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Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1064, 18 April 1873, Page 2

Quite a little storm in a tea-cup seeins to have arisen anent the Sunday school fete on Easter Monday. It is unworthy of notice, and might have been -wholly avoided had the promoters of the juvenile gathering availed themselves of the free facilities always afforded by the Press, to state explicitly their wishes and intentions. A meeting of the Westport Athenaeum Committee was held on Wednesday evening last, when it was decided that an effort should be made to organize a series of evening entertainments, lectures &c, during the coming winter in aid of the general funds of the institution, and to provide also if possible a lecture hall, and additional rooms to the present buiLiing. The Treasurer reported that he had received .£6O from the Provincial Government as grant in aid to the institution, and that the long expected consignment of r.ew books from England had at last arrived at Nelson by the Joyce Philips, and might be expected at Westport by an early steamer from the north.

The juvenile pic-nic fete arranged by the combined efforts of committees of St. Canices Catholic Church, and the United Methodist Free Church, was an unqualified success, and a merrier or more enjoyable out-door gathering has been rarely held in Westport than that witnessed at the Orawaiti yesterday. At least, nine tenths of the juvenile population of ', Westport were on the ground, and parents and frieDds assembled also in full force to witness the sports of the youngsters, and themselves join in the merriment. About eleven in the morning the youngsters formed in procession and marched with colors flying and music playing to Mr Gibson's paddock at Orawaiti, the very little ones being treated to a ride in various conveyances. At the grounds all sorts of sports were provided, prizes giveu to successful competitors in various games, and all things done that could be devised to ensure a thorough day's enjoyment. In the afterueen a large assembly of ladies and gentlemen were present also, and dancing on the green to the excellent music of the Westport Brass Band was kept up with unabated visor until lengthening shadows gave warning that the festive day was drawing to a close. The arrangements for providing refreshments were most efficient. "Full and plenty" was the watchword of the caterers, and all who chose to partake were well satisfied. Space prevents mention in detail of the names of those who by their untiring efforts achieved so* much success, but just as good wino needs no bush, so the willing workers of yesterday will crave little show of conventional compliment. We must not forget to add that as a fitting wind up to the day's amusement a social dancing party assembled in the evening at the Masonic Hall, kindly placed at the disposal of the committees by Mr John Hughes, and "footed it right merrily." The following extracts from a letter, written by tha Agent for the Bank of .New Zealand, to Messrs Martin and party, the promoters of the Halcyon Quartz Miming Company, at Mohikinui, gives the best =»nd most reliable proof that can be adduced of the richness of the newly discovered reef:— '' I beg to inform you that I hold at your disposal eleven pennyweights and foiar grains of gold, being produce from one hundred and twenty pounds of quartz-' handed by you to the Bank of New Zealand to have crushed. The results shows the stone to have produced at the rates of ten ounces and seven pennyweights of gold per ton of quartz. The stone was thoroughly roasted and ground down extremely fine in berdan machine with quicksilver the purity of which had been duly tested. The interest of the late Komerio Zala, in the Alpine Company, is offered for sale by the Curator of Intestate Estates.

Two more gold-bearing leaders have been struck in Messrs Carroll and Cairns claim—the Little Wonder.

A potato, locally grown, and weighing a pound and a half, may be seen at Carpenter's greengrocery store. Another weighing nearly four pounds was recently unearthed from the same patch, Spudology has evidently found congenial soil on the banks of the Buller.

From a letter appearing in our last issue it appears the Ngakawhau Coal Mining Company have at last opened up, or rather concluded negotiations for the floating of a company to properly work the mine. We understand that the present proprietors have agreed to accept payment, partly in cash and partly in scrip, for their present interest, and that the principal object ofthe proposed company will be. to establish a regular steam communication between tho Ngakawhau and the Buller river by means of one or more steam tugs sufficiently powerful to take in tow a string of coal lighters which will discharge their froight of coal either direct into coal ships at anchor in the Buller river, or on to wharves fitted with appliances for the easy loading of vessels. In any case tho floating of the company will conduce to much increased activity in thi3 port, and would seem to be the very best arrangement that could

possibly be devised,, pending t<he construction of a railway from Ngakawhau to tVestporb, . l \ \, • i , ; 1 i i ■ • !

A very sudden death ocenrred yesterday in tho immediate neighborhood of Mr Thiele'a Junction Store. A man George White, well known and respected throughout the district, leit Mr Thiele's store and walked across the grass paddock to the boat Mi&jpg on the bank of the Buller river, inKeompany with Lawrence Laraen, boatman.. In a short time after they returned, and in coming up the steep path on the river bank White complained that he felt a severe pain in his side, and said he would lie. down in the grass and rest himself. His companion left him, and on returning a short time after in company with Mr Thiele, they were horrified at finding the poor man dead, having apparently succumbed to heart disease or some similar malady. The deceased had lately been exploring at the Cascades, and had before been working as Addison's Flat. He was about 50 years of age, a native of the North of Ireland, and has a brother and some other relatives in Adelaide.

Mr Kynnersley's many friends on the Coast will read with profound regret the painful reasons he assigns for retiring from political life. In a letter written by him from Nelson, he says:—"l had determined before I came to Nelson that on March 29th I would decide either to visit the Grey and afterwards do my little best in the Provincial Council, or resign my seat forthwith, ,giving a clear mopth for the election of a member to succeed me at the opening of the Council on April 29th. When the time came for my decision, I had unfortunately no difficulty-whatever in making up my mind what to do. Pulse 120—gasping for breath and inability to walk, even on a deal level, at the rate of more than a mile an hour—a leg like the leg of a chair, an hour's good steady coughing every morning, mean simply the last stage of consumption—a state which is incompatible with the tenure of a seat in the Provincial Council of Nelson, or the performance of any other public duties." Mr Kynnersley also adds: " I must confess it was a very great wrench, and that I did not like it at all, for I was not only resigning my seat in the Council, but scratching my name from the entries for the Superintendency in October next." With characteristic modesty he speculates as to Ms fitness to discharge the duties of the office in the single sentence— '* I think that I could have done it as well as most people," and he eqnally sententiously and suggestively refers to his resignation of all prospects of political place by saying"However, I am out of it now, and of everything else."

The sal a of native land at Whenuakura came off at Pa tea on Thursday the 13th instant, and according to the Wanganui Chronicle was an unqualified success, the lots being Iceenly competed for, and realising in every case an advance on the upset price ; one or twojsections bringing nearly double the value put upon them by the Government. The sale realised a little over £12,000, and was attended by strangers from all parts of the colony. A Fire UeKef Fund has been opened at Reefton in aid of the sufferers by the recent fire in Broadway. The value of the buildings lost is estimated at about £6OO, and in addition the sufferers have lost nearly •all their personal effects, and in one instance a considerable amount in cash.

The residents at Murray Creek are about <o petition the Superintendent to place on the provincial estimates, a sum of £ISOO for a dray road from the foot of Murray Creek to the North Star Claim at head of the creek, a distance of two miles, for the more easy conveyance of quartz from adjacent claims.

It is stated that a meeting of the Wardens of the South-West Goldfields will be held at Reefton on the 28th instant for the purpose of considering the recent quartz mining regulations proposed by the mining conference.

•Possession of Mr Dodsworth's premises, which were destroyed by the late fire a; Tieefton, had only on the day previous been given up by Mr A. Prichard, draper. The survey of the Nine-mile road is progressing, bnt not quite so rapidly a3 some interested in the early commencement of road works would like to see.

The body of a man named Abernethy was found floating in the Wanganui river near the Corporation Wharf on Saturday last. He had been employed as a boatman at the Pilot Station.

A Gazette extraordinary published at the 9th instant, announces the acceptance by the Acting Governor of the resignation by the Hon. Mr Fox of his position as Premier and the appointment of the Hon. Mr Vogel to the offices of Premier, Colonial Treasurer Postmaster-General, and Telegraph Commissioner. The other members of the Ministry are confirmed in their existing appointments.

The Wellington Independent of the 10th instant reports that a warrant for the arrest of Mr Solomon, lately practising in Wellington as an oculist and optician—on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences—was placed in the hands of the Christchurcli police for execution on Saturday last. Full particulars of the case will appear in our next issue. The satisfactory news was received on Wednesday from Lairy's Creek that No. 2 claim south had struck the reef. This sets at rest all doubt as to the value of the prospectors claim on the bank of the creek, and No. 1 claim intervening. Most readers will agree with the remarks made by the Grey mouth Star: When a newspaper publisher feels himself called upon to print such an apology as that written and published by Mr Eichard Cuming, of the Eoss News, it is high time he entertained some idea of altering his avocation. The apology i 3 to Mr Warden Aylmer of Eoss, and reads as follows: —"Sir, Eeferring to a leading article in my issue of the 3rd instant, written by myself, ■wherein I made- certain statements and comments respecting your conduct as a Magistrate, I beg to retract thein all as being false and malicious; and I have further to apologise to you for the gross libel contained therein, and to express my deep regret that I should so far have forgotten myself as to have inserted in my paper, not only upon the occasion alluded to, but upon many previous occasions, that which was untrue, and calculated to defame and injure you—Signed Eichard Cuming, Printer and Publisher, Eoss News, The Inangahua Herald says that at the recent fire in Broadway the alarm was given less promptly than usual, firstly, owing to the advanced hour of the night, and secondly, to the services of a night watchman having been dispensed with. All the probabilities of the caso point to the fire having been caused by Taylor leaving a candle burning after having fallen asleep, and that it either fell or burnt down, igniting the shavings and scraps of paper left behind by the carpenters and paperhangers. According to the testimony of Mrs Baillie, she was awakened by the moans of tho deceased, and not till half an honr later was aroused by the flames, and

it is pot unlikely that Taylor's moano trere quickly stifled by suffocation and in the silence that followed, Mrs B&illio enStahed a few moments sluthbor, which, on her ■again being- roused by the flatnee, appeared to have lasted for halt' an hour. The true origin of the fire cannot, however, bo 'definitely ascertained, the only one who could have satisfactorily explained the matter, having with life paid the penalty of his shockingly intemperate habits. Enquiries respecting the friends or rela lions of the deceased Taylor, place it almost beyond doubt that he leaves a wife and children behind, resident in Ballarat.