The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 846, 5 August 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1871.

"The schooner Maid of Erin, Capt. Cairns, loft Port Phillip Heads on the Ist ult., and encountered strong westerly gales until the Bth, when they were obliged to heave to about 30 miles to the westward of the Steeples. Brought up off the Bullei on the 13th, and lay at anchor until the 15th, when the approach of dirty weather necessitated putting to sea. Very heavy gales from the W.N.W. were encountered, and had extraordinary difficulty in keeping off the coast. But for the excellent canvas c amposing the sails, and the fact of these being nearly new, the vessel must have been driven ashore or gained some place of shelter. Brought up again off the Buller on the night of the 25th, but the sea again rising with a gale of wind from the north, the master was compelled to slip anchor and forty-five fathoms of chain and put to sea. Weather moderating', brought up again off the Buller on July 31st, and experienced fine weather until towed in by the s.s. Kennedy yesterday about noon. A passenger was transferred to the schooner Janet Gray, off Charleston, oh Saturday last. During the gales, Captain Cairns states that the barometer ranged as low as 2Sdeg 90sec, a lower state of the glass than ever previously experienced by him. The deck of the vessel was flooded with heavy seas during the whole passage. Captain Cairns saw the ketch Rose on the 15th ult,, standing out to sea, and a ketch beating to the southward, which he believes to be the Standard, distant about three or four miles westward from the Steeples. The Criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, holden at Nelson, opened and closed on Monday last. There were three cases of larceny (two of which were from vVeatport), and one case of incendiarism. George Skerry, formerly steward on board the Malay, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a quantity ot wearing apparel from the store on the wharf. Sentence was deferred. Bartholomew Murphy was charged with stealing £2O from Mrs M'Culloch, a shanty-keeper at Westport, Our readers are already familar with the circumstances of this case. Mr Fell made a clever speech for the defence, referring particularly to the character of the woman. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and sentence was deferred. Annie Fallahee, was charged with stealing £l3 in notes from the person of a man named Morris Connell. The Crown Prosecutor stated that he was'not in a position to identify the notes, except that they were Union Bank notes. The Judge said that, on looking to the depositions, he found there was no evidence of the taking of the notes, and in the absence of acknowledged evidence, he directed tho jury to return a verdict of acquittal. John Bauchope, accused of setting fire to a house in Pokororo, was acquitted on the ground of insanity. The Judge ordered him to be committed ,to the custody of tho keeper of the Nelson Lunatic Asylum, there to remain, pending tho order of the Colonial Secretary regarding his future custody.

We direct the attention of tho people of Addison's to the entertainment to be given on Tuesday evening, at the Hibernian Hall, in aid of the District Hospital Fund. Music and singing are now added to the programme, and will doubtless prove a most attractive feature in the evening's entertainment. Under an Imperial Act entitled the Bank Holiday Act, Monday next will be observed as a public holiday, and the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's offices will be closed.

From Dunedin, we leam that the barque Premier has been wrecked off Port Chalmers. On leaving the port the wind failed, and she went stern foremost on the rocks, and was abandoned. Her value was £3OOO, and »he is insured with tho New Zealand Company for £ISOO.

The inward and outward manifests of the steamer Kennedy are held over. The suspension is recorded of Mr E. Lewis, merchant, of Wanganui, with liabilities, £6523, and assets, .£2037. He proposes to make a deed of assignment.