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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 578, 9 November 1869, Page 2

Watson and party, who lately got a prospecting- claim at Mokihimii, have wrought, out their ground, and are now prospecting on the Westport side of the Mokihinui river. Their claim only produced ISOozs, or .£l5O per man. Two other prospecting parties are out in the same neighbourhood, associated with parties on Giles and Christmas Terraces. Judge Clarke was a passenger to Westport from Hokitika by the steamer Charles Edward. His Honor has since proceeded to Charleston, where he holds a District Court to-day. The cases for trial are a charge of larceny against Gretta O'Eegau and Mary Ann Hayes, and a charge against James M'Mahon of obtaining money under false pretences. There appeal case—Walker and 1 "party" Y."Snih"e and party. Mr Pitt is in attendance as Crown Prosecutor.

The Rev. Mr Harvey, the first clergyman settled in Westport in connection with the Church of England, preached his farewell sermon on Sunday evening. It is Mr Harvey's intention to leave shortly foxNelson, and arrangements have already been made, or are now being made, for the appointment of his successor. It lias been mainly through Mr Harvey's indefatigable exertions that Westport is now possessed of a comfortable and sufficiently commodious place of worship such as the English church, and, in the origin and management of other matters connected with his church—the establishment of a Sabbath school, the encouragement of practice in sacred music, &c—Mr Harvey has always taken a kindly and lively interest. Preserving friendly relations' with all during his stay in Westport, ho will bo missed by all, but especially by those who have been most intimately associated with him as members of his church or otherwise.

A requisition to Mr Eugene O'Conor, to become a candidate for the representation of the Buller district in the Nelson Provincial Council, has been nunerously signed by the electors of Westport. It was presented to Mr O'Conor yesterday, and has been complied with. Mr Saxby predicted high tides and atmospheric disturbances abont the 4th and sth of this month. There were high tides—as high as those of October; but the weather has been " set fair." The Warden's Court was occupied for several hours on Saturday with the hearing of a case between Williams and MTntyre, who have erected gold-washing boxes in the Orawaiti, in the vicinity of Giles Terrace. The Warden adjourned his decision until yesterday, but, on the case being called, he said that the complainant had requested him to postpone his judgment till he had seen the ground. He thought it would be more satisfactory to do so, and would not give judgment till the ground had been visited. Fish have been enormously abundant in the Mokihinui river for the past few weeks. Had the population been a hundred times greater than it is, they might have food supplies from the water. The fish have been principally rock cod, before whose presence herrings and flounders judiciouslv disappear.

This is the anniversary of the birth-day of the Prince of Wales. The drapers of Westport have announced their intention to close their stores, and some of the banks •will observe the holiday. Sunday hours are to be observed at the Telegraph office, and the Warden's and Resident Magistrate's Courts will be closed. No sports have been organised, but, if hotelkeepers have loyalty and bunting, the town will have a holiday appearance. The magazine in which Mr Field, hardware merchant, stores his gunpowder, is one of the buildings the removal of which has been rendered necessary by the encroachments of the sea. iThe magazine has been removed to a site between the District Hospital and the Roman Catholic chapel. The surroundings in that particular are respectable. It is to be hoped that the other surroundings are satisfactory in point of safety. We hear that gold has been struck on new ground in the vicinity of Hatter's Terrace by Crappow and party. The ground is stated to be opposite what is known on the Northern terraces as the Perpendicular Lead. We have not yet obtained the fnll particulars. We know that

six ounces of the gold got have been purchased by Mr J. Harris, and the statement is that there is ground sufficient for a considerable number of men.—By an informant from the spot we were told, at a late hour last evening, that the gold struck is on what is known as the Ruby Lead, and in the claim next to that of Webb and party, by whom an inferior prospect was got some time ago. There has been a number of men on the ground within the past few days, and several tunnels have been started. A share in the cluirn where gold has been struck is said to have been 60ld for £7O. Smith and party is given as the name of the claim-holders. From Charleston we hear of a German miner, whose name is not given, having been killed yesterday by a fall of earth. An inquest is to be held to-day by Dr Giles. Some small water-worn specimens of quartz, richly impregnated with gold, have been brought to YVestport from the Lyell. They were got in the bed of the Lyell, and in the wash on its banks. They are evidently the product of a reef not far distant, and a reef of extraordinary richness. The chiefs of Fiji have established a customs tariff. They have imposed duty on spirits of three dollars per case, or eighteen pence per bottle. The Melbourne Leader calculates that, if the lute rains i 1 Victoria had not come when they" did, the loss in crops would have amounted to £1,500,000.

It has, after all, been definitely settled by the Otago Executive that Mr Weldon, of Southland, shall receive the appointment of Commissioner of Police, vacant by Mr Branigan's promotion. The master bakers of Greymouth, says the Star, did what few do anywhere else. Immediately they learned that flour had gone down in Melbourne they at once, and without any pressure being brought to bear on them, reduced the loaf from fifteenpence to one shilling. Mr W. F. Russell, Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Wanganui, has been put upon the Commission of the Peace for the colony. The foundation pile of the new Wanganui bridge is to be driven to-day, with some ceremony. The work is expected to cost £30,000. "Westland has again been unlucky. The latest piece of misfortune is, according to the West Coast Times, that the amount of the late County Treasurer's embezzloments is, by the failure of the European Assurance Company, for ever lost to the County.

It is rumored in Greymouth that an auriferous quartz reef has been proved with satisfactory results near the Saddle between th e Grey and the Buller. Tho prospector is wellknown up tho river by the cognomen of the " Flour of Wheat."

Mr Johnston, formerly of the Westport Time-? office, started a newspaper in Fiji, but abandoned the enterprise as being both premature and unremunerative. With increased prosperity, the want of a newspaper in Lovuka was much felt, and has at length been supplied by the publication of a neat little sheet entitled tha Fiji Times, published -weekly. An addition also has been made to the amusements of Levuka, where an American bowling saloon has been established. Billiards were introduced into the place some months ago. During tho examination of an insolvent at the Beechworth Insolvent Court, the solicitor who appeared on behalf of some of his creditors, remarked that the insolvcnthad indulged in ilio luxury ofa newspaper. Mr Commissioner paper was no luxury; it was a necessity. We quite agree with Mr Commissioner. We regret to hear of tho suddon decease of Mr Carter, late traveller for Messrs Kirkpatriek and Co., of Dunedin. Mr Carter had been suffering from diseaso of the heart, and he suddenly dropped down dead while walking in Oarnaru.