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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 784, 4 March 1871, Page 2

A sitting of the Warden's Court will he held at Williams's Accommodation House, Pern Fiat, on the 14th instant, and at Christy's on the 16th inst. A meeting of a Committee, formed to devise means for defraying the debt still remaining on St. John's Church, -was held yesterday evening in the Parsonage. The members of the Committee present were the Rev Mr Soutar, Messrs Maguire, Black lock, Munro, Powell, A. Stitt, Buchanan, and Hamilton. The following were the motions proposed and agreed to :—Mr Munro proposed, " That for the purpose of defraying the remaining debt on St. John's Church, a concert be held on the evening of Easter Monday, and that Mr Soutar be requested to secure the services of a pianist on the occasion." Mr Powell moved, " That a Sub-Managing Committee be formed, consisting of Messrs Munro, Buchanan, Stitt, and the mover; the mover to act as convener," Mr Munro moved, " That a Pro-gramme-Committee be formed, consisting of Messrs Bnnn, Hamilton, and the mover; the mover to act as convener." In the Warden's Court yesterday, a fewapplications -were heard. M'Knight and party applied for permission to move the head of their water race about 200 feet lower down Mountain Creek, Addison's. There were two objectors, Waugh and Budgeon. The former objected, stating that the race would cut off drainage by which he was benefited, while Budgeon stated that he would relinquish any objection if M'Knight conceded his prior right. It appeared that M'Knight held the second right to the oreek, and O'Toole the first right, but owing to M'Knight taking the water at a point higher up the creek than O'Toole, he had to pass the water down to supply the latter's quantity, and it thus happened that Waugh and Budgeon, who held tho third and fourth rights, were supplied by the tail water of O'Toole nnd party, while M'Knight, who held the second right, was idle. On enquiry, the Warden was informed that the races had been in existence upwards of three years, and he declined to accede to the application. He thought that the occasion of applying for a renewal of the certificates would be a suitable moment to advance any additional argument in favor of the application. The application of Armstrong and party, that several gold mining leases at Addison's shoiild be declared'subject to the regulations applying to wet claims, was called on for hearing. Mr Pitt supported tho application Mr Home appeared on behalf of the objectors, and pointed out that it would be necessary that the entire district should have been first declared a wet claims' district, and, upon a memorial in conformity with the regulations being presented to the Warden, it would be competent for him to declare tho regulations in force. No such memorial had been pre- '

sentod, and ha contended, therefore, that it was not competent for the application to be entertained. The Warden concurred, and the application was dismissed. A correspondent writes commenting upon a disgraceful scene enacted on the beach at an early hour yesterday morning, So far as we are informed, two females, who were unable to settle their differences in any other manner, repaired to the beach and fought for about half an hour.' A crowd of men, who ought to have felt disgust at so disgraceful and humiliating a spectacle, eagerly gathering round to watch the proceedings. The unfortunato women fought until one was exhausted, and the crowd then dispersed. A light and handsomely built hook and ladder carriage has arrived by the steamer Kennedy, en route for the Greyuiouth V. P. B. Eepairs are much needed to that portion of Camp-street, Charleston, facing the Government reserve. The road is cut up, and as there are water races running underneath, the street is both dangerous and unpleasant. We understand that Messrs Hunter, Thompson and party are about to construct a new race from Deep Creek, Charleston, upon a higher level than their former one. The course is at present under survey, and when it is completed, no time will be lost, we understand, in starting the cutting of the race. Too much praise cannot be given to this; party for their enterprising spirit, ami we wish them every success in their new undertaking. Mr T. B. Shapter has returned from Nelson by the steamer Kennedy, and will continue to practice on the Coast, having declined the appointment of Examiner of Titles for the Nelson Land Eegistration District. Mr Chapman, of G-iles Terrace, who it will be remembered about nine months ago received severe injuries about .the headwhen struggling with a constable of police, has returned from Nelson, where he had proceeded for the purpose of recovery. He is now convalescent. At a recent meeting at the Thames goldfields, the sum of £IOO was subscribed in aid of the wounded French soldiers, and the widows and orphans of the slain. The mains for the Greymouth Gas Company arrived by the schooner Waterman, from Melbourne, on Monday last. A curious item of news has reached us by the European mail. It is to the effect that the King of Prussia, and with him the Princess Royal, have written to the Queen of England, conveying an intimation of their opposition to the intended marriage of the Princess Louise to the Marquis "of Lome; and that the Royal Mother, with an Englishwoman's spirit, peremptorily told them in homely language to mind their own business. The remains of the late Mr E. H. Davis, brought to Wellington from Greymouth, by the Alhambra, were interred on the 22nd ult. The funeral was large, being attended by most of the members of the Civil Service, besides a number of other gentlemen.

A monster map of Melbourne has just been published iu that city. It is 21ft by 13ft, includes the city, suburbs, and public builuings, and gives a fair idea of the metropolis. A Dunedin telegram, dated Wednesday, states that '* criminal proceedings have been instituted by G. B. Barton, late editor of the " Otago Daily Times, against Mr Lemon, General Manager of the °Telegraph Department, for a breach of the 16th section of the Telegraph Act, 1805, in presenting Mr on the 22nd April last, with a copy of a telegram sent to the " Otago Daily Times'' by its special reporter at Tiruaru, containing a report of Mr Stafford's speech. A bridge near Havlock has been swept away by a flood. Mr Birch, son of Colonel Birch of Napier, was found dead in his bed on Wednesday morning. A second rope and twine manufactory has been established in Christchurch. The Ahaura Eace Stewards have decided to refer the question of the protest, entered against Mr Taylor's horses by the owners of Economy for the opinion of the members of the Greymouth Jockey Club. It is stated upon the authority of the "New York Standard," that 5000 children are annually murdered in that city. The government of the city—which, according to the census just taken, numbers 900,000 inhabitants—is in the hands of a gang of thieves. Its judiciary costs 95,000 dois., and its civil service 4,800,u00 dois. per annum. Incredible as these figures may appear, they are capable of verification. A police magistratereceives 700 dois. per annum more than the Chief Justice of the United States, and five commissioners of public works divide 1,000,000 dois. amongst them. ' Tneir fees and pickings," observes a respectable authority, * exceed the whole yearly cost of both Houses of Congress, and are one-sixth of the pay of all the officers and soldiers of the United States army.' At the last election for the city, a number of thieves, pickpockets, and burglars—their names and convictions are given in the New York papers—were appointed * marshals ' and ' superiors' to watch the ballotboxes, while troops were poured in to overawe the voters. According to the Auckland papers it was expected that the construction of the Kaipara railway would be commenced on the 22nd ult. Efforts are being made to establish a gymnasium in Auckland. Eeferring to the punt at Eock Island on the Grey Eiver, a Westland paper writes: — '* Mr Montgomery is not permitted to have peace or rest, the Nelson Government having ordered his punt line to be cut down at Rock Island, and this peremptory and arbitrary order has been given in the face of Mr Montgomery's right to ply a punt haviug been left for arbitration between tbe .Nelson and Westland Governments. It has not even yet been decided whether Eock Island belongs to Westland or Nelson." The recent wreck of the s.s. Airedale should lead to some improved system of making up the mails, which might easily be placed in waterproof bags or boxes, Many persons have been greatly inconvenienced by the injury sustained by the submersion of the Jhmglish and American mails. The English Mail via San Francisco, left town yesterday morning by the steamer Murray. Tho Hon. Mr Fitzherbort is spoken of as the probable, new Superintendent of the Wellington Province. Should he consent to stand, he is certain of election. A deputation of working men, at Wellington, to-day (Feb. 22), presented to the Superintendent a petition, bearing oil signatures, asking for land on deferred puymems. The Superintendent explaiued that the Norwegians were only allowed to squat upon

from five to ten acres with the promise of compensation for improvements, if the land were bought over them. They had to pay f Ji- every thing, and the Government found them work at 5s a day. The same terms were open to anyone else who liked to accept them. He refused positively to sanction the sale of any land on deferred payments. A large six-horso waggon arrived by the schooner 10, consigned to Mr M'Kee. It will be used in the carriage of goods from Westport to Charleston. Miss A. P. Ladd, of Augusta, Maine, has been appointed by the Governor and C3uncil a Justice of the Peace. This is believed to be the first appointment of a lady to this office in New England, and perhaps in the United States, East of Wyoming Territory. The guard of the coach now running between Patoa and Taranaki was, the *' Wellington Independent" states, " the principal leader of the attack on General Cameron, at Nukumaru, when that officer very nearly sustained a tremendous defeat at the head of a large section of the British army." We notice a Boston (U.S.) firm has patented a new floating velocipede, wh>ch can be conveniently operated and readily propelled, and consists in such a construction of a frame, double floats, steering apparatus and paddle-wheel, that xhe rider straddles the paddle-wheel in operating the crank axle of the same.