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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 897, 7 December 1871, Page 2

The Bank of New Zealand forwarded to Hokitikafor shipment by the steamer Murray, on Monday last, 10460z 13d\vt Ggr of gold, the export duty upon which amounted to £l3O 16s Bd.

The usual monthly meeting of the Westport Hospital Committee took place at the Court House, on Tuesday evening. Present Dr Giles (chairman), Messrs Gilmer, Whyte. Powell, Simpson, Graves, and Humphrey. The previous minutes were read and confirmed. Mr Fisher's notice of motion, in his absence, was held over until the next monthly meeting. The Secretary was requested to communicate with Reefton residents in respect to forming a local sub-committee to collect subscriptions. The Visiting Committee reported everything proceeding satisfactorily, and Messrs Simpson, Gilmer, and Rowlands were appointed a committee for the current month. The Medical Officer's report showed seven patients remaining in the hospital. In the Warden's Court, Westport, yesterday, a large number of applications were considered for granting double area claims at the beach, north of the Totara river.* The applications were allowed, but in many instances of protection being required pending a supply of water being brought in, the Warden refused to accede to the wishes of the applicants. We understand that there are several schemes for bringing in water, and that the cost of an adequate supply will be from .£2OO to £3OO. The following testimonial, with about a hundred signatures attached, will bo presented to Mr Winstanley, who left Westport yesterday by the steamer Murray for Nelson, en route for Dunedin:—" Westport, Dec. I, 1871.—T0 Thos. F. Winstanley, Postmaster, Westport: We, the undersigned inhabitants of Westport and neighbourhood, hearing that in consequence of changes in the Postal Department, we are about losing your services as Postmaster, desire, before your departure from amongst, us, to express our entire approbation of your kind, courteous, and attentive bearing Lu the discharge of your duties here, during the last four years. We also desire to express to you the sincere regret we feel at your departure, together with our heartfelt wishes for the future well-being of yourself and family." Au3tin and Edwards, the pedestrians, performed at Charlestion on Saturlay, at the Camp Reserve. From two to three hundred persons assembled to witness the feats. Austin undertook to run five miles in the hi'lf hou* and Edwards to walk seven miles in sixty minutes. After some good running, Austin pulled up owing to indisposition, having suffered from cold for several days. Edwards also failed to accomplish his distance within the time specified. An inquest was held at the Hospital on Tuesday upon the body of Thomas Edward Harris, lately an inmate of H. M. Gaol,

Westport, on a sentence of twelve months' imprisonment. The evidence produced at the inquest showed that the deceased had been in failing health for some little time, in consequence of which Dr Thorpe, the medical officer of the Gaol had recommended that steps should be taken to obtain a remission of the unexpired term of the deceased's sentence.'" It appeared that Harris had fallen into a state of great despondency, consequent upon his painful position, and this had been aggravated by the misconduct of his wife since hi 3 incarceration. Letters received by the deceased from the latter since his incarceration placed her degraded position beyond doubt, and this, it was stated, accelerated the action of the disease under which he laboured. Dr Thorpe said he attended the deceased, who had been suffering from a sluggish liver, and that inflammation set in, and death followed. The jury found a verdict that the deceased came by his death from natural causes. The remains of the deceased Thomas Edward Harris were interred in the Orawaiti cemetery yesterday. The funeral proceeded from the Hospital at two o'clock. Humour has it that Mr Reeves, who has lately joined the Ministry, will be the Minister of Public Works for the Middle Island. The fortnightly crushing of the Caledonian mine ending November 25 was 6,039 ozs. It is reported that gold has been found in the Caledonian low level at the boundary of Tookey's. Lennox, sharebroker, reports Tookey's, £42; Thamts, £lB 10s; Albumia, £6 10s; Moanatairi, £4; Inverness, £2. A Chinaman has been shot atNaseby, He was caught robbing Swing's tail race. The watchman seized him, and a scuffle ensued. Ewing fired, wounding the Chinaman in three places. The latter is not expected to recover. Ewing has been committed for trial on a charge of shooting a Chinaman, but is admitted to bail. Another Celestial has pleaded guilty to robbing the race, and has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The schooner 10, Captain Pearn, from Melbourne, has arrived at Greymouth, and was towed in on Sunday by the Dispatch. She left i J ort Phillip Heads on the 21st ultimo, with light north-east winds varying round to east-south-east, with very heavy thunder storms, followed by calms and light airs from the eastward; light winds and weather until the 24th, when the wind varied round to the westward, increasing to a strong breeze; passed Wilson Promontory on the 24th ; light winds on the 2 nth, with the barometer falling; at 11 p.m. the same night had a terrific squall' blowing with hurricane force, and attended with heavy thunder and lightning; experienced light northerly winds until the 29th, when the wind varied rouid to the south-west with a falling barometer, winds varying from west to south; on the Ist strong gale from the southward, with a high cross sea running completely filling the schooner's decks; arrived off Greymouth on the 2nd instant, and stood off and on u ntil towed in by the p.s. Dispatch on Sunday. The estimated revenue of the Province of Auckland for the year is £129,998, and the expenditure £121,252, including £4OO for a new hospital. The remains of the late Mr John Hay arrived at Port Chalmers from Wellington by the s.s. Phcebe on the 18th ult, and were conveyed to Dunedin by the Golden Age. The funeral took place the following afternoon, when about 150 citizens—among whom were his Honour the Superintendent, several members of the Assembly and Provincial Council, and the Masonic body testified their respect for the deceased gentleman by following his remains to their last resting place in the Southern Cemetery. The Rev. E. G. Edwards performed the burial service. An " Old Reefer" publishes some details of a trip to the Inangahux reefs in the " Grey River Argus," of the Ist inst. By the occasional use of the Americanisms " I guess," " talk quirtz," &c, we must conclude that the writer is actually, or desires to be considered a thorough going Yankee, and, to sustain the character, he'.indulges in numerous nonsensical exaggerations, which necessarily detract from the value of an otherwise fair report. Speaking of Maco and Co.'s boiler, actually weighing 3 tons 5 cwt, he says, " Imagine a boiler—l am not quite certain as to its weight, but, I think, it is seven tons." The first exaggeration is qualified by "I think," but as the interest of the narrative heightens so doss the confidence of our " Old Reefer." The track for the maohinery, which was formed by the unaided labour of the six original shareholders of Shiels and party, occupied, according to his version " sixty to a hundred men." The number of men employed in transporting the boiler to the machine site was seventy to eighty, but on a similar scale of exaggeration he gives us to understand that "three to four hundred men men were employed." "Old Reefer" then proceeds to " talk quartz," and bursts forth witli the startling information that Adam Smith's claim is on Anderson's line of reef, whereas the two are not only distinct lines of reef, but ha| pen to be very far apart. In the course of some remarks on the late numerous insolvencies in Wanganui, the " Herald" makes the following disclosures :—Some of our late insolvents must have had extensive financial transactions, to judge from the fact that accounts at two banks were absolutely necessary for the proper ,: flying" of all the " kites" used by them. Immense "cards" they were too; one of these notabilities had a balance of 2a Id in one bank, and no less than 9|d in another. Another, but he belonged to the law, which perhaps accounts for it, had 10s 8d and 4s Id. The business atmosphere of Wanganui has wonderfully improved since the late rush for the brush."