Untitled

West Coast Times, Issue 235, 23 June 1866, Page 2

It will bo scon that Mr Bright lias issued an address to tho doctors of Hokitika, offering himself, in compliance with a requisition, as a candidate for tho representation of tho town in tho Provincial Counoil.

At tho mooting of tho Church of England Committco, on Thursday ovoning, owing to tho inclemency of tho weather, thoro wore only prosout tho Bishop of Ohristchurch, and Messrs Salo, South, Boswiek, and Eochfort. As thoso moroly formed a bare quorum, and tho Bishop considered it desirable that at tho first meeting thoro should bo a fuller attondanco, which, but for tho stato of tho weather, doubtless would havo boon tho ciso, it wus agreed to adjourn tho meeting to noxt Thursday, tho 28th inst , at tho Supremo Court llouso, at Bovcn o'clock.

Anxious to solve tho mystery which onshrouds tho disappearance of Mr Dobson, tho Govornmont havo, wo boliovo, rosolvod to offer a roward of L 250 to any porson who (in tho ovenfc of his boing murdered) shall give such information as shall lead to tho approhonsion or conviction of tho guilty parties. Wo presmuo duo notification will bo given by proclamation.

Tho soverity of Thursday night's galo has not bcou oxecodod by any which has within our recollection visited to const, and wo nro only surprised that tho town withstood it so well, for, so far wo havo not hoard of a singlo disastor to buildings. Tho shipping in tho rivor was ulso oxecpted, although ono of tho night's occurrences plucod thorn in inmiinout jeopardy, tho oxtont of which was nofc known until morning. Notwithstanding thai tho rniu, during somo hours, foil in '• shoots," thoro was only a moderately heavy freshet in the rivor ; it was, however, suflloiontly powerful to bring clown several snags, ono boing an immonso green trco comploto, with branches and roots. That this inoustor should havo passod dear of tho shipping is astonishing, and it must havo floated ond on with tho etroam, as its longth wus nearly sufficient to havo spanned tho river's breadth ; and wo fool confident thut if it had fouled (ho " tior" moro thnn ono vessol must have como to grief. It, howovor, did somo damugo in its course, for yoslorday morning Messrs Aldridgo nnd Thompson missed a punt, containing a pile-driving maeluno, which on tho preceding ovoning thoy had loft safely moored abovo tho Custom llouso. And this, wo aro sorry to say, was not tho only misehiof it committed, as tho passongor and stock punt bolonging to Messrs Parker & Co. wus ulso carried away, washed out to sea, and broken up by tho surf. Thoro can bo no doubt that our suruiiso is correct that tho tops of tho strong posts which lump tho wiro ropo boing broken short off, tho wiro dragged its wholo longth down tho stream. This could only havo boon caused by tho drag of some ponderous body much hoavior thou tho punt, and as a troo such as wo havo dosoribocl was thrown up upon tho bcaoh during tho night, thoro can bo no doubt it caused this havoc. Wo oxecodingly rogrotMr Parker's loss, 'vhioh is also ouo to Iho publio, as tho punt was most useful for convoying stock across tho rivor, which now — until a now ono is providod — will havo to bo swum ovor. Tho pilodriving machino wo havo alluded to was oast up by tho surf oloso to tho Montozuma, aud strango to rolato nothing tho worso for its porilous passage Tho capital ontortainrnont provided for tho publio by Professor Stovons and his talontod sons at tho Theatro Royal, was, wo wore glad to see, woti palronisod last night, and wo fool coufidont that no ono proßont rogrotted having spent an hour or two in their cd'hYp" any. Wo havo alivoly recoiled ion of tho Slovens' trotipo

whon they nppoarcd in Uokilika somo months ngo, and although tho performance then might bo considered oxoollcnt, wo are constrained to admit that, undor tho careful training of thoir father, tho youngor mombors havo much improved sinco, tho oldest of tho twain especially having bocomo a praotisod and daring gymnast. On tho horizontal bar, tho brothors displayed oxtrnordiuary suppleness and strongth of muscle, and fairly oarned tho plaudits which wero heartily accorded thorn. Master W. O. D. Stovons (tho oldor), in tho " GHobo Asconsion" trick, was romarkably clover, and on tho slack ropo discovered unusual ability and pluck. Tho chiof foaturo, howovor, in tho ovoning's cntainraont was Iho "doublo tra. pczo" porformcd.by tho brothors 5 and tho norvo disployod by both, and then 1 wondrous agility, was somothing astonishing. It is unnecessary for us to cxpatiato on tho porforraanco of Professor Stovons, as ho, as ho always is, was perfect, his " elack-wiro feat" especially boing worthy of montiou. Dion Bouccicault'B great drama, " Janot Prido," as produeod at tlio AdolpUi, is announced for this ovoning, at tho Prince of Wales.

Ycstorday morning Mr Commissioner Salo and Mr Filzgorald, R.M., oillcially inspocted in their oapaoity of visiting justices tho now gaol. Yostorday, for tho first timo Mr Wardon Kcogh hold his court at Cohon's Publio llouso, on tho Waimea traok, for the con" vonionco of tho minors who aro at work in that locality, Wo aro authorised to stato that for tho futuro a Wardon's Oom-t will bo hold thcro ovory Friday, Tho usual church sorvicos will tako placo to-morrow— at tho Catholio Church, at nino and olovon in tho morning, and at Iho Court1101180 (Ohuroh of England), tho Firo Brigado Hall (Prcsbytorian), and Weslojan churches, at tho usual hours morning and ovoning.

Wo call attention to tho announcomont that tho collection of Wax-work figures will bo on viow for tho last timo this day and oyoning. Wo cannot too strongly condemn tho folly of suoh practical joking as oocurrod in Eovoll street on Wcdnosday last, and which, through a paragraph that appoarod in tho " Evening Star," inducod tho polico to onquiro into tho matter ; and from thorn wo havo obtained the following particulars. A gontlomau and two ladio3 woro returning homowards from tho Mosonio ball, whoro an acquaintance liapponod to espy thorn, and wishing to indulge in a " lark" at their expense, muffled up his face, accoslod thorn in the most approved bushranging fashion, and demanded their money. Awed by his ruffianly appearanco,andcouldn't-on-any-considoration-bo-doniod manner, his bohosts woro oboyod, and aomo monoy accoptcd by him, whon ho immediately doparted rejoicing. Tho property, howovor, was roturnod tho noxt day, and wo darosay a hearty laugh was indulged in at tho oxponso of tho fair ladies' chaperon 5 but although it ondod thus pleasantly wo would strenuously ndviso tho perpetrator of tho abovo joko to abstain from suoh pleasantries for tho future, or ho may ohanco t» find himsolf within tho four walls of ono of thoso intorosting log buildings in tho Camp. If ho had only scon (ho grim smilo upon tho lips of tho sorgoaut who rolatf d to us tho abovo. and tho sinister romark, touching pos9iblo consoquoncos, winch accompauiod it, ho would havo shivered in his Wellington boots, and considered himsolf woll out of that which might havo proved a vory awkward " scrape." Wo woro anything but surprisod last even" ing, at tho Tolographio Offico, that communication was at prosont impossible, through an acoidont to tho wiros between Ohristohuroh and the Bealoy. It was only at 4 o'clook in tho aftoruoon that tho oporator was able to transmit mossages to tho latter place, tho lino having brokon down tho provious night 5 but as a man had beon despatched early in tho day to ascertain tho dainago and ropair it, tho work was efTooted sooner than might havo beon oxpoctcd. On communicating with tho Bealey an answer was sout back that tho storm of Thursday night was most sovoro, and accompanied by a heavy fall of snow and torrents of rain. Wo boliovo that ovory part of tho provinco was similary visited, and foar that in a day or two sad tales of disastor will roach us. As tho prosont broak in tho communication ocours at a point of tho road winch is oiisily accosßJblo, wo oxpoct that tho damage will bo soon repaired, and that by this ' morning wo shall agaiu bo ablo to hold convorso with our eastern brethren.

The sovority of tho weather on Thursday night delayed tho cloparturo of Oobb's coaoh toy Ghristohuroh yostorday morning six hours after tho usual timo of starting. At 3 o'clock Mr Crawloy proceeded to tho Post Oflico for mails; but tho flooded stato of Gibson's Quay convinced him that tho Arahura would be impassable, so ho decided to wait until tho tido had obbod oro ho despatched tho coach. Thoroforo, instoad of four o'clock (tho usual hour), it atartod at ton o'clook, tho manager proceeding with it as far as tho Arahura, boing anxious to sco tho passago safoly offoctcd. It was woll that tho dolay was dcoidod on, as during tho night tho rivor had ovorflowod its banks and surrounded tho hotel and storos thoro j and whon tho coaoh arrivod, had baroly subsidod sufficiently to rondor tho ford passable Mr Crawloy informed us that tho conch crossed easily, and that of tho two fording places tho ouo below tho falls is tho bottor.