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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 539, 5 August 1869, Page 2

Wo loam that another party on Giles Terrace—M'Master and party —have at length struck gold after driving a tunnel ■which is enormous in its length—namely 2-100 feet. The washdirt is as yet thin, but is believed to bo very wide in exteut, and the party's long labor will, it is hoped, be fully rewarded. Meantime their protection has been extended, and the surveyor has visited the ground to mark off their block claim. As other two contiguous parties have struck gold after driving nearly equally long tunnels, there is no doubt that the rest of the ground in the neighborhood will at on3e be taken up. We have lately noticed that Mr Jones, proprietor of the Orawaiti bridge, of the Orawaiti Bridge Hotel, of that part of the Orawaiti district which will probably figure in the future history of Westport as Jones Town, and of a few other sections, agricultural leases, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, and pigeons—not to mention the Joneses junior—has been effecting considerable improvements upon his extensive " estate." One of the principal of these is the formation of what will prove a very great acquisition to the surroundings of Westport—a race-course. Mr Jones has already a largo pait of the course cleared of bush, besides a considerable area of the space which it encloses, and which will be devoted to the purposes of agriculture. The course, in form, length, and level, will surprise any one who walks over it, and who is aware of the little suitable ground usually available for such a purpose on the West Coast. When ploughed and laid down in English grass it will be equal to many courses in better neighbourhoods, and will also have the advantage of beino- very picturesquely situated. By the space inside of it being cleared, a perfect view of any horse-

racing; upon it will be had from all parts, and from excellent stand-points, the best of which is near the beach, and there, no doubt, Mr Jones will erect his next building—the Grand Stand. And there also, no doubt, will be run the next races " under the patronage" of the next new local institution—the Buller District Jockey Club. We notice that Mr 11. A. Downe, who has for the past two years occupied the position of clerk iu the Eesident Magistrate's and Warden's office, has commenced business in Molesworth street as a Mining and General Agent. It frequently happens that miners and others requiring busiuess to bo done in the Magistrate's and Warden's office would find it to their advantage to have the assistance of an agent accustomed to the formalities of the Courts, or acquainted with the Eules and Regulations, and that knowledge Mr Downe has necessarily acquired daring his two years' experience.

Thomas Braithwaite, charged in the Resident Magistrate's Court with bigamy, is at present remanded till Friday, in the expectation of witnesses arriving from Christchurch and Otago. We believe, however, that the witnesses in question are not likely to arrive in Westport, and the charge will have to be proceeded with without their evidence. Two witnesses from Charleston will be examined on Friday, and it is probable that the police will then ask for a remand to Christchurch. One of the witnesses there is too ill to be removed, and the person described as another of the witnesses of the first marriage is found to have left Franktown, in Otago, some months ago.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, Robert Hicks was charged with using insulting and provoking language to Patrick Byrne. The parties are bootmakers. The defendant is, and the complainant was,

in the employment of Mr Simpson, Gladstone street. The complainant lost his employment, and he accused the defendant of being the cause of his discharge. He stated this in Simpson's shop, on Thursday last, when he went there in aft excited state. The parties met on Saturday evening, when the defendant told him to "mind his eye," that he " would blacken it," not then, but certainly '* some other time." -The Magistrate dismissed the charge, with costs, including counsel's fee. He thought the charge a trumpery one, made from personal feeling, and from no fear of the defendant, and, moreover, that the threat made was only conditional on the behavior of the complainant in annoying the defendant. We have received three interesting letters from our Wellington correspondent, of dates July 25, 27, and 30. In the present number we are able only to publish the firstdated, reserving till our next our correspondent's reference to the Native news and the Financial statement.

The Treasurer of the Westport Hospital acknowledges the receipt of <£3 4s from Mr Eobert M'Farlane, subscriptions collected by him on the Caledonian Terrace. The Treasurer begs also to acknowledge the receipt of .£1 from Mr John Grady, the same being the fee allowed him on a Coroner's Inquest.

We notice that one of the earliest residents of Westport, Dr Rocks trow, has again returned to the district, havin"- arrived from Melbourne by the barque Nightingale, whose passengers were landed a few days ago by the steamer Lyttelton. During his absence of upwards of eighteen months from this district, Dr Rod stron- has visited his native country in Europe, and has returned to the West Coast with the intention of settling, and of pursuing his profession.

Jones, who was arrested in Wellington last week on the charge of being a defaulting Curator of Intestate Estates from llokitika, has been remanded to that place under the charge of Sergeant Monaghan. The Nelson Mail reports that a letter has been received by Dr Squires, the coroner, stating that a man named W. Costello, alias Sydney Bill, had committed suicide by cutting his throat, on Thursday evening hi3t, at the Devil's Grip, Buffer River. An inquiry into the circumstances attending the rash act was held by those living in the neighbourhood, and the conclusion unanimously arrived at was that the deceased had committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind, caused by heavy drinking.

At the Taieri election, Mr Howortli said : — " Comparing New Zealand with the neighbouring colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, I find the indebtedness as follows:—Pop every adult, New Zealand, £32; Victoria, =£2o; New South Wales. £ls; —and when it i-3 borne iu mind that all have been expended in reproductive TroirUßJ whilo one Uu,lC uf Hie New Zealand loans have been sunk in war, it is manifest that we cannot bear any further taxation." The Wangairai papers report that the man who murdered Mr Broughton, on the Ist of October ISGS, has been captured and brought in to Patea. Mr Broughton's watch —name of maker and number given—was concealed at some distance from Patea; the prisoner indicated the place of concealment ; and the watch has been recovered by that means. Also the mutilated remains of one of our men who had been murdered some time ago. A bicycle, made by a local coachmaker, has, says the Colonist, been careering about some of the streets of Nelson during the past few afternoons, gradually improving in its gait, but still " wabbly," and not indisposed to give its rider an occasional " cropper." However it is improving.

As an instance of the uses to which the new means of locomotion, now so cuch the rage, may be put, the Wellington Independent mentions that on Tuesday an enthusiastic e.i-captain of one of the Fire Brigades was observed astride of a velocipede en route for the fire which happened on that night.

A subscription is being made in Nelson to fit out parties to prospect in the neighbourhood of the " Devil's Arm Chair," on the field between Wangapeka and Wakamarina. Colonel Lyon has been appointed to command the Auckland Militia. Major Noake takes temporary command at Wanganui. Colonel M'Donuoll is in the same district as a sort of Civil Commissioner. Two prisoners named Plummer and Martin who recently escaped from the Mount E<ien Stockade, have been recaptured by the Auckland police. Plummer is quite a modern Jack Sheppard, having escaped several times before. George Gordon, a seaman belonging to the schooner Storm Bird, was drowned at Wanganui on the 29th, by accidentally falling off the jibboom. Every assistance was renderod him by Captain Hair and crew, but without avail. The body had not been fouud. In reply to a question in the Legislative Council as to the right of miners to vote, and whether it was tho intention of tho Government to bring in a Bill providing that only the holders of Miners' Rights and Business Licences who register such qualifications, should be submitted to vote at any election of members of the House of Representatives or of tho Provincial or County Councils, the Colonial Secretary said that the Government intended to consider, when they had time, the question of representation, and they proposed in connection with that to take the subject referred to also into consideration, so that the two subjects, which had reference to each other, might be considered together. He was not prepared to say that they would bring in a Bill during tho present session either for the registration of miners' rights and business licenses, or to amend tho representation. If it was not done this session it would have to be done next session, because soon after next session the General Asaenbly would expire by lapse of time.