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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 827, 20 June 1871, Page 2

The Bank of New South Wales, Westport, forwarded 1908ozs 2dwt 18grs of gold by the steamer Kennedy to Hokitika on Saturday, the export duty upon which amounted to £238 10s sd. The state of the Orawaiti Bridge demands the earliest attention. One day last week Mr Jones, while bringing in a load of firewood met with an accident which might have resulted very seriously. On reaching the south end of the bridgo the timbers gave way bodily, and but that a portion were resting on the solid ground, horses and vehicle would have been capsized into the river. Mr Keogh, who has lately taken up an agricultural lease of 35 acres north of the Waimangaroa and effected considerable improvements, has disposed of the property to Mr T. Jones. Mr Keogh will shortly proceed to the North Island where, we believe he holds an interest, in some valuable mining property, A meeting of the ratepayers took place at the Court House on Saturday, for the purpose of electing members to serve on the Westport School Committee. The retiring members were Messrs Whyte, Field, and Harris. Mr Whyte was reelected, and the Eev. Father Walsh, and Mr Thorpe were elected new members. On Satnrday particulars reached town of the result of the trial crushing of stone taken from Kelly's reef, Inangahua. We have it on reliable information that the quantity of stone operated upon did not exceed two tons, and that it was raised from five different portions of the claim. The result of the crushing was a yield of 4ozs 17dwt of gold or very nearly two and a half ounces to the ton. Mr M'Lean, of Hokitika, has arranged to place machinery on the ground.

We understand that Mr Waite has been in communication with the agent of the steamer Kennedy in respect to her taking round a small cargo to the Big River, on her way to Nelson. The negotiations have been unsuccessful, as the owners decline Mr Waite's offer. This is to be regretted as it would be the means of opening another market for Westport, and from what we can learn there is every likelihood of that locality becoming shortly an important district.

4,840,000 acres of the province of Wellington, out of a total area of 7,200,000 acres, are still in native hands. At Clear Bottom, Waimea, the Natives have bottomed at a depth of 110 ft, and have met with, a depth of washdirt of thirtyfive feet, which will range five pennyweights to the load. The population of Invercragill is found by the recent Census to amount to 1960, being a decrease of 46 on the number as ascertained by the Census of 1867. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, on the 9th inst, Samuel Rich, publican, was charge with having in his possession a box of obscene picture. He pleaded guilty, and was fined £IOO, which was mitigated to .£25 and costs. About twelve months ago, Mr Mace, of Mace and Dixon, released four pheasants on the Longford Run, Kanieri. It is gratifying to learn that they have now increased to seventeen. The same gentleman contemplates getting some hares over, and turning them out. A pitch pot, while on the stove in the galley of the schooner Wild Wave, at Lyttelton, took fire and ignited the galley. The flames were extinguished before any damage was done. An expenditure of £3OOO to £4OOO will be necessary at Hokitika for the purpose of keeping open tho north channel at the mouth of the river.

There is a talk in Wellington of reviving the races. A cup valued 300 sovereigns has been spoken of as the principal prize. The accurate returns of the population of Nelson, exclusive of aboriginals, are as follows:—City of Nelson, 2,725 males, 2,809 females; Suburbs of Nelson, 1,027 moles, 942 females; Waimea, 1,096 males, 860 females; Motueka, 1,483 males, 1260 females; Collingwood, 810 males, 522 females; Cheviot, 335 males, 103 females; Buller, 3,519 males, 1,174 females; Grey Valley, 3,218 males, 555 females; total, 14,213 males, 8,225 females. These returns, when compared with the census of 1867, show a decrease of 2,212 males, and an increase of 836 females. The population of the County of Westland is as follows : Males, 10,453; females, 4,904; showing a decrease of the male population since 1867 of 1,424, and an increase of 1,248 females. A Grey paper is responsible for the following:—"Mr Macandrew, Superintendent of Otago, has telegraphed to Captain Allardyce, requesting him to institute inquiries, as touching the schooner Jane Ann, Captain Smith, which left Greymouth about eleven weeks back, and which has not since been heard of. There is somo

good reason for supposing that the Jane Ann has not met with the melancholy fate of having foundered at sea with all hands. It is quite probable that Captain Smith has taken his vessel on to the Fiji. He was sole owner of her, and the cargo—coal —was purchased by himself. Domestic reasons of a painful nature, known to most of Captain Smith's friends, rendered it desirable that he should leave the Colony for some other part of the world.

As an instance of the value of land in Otago, we may mention that, some few days ago, a block, containing 11 acres 2 roods, being section 5, block 1, Uppor Kaikorai district, was sold by auction at Dunedin for £1065, or .£92 an acre. The " New Zealand Herald " gives currency to a report that the Government contemplate an addition to their ranks in the person of a Minister of Mines, who will have special charge of the mining industry of the Colony. In the Supplementary Estimates for the expenditure of the financial year 1870-71 which have been brought into the House of Commons, there is an item of " £271 for swords for presentation to friendly New Zealand chiefs." These are the swords which, it will be remembered, were presented to Kemp, Ropata, and Morgan by liia Lxcellency the Governor last year. A Northern paper says. —"A total eclipse of the sun, the last which will be visihle in this part of the world during the remainder of the present century, is to take place on the 15th of December next, and a scientific expedition, under the orders of Professor Ellery. is now fitting out in Melbourne for the purpose of going to Cape York to observe it. Dr Hector has, we believe, been communicated with, and any scientific gentlemen who wish to join the expedition will, we learn, be permitted to do so on application. The cost will not exceed £55 each. The expedition is to leave Melbourne in November next, calling at intermediate ports for the convenience of those wishing to join it." A petition in favour of a Permissive Bill is stated to be in course of signature in Hokitika.

The following item is from the " Thames Advertiser":—Four ladies, three married and one single, the latter of whom was formerly a barmaid at the Royal Hotel, Trunkey Creek, shouldered tools, and went out recently on a gold-mining excursion. They found a reef, sunk a shaft ten feet, and took out a ton of quartz, which is now lying at the Lady Belmore machine to be crushed at first opportunity.