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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 947, 18 March 1872, Page 2

We learn from most undoubted'authority that there are at present nine female prisoners in Westport gaol, and that four more are expected momentarily. We publish the fact with the hope that something may be done by those in authority to " purify our moral atmosphere." There is no reason why the remiss application of the law in those parts should be continued to the detriment of the place and cost of the country. We have many times pointed out the growing evil from a moral and s jcial point; perhaps the illustration given by a gaol full of those unfortunate females, and the attendant expense of maintaining them, may have the effect with Government which higher considerations have failed to produce. The Olaud Hamilton brought the sum of .£3OO, subscribed in Melbourne, for the relief of the sufferers T>y the late flood at Greymouth. A share in the prospectors' claim, Rainy Creek, Keefton, was sold on Monday last for J2500. The reef is three feet wide, and has been traced the whole length of the Prospecting claim, and has been struck in No. 1 north and No. 1 south.

A groom, in the employ of Mr Barker, hotel-keeper at Reefton, was drowned on Saturday, March 9, in the right hand branch of the Inangahua river, above Black's Point. He was on horseback driving another horse in, and it is supposed the horse he was riding stumbled into a deep water-hole. The body was found about two miles down the river. Hi 3 name was John Sheridan.

Mr Q-. Ball has been appointed Postmaster at Rcefton, where he arrived on Sunday, March 10. The Mayor of Greymouth has received a telegram from the Under Secretary, stating that the Government have been advised that the opinion of the Borough Council of Greymouth, and that of the Borough Solicitor, with regard to the Coal Reserve canuot be entertained; and that the reserve had not been made for the maintenance of the navigation of the river, but mainly, if not wholly, for Corporation endowment. Several poisons joined last night and made the midnight hours hideous by parad-

ing the streets of Westport and performing most discordantly upon sundry musical instruments. If their object was to disturb the whole town, and to become for the time an intolerable nuisance, they succeeded, for the din Was certainly horrible, and this morning complaints are general; but whatever the hallucination may have been which caused the Pandemonian outburst, where were the guardians of our peace ? Certainly it is to be hoped that they will be about on the next occasion to prevent a repetition of the offence.

The steamer Kennedy came in yesterday at low water, discharged cargo, and steamed away about two o'clock for Nelson. We heard by her that Greymouth was crowded with visitors, and that they kept pouring in by every means of Conveyance.

One of White's boats came in from the Inangahua yesterday, and Jerry's boat this morning. The boiler, which the former took up from bere was landed safely. The steam or Charles Edward, which arrived here on Saturday morning, took her departure with some forty visitors tothe Greymouth races about two o'clock on Sunday morning. Among the passengers from Greymouth we see that the Provincial Secretary, Mr Greenfield, went south. The excursionists she brought down made the best of .the rather limited circle of amusements to be found in Westport. However, with our brass band and tramway line, &c, the day was passed in a somewhat hilarious manner.