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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 478, 16 March 1869, Page 2

It is now some time since there has been in Westport a ball or other amusement for a benevolent or charitable purpose. The last instance was the performance of the Amateur Dramatic Club for the benefit of the Von Tempsky Fund. As charity begins at home, ■what say the benevolent to the good work of aiding the Separation Movement ? The Committee will want funds very badly, and, as the subject is now fairly recognised as an institution amongst us, may we venture to say that it would be a " happy thought" were we to remember the Committee and the cause by holding a Separation Ball ? The Committee appointed for the purpose of carrying out the objects of the public meeting of Tuesday last met on Saturday evening. Officers were appointed, including Mr E. C. Reid as chairman, Mr J. \V. Humphrey hon. treasurer, and Mr E. H. Bullen hon. secretary. As a Finance Committee Messrs O'Conor, Milne, Humphrey, Southern, Sheahan, Whyte, Braithwaite, Gallagher, and M'Farlane were appointed ; and Messrs Tyler, Pitt, and R. C. Reid were appointed to draw up the petition for separation from Nelson. Mr Whyte"and Mr Lloyd were added to the membership of the Committee. The inhabitants of Brighton have held a meeting, at which thoy protested against the proposed fortnightly postal service. They have since forwarded to Wellington a memorial in which they represent the necessity for a mail weekly to Greymouth, and to Charleston and Westport at least twice a week. According to the resolutions, the meeting viewed the proposed change " with alarm and indignation," and it certainly does seem rather a serious matter to reduce the service to a fortnightly one. It is stated that no decision has been arrived at with respect to the contract for bringing on the mails from Australia. It appears that some uncertainty in the terms of two of the most eligible tenders has rendered a reference back to the parties necessary, and some three weeks must elapse before the question can be settled. In again noticing that Hokitika had been selected as the first port of call for the Melbourne steamers, the Hokitika Daily News says :—" On the last arrival of the Suez mail, the people of Westport, of Charleston, and other places near naturally expected that they would receive their letters by the first steamer leaving this port for the district direct. But they did not, the mails were taken on to Nelson by the Rangitoto, and while we got our letters on the 26th of last month Westport had not received its portion on the 6th of this month. This is not as it should be, and well may the Westport Times ' suppose that this is the first instalment of the improvements promised by making Greymouth or Hokitika the first port of call.' A repetition of delays like this would do more to injure the good name that Westland bears, and to do away with the impression that is generally felt that in chosing Hokitika the Government acted as much for the general advantage as it could have done." Extraordinary editions of Natal papers have been received in Melbourne containing the following brief announcement:—"Alluvial gold found. Question settled. Diggers' prospects bright." No particulars whatever are given.

A Bhock of earthquake was felt at Nelson, at half past seven o'clock on Saturday morning. The Christchurch Press states that Mr Prosser is to resign his mayoralty of Hokitika, having taken a large wholesale drug business in Dunedin. Some excellent shooting has been made in Otago at the district rifle-match, held preliminary to the colonial meeting. At 300 yards range, Captain M'Farland made five bull's eyes consecutively, and at 400 yj ids range four bull's eyes and a centre. His total was 55. The next highest were A. Grant 51, and J. Begg 50. In the second district, Lieutenant "Wales scored 57. Forty miners have arrived at the Thames, direct from California.

Thirty-five Chinese left Hokitika by the Alhambra. The West Coast Times says that they had been working on Piper's Flat, but finding that the ground was not "welly good " determined to return to their former quarters on the Molyneux. A prisoner named Shine, and a Maori who had been inprisoned for life for the murder of a chief, have escaped from the Auckland Stockade. Shine, who had escaped once before, was recaptured, but the Maori, though fired at, and stark naked, reached the scrub, and has not since been seen. A man named Francis Cogan, who has two brothers in Nelson, has been drowned at Cambridge, Auckland, by falling out of a boat. In the Supreme Court, Christchurch, a boy fourteen years of age pleaded guilty to having committed an indecent assault upon a little girl. His Honor sentenced him to receive two whippings, with an instrument known as the cat-o'-nine tails, at intervals of not less than ten days. Twelve lashes were to be inflicted on each occasion, the sentence to be carried out in the presence of the gaol surgeon. We regret to state, says the Bendigo Evening News, that Mr O'Loughlin, barrister, who some years ago was in good practice at Bendigo, but afterwards emigrated to New Zealand, where he met with some reverses, and from which he returned to this colony not long since, enfeebled in mind and body —a complete wreck—was brought up before the Bendigo bench to-day, charged by the police with being of unsound mind. He was ordered to be sent to the Yarra Bend, and thus terminates the career of a gentleman posseesed of many good qualities, and not devoid of natural abilities, who has fallen another victim to the seductive influences of those drinking customs that are too frequently the bane of our colonial society, and too often bring about the downfall of some of our best men.

Gold is reported to have been discovered in Ceylon, in a district already celebrated for its precious atones. The quality of the nuggets found is said to be very fine. The late rush to the Natal goldfields has proved that no place is too remote for the digger, and it is possible that should good accounts be received from the Ceylon goldfields, we may ,hear of another rush in that direction. An amusing scene is described by the West Coast Times as having taken place on Friday last at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Camp Town, Nelson Creek. It appears that a notorious and well-known character on the Coast, named Denis Quinlan, had been brought up and found guilty of having committed an assault, for which he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. On hearing his sentence, Quinlan at once "bolted" from the Court, and gained the outside before the astonished guardians of the peace who had care of his person, recovered their surprise at his audacity. They then roused themselves, gave chase, and one of them, a sergeant, succeeded in throwing his stick between the legs of the runaway, and tripped him up. Having, however, the advantage of distance, Quinlan recovered himself before cither of his pursuers could reach him; and put on a strong spurt for the timber, closely followed by the constable, an active man, who rapidly gained on his man. Another slip, however, took place, for just as the constable was making sure of a re-capture, he found himself sprawling on the ground, having been caught by a clothes lino under the chin, which in his eagerness he had not seen. Of course, this enabled Quinlan to make good his escape. He has not as yet been re-captured, but his being at large will not bo for long, as the sergeant and his subordinate are in hot pursuit. Wanganui has been visited by the heaviest flood that has been experienced there since 1848. Such of the farmers as had not secured their crops have suffered severely. Rangitikei, and other districts of Wellington, have also suffered severely from floods. Dr. Hector is of opinion that deep leads, in the Victorian application of the term, will not be found in Otago. There has been an earthquake at Poverty Bay, Province of Hawke's Bay, which lasted ten minutes. The movements of the ground caused sensations of nausea. No damage was done. Three shocks of earthquake were felt in seven days in the Lake district of Otago. The first was termed a mild one, the second a pretty severe one, and the third was of an undulating character.

Mr James Allen, proprietor of the Auckland Evening News, has been drowned while bathing. We notice that Mr B. L. Farjeon, well known as an author in Dunedin, has contributed the story for the Christmas number of the "Sixpenny Magazine," published in London. The s.s. Omeo did not arriTe at Melbourne in time to catch the outgoing mail steamer for England. She had not arrived on the 2nd inst., and the mail steamer sailed that day. The next session of the Provincial Council of Auckland is to be held at Shortland.