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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 966, 30 April 1872, Page 2

An accident occurred on Friday last to a miner named John M'Connell, working in Hussey's claim at Addison's Flat. "While he was engaged ground-sluicing, a face about 12 feet high came down, covering part of his body. Fortunately some of his mates were at hand, and he was after some difficulty extricated. He was immediately brought in to the Hospital, where it was found that he had received some severe injuries, being bruised about the lower part of the body, though there were no bones broken.

The lessees of the Ngakawa coal-mine had better push forward their recently discovered enterprise, as coal is becoming scarce in many of the towns in the colony. The Wellington " Post," in writing on this subject, says:—The scarcity of coal is bo-

coming a sorious matter. There is scarcely any in Wellington, and so far as is known thoro aro no vessols on tho way down from Newcastle with any. Wo understand that tho manager of thoN.Z.S.S. Co. is considering tho advisability of chartering a vessel to go to tho Bulter for coal. Should tho present scarcity result in tho various or any of the coalfiolds in tho colony being developed, even those housekeepers who do not like paying £2 a ton for coal, or who fancy loss tho chance of going without it altogether for a little time, will agree that it is worth while to suffer inconvenience if it should result in sueh a great boon to the colony at largo. The following applications for protection for business sites have been made at the Court House, and objections thereto will be determined on tho 6th proximo :—No. 187, Wharf-street, Thomas Bailie; No. 86, Cobdon-street, James Suisted ; No. 67, Lyttelton-strect, Suisted Brothers; No. 172, Palmerston-street, Michael Organ; No. 173, Palmcrston-strectand No. 152, Hawleystreet, Henry OttonResidents in the district, interested in electoral matters, are reminded that objections to the names of applicants for enrolment as electors must, in terms of notice now appearing at tho Court House, be made by the end of tho current month. Among tho passengers by the s.s. Kennedy, which arrived here after a brisk passage from Nelson on Saturday last, was the Rev. A. G. Johnstone, Incumbent of Nelson, who intends travelling overland from hence to Greymouth via Inangahua. Tho reverend gentleman delivered two impressive sermons at St. John's Church on Sunday last, and purposes holding divine service at Reef ton on Sunday next, perils of river and road, and wind and weather permitting. Judging by the number ot votes recorded on the occasion of electing a member for tho Groy Valley in the Nelson Provincial Council, in tho place of Mr Wilkie, tho event does not.seem to have been the cause of much excitement. Tho friends of Mr Guinness seem, however, to have exerted themselves considerably more thau those of the other candidate, and, under the circumstances, the result is a satisfactory one. A lecture, which is certain to be both interesting and entertaining, is to be given to-morrow evening by the Rev. A. G. Johnstone, of Nelson, who is at present on a visit to Westport. In Nelson Mr Johnstone was tho pi'ime mover in organising a series of lectures and entertainments which were highly appreciated, and the lecture advertised on this occasion will no doubt be equally characterised by the features which made these so attractive. The lecture takes place in the Court House, and at eight o'clock.

It is intimated in another column that Court-sittings will be held by Mr Broad, as Resident Magistrate and Warden, at Christy's, on Slay 15, and at the Lyell on the day following. A crowded house again witnessed the exhibition of the diorama of the American war last evening, attracted thither by the sterling merits of the show, and also, to some extent, by the announcement that a profusion of gifts would be distributed. The promise was duly fulfilled, and many of the spectators had the satisfaction of returning home the contented possessors of knicknucks and trinkets of real value. Tonight the diorama will positively be exhibited for the last time at Westport, and Mr Raincr notifies that another and special distribution of gifts will be made among the audience. We have roceived from Mr Thomas George, lithographer of Dunedin, and recently of the Ot;tgo Survey Department, a specimen copy of a map of Otago published by him, and which has been already very favorably received and commended in that province. It is corrected to latest surveys, and shows the boundaries of goldfields and hundreds, in addition to other specialities not usually introduced in maps offered to the public. Asa specimen of good workmanship it will bear favorable comparison with the average productions of the best publishers in Britain. The railway sheds at Lyttelton and Christchurch are full to overflowing with accumulated consignments of corn, wool, flax, and other produce j and the greatest activity prevails in making shipments. The harbor at present contains more sea-goiog vessels than have been there together for some years, and the general trade of the usually quiet port has received a decided impetus. A similar activity in the produce trade prevails at Timaru, and the grain is being shipped in excellent condition. The forthcoming Nelson races are likely to be more than ordinarily successful, and are exciting much speculative interest among the local sporting fraternity. On Thursday last the Taranaki brought there from Lyttelton Mr Waltors's well-known horses Slander, Yatterina, and Titokowaru; and also Mr Redwood's team of four from Picton. They were all landed safely and in good fettle. A proof of the exceeding mildness of the season prevailing at Nelson is shown in the fruit-gardens there. Many trees are now in full bloom of blossom, or bearing a second crop of fruit. Perfectly formed pears and apples may be seen ; and in some gardens ripe raspberries may be gathered in abundance. Old residents aver that they have never before experienced such a dry and prolonged summer season. The influx of Heathen Chinee in Otago has for the time being abated, and to a certain extent an exodus of these interesting strangers is taking place therefrom. The last ship, sailing direct for Hong Kong, took away some 120 Chinese passengers, all of whom had succeeded in realising a little "pile" on the Otago diggings, chiefly in the neighborhood of Tuapeka and Waitahuna. A recent visitor to Dunedin describes a curious incident in street sights. The day previous to the sailing of the vessel a string of long-tailed gentry were seen wending their way gingerly through the mud of Princes-street from the Treasury, each man laden with a spic-span and new cashbox, which he carried carefully under his arm, watching each passer-by or on-looker with glances of dread suspicion. These boxes, so jealously guarded, contained each individual Chinaman's share. of gold, which, with customary 'cuteness, he preferred taking back to the Flowery Land instead of either the paper money or gold coins of the barbarians. Many of these Chinamen had not been more than two or thr«e years in the province, where, by dint of hard work and harder fare, they had succeeded in amassing little competencies. The ' Nelson Examiner' of the 24th inst., writing on the San Francisco Mail Service, • says:—The English mail was due in Auckland on Sunday last, but of course did not arrive. The service is so wretchedly maintained that punctuality from it is not to be expected. Mr Vogel's grand postal service costs the colony double what was paid for the Suez service, and.we havo exchanged certainty for uncertainty, and promptitude for delay. When the last mail arrived in Auckland a fortnight behind time, the telegram which conveyed the news of the arrival of tho Nevada attributed the delay to the

snow, which was utterly untrue, ag the steamer for Honolulu left San Francisco on tho correct date, and she and the Nevada between them took thirty-nino days on a voyage they were bound to perforin in twenty-five days. Tho Auckland papers promise better things in future, saying that it is not likely tho mails will be again overdue, as tho Nevada and Nebraska are to connect with "fast and well-known boats at Honolulu." But tho two vessel? named cannot keep their fciuie between Honolulu and Auckland. The great Webb service, so much belauded, has proved a complete failure in its fii-st year of trial. We have had no end of "tall talk," as the Americans would say, but the service has been a thorough disappointment. The ' Lyttelton Times' while condemning tho service, says it was Hobson's choice—Webb or nothing. This is also untrue, and dust thrown in the eyes of the public. Had Mr Vogel not been so*precipitate, an English company would have undertaken the service with new and really suitable vessels, and there would have been no difficulty in arranging for a service with the boats of the A.o.N. Company whilethe other boats were getting ready. But like everything else undertaken by the present Government—that is, by Mr Vogel —it enters on its gigantic schemes in haste, and the colony will repent at its leisure. Large numbers of now mining companies are being formed at Coromandel. The Auckland " Gazette" of April 22nd coutained tho applications of ten now companies. Messrs. Dodsnn and Fell's store at Blenheim has been feloniously broken into, and robbed of about .£2O in cash and notes. At the meeting of tho Bank of New Zealand, held in Auckland on Wednesday last, a dividend of 15 per cent was declared. Tho value of the £lO shares of this bank in the London market by last advices was .£2O. In Dunedin some of those who supported the early-closing movement, while ostensibly closing their front doors, pushed a roaring trade by admitting the public through the postern entrances of the premises. A steam-whistle, 18 inches diameter, supplied by a boiler with steam of 60 lb. per square, inch has recently been constructed for the lighthouse department of the United States. It can be heard at a distance of five miles.