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Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1179, 26 May 1874, Page 2

Yesterday wrs observed in the usual manner incidental to holiday keeping in Westport. Some of the places of business were wholly closed, some partly, and some not at all. A few holiday-keepers went a shooting, others rode, others lounged away the day, while others waded into their ledger accounts or chopped firewood. There was a display of bunting at the signal station and at one or two of the hotels. Another sign of coming activity ia railway work has been made. Mr Charles Weitzcl, who has a contract for delivering sleepers at Westport has commenced th« construction of an inclined tramway on the Buller bank at the rear of the Times O.fice, for the purpose of hauling up the sleeper* from tho barges which will bring them down stream from tho sawmills. In the Provincial Council Mr Donne has moved, " That his Honor the Superintendent bo requested to place on the Supplementary Estimates the sum of £IOOO for the coastructioß of the Nile bridge, Charleston , and that it be a, recommendation from this Council that the construction of the said bridge should be among the earliest of the works undertaken." On the motion of th-3 Provincial Solicitor the debate was adjourned till after the Estimates have been considered.

The Westport Dramatic Society essayed a first appearance last evening, and achieved success. It was an ambitious attempt of the manager to put on such a piece as the "Miller and his Men," requiring as it does ample stage room and elaborate mechanical effects, but nothing daunted by the difficulties of grouping and movinghis dramatis persona; on a stage only adapted at the beat for concert business, the attjmpt wfl-j made, and a good effect produced. Still it would be advisable whenever the club gives another performance to select plays not depending so much on scenic eU'ect as on good acting, and with lower characters personated, The performance last night need not be too closely criticised. As a first attempt it was commendable, and bears the promise of better things hereafter. So likewise any comparison of the merits of the various amateur performers would be invidious. It will bo

sufficient to state that each and all were perfect in their part 3, each had learned and had not forgotton tho business of tho piece, each character was well dressed, and barring the unavoidable hitches and mishaps of a first night's performance, the pieces ran much more smoothly than is usually the good fortune of amateurs to experience. In no slight degree this success may bo attributed to the invaluable assistance of the lady amateurs. Mrs Linley, as Ravina, the robbers bride, fairly surorisod tho house by her spirited acting an 3 good conception of stage business, and Miss Hamilton, in tho minor part of Claudino also did exceedingly well. As an interlude, Mr Leo. Fernandez gave a new character song and "stop jig" dance, and won, as usual, unlimited applause. In the after piece, "Cool as-a Cucumber," the enhaucod effect of fewer characters on the stage was made very manifest. Tho performers wore more at their ease, tho dramatic unities were butter preserved and the audience, as a matter of course, more earnest in their applause. Each piece was well mounted. Mr Green having used his pencil effectively in producing some new scenery, and Mr Strachan having excelled himself in tho stage arrangements. Tonight the performance will be repeated and will no doubt attract as largo an audience as it did last evening. The Charleston Herald of Saturday last says:—Some little excitement prevailed iu tho township on Thursday afternoon in consequence of an open boat, under sail, beiug observed running before the wind, which at the time was blowing strong from the northward. On the arrival of the boat off tho port tho sail was lowered and the anchor dropped. It was then apparent that she was a flat-bottomed river boat, and mauy conjectures were advanced by the lookers-on as to the reason of her buiug at sea in such boisterous weather, and the excitement waxed stronger amongst the spectators when a signal of distress was run up at tho boat's masthead. A volunteer crew, consisting of Harbormaster Cunningham, and Messrs Craddock, Fries, Holmes and Thompson, put off in ono of the surf boats to render aid. Arrived alongside, the stranger was at once taken in tow, and after a sharp pull both boats were brought safely into the harbor amidst the cheers of the anxious onlookers. It was then ascertained that tho boat was from Westpoi-t, which place she had left on Wednesday night, bound for the Mohikinui, avid tho boat being unable to face the strong northerly breeze prevailing, Mr Hay, who was in charge of the boat, was compelled to run for shelter. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held on Thursday to consider tenders from parties willing to accept the office of valuers. Two tenders were received, and the offer of Mr Murdoch to do tho necessary work for £2O was accepted. At the E.M. Court on Saturday a man named George Gouley, was committed to six months imprisonment with hard labor, for stealing a decanter of brandy from the bar of Mrs Grady's hotel. Another charge of stealing linen from a line will be also brought against him. He is the same individual who recently helped himself to a coat from Mr R, Whyte's verandah. Another new store has boon erected in Palmerston street, forming another link in the line of buildings gradually extending along the thoroughfare. Mr W. Carpenter has opened business in his new and commodious premises between Powell and Co.'s store and the Times publishing office. Tho party of 29 Chinamen, who for a month or two past have boon fossicking on the banks of the Holler ard Inangahua rivers, have wended their way towards the Lyell as a more likely locality for lighting on payable patches. Some of them recently applied for work on the road contract, offering their services at nine shillings per day. The offer was declined, the contractor preferring to employ European labor.

A correspondent states that at the cutting at the White Bluff, on the Buller JRoai contract, strong indications of kerosene are apparent. The odour is perceptible to passers by, and he avers that the oil may bo seen oozing out of crevices ia the rock. _ The Eeefton Courier makes tho calculation that the eighty persons in the service of the Provincial Government draw annually the sum of £IG,OOO in salaries. The Eeefton Courier says:—Tho Eev. Father Cumuungs, the gentleman appointed to succeed the Eev. Father Rolland in Eeefton, is spoken of as a learned and accomplished divine, and is said to possess great elocutionary power. The reverend gentleman has for some past been acting as coadjutor to Bishop Moran. The wandering lunatic who has kept in a state of disquiet many residents along the Buller road for some weeks past, is how ia safe custody. He is known by the sobriquet of Cranky Davy, and has led a hatter's life for a longtime past, indulging at times in grog-shanty potations, which served to increase his infirmity. On Friday, the 15th instant, he entered the hat of ft person named Green, find, during the temporary absence of other residents, nttacked a young female of that name an* attempted to stab her with a knife. Her shrieks called her brother to the rescae, who dragged away tho mauiac art 1 administered to hiin a good drubbing The unfortunate is named David Davidson, and is a native ol Norway. lie is now an inmate o! the Koeftoa lock-up, and a mommy o_- two since on the sergeant viiiting the cell, he was seized by the shoulders by tho madman, and for nearly an hour could not release himself from the iron cinbraco of the demented man. Even the Herculean powers of another constable were Hot sufficient to effect a separation, till at length the man became exhausted and yielded.

Preparations are being made to strengthen the Nelson street groin with stone, and to temporarily protect the adjacent bank c. the river by means of fascines, where the wash cf the tide and river combined make continual inroads. Mr James Olive has commenced taking up the timbe.'s of his tramway alon" Palmorston street, and thus removes one obstacle to the widening of the street by the Borough Council.

The following is one of the principal classes of the " Cruelty to Animals Act," which has recently passed the second reading in the Provincial Council: —" If any person shall, from and a:tev the passing o" this Act, cruelly beat, ill-treat, over-drive, abuse, or torture, or cause cr pvocure to ba .cruelly beaten, ill-treated, over-driven, overriden, abused, or tortuved, any animal, every such offendp.' shall for eve.'y such offence forfeit and psy a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds with costal or be imprisoned for any term not exceeding six calendar monts with hard labor." The luangahua Herald o!" the 19th inst. says:—A miner named Stephen Watson met with a severe accident at Boatman's, a few days since, being struck with an axehead in the side. It appears that the axe-bead flow f:om the handle when be : ng used by another party, aud unfortunately lodged in Watson's side. Dr James was called, and at onco proceeded toßoatmau's. The injured man wa3 conveyed to the Hospital, and is progressing favourably.

The half-yearly meeting of tho Anderson's Creek Quartz Mining Company is fixed for Saturday, tho 30th instant.' Tho Tasmanian Tribune says and truly that in tho political world, no man can succeed, when ho professes to hold in far higher estimation the interest of the public in preference to his own. Not one in a thousand who hears such a profession of faith believes in it, yet nine hundred and ninety-nine out of that thousand accept the hollow " professor" as their representative man.

An instanco of the continual wearing away of the river bank occurred on Saturday. A man named David Winter, hail moored and left his canoe at tho end of Henley street. On coming back ho found that a mass of earth weighing four or five tons had fallen, knocking in the side of his canoe and swampings the contents. It was lucky for himself that he was at the time ashore. We notice that the inhabitants of the Waiinea district intend to present Mr Bai'ff, their late representative in the Westland County Council, with a testimonial, as a recognition of his long continuing services to the district. Tho Reefton Courier snys:—lf much credence is to be placed upon the tongue of common report, the public will shortly learn something of the mysterious process of " winding up," in its application to mining companies. Tho case in question has direct reference to the defunct Golden Bell Company, the affairs of which have been so long before the public. It will be recollected that at the last sitting of the District Court, his Honor Judge Harvey made a somewhat caustic reference to the matter, and it is upon tho strength of those remarks that the long-suffering contributors are determined to let the world know what winding up a company really means.