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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 768, 26 January 1871, Page 2

The cenßua of the Colony is to be taken in February, and the forms of returns are to be delivered by the sub-enumerators of the dwelling-houses in their respective subdisfcricta, between the Ist and the 27th, both days inclusive, and the forms are to be collected oh Tuesday, the 28th, or as soon

thereafter as practicable. The following are the sub-districts and their respective sub-enumerators: Westport, Constable Stephenson; Addison's, including Waite's, left bank of river Buller, Brown's Terrace, and district to Nile river, W. Lloyd; Upper Buller, Lyell, and luangah.ua, James Hilno; Northern Terraces, including Waimangaroa, and the right bank of the lower Buller, Mr Pickering; Kavamea, Mokihinui, and YVanganui Inlot, Mr Jones. The numerous applications made for copies of the Nelson Goldfields Almanac for 1871, since the new year, compels us to make a paragraph stating that there is not now a copy to be had. Indc ed, within the past week, several dozen applicants have been disappointed in the purchase of them, the demand in Westport, Charleston, and Hokitika having greatly surpassed the publishers' calculations.

Mr O'Conor proceeded to Addison's yesterday for the purpose of addressing the electors of that district. Mr Donne will address the electors of Westport at the Masonic Hall, to-morrow evening, at eight o'clock.

In the E.M. Court, on Tuesday last, one civil action was disponed of—Johnston v. Turner, a claim for £4 19s, being the amount of a dishonored cheque. Mr Fisher appeared for the plaintiff, who obtained judgment by default in the amount claimed and costs. Renewals of publican's licenses were granted to Jane Johnson for the Belfast Hotel, and to Margaret Mills for the Ball&rat and Bendigo Hotel. In the Warden's Court, the same day, the proceedings were also limited to one case Connell v. M'Merryan, in which the complainant sought to recover the sum of £i 12s, balance of wages alleged to be due. Mr Fisher appeared for the defendant, and, in the absence of sufficient evidence on the part of the complainant to substantiate his claim, obtained a nonsuit with costs. One application for a dam was granted. A meeting of the Fire Brigade took place at the Masonic Hall on Monday evening, for the purpose of electing officers. The election resulted as follows: —Mr Hughes, reinstated as captain; Mr Bond, lieutenant ; Mr Bailie, foreman of the fire company; Mr E. Suisted, foreman of the hose company ; Mr Organ, foreman of the hook and ladder company; Mr Hunger, engineer. Mr Humphrey and Mr Bishop were elected to the respective offices of treasurer and secretar}', and Messrs Corr, Lempfert, Lloyd, and Eoche were appointed a committee of finance. Mr Dobson, District Engineer, returned to Westport, on Monday last, from the Little Grey Saddle, whore he had been occupied in inspecting the merits of the line of route between Charleston and the Saddle. Under the guidance of Bi-ou and party, who have discovered the only practicable line of road, Mr Dobson left Charleston, on Tuesday evening, the 17th instant, and in.anticipation of the journey taking six or seven days, the party carried a week's provisions with them. They arrived at the Saddle on the afternoon of Sunday last, after four and a half day's good travelling, across a very rough and broken country. Two lines of ranges had to be crossed upon the route, the coast lino ranging fully 5000 feet, and the ranges of a like altitude between the Blackwater and the Inangahua, while the entire journey was one oi repeated ascents and descents, through gullies and over cliffs and rocks, until reaching the Saddle. In order to get through at all, the highest spurs and ranges had to be followed, and, in tracing them, many of the intervening rivers viz.: the Nile, Otukutu, Blackwater, and Wharau had to be followed down to t;;e head waters. Mr Dobson has not furnished any estimate of the distance of the route traversed, which will be contained, with other particulars, in a report now in course of preparation for transmission to Mr Maearthy, chairman of the Saddle/Track Committee, at Charleston. On his return to Westport, Mr Dobson completed the journey from the Saddle in a day and a half, having left the latter on Sunday, at 2 p.m., and reached the Blackwater Junction the following afternoon at five. He proceeded from thence to town by boat, but could have walked the distance in a couple of hours. The above facts would show most conclusively that the road proposed by the Government from Westport to the Saddle, is by far the most advantageous in point of distance, gradients, and cost of construction. We learn from the Inangahua that No. 7, on Anderson's line of reef, have found the leader, struck some little time back, to increase in body as they proceed with the tunnel. The leader, as at present exposed, has widened to between three and four feet, and has been found to contain specimens of more than average richness. The favorable character of this claim has enhanced the value of Hunt and party's ground, who are the holders of No. 6. At Shields's reef, No. 1 North, have further exposed the reef, which appears very promising; and they have also obtained excellent prospects from the mullock and rubble surrounding the reef. The finest block of stone, yet obtained from the locality, was broken out while our informant was on the ground. A number of men have been employed under the superintendence of the Harbor Master, during the past three days, in the removal of a large snag from the channel of the river.

A requisition, addressed to Oswald Curtis, Esq., Superintendent of Nelson, is now being numerously signed at Half Ounce, Duffer's, and Brandy Jack's, with' the view of having a monthly Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts holden at Half Ounce Township.

Mr P. A. Buckley was not present at the nomination at Greymouth on Thursday last, having suddenly taken his departure for Wellington, on the receipt of a telegram announcing the dangerous illness of his wife.

A terrible and fatal accident is recorded at the saw-mills of M'Kay and Coy, at the head of Lake Wakatip, on the sth inst.. to a sawyer, named Walter Aldrich:—Just as the day's work was over he stood upon the table through which the circular saw was revolving, and thoughtlessly coming too close to the saw it caught the heel of his boot and dragged him towards it, he falling backward on top of it. The engineer as quickly as possible stopped the machinery, but not before the deceased had received shocking injuries from his back to below his hip. The accident was witnessed by six or seven people, but none of them could give any assistance in time. The deceased was at once removed to the Frankton Hospital, where he died at 4 p.m. on the foUowing day. A bazaar for the Presbyterian Manse, Qucen3town, realised the handsome sum of .£260.

We understand that Westland has been declared a Provincial district for the order of Freemasons, Brother Lazar being the Provincial Grand Master. Previously the district was included in tho Canterbury Provincial Lodge. Btickmaking has been undertaken in the Grey district by Mr Theodore Ranftand Mr J. Gillam.

The Maoris, with their üßual audacity, have bestowed a " tin pot" name on the Commissioner of Armed Constabulary. 'Die Alexandrian correspondent of an Auckland journal says " Nins Kukutai ha 3 just returned. He states that the Kingites say that if the Government require the murderers, they can send Pannikin (Mr Branigan) and his soldiers, and tako them."

The "Fiji Times " of alatodate contains an advertisement announcing that Tom Smith, late of the Shakespeare Hotel, Hokitika, is now tho proprietor of an hotel of the same name at Levuka, Ovalau. Messrs Bathgate and Reynolds are returned to the Assembly for Dunedin. Mr Macassey went to thy poll, but was defeated by upwards of a hundred majority. The poll for Christchurch, West took place on the 19th: Richardson, 234; Williams, 214. Majority for Richardson, 20..

The General Government . has commenced a prosecution against Mr Barton, editor of the "Daily Times" for libel, in reference to the Telegraph Department. The case wa3 called on at the Resident Magistrate's Court, and adjourned for a week. Mr Haggitt appeared for the Government, aud Mr Macassey for defendant.

A man named MTvor has drowned himself in the Molyneux, whilst in a state of temporary insanity. • Waikato advices state that Mr Parris told the natives that the Government would not fight about the murder oi' Mr Todd.

The scarcity of wives for young- men which prevails in the Province of Hawke's Bay having been brought under the notice of Government, arrangements are reported to be making for the arrival quarterly, at Napier, of a small numb r of female immigrants.

A petition is in course of signature for the commutation of the sentence of the man Souter, found guilty of the murder of his paramour.

The Chinese are rapidly increasing in the neighborhood of Macetown, Otago. Already, it is said, the race-owners experience considerable difficulty in obtaining ground, and in a few years it is anticipated that the European miners will be fairly ousted by the Chinese. The " Wakatip Mail " states that in consequence of numerous applications for land in the Te Anau Lake district, a flying survey is being made of that country. The country is reported to be auriferous, but nevertheless temptingly invites settlement.