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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 794, 28 March 1871, Page 2

The very rough weather and tho high tide of Saturday passed off without injury. Some inconvenience was occasioned by tho large boflies of water that had settled in Freeman street; and, at the rear of the bonds in Herbert street, there was a large sheet of water deposited, which quickly made itself a channel into the river. Further along the spit, Mr Organ's skin yard was threatened by the rapid encroachment of the sea, but in other directions the inroad has not been of a very serious character. Very little now remains to mark the site of the old cemetery. The roads up country are generally in a very bad condition. Several large landsli s have taken place between Christy's ajtd Raeftonj greatly impeding the traffic. Edith Palmerston, Mr A. Alexander, and Mr Pownall, after a very successful series of performances at tho Thames, Auckland, and other towns, in the North Island, shortly purpose visiting Westport, Charleston, and other We3t Coast towns. The high reputation gained by Miss Palmerston wherever she has appeared, and the very favourable notices passed upon her performances by the press of New Zealand and the neighbouring colonies, justify the belief that a great treat is in store for the public. Mr Greenfield, Provincial Secretary, accompanied by Mr Dobson, left Greyniouth for Westport overland on Sunday. They may be expected hourly, unless delayed by the llooded state of the creeks. There was a great ball held at the Thames on St. Patrick's Day. Upwards of two thousand persons took part in tho festivities.

Tenders closo.at noon on Saturday, for the supply of necessaries to the Gaol Department for the year ending March 31st, 1872. All claims to be registered on the electoral roll must bo sent in not later than Friday next, the 31 st inst. We trust that any who have not yet lodged a claim will take an early opportunity of performing this necessary duty. Printed forms may be had on application at the office of this paper. Yesterday snow was visible on the ranges for the first time this season. There were heavy showers of rain and hail during the day, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and there has also been a freshet in the river. The heavy swell of the last few clays has occasioned some injury to tho roadway leading to the Esplanade. The protective work erected some time ago has been dismantled, and, unless restored, traffic will become impossible, and the National Hotel, erected at the corner, will be gradually undermined.

■ Yesterday evening there was every appearanco of the weather moderating. The hills were distinctly visible and tho glass also indicated favorably. We are informed by the Harbor-master that the recent gale has not injuriously affected the beach on the south side of the river, which continues to make gradually. It is not so generally known as it ought to be that powdered alum possesses the property of purifying water. A large tablespoonful of pulverised alum sprinkled into a hogshead of water, the water stirred round at the time, will, at the lapse of a few hours, by precipitating to tho bottom the impure particles, so purify it that it will be found to possess nearly all the freshness and clearness of the purest spring water. A pailful, containing four gallons, may be purified by a single teaspoonful. The money orders paid the several offices in New Zealand during the quarter ended 31st December last, numbered 5085, respecting a sum of £22,814 18s 2d. For the corresponding quarter of last year the number paid was 4140, and the value .£19,031 lis.

The total number of money orders issued at the several offices for the December quarter was 5339, representing a sum of £37,1-3 7s 7d. The number issued during the corresponding quarter of last year was 7178, and the amount £32,311 17s lid. The total balance for the colony at the credit of depositors in the Government Savings Bank, on the 31st December last, including interest up to 3ist December, 1869, was £287,113 3s 3d. The "Thames Advertiser " of March 10, writing upon the prospects of the Caledonian Quartz Mining Company, says: " Some idea of the enormous richness of the Caledonian mine may bo formed from the fact that between the Sth of February and the Gth of March, or within one month, considerably over £S4,< 00 worth of the precious metal has been lodged to the credit of the company in the Bank of New Zealand, as the produce of the mine during that time. And as to its future prospects, there is every reason to believe that it will continue for a long time equally good, There is one block of ground intact between the 211 feet level and the 130 feet level, through which it is evident that the same rich stone exists, found in the bottom and top levels. If wo value the mine at the usual valuation in such cases, namely, twelve months' purchase, it is evident that even at its present high price, it is held cheaply, for with its prospects it may be relied upon to pay dividends at the rate of about £S per week. The gold mentioned above does not include the parcel lodged yesterday. There are now about 30 cwt. of very rich specimens on hand, upon-which the two-stamper battery will bo started today, and there are besides 2,000 ozs. of hard-squeezed amalgam ready for the retort. A writer in the "Scientific American" suggests gunpowder as a means of propelling flying machines. lie says that gunpowder and all explosives have limits to their power, and aro governed by laws, and can probably be used as propelling agents with safety greater than that of the steam engine. They a.re the only known agents which aro, in their great power and small weight, analogous to the muscles of the bird. How this power is to be applied and regulated could soon be ascertained by ingenious and educated engineers. He suggests a cylinder, on the rocket principle, in which successive explosions should preserve a high pressure; or a fulminate, if such could be found, which would condense to an insignificant amount of liquid immediately after explosion, and thereby work a pair of iron hinges connected with the machinery of a vessel. The largest flying machine of the future will not be more, ho thinks, than fifty feet in length, and there will not bo any necessity for travelling high in the air. A few feet above the ground, say higher than the highest trees, would suffice, and many known appliances could be added which would render afall innocuous. The lower side could be arranged with powerful spiral springs, which would make a concussion harmless, or a, system of para-

chutes could bo devised by which passengers could descend to the ground with safety* He believed that the flying machines of the future will cross from America to Europe in two days, and that such machines would be swift, easy of construction, and will come into general use. At the recent sitting of the Supreme Court in Wellington, Mr Justice Johnstone in his address to the grand jury, referred to the Bankruptcy law :—" With regard to certain fixed principles in the bankruptcy law, there could be no doubt that any system which afforded facilities for practices of a dishonest character—for getting credit and then abasing it by defeating creditors—that such a system must be vicious. He was happy to say that he had not here seen many cases in which even strong suspicions had arisen against the parties ; but there were many instances of parties having been unduly trusted, and been by that means led into difficulties. In order to prevent such practices, it was the public duty of persons connected with transactions of this sort to take the trouble—which he regretted to say they were not generally too apt to do -to bring forward any case that called for an investigation. It was most wholesome, wise, and necessary that if there was a good reason for believing that anything like misappropriation had taken place, that it should be publicly exposed and punished; as everybody connected with these matters must understand that the relief to be given to a bankrupt is to be given only in certain cases. Any bankrupt who took steps to defeat his creditors by diminishing his assets was not only guilty of a crime, but helped to bring the administration of the Bankruptcy Court into discredit, and the person who did so deserved punishment, and an example should be made, so as to deter others." A Wellington correspondent states that on Judge Ward becoming a puisne judge, Mr FitzGerald, the present Eesident Magistrate at Hokitika will be appointed Judge of the District Court, for the Westland Judicial District. Major Jackson has been authorised to form a Volunteer Cavalry Corps at Alexandra, Waikato, which will, in concert with the Constabulary, organise a system of patrolling along the boundary line. The appointment of a successor to Mr Branigan in the command of the Armed ('onstabulary is a matter which cannot be much longer delayed, and various parties have been spoken of as eligible for this office. These include Colonels Harrington, Lyon, Moule, and Reader, and other officers not at present in the colonial service ; but it would seem that the appointment is not likely to fall to any of them. The Ministry, we are told, have made up their minds not to put a military man in command of the forces, being apprehensive that he would do away with the system of demilitarisation which has cost so much to build up, and are looking out for an eligible Police Inspector to promote to the vacant place.— Wellington " Evening Post." An Italian paper mentions that at a recent lecture on the microscope, in one of the towns in Piedmont, among " the creeping and crawling things innumerable," magnified to a thousand dimensions on the white sheet, were some of those peculiar insects which are said to frequent chignons and dead ha : r generally. One of these interesting creatures was presented to the gaze of horror-stricken ladies as large as a bug; and in two hairs from a chignon exhibited it was computed that at least one million were nidificating thereon. Two ladies screamed, and a good many turned qualmish at the idea of their back hair being so lively; aud more than one chignon-wearer seemed mechanically inclined to feel if any thing was wrong, or, in plain English, to scratch her head.

A more fiendish crime (remarks the "Age") can scarcely bo conceived than that of -which Alexander Smith was convicted, at the Criminal Sessions, on the 15th inst. For the sake of obtaining a reward of ,£SOO, offered by the Government for the discovery of a murderer, he deliberately invented a story to fix the guilt upon a perfectly innocent man, one Meld. But for the fact that Field was a prisoner in Pentridge on the day the murder was committed, it is extremely probable that he would have been hanged for ihe crime, at the instance of the man who attempted to make him a victim. Such an atrocity makes the flesh creep. Smith now stands remanded for sentence on conviction for perjury, the jury having found him guilty -without even leaving the box. Under such circumstances, what adequate punishment can be meted out to him ? The " Nation" has acknowledged the receipt of ,£596, forwarded-to Ireland-from the West Coast of the Middle Island, to assist the wives and children of the political prisoners. £389 9s (Id has also been sent to Melbourne to be forwarded home for the Prussian and French relie!:' fund.

We have heard that the late Commissioner, St. John Bianigan, will visit his nntive country, a long sea voyage having been recommended as the best, remedy available for his malady and general physical powers.

The interruptions to the Ohinemuri and Tauranga m*il services are detailed in the northern papers. The correspondent of the " Thames Advertiser'' writes as foilo-vs from Ohinemuri on the 9th inst.:—As (ho mail-boy was returning with the Southern mails in the afternoon, and had just descended the hill from the bush, and was in the act of crossing a creek which is covered with scrub, a native seized hoi ! of the reins of his horse, and another in no time had him off the saddle, and, point ng two iron spears at him, demanded his mail. Not getting it, they stripped the poor fellow of his clothes, and then could not find it, which made them very angry and irritable. They then led the poor fellow prisoner to their settlement, a distance of four miles, when, having consulted Te Hira, he was released, and the clothes returned. The mailman, Makaho, is a fine strapping fellow, and somewhat shrewd, which caused him to cut open the lining of his saddle, and therein conceal the mail, which has fortunately been saved. Since writing the above, one mailman has just arrived, bringing back this morning's mail, Te Hira in person having driven him back. Natives are in force all along the line in parties, In case the mailman should force his way through one party, he will be caught by another. To Hira stripped himself, and in a most agitated and threatening manner, with an iron spear in his hand, attempted to stab the horse, but was unsuccessful. A subsequent attack is given as follows by Mr J. Shea. He stated that he was one of the party travelling from Katikati to the Thames who wero lately seized by the Hauhaus at Ohinemuri. The party consisted of the mailman, some Europeans, and Katikati natives. They were seized just outside Ohinemuri about 5 a.m, on Sunday last, and wero detained until 9.30 a.m., when, at the intercession of tho Katikati natives, the Europeans were allowed to depart, the mailman and tho natives being detained. The persons of all were searched, but nothing was takon from them. If wo mistake not, the Government are paying a large sum per week to the natives in consideration of this road being kept open for Europeans, This does not look as if tho nativos were inclined to keep to their part of tho bargain at any rate.

LATEST TELEG-lIAMS. (per greyiele's telegram company, reuter's agents). Wanganui, March 27. A case of suicide occurred here this morning. A man named Baylis; wellknown on the West Coast end in Otago, hung himself The body was found suspended from a post, and life was extinct, though, strauge to say, one foot touched the ground. The deed is attributed to mental derangement, caused by jealousy and pressing pecuniary difficulties. Dunedin, March 27. A new reef has been discovered in' the Carriek Ranges, in which gold is visible throughout. It is supposed to be the main reef. A German ship, laden with tea, has been cast ashore at Eiverton. Her name is unknown. The telegram case, Regina v. Barton, has been further postponed. The evidence taken to-day was unimportant. The wheat market is insufficiently supplied, owing to bad weather. Buyers are not inclined to operate at a figure beyond 4s, but for immediate wants an advance of threepence per bushel has to be conceded. Oats are in good demand, and flour active. The orders for shipments are heavier this mail at £ll to £ll 10s.