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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 991, 30 July 1872, Page 2

The English mail, which has been detained on board the Nebraska, under quarantine at Wellington, will probably be sent down to Nelson by the steamer Wellington, which will proceed South to collect the outgoing mails. The Westport portion of the English mail will probably reach hero by the Charles Edward on her next down trip. In the present depressed and unsettled state of affairs, public and private, the Social Entertainment Committee have deemed it advisable to defer attempting to get off another performance for the present. Mr Etaveneaux successfully launched another six ton cargo boat on the river yesterday, from his boat shed at Packer's Point. The new craft is tho property of Mr Hunter, and has been named the " Queen of Westport." Referring to tho panic that appears to have arisen in Hokitika in regard to scrip in the Westland Crushing Company, the ' Inangahua Herald' says * that it is altogether unaccountable. Nothing has transpired there that could have given rise to it, and it is very doubtful whether shareholders resident down country have better means of forming a correct opinion as to the prospects of the company, than thosa resident in the district. If any disappointment has arisen, it is due to the extravagant returns which some of the more sanguine have been led to anticipate. In a few days the first crushing will be made known, when a better estimate of their value can be arrived at, as also of the future prospects of the claim.' Eeports are current that shares have been frtely offered at 7s 6d to 8s; but lacking definite information thereon we do not vouch for the authenticity of the statement. The half yearly meeting of the shareholders will be held at Messrs Tait Bros., Revell street, Hokitika, on tho Ist of August, at 11 a.m. This evening, Shehan's BLjou Theatre will be a centre of legitimate attraction. Since the departure of the comedy and burlesque company, Mr Neville Thornton, whose repute as a scenic artiste has few equals in the colonies, has been busily engaged in painting some elaborate scenery which will be introduced for tho first time,

as also an artistically pa'ntod drop scene, which judging from its appearance in the garish day light, will, under artificial light, havo an exceedingly good effect. The proscenium of the stage has also been redecorated, a more comfortable arrangement of seats planned, and every care taken for the ease and convenience of the audience. The occasion of the performance this evening being a benefit for La Petite Amy, or little Miss Thornton, who, as a member of the late troupe, became exceedingly popular, and added not a little by her comic powers, aud clever dancing, to the success of the entertainments. To-night she will essay a varied cast of character. In addition to her usual comicalities, the will appear in two Shukespcrian scenes, wherein, if report speaks truly, she proves a perfect prodigy of cleverness, sustaining the pathetic characters with graceful action, and a truthful conception, marvellous in a child of such tender years. The programme as advertised offers a varied round of attraction. The amateur element will come out strongly, and the concluding farce of Box aud Cox, essayed i\.lso by amateurs, with little Amy as Mrs Bouncer, who will introduce therein her best song * The Barmaid of the Period'; should be a perfect hit, Mr Kynnersley's many friends on the Coast will derive some satisfaction from knowing that, thanks to their tangible expression of good will for his past public services and sympathy in his present bodily affliction, he is now en route lav Melbourne by the steamer Albion. It having been considered absolutely neces sary by his medical attendant at Nelson, that Mr Kynnersley slum d sesk a changj of climate, where he might for a time breathe a warmer air. Had not friendly aid been aacorded him, it might have been that Mr Kynnersley would not havo taken this necessary step, and should the present change of scene, through providential dispensation, add to his regaining a portion of that physical strength, which is so necessary to any man occupying a public p isiiion, those who have proved themselves meads in deed as ia word, will have the supreme pleasure of knowing that, in following the dictates of g nirous impulse, they have alio wrought well for the public cause. Wo need hardly suggest that the go >d work now commenced should not fail in its perfect consummation for lack of means. Otherfriends of Mr Kynn jrsley, who respect him for his honorable principles, and sympathise with him in his sufferings, will do well to follow the Jgood example already set them.

From the isolated parties of miners located on the Karamea river, satisfactory news is obtained, so far that they appear to be doing moderately well, and have not been subject to more than ordinary delays in work, except such as arise from the vicissitudes of the wintry season The spirit of unrest, however has prevaled there, and some six or eight members of the little community, lured by good reports from former mates, have left the Karamea, and embarked for the South African Diamond fields. Our correspondent reports that at Addison's Flat, duriig the week, three shares have ah mg d hands. Two shares in what is known as O'Tooh's claim have been sold at L3OO i a ;h. 'J his claim is situated to the -westward of the recognised line of gold on Addison's, and seems to be a distant lead of gold. Thi3 claim is in excellent working order, paying LSO per man per month, and I have never as yet hoard one state the exact number of years requisite to work it out. One share has been disposed of in Cole and party's for about the same amount. This party has carried in a new tunnel into the paddock, and will shortly get returns. They have several years work before them. As the three purchasers are all old residents on Addison's, and have a thorough knowledge of the ground, these prices may be looked upon as fair values for the shares. On Tuesday last a Bmall rush set in at the Ahaura, it bain* rumored that good alluvial ground had been opened in the neighborhood of Adam Smith's line of reefs, Murray Creek, the sinking being only about 10ft. The men working on the Government roads knocked off work instant er, and made for the scene of the rush in crowds. The exact results are not yet to hand. In reference to the road to Reefton, the 'Lyttelton Times' says:—"The memorial to the Resident Minister, praying for the formation of a road to the Reeftondiggino-s via the West Coast road, Bell Hill, and Ahaura, ha 3 been circulated in the Northern districts. It is a significant fact that upwards of seventy signatures have been obtained in these districts—a large proportion of those being station owners and cattle dealers." A new telegraphic regulation is gazetted. It provides that all original telegrams shall be retained in the custody oi the general manager, at Wellington, for a space of five years from the respective dates, and at. the expiration of that time that they shall be burnt in the manager's presence. Gold mining leases have been granted at Reefton to Montgomery and others, Golden Ago Company, 10 acres; John Surgeon and others, Cumberland Company, lua. 2r. 15p. ; Edward Smethurst and others, Rose of Lancashire Company, 4a,; Robert Tapley, Lone Star Company, 7a.; Thomas Cox, Age of Progress Company, Ga. 2r. 17p.

Protection has been granted to J. M. Langdon, for four years, for a punt across the Inangahua River, about five miles from the junction of the rivers Buller and Inangahua, at the crossing of the new road to Reefton. Tho balance nheet issued by the Treasurer of St Mark's Church, Charleston, for the year ending 30th June, shows the receipts from offertory, Brighton and Charleston subscriptions, and donations to special building fund, to have been L 456 13s lid; and expenditure L 445 153 2d; leaving a credit balance of LlO 18s 9d. In "the annual report of the Churchwardens and Vestry, a suggestion is made to discontinue the weekly collections in church as being, " through ignorance, made an occasion of reproach by some who look upon Divine Worship as a means contrived for the purpose of raising money." The * Evening Post' says that on one of the examination papers put before the New Zealand University scholarships, appeared the following :—" Describe the formation of dew." A precocious aspirant appended to it the remark, " Query—mountain dew or honeydew?" A large meeting was held on the 15th, at Lawrence, when resolutions were carried, protesting against the land sales on goldfields by the Provincial Government, as being prejudicial to the interests of tho goldfields, and calling upon the General Government to prevent further sales, as well as prosecute the individuals guilty of the late sales. The ' Tuapeka Times' writes strongly on the subject. It says:—There ia * point at which submission to the constituted authorities becomes a criire, and resistance a duty. We think this point has about been reached. It the Government of the Province sets the example of breaking the law, they cannot blame the governed for following that example of breaking the law. If a rising should occur through

this affair, the Provincial Government will alone be responsible. The ' Charleston • Herald' says:—We learn that our enterprising townsmen, T. Dwan aud Co., have purchased the whole of Greenwood and Company's plant, consisting of steam engine, batteries, stampers, &c, &c. Captain Cunningham, harbor-master at Charleston, prognosticates that from 25th day of July, at midnight, the weather will be fine for four days, to the 29th, and that the last quarter will be very fine until the Ist of August, when we shall have strong breezes from the south-east accompanied with squalls until the sth; from the 6th to the 9th fine weather; from the 9th to the 17th moderate weather, from the east southeast to south-west. The last quarter, 26th, will be fine. One and a-half tons of stone each from the prospecting claim, and the freehold claim at Shag Valley, Otago, have been crushed at the Government battery, Dunedin, yielding 24dwts and 26dwts of gold respectively. In an article advocating the prosecution of Captain Harding for supplying false information to the Auckland Harbor Board, the ' New Zealand Herald' says:— ln the case of the Nebraska, the usual questions were put and answered satisfactorily by the master, and the steamer was consequently brought up harbor at the very time a man on board was lying ,111 of the small pox, a fact known to the •medical officer of the ship, if not to master. That we have legal redress for this can scarce be doubted, and that it should be exacted demand. At the same time, had a medical officor boarded the Nebraska the probabilities are that the sickness would have been discovered. The flooded state of the rivers last week, stopped • postal communication between Greymouth and Hokitika, for three days. At Nelson, heavy rains and bad floods have prevailed, 15 inches of rain fell during the month, and 41 inches since the beginning of April. This is something unprecedented in Nelson annals. The yield of the Caledonian mine, Auckland, for the month is 20760z5. In the County Council, at Hokitika, on Monday last, .£2OO were ordered to be placed on the estimates for the Kanieri coal mine. The coal companies at Newcastle have railed the price to eight shillings, The coriers threaten a strike for sixpence a day advance upon their wages. The 'Argua' reports that information reached Ahaura on Tuesday evening, after dark, that four men were buried under fallen earth in a claim on the Duffer-Sulli-van lead, near the Half-Ounce and Duffer Creeks. A special messenger arrived for Dr Phillips, who at once proceeded to the scene of the accident. As the messenger left immediately the accident happened, he was not aware that any of the men were killed. The names of the owners of the claim are Hugh Toner, Ed. Murphy, Ed. Finn, and Peter M'Mahon, and it is feared those are the unfortunate sufferers. We have since heard that two of the men have been got out alive, but their names have not transpired. Still later in the evening we were informed that all the men had been rescued.