The Westport Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 589, 4 December 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1869.

One of the finest samples of gold ever seen in this district*was disposed of to the Bank of New Zealand yesterday. It weighed between seventy and eighty ounces, and contained several pieces of from four to six ounces in weight. The exact locality where the tempting parcel was met with was not stated by the fortunate discoverers, but it is believed to be from the Upper Buller district. The gold is of a much' rougher character than is usually seen even in these parts, there being little or no fine gold amongst it. It is all of a uuggety description, and some of the nuggets are of a peculiarly contorted form, the apparent result of pressure by boulders and tear and wear by water.

We are indebted to Mr Winstanley, Postmaster, for particulars as to the future despatch and receipt of the European mails. The English inward mail due on the sth, and the outward one on the 29th ultimo at Wellington are the last mails which will be received and despatched under the contract for conveying English mails between Hobson's Bay and New Zealand. All letters and papers for the European mails will be despatched from Westport by the first steamer leaving for Hokitika after they are posted. Thence they will be despatched by the most convenient opportunity so as to reach Sydney or Melbourne in time for the outgoing Peninsular and Oriental Company's mail steamer. The mails leave Melbourne on January 4, February 1, March 1, March 29, April 24, May 22, June 19, July 17, August 14, September 11, October 11, November S, December 6. The mails arrive at Melbourne on December 23, January 20, February 17, March 17, April 14, May 12, June 9, July 7, August 4, September 1, September 29, October 27, November 24, December 22.

It will bo seen that the Banks in town purpose, for the convenience of miners, melting and purchasing gold from the 20th to 24th of tliis month, each day inclusive.

An accident occurred to a miner named John M'Donnell on Addison's Flat, on Thursday morning, by which he received a fracture of his left leg in a most simple way. Before going to work in the morning he went to drive some stray horses away from the stable behind the house in which he was living, when his foot caught in an old stump of a tree, and he was immediately upset. On attempting to rise, he found his leg unable to bear his weight, and his mates soon came to his assistance and discovered that the leg was broken a little way above the ankle. He was shortly afterwards brought down to the Westport Hospital, where the necessary attention has been given, and where he is expected shortly to recover from the injury received. At the last sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court, Owen O'Neill, Packers' Point, sued three persons for damage alleged to have been done by their horses trespassing on his land. The defendants were Lyons, Collins, and Bell. -By Lyons, Mr T. N. King and Mr Isaac Freeth were called as witnesses, and they estimated that half-a-crown or three shillings per week would be about the rent to be given for pasturing on such ground as the complainant's. The Magistrate said he had heard numerous similar cases brought by the same plaintiff, but he had stated on. former occasions that he should set his face against actions of damages which were allowed to run over a considerable length of time, and these extended over a month. Besides that there was no proof of any special damage. The plaintiff was entitled only to nominal damages. In might be a question whether the proceedings were regular, as there was a Provincial Ordinance which prescribed the particular proceeding to be taken in such cases. Although he did not think that Ordinance was binding, still he thought it might be taken as a guide, and it laid down that, without special damage, threepence a head might be recovered for cattle trespassing on unfenced land; and, taking that as his guide, he gave a verdict for 9s against Lyons, Is against Collins, and Is 9d against Bell, with lis costs in each case. He was inclined to think that the plaintiff would find it cheaper in the end to fence his paddock than to bring' these everlasting cases before the Court.

The Warden's Courtwas opened yesterday, and a number of applicants appeared. The Warden being at Charleston, any applications objected to -were adjourned for hearing until Tuesday next. Telegrams for Auckland may be forwarded to Nelson up to 4.30 p.m. to-day. They will be despatched from Nelson by the steamer Phoebe.

An influential meeting has been held at the Thames to consider the unsatisfactory system of mining management there. A committee has been formed to report on the matter. It was stated that a wholesale system of specimen stealing was being practised. It was proposed that an amalgamation of claims should be made to secure economy and better supervision.

Of the gold exported last year, the value from the Nelson mines was .£833,180; from those of Westland, £814,060; from Otago, £652,356; Auckland, .£168,874; Southland, £34,240: and Marlborough. £1,616. It would seem that the injury to the horse Manuka is more serious than was imagined. The following is from the Australasian of the 20th instant:—From the appearance of Manuka's leg I think it very doubtful that he will again appear on the turf, but he will make a grand horse for stud purposes. Mr Petty has made arrangements with Mr Redwood to retain 31 anuka in this colony. I believe it is his intention to have a try for next year's Melbourne Cup, and that should he fail in bringing him to the post, he will then put him to the stud. On St. Andrew's Day there was a cricket match at Hokitika between the Greyniouth and Hokitika Clubs. Hokitika won the match, with eight wickets to spare. After the match somo friendly sports were indulged in, which resulted in several victories to the Greyniouth men. One of these was a foot-race between Messrs H. Mace (Hokitika) and W. F. Strike (Greymouth) —distance, 100 yards. The first start was a false one, and Mace ran the distance without his opponent. He agreed to run again. A good start was effected this time, and Strike managed to win by about the width of his body. There were other races, and in the evening the Greymouth eleven were entertained to a banquet. "We notice that the telegraph stations at Cromwell, Clyde, Alexaudra, Queenstown, and Roxburgh, in the Province of Otago, have been transferred from the Provincial Government to the General Government, and the tariff in operation is now applicable to them. A large skate weighing 120 lbs., says the Wanganui Chronicle, was brought over there by the s.s. Wallabi on her last trip. This marine monster had accidentally got hooked on a drag line when the steamer was off the Buller bar. It is said to be the largest yet caught on the West Coast, and probably as large as any known on these shores. There appears to be some probability of a gas company being started in Greymouth. One-half of the cargo of the barque Bella Vista, which is now duly expected, consists of gas pipes and packages of ironmongery. Mr Dawbin reports to the Otago Government that the salmon are in so advanced a state that they are " shoaling together, preparatory to starting for the sea."

We learn from the Timaru Herald that a most determined case of attempted suicide has happened at Teniuka. A man named James Hilbrow cut himself with a penknife behind each ear, then cut his throat, and, finding that did not kill him, he stabbed himself in the abdomen (a very dangerous wound). He then went to Dr Rayner's house, and told the doctor he was bleedin"lo death. There is at present but little hope of the man's recovery. On a recent evening, says the W. C. Times, an eccentric velocipcdist ran amuck considerably in Kevell street. His first performance was running down the worthy bailiff of tho Resident Magistrate's Court, considerably to the detriment of that gentleman's shins. After this feat the same rider struck a patch on a digger, who was thinking of anything but being bowled at iu such a manner. After concluding with nearly velocipeding into a plate-glass window, the rider subsided, thoroughly satisfied—if no one else was—with his night's amusement. Tho Engineer of tho 3rd September states that the gum of the New Zealand flax is now being used in England in large quantities in the preparation of what are called " safety envelopes." It seems that the gum, when prepared for this purpose, " unites tho surfaces of paper so thoroughly that no process of steaming or soaking will permit them to be separated again." Wire tramways are coming into use on the Moanataiari Creek at tho Thames. One of these stretches across the Moanataiari Valley, and one of its wires was, according to the Thames Times, stretched the other day. In order to test its efficiency, an adventurous digger slung himself to the traveller, and, bidding a cheery good-bye to his mates, who looked on admiringly, shot across the wide gulf in spans at a great rate, and landed safely on the other side. Both the •vires of the Shooting Star line are stretched and tightened, and trucks are likely to be running on them in the course of a week or ten days. The sixpenny " nobbier " is now universal throughout the goldfields of Otago, the publicans at Cardrona, the last place where the shilling priee was maintained, having followed the example of their confreres in the other diggings townships. A chief named Karawiri lately died at Parawai, Auckland. Ho is said to have been a quiet, peaceable man, and to have done good service towards opening up the Thames goldfield. A "tangi" took place over his remains, a large number of natives being present. Their grief, however, appears to have had little effect upon their appetites, for we learn from au Auckland contemporary that " two cows, ten pigs, one thousand loaves, ten bags of biscuits, half a ton of potatoes, twenty bags of sugar, and an unlimited supply of tea, were consumed." A son of Sir Henry Manners Sutton, the Governor of Victoria, is at present on a visit to Hokitika. The late whirlwind at Nelson blew down a timber shed and warehouse owned by Curtis Brothers. The damage done is valued at .£3OO. Letters received say that Mr Vogel will return from Melbourne to Auckland in two weeks.