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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 479, 18 March 1869, Page 2

The dog nuisance of Westport is intruding itself under the very nose of Justice. Scarcely a day passes on which there is not an interruption to some of Mr Tyler's or Mr Pitt' 8 rounded periods by the yelping of some whelp during the process of its being whipped or kicked out of the Court by a vigilant and irate policeman. But on Tuesday a regular dog-fight was commenced in the Court by three or four curs which had intruded themselves among a crowd listening to an interesting mining case, and the Warden had to pause for some; time in the delivery of a judgment before the hideous noise could be abated. Even after the brutes were shoved out of Court sans ceremonie, they maintained the row for some time, making it most difficult to distinguish the words coming from the Bench. Yesterday momiug, the Court had scarcely opened, when a similar scene occurred, and the Magistrate was constrained to say that the nuisance of dogs was becoming so intolerable that he would commit for contempt any one bringing a dog into Court. He gave instructions to the constable to ascertain the names of those whose dogs came into the Court-house. We believe that a petition to tho Superintendent is in course of signature praying that the " Dog Nuisance Act" should be extended to Westport, or to within a rango of two miles from the centre of the town ; and we should imagine that people have suffered enough in their tempers, both night and day, to induce every one to sign what may conduce so much to their own peace of mind. As matters are going at present, dogs will very soon muster a majority ovor the human race in Westport. Saturday is the day appointed for the nomination of a member for the Buller district in the Nelson Provincial Council. At present it does not appear that the proceedings will possess any interest, the only candidate now mentioned being Mr R. C. Reid. We hear of some new ground being found to the southward of the Buller, between Addison's Flat and the sea, and are credibly informed that the prospects are better than were ever obtained on Addison's. One party are already driving a tunnel for a tail-race, with the intention of groundsluicing, and we believe the same might be done profitably by many more companies between Westport and Charleston. Another party on Addison's are quietly waiting for one of the tunnels being abandoned, that they may commence the same description of work, and there can be little doubt that greater part of Addison's Flat could be reworked on the same system, and realise good returns, provided the parties are careful in getting sufficient fall and plenty of water. No tenders for the repair of the Buller river track have yet been called for, but we understand that they will be so before the end of the month. It would certainly be

well that the work should be proceeded with as speedily as possible, for the season of the year most suitable for the work is rapidly drawing to a close. The projected work will include a considerable amount of rock-blasting at Hawk's Crag. The precipitous face of the crag does not permit of the formation of an ordinary sideling, and to construct a tunnel would be too expensive. It is therefore proposed to blast a sort of shelf in the rock with a sloping roof, the outer edge of the pathway to be protected by a substantial rail. A survey party proceeds up the river to-day, to survey the necessary work, which will now be carried out under the supervision of Mr Arthur Dobson, who has arrived in Westport as the successor of Mr Lowe, the District Engineer. A meeting of the local Amateur Dramatic Club was held on Tuesday evening at the Empire Hotel, when it was decided that the performance so long in contemplation should take place in a fortnight, for the benefit of the Club. Several members of the Club have been engaged during the past few weeks making and painting new scenery, which is expected to be completed about that time. A Committee of Management, consisting of Messrs Atkinson, Berry, and Pease, were appointed for the purpose of carrying out the arrangements in connection with the various performances, one or two of which will, during the winter months, be given for the benefit of the local charities. We hear that, in the All Nations claim, Caledonia Terrace, a fresh run of gold has been struck. There was a considerable number of miners and othersjin town yesterday, chiefly with the object of celebrating the anniversary of St. Patrick's Day. No races or sports of any kind were inaugurated for the occasion in the immediate neighbourhood, but a foot-ball match took place between a large number of the Addison's Flat miners and those of Charleston, on the beach between the two places. We learn that there was a numerous attendance from both places, and, the weather being favourable, national sports of various kinds were indulged in heartily. Music, banners, bands, and a plentiful supply of other cheering elements were on the ground, and quite a festival lasted from noon to sunset. In Westport several stores were closed during the day, and banners and decorations were displayed from many of the hotels, the most attractive of which was a large new flag with the national emblems over the Nelson Hotel. In the evening balls were held at the Theatre Royal and Nelson Hotel, and in each case attracted a large attendence. Many of the town residents were enticed away by the attractions of the Qreymouth races, leaving by the Waipara on Tuesday evening, with the intention of returning on Friday. It will be seen by our telegram that the first day's racing at Greymouth has been attended by an unfortunate and fatal accident, Harry Bloomfield, a young man, and a smart rider, having been killed in the hurdle-race. The deceased was for some time in the employment of Mr Wallace Woolfe, both at Greymouth and in Westport. Mr Lowe proceeds to-day to Cobden, to assume his duties as Eesident Magistrate and Warden.

We may remind the members of the Volunteer Corps, that the adjourned meeting will be held this evening at the Drill-room. Seeing that the company requires remodelling, having been deprived of its chief officers, it is expected that all the members who can make it convenient to attend will do so. It would be a pity to see tins company broken up, if only for the healthful exercise provided to its members; and as the clothing has been obtained and the capitation money is likely to be received, it is to be hoped that there will be a large muster this evening of the old, as well as of new members. We have already called attention to the propriety of qualified persons registering themselves as electors before the end of this month, when the time for receiving claims expires. The qualifications are that every voter must be a male of the age of 21 years and upwards, the possessor of : (1) a freehold estate, situated within the district for which the vote is to be given, of the clear value of fifty pounds; (2) a leasehold qualification of the clear annual value of ten pounds ; (3) being a householder within some district, occupying a tenement within the limits of a town, of the clear annual value of ten pounds, or, without the limits of a town, of the clear annual value of five pounds, and having resided therein six calendar months before such registration. Every application must be signed by the claimant, and declared in the presence of the Eegistration Officer, or of a Justice of the Peace, or of an elector of the district for which the chaim is made. We may repeat that the necessary forms may be had free at this office.

Tenders for clearing a portion of the road to Giles Terrace are called for by Mr Lowe, the District Engineer. The tenders have to be sent in before the afternoon of Wednesday, the 24th inst. Mr Dilke, in his "Greater Britain," states that in New Zealand all importations from England ,bad;as well as good, are keenly appreciated by the colonists. In his voyage down the coast from Nelson the cabin was full of cut flowers for bouquets, of which the diggers are extremely fond. " The fact," he adds, " was pretty enough : the store set upon a single rose—' an English rosebud' culled from a plant that had been brought from the old country in a clipper ship, -was touching." Was it ? The firing for the General Government "Colonial Prizes" for the Southern Island will take place at Dunedin on the 2nd April next. Letters patent have been applied for by Marmaduke Constable, for a new invention of a mode for extracting gold, silver, lead, or copper, from their matrix ; as also to smelt iron sand by the application of heat, roasting, fluxing, and smelting, and by the use of various deaulpheriiers and fluxes.

Some additional information as to the Are U Christchurch on Wednesday (mentioned in a recent telegram) is given by the Press. At 11 a.m. the fire bell was rung, and it was soon ascertained that a fire had broken out in the workshops of Mr J. Bailey, builder, of Lichfield street, in the rear of the Bank of Australasia. The fire spread with great rapidity, and for some time all the valuable property in the vicinity was in jeopardy, but an engine was speedily on the spot, and subdued the flames. The workshop of Mr Backhouse, carpenter, was destroyed, and his furniture much damaged by hasty removal. Mr Bailey has lost a considerable amount of property. A survey was held, and we understand that his loss amounts to about LSOO or L6OO. He was insured in the London, Liverpool, and Globe office, for LIOOO. Mr Backhouse's property was insured, but not the furniture. On the following day, 600 bushels of grain were destroyed by fire on Mr Anderson's farm, Coal Track, in the same Province.—At Taita, Wellington Province, on March 4th, Mr Death's stable, and Mr D. Hughey's buildings were burnt down. Mr Hughey's loss is said to be £2OOO, and he was insured in the New Zealand office for J6IOOO. Mr Death was also insured.—A most calamitous fire occurred at Napier on March 5, when the main building of the Hawke's Bay Steam Boiling-down Company's premises was burnt down, with T tons of tallow, 138 bales of wool, and all the machinery. The building and its contents were insured for .£I3OO, which will not cover the loss. The Christchurch Press is now published by a Limited Liability Company. One importent item of news by the last Suez mail was that the submarine cable, to unite England, India, and Australia, is being manufactured fur a company. Mr Dilke in his " Greater Britain " says : "As I walked up from the quay to the town, looking for the Empire Hotel, which I heard was the best in Hokitika, I spied a boy carrying a bundle of newspapers. It was the early edition for the up-country coaches, but I asked if he could spare me a copy. He put one into my hand. ' How much V I asked. ' A snapper.' 'A snapper?' 'Ay—a tizzy.' Understanding this more familiar term, I gave him a shilling. Instead of changing it, he cocked up his knee, slapt the shilling down on it and said ' Cry !' I accordingly cried' Woman!' and won; he loyally returned the coin, and walked off minus the paper."

.£30,000 were paid by the various insurance companies for losses by the great fire at Timaru. A tannery on a very extensive scale is about to be started in Canterbury. The promoters have recently come from Wellington, and have purchased five acres of land on which to erect the necessary works. The firm will operate under the title of Hirst and Co. A Christchurch firm has also purchased an acre of land on the Ferry Eoad for a similar pi irpose. The candidate who opposed Sir George Grey in his candidature for the seat in West Worcestershire, and whose name, fortunately for him, is notgiven, thus revealed his knowledge of colonial history in one of his hustings speeches : —" Sir George Grey no doubt was a clever and eminent statesman, or else he would never have been put in charge of so important a place as New Zealand, but he apprehended that all the connection that Sir George Grey had with that division of the country was in having had charge of all the convicts they had sent there." Tolerably conclusive evidence of the abundance of unemployed educated labor at present to be found in Victoria was afforded recently. The Bank of Victoria advertised for three clerks and two juniors, and it is stated that no less than 480 applications were received. In the Eesident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, the only cases were civil claims, of no interest to the public. Mr Charles Gasquoine, Charleston, has been appointed a Justice of the Peace. Three clerks in the Union Bank at Nelson, Messrs Tregurtha, Butt, and M'Mullen, had their boat capsized when cruising in the bay. Two swam to the buoy; the third clung to the boat; and they were picked up by a boat from the shore. We have received copies of three new journals—the Greymouth Evening Star, the Dunedin Independent, and the Mount Ida ; Chronicle.

Eeferring to the Separation meeting at Westport, the Grey River Argus say:—" We congratulate our friends upon the inauguration of this movement, but we shall have a word to siy shortly as to the proposed boundaries of the new County." A change is about being made in the clerkships at Charleston and Cobden. The Herald says that Mr Bowen has applied to be removed to Cobden, and Mr Lynch, who received instructions some time back that his services would not be required at the end of the financial year, will probably be dispatched to Charleston. The line of coaches between Charleston and Westport is said by the Herald to have again changed hands, Mr Greening having sold his interest to the late driver for Cobb and Co. at Charleston, Mr Simpson. Mr Kieley remains in the firm. A decorative distinction is to be conferred on members of the Militia, Volunteers, or Armed Constabulary exhibiting bravery in action. The decoration is to consist of a silver cross, bearing the name of the colony and the recipient, to be suspended from the left breast by a crimson ribbon.