West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 579, 2 August 1867, Page 4

West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1867.

It is, wo believe, understood that the mail for Europe and America via Panama will close this morning at 10 o'clock ; but no official notification of the fact is published by the Post Office authorities.

The West Coast will again contribute its quota to the outgoing Panama Mail steamer. We are informed that five passengers are already booked in Hokitika for the next ship — the Rakaia — which leaves Wellington on the Bth inst., "and as the branch steamer Airedale docs not leave until eleven o'olock this morning, it is not unlikely that the preBent number of passengers will be increased. The names of those at present.booked are Mr and Mrs Daniel Q.uadri (late of the West Coast Hotel), Mr and Mrs Touvenel, and Mr Lazarus. The latter proceed to Panama en route for New York ; the others have booked through to Southampton. At Greymouth there are woijjhig for shipment per Airedale 5000ozs gold from the Bank of -New Zealand for London, and two passengers for New

York. Miners, and others, who have- made their " pile," and purpose revisiting the old country, will do well to journey by this route, as in addition to its being the quickest way lome, an opportunity is afforded of seeing something of thai vast continent America. We understand that twice or thriceiately, the large bar window of the Royal George Hotel has been broken by some malicious person. As this window is of plate glass and highly the cost of repairing it must be r very considerable. We trust that the perpetrator or perpetrators of "this cowardly act will be discovered and brought to justice. • His Honor the District Court Judge will sifc at Greymouth for the trial of civil cases oh Tuesday next. ' On the 20th inßtant his Honor will, sit at Hokitika for the trial of criminal and.civil cases. The ravages committed by the late gale amongst the giants of the forest have been something surprising. On the Stafford Street Tramway numerous large trees have been uprooted, and they have in their fall come crashing down upon some of the small houses erected in that locality. Most fortunately none of the inhabitants have been injured, but in some cases they have been necessitated to remove. On the Kanieri Tramway several large trees were blown across the line, but jirithout doing serious damage. These freaks of the gale were as nothing when compared with its effects upon the forest through which the Christchurch road passes. Here immense trees were torn up, by the roots and hurled across the roads, completely blocking it up and preventing all traffic. By dint of great labor some of these were cleared away, and Shepherd, the driver, succeeded in getting the coach as far as the Taipo, having in on© instance to jump his horses over the prostrate trees, and then by force and persuasion cause them to drag the coach over after them. In the earnestness of his endeavor to make the journey he drove up the bed of the Teremakau for nearly three miles, but all his efforts were fruitless, for the road was so blocked up by fallen trees that it was impossible to proceed further, and ha therefore returned to town, which was safely reached on Wednesday evening. This morning another attempt to perform the journey will be made. Yesterday, however, a remarkable change took place in the weather — instead of a boisterous gale and bitterly cold atmosphere ther air was serene and mild, and although the general appearance of the sky was , clouded, at times glimpses of sunshine would break through, the clouds and impart a degree of cheerfulness to the surrounding scenery. ' The bar, too, was in splendid condition — there was plenty of deep water in the north channel, and the scene both on the river and on the wharf was most animated, as vessel after vessel was brought in by the steam-tugs, ;or was towed by them far out into the ooean, whioh lay stretched out in the distance. Although the tide was high, and the surf at tunes dashed with considerable violence on the beach, yet it was evident that for a tune at least all danger from the inroads of the sea had passed away, and that the havoc which for some days past has been going on amongst the buildings erected in the vicinity of the beach had ceased.

The usual weekly meeting of the Municipal- . Council will be held this evening, at the Municipal Council Chambers, at half-past seven o'clock. Telegraphic] communication] still remains interrupted. Cobb's Coach leaves this morning, at 8 o'clock, for Christchurch, with the following passengers booked all through — Mr G. S. Sale, Mr Reid, Mr Buxton, Mr Clarke Ross, and Mr Goodman. We notice that during the hut few days Surveyors have been engaged in pegging out sections of land in Revell, Tancred, and Sewell streets, we presume preparatory to a - eale of the land. »

Mottoes tob Am. — A vain manT"motte< is, "Win gold and wear it"— a generous man's, " Win gold and share it " — a miser's, "Win gold and spare it"— a profligate's, " Win gold and spend it "—a broker's, " Win gold and lend it " — a fool's, " Win gold and end it "—a gambler's, (( Win gold and lose it"— "a wiso man's, "Win gold and use it," True astd Fast, What everyone knows is That Borne one supposes That Florida's roses ' Are nothing but paint, Such auspicious would grieve her, So let it be known, They're so truly her own That they won't Bven leave her, When she's in a faint. The Litebatttbe as Vice. — The "Bookseller" publishes an article on " The Literature of Vice" — the penny t and halfpenny, romances, of murder, robbery, seduction, . and adultery — in which we find curious, .details. Thus we read: — "As. to the rate of remuneration received by the writers ,of these -stories, we undewtand that two guineas for a sheet of eight pages is considered good payment, while in some few cases men are to be found who can provide enough writing to fill eight pages of close print, each number warranted to contain at least one murder, fire, shipwreck, or seduction, for fifteen shillings ! On the other hand, two or three of the writers of these sensation stories are likewise their proprietors ; and considerable sums are said to have been yearly netted from their sale in penny numbers.

False Measube. —"I shall cane you soundly," said the dominie. "What for?" inquired the delinquent. " For being rude." " You ought not to cane me soundly for that." " Why ?" " Because it is contrary to the table of weights and measures." " How so ?" " You would be making one rood an acher." "You can sit down," said the dominie.

Never chase your own hat when it blows off in a gale of wind ; just staud still, and you will presently see half-a-dozen persons in pursuit of it. When one has captured it, walk leisurely toward him, receive it with a graceful acknowledgement, and replace it on your head ; he will invariably act as if you had done him a favor. Try it. '

Old Zacbaviah Robbins was called on to prove the insauity of a young man on trial for assault with intent to kill. He swore that he had no doubt whatever that the prisoner was an insane man. On his cross-examinatioH, he was required to state the reasons for this opinion. "Why, bloss you," said he, "I've known Jimmy allers, and he's allers ben a Diinicrat, and when the Dimicratic party put up their man last Fall, Jimmy did't vote for him ; and' l allers think that a Diinicrat that don't stick to his party ain't' in his right mind!" Jimmy was acquitted, -for 'Old Zaohariah's opinion prevails very generally in that region as well as this.