The Westport Times. TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 526, 6 July 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1869.

The Fourth of July (over the memorable character of which, in connection with democratic institutions, it is not necessary in these parts of the world to " gush " very violently) happened this year on a Sunday. Consequently on that day there was, among the few " American men" in Westport, only a subdued recognition of the " glorious " reminiscences associated with the occasionBut yesterday this recognition was more ample and satisfactory. "We know, at least, of one gun having been fired with an emphasis and a quantity of powder which, but for a considerate Providence, might have made the Fourth of July a memorable day for the amateur artilleryman's relations, " his heirs and assigns." "We know, also, of diligent search having been made for an American ensign, but without success except in one solitary instance, and that was in the case of a " bright particular star " the cutter Satellite— whose skipper had the good fortune to be possessed of the American insignia—the Stars and Stripes—and who permitted them to float proudly on the breeze amidst the solitude and seclusion of the Lagoon. We know also of the enthusiasm having reached so high a pitch that, at one period of the day, there was a social dinner-party arranged for, at which it would have been gratifying to us to have reported the eloquent declamations of all the live American gentlemen who could have been gathered together; but Providence again interposed, and the humble proposition of man subsided before some vastly superior influence—not improbably, pale brandy. For this disappointment, there were ' retributive threats of indulgence in "Welsh rabbits" and champagne, but to what extent such deeds of violence to true-born American stomachs were absolutely carried out, we are not in a position positively to say. We can say this much, however, that, unequal to the occasion as the American head or stomach may have been, the American heart was " all there " —you bet. If the flesh was weak, there was no fault in the strength or willingness of the spirit; and, to a democratic disposition, it must have been equally gratifying to find that the true-born American did not stand alone in his enthusiastic admiration of the institutions of his country. The number of people who had ancestors or cousins in America, or who had visited, read of, or heard of, that great continent, was really astounding for such a small community as that of Westport ; and, under all the circumstances, Westport may justly bo proud of its observance of the Fourth of July. " It did its level best."

There was a charge of bigamy among the cases on the charge-sheet in the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. The person against whom the charge was brought is one Thomas Braithwaite, and he is charged with having married Elisabeth Alice M'Gee, while a former wife, Flora Braithwaite, was alive. About two years ago Braithwaite was a miner on the Caledonian Terrace, in this neighbourhood, and ho is accused of having married the then Miss Elisabeth Alice M'Gee, at Charleston, in January last year. Either with or after him, and as Mrs. Braithwaite, the lady proceeded to California, but, after a lapse of a few mouths, she re. tiu-ned to Westport, and is now the hostess of the Prince Alfred Hotel, "Westport. Previously she had been for several years, as barmaid, in the emloy of Messrs Tonks and Hughes, at Westport and in Groymouth. Subsequently, Braithwaite seems to have returned to the Colony. Previous to that—in February, ISGS—information of his having committed bigamy was communicated to the police at Christchurch by a person giving the name of Flora Braithwaite, who alleged that she had been married to him at Castlemaine, in the year 1862. Of this charge the police in Westport received information, and they ascertained that, on Saturday, he had arrived in town by the steamer Kennedy from Hokitika or Greymouth. In the evening he entered the Prince Alfred Hotel, and, while there, did what indirectly led to his arrest. The circumstance, of course, forms no part of the present charge against him, but it is stated that after entering the house, which he did not do without the surveillance of the police, he took advantage of the hostess's temporary absence from the sitting-room to go upstairs. There, according to information to the police, he endeavoured to appropriate some of the hostess's anoney, but was prevented from getting more than some silver, and she was compelled to seek the assistance of the police, to remove him from the house. The police not only gave such assistance, but arrested him on the higher charge of bigamy, all proof of which has yet to be produced, as the witnesses have to be brought from Charleston and from Christchurch. The parties being well known, the case naturally excites some local interest.

By thj steamer Kennedy on Saturday, Jchn Ogden- and George Lowe, who had been committed for trial at Cobden for the recent highway robbery in the Grey district, were brought to "Westport, to be lodged in the jail here, until the next sitting of the District Court. They were brought up under charge of Detective Lambert, by whom the prisoners had been arrested on the 21st of June, the day after the robbery. The witnesses against them are Evan Davis (the man who was robbed), Duncan Oswald, Nichol Brown, James Armstrong, Charles Helmsby, and John Dent. It will be seen by our telegraphic news that Mr Gisborne, late Under Secretary, has been made a Legislative Councillor,

and appointed Colonial Secretary. Mr Fox, we presume, will still be Premier. The other members of the Government are Mr Vogel, Colonial Treasurer, Mr M'Lean, Native Minister, and Mr. J. Cargill, Post-master-General. Mention is not yet made of the Commissioner of Customs. Mr Knowles, who has been appointed Under Secretary, has for a long series of years been Clerk to the Superintendent of "Wellington, and is most intimately acquainted with official routine and Colonial affairs. His correspondence to the Otago Daily Times was long a feature of that journal. Among the civil cases at the Eesident Magistrate's Court, reported on Saturday, there was one between Jules Simon and William "Williams, in which a great part of the account was for retail drinks. Yesterday, on the case being recalled, Mr Tyler intimated that he had given notice of discontinnance of the action, to Mr Pitt, the defendant's solicitor. It should be stated that the liquors sold and charged for were not supplied to the defendant himself, but to another person, and, as he states, regardless of a written caution, after a certain date, that they should not be so supplied. The Postmaster expects to be able to despatch a mail to Hotitika by the Kennedy, before the end of the week, and in time for the despatch of the English mail. The population on the Great North Lead will be gratified to know that, at last, tenders have been called for, for the construction of a track to Deadman's Creek.

A worthy example has been shown to the inhabitants of Westport by the people of Greymouth, who, at a public meeting, have resolved to form a new company, with a local directory, to work the Grey coal-mine and construct a railway to the Arnold. The subject deserves to be referred to by us again, and at some length. Three persons—John M'Leod, Mary Gordon, and her child, Thomas Gordon—hare been killed by an extensive landslip at the Thames diggings. The Dunedin Evening Star has been incorporated with the Evening Independent, and is now published in an enlarged form, under new management. The English newspapers received by the last month's mail only arrived in Westport on Saturday, along with several weeks' mails from Australia. Messrs Spenco Brothers and Co.'s barque Nightingale arrived in Hobson's Bay from Port Natal, after a smart run of thirtythree days. She brought ninety passengers, the greater number of whom were disappointed diggers. The total quantity of flax exported from the colony during the quarter ending on the 31st March last was 3S0 J f tons, representing a money value of ,£7GI4. Of this amount Auckland contributed ,£S4SO, Lyttelton £IG4O, Dunedin .£444, and Wellington .£SO. The value per ton was thus about X'2o Os 7d.

From Stewart's Island, the Southland Times learns that Buckley's party are still working at Euggcdy Beach and Smoky Cove, and are making wages. Another party of diggers, from Orepuki, are also on the island, onaprospecting expedition. They are now on the southern coast, but whether successful in discovering gold or not is yet unknown. Alexander Johnston, who, it will bo remembered, was arrested in Melbourne on a charge of embezzlement at the Grey, has been committed for trial for the offence. He is now lodged in the County Gaol, Ilokitika. Mr Coggins, assistant to Mr Luke, chemist, of Oaraaru, has, according to the local journal, discovered a solvent by which the fibre of the phormium tenax is completely cleansed of gum and all foreign matter by steeping for a few hours, and that entirely without the aid of machinery. The cost, it is said, does not exceed one farthing per pound. If this be not a too favorable estimate, there can bo no doubt of the importance of the discovery.