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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 701, 23 August 1870, Page 2

The prior right to take water from the Waimangaroa Creek is being still contested, one of the cases set down for hearing to-day being Hughes v Overhagen. The complainant seeks to cancel defendant's certificate upon several grounds ; among other, that notice, as required by the regulations, of intention to apply for an abandoned race, had not been served upon the parties interested, that the race had not been abandoned, and that the original certificate had not been forfeited. In the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Edward Duggan, an inebriate, was fined 10s. One civil case was disposed of, Wardrop and Brown v. Daley and O'Brien, iu which the plaintiffs had applied for an immediate summons for the recovery of £7 19s 5d for butcher's meat. It appeared, in evidence that the defendants had disposed of their hut and water rights, but had not transferred the certificate of the latter in the Warden's Court. Judgment wa,s given for the amount claimed and costs with immediate execution, his Worship notifying that, in the event of there being nothing upon which to levy, the plaintiffs might apply for a judgment summons upon the warrant being returned, and he would grant a hearing the same afternoon. The two prisoners, Pickup and Pitts, at present lodged in the Westport Gaol, were brought up, and Mr Maguire, gaoler, asked for their remand to Cobden, where they had been committed for trial at the District Court, charged with larceny. In the absence of the information or depositions, his Worship was of opinion that the only course would be to remand the prisoners to Cobden.

The Bank of New Zealand shipped per Charles Edward yesterday for Hokitika two boxes, containing 1,6850zs 17dwts gold, the duty upon which amounted to £2ll 19s Bd.

The auction of the balance of Mr Smith's drapery stock Gladstone-street, held on Saturday and yesterday, was well attended, the goods realising satisfactory prices. The sale will be continued to-day, commencing at 11 a.m., in order to effect a clearance. At the close of the drapery sale the premises and section will be offered. Its excellent position should command a high figure, much as people complain of the general dulness. The two prisoners: Pickup and iPitts will be forwarded per Kennedy to Cobden. They would have gone on per Charles Edward, but in consequence of some misunderstanding as to the hour of her departure, they were not brought down to the wharf in time to catch the steamer.

Mr Inspector Sbalcrass, who has been on an official visit to the Grey district, is expected in Westport from Charleston today.

The San Francisco mail was brought on per Charles Edward from Nelson. The mail was unusually large. The mails, formerly conveyed by the harbor department, are now carted to the Post-office. It is notified in another column that Dr Bruen, M.R.C.S., Ireland, purposes practising his profession in Westport and neighborhood. Advices have been received that the fire engine and hose for the Westport Fire Brigade have been shipped from London oh board the British Envoy, for Melbourne, from whence they will be transmitted here by first opportunity. The New Zealand Gazette of August 4, contains a notification of the appointment of C. H. W. Bowen as clerk of the District Court of Westland North at Westport, from the Ist inst.

Napier telegrams, dated Aug. 15, give the following items of Native news :—Capt. Porter reports that Te Kooti passed Waikohu on the Ist, about twenty miles from Poverty Bay. He found Te Kooti's tracks and fires, but it is not known whether Te Kooti has gone by way of Waioeka or Ruatatuna. Nothing has been heard about Ropata since he left Tologa Bay. He is most likely on Te Kooti's track. Ropata says—"l will pursue Te Kooti till I capture him." An eye-witness describes Ropata's rage as "awful" at Te Kooti's presumption in attacking a Ngatiporou settlement. Ropato means mischief.

The official report from the Upper Cape diggings, Queensland, states that the reefs are yielding richly. One hundred tons of stone from the South Union claim yielded 10,000ozs. The reef has already been tested to five feet thick.

We learn by telegram from Wellington that Government purpose immediate action in railway construction by offering a guarantee of five and a-half per cent for lines already surveyed—namely, from Dunedin to the Clutha, from Auckland to Waikato, from Nelson to Fox Hill, and from Picton to Blenheim. A Bill to accomplish this was brought down on Thursday, and will probably be carried.

The appointment of an Agent-General in England for the Colony will be rendered necessary by tho new measures of Government. Tho salary for this gentleman was discussed in the House on Tuesday last, and from .£ISOO to £2OOO a year was talked of as the probable sum. Georgo Preston, the informer on and principal witness against James Wilson, who has been committed for trial to the Supreme Court, Auckland, on a charge of stealing specimens from the Whau GoldMining Company's ground, has been tarred by the men working on the claim, and is now in the Hospital suffering from the effects of the treatment he has received. New silver mines have been discovered in Mexico of fabulous richness.

A paragraph appears in the Cape Standard of May 24, to the effect that Dr Kirk was at Zanzibar, and had recently received a letter from Dr Livingstone.

A dividend of .£62 10a per original share has been deolared in the Tokatea Gold-min-ing Company, Coromandel. A nugget, weighing eleven ounces, was lately found near Tokomairiro, Otago. It is about the size of a pullet's egg, and is apparently one mass of solid gold. It is worth about .£4l.