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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 826, 17 June 1871, Page 2

Mr Shephard, Provincial Treasurer, is a passenger by the s.s. Kennedy. He will proceed by her to Greymouth. Maria Jennings, was charged before J. Thorpe, Esq., J.P., on Thursday, with being guilty of abusive language. The charge was fully sustained, and the prisoner was sentenced to a month s imprisonment with hard labour.

The following information has been supplied us for publication:—A miner, named O'Hagan, is missing in the bush between Woodpecker Terrace and Bullock Creek, since Monday last. Large search parties have been despatched to discover his whereabouts. A telegram, received yeterday, states that O'Hagan went in search of water for mining purposes and told his mates that he would return on Tuesday evening. In the event of his not doing so, search was to be made for him. Search was made on Wednesday and Thursday and is being continued to-day, but no traces have been discovered.

The Provincial Government have decided upon reducing the yearly fee for a waterman's license. It is to be hoped that they will also make provision for quarterly payments, so that a waterman wanting a license for the latter part of the year will not be compelled to pay for it the full annual fee.

Work is steadily progressing on Smith's line of reef. No. 1 and No. 2 South, have exposed the main reef, and are turning out excellent stone.

The West Coast portions of the mail for San Francisco missed the s.s. Ahuriri, the subsidiary boat carrying the mails to Auckland.

A correspondent writes as follows .— '* It is high time that the Government looked to the formation of a passable track from Inangahua Junction to Reefton, as slips are continually occurring in the vicinity of the Landing, rendering it dangerous to persons travelling on the road. A trial crushing of two tons of stone from Kelly's claim has been put through the battery of the Murray Creek Cement Crushing Company. The plate was about to be scraped when our informant left, and he states that it was likely to give a splendid average, the table being tolerably coated with amalgam. It is reported that four hundredweight of stone out of Shiels's prospecting claim, upon being crushed, yielded an average of thirteen ounces to the ton.

Dr Giles, on his journey to Eeefton, for the purpose of holding a sitting of the "Warden's Court, was detained an hour at the Landing, owing to a landslip. Shovels had to be called into requisition in order to clear a space for his horse to pass:

A recent "Gazette" announces the appointment of Mr Blackett as Marine Engineer for the Colony. _ Four convicts, with tickets-of-leave, arrived in Lyttelton last week in a vessel from "Western Australia laden with timber for railway sleepers. The men were taken into custody, the law not allowing them to be at large in this colony. They will be sent back whence they came. There were also also four political prisoners, who had been transported, and obtained tickets-of-leave, and the law making no distinction between political offenders and felons, these also were no t allowed to remain. The latter, however; were permitted to be at liberty on their own recognizances, on their undertaking to leave the colony by the first opportunity.

It is announced in our advertising columns that a meeting of the ratepayers will be held at the Court House, at noon to-day, for the election of members of a Schooll Committee in the place of the retiring members. ■

We notice by our Christchurch files that Miss Edith Palmerston had arrived there from Hokitika, and that one of her earliest efforts to propitiate the people of Christchurch was an entertainment given by her in aid of the House of Eefuge for fallen women. Tho entertainment was under the immediate patronage of the Very Eev. tho Dean of Christchurch and his Honor Mr Justice Grcsson.

There appears little doubt that the remains, recently found in the vicinity of Brighton, belonged to the unfortunate man Enright who slipped off tho steps at Greymouth on the 18th ult into tho Grey river and was drowned. Several persons, who were unable to swim or to give any assistance, witnessed the occurrence. The deceased is described as having been a tall man, wearing, at the time, reddish brown

trowsers, flannel drawers and half Wellington boots, nearly new. This, tallies closely with the description of the articles found on the limb, being a half Wellington boot well made-—apparently to order—and a trowser of mixed bedford cord, the ground being dark-brown and the cord yellowish brown. For the purpose of complete identification the articles will be forwarded by first steamer to Greymouth. Cornelius Walsh, a bootmaker at the Stonoy Lead, recollects making a pair of boots which it is supposed Enright woro when drowned, and he will be able to identify his workmanship. The deceased Enright is supposed to have been at one time ..resident in the Charleston and Brighton districts. We believy that no • inquest will be held upon the remains. We have received a second communication from " Tender Conscience" relative to the assault at Addison's Plat, the publication of which is unnecessary, as we learn that the police have instituted enquiries. It appears that the man assaulted is a miner, named John Tracy, who, however, declines to prosecute. The disturbance was respecting a woman of doubtful character who is stated to have been assaulted. This woman also refuses to prosecute the assailant. The man who struck Tracy is a wages man working in Wall and party's claim, but in the absence of any person who will prosecute, the police have been unable to take further steps in the matter. The above particulars, which are no doubt completely reliable, do away with the necessity of any further correspondence upon the subject.

The "West Coast Times" of Wednesday writes:—The mail service which has been advertised for, and which has lately been so much commented upon is likely at length to. be consummated. It is understood that the steamboat proprietors of Westland, and Hokitika in particular, will endeavour to gain the subsidy for the conveyance of the mails from Nelson; if not from the Manukau; a local firm it is said, having despatched an agent to negotiate for one of the swiftest and most commodious boats at present for sale.

A curious scene was enacted on the Greyabout one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. It appears that the ketch Angelina had been seized for a small debt for towage contracted at Hokitika, but not by the present master. The vessel was coal-laden, and was to be towed out on Sunday's tide, when the bailiffs went on board, took the sails off the rigging, and carried them ashore. It was a strange proceeding on a Sunday, and will, no doubt, lead to further complications. The Auckland correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times," on May 31, says during the last twelve days a ton of gold has been extracted from the Caledonian mine. The excitement of late has been very great, and crowds daily besiege '• Somerville's Corner." However, during the last three days the excitement has somewhat subsided, owing, I think, to a widespread conviction that " ruses" are concocted now and then to elevate or depress scrip at will. I am firmly of opinion that such is really the case, as nearly every other person one meets at " Somerville's Corner" is now a sharebroker. It behoves intending scrip purchasers " to look before they leap," in fact a large majority of our so-called stockbrokers are men of straw, who, having failed in every other line, take to dealing in scrip as a last resource. Half the glowin? accounts you receive respecting most claims other than the Cal donian are moonshine, got up for a purpose. Just now bubble companies are spring ing up, and illegitimate speculation is-rife.