Untitled

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1117, 21 October 1873, Page 2

The next sitting of tho District Court at Westport will take place on Friday next, unless an adjournment should ensue, The calendar is a ligat one, comprising merely one criminal case, Flanagan v. Morris, a charge of unlawfully wounding j and two bankruptcy cases, Croawell and Jacobsen, and Alex. Neill.

Mr Sub-Inspector Kiely has just completed his official tour of inspection throughout the district, travelling first Beef ton-wards, thence to Cobden, and along the coast, via Charleston, to Westport.

An accident occurred on board the Charles Edward on Saturday morning last. The steamer arrived with a freight of cattle from Wanganui, and the crew commenced getting them ashore at the South Spit. A man named Johnstone was below fixing the slings round a bullock, preparatory to lifting by the steamer's hoist, when the animal gored him in the calf of the leg, inflicting a serious flesh wound. The sufferer was at once brought across in a boat and taken to the Hospital, where he is now lying. Lithographed plans of the Lyell Creek Reefs, prepared by Mr Woolley, district surveyor, upon a scale of ten chains to one inch, have for some time past obtained ready sale in the Inangahua and Greymouth districts, but have hitherto been unobtainable in Westport. Mr J. L. Munson has now a supply on hand. The plans are really good, showing with clearness the position and extent of every reefing claim in the district, with the boundary linkage and admeasurement. The position of the township, tracks, tramways, and other matters of detail are also presented. A very narrow escape from serious injury occurred on Friday last at the house of a Mr Kennedy, residing at Addisons. His youngsters were round the fire, and one among them had by some means got hold of a flask containing powder, and threw it in the fire. £t instantly exploded and his daughter, Mary Kennedy, a girl some twelve years of age, was severely scorched about the face and neok. The consternation in the household for a time may be better imagined than described. In a recent issue of the Warrnambool Standard Mr J. Magner, late of Westport, advertises that he has commenced business at Koroit. He apparently deals in everything, from new laid eggs to fancy bijouterie, and proclaims as his trading maxim, small profits and quick returns. His Westport friends will wish him well. The phrenological lectures, mesmeric seances, and biblical discourses by Dr Carr during his stay in Charleston, have been, generally speaking, very well attended, and they have proved both entertaining and highly instructive. His lectures have most undoubtedly acted as an incentive to some of his hearers to endeavour to avail themselves of what latent talents they may be in possession of. Many persons who have obtained phrenological charts of themselves and families, have expressed their satisfaction with the Doctor's analysis of their characters. His biblical discourses were well given and highly commented on. Thiß gifted gentleman has returned to Westport for a brief sojourn, and the public will doubtless accord him their usual liberal patronage. On Sunday evening last he delivered a lay-sermon at the School-room which has been the theme of very favorable comment. The collection at the close he liberally gave to the Hospital funds: Last night he held his farewell mesmeric seance, which was as usual exceedingly well attended.

A dramatic performance, which has been on tho tapis for some weeks past, is announced to come off at Charleston on Monday evening nest, in aid of tho Public

Library ami Institute Fund. Mr Percival Bear is tho manager, and ho has secured tho assistance of lady and gentlemen amateurs, who will make a strong cast. Tho example might well bo followed in Westport, as the introduction of light dramatic business would form a most attractive feature in any future programmes to bo issued by tho Entertainment Committee.

Tho Grey River Argus of tho 15th inst. says:—lt is now pretty certain that Mr Curtis will bo opposed at the ensuing election of Superintendent of Nelson, by at least one candidate. A number of the friends of Mr Frank Guinness, residents of West Coast and Nelson proper have solicited that gentleman to permit himself to be nominated, and wo understand that there is every probability of Mr Guinness consenting. Mention has several times been made of Mr Shephard, the late Provincial Treasurer, becoming a candidate, but it was that gentleman's determination some months ago not to offer himself for election and there is no ground for supposing that he has since altered his intention. Mr Curtis, it is said, will shortly visit the Coast for the purpose of interviewing the electors The Nelson papers anticipate that the nomination for the Superintendency is likely to take place about the second week in November, and the polling, if the election is contested, a month later. The Mail says the election of a thorough good and progressive Council may be anticipated, as many excellent candidates are spoken of, and that important changes in the Executive are also spoken of on the quiet. Mr Charles Lendrick Maclean, Barrister and Solicitor, publishes in the Nelson Colonist his address to the electors of the Central Buller district, soliciting their suffrages for election to a seat in the Provincial Council.

Mr Oswald Curtis called a meeting of the Electors of Nelson last evening to give an account of his stewardship. The Eoad Board election at Reefton resulted in the following gentlemen being chosen. Messrs Nicol Ramsay, P. Brennan, F. Franklyn, James Aiken, R. Oxley, and P. Q. Caples, the first named polling 88 votes and the last 47. There were twelve other candidates who contested the election of whom the highest in numerical order obtained 39 votes, and the lowest 3, The Energetic and Wealth of Nations Companies sent to Greymouth last week the gold resulting from their late crushings. The former sent 190 ozs retorted gold, the result of four week's crushing. The latter 3170z sdwts from 335 tons of stone.

The Wanganui Herald of the 11th inst. says:—By the p.s. Manawatu a much respected townsman in Mr George Pirie (late of the firm of Whyte and Pirie) takes his departure for Wellington, en route in a short time for the " old countrie." Mr Pirie during his residence amongst us has made many warm and sincere friends, being straightforward and honorable, both in public and private life. We wish both him and his family, -when they take their final departure from these shores, a safe and speedy voyage, It may not be generally known that on the Ist of January nest quite a new series of postage stamps will be issued for use in the colony. The plates were received in Wellington by the Government about a month ago, and by one and all of those who have seen the impressions, they are acknowledged to be the most artistic designs of any stamps now being used in the Australian colonies.

The Nelson Exhibition, it appears, is likely to have its funny side, The bachelor's great difficulty, well-sewed buttons, is already provided for by a special prize although it has not been arranged as to the particular test to be applied, and therefore the judges may have some difficulty in deciding. Mr Shallcrass, we notice, now offers a guinea for one pair of the best mended, and one pair of the best " darned" —nothing worse, observe!—pair of cotton stockings by spinsters. Most of the pumping gear for the Caledonian claim at Larrys has been landed at the creek, and the present fine weather will facilitate the transit to the claim.

The christening of the Just in Time and Fiery Cross Companies' machinery was celebrated last week with more than customary eclat. The banquet provided at Dank's Hotel eclipsed any previously similar effort, and the company assembled represented all the important interests of the district. The chair was taken by Mr Warden Broad, Mr Cavell officiating as vice ; and these gentlemen, and also Messrs Barrowman, Ivess, Gallagher, Caple, Byrne, Graham, and others, spoke in laudatory terms of the energy displayed by the companies, the completeness of their present arrangements, and the prospective advantages to be gained by the shareholders and the community. The christening rite was performed by Mrs Cavell, The following gentlemen havebeenelected as members of the Reefton Branch of the Hibernian Australian Catholic Benefit Society:—President, Mr Patrick Brennan; Vice-president, Mr James Clintoch; Secre* tary, Mr James M'Ardlej Treasurer, Mr Walter Williams; Medical Officer, Dr Bulmer.

The Greymouth Star of Saturday last says:—Mr Booth am, the Manager of the Albion Coal Mining Company, arrived in Greymouth to-day by the steamer Murray. He purposes visiting the Brunner mine and the Grey Coal Company's ground before returning to Westport. [This must be a mistake.] The new firebell for Hokitika, for which £SO has been subscribed, will probably be tho finest in the Colony. It will weigh thirteen cwt., and will be composed entirely of steel.

The following racing "tip" has been sent to Dunedin from Melbourne. The writer says:—" After ferreting out in-

formation from the most reliable sources, I have selected five from which the winner is most likely to come, and have invested a fiver amongst them. I have chosen the Prophet, Priam, Early Morn, Exile, and Fitzyattendon. I find the heavy weights have no show for it, even though their names bo The Ace, Hamlet, and Dagworth. John Tais is not the owner of the winner of the Molbourno Cup of 1873."