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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 853, 24 August 1871, Page 2

A sitting of the District Court will be held at Westport to-day. One criminal case of assault with intent, and a bankruptcy case comprise the entire business. It is as well to remind jurors and others that the Court sits at 10 a.m. In the R.M. Court, on Tuesday, Maria Jennings, charged with drunkenness, was fined 20s, or in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Renewals of publicans licences were granted to David Emanuel, of the Little Grey Hotel, and Charles Lempfert, of the Prince of Wales Hotel. The Kate Conley, announced to have left Melbourne for Westport, has on board the machinery intended for Shield's claim, Reefton. An accident befel the punt belonging to Mr Langdon, which will delay its being in operation for a few days. It appears that the punt was being used to assist in the work of stretching the wire across the river, and on the latter becoming entangled among the boulders composing the upper groin, the punt was brought alongside the groin to facilitate the task of extricating the rope. Meanwhile the tide ebbed and the punt grounded on the groin, a boulder unfortunately piercing the bottom. We learn that the formation of the road between the Alpine Hotel to the landing, in length about three chains, has been commenced by Mr Langdon; fascines have been spread, and a layer of clay deposited ready for the metal. Only one case, Vinall v. Pickering, came before the Warden, at Westport, on Tuesday last. Mr Pitt appeared for the complainant, and Mr Home for the defendant. The complainant sought to obtain from the Court a decree for a dissolution of partnership -from the defendant, the two being engaged in mining operations. Mr Home stated that the defendant was ready to dissolve, and objected to any decree being granted until it could be shown that the defendant' had refused to dissolve. By mutual consent the case was adjouned until Friday to enable the parties to the action to arrange the terms of a dissolution of partnership. Gold mining leases were applied for by Young and party, Pasqueli Franconi, and Alexander M'Kenzie. In each case the Warden decided to recommend the Superintendent to grant the applicants their respective leases. Young and party applied for a seven years' lease of five acres, situate at the north end of Rochfort Terrace, to bo worked by means of a tunnel

1200 feet long. Not fewer than eight men are to be employed ; and the ground is described as wet and requiring to be timbered throughout. Frederick Heath, who appeared on behalf of the party, stated that there were to be five shareholders working under the title of the Perseverance Gold Mining Co. The ground had been partly worked, and had never paid more thau wages ; it was situate at tho old perpendicular lead. To work the lease tho applicants would have to put in a new tunnel at a lower level. Pasqueli Franconi applied for ten acres for tunnelling and sluicing at tho Bald Terrace, Caledonian, being the second claim south of M'Masters and party. The lease is for seven years, eight men are to be employed, and £IOOO expended in preliminary work. The grounil is described as wet and requiring to be blasted. It had been prospected and abandoned. Alexander M'Kenzio made application for ten acres, also situate at tke Bald Terrace, to be worked by a tunnel of 1300 ft. The ground was described as similar to Franconi's. The applicant stated that he intended to commence a tunnel, and not to await the result of operations by M'Masters and party. Protection for a prospecting area has been granted to Overhagen and party for ground situate at Waimanagroa, on the east side of the Enterprise Company's lease. The site occupies a frontage of 600 feet, with a depth of 1200 feet. The object of the applicants is to prospect for gold in the alluvial ground and also for payable quartz. The s.s. Rangitoto, from Melbourne, arrived at Hokitika yesterday morning. She will leave Greymouth for Nelson and east coast ports to-day, proceeding from Bluff Harbour to Melbourne.

The p.s. Charles Edward put back to Greymouth on Tuesday, in consequence of the unfavourable appearance of the Hokitika bar. The " Nelson Examiner" writes as follows upon the coal recently extracted from Coal Creek:—A sample of coal from the banks of the Buller river, a few miles above Westport, is now lying at the Government Buildings. It resembles very closely the coal obtained at West Wanganui, and burns very freely, throwing out a strong heat. It can be worked with great facility, and readily sent down the river to Westport. To local steamers, and for domestic use, it will piove very serviceable, and will doubtless be in demand until the Government, or some private capitalist, shall open the Mount Eochfort mine—unquestionably the best known coal in the Southern hemisphere, and equal to any in Great Britain.

The business before the District Court, sitting at Charleston on Tuesday last, was restricted to the hearing of one bankruptcy case, in which, the insolvent not appearing, the matter was adjourned until the next sitting, A public meeting will be held at Eegan's Post Office Hotel, Charleston, this evening, for the purpose of petitioning the Government to favour a denominational system of education.

The schooners Janet Grey and Three Friends arrived in Constant Bay on Monday last; also, the ketch Standard, which had been detained at sea by bad weather for a considerable length of time.

The Charleston Fire Brigade celebrated their anniversary by a ball and concert at the Casino de Venise, on Monday evening last. The attendance was not very numerous, and the rocm being less crowded than on previous similar occasions, added considerably to the enjoyment of those present. The engine decorated with flags and evergreen, was placed outside the hall, but was somewhat hastily removed the day following upon an alarm of fire. It turned out to be nothing serious, dense smoke issuing from a chimney of the European Hotel between that building and Ching and Henderson's store having given rise to the report. The excitement though momentary was very great.

On the Skipper's track, Otago, several packhorses have been killed recently by slipping over the edge of the ice-covered path. The report of Dr Hector and Mr Blackett on the best course for a railway to connect the Brunner coalmine with a shipping port will be published shortly. The report recommends that the railway should be carried down the south side of the river to Greymouth, instead of down the north side to Cobden, as desired by the Nelson Government. The cost of the line recommended is largely in excess of the line proposed on the Nelsoa side of the river. The report, before being adopted, will have to be ratified by Parment.

The case of M'lntosh's Trustees v. the Bank of New Zealand, came before a special jury at Nelson on tho 14th inst. The action was brought to upset a deed of assignment made by M'lntosh to the Bank of New Zealand. We have not space to roport the case at length. After a day and a half spent in hearing the evidence for plaintiffs, and in arguments thereon (the defendant's case not being gone into), the jury, by the direction of the Judge, found for defendants on all the issues, with leave reserved to plaintiffs to move to enter a verdict for them if the Court should be of opinion that the bill of sale relied on by defendants did not operate to pass after acquired property. —"Examiner."