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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 498, 1 May 1869, Page 2

A public meeting was held at the Post Office Hotel, on Wednesday evening last, to receive the report of the Provisional Committee, and to take further steps towards the formation of the proposed company for providing a steamer for the use of the port and district. Mr Alcorn occupied the chair. The Honorary Secretary, Mr Lloyd, brought up the report, which was adopted, after which, resolutions were passed that a company under the provisions of the Limited Liability Act should be formed—capital £3OOO, in 300 shares of £lO each, with power to increase the number. The following gentlemen were elected Provisional Directors to carry out the scheme : Westport—Messrs Humphrey, Powell, and Lloyd; Charlesbon—Messrs Bridson and Masters ; Brighton—Mr Thirle.

We understand that a Nelson tender for the -work of making the track along Hawk's Crag has been accepted. The successfnl tenderer is Mr Charles Bray, and the amount of his tender is .£l9B. It appears that tenders were received at Nelson as well as at Westport, hut those received at Westport were, as has been stated, considerably higher than the estimate. We can scarcely suppose that the Government has acted otherwise than in good faith with the contractors, but the ignorance which prevails as to whether the tenders were opened simultaneously, and as to the fact of tenders having been received in Nelson, is the cause of considerable dissatisfaction among those who sent in tenders. The Rev. Mr Walsh will officiate in the Roinan Catholic Church to-morrow morning.

Some important alterations in the rules regarding tunnels, and the registration and marking of claims, appear in our advertising columns, as proclaimed by His Honor the Superintendent.

Michael Sullivan and his mates are the party by whom a new lea d of gold has been struck at the Bald Hill, towards Addison : s Flat. We are without any further particulars as to the prospects.

Another seam of coal has been discovered in the neighbourhood of that lately found by Honess, above the Caledonian Terrace. With these indications of the presence of coal, it would be well if the neighbourhood were to be more thoroughly prospected.

Several subscribers to the fund for the erection of an English Church in Westport have inquired of us how it is that nothing is now heard of the project We are not in a position to inform them of the reasons of the delay, or of the abandonment of the design, if it is abandoned. Perhaps the custodians of the fund may explain in what position the matter stands. It is intended to hold a meeting at Milne's Albion Hotel, on Monday next, with the object of organising a race meeting to be held on the Queen's Birth-day, and with the further object of, if possible, forming a Jockey Club from among the lovers of the turf in the district.

From our Charleston correspondent we have the following items of news:—A present of a valuable ring will be made on Saturday evening to Mr George Maile, miner, of Deep Lead, at the Wellington Hotel, Beach Street, in acknowledgment of the recovery by him of the body of David Sanderson, who was lately drowned in the Second Bay, whilst bathing.—The store and stock of Mr Keenan were sold this day (Thursday,) by public auction, by Mr Isaacs.

Only a few of the English papers brought by the last mail were received in Westport yesterday. The mail arrangements seem to be getting into a chronic state of disorder. The Westport mails, as a rule, are sent to Nelson, and this month the Greymouth and Hokitika papers were sent on to Lyttelton, to recross the country by road. The Dunedin people have also had to complain that the Alhambra, which landed their mail at Hokitika, reached Otago after making the round of the ports, while the mail was resting somewhere inland. The steamer Omeo sailed from Hokitika without receiving any of her passengers on board. Mr Sale, and others who intended sailing by the Great Britain, were among the disappointed ones.

At the Cobden Police Court, last week, a civil case was tried which created great interest. A person named Birch sued one Boase for £9O odd for wages alleged to be due and sworn to as such. Boase, says the Grey River Argus, denied the claim, and stated that the plaintiff was his partner, and in proof thereof produced an account receipted by the plaintiff, and signed by him Boase and Co. At the conclusion of the evidence, the Resident Magistrate, in dismissing the case, addressing Birch, said it was very clear to him that gross perjury had been committed, and ordered him to be taken into custody, which was done. The reports from Moonlight Creek are not of the most flourishing nature —few rien being now upon the ground, and fewer still getting gold. The entire population of this once populous district does not amount to more than seventy in all, and this includes storekeepers, butchers, &c. The W. C. Times informs ua that the enterprising shareholders in the Royal Standard claim, on Jones Flat, have at last commenced to reap their reward. They have been for the last twelve months or more sinking and driving, and have now

got on good gold under the •water, at a depth of 843 feet. They sunk their shaft near the terrace, and drove to their own claim, a distance of over 330 feet, and are now working quite dry, while thousands of tons of water are above them.

The following further particulars of the last Maori massacre on the East Coast have been received : —The bodies of Mr Lavin, his wife, and Cooper, were found in the scrub ten chains from their dwelling. Mr Lavin was pierced by five balls, and his wife had received two in the breast; his arm was round her. Cooper was shot with three balls. Lavin's children, when killed, were playing by a pond in Cooper's garden. The youngest had a miniature boat in its hand, and the two eldest had several bayonet wounds. Wilkinson, who was lame, is believed to have been burned in Stark's house. The nomination of a member of the Westport County Council, in the room of Mr Sale, took place at Hokitika on Wednesday. On a show of hands being taken, there were—for Cassius 49, for Eeeves 13, for Shaw 9. A poll was demanded on behalf of Mr Eeeves. It takes place on Wednesday next. A meeting was to beheld at Greymouth last evening, " to consider the advisability of petitioning the General Assembly as to ths formation of a separate county, from the Teremakau to the Bazorbaek." Naturally both the Greymouth papers have articles favourable to the project. To the articles and the subject we shall again have occasion to refer. Another disastrous fire has occurred in Auckland, this time in Wakefield street. Eight houses were destroyed :—Mr Walters' brick bakery, Mr Thome's store, Mr Plumley's house, the Charlemont Hotel, Mr M'Kerras' cottages, and Protestant Hall. The house property and furniture destroyed are valued at between £6OOO and ,£7OOO.