THE MONTH, From March 11th to April 11th.

West Coast Times, Issue 176, 12 April 1866, Page 3

THE MONTH, From March 11th to April 11th.

Information was recoived in town on the 12th, that on tho sth March tho body of a man in a stato of nudity was discovered lying face downwards in tho River Gray, within ten yards of a small storo situated about four milos from G-reytown. Tho nanao of the doceased was William Watts, and tho atore in question belonged to him. The whole affair is wrappod in mystorv, as no marks of violence were (bund upon tho body, Sovoral daring outragos have boon committed at Groytown lately. On tho 7th Maroh, at two o'clock in tho morning, a minor named Patrick Burko, whilst on his way to tlio hotol at whicli ho was staying, was— opposite the Boatman's Arms, on iliohmond Quay — stuck up by two mon, ono of wlvom seized him round tho neck whilst tho other dealt him a violont blow on the hoad, which rendered him insensibly. On recovering himsolf he found that his purse — whicli contained four £1 notes — was uoiio } and al^o four miners' rights and a meerschaum pipo had boon abstracted from his pocket. Ho at onco proceeded to tho Camp and lodged information, but there seems littlo probability that tho villains will bo discovered, as Burko was in liquor at tho timo ho was robbed, and has not tho faintest idea of tho appoaranco of his assailants. Tha nomination of candidates for tho ropresentation of Westland in tiio Gonoral Assombly, took placo on tho 13 Ih. Mr Salo was Roturnmg Oflloor. Tho show if linndfl was in favor of Mr W. Shaw (of tho firm of Ilarnett & Co). Miss Rosa Ooopor and Mr Lionol Harding mado thoir * dobul' ' at tho Thcatro Royal, on tho 13th instant. Constablo Willoughby, bolonging to tho Totura Police Forco, and a packer named Burmister, had a narrow oscapo from drowning last woqk, in attempting to cross on horseback tho River Tolara, botwecu Ross Town and Donohoufih's Diggings. Although on ordinary occasions tho Totara is oasily orosscd if the proper fording places aro chosen, it is exceedingly dangerous when flooded. On tho day in question, there was a strong frc9h in tho rivor, caused by tholato hoavy rains; so strong indeed that when tho mon reaohod tho contre of tho stream both horsos lost thoir footing, and tho riders almost immediately wero washod gut of their saddles. Alter v sharp struggle they roaohod tho shore, but very much exhausted, having been preceded by ouo of tho horses. The other, however, which bolongod to th_o eomtablo, got ontanglod amongst aomo snags, and was unfortunately^ drowned. Ho was ono of tho flnost horses in tho forco. On the 18th tho morabora of tho Five Brigado took possession of tho sito allotted to thorn in Rovoll-etreot, and placed thoir hook «nd ladder apparatus on tho ground,

Tho services of tho gold oscort wcro called into requisition for tho first timo on tho 18th, whon a sorgcant and two troopm'6 btartod for Rosstown (Totnra), whoro heavy porcols wero waiting to bo transferred to town. TJio Hokitiku crimiiml calondar for tho wook ending Saturday, Mnrch 10th, was a light one. Dut of the numbor of prisoners brought boforo ho Rcsidout Mag'tstrato for judgment, ono inly was committod for trial in a highor Court, and niuo woro sontoncod to different 'onus of imprisonment. Eight prisoners, ■laving completed their sonteucos, woro diailmrged, and threo lunatics wore forwnrded to Jhristchurch for treatmout. The numbor and ■lassiflcation of prisonors at that date were as ■bllows : 7 committed men, 22 sentenced, und I debtors j total, 31. On tho 15th ono of Cobb & Co.'s coaches irrivod overland from Christchurch. This is lie first timo tho new road lias boon usod by i publio conveyance. Mr Moorhouso, a canliilato for tho BuU'rages of Westland electors, was tho only passongor. Immediately after lis arrival ho addrossod a monstor mooting at lie Shakcaporo Hotel, and waa very favorably rocoivod. Tho Lonton troupo arrived por 6.5. Egmont on tho 15th, and tno noxt ovoning tho Prince of Wales Opera House was for tho first tirao oponod, whou the abovo talented company mado their ' dobut ' before a Hokitika public. Tho houßo was crammed to tho ceiling. The Escort roturuod from tho Totara on the 15th, bringing with thorn between 6000 and 7000 ounocs of gold diwt. Tho polling for tho oloction of a uioinbor to roj)roflont Wostland in the Gonoral Assembly, took place on tho 16th, whon Mr Moorliouso headed hia opponont (Mr Shaw) by a majority of 40 votoe. Wo luivo to add auothor uamo to Uio ah-oady long list of thqso who havo mot thoir death by drowning in VVootland. On tho 16th two stock drivers uainod Florcncp Williams and William Pioroo, who woro in tho employ of Meaat'3 CUrforth <fc Co., of this to\r«, attomptod to cross tho Toreuiakau viver at Snagfalls on haraabaok. They had hardly enlored tho HtfOHin whon Uio forco of the ourwut •<wopt thorn both from the saddle oloar of the horuei, Williams boing able to swim managed after a hard strugtflo to roaoh tho shoro agaiu, but Piorco, avUo wus uo swiuamor, souk aud was drowned. Barlow, tho muoioiau, who ovary uighfc during tho past fortnight gavo an entertainment ut tho Corinthian Hull, perforwod for tho UuL timo ou tho ovoning of tho 17th. lli« doparturo was much rogroltod. On tho 17th an cmployeo of Mr Christen* son, a gold smoltor, at U-royniouth, was comnu'ttod to tako his trial for having systematic pally swindled minors out of thoir "dust" whon smelling. A quantity of gold was found amongst tho ashes of the furnace. At Rosstown, St. Patrick's Day was ushorcd iv by a fight unfortuuatoly attended with fatal roßults. Ono of tho combatants naniod Thomas, was thrown, and as v gonoral •' moloo " took placo at tho timo, it is supposed ho was trampled on, for upon examination ho was found to be paralised, through an injury to his spine. Ho died a fow hours afterwurds. At tho inquest a vordiet of accidental death waa returned. Tho criminal culondar of tho wook onding Saturday, tho 17th instant, was a light ono, favorably illustrating tho ordorly stato of tho community and Uio total absonoo of sorious orimo. Of thoso who woro brought boforo tho R. M. during that poriod, two woro committed for trial, and four sontoncod to difl'oront terms of hard labor. Six dobtors woro also inoarcoratod, and ono lunutio plucod nndor restraint. As a sot off agains* theso arrivals, four sontencod mon wero discharged, and ono lunatic. The total mnnbor in confinement up to tho, abovo dnto was thirty-eight, classified us follows : — Committed for trial at tho noxt Supremo Court, 9 $ undergoing sontonco, 22 ; dobtoro, 7. On tho 20th a prisoner namod Brown male his escape from tho lock-up in Rovoll-strcot. Ho was not re-captured. In anticipation of tho approaching sale of town lands, two assessors woro appointod for tho valuation of property — ono by tho Governmont, and tho other by tho Improvomont Committee. On tho 20th wo woro informed by telegram that His Honor Mr Bealoy, accompanied by tho Provincial Secretary and Secretary for publio works, left Christchurch for Hokitika by Cobb's coach that morning. Admitting Gibson's Quay to be tho most bustling part of tho Town, wo aro bound to confess thai ou tho 20th it presented an unusually lively spoetaelo, being throngod with a motloy crowd of diggors, all of whom with their facos turned in tho direction of Okatita, wero eagerly scrambling for passages by the steamoi-B Bruco and Lioness whioh wore lying at tho wharf with stoam up in readiness to start. Amidst much pushing and oonfusion, and the use of a considerable amount of strong language, this latter vossel gradually filled up, and with hor decks olosoly packed by a mass of mon who shouted and yollod most vocifor )usiy, hauled out of tho tier, and swung round and steamud down tho river. The Bruco was somowhat longer in recoiving her living freight, a very largo proportion of which consisted of females who ocoupiod th« whole of tho aftor part of hor quarter deck, and by their smiling faces and unconoernod mannor ovidently regarded the sea voyogo before thorn with tho utmost indifference Ono painful scene and soveral ludicrous ones oo* ourrod whilst the shipment was being etlbcted, tho former being a sad illustration of tho dastardly brutality whicli, sad to say, mon aro too often guilty of, and which worao still as often goes unpunished. In this caao an unfortunato woman whose husband was departing in tho Bruce, followod him on board, and insisted upon accompanying him, persistently refusing to rot urn on shore at his command. This so ouragod tho brute that, without more ado, ho — in Uio midst of the crowd — boat her most oruolly with his fists, so much so, that her faco was covered with blood and both eyes blackonod. This, of course, was to a certain oxtont, resented by the bystanders, although it was I somowhit surprising that tho wrotch was not thrown overboard. Ho waa, howovor, b indied on shoro, and his swag thrown aftor him, his unfortunato wife following meekly, apparently satisfiod that thoy would not bo sopamlod. It is somewhat astonishing that no polico woro at hand whon tho assault was committed, as usually somo of tho forco aro in attondanco when steamers arrivo or dopart. However, in this instance thoy wero absont, othorwiso wo havo no doubt tho rascal would havo been at onco arrested. It certainly was a disgraceful and disgusting scono, Of courso there was a groat deal of vinous hilarity amongst tho crowd, and any quantity of loavotaking and parting glasses, tho latter proceeding in ono or two instances vory noarly rosulting in 6cvoral diggord boing loft bohin-i. They managed to jump on board, howovor, just as tho boat was moving oft", although ono individual missod his footing and foil plump into tho rivor, from which ho omorgod a much moro sobor if not wbov man, and save a sound ducking was none tho worso for it. After a protractod dolay, occasioned by the ontranco of tho William Miakinjust as tho word was given to " lot go," tho, Bruco started with tho lona, schooner, in tow, safely crosucd tho bar. / George Camoron, who runs tho mail boriiwoon Hokitika and Rosstown, was stuok up by two men on the morning of tho 20th. Ib appears ho loft Rosstown en route for . Hokitika, and xyhon , about threo milofl on his road, was wot by, (wo men wearing ma»k« ; who ooverod him wftb, their

rovolvers, and ordorod him to " bale up" in tho most approved stylo of bushr/uiging. Being unarmed, ho coinpKod, and was taken by the robbers übouframilo into the bush, who thon voliovod him of his mail bags, which they proceeded to rausack, breaking open all the lut tors, but returning to him tho nowspnpers and bngs. They afterwards domandod his purso, which contained £7, and this ho lmndoi. them. But now comes tho strongest par of tho whole proceeding, for after oxaminiu tho contents, tho robbora appeared to havi been suddenly soizod with a fit of remorse, fo thoy contontud theinsolvos with abstracting f 1 only, and at once returned the balnnce to tin lawful owner. Thoy did not soarch his porson ; otherwise thoy would bavo found £15, tuv watches, and a meerschaum pipe in the pooket.of his monkey jacket, but shortly afterwnrdi donarted, and the mail man at onco returne. to Ross and gavo information at tho dun p. whore Sergeant Broham happenod to bo at tl«> timo. Two troopers woro immediately d ■ patched in pursuit of the busbrnugois, wlu, have not boon discovered. V/\ Information was received nif the Camj) thai a woman had boon brutally assaulted by her husband on tho 25th, but as tho woman horsolf laid no information, stops wero not taken to arrcat him. Aftci wards, howovor, sho appoarod and drow out a warraut against him, which tho police at onco proceeded to Bervo. Whilst looking for tho rascal thoy woro mot by another woman whoso appearance wna perfectly frightful, as hor head and face was bruisedt Bwollen, and bloody, and hor dv ,'Bs torn to ribbons. Sho informod tho polico that a man, uftor having boaton and robbed hor, had criminally assaulted hor. She stated that ho had succeeded in ofl'coting his purpose Soarch was at once made for tho villain, who wa« dißcovorod drinking at tho bar of a publio houso. Ho was at onoo arreetod and it wae thou ascertained Uo waa tho identical scamp whfl lwl sq ill treated his wife tho previous day, aud for whoso an'ost the abovo warrant had hoau iuuod. Ho has eiuco bcon committed to tiiko his t^livl. A.C tho Pqlioo ' Court during th» wook ending Saturday! Maroli 34th, there w«ro four pi'isouora committod for trial in a higher oourt, 8 sonUmcod to difforont terms of iniprißQumont ftad hard luljor, and 1 romandod for further hearing, 2 nidlojs vroro imprisoned for debt and 1 woman, 1 lunatic was nUo placed in aafo Uooping ; total 14. During tho »amo period 0 sentenced uion woro dischargod tuid 2 doblorg. Tho uumbor of iumatOß in gaol at tho abovo date was 41, classed as follows ; under committal, lll3 1 aontonced,lll6 1 ou romand, 1 ; debtor, 1 j lunatio, 1. Information roaohod town on tJue morn\ug of tho 20th, that new and rich country had boon opouod in Iho Bruco Bay district, by ono Albort Hunt, aud tho groalcat awitomout prevailod iv conaoquouce, Ou tho 271h a dopulation of tho Irapvovo mont Committee waited upon His Honor tho Huporintendout. Tho interviow was a long ouo. His Honor recoived tho doputatiou vory courteously. On tho ovoning of tho abovo day Mr Barff, M. P.O. for Wostland, hold a meoting at the Shakespore Hotol. It was numorously attended, and Mr Barff waa most favourably received. His Honor tho Superintendent, tho Provincinl Secretary, and tho Socrotary for Public Works paid a visit to tho Kaniori on tho 20th. Thoy woro accompanied by Mr Rochfort, tho District Engincor of Works. Tho postponement of tho Supremo Court Sitting until July noxt, has giveu gonoral dissatisfaction, as the goal accommodation is oxooodingly limited, and the completion of tho new prison is proceeding but tardily. Information was rouoived on the 80th ult, that tho rush to Bruce Bay was a failure, and tlie Govornmont at onco posted notices, warning minors not to proceed thoro. Good Friday was strictly obsorved, all business being suspended, and quietude and decorum roignod supremo throughout iho town. At both the Wesleyan and Catholic Churches morninc; and ovening Service was hold. Mr Commissioner Sale haa beon appointed Receiver of Land Revonuo for Wostlrnd. . Tho body of tho unfortunate man Pior o, wl)o was drowned on the 15th instant at Snag Falls in tho rivor Toromakau, was found on tho 28th washod, up upon tho sea beach about half a milo to tho north of that stream. I)r Boswiok, tho district Coroner, o» recoiving information of tho fact, proceeded to tho locality on Thursday, and hold an inquost on tho remains, whon a verdict of accidental doath was roturuod. Tho body was much docomposod, so much, indeed, that it was identified by the clothes only. Wo beliovo Pioroo was onco known by Iho name of Thompson. His Honor tho Suporintondont, accompanied by the Provincial Soorotary and tho Secretary for Publio Works, and Mr Moorhouse, M.K.R., left town on the 30th ultimo, for Ohristchuroh. A dramatic company, under tho management of Moasrs Evoreato and Towers, appeared for the first timo in Hokitika, at tho Theatre Royal, on tho ovoning of the 30th. Mr Mark'in, the resident bailiff at Rosstown, waß —whilst journoying between Ross and Donoghue's— stuck up on tho 31st by two armod men, wliobo facos wero masked. £32 was taken, from out of which £6 was returned. It is suppoßod that these aro the samo mon who "bailod up" Curaoron, tho mailman, on tho 20th. Tho rovonuo returns of tho different porU of Now Zealand for the first quarter of tho prosent year, tell a most significant tale, for excepting Dunodin, the largest amount has beon returned by Hokitika. The total \aniount collected was £170,120, to which Duriedin contributed £48,607 1 Hokitika, £-10,209 ;» Auckland, £35,884} Lyttloton, £19,603; Wellington, £16,076, and ' Nelson, £10,842. Thoro is no doubt that Hokitika would have fai oxcoedod DunoJiu, had not a vory largo propoHion of its imports beo" rocoivod diroot from that por,t duty paid. Thoro havo been sovoral dangerous, thoup happily no fatal accidents lately, which h ave oo , ourred at Bruco Bay, through tho upsetting of boots freighted with passengers from tho atoa■mors. In ono instance, a boat's load of twelve mon woro aubmorged, and in anothor a fomalo had an exceedingly narrow escape of being drownod. Tho approach to tho land is desoribod ns of tho most dangowms character, owing to tho narrowness aud sballowness of tho ontranco to tho harbor, and tho heavy cross surf prevailing. On tho evening of Good Friday, most dis graceful outrages woro porpotrated by a mob of rowdies and tho oiT-Bonmof a mining population at Bruco Bay. Sovoral stores wero plundorod and partly destroyed, and ouo or two women ttßsaulted. Tho damago done is ostimated at botwoen £600 and £700. Noxt day a bo.ly of police wero despatched from Hokitika, who happily arrived in timo to prownt further rioting. Furthor information has boon receivod of tho total failuro of tho rush in the abovo locality. On tho ovening of Eaater Monday tho Lenton troupo gave thoir last performance horo. Tho houso was a good ono. Tho company loft in the Tarama for Sydney. The Leotard troupo, from Molbouruo, havo since roplacod thoni. Tho number of prisonors confined in tho Hokitika gaol on Saturday the 81st ult., was 4l,olassifiod as follows. Undor committal for trial at tho noxt sesßion of the Suprome Court, 16. Undergoing sentence, 16. Remanded, 3. Debtors, 8. During the week ending the above date, 2 were committed for trial, 3 «on> ton«Qd, and 3 debtors imprisoned; and 4 Hoytoucod main, 8 debtors, *nd I luaatio du<

charge.l. 2 who hid been morrly imprisoned woro also rlischnrgod. Exciting intelhgnnco of a now goldfield in tho Littlo flw\y district, was received in town ontho3l6t. A numbor of minors hnmodi.toly started for the now dorado. By Hid IJnirc. which arrived from Okarita yesterday, two mon were brought up in clmr-jo of the polior, under committal lor having taken an ic'ivo part iv the lull* dUtm lune » at Bruoe Isav. Tho performances at the Prince of Wolps Opera Houso, last ni^ht, wn-c for tho benefit >f tho family of tho late Mr Given field. In a Kicuniary point of view, thoy woro oininentlv n 'ci'ssfill, ovorv part of tlio house being woll flllod. An official declaration of tho poll was mado by tho Returning Ollkvr on tho 20th, whon Mr Moorhouso was declared duly elected. <n ivihli<! oxcilonicut was displayod on tho occasion. o'ono's coach which wns telegraphed" as having left (Jhrinlchiuvh on tho 20th, arrived on Wednesday night at half-past sovou, crowded n itli p;t->*e!igei'9. Amongst tho •mmofl on tin way bill wo notice thono of Mr Bealoy, tlia nuporii.tondent j Mr Jollie, Provincial Si i.roUry ; ?iU % Stewart, Sooretarr of I'ublif Works ; MrShorman, Commissioner of Poliw. j and Mr Dobson, tho Provincial Enginoor. It is said tho journoy was moat dolightful, tho road being good, and tho weather all that could be doeircd. On Uio 22nd intimation waa recoivod that tho line of lolo.jji'aph wa»i completed to Nolson, nni that mo6^ti^cu i ould bo i transmitted between that city and Uukitika,'eithor way. An iiwlully cU.I.Un death occurrod on St. Patrick's day :\t tho Two inilo rush, on the beach south of Iho Clvoy, tho victim being a minor namud William Harrison. It appears ho wqo at work with hia mates pumping water into Iho sluico boxen, when suddenly he fell baoKwards iuamtsiblo, and boforo medical aid could bo procurod, had expired. An inquert was hold, a post raoi-tom examination made, tho doctor stating that death was caused by anourism of tho uorta, and the Jury returnod a vordict of <'Died from natural causes." Th» de(sen3cd in reportod to havo boon compuvatjvoly wealthy, ua nearly #2000 stands to I)is omdit m cmo oX the Victorian Banlu. Ilia brothor resides iv that colony, in tho neighborhood oi' c Kynoton. , , , -About iho middlo of tho month a miner uftmed Itoynolds, broke up and removed from its position at tho head of the Toromakau, an immense nmsn of greenstone, ostimatcd to weigh 3000 lbs. A party of Maoriea laid olaim to the stone, aud laid information againrt him. Tho cuso was hcurd at Greymoulh and Koynolds committed to take his trial.' By the arrival of tho English mail, we woro iuformod of tho sad loss of the steamer London. On tho ovoniug of tho 22nd, as a tribute of respect to tho momory of Mr Gk y. Brooke, tho Prince of Wales Thcatro was hung with black crape, tho arrangomonte with .the Louton troupo not allowing tho management to close the hou?o. Tho wholo of tho performers also woro black crape bands. . , . At midnight on tho 24th, a daring robbor* was porpotratod at tho Oddfellow* Hall, Kevoll street, tho victim being tho landlord, and tho property abstracted, his cash box, whioh contained over £10 and aovoral valuable documents. The thief ovidontly had uiadft himself acquainted with tho arrangements of tho bar, for, watching his opportunity, ho slipped in uuporccircd. seized tho cash* box, and would havo departed in tho same manner had not a slight shuffling attracted tho atton< tion of the landlord, who with a- fow friouda wus sitting in an adjoining room, aud who just caught a glance of him as ho wus rushing through tho sido door. Acting on tho impulse of tho inomonl, ho darted alter him, but as tho night was extremely dark, lost sight of tho rascal immediately, iioturning to the bar, ho soon ascertained Iho oxlent of liia losy, and at onco gavo information to tho polico, who have not encccodod in tracing the oifondor. ( ' ' On tho 25th His Honor tho Superintendent, acooinpivniod by tlio Secretary ib" Publio Works, returned to town from their visit to Grcjmoulh.