The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 877, 21 October 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1871.

On Thursday morning a miner named Andrew Malcolmson, recently arrived in Westport from the Karamea, reported to the police that his mate, a young man named Alfred Richard Comes, also a miner from the Karamea, had been missing since 10 p.m. on the previous Monday. Cornes resided for some years in Charleston, where he was in the employ of John Bridson, storekeeper, and was generally known as a man of quiet and strictly temperate habits. He was last seen by Malcolmson at the Nelson Hotel, Lyttelton street, and after continued but unsuccessful attempts to trace his whereabouts, it was feared that, after leaving the Nelson Hotel, Cornes walked towards the river, and proceeding along Wharf street in the direction of Gladstone street, had been precipitated into the river by the crumbling away of the bank, an accident to which any stranger using that thoroughfare is liable after nightfall. It is said, however, that Cornes is a vigorous swimmer, so that it is improbable he has met with a fatal accident in that direction. On Thursday the polioe made every enquiry in Westport, and telegraphed to Charleston, without result. Yesterday we learn that particulars have been brought to light by the intelligent exertions of the police, which point to the probability of Cornes having left Westport by the steamer Kennedy for Auckland, and we trust that on her arrival the mystery will be thus satisfactorily cleared up. So far as we can learn, the party in which Conies is a shareholder have been engaged for many months in bringing in a long head race, which is likely to be completed early in January. The party had run out of nails, and he with Malcolmson, left for Westport in order to fetch a supply. During their stay in town the men stopped with a storekeeper, being short of cash, and were anxiously waiting for the weather moderating, in order to return to the Karamea. • The fact of the party being clear of liability, and having nearly completed a head-race which will enable them to work payable ground likely to last for years, forbade the assumption that Cornes had

voluntarily left tho district. It came to light, however, that Cornea has brothers in Auckland, from whom he had received a letter since his arrival in Westport, and that he received cash for a post-office order of JEIO. The latter circumstance not having been revealed to Malcolmson favours the belief that Cornes left by the Kennedy for Auckland, for the purpose of joining, his brothers. His mysterious disappearance has given rise to a variety of unpleasant rumours, and we trust that the arrival of the steamer will prove the correctness of the belief that he has left for Auckland.

A meeting of the ratepayers, of the Educational District of Nelson will be held at the Court House at noon to-day for the purpose of electing six persons to form a Local Committee of Education for the district. The three masted schooner Garibaldi is still lying at the upper wharf, awaiting a favourable wind to proceed with coal to Hokitika.

Tenders aro called by the Harbourmaster for recovering the buoy and inoorings sunk in August last, closing on Monday next. The floods experienced during the past few weeks willhavehadthe effectof scouringthe channel, and disengaging the moorings from any superincumbent drift. It is notified elsewhere that the presence of persons summoned as jurors at the District Court on Tuesday next has been dispensed with.

Owing to the heavy rains and continued freshet in tho Buller river the contractor has been unable to proceed with the last lot of machinery beyond the Nine Mile Creek, where the boats are at present stationed awaiting a favourable change in the weather. The s.s. Waipara sailed for Hokitika on Thursday arriving at that port yesterday morning. Her Brighton cargo was transhipped to the schooner Three Friends, and will be forwarded as soon as the weather moderates.

The steamer Kennedy left Nelson for Westport at 11 a.m. on Thursday, but was unable to reach here in consequence of the tempestuous weather.

A dray load of machinery reached Reefton from the Inangahua Landing on Sunday evening, the dray returning on Tuesday. It left Reefton at seven a.m., and arrived at th e Landing at 5 p.m. The track for the dray having been cleared, the journey with a loaded dray will be easily accomplished in twelve to fourteen hours.

The whole of the machinery for Mr M'Lean was expected in Westport on the 20th instant; but its arrival has been delayed by the exceptionally boisterous weather experienced during the past three weeks. The tender for its conveyance to Reefton has not been yet accepted. Eligible tenders have been recivod from the Lyell, Charleston, and Greymouth.

On Thursday telegraphic communication was suspended witli all stations, except those on the West Coast, but was restored yesterday. Two establishments have been opened in Auckland for the manufacture of perambulators.

It hns been resolved to form a society at the Thames for the benefit of members of the painting trade. Freehold and leasehold property lately sold at Grahamstown realised £2 to £3 per foot frontage. The steamer Royal Alfred has been purchased by the owners of the steamer Golden Crown, and will be employed in the Auckland and Thames passenger trade. A kind of spirit, equal in strength, though not in quality, to Scotch whisky, is now manufactured in India from coffee pulp. D. G. Smale, brought up at Auckland on a charge of forgery, has been found guilty, and sentenced to four months'imprisonment.