LATEST NEWS FROM THE WEST COAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 636, 25 November 1865, Page 5

LATEST NEWS FROM THE WEST COAST.

The following scraps of intelligence are condensed from the Eohitika Leader of the 11th: — Two dead bodies have teen found during the past week, on the beach, one near the Terernakau, and one near the Saltwater Greek. Captain Beddons, of the p.e. Ballarat, was fined in the mitigated penalty of £'20, on the 4th instant, for conveying passengere ■ in excess of the number spe* cified'inhis license. A new paddle *'. amer of 100 tons register, 5U horee power, and dm wing five feet of water, has been launched in the Yarni, lit Melbourne, for the Hokitika trade. . . , ~ The recent heayy floods have greatly injured the lagoon, into which the river Totara empties itself. The Star of the Evening has imported Mty cats from Dunedin, the owners of which expect to find eager purchasers in a land where rafa are bo plentlfAn indignation meeting web held in the <>«&&*%

tation of cattlo. A memorial was drawn u), a committee appointed, and tho mooting adjourned to the loth instant.

At Woodstock a great sensation has been caused by a fatal accident to a miner named James Pringle, who was killed by the falling of timbor in the tunnel in which ho was working. At Totarn complaints are made of the difficulty there is experienced on tho eouth beach, in crossing the numerous rivers, tho currents of all of them being very rapid and dangerous to ford during tho heavy freshes so frequently occurring. Ferry boats aro greatly required. The tracks between Macually's and Jones's Creek are in a very bad condition, and the pack-track is in all places almost impassablo for either man or boast. The wreck of tho unfortunate Craigiovar was sold for £75, evorything movoablo having previously been removed from it. The last passage of tho "Wonga Wonga, from Nelson to Hokitika, was effeetod in thirty-two hours. Mr. Prosscr, in a recent address to tho electors, considered tho money spent on tho road to Christchurch. a reckloas -waste, and tho vote for £20,000 for an escort service utter folly. Escorts should bo ..first established from each raintug centre to protect tho gold in its transit to Hokitika, aud if tho Christchurch troopers ever arrived hero, he thought they could not be nioro usefully employed. Instances of mining success at Bruco Buy aro given as follows :—Nixon end party washed out 73 ounces, and llughes and party 45 ounces, in a woek ; Bracken, 2 ounces per day ; Hunt's, with one cradle, 2 to 2i ounces ; and several others from li to 2J ounces per diem. This was at Hunt's Bay.