The Westport Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 667, 4 June 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1870.

Parties tendering for the erection of the groin must either lodge, in the hands of the Government an amount equivalent to 20 per cent, on the value of the contract, or find sureties that the work will be satisfactorily performed. Much valuable time has been lost in consequence of the above condition having been negligently omitted from the terms of the previous contract, an act of carelessness which we believe Mr Blackett alone is answerable for. . The New Zealand Gazette annotmees that G. S. Yv\ Homo Esq., has been appointed Orowii prosecutor for Westland North, in the place of W. Pitt Esq., resigned; and James Hackworth Esq., (formerly of Nelson), as Collector of Customs and landing Surveyor at Wellington, from April Ist. A correspondent to the Wangamd Chronicle says :—"The s.s. St. KMa has been sold for JC1.,200, and bought by a shrewd WaufTanui man for the cattle trade. I wish him every success. Just contrast this sound way of doing business with the fact that Mr Pox's Government has spent something like .£IO,OOO upon the steamer Luna, and being hard up they will by and byo need to part with her for an old song." His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Thomas Adolphus Bowden, Esq, of Wellington; John' Waterhouse Duller, Esq, and John Robert Wilson Cook, Esq, of Ran;. ; itikei, Wellington; Robert Harding, Esq, of Waikouaiti, Otago; David Maitland, Esq, of Ewebank, Otago; and Seth Sam, Eiq, of Shortland, Auckland, to be justices of the peace of the colony. Notice of a motion has been given in the Victorian Assembly, affirming the desirability of annexing the Fijis to that colony.

A Hobarttown paper, of April 29l hj, states that 1500 bushels of barley had just arrived at that port from New Zealand, to be malted for Messrs Tooth of Sydney.

Small finds continue to bo made at the new diggings in the Wairau. A pure nugget of gold has been found, which weighed twimty-four and a-half pennyweights.

Inquiries are going on at Wellington amongst the government officials, as to who divulged the information to Gillow, tho Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times. Tho sugar crop at Mauritus is expected to be 35,0u0 tons less this season than last. On condition that, if successful, he has three per cent guaranteed him on the amount of capital raised, a Mr Brunton has offered the Otago Government to proceed to England, at his own cost, to form a company for constructing the Clutha railway. A correspondent of the Otago Daily Times declares that an important item with regard to the preparation of flax for the home market has been quite overlooked, viz., the fact of its being out of season during a portion of the year, when, as has been proved by experience, it is quite useless, and so rotten as to tear across tho blade.

On the night of the 20th ult a fire broke out, about ten o'clock, in the Commercial Hotel, Wanganui, The building was quickly consumed. Tho house, stock, and furniture were insured in the Now Zealand Company for £SOO. Tho fire originated by the explosion of a kerosene lamp. An inquest was held on tho 23rd ult. The jury returned a verdict that the cause of the tire was unknown.

The Otago Daily Times of the 21st ult says:—A man named John Hunter, a notorious cattle stealer, was apprehended at Benmore Station on Thursday last, by Sergeant Naden, of Oaniaru, on a charge of cattle stealing at Wanganui. The prisoner was one of a gang of cattle stealers at that place, who had for years past levied black mail upon the cattle of the Maories in the Wanganui and Patea districts until they narrowly escaped Lynch law at the hands of the irate aborigines. The police, however, interfered and arrested them, Hunter making his escape to Otago. Shortly after his arrival in Dtuiedin he was observed by Detective Farrell, who gave chase to him, but was unable to catch him. He was next heard of at Tokomairiro, where it was reported he rode one of the winning horses at the race meeting held there about twelve months ago ; but he so completely disguised himself that the police wore unable to recognise him. Ascertaining that he was " wanted," he retraced his steps to Dunedin, and thence to Oamaru. He was seen in a field there, and on being chased, again eluded pursuit, and managed to keep at large till he was caught at the Benmore station, as above stated.