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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 913, 13 January 1872, Page 2

Dr Hector arrived from Reefton, yesterday evening. Mr A. Zala, of the Alpine Company, Lyell, arrived in Westport by boat yesterday evening. He brings down 2130z5. 13 dwts. retorted gold taken solely from the quick silver ripples, the copper plates not having been scraped. The above is a portion of the gold extracted from 40 tons of quartz, and the result of 14 days crushing, yielding an average, exclusive of the gold retained by the plates, of nearly sJozs. to the ton. A new leader has been struck of extraordinary richness, and it appears to be more promising the further it is penetrated.

The Bank of New South Wales forwarded by the steamer Charles Edward, on Thursday, for Hokitika, 1254. z 17dwt 18gr of gold, the export duty upon which amounted to £156 17s 3d.

A recent Provincial Gazette contains the announcement that Mr A. D. Dobson has been appointed Chief Surveyor for the Province of Nelson, vice Henry Lewis, resigned. Meetings of tho Volunteer Fire Brigade Ball Committee were held at the Empire Hotel, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, when the preliminary arrangements for the ball were discussed and completed. Tho anniversary "of the Brigade falling this year on Ash Wednesday has necessitated the committee fixing an earlier date for the ball, which is to take placo at the Ma.onicHall on Friday evening, 9th February.

On Wednesday, Thursday, and again yesterday, Captain Leech, Harbour Master, took soundings on the 13ullcr bar at high and low water, with an uniform result of 16 feet and 6 feet respectively.

It is with great regret we learn that Mr P. Courtney, who is running an express between Reefton and Westport, had the misfortune on his last trip to lose notes, cheques, and gold to the value of £ll7. The package containing the valuables was enclosed in a bag, and must have been jerked out by the action of the horse. Tho loss is supposed to have taken place between the Blaekwater and Packers' Point. On discovering his loss, Mr Courtney proceeded to the Blaekwater, but was unable to find any trace of the missing property. A reward of .£2O is offered for its recovery. In the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, before S. Thorpe, Esq., J.P., Sarah Foatherston was brought up as being of unsound mind, and was remanded for safe custo !y and to receive medical treatment.

Doughboy Flat, on the Four River Plain, l'uller Valley, was the scene of great festivities on Boxing Day. The great attraction was horse-racing, and the chief event of the day was won by Mr Kearns's Sultan. Footracing, cricket, football, and other amusements filled up tho day. In the evening a theatrical entertainment, in which the farce of the " Dead Shot" was played, contributed to the day's ammusement. At the Supreme Court, Auckland, on the 4th inst., Frederick Walters, charged with perjury, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. Donovan and Courliss, accused of stealing Caledonian quartz, were both discharged. Four accidents to miners occurred on the Thames goldfields on January 3rd, ono resulting in fatal injury to a miner named Patrick Kearns. The deceased was working in tho quarry, and it would appear that he had picked in under a bank of stone for the purpose of getting a good lot out together. Unfortunately, however, a huge block, weighing about 13 cwfc., gave way and fell on the deceased, crushing his head and the upper part of hisbody, and, nodoubt, causing instantaneous death. In the Una a miner named Daniel O'Sullivan was injured by a fall of earth, and in the Bird-in-Hand claim Denis Murphy was injured about the head. A driver named Jeremiah Sullivan was jammed by a cart and severely bruised.

Mr Haughton, Under Secretary for the Goldfields, will proceed South by the Rangitoto to-day. He will make a complete tour of the Of ago goldfields, in the course of which he will visit the various Wardens' Courts in connection with the special arrangements which are to be made for water supply. He will then proceed to Hokitika to perforin a like duty in lvgard io the West Coast Goldfields.—" Independent," Jan. 4.