Untitled

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 514, 8 June 1869, Page 2

The people of Canterbury have had two calamities in one day—an earthquake by which the city of Chris fcchurch was severely shaken, and the news of the loss of the ship Bluejacket by fire, on her homepassage from Lyttclton. The los 3of the Blue Jacket was directly accompanied by three deaths among her crew and passengers, and two boats containing members of her crew only are unaccounted for. Her cai-g-o consisted of 15 boxes of bullion, belonging to the Bank of New Zealand, and 5000 bales of wool, besides flax and other produce. A lady who for some time resided with the Rev. Mr Harvey, Westport, was a passenger by the Blue Jacket.

We understand that the foundation stone or foundation pile of the new English church at Westport is to be laid, with proper ceremony, on Saturday nest. At Broken Leg Terrace, Moiihinui, where a prospecting claim was last week granted, one or two parties are understood to have bottomed, but, they had not got prospects equal to those in the first claim. They are now, however, tunnelling into the terrace on each side of the prospectors'

claim, and a week or two will test the question whether tlio lead discovered is of any extent.

A fine specimen of nuggetty gold, including one nugget of Oozs in weight, was brought to town on Saturday by a party working in the Waitnangoroa river. The party—Symsand araan named " Yorkey"— had driven a fifty foet tunnel into the river bank, among heavy boulders and rock, and they there obtained sixteen ounces of gold, all of a nuggetty description. Their clahn is not far from the quartz-reef. Judging by the character of the reef itself, aud by such finds as these, there should be more gold in the lower part of the Waimangoroa than has ever been found there. We hear that the party who have, for a number of months, been putting in a tunnel two thousand feet in length, from the sea-face of Giles Terrace, have at length struck gold. It is sincerely to be hoped, after the labor they have been at, that it will prove thoroughly payable. There seems to be considerable passenger traffic between Westport and Charleston at present. Yesterday, Messrs Simpson and Keiley drove a six-horse coach to Charleston containing fifteen passengers, and on Sunday thirteen passengers -were brought up to Westport by a similar conveyance.

The Hospital Concert Sub-Committee report the following as the result of the entertainment lately given in the Masonic Hall by a number of the ladies and gentlemen of Westport and Charleston:—Eeceipts, £44 12s Gd ; disbursements, £7 13s ; balance to credit, £'3G 19s Gd. A numerously signed memorial has, we understand, through Mr Beauchanrp, surveyor, been presented to the Vv r ardon, for transmissiontothe Superintendent. It prays for the formation of a road from the junction of the Caledonian -track round the foot of the terraces to the Yv r aimaugoroa. There is no doubt that, as the memorial slates, the inconveniences which miners on these northern terraces are compelled to undergo are very considerable, and they will be still greater as the season advances. It is also true that such a track would, in all probability, be the means of developing an extensive tract of auriferous country. Besides, such a road might be made, and should be made, the basis of a tramway to the Mount Eoelifort coal-field. We expected to have seen such a track included in the proposals by one or other of the members for the Euller in the Provincial Council, but it may be that it is included in the original estimate of expenditure by the Government, and, if that is the case, it is certainly preferable to being included in the supplementary estimates, as to the expenditure of which the public faith is, indeed, very small. V.'e notice by returns published by the Government that, at the Westport Postoffice, during the quarter ending April 30, there were issued 192 post-office orders, amounting to ,£907 19s 7s, while 3G orders were paid, amounting to .£137 lis 2d.

The import duties at Westport during the first quarter of the year amounted to .£5319. Of tills amount i-330S was paid on spirits alone. In the Warden's Court, yesterday, Cohort Bingham and William Daters were summoned by Charles Norman for injury done to his claim by a dam and by obstructing German creek. At the close of the evidence, the complainant ashed that the Warden should visit tho ground before giving his decision, and the "Warden considered that the case was of such importance as to warrant an adjournment for that purpose. The defendant would, however, have to bear tho costs of the hearing, as he might have made the same request previously. In another between K. M'Leod v. D. M'Marian, for injury to a dam, the defendant made the same request, and the ground being in the same neighbourhood, the Warden agreed to visit it, and to give his decision in both cases on the same clay. The Treasurer of the Hospital acknowledges tho receipt of ,£1 from Mr John Harris, received by him from the Coroner on account of an inquest held at the Nation xl Hotel.

Mr Jackson, who is at present in Nelson, on behalf of the Charleston Water-Kace Company, called a meeting, which was held at the Masonic Hall there, on Saturday evening, for tho purpose of explaining the scheme and its probable results.

The total deposit in Post-oiEco Savings' Banks during the quarter ending March 31, was ,£09,510. Duriug the same quarter lasi year the amount was ,£39,732. In the "VVestport bank there were 141 depositors, whose deposits amounted to ,£2031 ISs; at Charleston 101 depositors, to the amount of £IBO2 17s; in Greymouth, 171 deposi tors, to the amount of £ 1-209; at Hokitika 257 depositors, to the amount of £3990; and at Nelson G7 depositors, to the amount of £l2-13.

Westport, for the quarter ending March 31, docs not figure so prominently as usual as a port of export for gold. In that time it exported 23,2090z5, to which, as the produce of the Buller district, or partly so, may he added 30140zs exported from Nelson. Greymouth exported 19,0350z5, the produce of Nelson Province, and 99910zs the produce of "Westland. Hokitika exported 32,1G90z5, and Dunedin 35,8990z5. The Nelson South-west Goldfields exported altogether 43,2550z5, while Westland exported a total of 43,2580z5. The exports from Dunedin represent the total from Otago. Prom Auckland the exports were 41,6740zs for the quarter. The Nelson South-west Goldfields continue thus to he the richest goldfield in the colony. A very sad accident has happened to a young lady engaged in the capacity of governess to the family of Mr Mark Sprot, Hokitika. "Whilst riding with some friends on the Chriatchureh road, her horse ran

away with her. She attempted to throw herself out of the saddle, but her right leg was caught, at the ancle, by the horn, and in this condition she was dragged for some short distance. She was found to have sustained a compound dislocation of the ancle-joint, with fracture, of one of the bones of the leg. An attempt is being made to save the limb, under the new method of treatment by carbolic acid, which, it is thought, will be successful, although, under the old method of treatment amputation would have been necessary at once, as affording the only reasonable chance of saving the patient's life. Two men named respectively Gardner and Eeehaa, alias Clarke, were on Friday last brought up at the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Greenstone, charged with committing the outrage on Eosa Eoyle, the particulars of which we recently recorded. It turned out that these men were not the guilty parties, and they were accordingly discharged. It appeared that the fellows who perpetrated the crime assumed the names of theso men, and the description given of their appearance tallying closely with that of the personated parties, the latter were apprehended. Notwithstanding this clover manceuvre, the criminals are not likely to remain much longer at large, as the police, to whom their real names are known, are on their track.

A pleasure party left Greymouth on Sunday week for Hokitika by the p.s. Yarra. While returning on horseback, Mrs Goff of the Victoria Hotel was tin-own, and kicked about the face and bedy. She was severely injured, being much cut and bruised and shaken, and was brought home in the evening in a dray.

Tlio Melbourne Age reports:—A default- ! ing dandy was attempting to " cut a dash " at the Earl of Zetland Hotel, on Monday evening, and was showing off his powers as billiard player, when a quiet-looking man standing near asked his name. The youngman replied that his name was " Arthur Murray," but the quiet-looking gentleman, who was not to bo shaken off, intimated that he was a detective very urgently in want of him on a charge of embezzling ,£37 103 at Greymouth, in New Zealand. The levanter went with him and was lodged in the watchhouso, whence he was brought before the City Court yesterday, and remanded to Greymouth.—The prisoner, a young man named Johnston, was brought to Greymouth by the Alhambra. Taranaki boasts of a lady acutionoer, and Lower Eangitikei, not to be outdone, has acquired a lady poundkeeper, his Honor the Superintendent having conferred that office on Mrs Isabella Bevan.

The Greymouth petition for the separation from Kelson of the district south of the Eazorback, was fmally adopted at a meeting ou Tnursday, and has boon forwarded to Wellington by the Alhambra. Mr Beaumont, the well-! nown opera singer, who was one of the Lyster Company, died in the early part of this year in California.

Late despatches from Earl Granville to Governor Bowen comment with considerable asperity on the scarcity or presumed inaccuracy of the Governor's letters respecting the Native war.

Sir Joseph Simmonds, Nelson, writing to the Colonist on the Superintendent's speech, says:—"While upon the question of Separotion, let me ask, what has been done by our Superintendent to prevent it ? I have made every possible enquiry, and I find nothing whatever. I have failed to learn that his Honor has once visited the SouthWest Goldfields, for the purpose of explaining away any false impression that may have given rise to the Separation movement. It appears to me, the matter has been allowed to smoulder on, and only when it bursts into flame docs he step forward, expressing his regret, and threatening, as it were, to coerce the people of the SouthWest Golddelds into subjection. Had the Superintendent exercised a moderate amount of energy with a conciliating spirit, the question of Separation might have been a thing of tho past; but unfortunately, conciliation is not tho forte of the present Superintendent."