SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 715, 24 September 1870, Page 2

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

WESTPOHT. HIGH WATER. Thin lay ... 9.17 a.m.. 9.39 p.m. To-m«rrow 10.0 a.m., 10.18 p.m. Monday ... 10.39 p.m.. Hi.56 p.m. ARRIVALS. Sept. 22—Murray, 8.8., 56 tons, Palmer, from Greyniouth. Brothers and Sister, schooner, 26 tens, Perkins, from Hokitika. Lio:ic3s, p.s., 26 tons, Wilson, from Hokitika. DEPARTURES. Sept. 22 —Murray, s.s., for Nelson. Lioness, p *., for Hokitika. PASSENGER LIST. Per Murray, from Hokitika—Mrs Lee, Mrs Douglass, Messrs Falla, Douglass, Isaacs, Goldschmidt, Hewitt, Champion, Brown, Douglar, Thompson, and one lunatic. Per Murray, for Nelson—Messrs Goldschmidt, Hewitt, Thompson, Harrison, and •lie lunatic. IMPORTS. Per Murray, from Hokitika—2o truck wheels, 16 pedestals, Patterson ; 1 pkg leather, Simpson ; 1 bale do, Munro ; 1600 feet timber, Courtney; 10 cases apples, Falla. Per Brothers and Sister, from Hokitika—--15,000 feet timber, Clark. EXPORTS. Per Murray, for Nelson—l qr-cask whisky, Leslie. The builders of the Bright street and Kennedy street wharves, Messrs Maeleod and Atkinson, seem to have fair grounds for complaint as to the manner in which the Government enter into competition with th m, and ignore the spirit, although not the letter, of the terms upon which they are permitted to charge wharfage dues. While Messrs Maeleod and Atkinson are empowered to charge a certain scale of dues, and, in consideration of that power, have erected substantial wharves in suitable situations, the Government continues to permit the use of what is by courtesy called the upper wharf, for a lower scale of dues on goods, and, in the case of vessels, without any charge whatever. The Government thus practically enters into competition with parties to whom they have given a certain protection, and do so without deriving any tangible advantage, while considerable disadvantage is done to those who have been at expense and risk of building and maintaining prope>* wharves. It is but reasonable that the Government should either make the scale of charges the 6nme in all cases, without imposing too heavy a tax upon ship-owners and consignees, or lit the upper wharf to the owners of the others, or to parties who may be willing to lease it on statid terms. At present Messrs Maeleod and Atkinson are aggrieved, and the Government is in on way benefited. A large snag opposite Britannia Square will be removed from the river bed this afternoon. The contract for its removal has been let to Mr Pell, and the chains were attached yesterday at low water. Services of this description were formerly performed by the Harbor Department, but since the crew has been dispensed with, the work .has to be performed by others. The brigantine Mary, for Melbourne, was towed out by the steamer Murray on Thursday morning. There was a. fine breeze off the land, which quickly carried the vessel out of sight. The Mary was full of passengers, some -of whom have been attracted to Australia by tlie reputed value of recent gold discoveries in Queensland, notwithstanding that the latest nccounts speak of the diggings as a total failure. The schooner Brothers and Sister, Captain Perkins, left Hokitika on Monday, and arrived off the Buller the following evening. She was towed inside by the s.s. Murray on Thursday morning, and brings a cargo of timber, consigned to Mr Clark.

The p.s. Lione3S attempted to leave Hokitika for Westport on Wednesday evening, but stuck in the river, and was unable to cross the bar until the following morning, when she towed out the schooner Sarah and Mary, bound for Melbourne. She arrived at Westport on Thursday evening for the purpose of talcing out the Mary, having had no advice of "her departure. Sha returned to Hokitika On the same evening.

The steamer Murray arrived from Greymouth on Thursday morning, and Bailed the same evening for Nelson. The steamer Kennedy left Nelson yesterday, and will arrive in Westport this morning.

The steamer Storm Bird was to leave Manukau for Westport, fidl of passengers, to-day; and the s.s. Wallabi was also expected to leave Wellington tor Westport with a cargo of Tattle.

Mr T. Hirst, of New Plymouth, proposes a plan for shipping and landing goods there by means of a wire tramway. The cost, he estimates, will not exceed £4OOO. Taking advantage of the recent Imperial Act amending the Merchant Shipping Act, the Government ha 9 introduced and passed through the House, a BiH entitled the Merchant Ships' Officers' Examination Bill, the object of which is to allow seamen to pass ex■aminatiion for mate and master in the colony, «ud to receive certificates, which will be of equal value tp those issued by the Board of ■ dade. The French war steamer Guichen arrived at Sydney on Sept. 10 for despatches, and sailed with war news for New Caledonia. A raid on German shipping is expected at any moment. A Prussian war vessel is also known to have arrivsd lately in the South Sea. The Victorian Government has sent Capt. Gilmore by mail to Galle, there to await and charter a steamer-express should England be involved in the war. It may be recollected, says the Age, that soma months ago Mr Morton, who was then chief officer of the steamer Tararua, met with such serere injuries on board that his life was for some time despaired of. His friends here will be glad to learn that he has so far recovered as to be able to make a visit to Melbourne for the benefit of his health. Although Mr Morton is fast gathering strength, it is dubious if he will ever be able again to fulfil the active duties of his profession. JSY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPE. ABBIYALS. "GHETKOr/TH.—Sept. 22—Lyttelton, from "Westport. Nelson.—Sept. 23—Claud Hamilton, from Wellington. Hokitika.—Sept. 23 Kangitoto, from Melbourne. DEPASTURES. Nelson.—Sept. 23—Kennedy, for West-