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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 471, 27 February 1869, Page 2

It will be seen by advertisement that the three Banks have reduced the price of gold nine-pence per ounce. We understand that this is the case all over the Coast. For several we eks, in Hokitika, Greymouth, and the districts adjoining, the price was, through competition, raised to £3 18s per ounce, but this district did not receive that benefit. Now, probably through, the discovery that the increased price has been the result of too many debit entries to their profit and loss accounts, the Banks have reduced the price, and of course this district is allowed to share in that benefit, to assist in squaring accounts with j

the competition southwards. Had the district shared in the rise, we should not have more cause than our neighbours to complain now, but, they having for so many weeks had the purchasing prices before them at 78s, with, in one case, the additional significant notification that gold would be "purchased at rates to be ascertained on application'' why are weon theNelsongoldfieldsnow called upon to "pay the piper" for else- | where playing the tune of over-compe-tition ?

A meeting, to the important character of which it is impossible for us to do justice by reporting it fully in our present number, was held last evening in the Post-office Hotel. Its object was to discuss the subject of procuring a steamer suitable as a trader, as a tender, and bb a tug. Mr W. Lloyd gave an elaborate and interesting statement of the necessities, advantages, and probable cost of the project, and resolutions were passed in favor of the formation of a company to purchase a suitable vessel. Afterwards a Provisional Committee was appointed to ascertain the amount of support likely to be obtained in Charleston and Brighton, and to call a general meeting at an early date. The meeting was very well attended, and was indicative of ultimate success. The Bishop of Nelson is at present on a visit to this part of his diocese, having arrived in Westport yesterday by the steamer Kennedy from Nelson. It is understood that he will officiate to-morrow in the Court-house, where the members of the English Church usually worship. It is to be expected that, by the time of the next visit of the Bishop, the erection of the Westport church will not only be undertaken, but completed. The commencement of the work is at present only postponed until Mr Lowe, by whom the building has been designed, shall have returned from ,Greymouth. Tenders will then be called for, and it is to be hoped that the amount already collected, .£164, will soon be sufficiently supplemented to allow the building to be completed without the establishment of a debt upon the congregation. The plans for the church, which have been exhibited in Mr Baird's window, are simple and chaste, but exhibiting sufficient ornament to justify the belief that the church will be a creditable addition to the architecture of the town/

The Progress Committee met yesterday. There was a full attendence of members. Separation from. Nelson was the principal subject referred, to. Mr O'Conor regretted the Chairman's retirement from its advocacy. It was explained by the Chairman that he was willing to aid the agitation, but not as their Chairman, or as a leader of the movement. His reasons he had stated before. Mr O'Conor, with that explanation, considered there had been no compromise of the Chairman or the Committee, and he moved that the Chairman should be requested to call a meeting on an early date. Mr Humphrey seconded the motion, and it was unanimously agreed to. Reference was made to the river encroachments and kindred subjects, the remarks on which, as on' the subject jof Separation, we shall fully report in next I number.

The Superintendent has appointed a Board of Health for Westport. This step is, no doubt, taken in view of the risk of the introduction of small-pox from Wanganui or Melbourne. At other ports precautionary measures have already been taken. At Hokitika, for instance, a quarantine ground has been chosen and marked off, outside the bar. At Port Chalmers we hear that the steamer Wanganui, which had gone there to be docked, was put into quarantine for twenty-one days on her arrival from Wanganui, but we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the report. The Westport Board of Health, we understand, includes Dr Giles, Mr Munday, Mr R. C. Keid, and Dr Thorpe. Some heavy weather must lately have been experienced out at sea, or probably on the coast of the North Island. There is a heavy north-westerly swell prevailing, with a considerable surf along the shore. This, occurring at the time of spring tides, has caused an unusual " range " of sea inside the Buller bar, and further damage has been done to the bank on the Westport side of the river. Some of the private and temporary protection works have been washed away, and a small landingstage and gang-way, lately erected by Mr Moray and Messrs Tonks and Hughes, have already been partially demolished. Some further expense will be necessary, to preserve much valuable property from the effects of the encroachment, and we notice that Mr Boche, Mr Hughston, Mr Morey, and others, have already men engaged on what is, to the employers, very unremunerative work.

A shingle beach has lately been forming in front of the newly constructed wharf at Bright street, the property of Messrs M'Leod and Atkinson. Its owners have, in conse quence, resolved to carry out the original intention of driving in another row of piles, and men are already employed at the work. It was at this wharf that the last vessel from Melbourne, the Heron, discharged her cargo.

There are daily little incident* illustrating the auriferous richness of the Buller. This week another nugget, 17ozs in weight, has been brought down, and we hear of a party of two who only went up the river in January, without any means, and who hare already disposed, in one lot, of nearly four pounds' weight of gold. Our local Post-master lately took the trouble of devising a conundrum, and we have taken the trouble to print it for him, but, as we fully anticipated, we have several representations from our readers that they have endeavoured in vain to guesß its meaning, and representations from others that the Post-master might be better engaged than in manufacturing conundrums or in making the work of the post-office more of a charade than it is at present. The conundrum will be found in the postal notices, by which

it will be seen that on certain days mails will be despatched to and from Westport and Bochfort. The merit of the conundrum lies in the puzzle people have in finding where this Bochfort is situated, or what business connections they may hare with Bochfort. Kochfort, it ia well-known, is the name of a mountain, but it is equally well-known that mails axe not as yet dispatched either to its base or its summit, however desirable, in a sanitary sense, the latter situation might be for the location of a Post-master. There is also a Rochford near Charleston, but it is not yet known that it 13 a place of such importance as to justify a regular mail between it and Westport. Will it be believed that, dressed in a little brief authority, or altogether without authority, the local Post-master, for no purpose that we can possibly divine, except to increase the mystery in which he envelopes himself and the whole work of his office, has ventured to change the name of a wellknown district, the Caledonian, to the less euphonious and altogether inapplicable name of Rochfort. We shall not be so hard as on e of our readers, who considers the attempted alteration, " coming from a country Postmaster, a piece of unmitigated impertinence," but unless he has the authority of the Survey Office, or, better still, a special act of the Assembly, we think he might find other amusement than tinkering at the nomenclature of the maps, and " worse confounding " the existing confusion of his department of the public service on the West Coast. At anyrate he might condescend to add " N.B.— This means the Caledonian," or whatever, on this earth, it does mean. The carrying trade up the Buller has increased so lately that a new boat is being built for the conveyance of goods to the Lyell ' and other tributaries. The boats at present ' at work seem to have constant employment, but it is possible that the formation or reformation of the track may divert part of the trade from the riyer to the overland route.

At the Masonic Hall, this evening, Mr T. G. Carr makes his first appearance in Westport. Mr Carr's name has been prominently before the public as a mesmerist and phrenologist, as well as a successful surgical operator, in Melbourne, Sydney, Hokitika, and Greyiaouth ; and from the entire novelty of the presence in Westport of a professional illustrator of the sciences these names represent, there is little doubt of there being a large attendance. In the matter of James Bentley, bankrupt, when before the Supreme Court, at Nelson, this week, a list of liabilities and assets was put in on the behalf of the insolvent. The former amounted to £10,218, of which £SOIB was secured to creditors. The principal part of the unsecured debts are owing in Australia. The assets given amounted to £7520. A vesting order in favour of Mr Pollock, as Provisional Trustee, was granted. We hear mentioned the name of no probable successor to Mr Bentley in the Provincial Council, with the exception of Mr D. M. Luckie, of the Colonist. A requisition to that gentleman is now being signed. Space does not permit us to say more than that, in our humble opinion, in the event of no local candidate coming forward, a better selection, for the best interests of the district, could not be made.

There are likely to be one or two private matches for horse-racing got up on St. Patrick's Day, the 17th of March. We hear of two or three horse-owners having subscribed to make up a sweepstake on the occasion. The day is not likely to be allowed to pass without some amusements being notified, and a ball or two in the evening are sure to be announced. At Greymouth the arrangements for that day are said to be on a very extensive scale. The ball held at Addison's Flat on Monday last, in aid of the Addison's School, was a great success, the gross takings amounting to £SO 8s 6d. The net amount realised and handed over to the School Committee was £25 lis 6d.

The Hokitika Daily Neto* announces a change in the proprietary of the paper; Mr William Swanson, a well-known and respected resident of Hokitika, having purchased an interest in the journal and in the business connected with it. Mr Charles Mulling, a well-known cattledealer, has been drowned in the Teremakau. He was returning from the Greenstone to Hokitika, in company with Mr Smith, a store-keeper, and Mr Jackson, merchant, Beach street. His horse got embarrassed in the river, and Mulling got unseated, and swam for the shore, but wag caught in an eddy and was drowned. His body has since been found. Mr E. P. Whitworfch, the Australian playwright, has arrived in Hokitika, and is to produce one of his drmas there. Messrs Stevens and Harrison, the arbitrators between Westland and Canterbury as to the apportionment of their debts, are expeoted to commence their duties next week.

The Westland County Councillors are dissatisfied with the manner in which their proceedings are reported by the Hokitika papers, and Mr Harrison, who ought to have known better, proposed the following impracticable motion:—"That the local papers be requested to furnish a tender stating the price at which they will undertake the publication of fair and correct reports of the proceedings of this Council; such reports to be not less on an average of five publications, than four columns of brevier type per day; such reports to be subject to the approval of a committee to be|appointed by the Council; the tenders to state the price per diem." The motion was opposed by Mr Bale and others, but was carried by a majority.

The Gourlay Family are now performing at the Princess Theatre, Sunedin. The following was the result of the Launceston Champion race:—Strop I, Glencoe 2, Warwick 3. A house belonging to Mr Mahoney, in Campbell street, Wanganui, has been destroyed by fire.

The Fine Arts Exhibition in Dunedin has ' been most successfully opened in the new Post-office buildings. Madame Anna Bishop was present, and led the National Anthem, and the Superintendent made a spirited speech. The exhibits comprise upwards of 1400 paintings, engravings, etchings, chromolithographs, and photographs. It is mentioned by the W. C. Times as probable that ere long a bridge will be thrown over the Hokitika river by a private firm, on certain conditions, at a point not far distant from the WestlaHd Saw Mills.

Bishop Jenner has held a meeting of adherents of the English Church in St. George's Hall, Dunedin, and delivered an explanatory speech as to his alleged ritualism, making a highly favorable impression upon his hearers. His merits and demerits are, however, still much discussed. Brother J. Bevan has been installed as Right Worshipful Master of the Pacific Lodge of Free-masons, Hokitika. It is said that there is to be an inquiry as to the alleged cruel treatment of the smallpox patient, Eransisco, who died at Wanganui. The manner in which he became infected with the disease is thus stated by the Wanganui Times : —lt appears that Francisco was for some time lodging in the Free-masons' Hotel, at Wellington. On the two men who arrived from Panama by the Kaikoura with small-pox being released from quarantine, they went to reside at the Eree-masons' Hotel, having the scars, and no doubt remnants of the disease still on their bodies, and were under medical treatment for some time after. Francisco lived in the house with them some days, and then started for Rangitikei, whereIhe germ of the infection which he had, no doubt, contracted from these men rapidly developed itself into a case of virulent smallpox. The bakers of Greymouth have reduced the price of the 4-lb loaf from Is 6d to Is. A Mr M'Millan, who met with an accident near Hokitika, by coming in contact with fluming while riding, has died after great suffering. There was recently a riflo-match between the Hokitika and Greymouth Volunteers, but the Argus states that the match was not fairly won by the former, as they fired at a fourteen-inch bull's-eye, while the Greymouth men used the Wimbledon eight-inch regulation target. It is probable the match will be fired over again on more equal terms. Mrs Von Tempsky has sent £SO from her own small income to Mrs Russel, widow of Corporal Russel, who was left on the field slightly wounded, at Moturoa.