The Westport Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 473, 4 March 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1869.

We learn by telegraph that an extensive fire occurred yesterday morning in Christchurch. The file broke out at an early hour in JUaird's (amber-yard, at the back of Cashel street, and a largo amount of property was destroyed. Some unusual tidal phenomena occurred yesterday, similar to what occurred here on the occasion of the great earthquvke in Peru. About the time of half-flood, a large wave broke along the shore, and there was a strong tidal current up the Buller to a distance beyond the usual tidal influence. According to murks on the banks, the water suddenly rose and fell a distance of two feet. The same phenomena presented themselves at other places along the coast. At Charleston, it is said, a vessel was driven up on the beach, and at Hokitika the harbor master's boat was washed away. The probability is that we shall hear of another earthquake, or of some eruption in the Pacific. Touching tidal waves, the G-rey River Argus says Some foolish persona have within the past few days been industriously circulating a prognostication, supposed to have been made by some one " who ought to know," that during March the coast of the Middle Island of New Zealand is to be visited by great storms andfioods, which will innundite all the lowlying country. This has gradually become, magnified into a visit from an enormous tidal wave, which is to sweep away all the West Coast settlements. Where the rumour will end or'the dimensions of the tidal wave will stop is difficult to say, for already it has reached to within three inches of the top of Mouut Cook ! Why leave the three inches ? Cover them over at once, for they arc not likely to benefit many of us. It will be observed that tenders are invited for the carriage of a daily mail between Westport and Charleston, for fortnightly mails between Charleston and Cobden, and between Westport and Addison's Flat t«"ice a week. This week, on the arrival of the English mail, the Postmaster forwarded the Charleston portion immediately, without waiting for tho ordinary means of transit,

thereby ensuring the delivery a day earlier in Charleston than it would otherwise have been. The daily mail between the two places will be a great convenience to correspondents, and will not entail any great additional outlay. The bakers of Westport have become suddenly and extravagantly liberal. Two shops now sell the 41b loaf at i)d., and a third at even 6d. A meeting of the Hospital Committee was held on Tuesday evening at the Court House. The members present were Dr Gile3 (Chairman,) Messrs Powell, Bailie, Field, Munsou, Keid, and Munro (Hon. Secretary.) Eeports for the past two months were read. Two deaths had occun-od during that time, and seven patients romained in the hospital. A letter from Dr Thorpe was read, asking for leave of absence for a month, in consequence of his having been suffering from an attack of colonial fever. Dr Giles kindly offered to undertake the hospital duties during Dr Thorpe's absence, and the application was granted. A special vote of thanks was accorded to the Shannon Race Company, at the Shamrock Lead, for their contribution of £lO to the Hospital funds. It was carried that Messrs Adauk, Fenwick, and Ryan, storekeepers at the Lyell, should be requested to act as a sub-committee for the purpose of increasing the funds of the institution. Messrs Bailie, Powell, and Munson were appointed as a Visiting Committee for the present month. The Westport portion of the Panama mail was received on Tuesday by the steamer Murray from Nelson, and yesterday the leters and papers by way of Suez were brought from Greyinouth by the Kennedy. Cobden is thus described by a correspondent of the West Coast Times who recently visited the Grey district: —Cobden I found to be as dull a hole as there is in the whole of New Zealand, though from " information received " I believe its merchants transact a fair amount of business. Cobden was the " capital " of the Nelson South-West Goldfields until the establishment of the large and important towns of Brighton, Charleston, and Westport, consequent upon the extension to the northward of the area of goldbearing country, rendered it necessary that a more central place should be chosen for the head quarters of the Government. Its inhabitants are mostly Nelsonian, which I am told a smart man would easily detect by most of the traits in their character, particularly their enterprise, being somewhat similar to those of the residents in the Sleepy Hollow of New Zealand.

Mr D. Davis, late member of the Provincial Council of Canterbury for Lyttelton, and Captain Buxton, well known in Hokitikahave filed declarations in the Bankruptcy Court that they are unable to meet their engagements with their creditors. Mr T. L. Bright, a well-known colonial journalist, and for several years editor of the West Coast Times, was lately compelled to relinquish work, suffering from severe indisposition. He has, however, sufficiently recovered to bo able to proceed to Melbourne. '± no Oddfellows and Foresters of Hokitiha have arranged a good programme for a fete during the Easter holidays. Mr W. Hooker, a son of Dr Hooker, the eminent botanist, is at present on a visit to Wellington, being the guest of Dr Hector. Dr. Harper, Primate of New Zealand, is at present on a visit to Westland. A new bridge over the Kanicri, in the neighbourhood of Hokitika, was opened on Monday, with some ceremony. Mr Samuel Hunter, Stafford Town, has been killed by being thrown from his horse. He survived the fall several days, but became mad, and died of congestion of the brain.

We lc;irn by the last Ilome mail that no small sensation has been created through the eastern district of the county of Sutherland, in the north of Scotland, by a report that gold had been found in Kildonan Strath, and though it had not so affected the public mind as to lead to a " rush to the diggings," it has raised sufficient interest to justify such an amount of " prospecting " as will put an end very soon to all doubt on the subject. Meantime, it has been established beyond doubt that gold is to be found there, and the only question for solution is as to the quantity, -which has not yet been determined. Sutherlandshire bears a very strong resemblance to New Zealand, and there hare long boen suspicions that it is a mineral county.

By the last Panama mail we heard of the death of Sub-Lieutenant Charles Ogle Eobertson, ofH.M.S. Brisk, at the Falkland Islands. Tho Brisk touched there on the 26th October, on her way home from Australia, and on the 28th a party of young officers left the vessel to go on a shooting excursion. Among them was Sub-Lieutenant Robertson. The sport was exciting, and the last-named gentleman became separated, and was no more seen alive. It would seem that he became exhausted and lay down, went to sleep, and did not wake again. He body was discovered on the following day. His did not denote any suffering ; his flask of spirits and water was scarcely touched ; his gun was in his hand, and a bag of game by his side. He was buried in the afternoon with military honors. The session of the Westland County Council terminated on Friday last. By the last Panama mail peremptory instructions were received from Earl Granville for the immediate return ofthe 18thEegiment in f romNewZealand. But from Melbourne we learn that the troop-ship Himalaya is not to come to this colony. Newspaper writers are consequently jubilant that the troops are not to be withdrawn. We should like to know what they are doing to give any cause for rejoicing. We have been favored by Mr W. Pitt with some extra editions of Marlborough papers containing accounts ofthe late rush. A correspondent of the Express writes :—"A fresh rush has just set in to Mountain Camp Creek a day or two ago, and all hands, with few exceptions, are gone or going to the Creek, where all of them have

often crossed and ro-crossed, aud which has been pronounced " a duffer." Here, I believe, a party got in a " pot-hole," and had got for two days' work sixteen ounces of gold ; they liave got a great quantity of wash dirt equally good, and the miners have been pegging off till further orders, and only awaiting the creek to lower to give it a trial, among the rest your humble servant. I understand there is considerable extent of ground in it ; but you must excuse any further communications till I have given it a trial." There is also a report that gold lias been found on the ranges somewhere below the Top-house, in the Wairau, This has long been considered a likely country for gold, the colour having been found there by more than one prospector, but never in payable quantities. Mr C. B. Fisher, the importer to Victoria of the celebrated sire Fisherman, and at one time the owner of the best stud in the Australian colonies, is at present on a visit to Dunedin. The parties who, for a considerable time past, have been prospecting for gold in Stewart's Island, appear at length to have hit upon a promising reef, from which they have extracted fourteen ounces of rough gold. Their success has induced a gentleman from Invercargill, accompanied by a party of practical miners, to start for the island, with a view of properly testing the reef.