The Westport Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 711, 15 September 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1870.

The schooner Mary takes with her, from Westport to Melbourne, a quantity of the Mount Rochfort coal. The specimens thus exported were brought down yesterday by pack-horses from Coalbrook Dale. In quantity there was about five hundredweight—sufficient t« serve as a sample of what the splendid coal-seam exposed at Coal-brook can produce. They are not by any means the first specimens which have been brought from the same situation, and it is sincerely to be hoped that they are not the last. It is questionable if it would not ultimately prove remunerative to those interested in the welfare of Westport to forward to some suitable destination a sackful of the same coal by every vessel that leaves this port. This quantity is being forwarded to Melbourne by Mr Field, of Kennedy-street. It was brought down by Mr Field's brother-in-law, Mr Chambers, who was accompanied to the mine by Mr Hunger, of Messrs Hunger and Meldrum, by Mr Atkinson, and by Mr Macleod. The party, with two pack-horses, started on Monday afternoon. Going up which is nine miles from Westport, they ascended the stream for about two miles, and then followed the old Government track to the mine, camping at the foot of the range for the night, during which it rained heavily. Starting at halfpast seven next morning, they crossed the flat country intervening, and reached the mine shortly after ten o'clock, filled the bags, dined, and got down to the flat by noon. Leaving the horses to find their way back as they had come, the party proceeded to the diggings at the Fairdown and its neighborhood, and returned by the Terraces. The track to the mine is defined in places by pegs, but in its present condition it requires, in some places, a good tracker to trace it. The old borings of the Government boring parties were seen, but the opinion formed was not very favorable as to the propriety of the work whiih had been done. It is certainly to be regretted that, with such a magnificent coalfield as that of Mount Rochfort so contiguous to this port—a coalfield which, by general and scientific testimony, is superior to any in the colony—capital cannot be, or is not, found for the construction of one of those cheap railways which are now being extensively adopted in the transport of minerals. The last news with regard to the Nelson and Cobden Railway reduces the time of signing the contract for its construction from months to days. Still the accomplishment of the fact of signing was prospective. The news is that "private letters from the Home Commissioners state that the contract for the Nelson and Cobden Railway would be signed in a few days." There was thus time left for the proverbial slip between cup and lip, and there is no saying how far the enterprise may suffer by the outbreak of war and its effect on 'Change. An inquest upon the body of James Henry Pickering, aged two years, was held by the District Coroner, at the Post Office Hotel, on Tuesday last. The evidence showed that tho child, on the morning of its death, was playing with a little boy of the same age, belonging to Mr Speer, and in consequence of the latter returning without his playmate, he was questioned, and search was then made at the water-hole. A neighbor named Morris assisted in the search, and finally succeeded in raising the body of the deceased to the surface. When found life was extinct. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," and the body was interred in the cemetery the same afternoon. Naturally, much sympathy is felt witL Mr and Mrs Pickering in their sad bereavement.

The steamer Airedale, by which the San Francisco mails are conveyed from Manukau to the Southern Provinces, has not yet been telegraphed as having arrived at Nelson.

We understand that the Warden and the District Engineer will shortly pay a visit to the Murray Creek diggings, on the Inangahua. These diggings are within the Buller district, within comparatively easy reach of Westport, and, no doubt, all applications and other business under the Gold fields Act will come before the Warden's Court here. Properly the whole supplies of the district should be forwarded from Westport, and it must be in the interest of business people to see regular connection established between this port and what must be admitted to be one of the most promising districts on the West Coast.

Mr Dobson, District Engineer, left the Ahaura last week, swag on back, to visit the country in the neighborhood of Lake Hochstetter. He returned to Westport by the Charles Edward.

Suppers and balls—select, free, or easy—are not now the institutions they once were in these parts—in point of numbers. But when they occur they are more worthy of the name of social entertainments. This has been especially the case with the assemblies of the members of the local Lodge of Oddfellows. The meeting of last year was one of pleasant reminiscences to many, including one gallant guest of white-kid-boot-peg-extracting proclivity. The meeting for this year is appointed to take place on Tuesday next, and, from the traditional gallantry and generosity of Oddfellows, as well as the substantial preparations which are being made for the occasion, we may anticipate that the Masonic and Oddfellows' Hall will then bo thronged by a numerous and gratified assemblage. Tenders are called by the District Engineer for the erection of a Receiving Store, to be placed in contiguity to one of the wharves, for the deposit of goods upon which Customs duties are payable. Die Dcutsehen im Buller District werden zu einer Versammlung im Prince of Wales Hotel, Westport, Sonntag den 18 Septbr um 2i Uhr Nachmittags eingeladen, tun Sommlungen fuer die Wittwen und Waisen der Gefallenen zu veranstalted.

A German Club, of which Mr Kleia is presidonfc, has been formed in Hokitika.

The MornLig Star and Scandinavian claims, at Boss, have started working on tribute, the miners giving the company 15 per cent, of the gold got in each claim. At Port Chalmers, a person named Burnstead has been fined the mitigated penalty of £25 for attempting to evade the gold export duty.

Mr Stafford, in the House of Representatives, referring to the swarm of bills introduced during the session, said the Government was fast becoming a species of ornithoryncui —a beast with a bill. Dr Feathers tone has visited the manufacturing districts of Scotland with the view of ascertaining the best uses of New Zealand flax, and he s-vys that bright and clean fibre would be largely used at thirty pounds. The American market would Jikely take a quantity. A ship load cf New Zealand flar. has been sent to Canada. The Greymouth Star asks if merchants who have received from the Customs a draw-back on duties lately imposed, should not give the same draw-back to their cuP tomers. A true bill has been found against Innes, Deputy Commissioner-General at Auckland, for embezzlement.

A number of the inhabitants of Dunedin were, last week, " hoaxed" into visiting Port Chalmers by the report that a Chinese junk, with 200 Celestials and their wives, had arrived there.

_ln the Warden's Court, on Tuesday, eight applications for races, dams, &c, were disposed of. The August returns of 78 companies at the Thames show 7750 tons of quartz crushed, yielding 13,005 ozs for the month. The Wardens of the Grey district have protected claims for six days to allow miners to witness a pedestrian match and a wrestling match. The pedestrian match is between Howe and Twohill. The wrestling match was to be between Cowen and Peaden, but there has been a disagreement. Peaden now challenges Cowen, or any other man, to a match for £SO a side on the 20th.

Judge Ward recently spoke as an oracle about the appearance in Eesident Magistrate's Courts of other agents than qualified solicitors. His oracular recommendation, excellent in theory, is not reducable to practice, for the simple reason that qualified solicitors are not always to be found in secludod situations, such as some of the townships on the West Coast. A correspondent of the Grey Valley Times very justly disputes the Judge's deliverance, or its applicability to the "special cir urnstances" under which, in unsettled or recently settled parts of the country, clients are often placed, and he argues that if agents are allowed to appear in Wardens' Courts, they may be as reasonably allowed to do so in the 8..M. Courts, -where cases are often less important, and where the law does not literally exclude their appearance. Mr Tarrant, M.P.C. for Motueka, writes to the Grey Valley Times:—"! have just received a copy of your paper of the 22nd ultimo, sent me by a friend, in which appears Mr Wilkie's address to his constituents. The sweeping accusations he makes against the members of the Council, particularly those against Messrs Eeid and Donne, I look upon as being far too frivolous and contemptible for me to tako uny notice of, except to say that they are quite uncalled for, and certainly not borne out by facts. Messrs Reid and Donne are also able to vindicate their own characters." After referring to some mis-statements by Mr Wilkie, and corroborating statements in Mr Mackley's address as to a memorandum left by the latter with regard to West Coast matters, Mr Tarrant says :— " I could say a great deal more in refutation of much that Mr Wilkie stated, but do not care to do so, feelino; certain that those who are acquainted with the members of the Provincial Council will treat Mr Wilkie's statements with the contempt they deserve."

The Otago Acclimatization Socie'y have received, from Hobart Town, another shipment of ova, consisting of brown trout ova, and 100 sea or salmon trout ova, besides 18 English perch. Sergeant Mayberry, who for some years past has been stationed in the Grey Valley, is about to be removed to Charleston.

Mr Bruce, contractor, has been lost between Taupo and Eunango in the North Island. His horse, minus the saddle and bridle, has been found. Native tracks, supposed to be those of Hau Haus, have been discovered crossing Bruce's tracks. The purchase of 480,000 acres of the 70mile Bush, Hawke's Bay, for the purpose of immigration and settlement, is said to be nearly completed. A miner named Murray, one of the brothers who discovered Murray Creek, on the Inangahua, is reported from the Grey side as having been lost in the bush. He left Duncan's store, at Maori Gully, in company with another. They got lost and separated, and Murray has not been seen since. Search for him is being made. The first ploughing-match on the West Coast, held on Saturday at Totara Flat, Grey district, was "an immense success." At the dinner, Mr Whitefoord was in the chair, and Mr D. Maclean, Greymouth, in the vice chair. A Licensed Victuallers' Association is to be formed in Greymouth. The Supreme Court sat at Hokitika on Monday. There are thirteen cases to be tried. These included a charge of libel against David Curie, publisher of the Soss Gf-uardian. One sentence in the alleged libel, directed at Conrad Hoos, County Chairman, ran thus :—" Our only solution of the matter is that Mr Hoos is a sleeping partner in the concern, and that he thus is content to sacrifice honor, integrity, and independence for private gain —to sell his heritage for a savory mess of pottage. Sic transit gloria mundi." A true bill was found by the Grand Jury, and the case went to trial. The defence was that defendant believed the statement to be bona-fide, and that his belief was formed on what he considered good foundation. Judge Richmond dilated on the necessity of freedom of the press, and that free institutions would be unworkable without a severe and constant supervision of the press. The jury returned a verdict of acquittal, which meets with general approval. John Dogherty, for larceny, has been sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, Joseph Sniithson, for forgery to two years' hard labor, and John M'Gachie, for embezzlement, to one year. Three persons, Leopold Beit, Margaret Gilland, and Barbara Woldon, were charged with attempting suicide. The other cases include a charge of perjury against James Wilkie, and of assault, with intent, against George Knopp.