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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 726, 20 October 1870, Page 2

The meeting convened for yesterday evening, at the Masonic Hall, for the purpose of devising means to secure to Westport the advantages likely to result from the important gold discoveries in the Upper Buller, has been adjourned until to-morrow evening. Perry and party are prospecting some likely looking country near the Nokowai, a small stream between tho Waimangaroa and the Mokihinui, but with what success is not yet known. Nothing further has transpired with respect to the alleged gold disccveries in Wheelbarrow Gully. The rumors respecting this locality may have originated in the fact that the above party, who number amongst them the prospectors of Caledonia Terrace, were giving the country a trial in the vicinity of the Waimangaroa. The May Mails from the Colonies, via San Francisco and New York, were delivered on the 25th July. The time occupied was fifty-eight days from and fortynine'from Auckland. A'proolamation has beenissuedproroguing Parliament to November 10.

It is notified by tlio sheriff that the names of persons to servo as jurors at the District Court to be held at Charleston on Nov. Bth will bo drawn at tho Warden's Office, Westport, at noon to-day. Tho Westport jurors wers drawn on Tuesday last.

A sitting of the District Court of Westland North will be held in Westport on the 15th aud at Charleston on the Bth proximo. In tho Warden's Court on Tuesday, the case of Dowd and others v. Hicks and others, was struck out, the complainants not appearing. A number of applications for water rights, tunnels, &o. were granted. A second sitting of the liesidout Magistrate's Court was hold on Tuesday afternoon, when the following polico cases were disposed of:—William Bawliugs, charged with drunkenness and further charged with indecent exposure, was fined for each offence 20s or, in default, 24 hours' imprisonment j Martha Houghton and Elizabeth Jackson, charged with drunkenness, were severally fined 10s with the usual alternative. Jno. Mulligan, who had been arrested under a warrant from Cobden, charged with tho desertion of an infant child, was bound over to pay the sum of jEI weekly for its maintenance, or to take it into his own charge. The recent rains have enabled the miners of the Northern Terraces to resume full work, and a good deal of activity is noticeable at Hatter's and Ro'chfort Terraces. At Giles Terrace the population is not increasing. A few parties from this locality, who have recently worked out their ground, have made a move to the Murray and Anderson's Creeks reefs, from which highly favorable reports and extraordinarily rich samples of stone continue to be received.

It has been suggested that, in view of several quartz crushing plants being required in the Duller District, attention might be advantageously directed to the very low prices realised at the Thames and other northern goldnelds for the class of machinery necessary in working the reefs at the Lyell, Murray and Andersen's, creeks. A party recently returned from Auckland states that powerful engines and batteries, in every way adapted to these workings, can be obtained at one fifth of the cost of any similar plant landed from Melbourne. From what we can gather, the depressed condition of the mining industry on the Auckland goldfields has thrown a large number of plants into the market, and it is stated on good authority, that no better market can be found at present for the advantageous purchase of machinery. As the sweepstakes on the Melbourne Cup takes place at the Empire Hotel, on the 29th inst; we publish the names of the fifty-six horses whien were declared as acceptances on the 10th August. The race takes place at Melbourne on the 3rd November, and the following are the aecewtances:—Tim Whiifler, Warrior, Barbelfe, Milesian, Barbarian, Little Dick, Ida Colt, Trump Card, A 1, Florence, Detective. Eoe, Valentine, Maintop, Paddysland, Aurora, Zilla, Horizon, Patience, Glencoe, Praetor, The Earl, The Monk, The Duke, Croydon, Amsterdam, Sir John, Lapdog, Partisan, Marksman, Farmer's Daughter, Freetrader, Palmerston, Huntsman, Keepsake, Sheet-anchor, Saladin, True Blue, Manuka, By long, Moselle, Strop, Sir William, Carnation, Eosebud, Juanita, Flying Dutchman, Duke of Montrose, Dalrymple 3 , Mischief, Phosphorous, Cothcr.?toue, Nimblefoot, Zu Zu, Eomula, Miss Wilkins. The tender of Mr John Clark, builder, has been accepted for the erection of a twostory building, in Gladstone street, for Mr M'Farlane. The structure is to be completed by the Ist of December.

As notified in our advertising columns a Warden's Court sitting will he held at Chrysty's, luangabua Junction, on the Bth of November. Sergeant Kiely will temporarily perform the clerical duties from tho Ist of November until the sitting of the Court, and will receive applications for registration, issue summonses, &c. It is also notified that in all cases of protection granted for quartz workings, special amplication must be renewed on the Bth, otherwise the protection will be withdrawn. The s.s. Ilangitoto, the nest Australian steamer, is expected at Hokitika to-morrow. She was announced to leave Melbourne on Saturday the loth inst. The first sitting of the ensuing session of the Supreme Court in Nelson will be held on the liith proximo. Tbe total quantity of coal exported from Newcastle, N.S.W., during the twelve mouths ended on tho 31st August last, was 404,430 tons, of which New Zealand took 76,473 tons. The Timarn Herald states that the Boiling Down and Meat Preserving Establishment at the Washdyke is rapidly being prepared for tho operations of next season. Five tinsmiths are busy making the tins for preserved meat, aud have already completed some 15,000 in number. A cargo of timber is also shortly expected for the making of cases to pack the meat in, and we believe that a cargo will be used monthly when tho establishment is in full working order. Altogether the establishment will employ a very considerable number of hands, and will be the means of adding largely to the exports of the district. The plant for the Wellington gasworks arrived in the ship Firth of Clyde on the Gth inst. The quantity of coal taken out of the mines at the Bay of Islands is from 160 to 200 tons daily, for which the company by whom the mines are worked, pay the Government a royalty of 6d per ton. The working of the Bankruptcy law appears to give dissatisfaction in Tasmania as well as in New Zealand. Ou hearing a recent application for a discharge, Chief Justice Sir Francis Smith is reported to have spoken as follows: —" Since the abolition of imprisonment for debt, there was no excuse for the present Insolvency Act not being done away. Along with his late colleague he had always i'elt ashamed of the functions the Court was called on to exercise there. In the great majority of cases it was like bringing a slate into that room with an account of liabilities, and by the medium of the Court having them wiped out with a sponge, and where there had been no opposition, the dischargo had generally been granted, in most cases with considerable doubt." The cricket season was opened at Christchurch on the Ist inst. A surveyor, named Mr George Swainson was recently found dead in his bed, in an hotel at Marton. A correspondent writes to the Timaru Herald from the Mackenzie country, stating that he has found some enormous bones on the run of Dr Fisher, Mackenzie country, and also a large petrified eye *' the size of a common lever watch." Senator Colo, iu his speech on the Australian Mail Subsidy Bill, informed Congress that " the proposition is now pending to establish an American steamship line between our Pacific Coast and Australia, by way of the Sandwich and Fiji Islands, and perhaps by New Zealand."

During tho examination of a bankrupt in tho District Court, Hokilika, on 1 hursday, it transpired that his papers had been mado out by Mr Peter Zohrab, an accountant, who had received inonoy for so doing, and has otherwise acted as a solictor of the District Court, not being so enrolled. His Honor directed Mr Harvey to take proceedings in the matter. Mr Harvey said ho would do so. His Honor mado a similar direction in the case of Mr Troloar. At a sitting of tho District Court, hold at Hokitika en the 13th instant, Mr Eichard Ejeyes, auctioneer, applied for and obtained his discharge. Among other liabilities was a sum of Jj:;00 due to the County of Westland, for the lease of tolls.

A complimentary dinner is to bo given to Mr Moorhouse, on his return io Christchurch, in about a week.

Saltwater Creek Hotel, Timarn, was burned down on the Bth instant. The fire originated in a spark from the chimuey catching tho shingle roof. The house was insured for £250; a good deal of furniture was saved. Mr Slee, the proprietor, estimates his personal loss at .£l5O.

Preserved moat from tho Hawke's Bay pastures is about to be tried in the English market, tea tons of roiled mutton having been put on board the Argyleshire for .London.

Henry Norgate, while felling at Takaka, Nelson, was caught by one of the large branches which struck him on tho low part of the back, severely dislocating th.3 right hip-joint. Attempts were made on the spot to reduce the dislocation, but these were unsuccessful; and tho sufferer was brought over to tho hospital, where he now lies.

From the Homo papers wo learn that Mr G. F. Eowc (Fawcelt) is playing Micawber in tlio provinces, with great success. The Glasgow Bally Herald, in speaking of the performance of David Coppei-Sold, says:— " The feature of the performance was Mr G. F. Eowe's Wilkins Micawber, than which it would have been diiucult to mention anything finer in the whole of modern comedy." Lady Don is busily engaged at Nottingham, preparing for the opening of the theatre there. Mr Farjeon lias prepared the address, and Mr Akhurat has rc-written his King Arthur, under the title of Lancelot and Guiuivere, for the opening piece. The Lonton Boys are playing with great success in the North of England. Mr Harry Leslie and Mr Steel, both wellknown in connection with Christy Minstrelism in the Colonies, have nearly completed a novelty, in the shape of a subterranean theatre, in the Strand. Great things in the shape of novelty are promised for the opening.