The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 852, 22 August 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1871.

The inquiry into the stranding of the Canterbury was not terminated until late yesterday evening. In addition to the master, the mate, steward, and a seaman belonging to the vessel were examined ; also Captaiu Leech and the signalman. The evidence of the master is published in another column, and that of the other witness will be given in our next issue.

Owing to miscarriage, our Reefton correspondent's letter containing a report of the Warden's Court, Inangahua, has not yet come to hand. About seventy applications were disposed of. The reefs are looking remarkably well, and a magnificent sample of gold weighing seven ounces, and consisting chiefly of nuggets from ldwt to 3dwt each was shown us by a gentleman just returned from Reefton. The gold was obtained from alluvial ground immediately below Kelly's line of reef. The township is increasing in size witk wonderful celerity, and bids fair in a few months to become the largest and most irnpoitant inland town in the colony. The roads are still in a most deplorable condition.

Up to Sunday morning the bodies of the deceased Brown and Nosei, who were recently drowned in the Buller and Inangahua rivers, had not been recovered.

The s.s. Murray, Captain Palmer, arrived at Westport early on Monday morning, with the San Francisco mail. She discharged a few tons of cargo, and proceeded the same tide to Greymouth and Hokitika. The schooner Cora left Oamaru for Westport on Sunday the 6th inst., and arriv ed off the bar on Saturday, entering the river yesterday afternoon in tow of the steamer Charles Edward. Crossing the bar the schooner touched the ground, and the steamer's tow line parted, but was made fast again to the schooner, both vessels getting into deep water without encountering any further difficulty. The ketch Angelina, with a cargo of coal from Greymouth, arrived at Westport on Sunday afternoon.

The Aspasia, schooner, from Kaiapoi, arrived at Westport on Sunday, after a passage of eighteen days, crossing the bar in two of the steamer Murray. She brings a cargo if produce, consigned to George Falla. The schooner W. S. Munday, John Vascoe, master, arrived at Westport from Charleston on Sunday. She will be taken over to the lsgoon for the purpose of being caulked.

The kotch Standard which had to run into Totaranui for shelter during the heavy gales in July last, arrived off the port on Saturday.

The Education Question is at present occupying public attention. We notice that the Catholics of Greymouth are invited to hold a meeting this evening at the parish school-house, for the purpose of drawing up a petition to the Assembly in favour of a denominational system of education. A telegram from Napier states that a sum of £12,000 has been paid the natives on account of the Seventy-mile Bush purchase. It has been rumoured in Wellington that a reconstruction of the Ministry is contemplated, with Mr Stafford as Minister of Public Works and leader of the Cabinet.

Messrs Haughton and Bunny are acting as whips for tlie Govemmont. The latest item from the Perseverance mine is that the last crushing of fire tons of stone yielded 24dwt of gold. Some change in the postal arrangements between Westport and the Lyell is necessary. Under the present system, letters are often six weeks in transit, owing to the irregularity of the water communication, A branch service, between Christy's and the Lyell could

be established at a very trifling expense, and would form an inestimable benefit to the mining community in the latter district. We were shown a splendid sample of gold, weighing 9dwt 6grs, obtained from 20lb of stone out of Zala and party's reef, Lyell. The stone was pounded, and the gold, which is of a coarse nuggetty description, was easily extracted. Great complaints are being made in consequence of the state of the track between Lyell township and the reefs. An outlay of £l5O would, it is said, place the road in a passable state of repair.