The Westport Times. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 501, 8 May 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1869.

An unfortunate accident happened on Thursday to a miner named Francis Stellard, belonging to Graham's party, Gilos Terrace. He was at work in the tunnel when a portion of the roof gave way, falling upon him, and crushing him severely. He was brought to the Westport Hospital, and, when reeeived, he was insensible and apparently considerably injured, but he has since given symptoms of sensibility and of ultimately recovering. William Williamson, who was lately brought to the Hospital, suffering from injuries similarly received at the Caledonian Terrace, is not yet out of danger, but is partially sensible and is progressing favorably. Preparations are being made for a concert to be given on Thursday next, for the benefit of the funds of the Hospital. The concert will be held in. the Masonic Hall, and will be the amateur effort of a number of ladies and gentlemen accomplished either as vocal or instrumental musicians. They have for some time been rehearsing the choruses, glees, and solos which compose the programme, and we believe that, both from the selections made and the attention which has been paid to practice by the amateur performers, the concert, so far as they are concerned, is certain to prove a success. It is to be hoped that, by the patronage of the pubMc, it will be equally successful otherwise, and that a substantial addition will be made to the funds of an institution which has not lately been made the object of any contribution from the inhabitants of the town.

The Separation. Committee met on Wednesday evening at the Post-Office Hotel. The members present were Mr Robert Whyte, who was in the chair, and Messrs Braithwaite, O'Conor, Bullen, and Lloyd. The Chairman, as one of the subcommittee appointed to obtain signacures to the petition, explained that business engagements had interfered with the committee carrying out the purpose of their appointment. Mr O'Conor gave notice of a motion, or what may be n ore properly called a resolution, to this effect:— " Unless the members of the Separation Committee who have undertaken to collect signatures in town do not do so, I shall commence to do so myself." He added, as a "rider," the words " Wake up," to which appeal the snb-committee will probably give their attention when the weather becomes more favourable to out-door visitations. There was some conversation among the members of the Committee as to the propriety of soliciting the Amateur Dramatic Club to give a performance in aid of the funds required for the promotion of the object of the Separation petition, but there was no motion made on the subject. After some other matters of detail, the meeting was adjourned. We understand that a committee has been formed at Addison's Flat for the purpose of collecting funds in aid of the Grattan Memorial Fund, which has lately been inaugurated in Dublin. Of course, the committee will be glad to receive subscriptions from other parts of the district. Communication between Westport and Charleston has been kept up with some difficulty and risk, and not without an accident, during the past week of wind and rain. On Tuesday, Messrs Simpson and Keiley's coach was nearly " coming to grief" by fouling a snag when fording the Totara, but any serious accident to it or its fair occupants was averted by the active exertions of the driver and ferryman. On the same day, Messrs Kimmer and Forder's car was boated over safely. On Thursday the river was successfully crossed by the coach being floated over—an experiment which required some ingenuity, and which was fortunately siiccessful. Rimmer and Forder's new vehicle became unmanageable, was washed away by the heavy flood in the river, and is understood to be lost. Mr Reeves has been elected a member of the Westland County Council, after a keen contest. The numbers were—Reeves, 129; Cassius, 120. A poll was not demanded for Mr Shaw, but there were two votes recorded for him.

A Quadrille Assembly has for some time been projected as a means of relieving the tedium of the winter months, and making people more sociable than they are in "Westport. To assist the movement, Mr Emanuel, of the Little Grey Hotel, announces an initiatory and select ball for Monday evening. The ball to be held at the Hibernia Hotel last night, which was no night for a ball, has been postponed till Tuesday. Some idea of the workings of joint stock companies in London, and the fearful depression which has been felt lately in the commercial world, may be gleaned from the following extract, taken from the private letter of a London merchant:—" We have had three years' depression here, without the slightest rally, whicb has Vnocked over hundreds and thousands of families who thought their work was done. Overend and Gurney's failure led to it all, since which we have had such terrible disclosures of joint stock mismanagement that confidence is shattered, and will, I fear, be so for some time. The retail trade is the only portion that is flourishing, and retailers are getting enormous profits. I think this arises from the fact that educated, honorable men are deserting the ranks of trade, and as it is left in the bands of the coarse and uneducated, and they having neither mercy nor conscience get all they can. The consequence of this state of high prices is bad to persons of fixed incomes, and they are

suffering very much. London is also much overbuilt in offices. Hundreds are unlet, and the shares in tho City Office Company, with .£3O paid-up, are not worth £7. Yet these buildings are in the very centre of business, viz., Lombard, Bishopgate, Fenchurch streets, &c." AEEIVAL OP THE ALITAMBEA AT HOKITIKA. MELBOUENE NEWS TO 30th APKLL. I THE BEIBEET COMMISSION. ME. BUTTEES, M.L.A., EXPELLED. HUGH GLASS COMMITTED TO GAOL. BAD NEWS PEOM NATAL. SEEIOUS TEOTJBLES AND HUEEICANES IN EIJI. THE EANDWICK EACES. EEESH GOLD DISCOVEEY IN QUEENSLAND. OIL SPEINGS FOUND xs SOUTH AUSTEALIA. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) (from our own correspondents.) Welxincton, Friday. Mr William Eobinson, Cheviot, and Mr James O'Neill, Auckland, have been summoned to the Legislative Council. The Napier militia has been disbanded temporarily. The "Wellington Provincial Council has been dissolved. Hokitika, Friday. The s.s. Alhambra arrived in the roadstead on Wednesday evening. She left Melbourne on the 30th, and had a fine passage across, but particulars of her voyage are not to hand in time to be telegraphed. Her mails were landed this morning. Melbourne, April 23 to 30.

Further action taken in the Assembly with reference to past proceedings of Mr Butters, the late Mayor of Melbourne, and member for Portland, terminated in his being expelled from the House. Mr C. E. Jones was favorably received at Ballarat after his expulsiom from the House. Butters also offers himself for reelection at Portland.

Captain Mathews, Lloyd's agent, has died. Further later news has been received from Natal. The news as to the goldfields is unfavourable. Great distress prevails among the diggers who had arrived from Australia, New Zealand, and other parts. Ah Coy, the late Chinese interpreter, had been sentenced to four years' imprisonment for swindling his countrymen. .

Schafer, the German traveller, lias been released from custody, and a subscription is being made on his behalf. News has been received of serious troubles in Fiji. The company which had been formed have not been able to give (get ?) the land which they had purchased, and a Native war has commesced. Bowman, who was connected with the bribery cases investigated by the Assembly, has been reprimanded by the Houso.

Hugh Q-lass and Quarterman, two large Victorian squatters, have been committed to Melbourne gaol by the House of Assembly for bribery to some of its members. The result of the division on the question of their committal was—Ayes, 34; Noes, 29.

Commercial.—Flour (Victorian) £l3 to £l3 103. Wheat in request at 5s 7d to 5s 9d. Of oats six thousand bushels (New Zealand) were sold at 3s lOd. Sydney, April 23 to 30. Advices from Fiji state that hurricanes have devastated several of the islands. Fighting had commenced at Luva. The Bishop of Newcastle has delivered a charge in which he denounces the ritualistic tendencies of ministers and members of the Church of England. Mr Murray, formerly of Tasmania, has commenced proceedings against Mr Parkes, the late Colonial Secretary, for statements made in the Assembly during the debate on the Conspiracy Eeport.

The railway is to be extended to Goulburn on the 26th of May. The Randwick races took place on April 27th and 28th, with the following results: —

Champagne Stakes : Lamplighter, 1. Fop, 2. Charon, 3. The Leoee : Coquette, 1. Earl, 2. Maiden Plate : Earl, 1. Gasworks, 2.

The Gold Cup : Bard, 1. Stumpy, 2. Tim Whiffler, 3. Queensland, April 24. Gold has been discovered at Mount Wyatt, in the Port Denison district.

Adelaide, April 23 to 30. Eavorable news has been received from the Northern Territory. Madame Anna Bishop's concerts are crowded nightly.

The Governor has returned from his Northern tour.

The Government has applauded the Commission appointed to inquire into the system of keeping the public accounts.

The Bishop of Adelaide has condemned ritualistic practices. Oil springs have been discovered at the junction of Reedy Creek and the Coorong.

High floods have occurred in the Darling, Bogau, and Warrego districts.