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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 695, 9 August 1870, Page 2

In the recent trial at the Supreme Court, \ Nelson, for the blowing up of the Southern Cross Machinery, at Charleston, the Judge is reported by the Nelson papers as having i summed up apparently somewhat against the prisoners, pointing out the great injury to the value of the mining property which such wanton and malicious destruction would cause; the great danger to t'.ie life of the bailiff, Lambert; and, also, in examining the evidence, laying stress on the fact that the first thing to be done was to look for a motive in all cases of crime, and he referred to the threats which had been made, and the motive which might be deducible from these threats. After an absence of about an hour, the jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty, and the prisoners were discharged. The parties charged with resisting the police at Charleston were also acquitted. Mr Connolly defended in both cases, and the accused challenged 20 jurors in all. They returned to Westport by the steamer Kennedy, and proceeded to Charleston yesterday. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Saturday last, John M'Quillan alias Far Down Jack, was charged, under the Vagrant Act, with being an idle and disorderly person. The evidence of Messrs Sheahan, Emanuel, and Grady, licensed victuallers, went to show that the prisoner had systematically called for drinks in their respective houses, and in no instance had offered to pay for them. The Bench sentenced the prisoner to seven days' imprisonment with hard labor. The proceedings, yesterday, were limited to the disposal o: one civil case, Smyrk v. Buggy, in which the plaintiff claimed £1 lis 6d. The defendant admitted that the goods had been supplied, but pleaded not indebted on the ground that she was a married woman, stating that her husband resided at Greymouth. No notice of such defence had been filed in the Court, and the plaintiff obtained judgment with costs. Mrs Pry was charged with drunkenness and using obscene language. The charge was gone into, and the case adjourned till this morning, for the production of the prisoner's witnesses. The Union Bank, Westport, shipped per s.s. Kennedy, yesterday, to Hokitika, 3 ,80 oz. 8 dwt. gold, the export duty upon which amounted to £385 Is. . A fifth share, recently hold by Mr Pearson in the water right, &c, of Haines and party, Deep Creek, Charleston, has been disposed of by him to the remaining shareholders for £450. There was only a thin attendance at the Masonic Hall, on Saturday evening to witness Professor Do Loree, those present, however, signified their approval of the performance, and but for the inclemency of the weather yesterday, which necessitated the postponement of the entertainment till this evening, last night's performance would no doubt have been extensively patronised. I

Mr Geo. Cotterell has returned to Nelson where he is giving a series of entertainments. He is said to have gained confidence and made considerable improvement during his recent trip through the other provinces. It is not improbable he maypay the Coast another visit shortly. Some frfeJids of Reuben Waite are bestirring themselves in Nelson, and have opened a testimonial list, for this early pioneer of the Coast. Subscription lists, on the Coa<t for the same been circulated by his friends, a number being deft at the principal places of business and hotels. We observe Mr M'lntosh, of Nelson, who has been appointed broker there, for the Excelsior Quartz Mining Company, of the Lyell, is pushing forward the claims of the company before the public. We understand that over a hundred shares have been taken up in Westport, and it is earnestly to be hoped that, through the influence of Mr M'lntosh and others, the remaining number of shares will be got off and the company once fairly floated. During the past few months the Charleston coal lias been a great boon to the public here, where the supply of Grey coal has not been regular. Though not equal in quality to the Grey coal, it bums well and is a considerable saving in expense Mr John Boh an offers it at 10s per ton in Charleston, and the freight to Westport is a like amount, which is less than one half the price of the Grey coal delivered. During the winter evenings, so far, the Westport public have not attempted to amuse themselves, nor assist the funds of any charity, by holding an evening's entertainment. Last year an Amateur Dramatii company was in existence but is now defunct. One or two lectures were also given for the benefit of the Athenaeum, and concerts were wont to be held for enhancing the church funds. Is all our local talent gone, or do none of our institutions require assistance ?

The tramway between Westport and the Orowaiti is likely to be commenced at an early date, by Mr Courtney. A lai-ge number of sleepers have been cut and brought down, and will shortly be laid. Mr Courtney's perseverance with the work under many difficulties is highly commendable and deserving of future reward from the undertaking which we doubt not, when completed, will prove a protitable one. Mr Williams, chemist, has returned to his former premises at the end of Glad-stone-street, which he temporarily vacated owing to the encroachments of the sea. It is to be hoped his well assorted stock will not be again subjected to any disarrangement or removal through similar cause. Mr Jones of the Orowaiti has begun to improve the Orowaiti Race-course, by draining the portions of the ground most requiring it. He purposes extending the course to make a longer straight run in to where the Grand Stand has been erected, and has several laborers employed clearing the scrub and effecting the necessary alternations . The Representation Adjustment Bill is passing through the House of Representatives. On Tuesday, Mr Fox said the Go vernment proposed to give one more member to Westlaud North and Nelson would nominally lose one member. The Otago Government offer £SOO to any person or persons who may lead to the conviction of the offenders, and the recovery of the property recently stolen from the police station at Clyde. It is further notified nidt. ma Excellency tne Governor offers a free pardon, in the event of the person giving such information being an accomplice. Mr Walton Pell, the contractor for the laying of 4000 tons of stone groin in the Buller River, has begun his work in proper form. He has two large barges, one at work, carrying twelve tons of stone and the first load was deposited on Saturday last ; the second barge, capable of carrying twenty-five tons is in course of erection and will be completed in a few days, and a third of similar dimensions will be proceeded with as early as possible. It is the custom of the Provincial Government to have all long sentenced prisoners sent from the Coast to Nelson. Last week two were taken from Cobden to Nelson to undergo sentences of six months. Seeing that their labor is so much more needed and made more remunerative here than there, we cannot see the necessity of transferring at considerable expense—each having to be accompanied by an officer of police—prisoners sentenced to so short a term.

John White, who was committed from the Resident Magistrate's Court here, and who, on Monday last, at the Supreme Court, Nelson, was found guilty of perjury, but in whose favor a legal point was raised by his counsel, has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Mr F. W. Morley has started a weekly express to the Lyell. He leaves this day, and will return at the end of the week' Any papers, letters, or parcels left at the Victoria Hotel will be regularly forwarded. The large number of fish at present in the Buller river has naturally increased the number of fishermen on the wharves. Whitebait, among other fish, has also made its appearance in our river at this early stage of the season. The two new drapery establishments in Gladstone street aro fast approaching completion. There are also several new buildings in the course of erection in the back streets. The Steam Packet and Golden Hope hotels are being removed to new sites, and Palmerston, AYallabi, Bright, and Cobden streets are fast being filled up with stores, hotels, and private residences. The headstone, and fencing around the grave of the late W. H. Ratcliffe, erected by his Masonic brethren here, have now been completed, and the ground also has been neatly laid out. The Charleston Herald has the following unique paragraph, not over complimentary to the residents of Greymouth:—"Greymouth has been trying to follow our example in the matter of the Social Institute and cannot. There is too much political froth and too little common sense in Greymouth." From the New Zealand Gazette of July 27, we learn that his Excellency the Governor has assented to "The Nelson Water-works Act, 1870." and "The Nelson Board of Works Debenture Act, 1870," passed by the Provincial Council last session.— The resignation of Mr Francis Harris, of Westport, of his appointment as Clerk of the District Court, and Clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court, has been accepted. Isaac Fowler, of Wangapeka, and Henry, Collins, of Wakapuaka, have been appointed Postmaster in their respective districts. The Wakamarina diggings still yield a little gold. We learn (from the Express) that over 300 ounces were purchased in Havelock, the produce of this field during the quarter ended June 30. A brown trout, salmo fario, has been caught in the Plenty river, Tasmania. It weigTed lOlbsj and measured 3u±in. in length bv 15in. in girth. ' I

An Auckland te.egram of 20th July, which appears in the Post, states that a meeting of the New Zealand Hank directors wis being held that day, and that the proposed increase of capital was considered certain. Nuggets, says the Ballamt Star, have been over and over again picked up from the quartz metal laid down on our streets j but on Monday a bigger piece of luck than usual foil to some boys in Rubicon street, near Winter's Freehold. They were siying some quartz stones from the street at an old boiler bv the road side, when one of the boys picked up a mass of golden quartz containing lOfc ounces of pure gold. A gentleman from A uekland, lias been exhibiting specimens taken from the Golden Crown, Long Drive, Waitemata, and Eureka claims. Auckland, in the Stock Exchange, San Francisco, and those who inspected them declared that there never was anything equal, as to richness, seen in California. Hundreds of persons went to look at the specimens. The same party writes to say, that in that country stone yielding from" 4 to 5 dwts. to the ton pays well; 8 dwts. is considered rich ; and 15 dwts. to the ton a ple or fortune to the shareholders. That with the present eru-hing, calcining, concentrating, chlorine process—which List is the most important of all saving appliances—the Californians save 85 per cent, of the gold contained in the stone. As the specimens created so much excitement, there is no doubt New Zealand will receive some visitors from there soon. The New Zealand Examiner, a paper published in London, very sensibly observes : " The manufacture of paper in New Zealand, the quantity of which is constantly increasing, might be entered upon with advantage, as the very best of all materials lies at the door of the colonists, and can be produced infinitely cheaper than any other at present used in the European manufactories." It is reported that the agent of a large monetary establishment in New South Wales is already in the Colony ready to take up part of the loan proposed in the financial statement of the Colonial Treasurer. The Sydney correspondent of the Argus concludes his remarks on the late Intercolonial Conference thus : —" We all know now what we want, and we have found out that we nearly all want separate things. Victoria wants supremacy, New South Wales wants free trade, South Australia and Tasmania want a free Victorian market for their produce, and New Zealand wants freedom to increase its customs revenue as the exigencies of its war taxes may demand. How is it possible to reconcile all these differences ?" Mr Vogel, in laying on the table a return of the expenditure under the Civil List, took occasion, on Tuesday last, to explain the allowances received by Ministers during the recess. They had all drawn their salaries. Mr Fox had a residence, and Mr Gisborne drew an allowance in lieu thereof. Mr M'Lean did not draw residence allowance, but received £2 2s a day while absent from Wellington. For himself, his position was that of Resident Minister at Auckland, and while there he only drew the usual salary ; when absent from Auckland, he drew £2 2s a day travelling expenses; and during his missiou to Australia, £i 4s a day. At the nomination of candidates to serve in the Provincial Council of Auckland for the Thames District, Mr Lowther Broad, who has since been returned, said :—" That he considered that the powers of the Superintendent in dealing with goldfields matters should not be so arbritary as at present. He considere 1 that the miners were overtaxed. He was glad to see that the Government had placed an rid. n.ilavetn duty on gold. This was a small mercy, but still it was advantageous. He thought that now the Maoris appeared willing to reduced the rents, they should also reduce the miner's rights. In respect to education, he did not think the matter was one with which it was desirable that the Provincial Government should deal. It was more a national question.