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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 758, 3 January 1871, Page 2

Mr ICyunersley will address the Westport electors at the Masonic Hall, this evening, at eight o'clock. A meeting of the members of the, choir of St. John's Church, and of those; desirous of joining the same, will be held this evening, at the Church, at 8 o'clock. The first barge load of stone for the new protective work was* deposited on the Buller bank yesterday evening. The Treasurer of the Hospital acknowledges receipt of one guinea from Mr Christian Rasmussen, Darkies Terrace, and ten shillings from Mr Philip Coyle, Addison's. The birth of the New Tear was duly celebrated in Westport. The hotels and places of amusement were crowded, and those assembled gave themselves up to the" fullest enjoyment. Congratulation, toast, ,>nd song were the general order, and until long after daylight festive crowds celebrated the auspicious occasion.

It. was rumored in town yesterday that the result of the quartz forwarded from Kelly's reef, Inangahua, to Melbourne for a trial crushing, had been received by the Rangitoto, and that it showed the magnificent yield of 30ozs to the ton. The news is stated to have been received from the reefs. Confirmation of the report is eagerly awaited.

A large number of passengers left Westport by Cobb and Co.'s coaches on Sunday and yesterday morning for Charleston, for the purpose of witnessing the races. Ihe report of the working manager of the Murray Creek Gold Mining Company was laid before the directors on Wednesday last. Crushing commenced on Dec. 9th, and until the 16th 75 tons were put through. The first 10 tons were headings, yielding little or no gold. From the reremaining 65 tons a yield of 29 ozs of retorted gold was obtained, which, though not up to expectations, would leave a profit on the cost of raising and crushing when the ground is opened-up properly.

The majority of the miners who were in town during the Christmas holidays have returned to their claims. It is a most gratifying comment upon the population of this district that, notwithstanding its being a holiday season and large numbers assembled, the amount of money at their command, and the surrounding temptations, there was no charge of drunkenness or disorderly conduct on the police sheet during the entire week, nor anything approaching to disturbance. The features cf the holidays were good humor and good order. Dr Knight, Auditor General, was a passenger by the p.s. Charles Edward, from Westland. We believe that he will pay an official visit to Charleston and Brighton.

Mr Lowther Broad has announced his intention not to come forward at the coming election as a candidate for Westland North in the General Assembly; He regrets that circumstances over which he has no control, make it impossible for him to comply with the wish of those who signed a requisition that he would allow himself to be placed in nomination.

The schooner Betsy Douglas, recently wrecked at Charleston, is insured in Christchurch for £l5O.

The Sunbeam, from Whangaroa, reports that two Europeans have been drowned at Ntrnngiirn. hh rough the C&«sizin<» of ft boat, and fourteen Maoris through the capsizing of a cutter at Whangaroa. No bodh s have been found. The boat drifted on shore.

The " Wanganui Chronicle " will appear after the New Year as a daily evening paper, at the price of a penny. A fisherman at Wanganui has been fined 5s and costs for mending a net on Sunday. In a ease of pig-shooting recently tried in Wellington, Mr Izard, who prosecuted for the ,Crown, said:—"Gentlemen of the jury, I put my trust in ,six pigs." The pigs proved so many broken reeds, for the jury returned a verdict of " not guilty." Speaking of Colonel M'Donnell, the " Wanganui Chronicle " says:—Last year the present Ministry begged this officer to proceed against Te Kooti. He consented on the express condition that, when the war was over, they would give him permanent employment. To this they eagerly agreed. When the campaign was at an end they jthanked him for his services and reiterated their promises. To their lasting shame be it told, Colonel M'Donnell has left his home in order to earn his bread as a laborer on a surveyor's staff.

Cricketers will be interested to learn that Mr W. G. Grace, the "leviathan," during the five years 1865-9 inclusive, scored 9160 runs; and had he not been prevented by illness from playing during a considerable portion of 1867, it is probable that his total would have reached 10,000, or an average of 2000 each season.

Thomas Wilson Garlick, late of the firm of Garlick and Smith, of the Thames, lias been arrested on a charge of rape against Susan Mary Gilberd, a child 12 years of age.

The coal merchants in Greymouth have announced that from the 22nd ult. the price of coal would be raised to 25s per ton. The superiority of the Martini-Henry rifle has received further proof at Sydney, and the New South Wale 3 Government have ordered a supply of these rifles from England. A volunteer named Slade, in a rapid firing match, scored 113 in three minutes with one of these rifles.

The " surrendered " Hauhaus at Wairoa are causing considerable anxiety to the settlers at Wairoa. They numbered from 100 to 150, and have been allowed to retain their arms.

The area given up to the natives by Mr M'Lean in settling the Manawatu block dispute, was 20,000 acres.

A Mr David Hepburn, of Otago, was thrown from his horse on the 19tb ult, while driving sheep for exhibition at an agricultural show. He was picked up insensible, and remained unconscious for seventeen hours, when death supervened. The deceased was brother to Mr Hepburn, of Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn and Co. Chang, the Chinese giant, was to appear in Duuoclin on the 2Gth ult. The following are'the latest particulars with respect to the murder of Mr Todd, " I)r Pollen has returned from the Waika.o. The correctness of the numes giveji as those of Mr Todd's murderers is confirmed, but no action has yet been taken in the matter. Trie Ohinetnuri natives disapprove of the murder, but the chiefs say tho young men

will-join the Waikatos if the Government become the aggressors. The murderers were slaves sent out by the chiefs T.opene and Whitiora as a challenge. On returning to Whitiora's place, the flag and theodolite taken from Mr Todd were hoisted on a flagstaff. It is reported that the theodolite has since been sent to, the King. Very few natives now visit Alexandra, and considerable anxiety is felt. It is thought that the Government will let the matter pass if they can, without taking any action, in which ease further and more extensive murders are expected to bo committed.

At the Greymouth Christmas Sports the event that excited chief interest was the handicap Plat Race 44.0, for which there was three entries. P. Twrobill and liankin started at scratch and Shepherd received 30 yards,' start. It was a tremendously exciting race between Twohill and Rankin. As usual Twohill made splendil running at the start, and up to 200 yards maintained a lead of from 6to 7 yards. Then Rankin showed his stamina and Twohill the want of it. Without making any spurt Rankin continued to gain gradually but surely on his opponent until the two were a-breast of each other. Twohill, when about 30 yards from the handkerchief, made a last effort to shake himself clear, but he was com-' pletely pumped out and Rankin came in a winner by about four yards. The race was fairly contested from first to last. At two hundred or two hundred and fifty yards P. Twohill has, perhaps not we should say, his superior in New Zealand; but he is of too slight a frame for the heavy work of a long run, Rankin ran in beautiful style, the quarter of a mile being his favorite distance.

An inquest was held at the Ahaura Dec. 29 upon the body of George Patenaude, before C. Whitefoord, Esq., Coroner, and a jury of which Mr Bowman was foreman. According to the evidence it appears that the deceased had gone to Noble's on the 26th Dec. and visited a public house kept by a single woman, named Margaret Quigley, the following day. The same evening the deceased and Quigley, who is accused of the murder, left the hotel in company, and what transpired is thus detailed by an eye-witness :—-Duncan Fisher: I am a miner, residing at Noble's. I was there on the 27th inst., and was at my own hut in the evening of that day. My hut is about 80 yards from M'Loughlin's store. I saw the deceased on that morning as he was coming down—this was about 11 o'clock. He had to pass my hut. I saw him go into Miss Quigley's house. I can't swear how long he remained, but I again saw him coming out of the house between four and five in the afternoon. He was coming out at the back door. The accused followed him out. They walked along the track together, and passed behind M'Loughlin's store. I s'lould think about 30 yards. They were walking slowly together. I was not more than SO yards away. When I last saw them ho was a little in advance. She made a quick turn round at a little bush, and struck him about the breast. I did not see anything in her hand. She then ran back towards the store. Th* deceased stood still when he got the blow, and looked after her, and then moved a few steps towards the store. Shortly after this I went towards the store, and found deceased had been stabbed. I then saw Miss Quigley coming-out of the back door and run up the hill. She had her hat on. Previous to this she was bareheaded. I saw a man called M'Cafferty going up to Napoleon's to get the deceased's mates. Miss Quigley was also going, but she took the horse track. When I got in the deceased was on his back and on the floor. He expired immediately after. The last witness and others were in the store and around the body. I have seen the accused and deceased walking out together on more than one occasion in the same direction. When I saw the accused turn round and give a blow I thought it was merely done in a lark, and that she was merely going to the store to get something she had left behind. I did not hear any altercation. Deceased went round a little bush, Miss Quigley took a short turn, and struck him. She quickened her pace and got partly in front of him. ' She struck with the right hand, and just about the heart. He never lifted a hand to the accused. I don't think they knew I was present. The accused, when arrested, admitted her guilt, and made the following statement to the arresting constable, John Jeffries:—She had done it under the impulse of passion. She said she had known the deceased twelve or fourteen months. The first few months thsy were on good terms, but latterly he had never visited the house without insulting her, and she had denied him the place but he would come. On her return from Mackley's sports she went to bed, and had been in bed about an hour when some person broke in, she thought it was two, but was not certain. When she was going to get up the party left the room. She said she felt quite certain it was the deceased, and she did not speak to him till the following day, when he came in between 11 and 12 o'clock, asked people to drink, and remained there three or four hours She challenged him with breaking into her bedroom the preceding night, and he admitted it and apologised, and hoped she would forgive him and be friends. She consented. The deceased left about four o'clock, and she went to cut up some meat; but as she had only the common table knives, which were very dull, she proceeded into M'Loughlin's and borrowed a knife, and that as the knife she had was equally dull, she had requested Colin to sharpen it. He did so, and she returned to her own place. She was engaged in cutting up the meat when the deceased entered again, and finding she was alone, ho began to importune her and take coarse liberties which she would not allow ; that she went out at the back door for the purpose of getting clear of him, taking the knife with her; that the deceased followed, and acting upon the impulse of passion she turned round and ran the knife into his side. The jury found a verdict of " wilful murder " against the accused. Christmas festivities in Brighton have not been numerous. Mr Kelly had a ball on the 23 rd Dec. which was very largely attended, but the majority of the miners proceeded northward to spend their holidays.