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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 796, 1 April 1871, Page 2

The following is an approximate return of the population of the Buller district. The Upper Buller and Inangahua population is not included in the subjoined list. — Westport ... .„ ... 870 Northern Terraces ... ... 650 Mokihinui and Karamea ... 90 Waite's 520 2130 The estimated number of persons at Waite's does not include about fifty persons working on the beaches between Westport and Charleston, and two parties of miners at Brown's Terrace, on the north side of the Nile River. Yesterday was the last day on which claims might be lodged by persons desirous of having their names placed on the Electoral Roll of the Province, and it is to be hoped that the great majority of those entitled to registration have availed themselves of a privilege which it is their duty to exercise. So far as may be judged from the numerous applications that have been made for printed forms, the inhabitants of Westport, the Northern Terraces, and Addison's have, for the most part lodged claims, but such has not been the case with the inhabitants of the Upper Buller and Inangahua. The latter districts were subjected to great hardship and injustice on the occasion of the last election, since, although forming a very important body of electors, no provision was made for recording their votes, without the unpleasant alternative of a journey of sixty miles to Westport. We believe this to be the true reason of the indifference manifested by persons in those districts with respect to taking the necessary steps to secure their being placed upon the electoral roll. In another column we publish an advertisement announcing that classes for instruction in classics, mathematics, mental and moral philosophy, and natural science will be opened in June at the University of Otago. The fee for each professor is three guineas per term of six months, so that for the moderate sum of twenty-four guineas per annum, the student may avail himself of a course of instruction certainly superior to anything yet attempted in this Colony. Otago may indeed be justly proud of the prominent position she has already taken in providing on a truly liberal scale for the educational requirements of her people, and we may say of the entire Colony. We cannot doubt that throughout New Zealand numbers of parents and guardians will gladly avail themselves of such an opportunity of completing the education of the young men under their charge. Let us hope that energy and liberality, such as have conduced to the results already achieved, will mark the future management of this valuable institution.

The revenue received from the issue of publicans' licenses, accommodation licenses, and business licenses, at the Warden's Office, Westport, for the financial year, amounted to £2,120 10s. A little over 1100 miners' right have been issued during the year. On Thursday, at the E.M, Court, Westport, H. Maguire, charged with disorderly conduct, was fined 40s, or in default four days' imprisonment. At present there are only four inmates of the Westport District Hospital. The usual monthly meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday evening. Mr Greenfield, Provincial oecretary, arrived overland from Charleston yesterday. He will leave for Nelson by the first steamor. We regret that he has not decided to extend his journey to Reefton. There were six tenders lodged at Charleston for maintaining the coast road in repair for a period of twelve months. The last cylinder of the Wanganui bridge was sunk on the 15th ultimo, and the gratifying fact commemorated in town by a display of bunting and a round of cheering. A breach of promise case is imminent in Wanganui. A writ has been served, and £SOO claimed as damages.

The terms asked for Chinese labour in Fiji are said to be so large as to put its employment in the group out of the question. Three hundred black swans, in one mob, were lately seen quietly floating on a lagoon at the mouth of the river Halswell, Canterbury. Stone suitable for grindstones has been found near the Waipa River, Auckland.

The lease of the Government Wharf, Nelson, for one year, from Ist April, was sold at auction to Messrs N. Edwards and Co., at the upset price of .£SOO, there being no competition. Last year it realised £G4O.

A man named Campbell, who has for some time been confined as a lunatic in the Asylum at Hokitika, and who on a former occasion severely mutilated himself, put an end to his existence by strangling himself—it is said by using strips of his blankets—on the 24th ultimo. The funeral of Thomas Dixon, who was crushed in the Pioneer claim. South Beach, Greymouth, on the 23rd ultimo, took place on Monday last. The deceased being a member of the Foresters Lodge, the brethren, to the number of about fifty, assembled at the Lodge-room at two o'clock, and marched in regalia to the tramway station, and thence proceeded to the Halfway House, South Beach, where the remains lay. Thev were there met by a body of nearly a hundred miners and others, who had assembled to pay a last mark of respect to one of their number who had met such an untimely fate. Six hundred signatures have been appended to the petition praying for a commutation of the sentence of M'Leod, convicted of the murder of his wife at Christchurch.

The "Grey Argus" of the 27th ult furnishes the following particulars of Mr Greenfield's visit to Half-Ounce ■. Mr Greenfield visited Half-ounce Creek on Friday, in company with Messrs Whitefoord, Dobson, Donne, .and other gentlemen. A deputation waited on him and explained the most urgent wants of the district. Mr H. Hankin addressed Mr Greenfield, and brought the most prominent requirements of the miners under his notice, especially the necessity of holding a court at Half-

Ounce, and the desirability of revising the present unsuitable Mining Regulations. The necessity of at least stationing an officer at Half-Ounce to issue miners' rights, &c, was also mentioned. Other gentlemen spoke on the matters introduced by Hankin, and in reply, Mr Greenfield said that he could not make any definite promise about holding the Court at HalfOunce at present, but he promised that the officer of the Court, now stationed at Napoleon, should be removed to Half-Ounce. A long discussion took place about the bye-laws, and after other subjects had been alluded to, the deputation withdrew. Mr Greenfield and party returned to the Ahaura in the evening. The murderous extent and horrors of the war is illustrated by the announcement that the Prussian Government have ordered the •sxipply of 200,000 wooden legs.

. A new and r.ither curious channel for native industry has been opened by a Chinese tradesman in Wellington. He advertises in the local papers that he has accepted a contract from an Australian firm to supply 30,000 sacks of fungus for shipment to China, and he offers to give local gatherers six shillings per sack. He does not say to what purpose, edible or otherwise, this curious shipment is to bo applied. A Hokitika paper states that the census returns indicate that there are at the present time no less than three hundred and thirtytwo licensed -public-houses in the County of Westland. If all these houses were held under the thirty pounds license, the amount of revenue derived directly from this source alone would be £9960, but as there are a considerable number of " Conditional " and " Bush" licenses included in the return, the figures will not quite come up to that amount. In the Totara Electoral district, there are fifty-nine licensed public-houses, in the Hokitika district one hundred and seventy-one, and in that portion of the Grey Valley district which is included in the County there are no less than one hundred and two.

In the examination of Frank Porter Mansfield, in the Dunedin Bankruptcy Court, the bankrupt, who had been proprietor of Cobb's lino of coaches, said that he found that the only way to carry on the business was to have a secret service, which he kept up. Whenever a man belonging to hia service was " spotted," he was discharged. This service c ist nearly £7OO. By its means witness's profits went up to ,£2700 ; before its establishment Mr Chaplin lost money. The case of Pearce v, Chaplin was tried at the Supreme Court, Dunedin on the 17th, inst. The plaintiff sued for damages lad at ,£IOOO, in consequence of .injuries sustained by a coach accident. The jury awarded £2OO. One of the smartest dodges that we have heard of, for evading payment of rent, is mentioned by % Thames paper. It seems that the owner of a house in Pollen street, Grahamstown, had fallen into arrears in payment of his rent, and had received a writ for the same. To avoid seizure of his dwelling in lieu of payment, the owner hit upon the expedient of removing his house in parts, and for this purpose had it taken down at midnight, and shipped on board a cutter for Auckland.