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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 776, 14 February 1871, Page 2

Dr Giles proceeded to the Inangab.ua early yesterday morning, and will return to Westport, probably, on Thursday evening.

In tbe Magistrate's Court, yesterday, Sarah M'Cul'.och appeared to answer to the information of Alary Hall charging her with assault, and to show cause that she should not be bound over to keep the peace. The evidence of Ma.-y Hall, went to show that the defendant entered her licensed house at the Oxawaita Lagoon, on the Bth instant, in a state of intoxication, and called for a drink, which complainant feared to deny her. She took oLi torn, and remained about twenty minutes, when she suddenly struck complainant in the face while engaged dressing her grandson. Complainant stated that she did not offer the slightest provocation beyond asking her to go out, as she was using very abusive and filthy language. The Bench bound the defendant over to keep the peace for three months, in her recognisance of £2O and two sureties of .£lO each.

The ball in celebration of the inauguration of the Westport Volunteer °Fire Brigade takes place thi.3 evening, at the Masonic Hall. The entertainment will be largely patronised, and every pains has been taken by the committee to secure the comfort of their guests, so that with fine weather, of which there is every promise, nothing will be wanting to ensure a most pleasurable evening's recreation. A man-of-war steamer, supposed to be H.M., S. Clio, passed the port shortly after seven o'clock on Sunday morning. "When off the bar she remained stationary for a few moments and then steamed slowly to the northward.

The members of the Fire Brigade had a smart engine practice yesterday evening, men and officers nearly all turning out Si uniform. The ceremony of christening the Fire-engine will take place at Gladstonestreet this evening at seven o'clock. It is hardly necessary to remind our readers, and more especially the more youthful and susceptible, that to-day is especially entitled to observance in honor of St Valentine.

It is notified in our advertising columns that the s.s. Kennedy will sail for Nelson to-morrow afternoon, calling at the Karamea, weather permitting. Nothing has as yet been decided upon with respect to the Charleston and Addison's road.

The men who have been recently occupied in repairing the road in the vicinity of the Ohika, have returned to town in consequence of all the money available for this work having been expended. Complaints reach us of the condition of the Oravvaiti Cemetery, to the effect that the surface, except where bodies have been interred, is everywhere encumbered with roots and bush undergrowth. A good deal of timber remains to be cleared, and more espcially several trees which threaten sooner or later to succumb to the wind, and in their fall to destroy the headstones and railings of some of the graves. Added to this additional drainage is much required. If our Nelson neighbors couid but got a glimpse of the wilderness, entitled by courtesy a cemetery, they could scarcely fail to feel ashamed of their Nelson rulers.

Mr Dobson, District Engineer, arrived by the steamer Charles Edward, from Greymouth yesterday morning. Mr Donne and Mr Charles Broad, the latter on leave of absence, proceeded by her to Nelson. Mr Broad, we understand, will be absent for a fortnight, but we are not aware what arrangement has been made for the holding of a Warden's Court at Charleston and Brighton during the interval. We would remind those who hitherto have neglected putting their names on the Electoral Roll, that up to the 31st March is the time allotted for that purpose. The following replies to questions from the Charleston Race Committee appear in the " Australasian" :—l. There is no condition in the Packers' Purse to make it the same as a hack race, and if Gipsy had fairly packed previous to the race, she is entitled to the stakes. 2. The fact of Quicksilver paying up but not starting for a race at the meeting does not qualify her to run for the Consolation Stakes, which is clearly stated to be for beaten horses at the meeting. She ought to have started to entitle her to run.

The contractors for the stone groin, near the Kennedy Street wharf, have completed the deposit of .the eight hundred tons of stone, forming the present protective work. We trust, however, that the groin will not be permanently left in its present unfinished state, inasmuch as it requires an extension of twenty or thirty feet in order to bring it to a thorough state of efficiency. The upper groin would also bo much improved by extension, and when this is done, the people of Westport will have the most substantial and effective river protective works in the Colony.

The gathering of tho harvest is going on merrily among the farmers on Totara Flat.

The Chriatchurch coach met with an accident whilst crossing the Arahura on Wednesday evening, whereby tho axle was broken. The mails wore not detained, as they were sent on at once by another conveyance.

Another melancholy case of drowning occurred on Thursday last at the Ten-mile Creek, North Beach, by which Mr E. H. Davis, Assistant-Geologist to Dr. Hector, lost his life. Mr Davij had for sotns time been engaged in a scientific examination of the coal deposits of the Grey district, and was returning from an inspection of the

coast lino between the Grey and Razorback Point. On arriving at the Ten-mile Creek, a narrow but rapid stream, with a shifting bottom, he rode in expecting to cross easily, as he had done the day before. A slight fresh had, however, occurred in the meantime, and the creek was running both deep and strong. He and his horse were suddenly carried down and swept into the surf. The horse was recovered, but the unfortunate rider was drowned. What adds to the calamity is the fact that there is a safe bridge over the creek, about a mile away from where deceased was drowned, and it was in endeavoring to about half an hour's detour that he met his sad fate. MiDavis was a rising and talented officer of the Gelological Survey Department, and had been specially selected for the important enquiry previously alluded to. He had completed his investigations, and was on hi 3 way to town, expecting to reach Wellington by the next steamer. Immediately on receiving the sad news of his death, Mr Warden Whitefoord telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary, asking for instructions as to the final disposal of the remains. Mr Davis, we are sorry to hear, leaves a widow in Wellington.

A few days ago, the oldest inhabitant of Okarito was buried, having been found dead in his bed on the preceding day. This is only the third—natural—death which has occurred since the settlement of the district. The Warden, with all the other inhabitants of the town, attended his remains to the cemetery, where the English service was read by the lay-reader. The Government of Wellington are advertising the sale of the surveyed township of Carnarvon, at the Manawatu on Monday the 27th instant. The township is not laid off in acres, but in blocks of twenty acres and upwards to 230 acres, and as it is on the high road between Wellington and VVanganui, and stands at the mouth of a navagable river, the outlet for a large and important district, a considerable number of the sections must some day acquire a high value.

Conflicting rumors, say 3 the "W.C. Times" of Saturday, are afloat as to the Totara election—the last being that Mr Tribe has been elected by a majority of three. Statements are also freely hazarded that Mr Keogh's election, even if he were returned, would be invalidated, under the Disqualification Act, by the fact of his having been appointed a SubEnumerator under the Census Act. It is impossible at present to give a correct report of the result, nor can we venture to give any decided statement as to the returns until they are revised by the Principal Returning Officer, or until the official declaration of the poll. Prom Sydney we learn that several fine specimens of rough gems have been found in the Macquarie River, and amongst them is one topaz, which is estimated to be worth £l6.

Some correspondence is published in the " Moniteur" of New Caledonia, in which four Australian and New Zealand miners complain of the small extent of the claims allotted to diggers on the auriferous lands, and ask, if they discover a goldiield yielding 20,0000z of gold per annum, will they be entitled to the sum of 50,000f. promised by a former decree of the Government? They are informed that in the event of their opening up such a field in the territory declared te be auriferous as indicated by prior discoverers, it would be to those first discoverers that the reward would be paid. The body of Mr Davis has been forwarded from Greymouth to Wellington for interment, by the steamer Alhambra.