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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 634, 19 March 1870, Page 2

In Westport, St Patrick's Day was not distinguishable from other days of the week by many outward and visible signs. It presented, indeed, a marked contrast to the same saintly holiday two years ago, when streets were crowded, and feelings ran high. The streets were the reverse of crowded, and people's spirits were subdued, if not absolutely low, for it is on occasions jroputabjioli oi wmii 'dnoiua be a largely populated district becomes most apparent. Until the afternoon there was no accession to the census of the place, but then a few diggers did drop in, and there was a moderate muster of men round the competitors in the vaulting and the foot-ball match which the Sports Committee had organised. These were the only two sports out of a limited programme which were undertaken, and, in the absence of most of the members of Committee, they were successfully managed by Messrs James Milne and T. Sheahan. What the sports lacked in number, they gained in interest. The vaulting was good, a height of Bft 9in having been attained by Mason and Holmes, at which they divided the prize. Hamilton and Nattrass also vaulted well, but fell short of that height. The sport was for a little interrupted by Holmes getting badly thrown through the breaking of the polo, but he soon picked up his nerves sufficiently to enable him to successfully complete his competition with the others. In the foot-ball match there were fourteen on each side, for a prize of twenty pounds. The captains were M'Ginn and Henderson. The starting point was at the north end of Gladstone street, and the goal on the seabeach to the northward. The side of which M'Ginn was the captain proved themselves most agile, and won the game and the prize. The wrestling match did not eventuate, but yesterday there was a second foot-ball match and some foot-racing. On Thursday sports were announced also at Gibson's Miners' Rest, and, if the facilities which exist there for amusement were appreciated as they ought to be, extensive advantage must have been taken of them. In the absence of the Charleston cricketers, the match with whom has been postponed until Easter Monday, some scratch-matches were organised and played at the same place. In the evening there were dancing assemblies for the gay, and a meeting for the grave and serious; and at the different bars, there was free-trade in sweepstakes, and a largo amount of gratuitous and more or less mixed information on the subject of horse-flesh and the Greymouth Races. The Charleston mail reached town at half-past six yesterday evening, and, as the mail was not sorted on arrival, we are without our Charleston correspondent's letter containing particulars of the races and other local events of St. Patrick's Day. In the Resident Magistrate Court on Wednesday, Dr Giles gave judgment in a case of Longbottom v. Parer. He said the case was one in which Mr Pickering appeared under the authority of a power of ! attorney in an action against the defendant for a tradesman's account. The account was admitted. The only question which arose was as to agency. It appeared that the plaintiff, Longbottom, had gone away, and nobody knew where he was Mr Pickering also admitted that he had now no relation whatever with the plaintiff, and knew nothing about him, but he brought this action to pay the money to certain creditors. He (the Magistrate) did not think that ho could entertain that. He should be obliged to ask who were the creditors, because the amount might be a larger one. But he would confine himself solely to the question of agency, and he had very little hesitation in saying that Mr Pickering should not be allowed to appear. He did not call in question the power of attorney, or the bona fide* of the appearance. But he did call in question the appearance for the plaintiff. It was expressly laid down by tho Resident Magistrate's Act that appearance must be made in Court, either in person, or by a solicitor, or, under special circumstances, by written

authority. So far as he saw, the special circumstances went against such a course being permitted in this case; and the plaintiff must be nonsuited. There are four parties prospecting in the country lying between Razor-back and the head waters of Fox's river. One of them, says the Charleston Herald, found coarse gold ten days ago, but owing to the extreme severity of the weather at that time they were unable to prosecute their search and returned to town. They have since, however, gone back to the bush, and it is expected that we shall have good news from them before many days elapse. Tha party who found the nuggety gold a few weeks ago in the ranges near Fox's river have made arrangements for another expedition, and are confident of finding an extensive deposit of gold.

Another serious fire has occurred in Christchurch. At twenty minutes past three o'clock in the morning Sergeant Pratt, whilst on duty near the Bank of New Zealand, observed a dense column of smoke, which on nearer examination proved to be emanating from the premises of Mrs Paterson, London Restaurant, Cashel street. In a very few moments the two shops occupied by the restaurant were hopelessly enveloped in flames. The shop of Mr Sandstein, on the east side, was also alight before any of the engines arrived on the spot, but the brick building occupied by Mr Brass, draper, next to it, and a strong party wall recently erected by Mr Pratt, draper, between his premises and the west side of the restaurant, partially preserved these premises. But little more than half an hour had elapsed when the walls of the three Bhops—Mrs Paterson (2), Mr Sandstein (1), had fallen in—the flames in Mr Pratt's building were being extinguished, and the fire was brought under control. The full extent of the damage is three shops entirely destroyed, Mr Brass's premises gutted, and the roof of Mr Pratt's burnt through. The damage is fully £'3ooo. Much surprise has been created in Melbourne by Judge Williams sentencing Draper, the fraudulent cashier of the Commercial Bank, to only a year's imprisonment. The Wesleyan body subscribed .£IOOO for his defence. Another son of a minister of the gospel, Taylor, is charged with embezzling the funds of a widow.

There are 169 registered medical practitioners in the Colony.

A fresh census is to be taken in Victoria. In 1866 Melbourne and its suburbs had a population of 137,806. Californian newspapers received by a recent arrival at Sydney state that a severe shock of earthquake was felt all along the coast at the close of the year. A great fire occurred at Santiago. A brown trout, fourteen inches in length and nine in girth, was caught by the Tasmanian commissioners in a net at the Derwent Falls, seven miles distant from the spot where the first trout were liberated. The Provincial Hotel, Dunedin, has been opened by the proprietor, Mr Sibbald. The Princess Theatre is also likely to re-open shortly tuider favorable auspices. Beaumont, the singer, has arrived from California. He proceeds to join the new opera company at Melbourne. Mr Winham, schoolmaster, North Adelaide, has been fined £5 in the police court for cruelly beating one of his pupils.