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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 718, 1 October 1870, Page 2

Dr Giles arrived at the Inangahua at a late hour on Wednesday evening. MiLewis and staff, who proceeded from Westport in the Government canoe, arrived there about 2 p.m. on Thursday. The Warden will visit the Murray reefs, and Mr Lewis will be engaged making necessary surveys in that district, where Mr Dobson is also expected. Owing to the temporary absence of the Rev. Mr Lewis in Nelson, there will be no service held at St. John's Church to-morrow.

In the report of cattle sale ex Charles Edward, appearing in our last issue, the number of cattle were incorrectly stated; there having been 35 sold, in place of 17, The average price remains the same, £ls.

The heaviest hail storm that ever fell to our lot to witness passed over Westport shortly before midnight on Thursday. The storm was ushered in by several heavy peals of thunder and shortly after a few sharp reports on the roofs of the houses, apparently as if large shingle were being thrown overhead, gave warning of what was to follow. In a few moments the storm was at its height, and the effect upon the galvanised iron roofs of the buildings was positively startling. Not only was ordinary conversation impossible, but the loudest pitch of the human voice was completely drowned by the din. Fortunately the storm was attended with but trifling damage—we have no crops to suffer injury, and in the matter of conservatories or hot-houses Westport and its surroundings are equally deficient. What damage could be done, however, was speedily effected, and not a skylight which was exposed to the full force of the storm escaped. A large one in Messrs Graves and Fleming's drapery establishment was quicklyjdeinolished, and a number of hotel-keepers have suffered similar loss. As to the size of the hail opinion varies considerably. One informant who on this occasion at least had good reason to rejoice in the possession of a " bell-topper," declares solemnly that the hail-stones were fully the size of a pigeon's egg, and that but for the protection afforded him by this much calumniated stylo of head-covering he must have been knocked senseless. He escaped without casualty other than the total annihilation of his beaver. The storm lasted only a few minutes, and, on going out of doors, the ground was covered with hail-stones fully the size of large marbles, many of which were visible the following day, when lodged in sheltered situations.

An information for vising abusive and insulting language, brought by J. Tottenham against J. A. M. Turner, was heard before B. C. Keid and S. Thorpe, Esquires, Justices, yesterday. The complainant failed to produce any evidence in support of the information, and the case was dismissed with costs. The telegrams published in the " News of the Wold," a San Francisco journal are one of its several remarkable features. If paid for by one journal exclusively, they would cost not less than £7OOO sterling. The organization, however, of the American press is so extensive that they are furnished for a mueh less sum. A Fiji correspondent writes:—"The building of cottages and stores is going on briskly at Levuka. The tendency of the place appears to be to increase and spread towards Totoga. Several houses are being built on the hills back of Levuka, and good sites are much in demand. Short leases preveut many from going to more expense than is absolutely necessary, and much is therefore lost in the way of ornament, and the permanent improvement of our commercial capital is retarded. Timber and iron are ia great demand, and though the number of carpenters has been increased by several new arrivals, yet wages move upward, and fourteen shillings per day is the price now asked instead of twelve shillings. During the last few months passengers have been compelled to remain on board ship, unable to meet with any accommodation at the boaidiag-houses and hotels. Our hotel accommodation is not scanty, but the large immigration has not been prepared for. A meeting of citizens and others took place on the Aug. 7 to consider the best means of procuring a system of government for the town of Levuka. There was a large attendance, and several resolutions were submitted to the meeting, which was adjourned to the 15th. A new invention, intended for the comfort of moustachioed individuals, has been invented in tho shape of a novel coffee-cup. A Melbourne contemporary, referring to it, says:— *' The moustache coffee-cup well deserves the notice of persons given to those

hirsute appendages. On one side of the interior of the cup i 3 a porcelain bar, which prevents the moustache touching the liquid, while a semicircular aperture between the bar and the drinking vessel allows the coffee to be sipped conveniently." The iron sand of Canada is attracting considerable attention in America, and is reported to resemble the sand found on the shores at Taranaki. The process by which the sand is made into iron in America is totally different from that tried at New Plymouth. A rich reef has been discovered at the Den, Tasmania. The Melbourne Argus of a late date says: A novel point as to the validity of the manner of administering' the oath iu the various law and police courts, was raised by Mr F. Stephen at the City Court, but as it was not pressed the question was not argued and consequently no decision was given. During the hearing of a ease of perjury, Ewart v. Adams, Mr Stephen objected that it was not legal for the court crier to administer an oath before a judge, or for the clerk to do it before a magistrate, as the law strictly required that the judge or magistrate should administer the oath himself. Mr Start, P.M., said that the magistrate administered an oath through the clerk of the court; but Mr Stephen said that frequently the magistrate was talking to his friends on the bench while his deputy was thus engaged. The objection was allowed to drop, though Mr Stephen said he could support it by the law books. In the matter of earthquakes Japan appears to be unrivalled, no less than 19 shaky days being recorded for the month of May, the number of shocks varying from one to twenty-four, the majority being recorded as violent or severe. The Bench of Magistrates of the Police Court, Auckland, a few days ago, found themselves in a very novel dilemma. A Maori devotee of Bacchus was brought into Court, when it was found that he was both deaf and dumb. Mr Cunningham suggested to the Bench that the defendant could not be regularly charged, and, in fact that he could not defend himself. As there was no interpreter at hand, the Bench got out of the difficulty by discharging the prisoner. After this we shall not be surprised if there be an increase in tbe number of deaf and dumb Bacchanalians. The Port Chalmers Naval Brigade have telegraphed their acceptance of the challenge of the Greymouth Rifle Volunteers.