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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 804, 20 April 1871, Page 2

Up to the hour of going to press there was no advice of the arrival of the Suez mail at Hokitika. It was due in Melbourne on the 13th, and upon arrival wou'd be transmitted to this colony by the s.s. Eangitoto, due at Hokitika yesterday. It may be momentarily expected, and. in the eveat of the arrival of the above steamer to-day, we shall publish an extra of the news. His Honor Judge Ward was a passenjjf r by the steamer Charles Edward, and will proceed to Charleston to-day for the purpose of holding a sitting of the District Court.

It is the intention of his Excellency to visit Westport, en. route for Wellington. The steamer Luna will leave Greymouth this evening, and. weathnr permitting, Captain Pitt purposes crossing the Buller bar. In the absence of a Borough Council, we trust that our leading citizens will endeavour to give her Majesty's representative a suitable reception. Mr Montrose, the New Zealand representative of Greville and Co., visited Westport yesterday, in order to perfect the arrangements entered into with the press of this Colony for the transmission of telegraphic news. Mr Montrose proceeded by the steamer Charles Edward to Nelson.

There was ft good atendance again at the Masonic Hall on Tuesday evening, on the occasion of Edith Paluierston's last appearance in Westport, prior to her visiting Charleston. The first part of the performance included the personification of several characters—Mrs Skinflint, a lodging-house keeper, Jemima Jane and Kitty 8.-ushit, overworked and underpaid domestics in the employ of Mrs Skinflint, and a Deaf Charity Boy, who also assiste 1 in ministering to the wants of the lodgers. Miss Palmerston rendered tho various parts in a clever and humorous atyle, which provoked unceasing laughter. A very laughable farce, entitled "Is he Jealous T" followed, in wnich the characters of Mrs Pigeon and Dolly" l v .j*,' were wt 11 given by Miss Pahnerston, uticras

Peregin Pigeon Mr Alexander achieved quite a success. We omitted to state that during the interlude Mr Pownall gave a comic song, " Down in the Deep Blue Sea," in a style that secured a loud encore. The entertainment generally passed off very smoothly and the artistes completely succeeded in delighting tlieir audience. Mr and Mrs Alexander and Mr Pownall left for Charleston yesterday by coach. A half share in Newton and party's claim, on Kelly's line of reef, Inangahua, changed hands in the early part of the week for £750.

There are fifty-three Sundays in this year, which commenced and will end with a Sunday. The "Greymouth Star" makes the startling announcement that peace has been proclaimed between France and Russia. The schooner Northern Light arrived in the Hokitika roadstead, from Melbourne on on the 17th instant. The following melancholy incident is detailed in a telegram, dated Timaru, April 16th . —Last night, the mate and a sailor from the schooner Ottawa went to the steamer Beautiful Star to pick up their captain, who was supposed to be on board. The captain, however, was not there, and the men got into the boat to return to their vessel. Captain Hart, of the Beautiful Star, watched the boat till about the steamer's length off the Ottawa. This morning the boat was found three miles down the coast, empty, and with blood spots all over it. It i 3 supposed that the men had quarrelled, and had both been drowned. They had been drinking on board the steamer.

Mr Cowie, Inspector of the Union Bank (says the " Evening Post") ha.s, we understand, obtained twelve months leave of absence, and intends to take advantage of it by paying a visit to the mother country. Mr Sutherland, from Australia, will act as Inspector during his absence. During the passage of the unfortunate brig Hindoo, from China to Otago, a monster albatros3 was caught. From the tip of the one wing to that of the other, it measures ten feet seven inches, and the entire length of the body is four feet six inches. It weighed 26ibs, and its plumage is finely variegated by dark tints. The other side of the flour-and-sugar policy is thus mentioned by a Northern correspondent:—"lt is feared that after their late terrible journey in chase of Kooti many of Ropata's men will never more be fit for bush warfare. Some are said to be dying. For seven days they saw no sun in the dense trackless forest, and subsisted only by eating such wretched fare as tur-pentine-impregnated tawa berries. These are the indomitable men—savages if you will—who enable East Coast settlers to sletp safely, where, little over a year back, destruction and massacre were rife. They don't get well paid, these intrepid Ngatiporou. Government supplies them with a little biscuit and sugar for the war-path, and that is all. It is necessary to find them such simple supplies, for Ngatiporou cannot cultivate whilst reducing fierce Ureweras to abject submission, scattering Kooti's force like chaff, and hunting the arch-villain out of fastnesses untrod by human foot until he sought them in despair. I suppose these simple children of nature never imagine that Europeans exist who begrudge Ngatiporou their simple meals of biscuit and eau de sucre —few Maoris care for tea—or that newspapers sometimes sneer at Maori allies, an 1 laugh at what they ignorantly term the 'Flour-and-sugar policy.'— I hear Ropata has got a few more fresh men together, and is about to make another effort to get at Te Kooti, May the brave fellow succeed, and receive the plaudits of a grateful colony, as well as the substantial recompense he will then have fairly earned." There were upwards of 500 applications lodged with the Registration Officer up to the 31st March, to be placed on the electors roll for the Grey Valley District. The most of these come from the country districts, the town applications being mostly changes of qualification.—" Grey Argus."' The " unemployed " cry, says the " NewZealand Herald," is proved to have been nothing but nonsense. Since the time of the agitation numbers, of contracts for pick and shovel work have been advertised, and hardly any men have come forward to take them up. Those who have tendered, moreover, are not of the members of the agitators.

The important discovery has lately been made at Green Island, Otago, that the herring—the real home herring—frequents our shores.

A fete on a scale of magnificence has been made at Eoss in aid of the local hospital, realising the sum of .£4OO, The bazaar alone was the means of realising nearly £4OO, and, deducting expenses, the whole affair will probably place the Committee in possession of A'32o. There is no information to hand of the result of the meeting at Ohinemuri. The Government has contracted with Mr M'Kenzie for an extension of the telegraph line to Kati Kati, twenty-five miles. The murder, recently mentioned, of Constable Gilfillan near Kihikihi, Waikato, is a sad affair. The untimely deceased was a well-educated, gentlemanlike, inoffensive young man in the flush and prime of life. Hj had takjn diplomas in surgery, &c., but ill fortune forced him to take refuge in the Armed Constabulary Force, after failing to establish himself as a medical practitioner. He was remarkably steady, and had not fo.-egoue hopes of some day achieving a higher position. "With this view he continued to lay by most of his pay, and endured some hardships to keep his surgical instruments. He was very much liked in the force, and it is not clearly known why his comrade, Muirhead, committed the crime. Whilst dying, Gilfillan more than once said he had given Muirhead no provocation; but it has been stated by other members of the Armed Constabulary Force that the deceased and his slayer quarrelled shortly before the murder, whilst working together in a road party.

The following are the cases set down for hearing at the next sittings of the District Court, commencing on Monday next. — Kegina v. Harris, larceny. The following insolvents will apply for their final discharge : —Edward Smyrk, George Blackburn, J. A, M. Turner, Michael M'Mahon, Bobert Henderson and John Henderson. Thirty tons of quartz from the Heart of Oak. claim, Carrick Eange, have been crushed at the Eoyal Standard battery, and yielded 170ozs. of gold. The Alexandra correspondent of an Otago paper states that alarm there relative to the scarlet fever seems to have completely cocsed, although most people continue their sanitary'precautions. t The Hrtlenslee with machinery for a woollen manufactory at Mosgiel, East Taieri, sailed from Glasgow on Jany 27th, and is oxpectod in Otago shortly, The machinery consists of a full set of carding engines, one pair of mules with 650 sph e ei, four Jjlauket and two tweed looms, finishing, washing, and milling machinery, and a pair of engines of thirty-two horse powor, with

Cornish boilers, having Galloway's tubes. The machinery is of the very best description, and contains the latest improvements, Coming out as passengers by the same vessel there are twenty-four workmen—-twenty-one of whom are adults—and a gentleman to manage the establishment who has had extensive experience in sone of the best manufactories in Lanarkshire, and other parts of Great Britain. It is expected that the works will be in operation by the month of August next. The Marquis of Normauby, who has been appointed Governor of Queensland, is 52 years of age. He entered the Scots Fusiliers in 1838, and occupied the position, first of Controller, and afterwards of Treasurer, of the Queen's Household, from 1853 till 1858, when he was appointed to the Govenorsliip of Nova Scotia. Ho represented Scarborough in parliament, in the Liberal inttrest, for about nine years. He was made a privy Councillor in 1851, and on succeeding to the marquisite in 18G3, resigned his foreign appointments. It is worth mentioning in connection with the arrival of the telegram giving particulars of the reported organization of an expedition in American waters with a view to piratical operations in this part of the world, that a gentleman resident in Sydney (says the " Mercantile Advertiser ") who is in frequent communication with the State.*, recently recived a letter, in which a statement is made to the effect that vast quantities of arms were being manufactured, nominally for use in the direction of Canada, but as large shipments were made to San Francisco, it was just possible that the said arms might be found employment in the direction of the Australian colonies.

The following is an estimated average of the _ damage caused by the gale (which was experienced throughout the Province of Auckland on March 25) on the shipping in Auckland harbor:—West side of Queen-street Wharf, Waymonth's boatshed, total loss, £200; Severne, cutter, £100; Lulu, schooner, £7O; Lily, yacht, total loss, £3O; Form, yacht, total loss, .£ls ; Cambria, yacht, total loss, £4O ; Ida, yacht, total loss, £35; Solid Rock Baths, £SO; Duke of Edinburgh, p.s., £10; Maori boats, total loss, £7O ; Teazer, cutter, £ls ; Leader, cutter, £ls; Dee, cutter, £25 ; house on wharf, £150; Farningham, barque, £150; Kate, barque, £3O; Restless, brigantine, £l3; Alarm, brig, £10: Lady Ruth, cutter, £ls; Carr, wharf and boathouse, with boats under repair, £35; waterman's boats, Fly and Pleiades, £2O. Kast side of Queen-street wharf : Sea Gull, brigantine, and boat, £100; Alabama, Annie, Aloe, cutters, total loss, £350; Triad, cutter, £SO; Tartar, cutter, £10; Tauranga, schooner, £6O; Success, schooner, £6O; Mount Albert, total loss, £6O; Customs shed, £ls; Glauce, Alarm, Aquila. cutters, slight damage ; Duke of Edinburgh, barque, supposed to be damaged under water-line; breakwater, portion carried away, £4O; wood wharf, £2O; Pen, schooner, £3O ; Auckland Rowing Club shed, £10; Olliver's boat-shed, £lO. The following particulars of the death of Mr J. L. Burke, for several years resident in Dunedin, are taken from a Melbourne paper :—Between one and two o'clock on the morning of March 20th, an accident, which unfortunately had a fatal termination, happened to Mr J. L. Burke, of the firm of J. L. Burke and Co , shipowners and coal merchants, Market square. He came into town on Sunday evening about ten o'clock, and started on his return about one o'clock, and half an hour afterwards was found by a passer-by n'ar the military barracks, having had a capsize. He thought at first that he was not injured, but soon after he felt faint and lay down by the side of the road. He was taken home in a cab, and died almost immediately. From the appearance of the buggy it was thought there had been a collision, but no other vehicle was seen on the road. A great many vessels in the bay and river on Monday wore their flags half-mast high as a mark of respect for the deceased. Dr Youl held an inquest in the morning, at St. Kilda, upon the body. The verdict was that the cause of death was rupture of the liver from -violence. The funeral of the deceased gentleman took place on Wednesday, and the length of the procession very plainly indicated the high esteem in which he was held. Anions the gentlemen present were the Hon J. O'Shanassy, M.L.C., Mr Bayles, M.L.A., the Hon N. Fitzgerald, M.L.C., W. Archer, Esq., and J. P. Martin, Ear.

The Hycainack, a Russian gunboat, under canvas, forty days out from Sourabaya, arrived at Port Phillip Heads on March 21st, where she anchored.

A private letter from Bungalore, in the Madras Presidency, informs ns, says the " Geelong Advertiser " of the 17th March, that Colonel Sankey, assistant to the chief engineer in the Mysore territory, is under orders from the Supreme Government to proceed to Vietoria to inspec' and report on the water supply scheme of the colony. Colonel Sankey may be expected by the next mail. He had not left Bnngaloro on the 14th February, the date of the letter. In sending an experienced engineer to report on the Victorian failures the Supremo Government made the best selection they could. Colonel Sankey bears a high name both in Bengal and Madras. The charge against Mr James Dixon, a clerk in the employ of Messrs Grice, Sumner aud Co., of embezzling n sum of money has been withdrawn.

In the late telegrams forwarded by Reuter was one from Constantinople, 20 th February, to the following effect:- " The Turkish Government has protested against the expedition to 'Times.' This should have been to Tunis. It appears that the King of Italy has declared war against Tunis, and his ambassador has been withdrawn. It is against this expedition that the Porte protests, and declares its readiness to examine into any complaints Italy may make, and to render satisfaction."— " Age."

Lord Kimberly has sent a despatch to the Governors in Australia, with reference to the intercolonial free trade. The following is the substance:—" The different colonies of Australia are at present, in their Customs duties, in the position of separate and independent countries. So long as they remain in that relation, a law which authorised the importation of goods fn.ni one colony to another on any other terms than those applicable to the imports from any foreign country, would bo open, in tbe view of her Majesty's Government to the objection of priuciplo which attaches to differential duties., But her >lajesty's Government would not object to the establishment of a complete Customs' union between the. Australian colonies, whether embracing two or more contiguous colonies, or (which would be preferable) the whole Australian continent, with its adjacent islands."

We are glad to be able to again record the success of Professor llalfords treatment of snake-bite by injection of ammonia into the veins. In Tasmania, a woman having been bitten six hours previously, was insensible, cold, and apparently sinking Dr Appleyard injected 30 drops of liq. ammonia}, 8.V., sq. gr. 951, into a voin of the

arm. Tho effect was magical—she roused up directly, and very soon afterwards was perfectly recovered. Again, a man was bitten the other day at Schnapper Point, and when the doctor arrived, one hour and a half after the bite, the man was perfectly insensible, the limbs paralysed, the pnpils of the eyes dilated, the countenance and the skin covered with a profuse, clammy perspiration. Within twenty seconds of Dr Dimock injecting the ammonia into a vein of the arm, the man jumped suddenly up, as if electrified, and stared about him, his pupils began to act and his skin to get warm, and in two hours he was removed home. " Melbourne Argus."

An Otago paper says :—" A rather strange circumstance baa within the last few days, been brought to light It appears that, about a for'night "r three weeks since a Chinaman asked permission to leave a bundle at the residence of Mr C. F. Roberts, of Enterprise Gully. Leave was granted, but the claimant not since making his appearance, Mr Roberts became suspiciuus that there might be something wrong, and caused .the bundle to be .opened when it was found to contain six tins or jaw of opi m. When it is rememberod that a few months back a case containing opium was lost on its tiansit from Dunedin to tho Clyde, for which the owner recovered from <obb and Co, the sum of £65; and when it is borne in mind that a Chinaman died a few days ba< k from the effect of op:u eating or smoking, and that the deceased Chinaman was identified by Mr Roberts' children as the man who left the bundle, and that the quantity left in Mr Roberts' care was far in excess of what an ordinary Chinaman would be supposed to possess for private use, there appears to be, to say the least of it, something not a 1 ttle mysterious in the whole aflair. Time may and we hope will, brng with it a solution of the myst ry. The latest novelty in job printing has just been executed by a London printer, who had an order from a baker to print a number of bill heads on three different coloured papers, viz., red, green, and white. The object of this, it appears, was to avoid giving instructions to the man who delivered ihe bread, flour, &e., to the customers. To prevent mi-takes, when the bill was made out upon a red paper, it denoted " Danger," and he was not to leave the goods without the cash ; if on green, it denoted "Caution," as the customer was doubtful, and the man was to get the money if he could ; if on white, it was safe to leave any quantity. It is said that the German troops in Versailles have made sad havoc with the paintings, statues, and other works of art. The painting of Napoleon in the palace lias been beheaded by a sabre stroke, and the picture of Columbus cut out o- its frame and carried off.

The "Otago Daily Times" says—"A telegram of considerable importance, although rather indefinite in its terms, reaches us from Wellington. I)r Featherston was to have left for San Franciseo, on his way to England, by the Wonga Wonga, which is advertised to sail from Auckland on the 7th instant. The Phoebe, carrying the homeward mails and passengers, left Wellington for the North early on Tuesday morning, b;.t Dr Featherston did not go in her. This circumstance seems to have provoked enquiry, and the consequent rumour that Dr Featherston is highly indignant at Mr Vogel extending his journey to England, for the purpose of negotiating the proposed loan ; and refuses in any way to under the Colonial Treasurer. This is precisely what might be expected of Dr Fjatherston ; and if Mr V>-gel persists in his d'termination, the stability of the Cabinet m y be seriously affected." The following items of Australian intelligence are to the Bth instant: —Breadstuff's were decidedly easier, with a moderate demand for flour at .£l4 15s to £ls. The Water Lily's cargo, consisting of 10.00J budiels of oats, was sold at 3s 7d. H.M.S. Blanche has saileii for Sydney. The Russian corvette is still at Melbourne. An ironclad, supposed to I e the Cerberus, is reported off I'ort Macdonald. The Claud Hamilton is trading fco Newcastle. The steamer Barwon. from Adelaide to Sydney, laden with wheat and flour, was wr.ck d on Cape Bridgewater, on the 3rd instant ; the passengers and cr w were saved. The vessel was afterwards beached, and the hull sold a' auction for £GO, and the cargo fur £35. Macklin, the brewer pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. At Sydney, a petition, signed by 10,000, has been presented to the Governor, praying for dissolution of Parliament. The Governor replied that he -would refer it to his constitutional advisers. Bertrand, in gaol for (he murder of Mr Kinder, has become insane. Tidcman, the auctioneer, has been committed for trial on five distinct charges of larceny. A squatter, named Lloyd, has recaptured an escaped bushranger. Ihe Hero arrived at Sydney on the 4th. A deck-house, found off Howes Island, was identified as belongin to the Douglas, wrecked on Elizabeth reef.