WESTPORT NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 19

WESTPORT NEWS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Westport, October 3. Mr Harper, engineer, representing _ the South Pacific Coalmining Company, arrived in Westport last night and went out to the ground to-day. It is understood his visit ia in connection with commencing the line of railway. Mr Harper will remain here about a fortnight. Thirty more miners arrived here last night for the Westport Coal Company. Tne Customs duties collected at Westport last quarter were £2385 ; corresponding quarter, previous year, £3185. The proposed football match,'Westport v. Greymouth, will not now take place, the local players considering it is now too late in the season.

The Nile Company commenced crushing on Monday. The Beaconstield continue sinking on the reef. Westport, October 5. A most unusual case in this district is before the Resident Magistrate’s Court, viz., a criminal assault on a child. An old mans named George Mear3 was arrested last evening for a crime of this nature. It is alleged ho carried a little girl, aged 10, named Josuna Connell, off a back street into the bush and committed the offence. The doctor’s examination showed she has suffered serious exterior injuries. Mears was brought before the Court to-day and remanded till Tuesday. A short length of the west breakwater was "•jjrried away by a heavy sea. Westport, October 8.

The coal export last week was 3106 tons. Labourers and miners, are being engaged to oommenoo work at the Ngabawau coalmine. The solt coal is to be used for cckq makiug.

A terribly sudden death occurred in Bright-fltreet at 1 o’clock on Sunday. John Freeman, a labourer, who has been suffering from heart disease for a considerable length of time, dropped dead in an outhouse, where he was fouud immediately after. Freeman was a native of Blackheath, Surrey, England, and was only 43 years of ag<j. He was a man of good education, and had suDerior family connections. He came to this town on the establishment of the Customhouse here, and served as a clerk in that department. Subsequently he followed goldmining and other pursuits. Some anxiety has been caused for the safety of three men who were sailors on board the steamer Suva when she was wrecked.- They proceeded to sea at noon on Sunday in an open boat, one which had also belonged to the Sava, and as they appeared to be in distress outside, the steamer Nile got up steam to the rescue, but before she left the river it was ascertained that the men had stated their intention of going to Mohikinui, and were then bowling away north before a strong breeze. Up to this morning, however, the boat had not arrived at either Ngakawau or Mohikinui, and it is now supposed the men may be bound for Picton, the nearest port to the Mahakipawa rush.

Westtort, October 9.

A subscription list has been opened by the "Westport branch of the National League for the Parnell defence fund. The criminal assault case Police v. Mears was called at the [Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning and adjourned until Monday. A short sitting of the Warden’s Court was also held, when three applications for silver leases at the Owen, made by the Californian, Mexican and Peru companies, which had been adjourned at Lyell for a survey, were granted. Mr Jamas Mills, manager of the Union Steamship Company, is at present on a visit to Westport. An experienced Addison’s Flat miner, who has just returned from a visit to the Mahakipawa rush, describes it as a fraud, and comments very strongly on the misrepresentations of the press in connection with the field.

Westport, October 10.

No tidings have yet reached here of the open boat which went to sea on Sunday afternoon. Tho names of the men on board are James Anderson (captain), William O’Brien and William Fraser. They took provisions and water sufficient for a week and also fishing tackle, and stated their intention of fishing at Mokihinui. As they did not land there it is supposed the strong wind carried them further north, if it was not their intention of proceeding to Picton, which idea their friends do not support. The boat is staunch, and the men know how to manage it. It is stated that the Westport-Ngakawau Coal Company have a demand for 100 tons per day of slack coal for coke making at Port Pirie. A dozen men are employed at the mine.

Sinking is being continued in the Beacons--field. The reef has widened to nearly 3ft, and continues rich.