The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1872.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 926, 13 February 1872, Page 2

The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1872.

The Hon Mr Fox returned yesterday by coach from Charleston, where he was warmly received and welcomed. He proceeded to Greymouth by the Murray, and will return to Westport by way of Inangahua. His Honor the Superintendent took his departure from Westport yesterday afternoon for Charleston.

It will bo seen on reference to our shipping column that over 760 ounces of gold was shipped in the steamer Murray by the Bank of New Zealand, Westport for Hokitika.

A deputation of the citizens of VVestport waited upon his Honor the Superintendent for the purpose of requesting that immediate steps be taken by the Government for the protection of the town from the encroachments of the river. The deputation drew attention to the effective action of the groins already erected, and pointed to the desirability of continuing the work, as recommended in Mr Blaekett's report. His Honor, upon the representation of the gentlemen who waited upon him, decided, upon consultation with Mr Dobson, to have the schooner Mary sunk at the end of Gladstone street and banked up with stone as an immediate shield t6 that part of the river bank- The work is now in course of progress, and in a few days it will be accomplished, but he hoped the work will not stop there. It will be noticed by reference to our advertising columns that tenders are called for the supply of stone. Several boats returned yesterday from the Inangahua, reporting the disastrous effects of the late flood. At Eeefton the low lying parts of the town were under water, but except in a few instances the damage lias not been vory great. Many of the new settlers in Inangahua Valley have had their crops swept away or destroyed. Several valuable horses which were in a paddock at Christy's Junction, had a narrow escape, but they managed by keeping together upon a knoll of rising ground just to keep their heads above water; had the flood risen a foot more they would inevitably have been swept into the current and drowned. The Government track has boen very much injured, and in several places the towing trajk is totally washed away. The steamer Wallabi, after anchoring outside for a long time, canio in on Friday night, and discharged hor live cargo on Saturday morning at tho South Spit. Some head of cattle and sheep died on board. The steamer Charles Edward sailed for Nelson on Saturday night; she intended to put in or land Mr Moffat and his goods either at the Big River or Anatori. The Kennedy sailed just after the Charles Edward, for Greymouth and Hokitika. The Murray arrived from Nelson on Sunday evening, bringing two horses, a great deal of fruit, and general cargo.

A fatal accident occurred, Jan. 30, afternoon, about three o'clock, to a little child named Sophia Roff, aged two years, daughter of the late Stephen Roff, the well-known inventor. The mother was washing, and the little girl was playing near her. Not seeing her for some few minutes, Mrs Roff went t look for her and found her in a water-hole at the back of the house. Dr Smith was sent for and every means were used to restore animation, but unfortunately without effect.—" Grey River Argus." This being leap-year, and St. Valentine's day being close at hand, the following quotation from an old Saxon law may interest our fair readers: —" Albeit, as often as leap yeare clothe occurre, the women holdeth prerogative over the menne in matter of courtship, love, and matrimonii; so that when the ladie proposeth it shall not be lawful for menne to say her nae, but shall receive her proposal in all good courtisie." As a contrast to the weather here of late, we give the following extract from a private letter irom Nelson: —" I am, as well as the

crops, burnt up and longing for rain. A fire had been made about three weeks ago, and on Monday last it spread, on Tuesday the spout winds came on, trees flying about in all directions. Tuesday, fires were blazing all over the paddocks. Wednesday it -crossed over to our neighbour's and burnt all to his clearing. Chain upon chain of fencing had to be taken down, and much valuable timber was destroyed. There was no rest day or night. Of course, what grass wa3 left was consumed. Such gales we never had here before." We have since heard that it rained in Nelson on Wednesday and Thursday last for thirty-six hours.

By recent General Government Gazettes we fiid that Charles Dudley Robert Ward, Esq., has been appointed District Judge for Timaru and Oamaru, Tokomairiro and Clutha, and Western Otago. • George William Harvey, Esq., has been made District Judge for the County of Westland and VVestland North. F. Dermott, Esq., G. W, Harvey, Esq., of Hokitika, and John Symons, Esq., of Nelson, have been appointed Justices of tho Peace. The office of Resident Magistrate, lately resigned by J. Sharp, Esq., has been conferred upon Lowther Broad, Esq., as also the offices of Sheriff, Kegistration and Returning Officer, lately held by Mr Brunner, and Registrar under the Sale of Poisons Act, and Sub-Com-missioner for the Government Insurance. Mr Broad will also continue to act as Warden at Wangapeka. This amalgamation of offices will effect some saving. A pension, we ("Nelson Examiner") suppose, will be given to Mr Brunner. Mr Adams, the Manager of the Perseverance Mining Company, Collingwood, was sent up to Wangapeka to test Doran's reef, from which so much was expected; and, although at different times it has yielded two ounces to the ton, when it was tried in the battery only a pennyweight to the ton was got. About twelve tons of stone were j crushed.

The quarterly abstract of receipts and disbursements of the Provincial Treasurer of Nelson has just been published. The following is a statement in round numbers of the expenditure on the South-west Goldfields :—BuUer Valley £837, Grey Valley, .£238, Road, Charleston to Westport via Addison's, £l3B, Road (maintenance), Westport to Cobden, £322, Harbors, &c, £l5O, Buildings, £372, Streets, &c, £72, Roads and Bridges (maintenance and repairs), £279, Brnnner Coalmine, £1605. Under the head receipts we have Goldfields Revenue, £1822, Brunner Coalmine, £1541. By the same Gazette we see that a lease of land, situated at Giles's Terrace, Westport, has been granted to George Weston. An application has been published in the Nelson Government Gazette to register the Matakitaki Dredging Company, for the purpose of dredging tee Matakitaki river. The nominal capital of the company is £4OO in forty shares, which are all taken up. Messrs Franklin and Harris, of Murray Creek, have cut a horse-track round a portion of Messrs Mace and Trennaway's machine-track, for the purpose of packing provisions to the reefs. A horse can carry at least 2cwt. by this track. Mr Church, of Hokitika, we learn, has been appointed Resident Magistrate at Blenheim, in the Province of Marlborough. He holds some other office in connection with the Land Transfer Act. Mr Inspector Shallcrass, who started for the reefs on Sunday morning on horesback, returned again to Westport, as several of the bridges on the road had been destroyed by the recent heavy weather.