The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 730, 29 October 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1870.

The proposal to construct a tramway, sixteen miles in length, from the point at which communication by water terminates on the Inanguhua, to the Murray reef, is one which, when carried out, must contribute very largely to the opening and expansion of the vast mineral resources of the Inangahua and surrounding districts. Fortunately there is every likelihood, in this instance, that the application will be favorably received by his Honor the Superintendent, seeiugthat in so doing the Executive would be relieved from the necessity of incurring any expenditure upon the line of country through which it is proposed to carry a tramway, and thus a considerable sum should be available for improving the line of communication between Westport and the Inangahua Landing. In this respect much remains to be clone. In addition to the repair of tracks, which at the present are almost impassable, the question of bridging the numerous streams that intersect the route is one deserving the early attention of the Government. It is stated, on competent authority, that bridges could be thrown over the different creeks at a very trifling cost, and by this moans, one of the great disadvantages, under which these rising districts and Westport now suffer, would be removed. Until this-.is accomplished, intercourse must often be suspended; tiny streams, after a few hours' rain, owing to the configuration of the country, become flooded torrents/and totally impassable, and with a climate on which it is impossible to place dependence, unless i,i the matter of frequent and heavy rains, it becomes of primary importance to provide for the security of life and an uninterrupted business intercourse. In the event of the proposal being acceded to, it will, of course, rest with the Government to enforce such restrictive clauses as will, not alone secure to the consumer a guarantee that no unreasonable scale of h* hut aW, tkn* t u_ .. u ahell be commenced ana completed wiann a moderate space of time. Without desiring to presuppose that the application has been lodged in any other than a thoroughly bona fide spirit, with the fullest intention, if accorded, to perform the work expeditiously, we should, nevertheless, desire to see the grant accompanied with conditions, that would place it beyond the power of the holders to enter upon the project for the mere pumose of securing a valuable right, and then ottering that right to the best market. It would indeed be matter for regret if, in the event of any difficulty arising in duly carrying out"the project, and of a d'blay on the part of the' Government, who, awaiting its execution would necessarily bC?itate in constructing a line of road, the tsiiwable opportunky were allowed to pass of securing to Wesfcport the vast advantages that must accompany an early and tJTective means of communication with thv.se important districts. ,

I Jp to the hour of going to press there ! was no intimation of the arrival of the Suez Mail in New Zealand. It was due in Melbourne on Thursday, and would not be expected for come days in this Colony, were it not for the extraordinary despatch with which the last mail came to hand, kavinoarnved at the Bluff on the day that it was due m Melbourne. The approach of a Melbourne steamer at the Bluff on Thursday evening gave rise to a rumor that the European Mail had arrived, and, indeed such was the nature of the news sent through to the operator. The effect of that information in "Westport was, as a matter of course, to keep everyone on the qui vive until the arrival of the Gothenburg from Melbourne at the Bluff, with the information that, prior to her departure, no news had been received in Melbourne of the Suez Mail-steamer.

The names of the shareholders, to whom a, prospecting claim was recently granted at jVestport for a quartz-mining claim at Anderson's Reef, are Messrs It. Slone Louis Daviea, J. Anderson, D. Ross, J. Potter and J. Coie. • '

A party returned from the Murray on Thursday states that the population is fast increasing ; many were met going up from Westport, while from Westlandand the Grey Valley the arrivals are even greater. The news is very encouraging. A fresh reef has been discovered close to tho foot of Murray's Creek by Black and party. Our informant saw a sample of stone out of the leader, containing i.umerous specks of gold all through toe body of the stone. The ground is taken up :or a great distance, and as a natural consequence, where the claims aro of such extraordinary value, disputes are numerous, and much litigation is sure to arise. The minors are very pleased to learn that tho f0 j I s t0 be coastru cted from Westport, ?_nd that a Warden's Court has been established at the Inangahua Junction. There are still miners working alluvial ground in the locality of the reefs, and a fine sample of .gold was shown our informant by a hatter, one piece weighing upwards of six ounces, besides several smaller nuggets. At Soldier's Gully, about ten or twelve men are at work, and aro making good wages, but its great drawback is tho scareily of water. But for that, hero and throughout the district a very large population could bo permanently and profitably employed. At Stoney Batter, Boatman's Creek,

Flower's, and Redman's there are also a few parties employed, who seem very well satisfied with thoir present earnings. At Landing Creek, about twenty men are engaged paddecking, bat hore is also a great scarcity of water. Mr Long is erecting an accommodation house at this side of the Inangahua river, which will be a great boon to travellers.

In the E.M. Court, yesterday, the case of M'Beath v. Blackburn was again called on. The plaintiff did not appear, and the defendant was called upon to show cause why, the amount of a judgment not having been paid, ho should not be sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The defendant stated that the circumstances were much the same as a month back, when he was brought before the Court. His Worship said that the plaintiff considered that under the Act tho Court should put the defendant upon his oath and enquire into his means and circumstances. The defendant was then sworn, and stated that the amount of judgment was £7 5s 3d, and was obtained at Hokitika, October 5, 18G9. The judgment was still unsatisfied, and no portion had been paid. He had been, and still was, a martyr to rheumatism, and for many months had put through a miserable existence in Westport. He had, teen living in a miserable place on the beach keeping a school. For sis months he had only fiv9 scholars, who paid him two shillings a week, out of which receipts he paid rent. Since his removal to Kennedy street his circumstances had improved, and he was earning 38s a week, out of which he was paying 10s a week rent. He had incurred a few liabilities for the barest necessaries in Westport, which he was now paying, and he had offered the plaintiff to pay him 10s monthly. His Worship said that, as stated by him at the previous hearing, imprisonment did not, he thought, necessarily follow upon the defendant being brought before the Court, having failed to satisfy a judgment debt. If the plaintiff considered that the defendant merited imprisonment, he should appear and elicit something that would justify such a course. The summons would be dismissed.

An application to construct a tramway between Inangahua Landing and the Murray Beefs has been forwarded through the District Warden, Dr Gile3, to his Honor the Superintendent, and, in the event of itsbeing granted, it is inteuded to proceed with the work immediately. The line is expected to be about sixteen miles in length, and as the country presents no engineering difficulties, the work of laying the line could be carried forward very rapidly, after placing an engine on the ground for sawing the timber.

Our readers are reminded that the sweeps on the Melbourne Cup will be drawn at the Empire Hotel this evening. A handsome double-alley American bowling saloon is in course of erection for Mr Emanuel, of the Little Grey Hotel, which it adjoins, having a frontage to Gladstone street. The saloon is 84 feet long, and will be completed shortly after the arrival of flooring timber from Nelson.

In consequence of the delay in shipping the tiinbbr from Hokitika, Mr Courtney has been unable to open the tramway to-day as expected. On receipt of the rails, a few days will suffice to gee everything in a state of readiness for the cars, which are in course of preparation. Sergeant luely to whom has been entrusted the duty of collecting the Education Bate, has, up to the present date, received £l£o i'->-A special correspondent of the Grey P alley Times, writing under date October 18th, says:—"Siuce- my last, there has been another reef struck about half-way between Boss' accommodation house and the old reefs. The prospectors are James Anderson, Potter, and party. I seud you a sample of the stone; break it where you will, xrom the face, you will not find a piece of stone that does not contain o- o ld It is the opinion of all old reefers that the palmy days of Woods Point are about to bo revived m this district. Fresh reefs are being found every day,—even while I am writing there is a report of the discovery of another reef even better than the last. Ihe prices of shares are going up, ,£3OO cash having been offered and refused for a share in the new reef."

At the Hokitika District Court, on Tuesday, before his Honor Judge Ward, Mr Harvey made an application in re Davis Hayman, of Charleston, tobacconist, for the examination of a witness named Thomas M. Kee, in order to show that Hayman had' fraudulently disposed of his assets, and m order to support an application for immediate adjudication in bankruptcv. The order was made, and the witness who was in attendance, was placed on his oath, and stC'l- —I live at Charleston, and know Davis Hayman, a tobacconist. I know T. Dwan, an auctioneer. I was at Charleston on or about the 15th October, and was present at a sale of D. Hayman's good 3 by auction by Mr Dwai:, The house was sold. I saw Mr Hayman laSi in Westport on Friday, the 2lst instant; had a conversation with him and he told me iiv? "was going to Wanganui. The house sold vas Hayman's shop and residence. I am not aware of his having any other residence. Itr Harvey produce! an affidavit of Bernard Marks and Benjamin Fuerst, of Hokitika, tobacconists, praying for adjudication of bankruptcy against the said Davis Hayman. The order was made ; and on a further application of Mr Harvey, under the 92nd clause of the Bankruptcy Act, for a warrant for the arrest of the bankrupt and the seizure of his books, because they had reason to believe that the bankrupt intended to leave the Colony, and defeat his creditors, the warrant was ordered to issue, and to be forwarded to Westport. On the arrival of the warrant here Mr Hayman was arrested, and a sum of money found upon his person amply sufficient to satisfy all liabilities to Marks and Fuerst. In addition to that two oases of valuable goods were seized ex Wallabi at Greymouth, and on the arrival of the steamer in Westport a third case containing .£4O worth of cigars, which had escaped the notice of the Greymouth officers, -was seized by Mr Cooper. The whole circumstances ofj the case are unintellioible since Messrs Marks and Fuerst's account is covered by unmatured acceptances, and the fact of Mr Uayman's intention to proceed to Wanganui has been known for some time, and he has already been several days in Westport awaiting a steamer direct to Wanganui. The fact of his having allowed two steamers to leave for Nelson without proceeding by them, clearly showsthat he had no undue anxiety to leave the district. We are also informed that the goods quitted at auction in Charleston realised a fair margin of profit. Two professional accountants, Mr Peter Zohrab and Mr Fredrick Dick, were recently called ag witnesses in the Bankruptcy Court, Hokitika with the object of eliciting whether they had accepted fees for the discharge of what is said to be solely solicitors duties in bankruptcy cases, and with the effect of convicfing themselves by their own evidence. His Honor referred to the recent case of Mr M'Gregor, who for an irregularity, had been sentenced to a fortmghfs imprisonment by the Supreme

Court at Christchurch, and explained that parties so acting were further liable to a fine of JESO. This being the first occasion on v.'hich notice of the matter had b3en taken, his Honor cautioned Messrs Zohrab and Dick, and, it was expected that Mr Treloar, who was also understood to have occasionally acted in the same way, would benefit by the caution so given. As there are other places on the West Coast where bankrupts and agents have no distinct understanding as to this reading of the law, it would be well that the circumstances should be generally known, Further particulars are to hand of the disastrous fire in Lyttelton on the night of the 24th. The extent of damage is estimated in round numbers at .£IOO,OOO. The fire raged for upwards of four hours, destroying the entire block of buildings, bounded by London street, Oxford street, Canterbury street, and Norwich quay. Two thirds of the town have been laid in ruins, and a large number of families are houseless. A large quantity of provisions were sent through from Christchurch on the 26th, as all the butchers' and bakers' shops in Lyttelton had been destroyed. Out of thirteen licensed housed eight were burnt down. The Christchurch steam fire engine was conveyed to Lyttelton by special train, and assisted most materially in subduing the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown, but it originated'in an outhouse of the Queen's Hotel, in whicti a number of cases and straw were stored. A public subscription list was opened in Christchurch, on the 26th, and .£l9O subscribed, and the Licensed Victuallers' Association announced a performance in aid of the sufferers, on the 27th. The Nelson Colonist suggests a subscription in all the towns of New Zealand for the relief of the uninsured sufferers, and has opened a list. By a recent Act, amending the " Juries' Act, 1868," jurors are to be paid, and volunteers are no longer exempted from serving on juries. The fees payable under the Act are certainly not extravagant, being fixed at three, four, six, and eight shillings, payable to a juror for each day or portion of a day that he may be in attendance. Residents within the town or city in which the Court is held are entitled to three shillings; beyond the town, but not more than seven miles from the Court-house, four shillings ; beyond seven, and not exceeding twelve miles, six shillings; and beyond twelve, and not exceeding twenty miles, eight shillings. Dr Knight, Auditor General for the Colony, has arrived at Hokitika. The principal object of his visit is stated to be the investigation of the financial position of the County in its relations to the General Government.