CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 472, 2 March 1869, Page 3

CHARLESTON.

(from oim owsr correspondent). The schooner Fairy arrived in harbor yesterday morningfrom Onehunga, with a cargo of timber and produce. A very heavy sea was rolling home during yesterday, and about highwater she carried away her starboard quarter-rope, and got into rather too close proximity to the rocks, but received no damage. The new warp lately received by the Harbor Department was promptly availed of, and proved of efficient service. The district has been little benefited by the late fall of rain. Few parties have succeeded in obtaining more than from five to seven davs' water. The mining community were very sanguine that rain had set in, but the present state of affairs here ought to forcibly impress them, and also our mercantile men,with thedown-rightne-cessity of obtaining a constant and adequate supply of water, so that the district should not experience such depression as has been been the case through the present dry season. A project of a comprehensive character was brought before the public to remedy the present state of things, and several meetings, in which much interest was exhibited, were held, at which a survey and other preliminaries were decided on, but, owing to the bad faith on the part of one or two connected with the Prospecting Association, whose narrow-minded and contracted ideas, in a matter tending toward the general good and welfare of all cannot be too severely censured, the project seems to be for the present in abeyance. On Whisky Terrace, Torkey Clark's party have a few days' water, and are now realizing from five to six ounces per day. This will turn out a really good claim, and, as everything is now in good working order, they will have all plain sailing for some time. The adjoining claim, and also Clark's party, have only been at work with their battery for two days, their water being exhausted. They have broken up, filled their shoot, drive,* &c, in fact every available space with cement, some of which will realize about one ounce per ton, in readiness for the necessary fluid. In the bed of Candlelight Creek M'Grrath's machine, also Milligan and Clark's, are in full work. On Candlelight Flat, a few parties were pursuing their avocations, but lam afraid will only be able to do so for a short time unless the weather changes. Notwithstanding the general stagnation in all matters connected with mining, our Police Camp is usually crowded with parties making applications for future water rights, or in litigation concerning those in existence. A bal-masque and supper will take place at the Casino de Venise, on Monday, for the benefit of Mr Sturt, who is retiring from the business.