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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1003, 10 September 1872, Page 2

The tedious work of pile-driving in any pvossoiit or prospective wharf building 1 on the banks of the Bailer will be materially facilitated by the vise of a steam pile driving: machine, which is to be brought down by the Wallabi from Wauganui on her next trip.

The following 1 letter has been received by Dr. Giles, 8.M., from a ' puir daft bodie, 1 well known here. It is time that his friends, if he has any, should look after him. He was lately in Nelson, from whence he wrote two or three similar effusions, addressed to residents here, and he has since wandered as far as Pieton • —" Pieton, you With a few lines to let you know the State of the Country. I hardly thought it Would Come to this State of things as to Be followd all Over in the way they have followed Me, With that Electric Machine, thy had playing On Me When you had Me locked up. for What you Do not know, perhapes you May think Me insane know tor Darin to rite to you in the Name of justice, you Position in Westport as justice of the Peasce I ask you to try and Stope this Machiue, I have rote to Clark of the Odd fellows Hotel and James Hay Seedsman and a Nother about it thy Will tell you about it. If it is Not Stope I Will Need to apply to the Press. I have wrote all Over the Country to my friends and if it is Not Stopped thy will assist Me to git it Stopd I beleaved it Origenated from Old B. he had a Band of thos Sydney Black gards thy go under the Name of the Grey Scootys Party they Work on Jiles terace. at least thy Could tell you about it. If thar is Not Somthing Done Soon I must Bring it before the public through the Press, and Oblige Angus Hay. The latest remedy for the cure of ills resulting from Nelson misrule has been promulgated at Eeefton. It has been gravely snggested that the best thing to do would be to march a body of some couple of thousand armed miners to Nelson, who should quarter themselves on the inhabitants of th it peaceful city till justice should b3 done.

An excellent sample of coarse scaly gold has been obtained by a party of miners from Burke's Creek, Inangahua. The mode of working is ground sluicing. The through freight on goods, por boat and waggon, from VVestport to Reeftou ha 3 been reduced to .£ls, and as soon as the present road works are completed another reduction is promised.

There is a considerable amount of sickness prevalent just now in Westport among children, and not a little amongst adulcs. A circumstance probably arising from the sudden c'.iange of temperature of late experienced. In Greymouth and Hokitika similar illness prevails, especially among children.

At the "Resident Magistrate's Court Roofton on Wednesday last, Charles Sibree alias Yankee Charley and George Barton alias Yorkey were brought up, charged with feloniously killing and slaying Thomas Costello, at Boatman's Creek, in Augu.t last, Mr Home appeared for the defence. The principal witness, Martin Mullins, ii his evidence stated that on the 14th ultimo, he was with Barton at Johnson's accommodation house, Larry's Creek, about 11 o'clock that night, that he and Yoikey lay down together on a shake-down on Johnson 's floor, and talked about cutting the approaches to the end of the Landing. After this conversation, Yorkey put his hand uuJjv witness' neck, and said that he wished witness would die along with him. M Tins said he was not ready for dying, on which Yorkey said that he

should very soon die, and oil witness asking what for, he sai<l for putting Tom Costollo away. "Witness then asked him if had any one along with him, and bo said " Sea ; he had Yankee Charley," and that they put the body into Boatman's Creak. Mullras on hearing this jumped up and left the place and told his mates of the occurrence. On the next morning Yorkey came to his tent and told witness thit ho need not make a noiso about the affair. On the application of Sergeant McArdlo a remand was granted until to-morrow the 11th instant.

There was some excitement in the usually quiet streets of Westport on Saturday evening last. 15y the light of blazing flambeaux, and to the tooting and braying of a brass band playing the Rogues March, two mangy looking effigies, respectively labelled "White" and "O'C'onor" were p traded; and afterwards, midst shouts and Lootings', consigned to tarry flames in Palmerston street. As fun for the small boys it was immense; but if meant as a political demonstration it waa unnecessary. Silent contempt for local representatives is the present feeling rjrevailing in Westport.

Another now boat was added to the already numerous up liver fleet yesterday. Mr Eteveneaux launching from the beach at Packer's Point, a fine specimen of his diagonal build, laid down expressly to the order of Mr Charles Crowlo. The new venture, which we hear is to be named the Northern Star, will carry eight to ten tons burthen.

The Eeefton correspondent of the ' Grey River Argus writes thus : —-To say that business was dull in Eeefton would convey scarcely the faintest shadow of the truth; to say that trade was dead and money unknown would express very faintly indeed the actual condition of things in this lively city of the reefs. The reaction to be anticipated from the insane rush of business men to an undeveloped district has fairly set in, and at the present time the town is really in a state of collapse. Cash is almost as absent as in the good old days of barter, and before coinage had been resorted to; the only mystery is how tradesmen meet their inevitable weekly or monthly bills. The explanation is easy, and is conveyed in the words hasty trading and speculation. It must be evident .to any one who has taken care in ascertaining the resources of the district that they are almost incalculable, and that in the course of time they will be unfolded; but at the same time it is simply preposterous for a multitude of people to pitch themselves headlong into business in a locality that could not be expected to support them for a year or two hence. Thus all the trouble, and because people have been rashly absurd, they blame the district for it. '1 o tell the truth, anything much more forlorn than the aspect of the main thoroughfares could scarcely be be imagined. There are dozens on dozens of houses sparsely inhabited, and the days of jovial share-selling are altogether at an end. The whole delusions in short that ouly a few months ago clothed the fabulously wealthy Eeefton have been dispelled

before the unpleasant light of fact, though the probability is that the community, ;.s a whole, will be far better for the somewhat bitter ordeal that they are now and have been for some time undergoing.

The * West Coast Times ' of the 2nd inst. says : —A now rush sot in last week to some ground on the southern side of the Hokitika River, near Ogilvie's Halfway House, the lead being a continuation of the one styled Aylmcr lead. It is reported that several claims are paying from £lO to £lO a week per man, while others are on wash that only pays them from £'S to £4 a week per man. There are about 400 men on the ground. The prospectus of a tramway company has been isssued, to connect Reetton and Murray Creek. The proposed capital is .£I2OO in 1200 shares of one pound each. Surgeon and Company, the present holders of t'io protection, are willing- to transfer the same to a company on payment of Ll3O, the estimated value of the line already formed, and are prepared to clear and form the remainder of the line ready for the reception of sleepers and rails for the sum of L 360.

After five weeks crashing, Mulligan and party, at Inangahua, consisting of live shareholders, have obtained a parcel of 750z of gold The made of working is ground sluicing, and thn site of operations is at the head of Soldier's Gully. The party posesses a large water-race, commanding the highest elevation,, and hold therefore a claim practically unlimited in extent. Miss Jenny Nye, who recently visited Westport, has returned to the old scene of her successes, the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, where, says the ' Times," she received a unanimous, hearty, and most gratifying welcome.

A man named Woods has been fined £5 for kissing a girl, thirteen years of age, in a railway carriage between Christchurch and Tcmpleton. A man named William Quitm was drowned at Ross on the evening of the 2nd instant. Deceased fell into the Storm Channel at the rear of his house, and appeared to have been stunned by the fall, as he was found lying in less than a foot of water.

The lack of "profitable employment for men of small means in the lleeftou district is driving many to desperate resources. A complete Roper River rush is setting in, though on what possible ground it is hard to say, and a very large number of miners are leaving the district to try their fortunes in the new El Dorado. Amongst them are many of the most valuable class of diggers, men who have saved a few pounds, and could afford to prospect or open up new ground. Distance seems to lend enchantment to the view in this case, and a fair stampede is setting in. An Adelaide telegram dated August 25th states that letters from Port Darwin say there is a payable goldfield there if provisions were only cheaper.

In contradiction of the late rumour of a Maori rising, telegraphic news from Auckland states that Mohan, a native, has arrived there. He says that he spoke Te Kooti, who is planting. Tb.9 Thames chief has returned from visiting the King at Tokangamutu. lie reports many people there, moat of whom are comfortably off for stock, food and liquor. Religious services are held daily. They are rather friendly towards European?, and never dream of war. They are all engaged in planting. The King is opposed to the opening of roads, or Tub.ua goldaiining, and is afraid that it will lead to complications with the Europeans.

The fivo adventurous miners who, enticed by the glowing acconnts of rapid fortunes to be won on the far distant diamond fleldg, cleared out some few months since from the Karamea diggings, en route for the Cape of Good Hope, have arrived at Nutal safely. A letter received from thenr spates that the news from the diamond Held wa3 not encouraging, but still very few men were coming back therefrom. Natal seemed entirely overstocked with labor, the Kafir hands driving all white labor out of the market. The current rate of wajjs there is 5s per

week, or one shilling per day for casual work.

At Christohurch, on the 4th instant, a constable named Mackley was sentenced to imprisonment with hard labor for striking a man named Hayes with his baton while arresting him. The ' ii'gus says the first waggon, -with a team of seven horses, went over the new Saddle road, Inangahua, on Monday week, with machinery for the wealth of Nations. A good deal of difficulty was experienced in getting past the short curves loading over the Saddle, and the waggon wa3 twice nearly locked. No trouble whatever was met. with on the journey from Reefton to the machine site,