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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 843, 29 July 1871, Page 2

There has been some abatement in the weather at last, after several weeks of successive gales of wind, and storms of rain and hail, accompanied at intervals with thunder and lightning. Communication has been cut off in all directions by floods, and even yesterday there w«3 a heavy fresh in the .Bullcr river. The schooner Maid of Erin, which appeared in the roadstead nearly three weeks ago, has not returned to the roadstead, but is hourly expected. The p.s. Charles Edward will leave Westport for Hokitika and Greymouth on Monday evening at sine o'clock.

The b.s. Murray left Nelson on Thursday, at 2 p.m., hut had not reached the roadstead at dusk yesterday evening. She ■will bring the West Coast portion of the European and American mails.

The premises in north Gladstone street, previously occupied by Mr Hay and Mr Struthers, have hitherto escapod completo destruction, owing to the low state of the tides during tho past few days. The building has been dislodged from its piles, and the lower sheets of iron partly stripped off by the surf. Mr Cass, the lesseo of the property has not not yet given instructions for the removal of the building, which if permitted to remain, must shortly be totally destroyed. We are requested to direct attention to the tenders called for the construction of the Buller Towing Track. The work is divided into a number of small sections, which will readily admit of the work being undertaken by small parties of labourers. Tenders close on Monday next, tho 31st instant, and specifications may be seen at the Times office, and other places as announced in the advertisement.

A boat will leave Westport at eleven o'clock to-day for the Inangahua Junction, conveying intending tenderers for the construction of tho Buller River Towing Track. At various points along tho river bank in Wharf street, large masses of earth have been detached by the combined action of the rain and the flood in the river. The injury is especially perceptible above the Upper Wharf

ind bolow the Kennedy street Wharf. Unlosa somo immodiate steps are taken for the preservation of the. bank, the portion of Wharf street still available for traffie, will beeomo impassable. Tenders arc invited by the Provincial Engineer for the maintenance of the Butler road, and the .Cape Foulw ind road. Tenders close on August 12th. A fore and aft schooner, supposed to be the Canterbury from Lyttelton, with a cargo of produco, arrived in the roadstead yesterday. Tho costs of the lunatics in Westland is £2 3s 4d weekly, whilst the patients in the Sunnyside Asylum, Christchuroh, to which the patients formerly were sent, only cost 22s weekly.

Dr Mannsell, in his annual report on 'the Hokitika Hospital, draws attention to the number of chronic and incurable cases, and suggests the establishment of a Benevolent Asylum for such cases. He states that these are gradually acci.mnlating, and, unless provision is made for them, the present sizo of tho hospital must be materially increased. A change has taken place in the firm of 'Messrs Nathaniel Edwards and Co., merchants, of Nelson and London, who for years have been as a mercantile firm one of the largest owners of steamers in the Colony. The firm for fully the past three years has consisted of Messrs George Bennett and John Synions. Mr Bennett, who is resident in London, has sold his interest to Mr Symons, who is now solo owner of the firm.