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Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1144, 23 January 1874, Page 2

There is every probability of an influx of Chinese in the Duller district at no distant date. A boss Chinaman who has been travelling about the district for some little time past, has expressed his satisfaction with the prospects for Chinese labor. In the Hokitika district about one thousand Chinamen now find profitable employment. At the last monthly meeting of the Nelson Central Board of Education, a notice of motion was tabled, "That to encourage good reading among the scholars of the Provincial scnools, prizes for reading and elocution be annually offered by the Board for their competition, and that a sum of tlO be set apart for that purpose for the first year." Among other business transneted, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Broad, " That a circular bo sent to every teacher in the province to the effect that ail letters sent to the secretary by teachers, on matters connected with their respective schools, will be regarded, in all cases, as official communications.

By the Wallace, from Nelson arrived Mill. B. Wiseman, bringing with him the now Panorama of the Franco-Prussian War and Nile scenery, which has during the past few months been exhibited in many of the principal towns of the colony, with great success. The opening Exhibition took place yesterday evening at tho Theatre Royal, Lyttleton street, that being the only public building in Westport affording sufficient width of stage to display the panoramic scenery. Tho papers published in all places where tho panorama has been exhibited teem with favorable and complimentary notices, and there can be- no possible doubt of the genuine merit of the show. An additional inducement, creating a rush of visitors, is the distribution evory evening of a number of gifts among the audience, for particulars of which our readers are referred to advertisement. The exhibition last night was well attendedfand the panoramic scenery fully came up to tho expectations of tho audience. The battle scenes were spirited and effective, and the pictures of Nile and Suez scenery called forth many expressions of admiration. Mr Hesford, as delineator, graphically described the incidents and localities depicted in the passing show, and the orchestra, under the leadership of Mr J. Crawford, filled' up the intervals with appropriate music skilfully rendered. The distribution of gifts was liberal, and satisfactory to the lucky recipients. To-night another equally lavish distribution will be made, and tomorrow, as the advertisement states,- a juvenile performance and gift distribution will bo held in the afternoon, besides the evening exhibition.

At the last meeting of the Nelson TJadioal Reform League, the President, a Mr William Stephenson, delivered an opening speech, showing the aim and intention of the association. Therein ho stated that the object of the League was to create and sustain amongst its members and the public generally, an active interest in all the public affairs of the Province ; likewise of the colony. After completing the organisation of the league, monthly meetings will be held, and endeavours will be made to extend the organisation so that every district in the province shall have an opportnnity of being placed in an advantageous position as regards combined action in any emergency that may arise. The " ticket" of the league is, beyond the foregoing generalisms, somewhat vague.

Two Nelson boats with local crews have left for Wellington to contest some of the events at the Wellington Regatta, on the 26th instant.

The Charles Edward has brought down an additional battery of five head of stampers for Messrs Carroll and Cairns, of the Little Wondi-r claim, and the same will be forwarded to the Lyell with despatch. An accident was narrowly escaped yesterday in Palmerston street- Green's Express was conveying passengers up to Gilmer's Hotel, when the horse, from some cause not made clear, commenced kicking, and got his leg over the shaft. The passengers jumped or tumbled out smartly, and luckily escaped injury. Shortly afterwards another horse in harness bolted in Palmerston street, but without doing any mischief. A fire occurred in Nelson on Sunday last, resultingin the destruction of a skittle alley near the Bush Tavern, and a nine-roomed house belonging to Mr Sanders. The exact cause of the fire is doubtful.

Sixty-three signatures only are affixed to the petition for the proclamation of Nelson a Municipality.

Some quarter shares in No. 2 North. Mokihinui, changed hands during the past week at prices withheld, but sellers are now asking .£2O, which is considered a moderate price, taking into account the position and prospects of the claim. Water will be brought thereon quite easily from Maori Creek, and the present shareholders are sanguine that the mine will be opened up aud worked at a comparatively small cost. The lease was advertised as being granted on the 2fith August last. Travellers to the up-country districts will find a much needed convenience supplied them at the end of the new Nine Mile Road. Mr John Gilmer has placed a ferry boat there in charge of a careful boatman, for the conveyance of passengers, and the boat will work regularly at all hours when needed, until the punt now being built to replace it, is finished. The following mining items are taken from latest dates of Reefton papers :—l4O tons of stone from Anderson's has yielded 131 ozs 8 dwts retorted gold. The manager calculates upon commencing crushing again at the end of the month, and will continue until 500 tons are put through. The Wealth of Nations' battery is crushing 150 tons weekly and doing its work well. ' The Ajax will crush 100 tons for the Golden Fleece, and when that lot is put through the company will begin crushing for themselves. The Invincible stone yielded 450 ozs of amalgam from 150 tons of stone.— The Courier of the 16th says :—We received information this afternoon that gold-bearing quartz specimens have been found by a party of prospectors in Foxs' Creek, about a mile from the Fiery Cross Company's lease, Boatman's. The prospectors and others have taken up leases in the locality. No rightly formtd reef has yet been found, but the prevalence of quartz, and general indications, lead the Prospectors to believe that they are on the Fiery Cross line. At the Lyell the crushing of Monte Christo stone at Carroll's battery was resumed on the 12th instant. They had 150 tons to put through, but the result has not yet come to hand. On the 14th the plates were looking favorable, and coarse gold was visible in the stone. The Company hope soon to strike another rich leader. Shares are quoted by sellers at 7s. buyers offering 6s, and at intermediate rates a few transactions are being mode, Tambaroora shares are quoted at from ,£SO to £6O, although nothing has yet been done in the mine The Break-o'-Day, Prospectors, aud Marina are all looking well, and shares arc in demand.

Practical miners, not mere visionary theorists who on the strength of living on a new goldfield assert their authority to know everything of gold-mining, but men of grit and sinew who have humped their fifties of flour and bits of bacon, and small parcels of tea and sugar, and wrestled, week in and week out, with " supple jacks" and " bush lawyers," struggling over mountain country and through brake and stream in their search for gold, these pioneers of settlement assort that between the Lyell and Mokihinui there exists gullies showing every indication of being gold-bearing and rich, both in quartz and alluvial deposits. But the country is too difficult to prospect; men find it impossible to carry swags and tucker through the densely timbered ranges; and prospecting, so far, has been confined to mere fossicking on the boundaries. What these practical miners complain of, and with reason, is the want of any recog nised authority to whom they may appeal and suggest action which would be productive of benefit, not alone to the miners but to the province. Briefly stated present requirements are these :—The .£2OOO voted for a track from the Mokihiuui to the Lyell

should bo spent at once, before the approaching winter season renders work impracticable. Then along- the blazed and partially cleared line, at intervals of every six miles or so, shelter sheds should be erected. Places wherein miners' driven by storm or unforeseen contingency, might rally and rest awhile preparatory to making further efforts. Such sheds would also afford to casual travellers, speculators looking after reefs and others, a very great convenience, and in every sense of the word prove a wise investment of public money.