The Westport Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 490, 13 April 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1869.

An interesting item of mining news is contained in the letter of our Buller Eiver correspondent. He reports that a reef of quartz thirteen feet thick has been discovered in Irishman's Creek, a tributary of the river Lyell. Two parties of experienced quartz miners have marked off claims—one on each side of the creek, and are to proceed to test the quality of the reef by driving. From the fact of fragments of quartz and clay containing gold being found in the creek immediately below the situation of the reef, the present presumption is that it is auriferous. Our correspondent refers also to a superior description of cedar which is found in the neighbourhood, and which might be made an article of export.

Telegrams which we published yesterday in an extra edition, and which appear in another column, announce the arrival of His Eoyal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, at Wellington, at noon on Sunday. Testerday was the day appointed for his landing, and for the first of the local demonstrations of welcome. Consequently, the day was observed in Wellington as a holiday, and the telegraph office there was only open at the same hours as on Sunday. In anticipation of receiving particulars of the landing, Mr Wakefield, the operator here, courteously kept his station open until a late hour, and it was signified from Wellington that telegrams might be expected, but up to the time of closing at Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, no particulars had been received at any of the West Coast stations. As is usual at this period, a return has been forwarded to the Provincial Secretary showing the number and classification of prisoners confined in the Westport gaol during the six months ended 31st March, and for the same period a return ha 3 been forwarded showing the expenditure in that department. The average number of prisoners during the past six months has been considerably less than during the six months previous. For the first six months of the past year the average number of prisoners was over sixteen per day, while the last six months show a fractional part over twelve. In the expenditure a large saving has taken place. For the six montlis ended 30th September, 1868, the total cost of maintaining that establishment, including rations, blankets, tools, salaries, and medical comforts, amounted to £741 14s lOd, while for six months ended 31st March, 1869, tn© same item amount **» j>o-*o h 0 7d. Beckoning the value of the labor of the hardlabor prisoners during working days for the past six months at 8s per day, this item shows the sum of .£432, which, added to the amount of £l9 12s paid for the debtors during that period, makes a total of £451 12s as the value to the Government or country derived from the prisoners, thus leaving a balance of £BB 19s 7d only as against the cost of maintaining the gaol department here for six months. It may be questioned whether the value of the labor in firewood cutting for so many departments and purposes may be reckoned as full value at eight shillings per day, but that is the estimate, and would be the value of such labor if employed for useful town purposes.

It is gazetted, by order of the Superintendent, that the Dog Nuisance Act shall come into operation in Westport, on and after the Ist July next. The Act will be enforcad within a distance of two miles from the Court-house.

A decision has been given by Mr Justice Richmond in the Stoney-lead case. A telegram has reached Mr Button to the effect that the order for an interim injunction against the miners working on t'ae ground, has been discharged with costs. We understand that Mr Bowman, at present cashier at Hokitika, has been appointed agent for the Union Bank at Westport. Mr Grant, who was expected to resume the agency at Westport, has been appointed agent at Grahamstown, Auckland.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, John Foster, who bad lately been brought up on a charge of vagrancy and discharged, was again brought up on a similar charge, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. He was in a pitiable state from lack of food and raiment. Yesterday two "drunken disorderlies" were fined or sent to prison.

Our Wellington correspondent lately furnished us with a somewhat graphic description of the execution of the Maori, Whaka-Mau, of which he was an eyewitness. The Hokitika Star quotes the report, but, by an inadvertency, publishes it as the production of its own correspondent.

The Postmaster advertises for tenders for the conveyance of mails twice weekly between Charleston and Brighton, and fortni>htly between Brighton and Cobden. The Hokitika papers seem to be still uncertain as to whether Prince Alfred is to visit Westland or not. No doubt definite information on the subject -will soon be received, now that the Prince is in the Colony. Mrs Emma Matthew, of G-awler Plains, South Australia, informs the Register, to use her own words, " with no little pride," that she has received from the Hon. Elliot Torke an acknowledgment of a shirt worked by herself at eighty-seven years of age, and forwarded to him through Sir J. H. Fisher as a present from her to H.R.H. the Duke Edinburgh.

Two fatal accidents are reported by the Hokitika papers. A miner named Edwin Gardiner, while taking down an old flume at the Waimea, was struck by a piece of timber which fell down a height of sixty feet, and he died in an hour. Another man William Kingwell, a native of Devonshire, was killed by a fall of earth in a tunnel at the Kaniori. Two others were dug out, uninjured. Kingwell leaves a widow and four children.

It is reported that a cattle-dealer going sverland from Dunedin to Canterbury has lost £2OOO at Timaru.

It is intended to grant mining leases for the following blocks of land at Charleston:— a block of land, containing four acres one rood and six perches, more or less, situate on the Back Lead, Darkies Terrace, Charleston, applied for by Walton Pell and party ; a block of land containing five acres three roods and fourteen perches, more or less, situate at Miller's North Beach* Charleston, applied for by Thomas Liddell and George Pound. The first Chinaman charged with any offence on the West Coast, is now in Hokitika gaol. It appears that he stole £25 from the tent of a countryman, living at the Waimea. The owner of the money lodged an information against him, and he was committed for trial.

Another gang of Chinese manufacturers of spurious gold are reported to be at work in Otago. The police are said to be on the track of the culprits. It is understood to be in contemplation by the Colonial Government to introduce next session a special Act, in order to put a stop to this nefarious practice.

Letters patent for improvement in quartz-crashing machinery has been granted to John Henry Noding, of Christchurch. A report has reached Hokitika that a man at the Three Mile Creek had attempted to shoot another. From the statement of the West Coast Times it would seem that a gardener named Patterson, who lives near the Three-Mile Creek, was visited on Wednesday, by a man named Biggerstaff, an acquaintance, to whom he owed a considerable amount of money. After having something to eat, Biggerstaff introduced the money question, and asked for payment. Patterson said he had no money on him then, but was going into town, and would pay him part. Biggerstaff, apparently not liking the idea, said he must have it then or never, and that if he could not get it, he would shoot Patterson, and then shoot himself. He, thereupon, pulled out a revolver, and fired. The bullet, however, not taking effect, Patterson ran and took down a pistol loaded with small shot, and fired in return. Biggerstaff then ran away, and has not been seen since. It is not known whether he is wounded or not. Mr Andrew Mowatt, of the firm of Anderson and Mowatt, has been entertained at a dinner given by a large circlo of fHon/i.. of. Wagner's Shamrock Hotel, Hokitika. About thirty gentlemen were present, the chair being occupied by the Hon. Jas. A. Bonar, and the vice by Mr Button. Mr Mowatt leaves the West Coast for Dunedin. Two other old residents of Hokitika, and friends of Mr Mowatt—Mr Andrew Louttit aud Mr William Swanson—are passengers by the Ruahine to England. A melancholy and fatal accident occurred at Greymouth to a lad named Peter Geghan, on Saturday morning. Whilst fishing from the port sponsoon of the steamer Bruce, he fell into the river and was drowned. The Star states that whilst in the cabin of the steamer, Mr Harper, the owner of the Bruce» heard a couple of screams, when upon going upon deck he looked for the boy, whom he had previously noticed fishing, but Baw notbing but his hat floating upon the water, and his fishing line and bag remaining on the sponsoon. Every effort was made to recover the body, but without success. The lad was the son of Mr Martin Geghan, billiardmarker, whose daughter a day or two since was nearly poisoned by eating tutu berries. Notice is given that " all debts due to tho late firm of Browne and Klein, carrying on business at Hokitika as printers and proprietors of the Evening Star newspaper and jop printing, are not to be paid to any person or persons whomsoever until further notice, the said firm having ceased to exist, and the affairs being now in suit between the parties in the Supreme Court of New Zealand. " This notice is given in the name of Mr Klein, and a similar notice is given by Mr Browne, without the addition as to the firm ceasing to exist. In another notice, Mr Klein advertises that the partnership is dissolved, while Mr Browne advertises that it is not dissolved.

Jesse Weekens formerly of the 2Sth Regiment, was burnt to a cinder whilst in a state of intoxication, at Waikeke, Auckland, on March 29.

Mr Kenny, a farmer at Clyde, Otago, who lately had his hand injured by being caught in a threshing machine, died last week of lockjaw.

Stephen Mouncey, a farmer, at Rangiora, Canterbury, attempted to cut his throat with a pocket-knife. He is likely to recover.

William Evans committed suicide by shooting himself at the Traveller's Rest publichouse, Wellington, on March 29. Three men have been stabbed at Auckland by one of the Armed Constabulary. The would-be assassin is one of the contingent that arrived some time ago from Wanganui, named Little; and his victims are Messrs. Lesuiere, Mann, and O'Neill. It appears that one of them had a quarrel with Little at the Duke of Cambridge Hotel; it came to blows, when he cried out,' The wretch has stabbed me.' The other two rushed to his assistance, receiving some severe cuts. The men are likely to recover. The Dunedin Independent says that a patient in the hospital, who has been five years and four months afflicted with paralysis, surprised his fellow patients by suddenly talking with them with perfect ease. He has not suffered any relapse. His lameness remains.

A quartz reef, four feet in thickness, has been struck by the Phoanix (late Scandinavian Skipper's, Otago. Gold is plainly to be seen in the .stone, which, it is believed, will prove payable. A man named George Bidgood, a batcher residing on the Twelve Mile, Greymouth, has disappeared mysteriously. A search is being made for him.

The railway between tho Bluff and Invercargill will, it is stated, be let on lease by the Provincial Government of Southland for a period of eighteen months, after the end of the current mouth.

At Hobart Town the late outrage on the body of the last male aboriginal of Tasmania continues the subject of some excitement. An inquiry, instituted by the Government, was going on, and a case brought against Dr Stokell, of the hospital, had been heard in the police court and dismissed. Dr Crowther swore that he did not believe Dr Stokell had Gut off the head of the deceased, but declined to say whether he knew anything more about it, though his answers were of a character to lead to the belief that if he himself did not do it he knew who did. His son, who was summoned as a witness, did not attend the court.

"We observe from the Launceston papers that a 4oz nugget, and some smaller pieces of rough gold, have been picked up at the Fingal Diggings. The Hokitika correspondent of the Greymouth Star states that seven public-houses were closed or sold within a period of five days last week.