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Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1075, 27 May 1873, Page 2

As there exists some doubt as to the precise day upon which the Court of Revision of the Electoral Roll for tho Buller district will bo held, by reason that the arrival of the revising offieer in Westport depends upon the arrival of a steamer from the south, many whoso names now figure on the list of applicants objected to may not care to run the risk of a fruitless visit to town on the 2nd proximo, tho data at present fixed for holding tho Court. To prevent all trouble or inconvenience Messrs Fisher and Shaplor have preferred their services in the Court to sustain the claims of any who consider their names have been wrongly objected to, and if such persons will furnish these gentlemen with the particulars of their claims the business will be attended to in their absence gratuitously. Thus there should be nothing to prevent every one who wishes it obtaining a hearing whenever tho Court may be held. News came from the Lyell last evening that the Maruia Company have struck a body of quartz from 18 to 25 inches thick, showing good gold. The opinion of tho mining manager is that the main reef has been reached. This event will no doubt give increased confidence in the Lyell reefs. Other items are hold over.

The performance at the Masonic Hall on Saturday evening attracted a very fair audience, and was in itself sufficiently meritorious to have filled the house to overflowing, that is when compared with the average ruu of dramatic performances presented in the Coast townships. The performance was long and varied, and the bright particular star of the evening was Little Amy, who, essaying many parts, in each achieved success, and was greeted with applause and manifestations of admiration only tempered by regret that one so young, so talented, and so willing, should have to bear tke brunt and burden of the performance. 'Reversing the usual order of things dramatic, the curtain rose to the screaming farce of "Nursey Chickweed," Miss Amy of course was the little heroine of the piece, and the other characters were well filled by Mr and Mrs Thornton and Messrs Bush and Bishop. Thereafter some musical selections, dancing, and recitation, were introduced, wherein Amy sang and danced with her accustomed spirit. Mrs Thornton sang a pleasing little ballad, and Mr Thornton gave with effect, the Charge of the Six Hundred Three Shakesperian scenes thou followed, being the rampart scene from Hamlet, tho prison scene from King John, and tho trial scene from the Merchant of Venice. In the widely different characters of Hamlet, Prince Arthur, and Portia.Little Amy was versatile and intelligent beyond her years, and was well supported by the company, amateur and professional, to whom the sub ordinate characters were allotted. Mr Thornton played impressively as Shylock, and a young lady amateur made a graceful and f;olf possessed Gratiano. Last night the performance was repeated to an appreciative audience, and for Friday next another programme will be presented for the benefit of the Westport Fire Brigade. The Directors of tho Albion Coal Company (Limited), advertise in the Dunedin papers that 1000 shares have been reserved for Otago, and that applications will be received in Bunodin up to the Ist proxmo.

A recent test of stone from the 'Break o'Day claim yielded one pennyweight from half a pound weight of stone, which, before crushing, presented scarcely any perceptible sign of gold. Messrs Moran and party have applied for a sjDeeial grant of twelve heads of water from the Sis-mile Creole, to command unworked ground on the terrace at tho back of the low-lying Malakitaki flats. In the Provincial Council on Thursday last Mr O'Conor moved, " That his Honor tho Superintendent be requested to place the sum of .£2OOO upon the Estimates i for the formation of a track up the river Mohikinui to the Lyell." He was of opinion that in the Mohikinui district there were quartz reefs second to none in the Province. The speaker strongly urged tho work being done, as likely to lead to very important gold discoveries, and the opening up of rich quartz reefs that wore at present known to exist in the district. The track was wanted to enable miners to got their provisions up from the port to tho reefs. If the work was done, ho ventured to predict a very largo rush would take place in that neighborhood, and tho money expended quickly be refunded to the Provincial chest by an increase in goldfields revenue. Ho would rather the Other works proposed to be executed in this district should bo left undone, than this highly important work should be neglected. It would open a new (joldfield, and increase the .population of the Province. The resolution was seconded, pro forma, by Mr Wastaey, wid after a debate, agreed 10. Quartz on the brain seems to bo tho nevitable and predestined fate of Mohikinui speculators. Each succeeding item of news from the reefs is more wondrous than the last, and as if to make assurance doubly sure and confirm tho faith of enthusiastic investors past all redemption, tho bringers of good tidings bring also chips from tho golden rocks, which pumelled and pounded, yield amazingly. Ten pounds weight of •' Halcyon'' stone, which to tho naked eye gave no outward or visible sign of gold, yielded up one penny weight and a-half of gold dust, to the intense gratification of tho oxperimeuters ; but their skilful manipulation soon paled its ineffectual firo before the achievement of a more lucky " quartz-

ologist." He had but one poor pound weight of stone whereon to operate, but nothingdauntod he too " brayed it in a mortar," and ins eyes were dazzled with the sight of three pennyweights of the golden metal. Scarce believing his good luck ho rusljod iucoutinently to the nearest bank to realize the market value. Eleven and sixpence was the tangible result, and as he pocketed the coin the utilitarian hero wished, but as yet has wished in vain, that his MohikinUi friend would bring him down a sackful of such specimens. A Scotch friend says he may "'ipeer long and gae wiintin'." The latest variation in the orthographic definition of our local coal -mine is " Ngrfhawhow," as printed in 'the telegraphic news of the Wakatip Mail. Nakawha, Ngakawau, Gnakawhau,' Gnakawhao, Kngakawlra, Wangakawau, and oven Knock awa', have all served in turn, but this last attempt fairly "bangs Bannagher." Will some learned pundit, versed in native nomenclature;etymologicully or phonetically straighten out this troublous r.omen. It is evident that Hokitikians did not expect a -largo attendance at the Queen's Birthday races. Four out of the five booths wero auctioned and realised only an aggrogate of £l7 15s. The auctioneer, with all his power of persuasion, could not raiso a bid for either No. 5 booth, the gates, grand staird, or race cards. Nine agricultural leases, for an aggregate area of 798 a. lr. 39p., have -just been granted in the Lyell district. Mr Ivess has given notice in the Provincial Council of an important motion with reference to his district. It is- to the effect that a sum of £SO bo placed upon the estimates for the erection of guide-posts at certain dangerous fords and at the junction of certain tracks.

The County of Westland Gazette of the 18th May contains a proclamation, under the authority of tho officer administering the Government, authorising the sale of the Greenstone township. The size of the sections is fixed at one eighth of an aero each, and the upset price is to be at the rate of £'3s an acre. The Nelson authorities, with characteristic modesty, think of nothing less than ,£l4O an acre as a fair and reasonable price for town land on the South-west Goldfields.

The Grey Valley Times:—" Mr W. 11. ■Harrison, M.H.R., will bo invited by the contractors to be present at the turning of the first sod of the Greymouth and Brunnerton Railway. Intelligence reached Hokitika on Monday morning that the traffic upon tho Christchurch road had been stopped, by the erection of a barrier which has been thrown across by Mr M'Millan, who had forwarded a petition to the County Council during the last session, praying for compensation, for a portion of his land through which the road had been taken when the scouring of the banks of the Arahura river during the last great flood necessitated a deviation.

Tho prospectus of the Hokitika Gas Company has been issued. The proposed capital is stated at £IO,OOO in 2000 shares. Two shillings and sixpence per share payable on application, and two shillings and sixpence per share payable on allotment. Subsequent calls not to exceed os per share per month. The directors are Messrs Michael Cassius, Willian Evans, James Craig, James Mulligan, Fitzherbert Dermott, Thomas Horton and Charles G. Allen, with Mr Button as solicitor and Mr Archibald Scott as secretary. The Lyell Argus reports that a mine 1 " named Auokett and his two mates, working on tho Lyell Creek at the foot of Carter's Terrace, obtained from two days washing no less thau 46 ounces of a very fine sample of coarse gold, the pieces ranging from ldwt to 8 ounces.

The rich leader struck a few days since in the Alpino claim in tho stope at the upper level tunnel increases in size as it is followed up and the stone yields remarkably well, resembling the very rich stone taken some months since from the main reef. Tho leader is running straight for the centre-line of the William Tell, bearing N. W. £ point W. with an underlay of 1 in 6 to tho westward.

A speciality in excursion trips was advertised to come off at Nelson yesterday. The Lady Barkley steamer was to run a trip to the oyster beds, the excursionists paying half-a-crown each there and back, and eating or bringing back as many bivalves as they liked.

Most of the items in the Provincial Estimates have been passed, as revised by the Select Committee, but the proposal to pay members of the Council a lump sum per session instead of an allowance per diem was objected to on division by 12 to 4 ; tho majority of the members agreeing with the Provincial Secretary that it would be best to let a new Council deal with the question.