The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 278, 22 June 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1868.

Mr Morrison, London agent for this province, Mr Wrigg, civil engineer, who surveyed and reported on the West Coast railway, and other gentlemen arrived by the Charles Edward Friday night, and have visited the Mount Rochfortcoal mine, willvisitthe Brunnermine, and other parts before returning. The chief object is that Mr Morrison may be able to testify from personal inspection, to the richness of our mineral fields on his return to London, when he invites the attention of capitalists to the West Coast Railway scheme. They started for Mount Rochfort on Saturday morning, and on their return will go south in the Charles Edward, which vessel is now being detained for them. Coarse gold was struck on Friday last by a prospecting party between the Waimongoroa and Mount Rochfort. We have no particulars to hand, but a sample has been shown to a gentleman connected with our office, and there is no doubt whatever of the discovery, though how far payable, or what extent of ground there is we are unaware. Yesterday morning two horses belonging to J. Scott, better known as Maori Jack, were brutally stabbed at the Caledonian Terrace. - The horses were loose during the night, and on being found in the morning, one had had a wound on the hip joint and in the shoulder, and the other is also stabbed in the shoulder. Both ore seriously injured, but the latter one so much so as to be probably useless. We sincerely trust that the dastardly ruffian or ruffians who committed the cowardly outrage may be brought to justice, and meet with such punishment as such cruel and unmanly conduct merits. We ought to have had later news from Taranaki and Wanganui, in reference to the Maori murders, by the p.s. Nelson, but we have been unable to procure any files whatever from that vessel. An excellent seam of coal exists on the Waimongoroa, about three miles from the beach, and we are glad to hear that a well known resident in this town has applied for a lease of the ground, with a view to effectually opening up the ground, and bringing the mineral to account. It is of excellent quality, and a dray road can be made with ease, and at a trifling expense, whilst from the whole route to it being almost a dead flat, a tramway could be readily constructed. Some of this coal has been burned for months past in the smithy attached t:> the quartz works in the the neighbourhood, and if it is good enough for this purpose, it must be a valuable mineral. We hope to see the mine in successful operation shortly. From returns to hand we can form a pretty accurate guess as to the result of the canvass on behalf of the Westport hospital, and it is]| likely to come up to the amount we previously stated. At Addison's up to Thursday afternoon, about £BO was collected, but this represenred nearly double that amount of subscriptions, the branch committee only drawing half of the amount promised at once, from a large majority of the subscribers. They are sanguine of being able to hand over £IOO by to-morrow evening. At the Caledonian up to Saturday £96 had been gathered, but they too anticipate swelling the amount considerably before the meeting. Altogether the committee will have a very promising balance sheet to bring forward and the public will have the satisfaction of knowing that the gentlemen they selected have faithfully and energetically discharged their difficult and gratuitous duties.

The following' account of a lamentable disaster appears in the Melbourne Argus of the 23rd:—A disastrous accident occurred off Circular Head, by which three lives were lost—namely, these of Mr Edward Maxted, the master, and two of the seamen of the schooner Helen Ann. The schooner had put into Circular Head, wind bound, and when the weather became again favorable, Captain Maxted, previous to leaving, went ashore with the boat and two hands to procure a supply of fresh

water. Iq returning to the schoonei', the boat must either have" capsized or else have been swamped, and all in it have thus met their death by drowning. The body of Capt. Maxted, clinging to an oar, was recovered shortly after the occurrence, but life was extinct, although it is alleged there was some warmth in the body. The bodies of the other two men were found. One of the men lost is supposed to be Richard Stephenson, as he is known to have lately come from Calcutta, and an account of moneys received by Richard Stephenson at Calcutta is found on board. The arher man is described on the boticles as Thomas Kelly. A pocket took belonging to John ) fCelly has been found on board, contaiug the following entry \ —" Left London on the 21st April, 1863, and Downs on 26th April. Arrived at Nelson, N. Z. on the 28th August, 1863. Father's name Denis Kelly, 2, Angel alley Whitechapel, London, E.—as per letter of the 13th January, 1867. Sister's name—Mary Ann Kelly, 14, Tavistock-street, Bed-ford-square, as per letter of 20th December, 1866. Deceased's real name is supposed to be John. His age, as stated by his father in a letter, was 30 years on 21st November, 1866."