West Coast Times. MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1868.

West Coast Times, Issue 761, 2 March 1868, Page 5

West Coast Times. MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1868.

The erection of the Dobson Memorial is being proceeded -with, operations having been commenced on Saturday last by Mr James Eeynold's, the successful tenderer. The site chosen is the centre of the intersection of Weld and Sewell streets. The monument will take the form of an obeliak quadrilateral, and slightly pyramidal, with an inscription on each side of the basement portion. The base on which it will rest will be of three tiers, each one foot deep, the lowest tier will be eight, the next six, and the topmost one four feet square. The height of the column itself is eighteen feet six inches. The whole of the material employed is Sydney freestone, which is of a very durable nature, and best calculated to withstand the effect of the weather. The monument will bear inscription to the memory of those early explorers, George Dobson, Henry Whitcombe, Charles Townsend, and Charlton Howett. We have to record two more deaths by drowning. Two miners, Patrick Dolan, aged 40, of the Five-mile Beach, and Thomas Corkhill, 25, of the Three-mile Beach, were in Okarita on the 24th ult., and left for the Three-mile Beach, about 6 p.m. on that day, and in attempting to ford the Three-mile Creek, which was then in a high slate of flood, got drowned. Both bodies were found on the beach next morning. Dolan. was a native of Cavan, Ireland, single, and has been mining many years, has a brother named Owen Dolan, either mining or keeping a public house at Brighton, Nelson Province. Corkhill was a native of Ulster, Ireland, a seaman, though mining lately, arrived here in the Jane Anne, Captain Tucker. [ The conveyance from Christchurch reached town at half-past four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, with the West Coaßt portion of the Panama Mail, which had been conveyed to Lyttelton from Wellington in the steamer Phoebe. Only two names were on the wayhill — Mr Taylor (through) and Mr Brown (wayside). An accident happened yesterday morning to Mr Martin, of the Gal way Arms, North Rovell street, by which the forefinger of his left hand has been severely injured, and, it i 3 feared, will have to be amputated at the first jointIt appears that Mr Martin was cleaning a revolver, and whilst so engaged must have cocked the hammer, which somehow went off, causing the discharge of three of the barrels, which were loaded with ball, one of them taking effect on his left-hand forefinger, lacerating it severely. It was fortunate indeed that worse resnlts did not ensue, as there were ssveral men around him at the time of the accident. The want of a regular police patrol in North Bevell street is causing great dissatisfaction and feeling of insecurity amongst the more respectable and orderly of ita denizens. It is asserted — and, we believe, with good reason — that it is unsafe to leave your doors without their being well barred apd bolted, aa at any moment some loafing vagabond may enter the house, and, if unprotected by the presence of one of the sterner sex, will defy ths frightened inmates to eject him. Such terrorism must be put a stop to, or else the consequence will Boon make itself apparent in some atrocious act of vandalism. Yesterday, about noon, a woman named Emma Simmons was observed by Detective Browne to go deliberately into the surf, and throw herself down ; and had it not been for the exertions of two men who ran into the surf and pulled her out, she would hare been

drowned. On tho detective taking her in charge, she asked to be let go, that she might put an end to herself; that she was sick of her life, and was so much in debt that she could not pay her way. She came from Victoria some months 'ago, and had lately been living in a brothel next tho old Bendigo Hotel, in Eevell-street. It was at the back of this place, on the beach, that she threw herself in the surf.

We understand that Mr Hitchin, the champion billiard player of the Australias is engaged to play a series of matches with the best players to be found in Westland. The first match comes off, on Thursday evening, at the Eose, Thistle, and Shamrock, -where accommodation will be provided for those who wish to witness the skill of this great master of the cue.

George Winter, Esq., has been appointed a Commissioner of the Waste Lands Board of the County of Westland, and to act as Treasurer thereof on behalf of the General Government of New Zealand.

An. inquest was held at Rutherglen, on Wednesday last before W. 11. Eevell, Esq , Coroner, on the body of Janet Driscol Eglan, aged 25, who died at Saltwater Creek on the previous day. In consequence of deceased having been separated from her husband, and being on bad terms with him, various rurnora got abroad, but a post mortem examination showed that apoplexy or effusion of blood on the brain was the cause of death. A verdict to that effect was returned.

A change has taken place in the constitution of the Education Board for Westland. Mr Abbott and Mr E. C. Eeid have resigned, and the appointment of Mr Kissling has been cancelled in consequence of that gentleman having left tho county. The following appointments Jhave been made : — Mr W. S. Eeid to be Chairman, and Mr W. H. Harrison and Mr W. G . Moss to be members of the Board. This Board is appointed under an Ordinance which was introduced into, and carried tln-ough the Provincial Council, by Mr Barff, and his non-appointment to the Board is a very singular circumstance.

The Eoyal Mail Steam Packet Company, which connects with the Panama Company's line, havo, we (the " West India and Pacific Mail" Jan. 1) believe, purchased two additional vessels, so as to ensure efficiency in every branch of the service. One is entirely a new vessel, being now in course of construction, and is upwards of 3000 tons burthen. The Ehine is intended to take the place of the Ehone on the Transatlantic route ; the other is the Corsican, belonging to the Cunard Company, and will probably be employed in the Intercolonial service.

The General Assembly stands still fin'thcr prorogued until the 28th May.

The two unfortunates who were drowned on Saturday morning on their attempt to cross the bar inwards in a boat, which was capsized, will be buried to-day. One of them was an Oddfellow, and we understand it is the general wish of tho brethren of the Order to pay then* respect to his memory by following his remains to the grave. No doubt employers who are themselves Oddfellows will gladly allow their employees a couple of hours' grace — say, from two to four — to enable them to attend the obsequies of the ill-fated man.

The Wharfage Dues to be levied in Hokitika, come into operation to-day.

The Westland "Gazette" of tho 28th ult., notifies that clauses 2 to 22 of the Municipal Corporation Act, have been applied to the town of Hokitika, and comes into force this day. The " Gazette " also contains a statement of the estimated and proposed receipts and expenditure of the Municipal Corporation of the town of Hokitika for tho ensuing year.

It will be seen by reference to our report of the proceedings of the town Council held on Saturday evening, that a Special rate of one shilling in the pound be struck, and immediately levied. The proceeds of this rate will be to a great extent employed in refunding the second moiety of the old rate to the persons who have paid it ; and not taken , advantage of the ingenious technical objection to the legality of the rate raised by that most public spirited citizen Mr Klein. Mr Klein will have tho satisfaction of paying, in the shape of a special rate undoubtedly legally levied, towards compensating those of his fellow citizens who paid their rates under the Ordinance which expires this morning, without any legal quibble.

With reference to the establishment of a through mail line between England and the Isthmus of Panama, the "Weßt India and Pacific Mail" of the Ist January, says :— "The announcement that, as soon a3 the necessary arrangements can he made, the Atlantic vessels of the Eoyal Mail Steam Packet Company will extend their voyages to Colon, will be received with satisfaction by all who are interested in the communication between England and those countries which lie beyond the Isthmus of Panama. The increasing importance of the traffic between this country and the North and South Pacific, Central America, and, though last, not least, New Zealand and the Australirn" Colonies, calls for a means of communication more suitable to its value than that which has hitherto been provided, and we rejoice in tho prospect of a line of first-class mail steamers running through from Southampton to Colon, by which arrangement the inconvenience so much complained of by passengers of having to change from ship to ship will be avoided, and embarking at Southampton, they will he able to proceed in the same ship through to Colon, which as our readers are doubtless aware is the Atlantic terminus of the Panama Eailroad. While the arrangements in question will bo a great boon for outward passengers it will, perhaps, be still more advantageous for those who are homeward hound, as arriving at Colon they will be able to walk on board the Atlantio steamer which will convey them either to Plymouth or Southampton. Tho arrangement will probably also be found very satisfactory to merchants, as goods for the Isthmns shipped in England will bo conveyed to that locality in tho ship in which they were originally received, and in tho same way goods from the Pacific, &c, received at Colon, will be delivered in England without being transhipped from one vessel to another, wo havo not heard whon the through service is oxpeoted to be commenced, but we lose no time

in drawing the attontion of our readers to tho decision which has been come to, as wo aro sure that it is one which will be received with the utmost satisfrction by all who are interested in the communication between this county and the Pacific."

"We beg to remind the public that Mr J. G. Joyce take 3 his farewell benefit at the Prince of Wales Opera House to night, on which occasion Mr Barblett makes his lastappearance on the stage, sustaining the characters of Louis and Fabian Be Franc 7d t in the " Corsican Brothers."

The Cliristclmvcli " Evening Mail " of fclic 27th ulfc. mentions tho following as likely to be weinber3 of the new Canterbury Executive : — Mr Ormsby, Provincial Secretary ; Mr Montgomery, Honorary Provincial Treasurer; Mr J. S. Williani3, Provincial .Solicitor ; and Mr Evans Brown, member of the Government without office. A Clmsfcchureh contemporary of tho following morning, however, states that this rumor is without foundation, and that no ministerial combination will be attempted to be formed by Mr Montgomery, to whom the task is entrusted, until the concurrence of tho leading members of tho Provincial Council lias been obtained.