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Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1073, 20 May 1873, Page 2

The contractors who have been engaged to supply timber for the new Orawaiti Bridge have already cut a largo quantity of timber, which is now lying ready for use. The work will be commenced ou the bridgo very shortly, and in the course of a few weeks, if-no unforeseen hindrance occurs the bridgo will bo again open for traffic. The favorite young actress, Miss Amy Thornton, or La Petite Amy as the playbills style her, will shortly appear at the Masonic Hall with Mr and Mrs H. N. Thornton, in a series of dramatic performances. Efforts will bo made, and no doubt with success, to obtain the help of really efficient amateurs, and the promise is made, and no doubt will be kept, that legitimate entertainments will alone bo presented. Greatly to the amusement of a crowd of bystanders on the wharf yesterday, Mac the bellman gave vent to his feelings in characteristic fashion. The Kennedy was leaving with a larger number of passengers than usual, and among them some wandering star " professionals," who have lately • essayed to beguile the Wcstpoit public, and were then, as is the custom of their tribe, about to pay their bills with a flip of the foresail. Even Mac's little account had not been-squared, and so in sweet revenge he announced the facts in stentorian accents for the edification of the passengers and all and sundry interested. It was nothing to Mac that printers, hotelkeepers, and the confiding public generally should be fleeced, but to bilk the bellman was the unkindest cut of all, and his indignation boiled over. Paterfamilias, on the look out for a cheap Sunday dinner, had a rare chance en Saturday last at Towndrow's auction rooms. A consignment of live turkeys and fowls on board the Wallace intended for Greymouth, were, owing to the vessel's detention here, sold for-what they would fetch, rather than incur the chance of their dying in longer confinement. The turkeys realised about three and sixpenco each, and the fowls three shillings per couple. A good sample of locally grown maize fa oa sale dt James Powelland Co's store. It was produced by tho Maoris on the cultivation paddock at the south side of the Buller, and is an exceedingly good proof of tho richness of the soil and genial climate. The grain is large sized, well formed, and firm, and differs little from the Clarence River maize except that at is paler in color. There was a so-called dramatic "benefit" performance at tho Masonic Hall on Friday evening last If it had tho effect of convincing itinerant show peoplo and vain glorious amateur " sticks" that the Wettd< rt public declined to be gulled it wa3 of benefit. From any other point of view it was an unmitigated sham. News reached town on Friday from the Lyell that the Little Wonder leader had been btruck in Blair and O'Brien's claim with stone exceedingly rich. The half-yearly balance sheet of the Anderson's Quartz Mining Company has buon published, and shows the income from November last to have been £I9OO from calls, £6-130 3s 4<l, proceeds of gold from the claim, and £IBO for crushing stone for the Invinciblo company, making a total of iSSIO 3s 4d. The expenditure has been £B3BO 2s lid, leaving a credit balance of £l3O sd. The company still owing a balance of £I7OO to the contractors for the machinery, which, when paid, the company will bo perfectly free from debt. The assets of tho company are valued at £35,755 od.

Messrs Mason brothers, proprietors of the well known Parnell Nurseries, near Auckland, have forwardod us a'copy of their new catalogue of hardy ornamental trees, evorgreens, and flowering shrubs, roots &c. The list is one of the most comprehensive published in New Zealand, and the prices quoted seom moderate. The list is at the service of any one wishing to peruse it. In reply to the petition presented by Mr O'Couor on behalf of miners and other residents at tho Mohikinui praying for the construction of a track "to tho reefs, his Honor stated that the survey would bo made immediately, and a blazed track would then be available for persons travelling. He 'would also make provision upon tho estimates for the construction of the track. Mr-O'Conor also asked the services of a surveyor on behalf of O'Rouke.Faris and party, who are about constructing a large water-race at Addison's. The request was granted, and the surveyor will be instructed to perform the survey of the race. Mr Ivess'has given notice for a detailed statement of expenditure of an item of £lB3 17s Bd>for signatures collected on tho " bob a nob" [system against the separation movement on the West Coast, which had been carried into account under Contingencies.

Quartz mining is again looking up in Otago, the Gabriel Gully Quartz Company has declared £IOOO as a dividend for six weeks crushing, and Logan's claim at Cromwell has struck the reef yielding lOozs to the ton.

•'A third call of £5 per share on the second issue of the Alpine Company scrip has been made payable. The Lyell Argus says : —Some twelve months ago a share in the Alpine Company, Lyell, was sold to Mr Acton Adams, of Nelson, for the sum of £ll-00, under the following conditions:— That .£SOO be paid down, and that at the expiration of twelve months it should be optional with the purchaser whether he paid the additional £SOO or the deposit be refunded with interest at 10 per cent, added. We understand that Mr Adams has elected to receive back the deposit of £SOO with £SO interest added.

The crushing from the Golden Ledge stone has yielded at the rate of about 15 dwts to the ton of 22401bs dead weight. The usual ton measurement of quartz is estimated to weigh 1 ton 15 cwt. The Greymouth Star of the 12th instant says:—We received the following telegraphic message from a Westport merchant to-day: It says, " Tell Messrs Girdwood and Co. to order Melbourne steamers to discharge at Westport wharves. Will forward Grey cargo by the steamer Result." The County Chairman leaves tor Nelson by the steamer Charles Edward.

The Greymouth Coalmining Company (Limited) has been duly gazetted in the General Government Gazette of the Ist instant.

One section of the new road from the Arnold to the No Town road lias just been completed for a distance of two miles, and the other section from the No Town road to Nelson Creek will finished on Tuesday next. The remaining portion of the road to the Ahaura will bo completed in about a month, so that the coach will then be able to run right through without interruption, without going along any portion of the river banks as at present. Mr Dobson, Provincial Engineer, speaks in the highest terms of the manner in which Mr Butler, contractor, has proceeded with his contract. The Chief Inspector of Customs at Auckland recently obtained samples of beer from the principal breweries in the Colony, from Wellington. •!• samples; Canterbury and Otago, 22; Auckland, 10 ; and Nelson, 0. After being aualysed, they were all found to be free from adulterants of any kiud. This number of analyses having been performed upon samples selected unknown to the brewers who manufactured the beverages with so satisfactory results, speaks very favorably of the character of colonial brewers, and shows that they provide good and wholesome malt beverages for those who desire them.

The funds of the Greymouth Fire Brigade getting somewhat low, Messrs Masters°and Greenwood started lately a subscription list and with no very great trouble gathered about £2OO.

Town property in Greymouth is increasing in value. Only recently Gilmer Bros, disposed of a corner section with a frontage of 33 feet to Tanui street, by a depth of (To feet to Mackay, street, held under lease from the Maori Commissioner at an annual rental of £ 14, for the sum of £320. The property was purchasedthrough McssrsMoss and Co. A small cottage and section in Albert street also realised .£215. A telegram has been received in Hokitika from Wellington, stating that the construction of the Waimea Water Race will be immediately proceeded with. The telegram reads :—" Positive orders have been given by Public Works Department to proceed. Iron work is orpered from England." The Tuapeka Times says the General Government is anxious to appoint Mr Justin Aylmer.Jas Warden of Tuapeka, vice Vincent Pyke, who has received a year's leave of absence.

We have received the first number of the " Now Zealand Tablet," published in Dunedin. According to the prospectus issued the object of the Company is "the issue of a weekly paper in which tho events of the Catholic world can be placed before the public in their true colors, tho current news of the day faithfully reported, and all public questions discussed solely on their own merits."

The Ahaura correspondent of tho Grey Weekly Press says:—"Something approaching a mania for land seems to prevail just now in the Grey Valley, but I am disposed to think that there will for some time to come be more leaseholders than farmers, as much of the land is being taken up on " spec." The prospect of the early opening of the Amuri country has turned the atten" tion of people in that direction, and I believe that within a month some extensive areas will be applied for in that quarter. Meetings have been held at Greymouth condemning the " truck" system on public works, the working men, of whom there are at present great numbers awaiting the commencement of road and railway work at. Greymouth, considering that a system which compels them to purchase all they need from their employers lessens materially the value of their earnings. The local papers teem with correspondence on the subject, but tho practical result of the agitation is as yet a little doubtful. A late telegram from Wellington states that all existing Curators' Districts under the Intestate Act are abolished, and the whole of New Zealand is declared one district, Mr W. R. E. Brown, of Wellington, being appointed Curator. It is rumored in Wellington that Dr Pollen, tho newly elected member of tho Ministry, will probably be PostmasterGeneral.