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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 898, 9 December 1871, Page 2

A sitting of the Warden's Court will bo hold at Inangahua Junction on January 4th, and at Reefton on January 5. One who lately resided in Wostport, and has proceeded to the Gulgong diggings New South Wales, writing under date October 31st, gives the following account in a private letter of his experience in that locality:—"Wo are having very hn. v a timon of it. I am digging, but no luck at present. A great many West Coasters are here—George Cowan, Jemmy Driver, Long Jack, Happy Jack, Fred Norton Little Johnny, and a host of others—but none of them are doing anything as yet. Some of the claims are very rich, yielding as much as £4,000 to £IO,OOO per share, but they are very few in number. he population is about 10,000, and not more than 500 are on gold." Quite a gathering of notabilities are at present assembled at Reefton, including the leading representatives of nearly every commercial interest at Greymouth and llokitika. Among others Mr Roberts, manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Hokitika; Mr Lapham, manager of the same corporation at Greymouth, and Mr John Leslie, of the AVestport branch; Mr Morris Levy, of Greymouth; and Mr John Hughes, of VVestport. The hotels are all filled, and accommodation has to be sought in stores and diggers' huts. Another fatal accident occurred at the Inangahua on Tuesday night last, resulting in the death of a man named Spinks. It appears that the deceased was in the employ of a man named M'Gahey, whom he assisted in boating between the Inangahua Junction and the Landing. At the time of the accident deceased and M'Gahey were making a trip with the boat, and on reaching a fall, distant one and a half miles from Christy's, the tow line parted. M'Gahey succeeded in getting to the bank, but Spiuks was carried down the river, despite the efforts of M'Gahey, who succeeded in casting an oar within the reach of the drowning man Since the accident the boatmen in the river, assisted by Mr Mindermann and men in his employ, have been engaged dragging the river to recover the body, but without avail, and there is little hope of its being recovered. Our informant states that heavy rain fell from noon on Tuesday until mid-day on Wednesday, and there was every probability when he left of the rivers being flooded. The deceased was a carpenter by trade. We have to acknowledge the receipt from the Provincial Secretary of the Votes and Proceedings of the Nelson Council for the last session.

The topsail schooner Spray, from Lyttelton, bound for Greymouth, has been at anchor in the roadstead since Tuesday last, owing to the prevailing south-westerly weather, and has found excellent shelter behind the Steeples. In the Warden's Court yesterday the application of Richard Reddy for extension of race at the Totara beach was granted, as wjre also the applications ot Suisted and Lloyd for extended claims. An application for two extended claims by Michael Harris was refused, the Warden expressing an opinion that the Seg illations did not contemplate the granting of several cliimst'o one holder of rights. Harris replied that he had taken out two rights for the purpose of so holding the ground, and to avoid

the expense entailed in applying for the ground in another form. He conceived it to bo the object of the Court to encourage as far as possiblo mining enterprise, and it would only be by holding additional ground that Reddy and himself would bo justified in incurring an additional expense of several hundred pounds in extending t'aeir water race. The ground was unavailable to the miner until water was brought in. The result of the application being refused might be the abandonment of the enterprise and if that were so all the men who had taken up ground in the belief that Reddy's water could be used by them would have to abandon their claims, and seek another field for their labour. The Warden could not see his way to granting the application, which was refused accordingly. The steamer Kennedy arrived at Westport from Greymouth yesterday morning, and left the following tide for Nelson, towing out the schooner Northern Light for Melbourne.

Owing lo the groat natural facilities presented by the Buller route to Reefton as against that by the Grey Valley, a parcel of eighteen bales of drapery arrived yesterday from Greymouth, in the steamer Kennedy, to be forwarded up the Buller river to Inangahua, and thence by dray to Reefton. The goods had been purchased from Thompson, Smith, and Barkly, of Greymouth, and in place of forwarding them thence direct to the reefs, the purchaser found it to his advantage to incur the expense and delay of shipment by steamer to Westport, the difference in the cost of carriage between the Inangahua route and that by the Grey Valley being sufficiently great to cover all shipping expenses, and yet leave a handsome margin. This is but one of many instances of goods having been shipped from Greymouth to Westport for conveyance to Reefton, and should surely convince our Qreyraouth neighbours that Westport is the natural inlet and outlet of that rising district.

A half-sharo in No. 1 and 2 South, Shiels's line has been purchased by Mr M'Gill for £■22o. Interests in this claim, and, indeed, in all other claims on the various lines of reef are advancing in value weekly. Wardens Giles and Wlutefoord proceeded to Brighton yesterday to be present at the nuptials of Mr Diigin and Miss Broad, daughter of Warden Broad. Mr Daigan, who was formerly Postmaster at Brighton, is now in charge of the Wauganui branch. Mr Dobson was a passenger by the steamer Kennedy, for Nelson. His visit, we believe, has reference to the distribution of the =£40,000, being the proportion of Nelson's sharo of the Middle Island Railway Fund available for Goldfietdb' purposes

Messrs Ross and Glendining, of Dunedin' have purchased the soft goods estate of Messrs Turnbull, Keeje'3, and Co. The vacancy in the editorial chair of the " Wellington Independent " has been tilled by the appointment of Mr W. H. Harrison, M.11.1i. for Grey Valley. Tlie improvement m the beach and channel of the river progresses satisfactorily. The extension of the new beach now reaches Palmerston street, with every prospect of advane ing northwards until the ravages of the late encroachments are repaired. The schooner Pioneer, recently purchased by Mr Waite, sailed for Karamea and Big River, on Thursday evening. Mr Waite purposes removing his store from Karamea to the Big River, the want of such accommodation being much felt by the mining population in the latter district. An amended Licensing Bill has boon introduced into the Auckland Provincial Council, making the attestation of one witness sufficient for the signatures to petitions under the permissive clauses; also, making the wholesale license fee £3O.