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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 484, 30 March 1869, Page 2

There has been a rush since Saturday to Christmas Terrace, the first terrace beyond M'Gowan's or Hatter's Terrace, and another section of what is now known as the Great North Lead. One or two parties have been sinking and tunnelling in search of the lead, and on Saturday or Sundr.y Baker and party struck the wash, which is similar in character and richness to that of the average claims on the Caledonian and Giles Terraces. There are apparently two runs of gold, one perpendicular, the other more horizontal, and both capable of paying good wages. The terrace is an extensive one, and there is every prospect of gold being got still further north, as the lead, instead of running out, as was supposed, seems to go further into the terrace. Freeholders, leaseholders, and householders should remember that to-morrow is the last day on which they can claim to be put on the electoral roll, and that forms of application can be had, free, at the office of this paper. As there will be an election of Superintendent and Provincial Council before the end of the year, and probably also an election for the General Assembly, it is important that all who are qualified to possess votes should at once make the necessary application.

A Westport firm lately represented to Messrs M'Meekan and Blackwood the propriety of their making the Bullerrivera port of call for their steamers. Messrs M'Meekan and Blackwood, in their reply, state that, " at present they see no induce • ment to send their steamers to Westport." They add—"Possibly, however, a trade may spring up." We hope so. We regret to learn of the death by drowning, at Fox's river, of a man named Thomas Martin, member of the firm of Paterson and Martin, and well-known on the West Coast as a packer to the different diggings. According to the information we have received, he was returning from the diggings at Eochford to Brighton when the accident happened. In crossing Pox's river, he did not wait for a boat, but endeavored to swim his horse to the north side. It was about high tide at the time, and the horse, in

crossing, became entangled in some mooring ropes of vessels lying in the river, and, rolling over, unseated his rider, who was swept away by the current and drowned. The accident happened close to the town, but it was three hours before the body was recovered.

We hear of a wonderful instance of prolificness at Brighton. A few days ago a woman living in that township, and usually known as " Nelly the Washerwoman," gave birth to four children ! Of this " family party," however, only one survives, three having since died. We reported a few days ago that a human body buried in the sand3pit had been exposed by the washing away of the riverbank, and that it had been re-interred in the cemetry. On Sunday another body was found exposed near the same place, and it has ako been placed in a fresh coffin and re-interred. Lying beside the skeleton, and among the sawdust in which it had been enclosed, were found two sovereigns and a signet ring, bearing the initials "T.F.M." and the representation of a wheat sheaf as a crest. The money had probably been contained in the man's leathern waist-belt, and the ring had apparently dropped from the finger as the body decayed. The body is understood to be that of a man who was found (drowned, and washed up on the beach,) by the Provincial Secretary, Mr Greenfield, five or six years ago. Like the other body found, it had been buried in a situation considerably removed from the river bank, but, at that particular part, the stream has lately made great encroachments. The Greyniouth papers state that several parties have returned from the scene of the new rush on the North Beach, and that, although the prospectors will be able to make the wages they mentioned to the Warden, it is only by the aid of a. race which they had brought on to the ground before they made application. The Westport Volunteers meet for drill this evening, at the usual hour. We believe that instructions have been received from the Provincial Government for the presence at Nelson of Inspector Franklyn and several of the Goldfields Police Force during the visit of His Boyal Highness Prince Alfred. The Bank of New Zealand shipped, by the Charles Edward, to Hokitika, on Saturday, 3010ozs 13dwts 9grs of gold. Mr Harris, treasurer of the Hospital, desires to acknowledge the receipt of £4 as the proceeds of a special service by the Bishop of Nelson. In the Nelson Magistrate's Court, last week, a charge was inferred by E. Ludwig, jeweller, against John Smith, teacher of the chief Government school, for assaulting his son Emile Ludwig. It appeared from the evidence that the boy had refused to obey his teacher, and was caned for disobedience. The boy had on at the time a light summer coat and a shirt; and there were some marks of the cane left on his back. Dr Cotterell, who had examined the boy, said he saw a few marks on his back as if inflicted with a cane, but it did not appear to have been very severe; lie had seen much worse canings inflicted in schools in England. Mr Pitt made some remarks showing the absolute necessity of maintaining order and discipline, and that the boy had repeatedly refused to obey the teacher. The Court dismissed the case with costs of £2 against the complainant, the chairman remarking that the chastisement was quite justifiable in the circumstances, and it would be well for the discipline of the schools if the youths were compelled to be obedient.

It is reported by the Charleston Herald that some new ground has been opened and good prospects obtained in the Brighton District, about three miles from that township, in the neighborhood of the White-horse terrace. The prospect was struck by King Billy, one of the oldest residents in the district; and some eight or nine claims have been already taken up. A correspondent of the Otago Times notices that attention is now given to the improvement of the ripple box, and various projeet3 for saving fine gold. Messrs Kincaid and M' Queen, of Dunedin, have been pretty busy of late upon work of this kind constructed from models made upon the goldflelds. One of the more recent inventions of the kind is the introduction of steel bars on the centre of the plate. The force of the current acts principally on that part, and the steel beiug more flexible than the wrought iron, the constant friction of stones and heavy debris is not so liable to wear it away. This is a subject of considerable importance to miners employed on the banks of the Molyneux, where the nature of the ground renders- it impossible to use the ground sluice. Two men who lately left "West Wanganui are reported by the Nelson Colonist to be missing. Samuel Grearson reports that two men named Samuel Scantlebury, and James M'Culler, left West Wanganui on the 28th February, for the purpose of going down the coast, about eighteen miles, to bring up a boat that had been left there by a man named Pat Sweeney, and have rot since been heard of. The boat had been there five or six years, under a shed built by Maoris. The men had enough provisions with them to last about four or five days. It consisted of 121bs oatmeal, 21bs biscuits, and 21bs or 31bs bacon. The men knew very little about boating; Grearson has been down the coast as far as the boat-shed, and up the coast as far as Blind Wanganui. The boat was thirty-three feet long, and seven feet beam; the river at the mouth of which the boat-house was built, is known as the New River. The Borough Council of Greymouth has, at last, a prospect of being " in funds suflicient to enable it to meet its present engagements, finish the protective works, and form the streets. The grant-in-aid from the Connty Conncil of £ISOO is to be paid in two instalments, within the next three months ; Mr Mackay, the Commissions of the Native Reserves, has recommended the payment of a,

subsidy of £SOO out of the Eeserves' funds, and there is every probability of the proposed loan of £SOOO being negotiated by the Bank of New Zealand. These sums, says the Argus, will be amply sufficient to complete the embankment, and put all the streets into a thorough state of repair. One of the most extraordinary patches of gold yet found on the Thames was taken out on Monday, the 15th instant, from a leader in the Long Drive claim—in the course of the forenoon, 107 pounds weight of stone, which at the lowest calculation will run two ounces to the pound; and one remarkable stone, weighing thirty-three pounds, is valued at £l6O, although it is by no means the richest of the lot.

It is notified in another column that, in conformity with the provisions of the Gold Mining Lease Kegulations, it is intended to grant a lease for gold mining purposes, of a block of land containing ten acres, more or less, situated at the Cement Lead, Waite's Pakihis, about a quarter of a mile to the north of the creek known as " Dirty Mary's," applied for by Patrick O'Toole and Company. Mr Creighton and Mr Farnell have been elected members of the General Assembly. Mr Creighton beat his opponent Mr Wrigg by 92 votes at the election for Newton, Auckland. Mr Farnell has been returned for the Northern Division of Auckland, by the small majority of two votes. Both these gentlemen, we learn by the Auckland papers, will oppose the Centralising policy of the present Ministry. An old man, Peter Dorreen, was lately nearly burned to death at Hampden, Otago. He had been for some time past subject to apoplectic fits, in one of which he fell into the fire, and, being unable to speak, he could not call for assistance. His wife was out in the garden digging potatoes for dinner, and talking with the daughter, when she said, ' I smell something burning—something woollen.' The daughter replied, ' Perhaps father has thrown a woollen rag in the fire ; I left him sitting by the fireside.' The mother exclaimed, 'My God, your father will have fallen into the fire.' They found the poor man lying in the fire, one side being completely charred. There is no hope of his recovery, as the unfortunate sufferer is advanced in years.