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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 819, 1 June 1871, Page 2

The contractor for the Abyssinian wells now in course of construction for the Westport Fire Brigade has already sunk one opposite to tho Court House. A second is now going down at the intersection of Molesworth and Gladstone-streets, and the remaining two will be placed at the intersection of Molesworth and Kennedy-streets and in Gladstone-street south, facing Freeman-street. Water was struck in the wells, already sunk, at a depth of eight feet. The merits of this source of watersupply will be tested by the brigade during the course of the day. Dr Hector, Mr Blackett and Mr Dobson are expected by the steamer Kennedy from the south. A meeting of the Westport Athenayum Committee was hold yesterday afternoon. Tho usual formal business was disposed of, and Dr Giles and Thorpe were appointed a sub-committee for the purpose of drawing up a list of new works to be ordered from Melbourne on behalf of the institution. The sandspit between the sea and river has been reduced, at its narrowest point to about a chain, and the sea continues to encroach along the whole lino of beach at the roar of the township. A human leg was picked up on Saturday last at Brighton, on the beach between Fox's River and Woodpecker Bay. It had on a now neat Wellington boot, reddish brown cloth trouser, and flannel drawer. The flesh was all stripped oil the thigh bone. It was thought that it mirrht have belonged to tho man that lias been missing from Razorback, but upon enquiries being made, it was found that at the time he was lost ho pair of lace-up boots. As the ferry boat at Fox's River has boon, missed lately, it is surmised that some person while crossing at night had been carried out to sea. A deplorable and fatal accident occurred on Saturday morning last near tho Fourmile diggings, to a miner named Thomas M'Grath. It appears that at the time of the accident M'Grath was bringing a truck of cement from the face to the machine, when, in consequence of a portion of the tramway being out of order, the truck, which was going down an incline at the time, tipped up, throwing him off the break, and down off tho tramway, a height of abont sixteen feet, alighting with his belly upon the stump of a tree. He was conveyed to the Hospital, was there attended by Dr Henry, and after great agony, sank gradually, expiring about one o'clock on Monday morning. Deceased was thirtyono years, and a native of Kilmalone, County Wicklow, Ireland, He was much esteemed by a large circle of friends who deeply mourn his untimely end. The funeral took place at 2 p.m. the following day. The procession formed at Regan's Post Offico Hotel, where tho body had been lying since the previous day, and was attended by ono of tho largest assemblages ever witnessed in Charleston —numbering about seven hundred. The Hibernian Society, of which deceased was a member, marched in their regalia which was draped with mourning. The president and several members of tho newly formed branch in Brighton, were present, and the number of all classes that attended fully testified the esteem and respect that were entertained for the deceased. The Rev. Father Walsh received the body at the church and performod the funeral obsecpiies.

Bird, the English pedestrian, has forfeited his first deposit of £2O to run twenty miles in two hours. Mr W, Hunter, one of the earliest settlers in Hokitika, arid lately resident at Charleston, expirod at the former town on the 20th ult. He leaves a wife and four children to mourn his loss. The sum of £l2O, after paymentof all expenses, has been realised by a bazaar held at Oamaru on behalf of the Wesleyan church. All the Taupo Natives are now reportrd to have relinquished Kingism. A discovery, likely to lead to important results, has been made in the flat at the foot of Itallian Gully in the Waimea district, Westland, by two parties, known as the Cornish party and Bell and mates. Two shafts are sunk to a depth of a little over 100 feet, and washdirt found from five to seven feet thick, giving six grains to the dish. The ground is very wet, and will have to be worked with the aid of a horse and whim. A party of fifteen men have marked out a claim, and are having the locality surveyed to ascertain if there is a probability of obtaining suflicient fall by bringing up a tail-race. It is believed that a tunnel, about three thousand feet long, will effect the purpose. The " Melbourne Loader " says that a Mormon with either two or three of his wives, with their progeny, lives in the vicinity of Camberwell. It is said that another of weathy substance drives about town in his buggy with a wife on each side of him. The Wellington correspondent of the " Otago Daily 'J imes" supplies the following interesting piece of information:—Wo are to have a great assemblage of all the Ministers here next week, but whether this unusual event is occasioned by a desire to meet and concert measures for tbe approaching session, or whether there i 3 any j

truth in the rumoured dissensions in tho Cabinet, I know not. The members of tho Ministry, however, still adhere to their policy of providing for their friends at the public expense, and the latest instance of this has caused some little talk and amusement horo. A late steamer brought from MelboUruo a gentleman of tho name of Edwin, formerly a lieutenant in ILM.S. Falcon, and, to the intens'e astonishment of most people, it soon became known that he had camo out from England for the purpose of taking an appointment in tho Marine department—that of the Examiner of Masters, or something of the kind. The office, whatever it is called, is an entirely new one, and people who ought to know say, an unnecessary one; but there is, of course, a good_ salary attached to it. Tho reason why this gentleman was brought out from England to fill it may perhaps bo found in the fact that he is also to bo married to a sister-in-law of Mr Gisbornc. A novel pedestrian match, says tho " Wellington Advertiser," will shortly coino off in Christchurch between a Miss Smith, a professional runner from Sydney, and a gentleman amateur residing in tho City of tho Plains. The distance is to be one mile, and tho stakes, we are informed by a gentleman from Canterbury, are fixed at <£loo a side. Miss Smith is stated to bo a very pretty girl, and is tho daughter of Mr Smith, who accompanies her on her professional tour. It is stated by our informant that tho " paternal " is possessed of means, and the speculation is one of pleasure only on the part of the "old man," as Miss Smith irreverently calls her admiring papa. An Auckland paper has been permitted to inspect the designs of a very comprehensive system of fortifications for that port and harbour. The method proposed is peculiar. It is assumed that the configuration of the ground is already of such a character as to obviate the necessity of extensive masonry. The leading idea is, that Mount Victoria, the North Head, Eangitoto, the Bean Bock, and the point near St John's College, if armed with batteries of sufficient power, would cover effectively both entrances to tho harbour, and be all but impregnable. Instead of immense masses of masonry being constructed, all that would be requisite would be the excavation of those sites, so as to afford space for working the guns. This jjlan would have the advantage of affording all kinds of acilities for auxiliary constructions. It is assumed that England, in the event of danger arising, would aid in creating an impregnable refugo for her ships in these seas. It is computed that for their comple tion the proceeds of the sale of certain valuable grounds in the city would be sufficient.

The right of selling liquors, &c., in the grand stand and one outside booth at Christchurch during the Queen's Birthday Eaccs realised £2l 10s to the race fund. One of the last communications received from Fiji gives the following account of the state of the markets there :—" You would be surprised at the heaps of merchandise that are piled up in the stores upon the beach, far, very far, in excess of the demand. Importers to Australia and New Zealand of wines, spirits, beer, hardware, drygoods, provisions, &c, have evidently looked upon Fiji as a certain outlet for their surplus stock. And here such a stock is held, considering the population, in prodigious quantities. Much of it is as dead as though buried in the cemetery at Haslom's Creek. In vain those gifted auctioneers, Messrs Burt and Cudlip, at their respective stores, off\;r, with eloquence that would do honour to your Assembly, and witli persuasive powers that you would think nothing could resist, goods that I am certain would bo briskly competed for in any of your Sydney auction marts. All have abundance for many months to come; there is no money on the beach, and no buyers for anything. lam concerned to think that there will bo many sufferers in Sydney by this flood of merchandise to Fiji, although with the cessation of war, and the coming abundant crops of cotton, I think there will be a great reaction, and prosperity will resume her sway. Yet with all the scarcity of money and depression in trade I have mentioned, there is one lino of business that seems to flourish like a green bay tree, and that is the public houses. Last June Lovuka boasted only three hotels— Turner's Perkins' and Niornen's. Now, there are forty-two!" The total number of sheep in Canterbury on the Ist January last, was 2,452,058, being an increase during the year 1870 of 84,778. The " Journal de. Bruxelles " gives the following interesting statistics of the ages of present eminent men :—M. Thiers is 74 years of age, and succeeds to an Emperor aged 63. The King of Prussia is the same age as Thiers. Von Moltke is 70, Von Eoon GB, and Bismarck 57 only. Prince Gortschakoff is 71. Lord Russell is nearly 80; Mr Disraeli, 66; Mr Gladstone, 03; Guizot, 80; De Eemurat, 74; St. Marc Girardin, 70; Dufaure, 72; V. Hugo, 69; Oremieux, 75; and Jnles Favre, 62. The Due de Nomours is 57 years old; the Prince de Joinville, 53; the Due d'A.umale, 49; and the Oomte do Chambord, 51. Gambotta is only 32, and the Comte do Paris, 33. Jules Simon is aged 57; Lord Granville, 56; and Louis Blanc, 58.