harrison has moved a vote of entire confidence in Mr Hoos as chairman with the request that he should remain in office. The motion was unanimously agreed to. The success of the cheap meat sales organised in Dunedin by Messrs Power, Pantlin, and Co., has, says the Daily limes, induced a third competitor for the public favor to enter the field. It is said that the embarrassments of Mr Kennedy, General Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, principally arose from fancy farming on an estate of two thousand acres of poor land at Howick. The New Zealand Herald has a string of remarkable on dits, amongst the number being —a coalition between Mr Stafford and Mr Fox, on the basis of the unity of the colony, and the security to the south of its Land Fund; and the possibility of Mr Stafford being invited to go to England in the Galatea. These reports are said to be totally without foundation. Colonel M'Donnell was recently wounded by a party of the enemy lying in ambush. His horse swerved at the flash, and one bullet only took effect, striking the gallant Colonel in the right leg, passing through his gaiter, and only inflicting a severe contusion. A telegram to a contemporary made it appear that " Colonel M'Donnell was wounded slightly, inside the loins," instead of inside " the lines." The following passage occurs in one of Colonel "Whitinore's reports : —I regret to say that the report which reached me about the burning of the bodies of those left on the field is too correct, and a more horrible and revolting spectacle could not have been witnessed. We found the remains of two large fires or altars outside the pah, and a small one inside at the foot of a rata tree. The charred remains of human bones and skulls at each of these fires, with other signs horrible to think of told a sickning and awful tale. I fear the story related of poor Corporal Eapell, No 3 [ Division, relative to his being burnt alive, is true, and most likely took place at the foot of the rata tree mentioned above. There i 3 no doubt the dead were partly eaten and i partly offered up as a sacrifice by the infamous Tito Kowaru and his band.