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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 764, 17 January 1871, Page 2

It is notified by advertisement that tho nomination of qualified persons to serve as member of the House of Representatives for the district of Buller, will take place at the Court House, Westport, on Saturday", the 28th inst., and that the poll, if required, will bo taken the following Saturday. There are five polling places, being one at each of the following localities :—Westport, Charleston, Brighton, Giles Terrace, and Addison. No polling place having been provided at Inangahua, the population of that district have been practically disfranchised.

The English mail news reached here by wire on Sunday morning, when we immediately published an e::tra of the news, which is re-published in this issue for our country subscribers. Hitherto it has been our custom to distribute all extras, whether English or otherwise, amongst our subscribers free of charge, at whatever hoar the news happened to reach us. On Sunday last, our town agent, at the suggestion of several subscribers, thought fit that he, at all events, should be recompensed for working more than the six authorised days, and consequently sought the remuneration of sixpence per copy. New Zealand instituted the system, some years ago, exceptional to itself, of publishing all extra news free, which practice; recently, we observe, and more particularly since the lengthy and expensive transmissions of war news each fortnight, has been discontinued. While "we shall continue to publish and issue as formerly, free of charge to our subscribers, all intercolonial and interprovincial telegrams which may from time to time reach us, it is our intention, under exceptional circumstances, similar to those of Sunday last, in future to charge for long and important English telegraphic news, which entail at all times the cost of the telegrams,

and in many instances extra labor and expense.

Mr P. S. Dempsey, a Charleston resident, who has been spoken of as likely to contest with Mr Donne the election for Westland North in the General Assembly, has definitely expressed his intention not to come forward. In another column Mr E. J. O'Conor announces that he will solicit the suffrages of this constituency. Mr Hoos, Mr Carreras, and Mr Tribe, are probable candidates in the southern district of Westland.

The Westport School opened yesterday. There was a large attendance of pupils, ninety being present. We have to record the sudden death of Mr Kissling, from apoplexy, at Blenheim, on the 11th instant. The deceased gentleman was formerly agent of the Bank of New Zealand, at Greymouth. It is reported that the working shareholders in the Waimangaroa Quartz Mining Company struck the reef on Saturday last, in the new shaft recently sunk by them. It has long been the opinion of many, interested and disinterested in this reef, that it will yet prove one of the richest in the district. Some of the shareholders have perseveringly stuck to it, and deserve the merit of reward. In the course of this week, further particulars as to the richness and thickness of the stone will likely be to hand. From the Murray reefs the accounts contimie much the same, and the stone still being got out of the various claims presents the same promising appearance as that first obtained. Kelly and party have now about two hundred tons of stone raised ready for crushing. The result of the two tons forwarded to Melbourne for a trial has not yet been received, We learn also from Mr John Stitt, who has just returned from the up-river districts, that there is a moderate population engaged in mining on the Buller river, between the Lyell and Jacklin's, twenty-one miles up the stream. He describes the country in the vicinity of Jacklin's as very fine, being open, with great depth of soil, and affording magnificent pasturage. He was within a few miles of the site of the proposed township of Hampden, in the Matakitaki district, and his opinion of the entire locality is that it presents a very desirable field for settlement, the country being fertde.and easy of cultivation, while the digging population is on the increase. Jacklin holds an area of 50 acres, under an agricultural lease, and Florian Adank, formerly of the lyell, also holds an agricultural area further up the river. The roads to the Murray, Lyell and to Jacklin's, even after the long spell of dry weather, are said to be in very bad condition.

The Warden, accompanied by Mr Pitt, arrived in' Westport from Christy's on Sunday morning. Mr Warden Whitefoord left the Inangahua Junction at the same time for Ahaura.

Two children belonging to Mrs Rice, who is at present undergoing a term of imprisonment in the Westport Gaol, were brought on from Greymouth by the steamer Murray, and will be forwarded to Nelson to the Orphanage in that city. It appears that there were three children to be provided for, but the eldest, a girl of eight years of age, has been detained by the police authorities at Cobden, they having, in consequence of certain information received, taken a man, named Peter, in custody on a charge of having criminally assaulted the girl. The prisoner will be brought before Mr Whitefoord, E.M., on his return from the Inangahua.

At the second meeting of the CountyCouncil, at Hokitika, on Thursday, the business of electing a chairman again occupied the attention of members. Mr Lahman was first voted for, ayes being Messrs Lahman, Guinness, O'Connor; noes —Messrs Bonar, Button, Barff, Scanlan, Robinson and Reid. The next vote wjss for Mr Bonar; ayes—Messrs Button, Bonar. Robinson and Reid; noes—Messrs Guinness, Lahman, Barff, O'Connor and Scanlan. "The .third vote was for Mr Barlf;

ayes—Messrs O'Connor, Scanlan and Barff. Tho remaining councillors voted in the negativu. After some discussion Mr Guinness was voted for, the ayes being Messrs Guinness, Lahman and O'Connor. There were six noes. Various suggestions were then made as to the best mode of procedure in electing a chairman, and it was decided that all tho candidates already voted for should be again put to tho vote simultaneously ; that each member should vote for one candidate only, and that the two highest should be put. to the vote of the entire Council, so as to give the necessary clear majority. Tho result was as follows : —For Mr Bonar—Bonar, Button, Eobinson and Eeid. For Mr Guinness—Guinness and O'Connor. For Mr Barff—Barff and Scanlan. There were thus ties for the second time, and after much discussion the Council adjourned for one hour. On the Council re-assembling Mr Bonar proposed Mr Eobinson, stating that in the earlier part of the day that gentleman had certain scruples against voting for himself, otherwise he would have been elected. Mr Button seconded the nomination and the voting was, ayes—Bonar, Button, Eobinson and Keid. Noes—Lahman, O'Connor, Barff, Scanlan and Guinness. Mr Guinness proposed, and Mr O'Connor seconded, Mr Lahman, who obtained the vote of five members, Lahman, Guinness, O'Connor, Barff and Scanlan, and was consequently elected chairman.

An ■ inquest was held at Greymouth. on Friday, upou the skeleton remains of a man found on the beach the previous Wednesday, near to the lagoon, and about a mile from the town.

William Kilner, a wood-splitter, was tried, on Thursday, at Hokitika, for attempting to kill his wife on the 25th Oct. last. He was acquitted. An indignation meeting has been held at the Hau flau, when it was proposed by Mr Whitfield, and seconded by Sir Johnson, " that this meeting deeply regrets the election of Mr Lahman as County Chairman." The ir otion was carried unanimously, and a committee formed to draw up a petition to the Governor praying that the Council be dissolved.

The following is the latest news from Fiji, brought to Auckland by the brigantine Sea Gull : —The largest meating yet seen was held on the 25th December to protest against the conduct of Captain Challis and her Britannic Majesty's Consul, in the deportation of James de Maus. A memorial, addressed to the Earl of Belmore, Governor of New South Wales and Vice-Admiral of the Australian station, complaining of the conduct of both gentlemen, was read and approved of unanimously by the meeting; and a petition to her Gracious Majesty, to be sent through the Secretary of State, praying for the removal of Mr March from Fiji, was adopted and ordered to be engrossed and forwarded with such signatures as may be obtained. A number of gentlemen entertained Thakambau at dinner to commemorate the signing of the charter for a corporation for Levuka. A native detected in stealing money from Mr Cudlip's was flogged in front of that gentleman's house.

The Revs. Messrs Fell and Ward were passengers by the ship Halcione, which left Wellington for England on the 13th ult. While Mr Vogel was in Dunedin, he was waited upon by Mr Ulph, of the firm of Oliver and Ulph, and Mr H. M'Neill, of the firm of A. Briscoe and Co., who represented that the present license fee for dealing in powder (£5 per annum) is too high. The result of the conference was a letter from Mr Vogel, in which the Colonial Treasurer stated that his Excellency would be advised to reduce the fee, so far as regards small retail dealers in ammunition in up-country districts, but to them only, to £2 per annum; and that an endeavour would be made to arrange that the reduced rate should come into effect on the Ist January, 1871. The " Grey Argus," referring to the ensuing election for the General Assembly and the local candidates, speaks of Mr Buckley as follows: —"Every body is asking everybody else—what is the origin and meaning of the present contest for the representation of this important district in the General Assembly ? It is not the fact that there is a contest that occasions surprise. Indeed it would have been an anomaly in the political history of this district if any seat were to be handed over without some competition between eligible candidates. But the present contest is utterly exceptional. It is exceptional in the circumstance that the most extensive, most numerous, and one of the most important constituencies in the whole colony, is considered to be the fitting arena for introducing an utter stranger to the representation, and that anybody can be found willing to countenance such an outrageous proposal. We use the term "outrageous" advisedly, for the candidature of Mr Buckley has not one single element of recommendation to a constituency, such as that of the Grey Valley. If he had had the slightest connection with the district, if he had been a gentleman of any political status whatever, or if he had destinguished himself by public service of any kind, there would have been some decency and reasonableness in submitting him in competition with local candidates. But that an attempt should be seriously made to force upon the electors a gentleman who fulfils none of the conditions we have indicated is something so ontrageous as to lead but to one opinion—and that is, that Mr Buckley's political friends are under the impression or delusion that they can dictate to the district to accept Mr Buckley for no other reason than that they choose it to be so." The "Grey Valley Times," of the sth inst., contains the following:—"A deal of uneasiness has been created at Half-Ounce through the mysterious disappearance from this place of a miner, a native of Sweden. It appears, from what we have been able to gather, that the missing man in company with his mate left Half-Ounce some time since for Murray Creek. Both men had a considerable sum of money on their persons. A few days after starting, the mate called at an accommodation house at the Saddle, and left the two swags, promising to return for them in a few hours. Days and weeks flew by, and as the man did not return, the hotel-keeper's suspicion was aroused j and having previously ascertained that the man came from Half-Ounce, he communicated with some miners there with the view of ascertaining the whereabouts of the owners of the swags, both being known there. On it being reported that the men were missing, a meeting was called by the miners to determine what to do. It was ultimately decided to despatch a man post haste to Murray Creek, to endeavor to learn the particulars more fully. In the meantime thepolice have been communicated with, and other measuree taken to clear up the mystery which at present enshrouds this disappearance. The prevalent opinion is that Nicholas Levgreen has been murdered and robbed by his mate, who by this time has effected his escape. The miners are determined to leave no stone unturned, andalready a large sum of money has been subscribed to organise search parties and find the missing man."

The case of Annio Stewart, charged with the larceny of a theodolite' at Greymouth, came before tho Supreme Court, at Hokitika, on Saturday. Tho prisoner was acquitted. The trial of Anthony Noble, for tho wilful murder of Mary Jane Molauuiby, took place yesterday. Mr S. M. South defended the prisoner. According to an Auckland contemporary, pauperism has more than doubled in that city from the month of December, 1869, to the end of Septemer, 1870. There were issued in January, 1870, 2399 rations, and in the month of September 5263 rations. The total amount expended for relief during the same time was £1590 I9s Id. It was reported that the intended visit of Dr Featherston to England as Agent-Gene-ral for the Colony, would result in Mr Vogel continuing in New Zealand. We learn, by telegram, however, that Mr Vogel, accompanied by Mrs Vogel, and by his private secretary, Mr E. Fox, has proceeded home, by the City of Melbourne, which sailed from Auckland on tho 7th inst. His election as member of the House of Representatives, unless opposed by another candidate coming forward, will take place in his absence. Mr Vogel's visit is supposed to be in some special capacity in connection with the carrying out of the ministerial financial policy. Many persons who have travelled in New Zealand would regret to notice, by our telegrams of yesterday, the announcement of the death of Mr Daniel Murphy, the proprietor of the Shamrock Hotel, Dunedin. Mr Murphy had been in delicate health for some time, but had benefited considerably by the trip which he recently made to America, and his death seems to have been somewhat unexpected. As a proprietor of hotels in Dunedin and in Victoria, Mr Murphy was one of the best known hosts in the Colonies. He has died at a comparatively early age, and will be regretted by many friends, as well as by those who have enjoyed the comforts of a home in the Shamrock, under his hospitable management.—" W.C. Times," Jan. 14.

A requisition has been presented to Mr John White, of Hokitika, requesting him to offer himself as a candidate for that constituency in the General Assembly.