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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 527, 8 July 1869, Page 2

Mr Hughes, as Captain of the Fire Brigade, accompanied by Mr Carr, Mr Field, and others, has been endeavouring during the past week to get a guarantee from propertyholders of an amount of money sufficient, along with the Government subsidy of J3IOO, to purchase a fire-engine or such apparatus as may be necessary for the Brigade. They have been so far successful, but might be more so, and would require to be much more so, if their object is at all to be carried out. We believe that when the Provincial Council voted the £IOO, there were no conditions specified in the motion, but it was distinctly asked by Mr M'Dowell in aid of a fund to purchase a fire-engine, and the public subscriptions would, of course, require to bear about the ordinary proportion of such subscriptions, compared with Government subsidies. We hope to be able to report a still more satisfactory result to the canvass for subscriptions than we are able to do at present. The committee appointed by members of the Presbyterian church, for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of encourage v ent likely to be given to the settlement of a Presbyterian clergyman here, met in Mr Fraser's school-room on Monday evening, and they reported to a general meeting that they felt justified in stating that £2OO and a free house could be guaranteed to any clergyman who might be settled in Westport. This, of course, was stated as the minimum. The Hon. Secretary, Mr Whyte, was instructed to communicate the same to the Clerk of the Presbytery, which was speedily done, as the Rev. Mr Shirriffs happens to hold that office, and it was he who had visited Westport to maVe inquiries on the subject. The Rev. Mr. Shirriffs has since left for Nelson by the s.s. Murray. There have been two slight alarms of fire during the week. One night there was a blaze from a defective chimney at the National Hotel, and a crowd was attracted, but it was only a blaze, and steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence of danger. On Tuesday, during the temporary absence of Mr Haller, the tobacconist, a chimney on his premises took fire, but the smoke was noticed early, and the fire was prevented from spreading. During the night of the late thunderstorm, an aerolite, "fire-ball," "thunderbolt," or whatever it may be called, burst immediately over the brigantine Mary, then off Westport; and naturally caused some astonishment, if not alarm. It was at first supposed that the ship had been struck, which would have been serious, as she had a large quantity'of gun-powderon board, but fortunately no damage was done. There has lately been some excitement in Christchurch about the discovery of gold in the Malvern Hills. The reward of £2OO was claimed by Do Bourbel and party, and a rush set in, but the claim has since been withdrawn. There seems to be gold in the neighbourhood, but that it is payable has yet to be proved. Mr Redwood's horse Manuka is entered for the Melbourne Cup, and for the Metropolitan Handicap at Sydey. For Melbourne he is weighted 9st 41b, and for Sydney Bst 21b. For the Melbourne Cup the Barb is weighted list 71b, Glencoe list, and Tim Whiffler lOst 71b.

Our telegram of Tuesday, as to Mr Gisborne being made Colonial Secretary, is explained by the intimation that Mr Fox is Premier, without a portfolio. Dr Giles, P.M., visited Charleston yesterday, and was to deliver a lecture there in the evening. Telegraphic communication between Hokitika and Christchurch was interrupted yesterday. The late earthquake seems to have been sharply felt in Otago. At Queenstown it was severely felt, and the lake was greatly disturbed. At the Dunstan the buildings rocked, and the dredges in the river swayed and strained at their anchors. At Oamaru, the wreck of the Cora, lying on the beach, was shifted two feet. All the last shipment of salmon ova to Otago have died, and the experiment has failed. The product of the first shipment continue to thrive. Alexander Johnstone, who has been committed for trial for embezzlement while in the employ of Messrs Edwards and Co., at Greymouth, pleaded guilty to two of the charges. The other charge involves the question of embezzling £25, the amount of an accouut which he had collected. An amended Licensing Act, for Westland, is being prepared. The West Coast Times strongly condemns the present lax system of indiscriminate licensing. The residence of Major Wylie, in Auckland Province, has been destroyed by fire. The loss is estimated at £3OOO. The Eev. William Taylor, the celebrated Wesleyan minister, has arrived in Sydney from California, and intends shortly to revisit New Zealand.

The barque Nightingale, which has returned to Melbourne from Natal, has been laid on for Westport. It appears that up to the time of leaving Natal, in May last, very little was known of the reported goldfield. No payable ground had been opened up, and some of the miners who had arrived by the Nightingale were endeavouring to get up a prospecting company, and with that view had held a public meeting at Durban. The idea was that the expenses should be borne by the townspeople, but no definite conclusion was arrived at. A number of storekeepers and publicans at Greymouth are about to erect substantial wharves there. A man named Frederick Piers, a poundkeeper at Hokitika, has been found dead in bed.