TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1872.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1019, 5 November 1872, Page 2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1872.

Pe>ih>'(} tho ultimate decision of the troublous questions now agitating tho minis of section holders and possessors of household property in Westporfc, there is at least one vital point of public interest upon which all are agreed. It is the absolute necessity for permanent protective works along tho river bank. Often and in vain has this been pleaded for. True it is that at times spasmodic attempts have been made to protect certain disconnected pointsin immediate jeopardy, but the money, reluctantly doled out from the Provincial exchequer in merest driblets, has been expended to no good purpose, has hi fact been thrown away in temporary expedients, and, in this preeent day, Westport is in a worse plight than ever befoi'e in its melancholy history. There is no need now to. recall past misdeeds of omission' or commission ; 'twould bo but a. wearisome, oft told tale, profitless in its recital. It ia with the present rather than the gast wo bave

to do, and tho question ia all important. It is this, shall or shall not Westport ho wiped off tho face of the earth? If from its position at the mouth of the best river harbor on the West Coast of tho Middle Island ; as the centre from which must radiate all commerce incident to tho expansion of tho vast resources of mineral wealth, our coalfields and pur goldmines everywhere surrounding; if it is considered worthy of a name and place in the history of colonial settlement; then it hecomes the imperative duty of any government, with tho slightest pretensions to a liberal or intelligent policy, to afford this community the timely help so often accorded to other communities whose necessities have been weak and trifling in comparison. It matters little what may be the ultimate form and semblance of the town of AYestport whether it bo built on the new site or the old, or, what is more likely, extend over both ; the permanence of its foundations will depend on the river protective works. Such works are absolutely necessary if tho town is to have any longer existence. The people here - have fought well and bravely against a multitude of oft recurring disasters, in their efforts to developo this rich but sadly neglected portion of New Zealand territory ; but to no good purpose. Their efforts have been thwarted instead of assisted, and with very mauy it has become a matter of deep consideration, whether it would not be better to abandon the continual contest with adverse influences and seek new pastures. The mere rumour of a distant rush has lately drained off the floating population. Authentic news therefrom, of good import, would quickly load to Westport being well nigh deserted. This is no picture of the imagination, but the foreshadowing of a possibility which should not be ignored, and our plea is that the General Government should at once take Westport affairs into serious consideration. The promise has been made that within the next two years, money shall be expended in developing the district and opening up its resources. A portion at least of that money should, as a preliminary measure, be expended in protecting the property of those who have hitherto borne the whole brunt and burden of tho struggle in initiating a work which the government now give some promiso of helping to complete. It would be well that those in our midst, most active in public matters, take action herein, to lay before the General Government a plain and explicit statement of the many wrongs the Westport people arc enduring, and to request that out of the public moneys now or hereafter to be expended on public works, a fair and equitable portion may be allotted, and at once expended on tho Buller river bank. It will surely bo no great tax upon the engineering skill at the command of either General or Provincial Government, to devise protective works at once efliciont and comparatively inexpensive. Works that might be fairly classed as reproductive, inasmuch as protecting property whereon the taxpayers have from their own resources invested many thousand of pounds, and also as ensuring the safety of a port absolutely necessary as a basis from which to extend other public works for the development of the inland country.

A serious boat accident occurred on the river on Sunday morning last. The cargo boat of George Perrotti, ladm with goods for the Lyell, was capsized at Ohika, and one of the horses drowned ; nearly the entire cargo now lying at tlio bottom of the river. The accident occurred about half a mile above Ohika, and it is said, aro?e from the men being compelled by the impassable state of the Towing Track at that particular point to take their horses ou board, and attempt to sheer across the current —here both deep and rapid. Tn doing so they shipped some water, and the horses on board became restless, and shifted their position, causing the boat to list dangerously, and despite all efforts o' the men to keep her under command she drifted into the rip, and speeding down stream in stant y capsized, floating bottom upwards, and throwing every one on board iiti the water. One of the howes, entangled in tho tarpauling or gear, cculd free itself and was quickly drowned, but the other ultimately got ashore. Meanwhile tho crow struggled on to the bottom of the boat, and with them a female passenger, Mrs Sullivan, whose dress had luckily caught in a rullock and kept her from sinking. The steersman, Georgo Perrott', was thrown some ten or twelve feet from the boat, but kept himself afloat and, by providential dispensation, wag thus enabled to rescue a little child named Cannini, about 18 months old, accompanying Sullivan. Thus freighted the boat drifted nearly two miles down to the Ohika ferry, where a boat put off and rescued all hands from their perilous position, Tho cargo bent contained in addition to a heavy freight ot' merchandise, a slate billiard table sent up to the Lyell by Mr John Campbell, and the aatec for some time remained suspended across the thwarts, and in somo measure te ided to keep the boat steady in her inverted position. On reaching more shallow water the mast, till then still standing,

struck forcibly on tho bottom, and tore away the woodwork and tho table thu3 sank beyond all hopes of recovery, and with it also a largo portion of the heavy cargo. Many lighter parcels and cases floated in tho stream, and some few woro recovered. Up to dusk last night the Maoris in their canoes were on the look out for waifs and strays, evidently bent on making booty. Wo hear that another accident, whereby Mr George White nearly lost a valuable horse, occurred a few days since on another defective portion of the Towing Track. The news from Anderson's is highly satisfactory to all interested therein. Tho stone i 3 still improving and shares are in demand at advanced rates. Offers of £lO are freely made by Reef ton speculators, but shares in Westport are held for an advance. The specimens of stone brought down from the Alpine claim are rcaily wonderful in their richness, and deserve a prominent place among rich and raro collections of mineral treasures. A pieee of stone now in the possession of Mr J. Corr, is one of the richest quartz S2)ecimeus, if not the very richest yet unearthed at the Lyell, and would if shown in Victoria cause an oicitemont in speculative circles sufficient to send shares up in the market with an uncontrollable buoyancy. Here familiarity seems to brood contempt; the public have seen so much of, and so many, specimens of golden quartz that they cause little or no excitement. It would however be a good idea if a few of our leading mining companies sent to the forthcoming Christehurch exhibition collections of quartz specimens from their respective mines, thus showing to the Colonial public, who will certainly flock there to gaze at wonders, tho richuess of this Goldiield, whereof the colonial public know little and care less. The specimens to be forwarded need not be many in number, and might be displayed in small glass punelled boxe.?, each labelled with the name of tho company, and accou p mied by a short description of tho mine, its situation, extent, and present development. If :i few of the Westport shareholders would co-operate with tho mining managers on the reefs, this matter could be easily accomplished. Tho good n suits to certainly arise therefrom need no comment.

The following are the names of the successful tenderers for local mail services during the ensuing year : —-Addison's. E. Smyrk ; Eochfort and Terraces, 11. Bush; Charleston, James Simpson; Westport to Christies, W. llanna ; Christies to Reefton, B. Shannon; Christies to Lyell, 11. Taylor ; Charleston to Brighton, James Moles. For service No 9, between the wharves and Po3t. office, no tender has been accepted. Mr Bromley and Miss Emily Holman appeared last night at the Theatre Royal, and attracted a good audience, anxious to renew acquaintance with their old friend George, and interested none the less in the first appearance of Miss ilolman, who has been spoken of in eulogistic terms by the southern papers. The young lady succeeded in creating a very favorable impression, and bids fair to become <in ornament to the profession she has adopted. Endowed with a good appearance, well modulated voice, and no inconsiderable musical ability, her expi-esaivo singing won unbounded applause and many admirers. Mr Bromley was as good as ever. He sung the old songs as of yore, personated his favorite characters, freshened up his olla podridaol whimsicalities with new and spicy seasoning, and strove most energetically to keep his friends' ri3iblc faculties in constant exercise. And working with a will, of course he succeeded. To-night another performance will be given and a new programme is promised, sparkling with fun and musical novelties.

A man named Ireland Watts is under arrest from Charleston, for having obtained money under falsa and fraudulent pretences. The specific charge being that he first mortgaged an hotel at lteefton to one party for £OO, and then made an absolute sale of the same to another man for £2O. Ho will be sent up to tbe Ilet-f ton Court. A hoii3e robbery was committed at the Inangah.ua Junction on Friday last, and the thief is still at large. Do i 3 a German, well known in the locality, and has contrived to getaway with £93 in Bank Notes, 3ozs 16dwts of loose gold, and some articles of clothing. He was last seen at Carter's eleven miles above the Lyoll on Saturday morning, and is apparently heading oif for Nelson or Blenheim.

An inquest was held at the Bush Tavern, Nelson, on the 25th instant on the body of Rodolfe do Cnmpo, who had b;en well known in the Bullsr and Lyell district. He left here some time in August last with the expressed purposo of getting married, and remained in Nelson for nearly a month, when he mysteriously disappeared and no clue could be obtained until the discovery of his remains in an advanced state o? decomposition, lying on a hill side, on land adjoining the Wakapauka road. One of the witnesses examined at the inquest said that about eight weeks ago he had seen a man lying on the ground where the body was found, rolling about and groaning as if in pain, but the witness pissed on and did not speak to him. A licensed victualler with whom Do Campo had lodged identified some articles found on the dead body as having been in the possession of De Campo and said that previous to his disappearance from the hotel wherein he had been lodging, he, De Campo, had seemed short of money. The police enumerated the articles found by them, besides the clothes in which deceased was attired. A silver Geneva watch, no makers name, No. 29,579. Leather watch guard with puzzle ring attached. Razor shut and folded in brown paper, a small pocket looking-glass, two watch keys and a piece of pawau shell, no money, two pocket handkerchiefs, and a walking stick which wa3 found underneath the body.