The Westport Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 598, 25 December 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1869.

The Westpobt Times wishes the world A Mebet Christmas.

The inquest held at the Empire Hotel as to the cause of the fire discovered by Mr Fagg, nightwatchman, in a house on the Esplanade on the morning of Saturday last was not concluded until Thursday evening. It thus extended over three days, and as many as twenty-three witnesses were examined. Their evidence is so voluminous that it would be quite impossible to jmblish it in a single paper, and as it criminates no one known, it is the less important. The verdict of the jury, as delivered by their foreman, Mr Humphrey, was as follows : " The jury find that the premises were wilfully and maliciously set on fire, but by whom there is no evidence to show." As a rider to their verdict the jury added " Por the prevention of similar occurrences more police protection is required during the night, and the strict enforcement of the Vagrant Act." The witnesses examined were George Puraell, William Pagg, Richard Welsh, J. H. Dutton, J. A. Maguire, John Corr, Sergeant Kiely, P. H. Butler, Alfred Brown, George Haller, E. Suisted, J. Derungs, Johanna Hillier, James Colvin, John Hughes, Alex. Kiel, Dennis M'Garrall, Percy Wakefield, Elizabeth Thackeray, Fred. Vaughan, Thomas Hamlet, Jane Anderson, and Robert Meadows. After the inquiry Dr Giles communicated with the Provincial Government suggesting the propriety of a reward being offered for the discovery of the incendiary by whom the fire was obviously caused, and it will be seen that, in the name of the Provincial Secretary, a reward of £SO is now offered,

Entries of horses to run in the Westport races on Monday and Tuesday next were made at the Post Office Hotel on Thursday evening. There were four entries for the Maiden Plate, three for the Packers' and Miners' Purse, four for the Town Plate, and six for the Handicap Hurdle Race. The entries for the Butchers' Purse are post-entries. These constitute the races for Monday. On Friday the races are for the Jockey Club Plate, four entries; Ladies' Purse, six entries; Buller Hurdle Handicap, five entries ; besides the Consolation Stakes.

A boy named Norris who fell from the Gladstone street wharf, two days ago, was gallantly rescued by Mr M'Leod, owner of the Bright street wharf, who jumped into the water, and fortunately seized the boy before he got drawn by the stream underneath a steamer which was lying at the wharf at the time. But for Mr M'Leod's gallant and prompt conduct, there was every chance of the boy being drowned.

At a general meeting of the Westport Fire Brigade, held this week, correspondence which had been received by the Committee from Melbourne and Invercargill was read to the Brigade. It was considered that the offer of an engine from Melbourne was the more eligible of the two, and it was agreed that Mr Humphrey should communicate with the agent in Melbourne, Mr Pierson, requesting him to get a competent person to examine the engine, and, in the event of the trial not being satisfactory, to purchase another at a cost not exceeding £l5O. Mr T. Watson was elected a member of the Managing Committee, in place of Mr George Clarke, who has left the district, and Mr W. Bishop was appointed secretary. On the motion of Mr Lloyd, it was agreed that the Committee should frame a code of rules. The arrangements already made by the Committee with regard to buckets, &c., were approved of, and it was agreed that a trial should be made of a fire-bell offered by Mr Field for £5. Notice of a motion on the subject of water supply was given by Mr Fagg.

Christmas fare fills the butchers, grocers, and fruiterers' windows. The large supplies of poultry received by steamer were rather calculated to discourage the butchers from making an extensive" show," but it has not done so. Messrs Suisted Brothers have a display worthy of the occasion and their reputation. At Mr Butler's and at Mr Johnston's there is also some fine meat shown. At all three establishments there is exhibited, in the dressing of the shops and their contents, the thorough orthodox style of butchers' ornamentation. _ It is well to be generous at Christmas time, and, more in a spirit of generosity towards the public than of "puffing" Mr Munson, we direct attention to his advertisement of new books, seasonable and suitable for presents. Ditto with regard to MiBishop's stock-in-trade.

The Banks in town were more thronged yesterday than they have been for a year, or since Westport was Westport. They purchased some hundreds of parcels of gold, many consisting of several hundred ounces. Westport is, as usual, unfortunate in its chances of writing to its friends at Home. The last chance of catching the Tararua was yesterday, when the Kennedy and Murray sailed for Nelson. There is no overland mail to Greymouth, and no probability of a steamer going south in time to meet the Tararua at Hokitika.

A correspondent suggests that the Athenaeum Committee should throw open that institution to visitors to town during the Christmas week.

The B.s. Murray brought from Nelson a steeple-chase horse named "Bones," once the property of Mr Eedwood. Westport is well provided at present in photographic art, by having Mr J. Gaul, of Melbourne, on a visit for a month or two. Mr Gaul received the Prize Medal in the Intercolonial Exhibition of 1866-7 at Melbourne for his execution of cartes de visite and cabinet portraits; and, judging by the specimens brought with him to the Coast, we have no hesitation in saying that any one desirous of having his fac simile on paper or otherwise has not before been afforded such an opportunity of having something " striking " in style and finish. The premises of Mr Price will be occupied by Mr Gaul while he remains hare, and we have no doubt he will, during his stay, have many visitors. The Rev. Mr Lewis will hold divine service in the English church to-day and on Sunday, and may be visited at the narsonage between the hours of 10 and 1.2 each week day. The Eev. Mr Walsh will officiate to-mor-row morning and forenoon in the Roman Catholic church.

We quota from the Grey Argus a report of some "indignation meetings" in that public-spirited place, Cobden. We believe

that, even reduced as it is by the Argvt, the report is ex parte, and does not fairly represent Mr Franklyn. Erysipelas is reported to be very prevalent in Melbourne. It has broken out amongst the patients in the Hospital there. According to the latest accounts, thirteen patients were suffering from it, and the surgeons were afraid to perform any operations. The following, says the Wanganui Times, beats Cousin Jonathan by chalks: —Nearly a year ago a gentleman in Wanganui compromised with his creditors, and under a legal document promised to pay a dividend every six months from and after a certain day. He has just remitted from the Thames Goldfields one shilling as the first six months dividend! ! That, positively, protects him, as the legal document does not specify any particular sum to be paid every six months! ! ! He demands from the " Trustees" a receipt for the remittance, and we demand from them our dividend out of the one shilling. Some difficulty has already been experienced in working the new Licensing Act in Westland. The Greg River Argus says : The Act is a terrible jumble, and will need either to be revised, or a new Act brought in next session of the Assembly. It is full of the faults which generally characterise amateur legislation, and has evidently passed through the Assembly without any attention on the part of the law officers of the Government. Those who suffered from the effects of the poisoned sugar at Wellington are recovering. Five bags sent to the Convent affected all the inmates. The family of Mr Conolly, barrister, Picton, whose son was killed by lightning, had a very narrow escape at the same time. They were under the verandah, and in the act of leaving it, when the house was struck by the lightning, and part of the roof carried away. One verandah post was shattered, and a boy ten years old struck on the head and breast and killed instantaneously. The escape of the other members of the family was miraculous. Another boat accident occurred up the Grey river on Wednesday, a short distance above snag fall, by which a miner lost his life in a very melancholy manner. One of Mr Doane's coal-boats, deeply laden, started from the pits with several passengers, in addition to a large cargo. By some unaccountable means she struck a snag and swamped. The crew and some of the passengers swam to the bank, while others saved themselves by clinging to the mast. When they got ashore it was found that one of the passengers, a miner, who is only known by the name of Elisha, had disappeared. He must have been drowned, but no one saw him go down. He was coming to town with his mate to spend his Christmas holidays, and had the gold of the party on him.

An entertainment of an interesting character has been given by the Dunedin High School boys and a Private Musical Society. The recitations by the boys were given with great spirit, and not a little amusement was created by the parliamentary debate on the " Bill to abolish political distinction between the sexes, and to confer on the female portion of the community the privilege of the elective franchise."

The Greymouth Star notices that, in the police court there, lately, a man was charged with being drunk and incapable, for which he was sentenced to pay a fine of £1 or 24 hours' imprisonment. The same offender was then charged with resisting the police, for which he was fined £2 or 48 hours' imprisonment. The Lyttelton Times says that it is enabled to state that Mr Redwood disposed of a half-share in Manuka to Mr Petty, of Melbourne, for the sum of £SOO. Mr Eedwood still retains a half interest in the horse.

Edward Hamilton, gunsmith, Colombo street, Christchurch, has been found dead on the beach at Sumner, with a deep gunshot or pistol wound in the centre of the forehead. In his house was found a business card with the words " Tired of life, £2 10s in the book on the table."