The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 361, 26 September 1868, Page 4

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1868.

During the last week the Bulier river has been uncommonly low, and the news from the diggings that border it, is of the mostencouraging description. Some bars in the neighbouring of the Lyell that have not been able to be worked for years have been accessible, and some splendid gold has been got out. Whether the recent rain has had any effect in raising the water so as to impede working, we cannot say. The accounts generally from the Lyell locality are very favorable, and although mining is progressing very quietly in that part, many there are patting by snug purses. Oue of these days we venture to say diggings equal to any on the Coast, as far as richness goes, and superior to most as far as the weight and quality of the metal goes, will be opened between the Lyell and Westport. The usual quarterly meeting of the Westport Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, Manchester Unity, was held on Wednesday evening last, Avhen the following officers were elected and installed:—Bro. V.G. Struthers as N.Gr.; Bro. Hunger as V.G.; Gh Jordan to the G-.M. chair. This admirable body is, we are glad to say, largely increasing in the town, and additions to its rauks are being constantly made. Notice has been sent by Captain Stack, adjutant of volunteers, to Captain Martin of this town, that he will arrive per Charles Edward, for t!ie purpose of inspecting the Westport and other volunteers on the Coast. The boat left at 4 p.m. yesterday, and may be expected therefore this afternoon. If possible the inspection will be held to-night and all volunteers therefore are warned to hold themselves in readiness. We fear that the ranks have been considerably thinned of late from one cause and another, the chief one being the consciousness that their active services were not likely to be ever required, but at the same time it is to be hoped, that all who are within call will show up this evening, for their own credit's sake and the honor of the corps they belong to. That there is a undercurrent of cordial good feeling to Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, for, so we may term him till the 31st of this month, no one can for a moment doubt, and what the socalled Kynnersley Memorial Committee are doing puzzles the wisest to tell. It is probable that shortly after these lines meet the readers eyes, Mr Kynnersley may be in Westport for the last time prior to his departure, but the committee who have taken upon themselves to be the exponents of public opinion, have given no public sign, have called no public meeting, and for all that we or the residents in the place know, have done nothiug to effect the end, for which they were constituted, or for which they constituted themselves. Despite many and serious differences with the gentleman in question, in reference to one part of his career, his worst enemy could never accuse him of more than errors of judgment, and his honour as a public servant, was never in the slightest degree sullied. Whatever he did, we iare convinced he did with the best and purest intentions, and the value of his services, to this portion of the Nelson province, will be held in memory, as long as the coast population remains. It is to be hoped that the committee will not allow any mismanagement of theirs to interfere with a movement so essentially popular, and if they are unable or unwilling to carry oat self-imposed duties, lot t.iein delegate the task to other* hands. If a public

meeting is called, there are plenty who will relieve them of the duty. There is no time to lose, Mr ■.resignation actually takiug place at the end of the month, A rumour obtained currency yesterday afternoon, that a hundred and twenty diggers had returned per Charles Edward to Nelson, en route for the "West Coast. On enquiry, as will be seen by telegram, we find the real number to be nine. A private telegram has been received, in which the Auckland rush is spoken of in anything but flattering terms, but we may expect fall details by the Charles Edward to-day. lb appears that plenty of passengers were offered on on the deferred paymjub system, but were declined.

Many ou the Coast remember Mr Joseph Yates, for years Goldfields Inspector for the Bank of New South Wales in New Zealand. In that capacity, though his connection with the bank commenced years before in Australia, he first did business in the Dunstan and other up country districts in Otago, and from there was removed to the West Coast. During his career in the last mentioned parts of the colony, he narrowly escaped robbery, and perhaps murder, at the hands of Burgess and confederates, whilst carrying gold from Mount Ida. Wherever he went, goodwill followed him, and on the West Coast he added to an already cre.ifed multitude of friends. Sudden and fatal illness however, overtook him something more than a year ago, and a subscritpion was raised for the purpose of marking by a suitable monument, where the remains of one so well likad.and so deservedly esteemed, lay. From some cause or other, common to such movements, a rather long delay arose, but at last a suitable memorial was raised, and within the last few few days, Mr Porter has had the enclosure planted and set out with appropriate trees, the cypress standing at each corner. Loam to give sustenance to the plants, has been cartad by the same friendly hand, and altogether poor Joe Yates' last resting p'aceis at length properly marked and cared for. Thouph by no means adequate to all requirements, a partial rain fell on Thai sday night, to the great advantage of such as bad crops of vegetables springing up. The empty water tanks were at least partly filled, and a vast deal of good was occasioned by the downpour. The sky cleared yesterday morning, and the day was fine, clouds however, showing that rain st'dl mi'>-ht be expected. A. day's wet weather ingularly const ; tuted as this climate seems to be, would be rather a blessing, for already the miners are in want of water. This is more particularly the caso. ia the Chp-Heston district, where m vchines a day or two ago were stopped for want of this verv necessary fluid. The rain of Thursday night will no doubt have furnished a temporary supply, but not n-arly enough to last for any time. The following taken from the Otago Daily Times, may prove a useful warning,—" Mr. Justice Chapman remarked yesterday (during the trial of the bill case) that the gum on Revenue stamps was bad—so bad that it had twice happened to him, on obtaining drafts on England, that the stamps had come off, merely from the folding of the paper. This ought to be remedied by the Government. —Mr Caldwell said that, in the Bank of Australasia, gum was used by the clerks, instead of a mere wetting of the gum on the stamps. The non-appearance of the Panama boat with the August mails, is causing, if not anxiety, at least inconvenience, and there is every reason to fear that the boat has met with some temporary mishap that has prolonged her passage. Under the most recent arrangements, two days are expected to be saved on the contract time in each trip, and last month the mail arrived four days sooner than ant : cipated. The 22nd is the date on which it is due, and yet up to five p.m. last evening, the 25th, there was no sign of the steamer at Wellington.