The Westport Times. THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 657, 12 May 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1870.

We resvret to have to announce the death of a fellow townsman, Mr W. H. Ratcliffe, after a short but painful illness. The above gentleman expired yesterday evening about six o'clock. He possessed excellent social qualities, a frank, amiable, and generous disposition, and his death in the prime of manhood will be lamented by a large circle of friends. The funeral will take place to-morrow. At the time we write nothing further is known respecting the missing paddlesteamer Charles Edward. A feeling of uneasiness must prevail until her arrival at one of the ports is ascertained, but the delay may be attributed to a variety of causes; during thefineweatherof thelastfew days she has very probably been becalmed, neither would she be able to take the same advantage of a light wind as a sailing vessel or even a screw-steamer. Registration certificates were granted to O'Connor-and party, of Addison's Flat, on Tuesday last, for a dam, head-race, and tail race. The breast of the proposed dam is 150 feet, and it is calculated to back water a distance of 300 yards. The tailrace is also of an extensive character, being 800 yards in length, with an average deptn. of seven to eight feet. The unfortunate man to whom reference was made in our last issue as having fallen into the Buller has been ascertained to be Henry M'Kinley, tailor, Molesworth-street. His manner appears to have been somewhat eccentric during Monday, and Mr Whyte of Messrs Whyte and Pirie gave information to the police, acting upon which every effort was made to find his whereabouts but without success. About eight or nine in the evening a domestic at the Royal Oak Hotel, Wharf-street, noticed Mr M'Kinley standing near the landing steps [opposite the hotel, and the pertinacity with which he continued in his position attracted her attention. He shortly afterwards came into the bar and called for a brandy; the barmaid addressed one or two questions to him but received no reply. His attention at that time was fastened upon a letter and portrait of a female, and his manner she describes as absent, but he appeared to be perfectly, sober. He shortly returned to the boat at the steps and the barmaid concluded that he was watching the steamer at the Bright-street Wharf, with the object of tracing a wife or sweetheart or some runaway debtor. Unable altogether to control a feeling of uneasiness she went to the boat several times and found him sitting- with his feet in the water. She asked if he wanted a boatman and mentioned that he would get one at the steps in Gladstonestreet. He stated "he knew all about that" and she went away but returned shortly and found he had left. Mr Haynes, her employer, returned shortly after eleven o'clock from the play, and to him she detailed what had occurred. From the description he concluded it to be Mr M'Kinley, and went with a lantern to fetch him into the house. He found him some distance from the boat on the river bank and was on the point of seizing him when he (M'Kinley) dashed his coat into his face and sprang into the water. The night was dark but by the light of the lantern he was plainly visible, swimming' vigorously and it was apparent that he could have easily reached the bank. He was lost sight of near the Bright-street Wharf and no trace of the body has as yet been discovered. Yesterday morning a report got abroad that the missing man had been arrested and placed in the lock-up at Charleston, but nothing has been seen of him in that locality. It has also been ingeniously suggested that he was anxious to elude some female who, it is supposed, has some claim upon him, and that it may yet turn out that he has not made away with himself. For the present, however the affair remains a mystery. We learn from Capt. Leech thattheharbor crew have been endeavoring, during the afternoon of Tuesday and the whole of yesterday to find the body of Henry M'Kinley, but up to the present time thenefforts have been unsuccessful. His hat was found on the beach having been carried outsida the bar, and there being a moderate fresh in the river at the time of the ac3ident, in all probability the body has also been carried out to sea. The only case disposed of in the R.M. Court yesterday was a charge of assault brought by a Mrs Barrow against one Charles Lynch, whose presence had been secured by virtue of a warrant. Defendant it appears went into the licensed house kept by prosecutrix and, without provocation, struck her violently on the face. Constable Hunter was in the neighborhood, and proved having seen defendant running from the house and finding Mrs Barrow bleeding at the mouth. His Worship fined defendant £4 and costs, or in default three weeks' imprisonment. The remarkable conduct of the member for Grey as appears in our published telegram we purpose commenting upon in an early issue. The body of Robert Muirhead, who was recently reported missing, has been found drowned and thrown up on a point of land near the coalpits, Grey River. At the in quest, held on the body on the 3rd inst., an open verdict of found drowned was returned by the jury. Dr Carr is lecturing in Christchurch upon " The girls of the Period." A weekly journal, entitled the Colonist to be devoted to the promotion of Colonial interests and the integrity of the Colonial Empire, is announced to appear iu London. At a meeting recently held at Queenstown of the local prospecting committee, the following resolution was carried:— " That providing Mr Fox consents to explore the West Coast in search of a goldfield, he be empowered to draw upon this committee for a sum not exceeding .£4O in the whole, for the object in view." Preparations for lighting Wellington with gas are progressing, tenders have been invited for the erection of the necessary offices. A lot of broken mouthed ewes which were in low condition in November last, but have since been kept on English grasses, in Otago, on being boiled down averaged 16f lbs. of tallow per head. The Provincial Government of Canterbury has been offering, since the end of November last, " a bonus of £2OO to any whaling company' that may be established in Canterbury, which shall export from any part of the province 100 tons of whale oil, being the produce of whales taken by the company in one season." A number of the immigrants who recently arrived in Dunedin from Nova Scotia, are about to take up land in Martin's Bay.

The Examiner of the 4th writes :—lt will be seen by a message sent down to the Council last evening, by his Honor the Superintendent, that there is yet a chance of our railway to the West Coast being undertaken by capitalists in England. Indeed, the terms of contract were agreed to with Mr Morrison, and but for technical objections raised by the solicitors of the intending contractors, the contract would probably have been made before the departure of the last mail. We hope for favorable intelligence by next mail. Wynn Williams, Sawtell, and Hawkes, are elected to Proviuciai;Couneil, for the city of Christchurch. Numbers polled—Williams, 404; Sawtell, 297; Hawkes, 273; Duncan, 252 ; Hart, 181; Ingles, 122. The pelition to His Excellency the Governor, as also the petition to the House of Representatives, together with the Miners' League rules have been received in a revised form, and printed copies will be forwarded to each of the delegates on Saturday next. We are informed upon undoubted authority that Mi-Gallagher purposes to tender his resignation, as member for Westland North, in the House of Representatives. Business engagements have necessitated this step on the part of the above gentleman. We learn from the Greymouth papers that several citizens Messrs Maclean, Nichol, Lapham, and Thompson—on learning that a pecuniary difficulty had occurred to prevent the steamer Dispatch being sent in search of the Charles Edward, came forward and offered most generously to be responsible for all expenses incurred. At 1 a.m. on Sunday, the Dispatch went out and returned the same afternoon, having steamed beyond the Steeples without having obtained trace of her whereabouts.