The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we Strive. TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1872.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 920, 30 January 1872, Page 2

The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we Strive. TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1872.

Mr Warden Broad left Charleston on Monday, and will proceed from Westport on Wednesday to take temporary charge of the Inangahua district until after the 12th Feb. It is expected that a permanent appointment wiil be made after the visit of the Superintendent. Dr Giles will act in Mr Broad's place during his absence. In the R. M. Court, yesterday, Maria Jennings, a woman of violent and intemperate habits was charged with breaking windows and destroying property. According to the evidenceof Andw. Jacobsen,defendantwashis housekeeper and resided with him. He proved the damage done. His Worship fined the defendant 10s and costs for the offence, and ordered her to pay 10s compensation. In default of payment imprisonment for 14 days.

Dr Hector, wc understand, will shortly return to Westport for the purpose of continuing the exploration of Mount Eochfort coalfield and the Inangahua district. On Friday and Saturday thirty tons of merchandise were despatched by boat to the Inangahua. Yesterday ton tons were embarked, and at the present time loadinc is accumulating more quickly than it can be transported with the means now available. The large new boat for the Boiler Towing Track Co. will be launched in a few days. Mr Barnes, surveyor, will leave Westport to-day for the Inangahua, where he will set out the line of road shortly to be constructed between Christy's and the Landing.

Tenders for the first portion of the dray road from Landing, Inangahua, to Larry's Creek, a distance of about seven miles, are invited by the Provincial Engineer on behalf of the Colonial Government. Tenders close on Monday, the 19th proximo. By the steamer Kennedy, which left Westport, for Hokitika on Saturday, the Bank of New Zealand forwarded 7240z 15dwt 14gr of gold, the export duty upon which amounted to £9O 12s.

The Little Grey Hotel, corner of Palmermerston and Bright streets, was submitted to auction yesterday, and bought in for £220.

The Government Life Assurance scheme appears to have been very popular throughout Westland, where, we understand, upwards of two hundred insurances were obtained during the five weeks Captain Baldwin stayed there. At Greymouth, we see, the Government obtained three times more business than did the Australian Mutual Provident. At Hokitika a novel expedient in the history of Life Assurance was resorted to in the shape of Eeligious Revivals, whether successfully or not we have not heard. Some very clever skits, entitled tho " Apostle of Life Assurance,' and *' A Short Story " appeared in the local papers, ridiculing the transition of our Insurance agent from the platform to the pulpit. A fifth share in the Granite waterrace, Karamea, was disposed of by Michael Hawkin on Saturday last for .£65. The interest was purchased by the remaining shareholders.

We have to remind our readers that Capt. Baldwin, sub-Commissioner of tho Government Annuities and Life Assurance Department, will give a lecture on Life Assurance at the Masonic Hall this evening. Mr Lewis, surveyor, is at present engaged setting out a line of road iu tho vicinity of the Grey Saddle, connecting the Inangahua with the Ahaura.

An old and much respected Charleston resident. Me. John Behan, left Westport by the steamer Kennedy on Saturday on a trip to tho old country. A number of friends accompanied him from Charleston to Westport to witness his departure and wish him a prosperous voyage and speedy return. We learn that there are about. 90 men at present engaged in gold mining in the vicinity of the Big Kiver, whilst men are arriving almost daily. No heavy finds are reported, hut all are satisfied, and the p enerul opinion is that it will prove a remunerative field. The present workings are in small gullies ; the sinking shallow, and the ground is easily worked. The gold is of a course nuggetty description, and strongly impregnated with quartz, while many specimens are very little water-worn. The terraces are likely looking but have not yet been prospected. Provisions at the Amtori are reasonable there being two stores, which draw their supplies firom Kelson. Referring to the capabilities of the Big River as a port, our informant states- —" A sailing vessel can run from Westport to the Big River in eight hours. It has a good and safe entrance, and vesseb inside are thoroughly sheltered from any wind or the. roughest weather. The bottom of the river is sandy. With south-west winds the bar is smooth, being sheltered by Kaurangi Point, and when once known the port would become a favorite shelter for small craft or the coasting steanurs. There is ample room in the river for the latter to turn."

A son of Captain Croncher, of Wellington, had his thigh, broken the other day by a dray. The boy was climbing the shaft when the horso started, and the motion jerking him to the ground, a wheel of the dray passed over him fracturing the thigh bone-

The risks taken under the Government Insurance scheme in Canterbury amount to over £BO,OOO.

The resignation by Captain M'Pherson of his seat as member for the Waikato, is notified in the General Government " Gazette."

According to a local account, Mr Hallenstein, mayor of Queenstown, is likely to have a walk over for the seat in the Assembly vacated by Mr Haughton.

A large number of men started to work on the Waikato railway on the 16th inst. Canterbury papers state that three whales were in AL-aroa harbour on the 13th.

The South Melbourne Gas Company, now being formed, will supply gas at a minimum price of 9s per 1000 feet. So successful is the Land Transfer Act likely to become that a correspondent of the "Ofcago Daily Times"—apparently a lawyer—advertises the profession to petition the Assembly for compensation for loss of profits. A Sandhurst broker received a commission from Melbourne on October 14 to buy stock to the amount of £20,985, the largest transaction in a single line ever done on Sandhurst. Two years ago the whole could have been bought for less than £5(30. A man named M'Gurk, has died at Cambridge, Auckland, from the effects of a sunstroke. /

Donati, the far-famed one-legged dancer, has arrived at Auckland. This extraordinary dancer created a great sensation in London, throughout Europe, Sydney, and Melbourne, indeed, wherever he has appeared. There is a likelihood of the seat in the House of Representatives for the electoral district of Rodney becoming vacant, by the resignation of Mr Farnall, the present member, who, it is said, has received an appointment in connection with the emigration scheme. Air J. Shoehan, Goldfields' Secretary, has oifered himself as a candidate.—"Southern Cross."