Untitled

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 655, 7 May 1870, Page 2

We believe the Government purpose abandoning any further attempt to stay the sea encroachments. Some good might probably have been effected at a comparatively light cost, by cutting a channel through the North Spit, but such a course would not have met the approval of owners of property in the south-west portion of the town and in the event of any damage occurring to that portion the Government would have been called upon to pay a very considerable amount for damages. If the sea should encroach further, and there appears every probability of its doing so, the Government buildings will be removed to the reserve facing Britannia Square. Already many have taken up sites in that neighborhood either with the view of removing their property or as a matter of speculation. Our special reporter's account of the Lyell Eeef will appear in our next issue. The Star Dramatic Company have given ajvery successful series of entertainments in Charleston, playing to full houses every night. They purpose giving a farewell entertainment at Westport on Monday evening prior to their departure when Bulwer's beautiful play of the " Lady of the Lyons " will be enacted. Apart from the merit of the piece as a composition the superior manner in which the various characters are represented by this company will more than repay those who avail themselves of this final opportunity of testifying to their skill and ability. In the event of disposing of 100 tickets in his art-union Mr Bruce purposes making a donation of £5 to the Hospital. The institution is greatly in want of funds and for its sake as also Mr Bruce's it is to be hoped circumstances will enable him to carry out his promise. We beg to inform those interested in the proposed Miners' League that proofs of the petition have been forwarded to the delegates for revision but have not yet been returned.

A half-caste Maori woman, named Lucy Grey, who claims to be an illegitimate daughter of Sir George Grey, has been committed for trial, charged with robbing an Adelaide contractor, named Moses Firth, of 95 sovereigns, while on a visit to Melbourne.

Another reef is reported as having benn struck this week in No. 1 claim north, on the Irishman's Creek. The reef is said to be four feet in thickness and eqnally rich as the other leaders or reefs in that aud the adjoining claims. The Union Bank of Australia shipped 1810 ozs 19 dwts 12grs gold and the Bank of New Zealand 2464 ozs 12 dwts gold per Murray for Greymouth. A letter addressed to the Otago Daily Times of the 22nd ultimo, from a Mr George Green, explains his title to a large tract of country in the proposed settlement at Martin's Bay. It appears that in 1838, six men, New Zealand chiefs visited Sydney, most of them representing tribes owning land in the Middle Island. At this time, John Tnvik, alias Bloody Jack, with the consent of four other chiefs, sold to him a large tract of country on the west coast of the Middle Island. Th« boundaries of the land sold were closely defined, and the purchase fully understood by the contracting parties. It was not until two years after the purchase that Great Britain obtained, by the Treaty of Waitangi, the sovereign right over the islands of New Zealand. Mr Green's claims, were acknowledged by the Governor of New South Wales, and referred to a Commission in New Zealand, and have been since considered by Commissioners and by no less than five Committees

appointed by the Government, all of whose reports acknowledge the correctness of his claim. A letter has also been forwarded by the Natives to the Commissioner of Crown Lands of Otago, in which they distinctly acknowledge Mr Green's claim as correct. The question has been under consideration during 20 years, but will probably receive a speedy settlement, in justice not only to the claimant, but to those who may desire to take up land in that locality.

The candidates mentioned to fill the vacancy in the Hokitika Borough Council, caused by the resignation of Mr Cosgrave, are John Jerome Breeze, William Gawne, and William'Todd. The polling was to take place on Thursday last.

The Otago Provincial Council opened on the 27th ult. The Superintendent, Mr Macandrew, in his address, dwelt at length on the subject of immigration. Present arrangements provide for an annual expenditure of £17,000, but Mr Macandrew desires to increase that sum to £25,000 for three years, and to convey immigrants by a direct steam service, to take fifty days. He also recommends the borrowing of .£200,000, to be expended in reproductive works on the goldfields.

The only case disposed of at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday last, was a charge against three seamen named John Denton, Samuel Shepherd, and Daniel Roe, charged with wilful destruction of property in the Hibernian Hotel, on the morning of the sth. The evidence went to show that Denton and Shepherd were intoxicated, and the former bore evidence of having been somewhat severely handled by the prosecutor, Sibree, who at present occupies the premises. The defendants were ordered to pay £1 each, the value of the property destroyed, and costs of Court, in addition to a fine of £3. The money was at once paid.

Owing to some irregularity we failed to receive our Nelson files by the steamship Murray. The Charleston and Brighton escort arrived in Westport on Wednesday. The aggregate of the parcels forwarded by the banks of New Zealand, New South Wales, and the Union Bank, amounted to nearly 3,400 ounces.

At a meeting of theDunedin Chamber of Commerce, held for the purpose of taking into consideration the bankruptcy law. The following views -were expressed by Mr Bathgate, late manager of the Bank of Otago: —" He must deprecate on the part of the Chamber any idea of following English precedent—because many of the blunders in the present Act were attributable to copying English models, whether they were adapted to the Colony or not. If the Chamber, thought the insolvent's estate should be managed by creditors, the present Act was sound and correct; but one or two improvements in minor details would be necessary. He must say from twelve months' experience that he was decidedly opposed to estates being managed by creditors. He thought it would be better in the long-run that estates should be managed by the Court. He would recom mend that some one should be appointed to take possession of the property of the bankrupt immediately after he filed his declaration of insolvency. At present the Act was taken advantage of by people for whose beneht it was never intended. He was of opinion that persons owing less than £IOO should not be allowed to take advantage of it, but some simple and economical means in connection with the Resident Magistrate's Court should l>e adopted to meet such cases. He also thought that the provisions which give to the bankrupt £25 worth of his furniture should be remedied; and that only the petitioning creditors' costs should be allowed out of the estate. He thought the Act afforded great facilities for getting through the Court, and suggested that no certificate should be suspended for less than 12 months, where there was the slightest semblance of fraud; that the keeping of proper books should be sine qua non to the order of discharge, and that without the consent of three-fourths of the creditors, no discharge should be granted if 6s 8d in the pound were not paid by the bankrupt.