IMPOSTS.

West Coast Times, Issue 907, 19 August 1868, Page 2

IMPOSTS.

Per Three Friends, from Brighton — 167 hides, 100 sheets iron, 1 case, 1 chair, 1 case ale, 2 cases, Cameron ; 6 cases porter, 2 kegs fish, W. Evans ; 1 keg butter. J. Duff; halfton coal, order ; 4 boxes, Mrs Prout ; 2 boxes, 1 package, Sinclair ; 1 trunk, 2 packages, Carey aud Grilles. Per Harry Bluff, from Charleston — 5 tons coal, 17 casks, order. BXPOBT3. Per Persevere, for Grreymosith — 5 cases bacon, 5 do biscuits, 10 do claret, Royse, Mudie, and Co. ; 10 cases jam, Carey and Giiles.

The Panama Company's steamer Otago l«=ft Lyttelton for Wellington on Monday evening, and although not reported in the telegrams, we have no doubt that her arrival thero took place yesterday morning. She will probably leave Wellington this morning, with the West Const: portion of the English Panama mail, and may be expected here to-morrow, and if she arrives in time for tide will receive immediate despatch for Melbourne direct. The arrival of the Panama Company's E..M. b.s. Kaikoura at Wellington yesterday morning, four d«ys before her time, has taken tho colony by surprise, and, for the firat time in its annals, England has been brought within forty-seven days' distance of our chief city by, we may remark, thi3 unprecedented feat on tho par f - of tlie Panama Company. Tho English news was quickly wired to all parts of tho country reached by the electric telegraph, and will be found published in full in another column. Viewed from the outer roadstead, we dare say the surf looked temptingly smooth yesterday morning, and this doubtless induced an attempt on the part of the enptnin of the Mary Cuminiug to land in tho phip's boat. The progress of the little craft was anxiously watched by the crowd on the beach, for afc times a very nasty roll — quite heavy enough to capsize a boat — came in. This was quicKly ascertained by Captain Wigmore, who, being no stranger to the-c watem, approached the shore with duo caution, and finding hovr matters stood, and warned, moreover, by-fhe gesture* of the people on the beach, turned his boat's ho;id seaward, nnd pulled out again. TUo schooner Three Friends, wlkh sailed into port yesterday morning, lias been five week* absent on a'tiipto Charleston, where she snffere 1 a lon<( detention on account of weather and other o i-.r-c*. She left Charleston last Wednesday, ami amvoil iii the roadstead noxt day, and brings up a full cargo of hides and sundries. Yesterday morning the bar was orosßed under canvas by tho schooner Three Friends and tho cutter Hatty Bluii; the Sent being

v.rjess-d by a l>ir ; ,-(> <to«<1 ol'specialorso I ' special ors who had turned out upon tlic l:oicliio enjoy tho lovely weatlier, and por!.«|>s with the anticipation <>f a little bit of sensation to vary the hue uncommonly dull routine of Hokitika liie. If so, they were not disappointed, as both vessels had aa much a* they could do to pass that dangerous bit of water yclept tho bar and gain the friendly lee of the South Spit. Tho Three Friends cauie over ifc cl'>se to tho ro.l flag beacon, but tho Harry BluU' kept dead in tho fair way — foul perhaps would be I lie corrector expr. ssion — <uid being fivore.l by tho bfcrong lnilow of llio ik-oil tida swept through the channel in stylo close astern of the schooner. Both gained the wharf safely. How perilous tbe channel 13 to work wiw very plaiuly exemplified by the exit, of the steamer Persevere, which run out with fcho John Pouri'ii passengers, aud was all but beached by a couple of heavy rollers winch caught her just as the clapped hor helm a starboard to turn round tho South Spifc. One more st-a would have piled up. That tho Three Friends and Harry BlulF got in safely is entirely duo to their light draught, tho smoothness of tho Bea, aud tbe floodtide which quite neutralised the river cunvnt, and caused a rapid inflow. If the usual current had been running they could not have fetched tho river. Acting upon tho advices of his agents here, Messrs Carey and Gilles, the mastor'of tho cutter Satdilo got his vessel under weigh yesterday, and sailed for Greymouth, whore she i 3 likely to be towed in tin's moiv.iag. Messrs Chesney and Co.'s fine brig.intino Zephyr was sighted this morning in the offing, and iv the afternoon came to an anchor off the bar. She is from Melbourne, with general cargo. A telegram received yesterday by the agents, N. Edwards and Co., contained tho ploHsing announcement of tho p.s. Lyttelfcou's safe delivery from her stranded position on the North Beach at Greymouth. She was hove off on Monday night's tide, aud without having received the slightest damage. Tho useful steamer Persevere has again left us to return to her station at Groy mouth, her presence here being no longer required now that the Y>irni has couie back. The Persevere took out passengers to fcho John Perm and fresh provisions to the schooner John Bullock. Punctually lo the appointed lime tho steamer John Perm appeared on" the bur jesterday morning, und found tbe steamer Persevere outside waiting to receive her. Sho transhipped between seventy and eighty passengers from the litlle steamer, and then left on her way to Manukau via Westporfc aud Neleon. The steamer Charles Edward steamed up to the port yesterday morning and deinauded admittance. We regret that, consistent with her safety, compliance on the part of tho signal station-master was impossible, anil the Charles Edward accordingly turm-d her bows northward itgain, and proceeded to Givymoulii, where sho arrived at half-psisfc ten o'clock. She leaves the Groy this morning for Nelson via Wesfcporfc. We are givon to understand that tho steamer Lytteiton. will also return to Nelson from Grey mouth. Tho carter of the poor old Ruby has terminated ignominously. There was a lima when she steamed prouu.'y (after her fashion) in and out of tho river, but get. iug into difficulties on the beach, was condemned, and converted to the uses of a coal hulk — which low position in tbe social scale of vessels, she has occupied many month?, in a convenient situation at the upper end of the wharf. Her cup of humiliation was, however, v.ofc quite full ; the lnsfc, the overflowing drop w&s added to it yesterday morning, when sho was removed irourher snug moorings, and placed to do duty as o>*tmig dam, a little higiier up the river, in a line with, and close to tho Bealy street culvci-t. Her removal was effected by tbe harbor department.