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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 524, 1 July 1869, Page 2

Every clog lias his day. The dogs of Westport have had theirs as unregistered and unsanotified curs. To-day the Dog Ordinance comes into operation, and henceforth strychnine will, equally with the canine element, become a recognised power in the district. We fear that, to many a familiar and four-footed form, we shall have to hid farewell. Sic transit gloria doggie. We regret to learn of the death of Dr. "Worrall, who was for some time resident in "Westport and in other parts of the West Coast. Dr Worrall died yesterday in the Brighton hospital, where he had been for some weeks, in a very reduced state of health. Professionally Dr Worrall was a man of some ability and experience.

We regret that a paragraph written in correction of a trifling mistake in the report of Mr Denniston's remarks at the late dinner should have been misunderstood by that gentleman. We do not think it always necessary, in a small place like Westport, to main tain the severe and accurate tone which may be the proper characteristic of the Press in other parts ; and the remarks made were nothing more than good-natured friendly " chaff." If Mr Denniston were as well acquainted with the writer as we unfortunately are, he would know that, however numerous may be the writer's moral delinquencies, he is incapable of wilfully wounding the feelings of any one, but especially is he incapable of doing so " after a good dinner."

The following is the amount of the duties collected at the Custom-house, Westport, during the quarter ended the 30th of June: —Customs duties, <£G376 5s 9d; lighthouse dues, ,£26 Cs 9dj arms fees, .£l9 Is; licenses (wines), .£6; gold duty, .£3012 lis 7d. Total, .£9440 5s Id.

A number of people agree in stating that, at five minutes to five o'clock yesterday morning, there was a distinct shock of earthquake. It was followed by a tremendous thunderstorm, which seemed to pass directly over Westport, and which was accompanied by a very heavy rain-fall. For some hours before the shock was felt, or before the storm burst, it was apparent that there were unusual atmospheric influences at work. Many persons complained of unusual nervous depression, which seemed to disappear after the thunder - clouds had passed. A slight shock of earthquake, it is said, was felt on Thursday last, and we notice by telegrams that a shock was distinctly felt on the same day in Nelson and in Dunedin.

Tho value of the imports at Westport during the quarter ended March 31 was .£22,719. The exports for the same period are valued at .£96,591. It was the intention of the Amateur Dramatic Club to have given another performance in the Empire Hall, but they have experienced some difficulty in getting up a suitable " cast," in consequence of the diffidence of the ladies of Westport as amateur dramatists. What is described as a very effective drop-scene has lately been painted for the stage of the Hall, by Mr Green, an accomplished amateur. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Monday, Elisabeth Bartholomew was charged with keeping for sale certain si>iritous liquors, and permitting them to be sold. Mr Tyler, for the defendant, asked that the police should elect either one or other of the charges, and the complaint was confined to the offence of permilting liquor to be sold. The Magistrate remarked that if that offence were proved, tho other was, of course, logically involved. The xsolice called a witness named Julia Murray, but she swore that only four bottles of lemonade, at Is per bottle, had been sold in the defendant's house on the occasion stated in the complaint, to four men who were there playing cards. The defendant's house was a " private house " in Freeman street. There being no other evidence, the case was dismissed. We hear that the contract at Hawk's Crag, on the Buller road, will be completed without any actual gain in opening up the road. Indeed, according to one informant, the Crag will not be touched at all, and a further contract will be necessary. We understand that the body of the man " Yorkey" who was drowned by falling into the Buller at Hawk's Crag, has been found not far from where the accident happened. An unfortunate and fatal accident oc currcd yesterday in one of the claims at Addison's Flat. We believe it was in Tennant and party's claim that the accident happened. The party were at work taking out some of the wash-dirt, which they were sluicing underground, allowing tho water to escape by a tunnel. When so engaged a mass of cement fell, and, striking one Frederick Carpenter on tho upper part of the body, killed him on the spot. Two others of the party were struck, but were, we believe, only slightly injured. Carpenter was a young man, well known in the district, and generally respected. Gladstone street, especially on the westerly side, is fast degenerating into the condition of a quagmire, and the discomfort of wet boots is too easily acquired to be pleasant. Messrs Tonks and Hughes have remedied tho evil, so far as concerns their frontage, by laying down some loads of gravel. The example is worth imitating. At the cost of the Government, Mr Jones, of the Orawaiti Hotel, has lately had the road from Westport to the Orawaiti levelled and cleared of stumps. This work was especially necessary where the Hne of track had been thrown among the sand-hills by the enclosure of Mr Woolfe's paddock, and traffic along the road, either by horse or dray, is now comparatively free from risk* which it was certainly not before, Another improvement in the road to the Caledonian Terrace is the construction of a bridge across the Orawaiti lagoon, where there is at present only a narrow gangway. The convenience of this will be considerable, both to diggers and packers. The work is done at the expense of Mr Maloney, who receives, in consideration of his labor and outlay, the privilege of a publican's license Mr Macandrew has introduced into the General Assembly a Bill to establish special settlements on the west coast of Otago. We learn from the Nelson Examiner that Mr Redwood's colt Manuka has been entered both for the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Metropolitan Stakes. These entries were made by a gentleman in Melbourne on Mr Redwood's behalf; the entries forwarded by Mr Redwood himself were not received before the Melbourne Handicap closed, and it is doubtful whether they will be accepted, although posted be-

fore the day specified. Manuka has grown considerably since his return from Christchurch, and is really a magnificent animal. Something quite new with regard to the manner in which signatures to the Separation petition were obtained is stated by the Wellington correspondent of the Hokitika Daily News. He says:—Yesterday Mr Stafford presented the monster petition from the Nelson Goldfields, in which the petitioners pray that their district may be made a county similar to that of Westland —the southern boundary being the Grey River. The petition is signed by 3003 persons, but the way in which the signatures were obtained is certainly calculated to throw doubt upon their genuineness. It seems that the signatures were paid for at the rate of £25 a thousand, which may account for the singular circumstance of there being only three over the third thousand. The counter-petition, which will be presented shortly, -will contain, I believe, about 3000 signatures, and as for the Greymouth petition that will likewise contain a very fair show of names.

We notice by Wellington papers that the Public Petitions' Committee brought up their report on the Nelson South-West Goldfields petition on Wednesday, the 10th inst. The nature of their report is not stated.

The Greymouth petition for " local selfgovernment" had attached to it 10G2 signatures.

Colonel Whitmore, who is now in Wellington, is gradually recovering from his recent attack of illness.

The Hon. Mr Weld, the newly appointed Governor of Western Australia, was to proceed to Swan Eiver via Adelaide, by the ship City of Adelaide, to leave London on 10th May.

Mr Gibbs, M.P.C., has lately addressed a meeting of electors at Collingwood. In the course of his remarks he said: I opposed numerous petitions for compensation for all manner of imaginary grievances, amongst others, one from Mr. W. Lightband, who, however, got ,£ls, after having got, which he received a commission from the Government to go to the West Coast, with a counter petition to the separation movement. This I think was beyond the duties of the Government, and wring to spend the public money for any such work. I think the West Coast people had a just right as well as any other community who had a grievance topetition, and some of them who differed, to counter-petition, and the people on this side of the Province of course could do the same ; but I contend it is not the work the Government should undertake by paid agents. Of a new rush to the Eight Mile, the W. C. Times says : —"The very latest information from the Eight Mile is that the rush has slightly subsided. The centre of attraction is at Maori Creek, a tributary of the New River, distant three-quarters of a mile from the Eight Mile. Two shafts were bottomed on the terrace on Saturday ; the result, eight grains to the dish. Gold hi also been struck on the terrace on the op posite side of the creek, and, should the load extend upwards, no doubt a large township will soon be formed on the creek and the population doubled. There are now about 500 men on the ground, and two stores. A third building has been commenced, and preparations made for an hotel." A trifling passage of arms bctvreen Mr Gallagher and Mr Macffarlane, in the House of Representatives, is thus referred to by the Wellington correspondent of the Lyltellon Times : —" Mr Gallagher was most unhappy in the short speech he made, needlessly going out of his way to attack Mr Maclfarlanc, of Auckland ; who, in appealing to the chair for protection, so far forgot himself, in the irritation of the moment, as to make an equally offensive retort. MiGallagher, afterwards speaking of the impossibility of working some alluvial districts on the West Coast, raised a smile by an allusion to the advantages of the Government encouraging, by a loan, the turning of the waters of the Nile into the Charleston plains. Old Nile is very popular at home just now, but the oddity of New Zealand proposing a loan for turning its waters into gold-washing purposes seemed to strike most members for the moment as something very comic." A fire broke out at Napier, at three o'clock a.m., on June 16th, in the oil and color shop of Mr Williams, Hasting-street. The store and goods were destroyed, besides a stable belonging to the Bank of New Zealand. The banks and principal shops had a wonderfully narrow escape.