Tuesday, 2nd October.

West Coast Times, Issue 321, 3 October 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

Tuesday, 2nd October.

Drunk and Incapable. — Richard Richards was fined ss, or, in default, 24 hours' imprisonment with hard labor. Assault. — Alexander M'Carthy was charged by, Michael jCassius with assaulting hhn*at Okarita on the 2nd ol! September. M'Carthy failing >to appear, a warrant was ordered to issue for his arrest. Mary Kitchen and Robert Wilson Hope were brought, up on remand from the Ist instant, charged with the abduction of a girl under sixteen years of age. The prisoners had been arrested by Sergeant "Dyer on a warrant forwarded from Sydney. The sergeant proved the signature to the warrant, which \vas that of Mr Scott, Resident Magistrate, Sydney, and 9tated that the prisoner Hope told him he had engaged the girl as a servant, to take care of his child. The prisoner Kitchen denied any part in the transaction, but,informed Sergeant Dyer that Hope had paid the girl's passage down from Sj'dney. He had not paid the passage when they left Sydney, but had waited until they got out to sea, as he was afraid the girl's another might hear of her leaving, and take her back. The prisoners were remanded until the 3rd instant, admitted to bail. Frank Robinson was fined Ll, or, in default, 48 hours' imprisonment, for committing a breach of the peace. A further fine of L 2, or, in default, 4 days 5 imprisonment, was inflicted for as^aultin^ the constable who arrested hi^ on the other charge. Lahceny. — Robert Thomson and Bartholomew M'Donnell, charged with this offence, were remanded until to-morrow (this day) at the request of the police. Assault. — Woods, known by the name of " Brummy,'' was charged, on the in- , formation of Jane Bennett, with assaulting her on the 25th ult. Neither party appearing, the information was dismissed. Bee4ch of Police Ordinance. — Hamilton and MJKetterick,- owners of the Adelphi Hotel, <Re veil- street, were fined 10s each for neglecting io keep the chimneys of .their hotel clean. John Casey was fined' L2 for using abuBive and insulting language tdwards. Constable Brown, whilst in the execution of his duty. There were forty-seven small debt sases disposed of to-day. In a great many casesneither party appeared, besides some few in which the amounts had been paid into Court, or otherwise settled. The Court was then adjourned until, 11 o^clock to-morrow (this day).

We hear that quite a thriving little Community is located at Fox's diggings, which arc situated some 17 miles from towy,, between the Waimea and Greenstone districts. The ■place "was nearly inaccessible twelve .months ago, 'Owing to the absence of tracks and tho impenetrability of the bush; qnt since the formation of the Ohristchurch-road it is easily reached by following the highway along for about 15 miles, then turning off on to a rough bush track, which followed for two miles leads to the principal (or Fox's) gully, where there is the semblance of a township, consisting of several miners' habitations and, one store, a butchery and bakery. The diggiugs compi-ise several gullies and terraces, and the population, which is much scattered, is roughly estimated at about 200 only, but all are getting more or less gold, whilst some few, who have 1 water at command for sluicing, obtain very fair returns indeed. We believe much gold is yet to be extracted from the earlier opened and carelessly worked diggings in Westland, amongst which Fox's may certainly be classed. At the Eesident Magistrate's Court last week, only 1 prisoner was committed to take his trial at the ensuing criminal sessions, and 3 were condemned to the hard-labor gang for lighter offences. From the report furnished us by Sergeant M'Myn, gaoler in charge -of the Bevell street lock-up, we see that during the week 3 prisoners were admitted to the hard-labor gang, from which 9 othere wero discharged, their sentences having expired, and 2 undergoing simple imprisonment were freed. 1 lunatic was forwarded by coach to the asylum at Lyttelton. The number remaining in. custody has much decreased of ]ate, the hard-labor gang being reduced to 10 males and 2 females, whilst 1- male only is undergoing simple imprisonment, and 5 males stand over on remand, making a total of 16 males and 2 females. <r , The " Grrey River Argus " writes in the following hopeful strain upon the New River rush : — "We are glad to hear more favorable accounts from the Saltwater. Confidence in the ground ultimately proving very profitable has been generally restored, and claim-holders are sanguine that the tail race's now being cut to drain the ground will prove efficacious. In fact, the best results have already followed the cutting of these races, a very marked difference in the quantity of water being apparent. The races are expected to bo finished shortly, when we* may anticipate to see the diggings^ go ahead as they deserve to do."