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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1027, 3 December 1872, Page 2

The journey too and from the Custom House gives ' fits ' to everyone during' warm ■weather. A-footsore pilgrim, whose duty rather than inclination takes him there too often, has calculated the distance from Lyttelton street corner to the Custom House, as half a mile and three chains. The road is in keeping with the rest of the new streets in Westport, unique in their way, and fashioned rather to resemble boulder banks than decent thoroughfares. Good beyond measure for shoemakers and all else conuected with the gentle craft, but exasperatingly rotigh on poor feet. The Excelsior company are now placing stone in the Alpine paddock, and crushing will commence in about ten days time, as soon as the ' Little Wonder' stone is dia. posed of. Our local gardenei-3 on the south side of the river are now bringing in good supplies of vegetables, and are able to compete successfully with Nelson producers. Prices for garden stuff still range high and no doubt, to some extent, limit the demand. The Colonial Government have forwarded to Eeefton the plan of a very handsome building to servo as Post Office and Telegraph Office combined. It is to be erected on the ground near the Court House. The specifications state that the erection is to be finished in January. Up to the 21st instant about one hundred applications had been made for space in the Christchureh Exhibition, independent of what will be required for the public institutions, and Museums and also for golduelds exhibits. The following suggestion, amongst others, will be submitted by the Arrow Miner's Association for consideration at the forthcoming Mining conference :—That in order to promote settlement upon the goldfields, cheapen the cost of the necessaries of life and increase the revenues of the Province, it is desirable that holders of Miner's rights bo permitted to take up lands for homesteads ami gardens, to be selected on any portions of the goldfields, except on proved auriferous blocks. Applications to be filed at the Warden's office, and advertised as in the case of agricultural leases. A substantial fence shall be erected round the land within six months from date of occupation, and rent at the rate of 2s 6d per acre shall be paid. Holders of miners' rights shall bj permitted to enter upon the land to search o: mine for gold by payment of compensa. tion for growing crops, fencing &c. Waterr.*ces may be cut through such lands without compensation, except for wilful or unnecessary damage. By the Kennedy yesterday there returned from the Queensland diggings some six or seven old residents on the coast who had ventured their luck on a trip to the new goldfield, but who have found that travelling far means faring worse, and that the Coast holds out some advantages not fully appreciated until after a short absence therefrom. Some excellent specimens of quartz have been obtaine 1 by Mr Bayfield of the Bank of New Zealand from Overhagen and party's

claim at tho J Wairnaugaroa. or rather Mount Eochfort, the claim being some considerable distance up tho Mountain. The stone is a whitish quartz, showing plain indications of gold, looking as if splashed upon the surface, hut gold bearing throughout. The party working the claim have followed down the leader for some distance and are now sinking a shaft to strike the reef. _ Should their efforts result in success, of which thoy are at present sanguine, it will tend to the further prospecting of the locality which is presumedly rich in mineral resources.

Mr James Powell has in his possession a handsome nugget weighing about 130z3 4 dwts, lately found in Murray Creek, near the Westland Machine Company's battery. The nugget is of a fiat oval shape, somewhat water worn, and deeply marked with earth btains, but evidently of pure gold throughont. The lucky findei'3 are busily fosicking the locality for more. News reached here on Saturday that the steamer Phoebe, on her trip down from Auckland to Nelson, burst her boiler, and was compelled to put back. The actual particulars of the damage done will be found in our telegrams. Warden's Court business at the Lyell is becoming heavy. On;Fridoy last Mr Wardenßroad was engaged until 11 o'clock at night, there being over 200 persons present during tho day, and revenue was collected to the tune of £2OO. After the Ist proximo Courts will be held there fortnightly. Among other business transacted a prospecting claim for a.new reef was granted to Maloney and party. The application for a lease made by the proprietors of tho Little Wonder claim was opposed by various parties, claiming prior pegging out under miners' rights. Messrs Pitt and Shapter appearing as Counsel. The case will be heard on the 18th instant. The Lyell district ia going ahead rapidly, shares in claims are at a premium, and building sections are eagerly enquired after. Complaints are made by travellers to the norihward, that the ferry boats on the Wa : mangaroa and Mokihinui rivers are not only ill-fitted for the work, but are also badly attended to, and that frequent delays arise from inattention on the part of those in charge. Presuming such complaints are based on facts some stringent remedial measures should be adopted.

Some excitement has eventuated in the Lyell and Reef ton districts by the discovery of plain indications of a new reef at the head of Irishman's Creek, about three miles from the Alpine claim. Specimens which have been obtained near the surface are very good, and a company has been formed consisting of 22 shareholders, who have applied for a lea3e of 16 acres. It is thought that when the bearings of the reef are more plainly opened up ib may prove a continuation of the Alpine Reef, and in that case the intervening ground will become of special interest to speculators. A correspondent writing to the ' Grey River Argus' says a lOoz nugget was lately found four miles below the township of Red Jack's, in a storm water gully, between No Town and Deadman's Creek. About two years ago a party of miners got 90ozs of coarse gold in the same locality, and on the opposite side of the range a Maori about two years since found a nugget weighing 53oss and some pennyweights. A telegram was received by Serjeant Kh'ly on Saturday last, stating that a body identiaed as that of German Jerry, has been picked up on the Lyell river and was awaiting inquest. Constable Hunter, late of Reefton has been stationed at Westport rice Constable O'Gorman superseded.

Mary Ann Woodman, charged with maliciously wounding Kate McCarthy, has been committed for trial at the next sitting of the District Court, to be held on the 23rd instant.

Alluvial workings in the Koefton District are attracting increased attention. A nugget weighing 17 ozs was lately found near the haad of New Chum Creek, and another weighing 13ozs 4d\vts, | has been also found in Murray Creek, near the surface of the ground, and ha 3 been ssnt down to Mr James Powell. Good payable ground has also been struck in Redmans were about thirty men are working. la Italians Gully a party of eight have sot in and seem content with their prospects, there is alsoja small party working at Little Boatmans. Some good heavy alluvial gold is also found at Larry's, a nugget weighing about 14dwts having been sent down to Mr Poole at the Hospital by his son, who found it there with some others. _ Particular attention is called to the advertisement offering sections, fronting and adjacent to Palmerston street, fcr lease or absolute sale. It has long been a source of regret that the north side of the street has not been available for building. The obstacle i 3 now in some measure removed, and those who choose may now obtain possession of some of the most eligible sections. The Wellington is advertised to leave Auckland on the 3rd, but will probably wait for the San Francisco Mail.