Untitled

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 273, 16 June 1868, Page 2

His Honor, Judge Clarke, proceeded to Hokitika yesterday afternoon by the s.s. John Penn. As we have before motified, the next sittings of the District Court at Westport will commence on the 18th of August next. We have received two letters enquiring after the Westport Athenseum and what has been done about it. All we known is that some couple of months ago, a committee of gentlemen who, at the tim«, were enthusiastic in the cause, was appointed at a public meeting, and that subsequently a canvass of the town was made when the promises of support were encouraging in the extreme. Since that time all further action on the part of the committee appears to have been paralysed, for they have made no sign and it is doubtful whether theyhave even held a meeting. The sum of .£2OO has been virtually voted for public libraries on the West Coast, and surely it is time the committee bestirred themselves. The vote is contingent on certain subscriptions being raised, but since the first and only meeting the whole question has been allowed to sleep.

The outsiders of the Provisional Hospital Committee, or, to apeak more intelligibly, the delegates appointed to visit the out districts, have done their work diligently, and their exertions are likely to be attended with great success. In spite of bad weather, almost impassable tracks, and everything that could deter them, they have held meetings, assisted in the formation of local committees, and paved the way for a good subscription list. We fear that the town has not been as diligently canvassed, but no doubt the remaining time will be usefully em- , ployed, and Westport, in the maintenance of its own hospital, will at least be equal in subscriptions to the adjacent goldfields. Now that the management of the hospital is likely to be handed over to the public, a far greater amount of interest is felt in that institution, and contributions, we are sure, have only to be asked for to be had.

The following are the subscriptions gathered by Messrs G-lennon and O'Donovan in support of the Addison's Flat reading-room : —Tobias G-lennon, £1; Dr Donovan, £1; Daniel G-arvey, £1; Casset and Forceau, £1; John Loughrey, £1 ; W. Campbell, 10s; G-. Zanetti, 10s ; Patrick Twohill, 10s; Edward Harris, 10s; F. Halford, ss; Patrick Byrne, 10; Charles Woolfe, 10s; Edward Ryan, 10s; William Malony, 10s ; j>iichael Fox, 10s ; Michael Sullivan, 10s ; Stempson and Co., 10s ; Patrick Gleeson, 10s ; John Lark, ss; R. O'Donnell, 10s; Miles M'Fadden, 10s ; John Sheahan, 10s; John Quigley, 5s ; Annie Cooper, 5s ; Edward Harbridge, ss; M'Neil and M'Lary, 10s; Terry O'Connor, ss; David Twohill, 5s ; J. Riley, 5s ; Terry Tracey, 10s. The terrace reported to , have been opened at some little distance from the Old Caledonian, has after all turned excellent, though only a few days ago it was characterised as a duffer. Evans and party have struck gold in payable quantities, with wash from eighteen inches to two feet and a-half thickness, and deepening as it goes in. This is not a mere assertation but has been tested by any number of miners, who all are satisfied of the genuineness of the discovery, take it from the hesp or knock it down for yourself,being the order of the day with the prospectors, to any that are incredulous Already from 100 to 150 have taken up ground and the terrace promises to prove both extensive and rich. It is situated about a mile and a-half from the Caledonian, in a direct line, on the north side of the Orawaite, and it runs.right down to that river. There has been some little discussion as to the title the newly discovered ground should bear, and some hasty godfathers christened jit New Brunswick terrace. The prospectors, who surely have the best right to designate their own bantling, wish to have it called Giles' Terrace, and this name we understand it will hear in future. The prospects already washed are most promising, and there is little doubt that the lead will yet be traced much further north.

Yesterday, on the Charles Edward leaving, she capsized a skiff belonging to Phillips and Craddock, containing a quarter-cask of brandy, a bale of leather, six cases old torn, and a keg of butter. There was not much current going out at the time, and the goods were recovered with some little difficulty but the leather in all probability will be considerably damaged. Captain Stack, adjutant of this district, arrived per John Penn yesterday in Westport. The Government, in the Supplementary Estimates, are determined not to be too liberal in their grant for tracks between Mokihinui and Razorback, a distance of something like 70 miles of seaboard. All that is set down for opening up tracks along that length is £SOO, a sum so thoroughly insufficient as to be, for all the purposes for which it was voted, practically worthless.

We have received a copy of the amended mining regulations for the South-West G-oldfields of this province, and it would be well for miners and others to make themselves acquainted, as far as possible, with the alterations that may have been made in its provisions. Pending the receipt of copies in sufficient number to supply public requirements, we shall be happy to let any one, wishing to do so, have an opportunity of perusal. The following additional particulars in reference to the loss of the schooner Louisa, appear m the West Coast Times of Saturday last in its Greymouth shipping report: schooner Louisa, with a cargo from the Buller, arrived off the river about eight a.m. on the morning of the 9th. A severe sea soon arose, and the vessel, with distress flag hoisted, was seen for a long time struggling on the edge of the break. After some time, her head

was turned shorewards, apparently with the intention, on the part ot th© captain, of beaching her. She was riding over the surf in good style, when a sea struck her more violently than the rest, and, probably owing to a shifting of her cargo, she turned completely over. At this time the crew were seen on deck, but although Messrs Morris and Wallace Woolfe waited in the hope of saving life, no signs were seen of either of the crew. The vessel, after a severe knocking about in the surf, cams ashore south of the Salt Water, where the greater portion of her cargo was safely discharged. She is a complete wreck. The number of crew as at present known was three, viz., Captain Cody, Gay, and another seaman (name unknown until returns from the Buller). The dead bodies of the crew were found on Thursday between the Arahura Eiver and Wanne a track. An inquest was to be held on them on Saturday.