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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 778, 18 February 1871, Page 2

We are informed that Mr Christy could have purchased some considerable parcels of gold at the Inangahua previous to his arrival iu Westport on Thursday, had he had a large amount of notes and cash available. Fully 200 ozs of alluvial gold were~ offered him for sale.

In the KM. Court, yesterday, the proceedings were confined to th hearing of one civil case—Johnston v. M'Laren, in which the plaintiff sought to recover the sum of £l6 for labor in connection with the building of a small store 1G ft, by 12ft. at Murray Creek. Mr Home appeared for the defendant, who paid into Court the amount to which she considered the plaintiff entitled. The evidence of the parties was then taken and his Worship viewing the statement of the defendant as the more reliable, gave judgment in her favor, with one guinea professional costs.

In the Warden's Court, yesterday, the proceedings were limited to the disposal of a number of applications for water-races, dams, &o.

Reports are coming to hand respecting some new workings at the back of Christy'?. Our correspondent will report upon the locality, and until then it would be as well for our mining friends to await confirmation of the value of the workings.

In another column will befound areport of the proceedings at the Warden's Court, held at Christy's on Tuesday last. The business was not important, consisting almost entirely of applications for registration of water rights, protection of claims, &c. The next Court will be held at Williams's, Pern Flat, on the 14th, and at Christy's on the 16th pros. The business is expected to be heavy as the cause list is already filling fast. The beach workings between the Totara and Charleston, for some time neglected, in consequence of the dry weather, have revived slightly since the last rain-fall, but many parties are still idle for want of water. This is the more to be regretted as the late gales have brought in some very payable dirt. Gibson and party arcturning their idle time to account by bringing in a water-race fjom the Nile about°a mile from the midge; they purpose bringing in three heads of water and expect to have the work completed in three weeks. Their race crosses the Westport road at an elevation of 30 feet just at the entrance of the Nile Gorge. To the uninitiated thenprops and stays look like the frame work of a triumphal arch, and possibly may serve such a purpose when a member of the Royal Family or her Majesty's representative visit Charleston,* The harbor barges have been engaged for some days in weighing a large snag from the bed of the river. Nothing further will bo done until the arrival of the p.s. Charles Edward, the snag being found to have fouled tbe old mooring chains which were lost two years ago. The buoy became unshackled on that occasion inconsequence of faulty construction, and the chains were grappled for, but without success until the present.

A woman named Nichols, resident in Wallabi street, threw herself, yesterday evening, while in a state of intoxication, into the river, near the Kennedy-street wharf. Two men promptly rendered assistance, and succeeded, after some trouble, in saving the woman from drowning. The miserable creature, for some time past, has been addicted to a life of intemperance, to the annoyance of the entire neighborhood. Her husband is engaged boating up the river, and, in the pursuit of his vocation, necessarily often absents himself from Westport, and it -was during his absence that the occurrence took place.

The extension of the Orawaiti and Westpott Tramway to Gladstone-street was completed yesterday. It will be seen by advertisement that Mr Vorley has opened the portrait rooms recently occupied by Mr T. E. Price. Th ! studio will be open for fourteen days only. On Thursday evening thb members of the Charleston Fire Brigade mustered lor practice ; the engine com;>any under Captain Dwan, and tho hook-and-ltxlder company under Foreman Jones. Aftir the usual prelimirarien of calling the roll, &c, the hook-and-(adder company went through the bucket practice very effectively. Ladders were raised against the Union Bank, and the members went, through their various evolutions in a highly commendable manner The engine is not at present in working order, being without a suction ho3e, and in point of utility, therefore, may not be inaptly compared to a gun without a 'barrel. After the practice there was a general

meeting of the members, Captain Dwan taking the chair. He stated that their six months' time of service would expire on February 10, and it would, therefore, be their duty to elect their officers and committee for the ensuing six mouths. He thanked them for the creditable manner iu which they hod performed their duties, and regretted that business arrangements compelled him to resign the captaincy. Captain Dwan and Foreman Jones both preferred to act as private members, and Assistant-Foreman Aldou was elected captain, and Mr Mordaunt, lieutenant. Other business was got through, and it was decided to have the engine put in thorough repair. A few members resigned, and several new members were enrolled. When all present, the brigade can muster about forty men. A meeting of the Committee and officers to perfect arrangements for the ensuing half-year, was held yesterday evening.

The last blunder in connection with the elections for tlie Assembly has regard to the Toiara election, which is likely to be invalidated through informal voting papers having been used at Okarito. It will be remembered that Mr Barff was originally one of the candidates, but wa3, subsequently to the nomination, withdrawn m the proper legal manner from the contest. The voting papers had been at that time printed, and Mr BarfFs name appeared as one of the candidates. Of course, the necessary alteration occasioned by Mr Barif's retirement was easily rectified as far as the Ross district was concerned, but owing to the fact that the Waipara did not leave Hokitika in time to carry the altered paper or the news of Mr Barif's retirement to Okarito before the poll, that gentleman's name remained on the voting papers and several votes were recorded for him. Although on the net result of the voting Mr Tribe appears to have got the majority, the mistake at Okarito considerably embarrasses the election, as it is doubtful how the votes that were recorded for Mr Barff would have been made known to the electors. A reference of the circumstances has been made to the General Government, and pending further instructions to the Returning Officer, the election may be considered in abeyance.

A cm-respondent calls attention to the impediments to the navigation of the Buller riyer and instances the accumulation of snags at Snag Falls. During the last session of the Council a motion was carried that the river should be reported upon by a competent person as to its present facilities for navigation, as also the beat means of increasing she same Up to the present time no attempt has been made by the Government to give effect to the resolution of the Council. If it is a difficult matter, therefere, to obtain from the Government so small a matter as a report which would cost nothing, a very decided pressure must be brought to bear in order to have the desired improvement carried out. We quite agree with our correspondent as to the urgency and importance of the subject. A memorial from the residents of HalfOunce, praying for the establishment of a local Court, is now being brought under the notice.of his Honor the Superintendent, and there is reason to believe that the prayer of the petitioners will be acceded to.

The schooner Rifleman, which arrived at Lytteiton on the 9th insfc., reports having sighted H.M.S. Clio on Sunday, the sth mat., off Cape Farewell, at 3 p.m. The Clio was then steering westerly.

Mr J. C. Wilson, C.8., and Mr H. B. Huddleston, are candidates for election to the Canterbury Provincial Council, in place of Mr J. S. Williams, appointed to an office under thj Land Transfer Act. Mr W. Montgomery is also mentioned. The theatrical critic of the Melbourne "Leader" writes: —"I hear that Mr Smythe, who has recently returned from New Zealand with Mr Heller, has engaged Mr Cotterell, and intends taking him through South Australia and Tasmania at once. Should the entertainment prove successful there, Mr Smythe will, most probably, proceed through India to Loudon." A person called Felix M'Carthy," says the" Wonganui Herald," "was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labor, for a wanton and unprovoked assault on Colonel M'Donnell in his own grounds on Monday evening. M'Carthy's only motive for the assault was because the Colonel refused to recommend him for the Colonial Cross.

The competition for the Colonial Prize Firing will take place at Auckland on the Gt-h March.

It is stated that an offer has been made to the County-Council by a resident at the Hau Hau to .construct a good dray road from Hokitika to the Hau Hau on the deferred payment principle, the payment to extend over fifteen months.

The rumor -that Mr T. L. Shepherd had been returned for the Dunstan district is confirmed. He had a majority of sixty ov.-r the nearest candidate, and of more than double that over the third man.

Apropos of the question of water supj)!y to the goldfields of this Colony we may mention that the Victorian Government purposes to abandon the Coliban Water Scheme, and to supply the country districts with water by assisting local bodies. Sunstrokes have been unusually numerous in Australia lately. Almost every paper contains accounts of illness or death from this cause.

The Government of New South Wales have made it a condition, in advertising for tenders for supplies for next year, that the cental system shall bo adopted in the weighing of grain.

Venison is now regularly received in Melbourne from Tasmania by the steamers. The deer have bred so rapidly in tho woods of Tasmania that the gastronomic wants of Melbourne as regards venison can be fresly supplied, without thinning too much the wild herds which furnish sport to the hunters.

" Call 15oy" writes as follows from San Francisco to the " Australasian " : The Nathan Family made a bad spec, of it coming out here. They have done literally nothing for some time past, but on the sth instant La Petite Marion and her sister Selina left for Sacramento, under engagement to Mr James Proctor, of the Metropolitan Theatre.

The new township of Maxwell, near Wangauui, is to have its streets named after English sages. Newton, Herschel, Faraday, Lyell, Buckle, Tyndall, Huxley, Darwin, Hooker, &c, will figure in the list. From Alexandra tho "Thames Advertiser" 1« ams that the Hau-Hau prophet says that the natives who shot Todd ought to have cut out and taken away his heart as an offering to their god, which might have prevented other Europeans being murdered.

At tho half-yearly meeting of the Auckland Union Sash and Boor Company, held on the 20th ultimo, a dividend at the rate of 7£ per cent, was declared for the half year.