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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 871, 7 October 1871, Page 2

The s.s. Tararua, with the Sues mail, arrived in the Hokitika roadstead yesterday afternoon, but the tide had ebbed. The s.s. Waipara was to tender her at 3 a.m. this morning. The Rev. Mr Soutar is expected to arrive by the steamer Kennedy, leaving Nelson today. Divine service will be held at St John's Church to-morrow evening. in tho R.M. Court yesterday, only one civil case was set down for hearing—Bailie and Humphrey v. Brown—in which judgment was obtained by consent. The application of Edward Peters, for the renewal of a publican's license was granted. In the Warden's Court, yesterday, application was made by Stephen Watson for a goldmining lease of five acres, situate at Giles Terrace. The ground is bounded on the north by Davidson's ordinary claim and Tennent's lease, on the east by Toasdale's frontage claim, on the west by Ashton's lease and Weston's ordinary claim, and on the south by unoccupied ground. The surveyor's report stated that there were no objections to the proposed lease, which in its northern part consists principally of old worked ground, and includes Watson's, Tapley's, and part of Brown's old claims. The Warden decided to recommend the granting of the application. A number of other applications for water-rights &c, were granted.

Mr and Mrs Frank Towers left Westport for Charleston on Thursday morning, playing at the latter town this evening and on Monday. A farewell performance will be given at Westport on Wednesday evening. Owing to the wretched weather on the occasion of their opening performance in Westport the attendance was not so large as the merits of the performance entitled the company to expect. As a comedian, Mr Towers possesses undoubted ability, and the versatile genius of his juvenile daughter is perfectly astounding. The entertainment is well worthy of a visit, being superior to anything of the character presented in Westport for many months past.

A small lot of quartz, weighing 4 cwt., taken from Anderson's prospecting claim, was recently forwarded to Nelson for the purpose of being crushed. The result of the crushing has been received. The stone consisted of two separate parcels, one having been taken from a paddock at a high level, while the other was taken from a drive at the bottom of the 135-foot shaft. The latter sample gave a yield at the rate of 2Joz to the ton, while that from the paddock scarcely showed l|oz to the ton. It is satisfactory to find that the quality of the store at the greater depth shows an improvement. At the same time, both returns suffice to show that the reef iB highly payable.

The s.s. Alhambra left Nelson yesterday for Greymouth and Hokitika. She will sail from the latter port for Melbourne to-day. The schooner Zephyr got ashore on the north spit, Hokitika, on Sunday. The greater portion of her cargo had to be discharged before the efforts to gat her afloat proved successful. Mr VV. J. Coatos, of Greymouth, has purchased the schooner Gleaner to supply the place of tho Waterman, recently lost at Hokitika. The Gleaner arrived at Greymouth on Sunday last. Her registered tonnage is 114 tons, but she will carry 200 tens.

Forty-three new post offices were opened throughout the colony during the past year. The number of letters passing through the post during 1870 was 5,646,879, as against 5,016,575 the preceding year. Madame Carandini, with her four daughters, and Mr Walter Sherwin, have returned from San Francisco, and are now giving concerts in Sydney. The two sister ß who recently made their debut as vocalists, the Misses Isabella and Lizzie, give promise of excellence.

The Government have promised the introduction of Bills to provide that Superintendents shall sit in Councils, and that the number of members in Provincial Councils shall be reduced to the number of members representing each Province in the House of Representat i veg. A bill will also be introduced providing for thd disseverance of the Grey District from Westland, with the Teremakau river as a boundary, and, in compliance with the request of local members, providing local boards for the disposal of local revenue on the Nelson Ooldflelds.

Wo direct attention to an alteration made on the rates of postage to Great Britain, via. Brindui, by which letters are required to bear

tamps to the value of 10d per half-ounce, instead of 9d as before. Alterations hare ato been inside on the portage of letters to certain continental countries, when sent via Brindisi. These can be ascertained on application at the postTJgce. Mr Hoggard.'the Chief-Postmaster at Wellington, who died on the 4th ult., had been in the service of the Government of New Zealand for nearly thiity years. The Reeftnn mail reached Westport on Thursday afternoon. The mailman informs us that the boats conveying tho machinery to the reefs were delayed by the floods five miles above Snag Falls. Up to that point they had ascended the river without difficulty. The fresh having subsided yesterday they would be enabled to proceed on their journey, probably reaching the Old Diggings yesterday evening.

A small landslip has taken place on the Inangahua road at bluffs opposite to the Landing, greatly obstructing the traffic. We unstand that slips are of constant occun-ence at this point during heavy rains, and it is suggested that the difficulty might be easily ob viated by carrying the track round the bluff at a higher level.