The Westport Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 594, 16 December 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1869.

Mr Kynnersley's friends will be glad to hear that he arrived safely in England after a protracted passage of one hundred and sixty-one days, and that he may be expected in New Zealand again about February or March next.

By the steamer Charles Edward yesterday the Buller portion of the English mail —letters and newspapers—was received at the Westport Post Office. The mails were brought to Nelson by the Gothenburg. The Hokitika portion of the mail was sent overland from Lyttelton.

On Tuesday afternoon Messrs Robertson and Co., auctioneers, sold at the Post Office Hotel the right of erecting a grand stand and booths on the Orawaiti race-course during the forthcoming race-meeting. As a whole the booths sold well, and the expectations of the Jockey Club were fully realised, the total amount produced by the sale being ,£l3B. The site for the Grand Stand was purchased by Mr David Emanuel for £55, the title including leave for the erection of a refreshment booth and gallery. The other booths were sold for £3O, £2l, £ls, and £lO, to Mrs Mills, Mr Grady, Mr Milne, and Mr Smyrk respectively. The fruit stall, bought by Mr Jones, brought £7. "We understand that, in consequence of the amount realised by the sale of booths, the stewards intend giving a third day's racing, which will include a trotting-match. Mrs Cato desires through our columns to publicly thank those gentlemen who, in the town and on the terraces, have interested themselves on her behalf, and from whom she has received a total sum of ,£sl. With heart-felt gratitude she thanks them and all who have so voluntarily and considerately contributed to assist her in overcoming the losses which she and her family sustained by the tires of the 4th and 11th December. We have received from a correspondent who lately travelled over the Waikato, Thames, and Coromandel districts a series of letters descriptive of his tour. They will appear in future numbers. After a long day's work on Tuesday as Magistrate, Warden, and Coroner, and after a short sitting of the Court yesterday morning, Dr Giles proceeded to Charleston, to discharge similar official duties there.

The Warden's Court was occupied for a number of hours on Tuesday with the hearing of a case in which Winter and party were the complainants, and Strange and party were the defendants. Mr Home appeared for the defendants, against whom the complaint was that they interfered with Winter and party's claim by pegging off part of their ground at Caledonian Terrace. Winter, Nelson, Henrick, and Hennessy were the witnesses on one side ; William and Benjamin Strange, and John Walker, on the other side. The contention on the part of the complainants was that one of then- mates, Nelson, had shifted their pegs previous to the defendant's examining the ground, but that this had not been done with the general consent or knowledge of the party. The Warden held it to be the duty of every member of a party to know the position of their pegs, and he gave judgment for the defendant with costs, including five guineas as counsel's fee. The Fire Brigade Committee met at the Empire Hotel on Monday evening; Capt. Hughes in the chair. Correspondence from Melbourne and Invercargill, with regard to the purchase of a suitable fireengine, was read and referred to the next meeting of Committee, to be held last evening. It was resolved, however, that bucket-stands should be erected at four different places in town—at the Albion Hotel, corner of Freeman street, at the Post Office Hotel corner, near Sheahan's Nelson Hotel, and in Kennedy street. It was also agreed to procure immediately four dozen canvas bucket*, four ladders, three fire-hooks, four ropes, and eight axes. A finance committee, and a committee to collect outstanding subscriptions was also appointed. This, of course, is all very laudable on the part of the Committee; but we fear they must be told, because it is the truth, that in taking any steps of the kind they are far exceed" ing their duty. They are doing the Brigade's work, not their own, and though the object they have in view may excuse any irregularity, it will be found far more advantageous, while it will prevent jealousy and after-reflections, to allow things to be done regularly and in order. We are sure that it only requires the Captain's and Comttittee's attention to be called to the irregularity of their proceedings to secure a recognition of the Brigade, whose maintenance and interest in the object of its formation are of all tilings most important. A local correspondent gravely proposes that those who had their property saved from the late fires, instead of giving merely cut-and-dry thanks in the advertising columns of the paper, should give " a jolly good supper" to the salvors at one of the principal hotels ! He seems to think that the owner of the school-house is particularly bound to make some " substantial acknowledgment," and he adds, with evident favor for the supper, that "nothingless will go down." Don't he wish he may get it ?

Mr Gibbs, of Totavanui, has been reelected, without opposition, as member of the Provincial Council for the Golden Baydistrict. Mr J. B. Thomson, who for several years past filled with credit the position of Chief Detective Officer in Otago, has been appointed to an Inspectorship in the New Zealand Constabulary Force, now being organised under Mr Commissioner Branigan. The latest mining news from the Thames is that new leaders have been struck in the Missouri and Shotover claims. In consequence of a leader, supposed to be the Golden Crown reef, being struck on the Otago Company's ground, there is great demand for the Company's scrip. Eureka and Belfast Company's scrip is also in demand. Mr M'Lean arrived at the Thames on Tuesday last, and intends visiting Ohinemuri.

There are many who will regret to hear that Mr H. W. Bracken, who distinguished himself as Sergeant Major in the" Otago Police, and who afterwards resided in Hokitika, has met with a very serious accident in his native country, Ireland. Prom a letter which Mr Maguire, of Westport gaol, has received from friends at home, it appears that Mr Bracken was driving from Enniskillen to his residence at Drimiback, near Florencecourt, in the county of Fermanagh, after seeing two of his nephews off to New Zealand, when he was thrown from his gig, and, falling upon hia head, seriously fractured his skull. The injury was of such a character that it is doubtful if Mr Bracken will ever thoroughly recover from its effects.

John Henry Oaton has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment in Ly ttelton gaol, with hard labor, for conspiring some months since to rob Mr Wilson, of Christchurch, of a considerable sum of money. A horse, described as " a pretty little bay gelding," was uold the other day at the Hutt pound, "Wellington, for the sum of two shillings, being considerably less than the cost of the advertisement.

Archdeacon Butt, of Marlborough, has had his leg broken by being thrown from his horse on his way home from Nelson. Two other quartz-crushing companies have been formed at Collingwood. One, the Commercial, has had a piece of very in-different-looking stone tested, and it yielded at the rate of upwards of sixteen ounces to the ton. Other ground is being taken up and tested.

Twenty brace of partridges and twenty pairs of hares have been shipped by the ship John Bunyan for the Nelson Acclimatization Society. Thomas Short, a member of the Armed Constabulary Force, was recently tried before Chief Justice Arney, at Auckland, for selling ammunition to the natives at Tauranga, and sentenced to three years' imprisonment with hard labor. The Superintendent of Nelson has received letters with regard to the "West Coast Railway containing information similar to that conveyed by telegraph with regard to Colonel Maude being about to form " a powerful board, with the required sum for carrying out the survey, &c."

A man whose name is not stated died suddenly on board the steamer Gothenburg, on Sunday last, on the passage from Nelson to Hokitika. His body was landed at the latter port. Mr Mark Sprot has consented to become a candidate for election as Westland County Councillor, and has issued a pointedly written address. The Hokitika contributor of the Greymouth Star says:—" Mr Sprot will be elected as a matter of course, for he is a fine fellow, and much liked. He will take his seat, and immediately expose a bit of jobbing, upon which he will of course be outvoted. Then he will lose his temper, speak his mind, and, telling the Chairman and the Council that they may all be d d, he will take up his hat and walk out of the hall, never to enter it again. That's about what Mr Mark Sprot wiH do." Mr John Tait has been eleoted Borough Councillor for Hokitika. He had 257 votes. The other candidates, Messrs Scott and Cross, had 67 each. Mr Williamson, late Superintendent of Auckland, has been appointed PostmasterGeneral.

The wire tramway lately constructed at the Shooting Star claim, Shortland, is said to be working admirably.