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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 534, 24 July 1869, Page 2

The local Banks, it will be observed, have notified that all alluvial gold will be melted before being purchased, from and after the 2nd of next month. The news from Mokihinui is very unimportant. No new discoveries have been, heard of, and there are few miners prospecting at present. Several claims have been bottomed adjoining the prospectors' claim which caused some excitement a few weeks ago, but without any favourable result. Paton and party, the holders of the next claim to the prospectoi-s, have got from a epiarter of a pennyweight to a pennyweight to the dish. Campbell and party, next to them, lately bottomed and are now driving, but they have seen little more than the color. The township has again subsided into its melancholy state of desertion, and the once disputed sections are jumpable by the dozen.

Prospecting or digging at the Karamea has ceased for a time, one or two parties who were there some months ago having left. There is no store or, rather, storekeeper left behind either, and the population is said to consist of one Maori (Paul) and his wife. The talk of West Wanganui may induce a few overland travellers to prospect as they go along. The schooner Amateur is announced as being laid on for the new rush to West Wanganui. One or two passengers have already signified their intention of making a trip by her, owing to the scarcity of the steamers' visits at present, and, should a sufficient number of passengers or any quantity of cargo offer, she is intended to be despatched on Monday next. The members of the Westport Lodge of Oddfellows have resolved to celebrate the anniversary of their Lodge by a ball and supper, to be held in their hall, at the Empire Hotel, on the 2nd of September next. What was once the British American Hotel is now annexed to the National Hotel, and has been converted by the proprietor of the latter house, Mr J. Harris, into a spacious and handsome music saloon, which is to be thrown open for the first time on Monday evening. Mass will be celebrated at the Catholic Church, at 9 a.m. to-morrow. Dr Lord, of Alexandra, Otago Province, died suddenly a*few days ago, at the dinner-table of the Boyal Mail Hotel there.