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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1004, 13 September 1872, Page 2

( The Grey Valley electoral roll for 1872-13 t Inn 649 vo't rj names on it. I

A reward of £IOO has been offered for the discovery of the body of Thomas Costello. Organised efforts to discover the rema'm, are being conducted uuder the superintendence of Senior-Constable M'Ardle and Constable Meredith. The water in Boatman's Creek has been turned, and search parties are endeavoring to find traces of the missing man in various directions. The anniversary of the Charleston Lodge of M.U.1.0F. was celebrated with a ball and La iquet at the Theatre Royal Charleston, on Tuesday evening last, and the committee of management may be congratulated on the success crownin? their efforts to render the celebration a pleasurable recollection to all concerned therein. The order was represented from this district by Pr.G.M. Brother John Hughes, P.N.O. Brother Walter Bishop, and N.G. Brother W. Aberuethey. At nightfall the assembled brotherhood, numbering at least 100 members, paraded the principal streets of Charleston in full regalia, and headed by a Brass Band of thirteen musicians, whose strains of martial music attracted spectator from near and far, thronging the streets with a crowd of pleasant fases. As the procession passed Princes street, Mr Fyvie, the chemist, improvised a sensational divert'sement; suddenly illuminating the scene by o display of brilliant parti-colored fires. The effect was remarkably good, and theapplause unbounded. After the procession had returned to the place of assembly, dancing commenced, and the ball-room was graced by the presence of a goodly sprinkling of the fair sex, many of whom had come long distances .to honor the celebration. There were not less than fifty couples occupying the "floor," and dancing was kept up with unabated vigor far into the "wee sma' hours ay ant the twal." In addition also to the members of the fraternity, the District Hibernian Society was worthily represented by several members, who fraternised with amicable concord, and added much to the success of the celebra-

tion by their presence. The decorations of the hall were in good taste, and the refreshment department, under the management of the Committee, all that could be possibly desired. As an incentive to increased harmony and friendly feeling among all classes of thecommunity, the celebration will afford many very pleasant reminisences.

Storekeepers and others, exposing goods where light fingered gentry may have a chance of helping themselves, will do well to be on the alert. The shop till of Messrs Suisted Brothers has been twice ransacked during the last few days, and the pilferers, growing bold by success, have since deliberately helped themselves to a side of pork from the same shop. They may possibly prowl round elsewhere for the necessary trimmings for a cadgers feast. The City Hotel, in Gladstono street, was sold for .£3O by auction on Wednesday last, at purchasers risk of removal. The building at present stands resting on piles a foot or two only in the shingle, the surf having washed away the solid ground underneath. Mr Dobson, Provincial Engineer, was a passenger per steamer Murray on We Inesday for Nelson.

The formation of Cobden street is being rapidly pushed on, and it is possible, even at present, to walk on dry ground from the Post office in Palmerston street, to the wharf. When the drains are finished and the road and foot-paths formed, Cobden street will be a very pleasant thoroughfare Mr John Corr's extensive premises on the VVest side of the street, are completed, and will in a few days be open for business. In addition to a wide frontage in Cobden street, his sections rnn right through the block to Lytteltou street, and a substantial tramway has been laid down thereon, leading up to the rear of the warehouse, so that merchandise can ba sent out or stored from either street, as may be most convenient. Drake the pedestrian has challenged Twohill to run him from one hundred" to five hundred yards, or all included distances, fwohill to have the choice of starting, for £25 to £SO a-side. The offer being made in consequence of Twohill being dissatisfied with the start made at the last match at Greymouth.

The Timaru ' Herald,' writing against ths longer perpetuation of the Grand Jury system, says it has nothing whatever to recommend its continuance, but everything points to its abolition. It jumps rather at conclusions than sifts evidence, and many a blackguard sent for trial at the Supreme Court, has reason to bless his stars that a body exists, whose "no bill" has been to him as delicious music, and cause of wonder both to himself and everybody else who has watched the preliminary stages of the matter which has led him into trouble. Besides being a loop hole whereby the criminal ofter escapes justice, the grand, jury, by drawing into its ranks men of culture, is a means of keeping to a dull mediocrity the more useful adjunct of the court—the petty jury. This class of jurymen is sadly in want of fresh blood to lift it out of the region of contempt it is now pretty universally consigned to, and it the abolition of grand juries would cause the petty to be held in greater esteem than now ij the case, the abolition would not be in vain.

We observe by our Australian telegraphic news, that the overland telegraph is completed and working satisfactorily, but communication by the submarine cable, connecting Australia with Java is not restored, so that the new line_as yet is nob so useful as it may be. We have received from the Government printer a number of papers which have been presented to Parliament, including some very valuable and interesting reports on the public works, there are fourteen maps relating to Westland and the Nelson Southwest Goldfields, and the papers on coal fields contain accounts of Dr Hector's explorations of the Buller and Grey Valleys. Eeviewing Mr Reynold's resolutions regarding insular separation, the Nelson ' Colonist ' says:—The demand for Goldfields legislation, and the desire for change in some portions of the Goldfields, all point towards some alteration, which will probably, at the outset, take shape in something like the double Province scheme, with a Central Government and Legislature, to end, not unlikely, in a division into two Colonies. The Fiji correspondent of the ' Southern Croßs' says:—" Unquestionably in Fiji the unprincipled canaille are the only people who are securing monetary wealth, since integrity and righteous principles are at a fearful discount, and wickedness of the worst type is at a premium." The same writer says that " the roll of magistrates contains the names of many persons who have suffered shorter or longer terms of imprisonment in one or more of Her Britannic Majesty's gnols." Under tho heading "West Coast Traitors," the ' Herald' of Saturday last, contains, in a prominent place, the following advertisement :—"A public meeting will be held this evening, at the Oddfellows' Hall, for the purpose of giving a public expression of opinion on the conduct of Messrs E. J. O'Conor auU John White, who, by their votes on Thursday last, defeated the Ministry, aad have prevented separation

from Nelson. The (effigy) representatives w.ll attend and be put on their trial." On Friday evening there was at Ahaura, as at Greymouth, a procession, followed by a hanging and burning of effigies—the effigies in question being to represent the two West Coast members of the Assembly, who, according to the popular conception at the Ahaura, have been " traitors" to the general interests of. the Coast. The feeling at both places is one of " great indignation." The ' Herald ' says:—A letter from a respectable old settler at Spring Grove, Nelson, states that the officers under the Provincial Government view with dismay the possibility of the South-West Goldflelds being severed from Nelson. In every instance greatly reduced pay and in many the abolition of offices is regarded as the inevitable sequence of the dreaded proposal being carried into effect; and as a last resource the whole array of officialdom is busily engaged from early morn to dewy eve canvassing the settled districts for signatures to the anti-separation petition. Mr William White, clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court at Spring Grove visited our correspondent, but failed to obtain his signature, the objection raised being that the people of the settled districts had no right to be consulted in a matter that purely and solely affects the inhabitants of the South-West Goldflelds, who he was willing to believe were justified in asserting that their revenue had been mis-appropriated and ill-expended. It is idle to suppose however, that many will refuse their signatures on the conscientious convictions that actuated our correspondent j and it is not improbable that the mass of signatures obtained in the settled districts, will be laid before the House as having been signed by residents in the Central aud Upper Buller goldflelds, foi-ming portion of the seceding territory. Acting under this belief we wish to give prominence to the fact, that Provincial servants are scouring the settled districts for signatures to the anti-separation petition.

The Wellington correspondent of the ' Bruce Herald' writing on the progress of the recent no-confidence debate says, that members of doubtful politics and principles could get J. P. added to every name on their electoral roll."

The Alexandra arrived at Auckland from Sydney, on the sth. The new alluvial diggings reported at Queensland, are creating great excitement in Australia. A thousand men are reported to be on the ground. Miners have become noted for their litigious proclivities, in rushing to Court upon very slight provocation for the settlement of disputes that in nine cases out of ten might be as well or better decided amongst themselves: but the ' Tuepeka Times' has lighted upon one who as a solitary respecter of the law is quite a model of propriety. It says:—There is a man living at Lammerlaw, Otago, whose unexampled woes merit the greatest comiseration. Some five weeks ago, while on a visit to Waipori, he fell in witb a number of friends. An extensive patronage of the various hotels followed, which resulted in the hero of our story, who is ordinarily quiet and well behaved, developing pugilistic tendencies, inimical to the " peace of our Sovereign Lady, the Queen, her crown and dignity." Before he had an opportunity of doing any mischief, tke vigilant preserver of law and order marched him off to the Camp, where he spent the night. On the following morning the Constable liberated him on his undertaking to appear and be punished at the next Court held in Waipori, True to his promise, the man came in on the following Friday, but there being no court, hia journey was fruitless. The two following Fridays he appeared at the Camp, but with the same result. On the fourth Friday he again axme in. A well-known and worthy J.P. was at Waipori on that day. To him the delinquent presented himself, asking to be fined. The J.P. was staggered at this unusual request, and asked the man what he meant. The man gave an explanation of the circumstances, winding with an urgent appeal to be fined, " for " said he, "lama working man, living six miles away, and can't afford to come in every week." The J.P. being of a philanthropic disposition, expressed his willingness to gratify the man, and told him to get the constable, and he would hear the charge, Here another difficulty arose—the constable was away on duty elsewhere. The J.P. then suggested that somebody should be got to make the charge. The man accepted this suggestion with celerity, an 1 immediately proceeded to procure some one to prosecute. After a considerable search he found an obliging individual, and the pair presented themselves to the justice. An information was drawn up, but when the individual who had consented to act as prosecutor was required to swear to the charge, he flatly refused to do so, as he knew nothing about the affair. This, of course, precluded any further action being taken in the case. The delinquent was awfully disgusted, and after fruitlessly endeavoring to get the justice to fine him, offered to deposit an amount to cover any fine that might be inflicted. This offer could not be entertained, and he had to depart without having his desire gratified. Who will venture to say after this that the digger is not a law respecting individual ? Frank Guinness, M.P.C., for Ahaura, the Grey, has been gazetted a Justice of the Peace for the Colony.