West Coast Times. T HURSDAY, DECEMBER 6. 1866.
As the daily sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court is extremely leugtlry, owing to the amount of business entailed by tho Dobson murder case, it has been very properly decided to relieve Mr Fitzgerald of a portion of tho work by securing tho services of another J.P., who will, we understand, preside over the civil sittings at Hokitika until the above caso is finished. Tlus division of labor commenced yesterday, Mr Revell, the Greymouth magistrate, held court in the Warden's Court Houso, and di&poscd of a number of civil cases. Such an arrangement is most satisfactory, as it will be the means of shortening the stay in town of many of those witnesses who, residing in tho up-couutry districts, were subpoenaed to attend at the trial of Wilson.
At the Resident Magintratc's Coiu-t yesterday, two drunkards wero mulcted in the sum of fne shillings, with the usual alternative. Henry Betts (a colored man) and Andrew Stepney were respectively fined ten shillings for depositing rubbish on the Hokitika beach, above high- water mark. Jno. M-Laughlin aud Thos. M'Mahon were both ' sentenced to two months' imprisonment, with hard labor, for the larceny of a ham and a quantity of ale. William Rollings, charged with being of ur.dou.nd mind, was remanded for medical examination. Thomas Kerspy, for vagrancy, was committed to tho Hokilika Gaol for the term of fourteen days' with hard labor. Tho Dobsou murder case vas proceeded with, and the evidence of Sullivan concluded. Ho has been iv tho witness box (exclusive of tho time occupied in tho adjournments) fifteen hours, and, notwithstanding his long cross-examination, his evidence remains unshaken, and without auy perceptible advantage being secured to tho accusod ; in fact, so much co thai tho counsel for the prosecution doomed it uuncce&bary to re-examine him. The further hearing of thia case will be renowed at 10 a.m. this day.
A correspondent, writing upon Tucker Flat and tho adjacent diggings, states that the two companies who hold extended ground on tho former place, hare amalgamated aud are now boring for the main bottom. They have reached a depth of sixty feet,- and expect to " touch " bottom at about bevonfy-live or eighty feet. The flat has a very deserted appearance, a low fossicking parties only being employed there, tho majority of Ihe once numerous population liaviug leftfor the Pakihi and Fox's river diggings. A few havo also been attracted by the Big Paddock ru&h. Those portions of the Ho Ho lead and Blucspur workings not yet exhausted aro closely held, and pay very high wages. Some few of the claini3 will not bo worked out for many months. New ground — which promises to pay from Ll2 to Ll4 per week has been opened on the flat below the Blucspur township, filming affairs arc rather dull in the Big Paddock as, tired of shepherding, many diggers have left it lately, but those who are on the lend obtain very' high returns. The lead has boon traced across tho paddock, close up to tho bii3h which surrounds it. There arc between 300 and 400 minors employed there who arc supplied with the necessaries of life by fourteen stores, two bakeries, four butchers, and a few shanties. Many people quite believe thai the paddock will yet turn out an extensive aud profitable diggings. The localities above alluded to enjoy a wonderful immunity from crime, as no case has been reported to the police for several week?.
The following are the district gaol returns for the week ending Saturday, December 1 : — Admitted, nil. Discharged (debtors), 2. Remaining in custody at the above date— l 3 males and 2 females j under committal for trial at tho Supreme Court Sessions, 23 males ; undergoing sentence, 9 debtors. Total — 4-5 males and 2 females."
Tho Maori Reserve Gold Mining Company (Kanieri) have made very good progress with their undertaking, as the tail-race will be finished to day, and about Monday the work of sinking a paddock at the end of it will commence. The shareholders believe that if not hindered by floods they -will succeed in reaching the main bottom in the course of a fortnight or three weeks. Powerful pumping gear will be employed.
Tho Hokitika Amateur Dramatic Club hold their usual meetmg,_ at Gibson's Victoria Hotel, on Monday evening last ; several new members were enrolled, and the pieces for the forthcoming performance, viz., tho comedy of " All that Glitters is not Gold," and tho iarco of '• Brother Bill and me," were selected and cast. Wo believe the Club will givo their first performance about the 20th instant.
A ma.rked decrease occurred in tho number of confiuces in the Rcvcll streelfgaol during the week ending December Ist, as on that date 16 pribouers wore in charge, against 21 who wore undergoing sentence on the preceding Saturday. The prisoners admitted during lust week were 4 males to tho hard labor gang, and 1 male sentenced to a term of simple imprisonment, whilst 8 males wero discharged from custody. The number in confinement on tho let are classed as follows : — Hard labor gang, 10 males ; simple imprisonment, 2 males ; on remand, 4 males.
In our notice of the formation of the Hit-and-Miss Mining Company (Kaniori) in yesterday's issue, tho name of Mr Weymouth wa& accidentally omitted in the list of provisional directors.
A tabular statement of tho quantity of gold exported from the different New Zealand goldfields previous to tho 30th September, 1866, has beort published in the '• New Zealand Gazette," from which we gather that tho total amount is 2,894,888 ozs Of thia quantity, the Provinco of Otago contributed 2.022,303 ozs.; Canterbury (Westland), 560,923 ozs. ; Nelson — including that portion of tho Grey district belonging to it, 255,128 ozs. ; Marlborough, 33,227 ozs. ; Aucklaud, 19,13-4 ozs. ; Southland, 4171 ozs. The value of the above quantity i 3i 3 estimated at L 11,206,722.
Weare glad to learn (says tho " Grey River Argus") more favorable accounts from 'the upriver diggings. A good number of men who had been taken away by the Pakihi rusk havo returnod and set to' work again tib their old quarters, apparently convinced that tho Grey digging^ offer quite as good inducements to industrious miners as any on the coast. A small rush, favorably spoken of, is reported as having taken placo to Sulliran'a Creek, near Red Jack's,
'"' A follow feeling makes us wondrous kind." Tho celebrated J. (_r. S. Grant, of "Saturday Review" aud '"Dolphic Oracle" uotorioty, has bcou raising his voice iv the Olago Provincial Council n#iinbt the oxlirpalion'of tho thistle—" tho oinbloin of our uati\ o laud "" — on tho ground of thoir being "cxcolleut provoudcr for asses." Tho same individual also mado an attempt to cxcludo the public aud reporters from tho Houso ; but it ib satisfactory to learn that in both attempts ho was defeated.
Our G-rn mouth contemporary of the <kh iusl. sayu :— " Another melancholy death occurred in a mining claim on Friday morning, at Herbert's Terrace-, North Beach. A miner, named Johu Leru, went into a drive to draw somo old slabs, but uot making his re-appear-anco, his inateß became uneasy, and they entered tho drive to search for him, aud found that a portion of it had fallen it. Assibtance was at ouee obtained from the adjoining claim, and the unfortunate man was disinterred, but was quite dead. Information was promptly given to tho police, and on tho following day an inquest on the body was held before Mr Warden Ayhncr, and a verdict in accordance with tho circumstances above mentioned was returned."
From Otago we learn that that province has experienced equally heavy weather with ourselves during the past month. A telegram published in tho "Times" of the 2 Ith ult., informs us that " the Shotover has not been fordablo for the last nine days," and that " no communication can take placo with Skippers except by' Moke Creek." Concerning the quartz reefs of the lake distinct, wo learn from the same telegram that "tho result of Perry's crushing will be known in a few days ; the Scandinavian Company's machinery is ready to commence crushing ; they only require a few days to complete their tail race." The concert and performance for the benefit of the sutlerers by the late war in Germany, came off in Dunedin on the 23rd ult., at the Princess' Theatre. The whole of the seats in the dress circle were taken up, and tho house throughout was crowded. It was a great success.
By way of Nelson, telegraphic news from tho North is to hand to the 28th inst. We are indebted to the " Examiner " for the following: — " Five buildings have been destroyed by fire in Drake street, Aucklaud. The fire, as has generally happened, broke out in an empty house. Colonel Haultain, who had arrived in Auckland, has invited his constituents to meet hhn. Rewi threatens to resist the occupation by stock holders of lands leased by them from Thompson and other natives outside the boundary of the confiscated lands iv Waikato. and in order to prevent the titlo being brought into tho Land Court, he lias warned off the surveyors. The native lessors arc preparing to dofend tho land against Rewi. The crew of a New Zealand vessel, the Kate, landed the captain and passengers on an uninhabited iblaml, near the Fijis, and made off with tho vessel, and LISOO iv cash, which was on board of her. A passing ship took the dojorted men off tho island. Intelligence has been received that parties of rebels are appearing near M'Donncll'd camp, on tho West Coast. A cricket match has been played between the officers of H.M. ships Challenger and Falcon and a Wellington eleven. The latter beat their oppouents iv one inuiugs, with 165 to spare. Tho • Hawke's Bay Herald' reports that all the threatened attacks by tho Hau Haua on tho settlers havo come to nothing."
The " Nelson Examiner" of tho let instant, says: — "The libel case, Curtis Brothers v. Messrs Luckio, Nation, and Collius, which was an action for an allegod libel, published in the ' Colonist' nowapaper in Fobruary last, occupied thu Court tho wLole of Monday and Tuesday. — The jury retired at about half-past five o'clock on Tuesday evening, and, at halfpast ttu, finding there was no prospect of the jury agreeing on a verdict, they were discharged by consent of both parlies, each paying their own costs."
Under the head of " A Friend at Cour.l " the "Lyltelton Times" pubishes the following :—": — " A return of tho detailed expenditure on the West Coast Road has been laid on the table of the Council. It will be remembered that in this work large contracts wore given out by the Secretary for Public Works, without inviting competition by tender. The contracts wore given, as a matter of course, to those whom the Crovcrmncnt chose to patronise. A good deal of the work was done by dfiy labor, under the supervision of Government engineers aud surveyors ; but a few heavy contracts were issued. In payment for this class of work Mr E. G-. Wright appears to have drawn no le»s a sum thanLiO,B6i 7s Id., and Mr William White, L12,0G6 15s. 3d. A small sum in both these cases appears to have been paid for stores, &c. We can only devoutly hope tlie public have got full value for their money, for nobody will ever be ablo to prove the fact. Among names known in Christchiu'ch of those who have supplied stores, &c, we notice Messrs Angus, Duncan, Younghiubaiid, Stringer, Brooke, Money, Pavitt, &c, &c. After all, what is the use of a Government if it does not back up its friends."
The " Geeloug Advertiser " reports the following incident which occurred in the local police court: — "An interesting looking woman, splendidly dressed, and of course carrying a baby in her arms, catalogued to the bench and told a long story how her husband had left her four years ago and had gone to New Zealand, and had just come back and claimed his child, which she wished tho bench to restore to her. The lu'story in its entirety, as told to us, is one of- tho strange episodes m colonial life. The parties were married in London. Tbc result of that union is the child in quostion. Matrimonial disturbances followed the journey to the antipodes — quarrels ensued and bitter recriminations. The husband on one occasion thmiteued to shoot her, and on another occasion threatened to settle the connubial inquietude with a razor. He then left Victoria for New Zealand, where ho has been for four years, and did not communicate with his wife latterly. News arrived that he had polished in a snowdrift, iv one of the outlying diggings in. New Zealand, and according to statements made personally, tho news was confirmed. An intimacy sprung up on the part of tho wife with another party, and an illioit " liaisou " ensued, resulting in the baby referred to as being produced in court. The baby was nicely got up, aud is a five specimen, under the exceptional circumstances of its coming into the world iudependent of propriety and due ceremony and legal observances. All went merry, without the marriage bell. At length wedlock was thought of and resolved on, perhaps with a perceptional of the maxim that '' It is never ■to late to mend." The banns of marriage were duly read out. The eve of the celobration of the matrimonial service waa coming close to hand, and the once indissoluble institute of marriage — when marriage was a sacrament, and not a mero legal forni — was about to be imposed, when tho husband from New Zealand arrives, claims his child, takes it from his wife, and secretes it, upbraids her for her misouduct, yet o flora to take htr agaiu if sho will give up the child sho has in arms to her paramour, and go with him to New Zealand. The Police Magistrate read this well-dressod woman a homily on her conduct, and refused to entertain her application, saying that her husb.iud had made overtures of a nature that not ono man out of five hundred could have been expected to make ; and tho lady and the lover leit tho Court together, seemingly indifferent to tho exposH publicly made. Had the husband dolayed his voyage from Now Zealand iv week longer, tho story would havo been still more intricate by tho introduction of tho element of bigamy into the plot." As a specimen of Sydney politeness we may quoto tho following from the telegraphic intelligence of the "Argus" of the 21st ult. : "Iv the Assombly to-day a sceno occurred through MrM'Pherson calling Mr Buchanan a hog, and refusing to retract the expression. Mr M'Pherson's conduct is being discussed with closed doors,"
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18661206.2.8
Bibliographic details
West Coast Times, Issue 376, 6 December 1866, Page 2
Word Count
2,461West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6. 1866. West Coast Times, Issue 376, 6 December 1866, Page 2
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.