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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 708, 8 September 1870, Page 2

Some little excitement ensued upon an alleged discovery of payable ground on the beach between Westport and the Orowaiti. On Monday last, a miner, named Mathew Steel, while erecting a post and rail fence, discovered a thin layer of auriferous w-ash which, on being tested, gave a good prospect, but the sand was not sufficiently thick to pay for working. The news soon spread, and early on Tuesday morning a considerable number of men were on the ground. Subsequent tests, however, proved that the wash-dirt, though good in quality, was not in sufficient quantity, and did not exceed five inches in thickness. The holes have since been filled in and the roadway restored to its former condition. The unfortunato man, William Beattie, upon whom it was necessary to perform an operation by cutting off the injured limb, continues in much the same condition since the amputation. No unfavorable symptom s have presented themselves but his condition is nevertheless very critical, and it would be premature to hazard an opinion as to his probable recovery. It blew very violently from the north east during Monday night. No da.nage was done here, but at Greymouth several houses were unroofed.

The p.s. Charles Edward will arrive at Westport this evening, and is announced to sail to-morrow morning for southern ports. Mails by the above steamer will close at 9 a.m. on Friday. The monthly meeting of the District Hospital Committee was held on Tuesday evening at the Court House. Present Messrs Roid (in the chair), Powell, Munson, Whyte, Bailie, Sheahan, Munro, and Rev. T. "Walsh. It was carried, on the motion of Mr Sheahan, seconded by Mr White, "That any additional sums paid by the friends of deceased persons for burials, should be paid to the contractor through the Secretary. A motion brought forward by Mr Munro, " That all communications from officers of the institution in explanation be considered privileged," was lost. The Treasurer reported that the expenses duiing the months of July and August amounted to £205 2s Id, that the total amount of subscriptions to date received was .£286 Is Gd, that no monies had been drawn from the Government during the current year, and that £SO stood at the credit of the Committee. Some discussion arose as to publishing the list of subscriptions received, and it was finally determined tbat the Town and Addison collectors should make a second canvass on those who had not subscribed, and bring up a report with complete lists at the next monthly meeting. Messrs Munson, Bailie, and Sheahan were appointed a Visiting Committee for the month.

Westport exported gold to the value of £61,734 during the quarter ended Juno 30. The dutiable imports for the same period are valued at £15,390.

The first meeting of the newly established district, at present embracing only the two lolges of Westport and Charleston, was held at the lodge room, Odd Fellows' Hotel, Charleston, on Tuesday, when the following brethren wero elected to servo as district officers for the ensuing twelve months ■ —W. G. Collings, P.G.M.j Geo. Jordan", D.P.G.M.; James Henderson, P.S. • F M'Parland, P.T Duke Ballam, E.O.j A. Brown, E.O.

Six thousand pounds aro to bo spent upon the repairs and extension of the Government buildings at Wellington. The intention to erect new buildings has for the present been abandoned.

The incidont of the miner returning from the river Karamea to Nelson with 42 ounces of gold, as the result of five weeks' work, is calculated to revivo the considerable interest which was taken in the Karamea district upwards of three years ago, and it is not improbable that it will act as an impetus to further prospecting. The gold in this instance was got on a table-land known as Salisbury's Open, north-west of Mount Arthur, and overlooking the Karamea Bend, but how far that maybe from former workings we are not in a position to say. In February, 1867, parties brought down from the same river forty ounces of gold and smaller parcels, and between Westport and the Karamea several trips were made both by steamers and sailing craft. No great population, however, ever became fixed there, and only a few miners are now known to be working in the vicinity of the river mouth ; these receiving their supplies occasionally by chartering a small vessel from the Buller. With this fresh proof of the richness of the upper parts of the river, with the experience of the past, and with the testimony of Drs Hector and Haast as to the eminently auriferous character of the surrounding ranges, it i 3 likely that increased attention will be given to this district during the next few months. From the glowing accounts always given, the wonder is that the district has not long ago become a scene of settlement and of digging.

The third anniversary of the Loyal Charleston Lodge of the Manchester Unity was celebrated by a ball, held at the Casino de Venise, on Tuesday evening. There was a large attendance, and the proceedings passed off with the success that has hitherto characterised similar gatherings in connection with this branch of the order.

Two mining accidents occurred at Charleston on Tuesday, in both cases caused by a fall of cement, and in each instance the sufferer was a miner named Hanlon. One occurrence took place at Argyle Terrace, and the second at Darkies Terrace. In the latter instance the sufferer had met with serious injury, and, after having been conveyed to the hospital, it was found that he had sustained a fracture of several ribs. The coincidence is somewhat remarkable that two accidents similar in character should have taken place concurrently, and that the parties injured should have both boen named HanloD. A ploughing match on the West Coast is a novelty. The Grey Valley Agricultural Association, recently formed, are already making preparations to hold one. Fifteen ploughmen have already entered as competitors, and, as there are upwards of fifty ploughs in the district, a large gathering is expected. The match is to be held on ToJtara Flat. When will the same be reported of the Inangahua, Matakitaki, or Maruia Plains ?

In the E. M. Court, Greymouth, on Monday, J. W. G. Beauchamp, formerly a resident of Westport, was bound over to keep the peace upon the information of a Mrs Burchell that he had threatened to burn down her house. A witness, Jane Anderson, also well-known in Westport, gave evidence in support of the information and the defendant was required to enter into a recognizance of £lO to keep the peace and to find two sureties of £5 each.

The Nelson Examiner of Saturday last, in referring to the charge against Mr F. Harris, states that the account given by the accused was that the missing vouchers must have miscarried in transmission. This explanation does not appear to have transpired during the hearing of the case on Friday, but the explanation coincides fully with circumstances that have come to light in respect to certain vouchers that were forwarded to Nelson. A number of these documents, addressed to Mr Harris, were despatched by the steamer Charles Edward on the 26th ult, and on arrival in Nelson, on the 27th (Saturday), the parcels were not delivered to Mr Harris, nor were they forwarded to the office of the agents for the vessel. On Sunday the steamer sailed for Wanganui, leaving that port for Westport, where she arrived on Thursday last, and the parcels were then landed and left in the stores of Messrs Powell and Co. They were forwarded to Nelson by the steamer Kennedy on Saturday last, addressed to the Provincial Secretary. These vouchers may explain the alleged deficiency. It is intended to establish a Masonic Lodge at the Ahaura. At Greymouth, several persons have been fined for selling coal by measure instead of by weight.

Intimation has been given to publicans in Greymouth that persons trading beyond the prescribed hours on Sunday will be rigidly prosecuted. A raid has been made by the police upon Sunday traders on the South Beach, Paroa, Butherglen, Marsden, &c., and nearly thirty hotel and storekeepers were fined in a small amount by way of a caution.

In the Upper G-rey district there has heen a heavy snow-fall. At Napoleon Hill snow fell to the depth of thirteen inches.

During last year 139,676 letters, and 71,176 papers were despatched from the Nelson Post-office to the West Coast. Wellington papers announce the sudden death of Mr E. W. Nicholson, of the firm of Messrs Whittem, Nicholson & Co., of that city. Mr Vogel has proposed a scheme of common responsibility among Government officials for defalcations, so as to render them liable for the fidelity of each other. Among the officials themselves, the proposal meets with approval.

After much delay a two-s+amper battery has at length been got up to the reef at Wangapeka.

Telegraphic communication was stopped on Tuesday last between Westport and all other stations throughout the colony, excepting Charleston and Brighton, in consequence of a breakage of the line between the latter place and Greymouth. Communication was restored yesterday morning. An effort is being made to work what is known as Doran's reef at Wangapeka. Five successive tests of this reef have been made, and in each case the yield exceeded two ounces to the ton.

£The last crashing of quartz from the claim of the Perseverance Company, Collingwood, yielded 127 ozs of gold from 135 tons of stone.

The Collingwood coal-mine, at which an accident lately occurred, seems again to be in working order. Last week the company loaded three vessels with a total of 105 tons of coal.

An insolvent, named Joseph Graham, has been charged, at the Greymouth District Court, with omitting property to the value of j625 from his statement of affairs, and has been committed for trial.

The earthquake of the 31st ult., seems to ho.ve been felt nearly simultaneously in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Hokilika, and Greymouth, but not further north. In Lyttelton two severe shocks were felt. Several chimneys were thrown down, and the peoplo rushed from their housos in the greatest fear. In Christchurch, an observer

standing out of doors at tho time saw a wall and gate before him riso and fall apparently several feet. A four-wheeled carriage, standing in the direotion given above, was pushed some foot towards the north. Within the house the bells were set ringing, and a chandelier suspended from the roof continued to vibrate for about twenty minutes.

A strange occurrence is reported by the Thames papers. It appears that two men having to drill a hole during an early shift could find no powder, and so were compelled to refrain from charging the shot until daylight enabled them to find some at the store. While pushing the powder in with the tamping rod several lucifer matches were discovered in the powder, and there is very little doubt that, if the fuse had been to hand and the men had attempted to charge the hole during the night, an explosion would have taken place. Suspicion was aroused, and the mystery was soon and satisfactorily cleared up by the last man in the mine who filled the can. He said that in going up the ladder pass for powder he dropped hi 3 candle out of the clay—a depth of some twenty feet together with the top of the empty flask, and contrived to light his way by striking several matches in succession. Holding the match box in the same hand as the open powder can, he concludes that some of the matches must have fallen into the can. The man's character precludes a suspicion that the act was wilful.

An Act to amend the law relating to larceny and embezzlement came into operation July 23rd, and provides that any member of a copartnership, guilty of converting to his own nse the property of such copartnership, shall be liable to be tried as if not such member. The Act contains but one prohibitory clause which reads as follows: *' If any person being a member of any copartnership, or being one of two or more beneficial owners of any money, goods or effects, bills, notes, securities, or other property, shall steal or embezzle any such money, goods, or effects, bills, notes, securities, or other property of or belonging to any such copartnership, or to such joint beneficial owners, every such person shall be liable to be dealt with, tried, convicted, and punished for the same, as if such person had not been or was not a member of such copartnership, or one of such beneficial owners.

The Wellington Independent publishes an acknowledgement from the Committee of tho Church of the Immaculate Conception, Hawthorn, Victoria, of the sums collected by the Rev. E. Nolan, S.J., from which it would appear that the total sum, obtained in New Zealand amounts to £747 13s, distributed as follows: —Westport, £l2l 8s 6d; Greymouth, 208 3s 6d; Otago, .£228 4s ; Nelson, £72 lis ; Christchurch, .£45 12s 6d; Wellington, .£36 2s; Auckland, £35 lis.

Recent news fron Martin's Bay is favorable for the time of year. The Wakatip Mall learns that there are two stores now at the Bay township ; and about 30 miners are working at Big Bay, about six miles north of it. The opinion prevails that some good ground will be opened as summer advances.

For the past two days, says the Grey Valley Times, rumors have been current here that a new quartz reef has been discovered about twenty-five miles from Murray's Creek towards the sea coast. How far the report is correct we cannot at present venture to say, but some quartz specimens, said to have been obtained from the new reef, have been exhibited which are of immense richness. The gold is disseminated through the solid stone, not in thin scaly particles but coarse veins, and it is roughly estimated that the stone will yield one hundred ounces to the ton. Besides the discovery referred to, it is said that some very rich alluvial ground has been opened up about fifteen miles from Mr Johnstone's store at Antonio's Flat, by a party of men who have been working in the locality for some months past. A drover, named Edward M'Cafferty, was arrested yesterday, charged with assault, committed upon D. H. Murdock, of Nelson. Some dispute, it appears, arose between M'Cafferty and the informant with respect to a horse, and according to the former's statement he only resisted Murdoch's endeavors to get possession of the animal. M'Cafferty at the time was on his way with cattle to the Inangahua, and having disposed of them there, came on to Westport, where the police had received instructions to take him in charge. M'Cafferty was brought before the Bench yesterday, and remanded to Nelson. He was forwarded in charge of Constable Sweeney by the steamer Murray, which left last night.