Untitled

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 495, 24 April 1869, Page 2

A meeting of tlio local Education Committee -will be bold tbis day at tbe Courtbouse at 4 o'clock. Tbe public will bear in mind tbat tbe performance of tbe Amateur Dramatic Club takes place on Monday evening, at tbe Masonic Hall. To judge from the rehearsals we can confidently assure any who purpose attending the entertainment, that a really enjoyable programme will be put before them by our local amateurs. "Westport may be said to be somewhat ahead of similar towns in the possession of this description of talent, and from the usefulness of such clubs in aiding the local charities, which has been done here at considerable loss of time and expense to tbe individual nienibers, it is to be hoped they will make an appearance on Monday evening to a crowded audience. Attention is invited to the sale of Messrs Brown, Jones, and Robinson's premises, in Gladstone street, by Mr Munro, on Mon day, at'. wo o'clock. A correspondent writes us from Nelson in the following terms of tbe Duke's visit. " Everything passed off very well, but the expenditure has been something enormous, in fact I might almost say shameful lam told on good authority that tbe house accommodation alone for the one H.R.H. remained in Nelson is .£250, the wine bill about £l3O, and the et ceteras-on a corresponding scale. It is said that £2OOO will not cover the expenses. J. H. Lowe, Esquire, has been appointed a Visiting Justice of the public gaols on the Nelson South-"West Goldfields.

The Bank of New Zealand shipped yesterday per Bruce to Hokitlka 4279 oz. 3 dwis 10 grs of gold. Mr Pitt, solicitor, returned yesterday by the steamer Kennedy, after a month's absence in Wellington, where he added his very valuable quota to the movement of Separation. A "Westport visitor to Nelson, who has just returned, describes the illuminating of the Galatea as the greatest sight during the trip. Those who were at the port to see the Duke start, eagerly watched the light on borad the steamer Lady Barkly as she steamed to the Galatea, and just as she reached the ship's side, the noble vessel shone out in one blaze of light from stem, to stern, from the hull to the royal yards she instantly became a mass of blazing i blue lights. The whole form and rigging of the ship was plainly discernable at a distance of four or five miles, lighted up by hundreds of lights which appeared suddenly, lasting for a few minutes, and, as it were, instantaneously disappeared at the word of command.

In commenting upon the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh, in New Zealand, the Wanganui Times says—" On Sunday last, the Galatea anchored off Wellington, and the first news that reached our Royal visitor was that on the previous day the Hau-haus had attacked Mohaka, and killed 50 or 60 friendly natives—men, women, and children, and captured a large quantity of arms and ammunition. As H.B.H. reads of disaster after disaster, massacre after massacre, will it not arouse a feeling of indignation in his generous and manly breast, and will he not receive our invitations to haUs and festivities as any man of true spirit would receive an invitation to dance at a funeral ? Would he not consider it more manly and self-reliant on the part of the colonists to find the reirresentatives of the people and the Government of the colony in Parliament assembled, devising means to repel aggression, suppress rebellion, and punish the miscreants who have committed such atrocities upon her Majesty's subjects!'' Would he not rather see the men of the Galatea throwing a broadside into those miscreants, or grappling with them "hand to hand," than see them engaged in mock festivities ?

A vacancy in the Provincial Council of Nelson lias arisen through the resignation of S. Kingdon, Esq. -whose health will not permit him to attend to the duties. We understand it is the intention of Mr Luckie to offer himself as a candidate. The nomination day is fixed for Saturday, and the polling day for Monday nest, at Nelson. A proclamation appears in tho Provincial Gazelle of Tuesday last, repealing certain clauses in the Mining Kules and Regulations of the District, and substituting in lieu thereof, a clause to come in force on the Ist of Juno next, to the effect that persons engaged in tunnelling to strike gold may be protected in the occupancy of a claim of a depth of 1,000 feet from the mouth of the tunnel, and a frontage of the length allowed in ordinary claims by Section 11. Clause 1. There are further clauses in reference to the registration and marking of such claims, particulars of which will be published on an early date.

A circular has been forwarded to the various Banks in the Colony from the Colonial Secretary's Office, informing them that advances of any kind in tbe way of overdraft or otherwise to Provincial Executives are illegal. A Gazette, dated Friday last, gives the Revenue and Expenditure of tbe Province for the quarter ended the 31st March. The total receipts amounted to £38,814 12s lid. against an expenditure of £23,153 3s 7d. The overdraft at the bank, which, on the 31st of December last, amounted to £22,459 2s Cd., was reduced at the end of last quarter to £6,827 13s 2d., and this, says the Examiner, represents as near as may be the true indebtedness of the province at that particular moment. The Nelson Mail in noticing the meeting recently held at Brighton, in reference to the closing of tbe R.M. and Warden's Courts there, says : —" "We understand that the grievance complained of is an entirely imaginary one, as the office is not closed, the Court being still held twice a week. The office of clerk has certainly been done away with, but the Sergeant of Police has been instructed to act in that capacity, and is authorised to issue miners' rights. We are further informed that the Warden has expressed himself entirely satisfied with the new arrangement." The Wanganui Chronicle states that the Government is anxious to charter the s.s. Wanganui for tbe purpose of military transport. This may be taken as indicativo of tbe fact, which is but too apparent, that there is no prospect of a speedy termination of the war but rather that its prolongation is indefinite. The negotiations with the "Wanganui dbectora are still in progress.

Among the loot found by the expedition up the Waitotara river tbe other day, was a canoe load of bibles, which showed no indications of having been studied by the natives, who rather, it would seem, had preserved them too carefully. They are supposed to have been distributed ten or fifteen years ago.

The Government is determined to lose no time in pushing on the telegraph between Wanganui and Wellington, and, for the earlier completion of communication, have decided upon working from cither end. Tenders for the supply of 900 poles, are required before the Bth of May, and the several contracts have to bo fulfilled by the middle of July. The line will pass through Tautaenui on its way to the ferry at the Rankitikei river.

We have just heard (says the Clarence Examiner') of an almost unparalelled instance of the length of time in which a man lost in the bush of Australia was able to subsist, and, though picked up in a very emaciated eon-

dition, is now Under the charge of Dr Croft in a fair way of recovery. The name of the unfortunate wanderer is Allen George Ansell, who had been engaged shearing in New England, and was en route to the Clarence River, when after leaving Major Parke's station at Guy Fawkes, on the Armidale road, he got off the track, and was lost in tho bush for 28 days, during which time Ansell subsisted on wattle gum, sarsaparilla leaves, and a few lizards, and was ultimately picked up on the sea coast, seven miles from Mr Devilin'a station, iu a very exhausted state. Ansell had given himself up, and had scratched his name and place of birth on the back of a small looking-glass, requesting any one who might find his remains, to have the notice published iu the newspapers. Ansell states that, owing to the late rains, he was never a day without water, to which cause, Dr Croft believes the preservation of life was mainly due.