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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 802, 15 April 1871, Page 2

The Union Bank of Australia purpose making a shipment of gold by the steamer Charles Edward, leaving this evening for Hokitika. Mr Brodie, Inspector of bankrupt estates, visited Westport yesterday on an official tour through the provinces of the colony. Mr Hodgson, Inspector of Schools, was a passenger by the steamer Waipara, to Greymouth. He visits that portion of the Province en an official visit. The only mining item of interest we have to record is the discovery of two fresh leads of payable washdirt at Hatter's Terrace. Both leads are parallel to the old lead, ono forty feet below and the other thirty feet above the present line of workings. Grant and party and Hughes and party are the discoverers of the new ground. The following letter received by Mr. Thomas Field from Mr. R. C. Chambers, of Melbourne, relative to the Mount Rochfort coal mines, ha; been handed to us for publication :—" I nay state that Messrs. Croyle and Hunter aie going to visit New Zealand at an early date, and will most likely call at Westport to inspect the Mount Rochfort coal mines and to see what can be done to form a company. There is no doubt once the matter is fairly started in being able to carry it to a successful issue. If the gentlemen above named tliink well of the undertaking after visiting the locality, they are in a postion to raise sufficient capital between them to carry out the works required.'' In the R.M. Court, yesterday, the only business was the transfer of a license for the Albion Hotel from William White to Edward Peters.

In the Warden's Court, Westport, yesterday, several applications for water-rights were disposed of. The application of Peter Armstrong and party, to make use of the drainage tunnel belonging to M'Laren and others was refused, the latter party appearing a3 objectors. Mr Pitt supported the application. The Wai-don decided that he had no power to make an order in respect to the drainage tunnel, which was clearly the private property of the objectors. The only course for the applicants would be to come to some arrangement outside the Court.

A meeting of the congregation of St. John's Church, Westport, was held yesterday evening, for the purpose of electing churchwardens and vestrymen for the ensuing year. Mr Blacklock was re-appointed minister's churchwarden, and Mr Bowen was elected parish churchwarden. Messrs Graves, Christopher Brown, Carpenter, Poole, and Neil were elected vestrymen, who will act in conjunction with Messrs Haylock, Barry, Braithwaite, Harrison, and Marshall, who represent the outlying districts. Votes of thanks were then proposed and carried to the members of the Managing Conumitae of the Concert on Easter Monday evening, and the laidies and gentlemen who took part in the Concert. A special vote of thanks was tendered to Mrs Brown and Mrs Pickering. A vote of thanks was also tendered to Mr J. R. Bertrand and J. W. Munson and the ladies and gentlemen who assisted at the Children's Treat on Easter Tuesday; The meeting was closed with prayer. The following extract from a home letter touches on a point which .the colonics are greatly interested in.— '■ I have not sent ' Good Words,' as the postage has been raised to 1 d per ounce, which would bring it up to 4d or sd. I don't think Bob Lowe should be encouraged in this new tax upon knowledge. His postal arrangements are giving great dissatisfaction amongst all parties."

Miss Edith Palmerston, accompanied by Mr Alexander and Mr Pownall, arrived in Westport yesterday, and will give an entertainment at the Masonic Hall this evening. Speaking of her acting, a Nelson contemporary states that " the press in the other provinces has not exaggerated her talents as a most pleasing and versatile actress." We advise our readers to visit the Hall tonight, and judge for themselves of the entertainment. Edith Palmerston is not unknown to the West Coast, having visited Hokitika and Greymouthin the early days, when her rare histrionic talent nightly delighted crowded audiences." In the E.M. Court, Brighton, on Wednesday last, Henry Pearce was ordered to enter into his own recognizance in £lO, to keep the peace for a period of three months, to Archibald M'Murchie.

We take the following particulars of Tuesday's racing at Hokitika from the "Times":— " Peeress won easily every rac3 for which she entered. Taylor, the rider of Gamester, fell in the handicap hurdle race and had to be assisted to the stewards booth. Knottingly went to the post for the Ladies' Purse, but before a start was effected the horse suddenly rolled over and there died. The Handicap Hurdle Race of 50 sovs; 2 miles, was won easily by Sir Tatton, 9st 111b ; Supple Jack, Bst 111b, second. For the Selling Race, Saucy Dick was first, and Robin Hood, second. The Westland Handicap, of 140sovs, was won by Peeress by a neck, the mare carrying lOst 71b, XXX second, with Bst 71b. The Hurry Scurry was won by Ino, Bobby, second, and a Con-

eolation Handicap, of 15sovs, fell to Mr Hughes's XXX, li'jrfj lib, MrSeaton's Supple Jack second, ib'i Bst 111b.'' The racing on the first day resulted in an easy victory for Peeress in the Trial Stakes, of 25sovs, and the Town plate of 50sovs. Gamester won the Hurdle Race of 40sovs. Mr T. Harris's Bones won the 'trotting Handicap of losovs, and a stake of ssovs for horses owned by Maoris, was won by Bobby. A Hack Race of lOsovs, which closed the day's sports, also fell to Bobby.

There was a sitting of the District Court at Greymouth, on Wednesday, before his Honor Judge Ward. Jeremiah Creed, of Napoleon, was charged with unlawfully wounding Bernard Caudau, by striking him over the head with a bottle, on the morning of the 26th March. According to the e\idence of Candau, he had a dispute with a man named Cleve, whom he suspected of having cheated at cards, causing him to lose the sum of £3 15s, Creed interfered, and, in consequence, Cleve got away. Candau subsequently learnt that Cleve was at Creed's house, and he proceeded there, telling Creed that if he harboured a thief like Cleve, he was no better himself. They had a fight shortly after, but were separated. Half-an-hour later, Creed attacked Candau, striking him upon the head from behind with a bottle. The Judge said that the prisoner had been found guilty of a very cowaidly assault, and sentenced him to four months' imprisonment with hard labor, A new fire-bell has been hung by the corporation of Dunedin. It weighs 6cwt, and cost £59.

A committee has been formed in Hokitika to prepare a scheme for the establishment of a public school in that town. The police, says the " Grey Times" of the 6th inst., have made another raid upon slygrog sellers and have, we believe, been so far successful that prosecutions have been instituted against several persons for illicit trading. The township of Mabilletown, in the vicinity of Mabille and party's recent discovery of payable gold, is rapidly extending, and will prove a great convenience to the inhabitants located in that part of HalfOunce Oreek, enabling them to obtain their supplies without the necessity of going to the Upper Township. An Adelaide telegram, published in the " Argus," states that up to the 4th March 22,000 tons of breadstuffs of this year's crop had been exported from South Australia. The Volunteer movement continues to progress in Otago. The "Times" of the sth instant, says :—"Six Volunteer companies have lately been formed, but not yet gazetted. They are the Wakatip Rifles, with from GO to 70 members; the Lawrence Rifles, 46 members ; the Blueskin Rifles, 45 members; the Peninsula Rifles, 21 members ; the Oamaru Grammar School Cadet Rifles, 32 members ; and the Tokomairiro Grammar School Cadet Rifles, 32 members. We give the numbers of each company approximately. These companies are turning the interval in which the acceptance of their services by the Government is pending, to gocd account by busily drilling. The Port Chalmers Grammar . chool Cadets, in number about 30, are in training, but application has not yet been made for their formation into a company. In the North-East Valley district, and in connection with the North Dunedin Rifles, a Cadet Company is in course of organization, and now numbers nearly 40 members. As an accession to our Volunteer force, we have an entire Company—the Fire Brigade—whose members were sworn in by Major Atkinson on Moqday night last. From the Appendix No. 2 to the Journals of the House of Representatives, we learn that in 1869 the following articles yielded revenue, as follows:—Brandy, £142,919 Us; rum, £59,735 2s lid; whisky, £59,628 9s; geneva, £51,815 0s lid; gin (sweetened), £ 14,404 2s 4d ; wine (in wood), £28,942 l()s 5d ; wiuo (in bottle), £8044 12s 8d ; tobacco. £88,448 5s Gd; cigars, £12,0G9 6s 9d; ale, porter, &c, .£17,073 13s Id—amounting to £484,157 Us 7d of the total revenue of £823,506 13s Bd. We observe also that the duty on tea amounts in round numbers to £50,000; coffee, £4,400; dried fruits, £6,400 ; sugai-, treacle, and molasses, £BO,OOO.

The prospecting cumpany wrrking to the west of Stafford Town have not yet struck anything payable. They have been some lime using a boring apparatus, but with no satisfactory result. Mr T. Pringle, of Hokitika, started on the 10th of March, to take somo photographic views of the country south of the Mikonui. The principal object of the trip was to obtain a faithful picture of the glaciers on the VVaiho, Mount Cook. The " Ross Guardian" reports the return of Mr Pringle, and states that the views reflect the highest credit upon him as a photographer. The first picture shows a general view of the Francis Joseph glacier on the Waiho. The next view is taken from the highest point that can be attained, and the Waiho river is represented rushing underneath the glaciers. The third view is the Waiho, about. 200 yards from where it opens out. There is also a " photographer's camp," where the tents were pitched, about 600 feet above the level of the sea. Dr Featherston's family are to sail for England from Lyttleton by the ship Zealandia. Tiie funeral of the late Mr Robert Abbott, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hokitika, took plr.ee on Saturday afternoon, and was very numerously attended by all classes of citizens, and by many from distant parts of the County. The number of births registered as having taken place in Dunedin during the month of March is 137 ; of deaths, 24 ; and of marriages 20.