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West Coast Times, Issue 312, 22 September 1866, Page 2

A mail named John Lawlor, supposed to be a dangerous lunatic, was forwarded to town, from Ross, yostorday, for medical examinationHis eccentricities first attracted attention ut Abut Head, where there is a sir all settlement, as ho there entered Mr Merrigan's stor", and stated that the following morning he proposed killing Mr and Mrs Merrigan and their children. Alarmed at such a threat, they left the premises, 'and the nqxt morning Mrs Merrigan observed Lawlor — who was J armed with somo weapon — approach the store . Ho was afterwards seen to rush wildly into the bush, without clothing. Information was giveu to the police, who arrested and scut him to town. He will undergo examination to-day.

In the case of the Wesleyan Church Committp against [the proprietors of the West Coast Times, for illegal occupation of a portion of the Church Reserve, in the Warden's Court, formal judgment was given by Mr Warden Schaw, in favor of the plaintiffs, the defendants giving notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, in order to raise the very important question of the legality of Church reserves in Ilokitika.

Owing to the state of the bar, yo-*torday, we were unable to obtain our files of Nelson papers from the Lord Ashley. AYe accordingly made arrangements to procure a telegraphic auinmnry of the proceedings in the Supreme Court in connection with the trial of the Maungatapu murderers which will be found in another column.

The gold escort from Ro3s (Totara) arrived in town -last night, with the largest fortnighly returns from that district since the'escort was established. 3200 ounces was the amount

4 brought in, of which t&'e Bank of N.Z. contributed 1200 ounces ;" Bank of N. 8. Wales, 1000 ounces, and the Union Bank 1000. This is cheering, and significant of the steady progress making by oar Totara neighbours.

Cobb's Christchurch coach left on its overland journey yesterday morning; The waybill was somewhat light, as besides a few par♦cels, its freight consisted of one passenger only, (Mr Scott) who booked through to the eastern metropplis.

The first number of a new weekly paper is announced to be issued this morning, under the title of " The Ross Guardian." From

the steady and progressive development of the mining interests in thut district, and tue promise it affords of the presence of a permanent population, there is little reason to doubt that the new journal has a prosperous career before it. We wish it every success.

One or two meetings havo been held during the week, tit the Vive Brigade Hall, of gentlemen interested in the formation of a Literary Association ; and we believe the formation of the Society may be announced as a fact, officers and a committee of management having been duly appointed, and the names of several gentlcmm enrolled as members, the subscription being fixed at oa per quarter. The Rev. J. Hall has been elected president of the Society ; JlrC. E. Button, vice-president ; MiAndrew Mowat, treasurer ; Mr M. "VYhytlaw, secretary ; and the following as members of committee : — Messrs Robert Whito, John Stewart, Andrew dimming, James Powell, D. M'Haffie, and W. G-. Harrison. The basis of the scheme is a very modest one, and if the committee display any ordinary energy, there is no reason whatever why it should not bo carried out with success. We are requested to state that the first meeting of the Society will be held on Wednesday evening nextj when Mr Whytlow will open a discussion on the question — " Is Pln-enology a practical science ?" taking the negative view of the question ; Mr B. Sinclair sustaining the affirmative. We may add that no intimation o£ either of the meetings held was forwarded to us, so that we have been precluded from noticing the movement at an 6arlier stage. In connection with the subject, we may ask, what has become of the project started some time back, for the formation of a " Literary and Gymnastic Institute ?" It is most unintelligible that schemes of this kind should be initiated in ft fit- of enthusiasm, and thou »Uowed to fell through by \Mv promoters. The eollanici

of this movement— of the Dobson Testimonial movement -and of ninny others that 'might be iuUIo 1 to the list —reflects little credit upon those uho take tho matter in hand willy a great show of zeal, and afterwards never care anything more about it. AVo aro almost inluctiint, under tho circumstances, to mention Uiat a rimoting of a fow friends of the Church of England has been hold during tho week, to promote measures for the establishment of a public school for the education of children, on broad catholic principles. We are informed that most of tho money required for this object was guaranteed, and that with a littlo extra assistance tho scheme could bo carried out without difficulty.- Wo sincerely trust that in this instance, as in that of the new Eitcrnry Society, there will bo afforded an exception to the ordinary law of miscarriage, which appears to nip every public movement in Hokitika in the bud.

At a lato hour on Thursday "night the inhabitants of the lower end of Eevell street were alarmed by the sound of a tremendous rush of wind, which shook every house to its foundation, gnd was attended by a fearful crash, amidst which could be plainly distinguished the sound of breaking glass and tho splintering of wood._ A squall had passed over tho town, and as it was accompanied by thunder and lightning, it was at first imagined that some building had been struck by the electric iluid. This, however, was not tho case, as the 'damage was solely occasioned by the wind, which must have been vertical,- as the liyge front of Mr Munro's store was torn completely awjy from the builfting, and carried somo distance down tho street. Tho whirl then passed diagonally over Gibson's Quay> demolishing many windows, and playfully Stripping a few sheets of 4 uon off tho roofa of tho different building? it crossed'; and so powerful was the gust that one of theso sheets, six feet in length, was deposited upon the deck of the s.s. Beautiful Star, much to the alarm of the night watch. We regret foliate that the los 3to Mr Munro is very considerable, as the windows were of plate-glass and very handsome, whilst a great quant ily of merchandise was more or les3 damaged. The officer in charge at the I&mieri reports that on the 18th inst. ho visited a new rush, which had set in to a terrace, about a quarter of a mile below the Three-mile Crock Township. f lhere were about 800 miners on the ground, the majority of whom were only shepherding, although a great 'many shafts were being sunk. Three claims were on gold, which <vas not very plentiful, as the prospects obtained only 'amounted to from 5 grains to 10 grains the dish out of washdirt 6 inches in thickness. The depth of siukiug is about fifteen feet, but as the gold promises to run into the terrace, will soon be much deeper, and in all probability reach 60 feet.