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Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 738, 17 November 1870, Page 2

The Christmas Races and Sports' Committee have collected over a hundred pounds, which amount has been deposited by the Treasurer in the bank, and a meeting of those interested in the forthcoming races or sports will be held this evening at the Nelson Hotel. This amount, it is to be hoped, will be considerably increased by the sale of the booths, which should take place at an early date, to afford purchasers time to make the erections in such manner as may best suit each one's requirements. Though this sum is creditable in itself, it is far short of the collections of previous years, and the Committee should take care in framing their programme, not to so allocate the prizes as to make several days of indifferent attraction. Without being considered dictatory in the matter, we should suggest that at least two days' racing should be held; that there should be four to five races on each of the two days; that if a day's sports can be held in addition, they should be subservient to the races. From what we can learn and from past experience, we believe, the bulk of the subscribers have little or no desire to have a repetition of town sports from door to door in the main streets.

Mr Dobson has, we believe, received instructions to proceed with the erection of three or four crates for the protection of the river-bank, near Kennedy street, should he consider such a work likely to afford the necessary protection.

A half-share in the prospecting claim at Anderson's reef has been purchased by Mr Hughes, of the Empire Hotel, for the sum of .£250. The accounts from this locality continue highly favorable. One block of stone, not exceeding forty pounds' weight, was so rich that a party offered six ounces of gold in exchange for the specimen, which was refused. The news from all the reefs at the Lyell and Inangahua is very encouraging.

Complaints are numerous in town and country of the increasing red-tapeisim—in many instances causing much loss and inconvenience—exercised hi some of the Provincial Government departments on the Coast. Ihe departments chiefly complained of are those of the Wardens and. Paymasters, and it is becoming patent that many of the complaints are no mere trivial grumblings at Government departments, with which there is often a feeling that in matters financial an extension of ordinary business limits may be required, but are justifiable complaints from all classes. Applicants for gold mining leases, or for agricultural leases, contractors, business men, and miners, alike share in the opinion that there is an increasing amount of delay and rotundity of processes to be gone through before the most simple matters of business can be tran acted. Lease applicants complain of their applications taking months to receive the required consideration, ana, wnecner gram* a or ret used, a second delay is entailed in refunding the balance, after deducting the survey fees and other charges. Tradespeople complain, and naturally, that their accounts are not now paid for months. Work done on the Ist September should be paid, surely, before the 17th October, by any provincial institution. If tradesmen are to understand that it is a matter of three months' credit, they will regulate their prices accordingly, but, until the past few months, many of these complaints were unheard of. The miserable choesep>aring in the first instance, in the matter of the purchase of a packet of tape or pound of candles (the Larger supplies being imported), the number of vouchors and particular forms, lately increased to three, by-the-way, to each account to be filled up, the obtaining of the required signature and authority of the officer in charge of the department supplied—then the delay—and last of all the witnessed payment—have brought the matter of Government accounts to a culminating point of farcical absurdity. A share in Ross and party's claim, known as the Thistle Company, Shamrock Lead, is reported to have been disposed of this week for £2lO. "VVe understand that the prospects in this claim have of late considerably improved. We notice by the published list of subscribers to the Charleston Hospital that the sum of £l3l has been collected in aid of that institution. Other lists are to follow. The subscribers to our local hospital are entitled to a similar recognition, and it would be desirable that the list should be published as soon as the various canvassers have completed their exertions.

The Rev. W. D. R. Lewis gave a farewell service at Harrison's store, Giles Terrace, on Tuesday evening. There was a full attendance of the miners in that locality. Mr and Mrs M'Growan gave their first entertainment in Charleston, on Tuesday evening. There was a good attendance.

The Charleston escort arrived in Westport yesterday, conveying about 23000z of gold. Parcels were forwarded by the New Zealand and New South Wales banks.

Tho impetus given to mining in the higher ground in the neighborhood of Charleston is becoming more remarkable every day, and claims are greatly enhanced in value on account of the constant supply of water afforded by the enterprise of some of the inhabitants. During the last week, on Argylo Terrace, four shares have changed hands at from ,£IOO to as much as X 260, owing to the speedily expected completion of Haines and party's race in this direction. Boyle, Fitzgerald, and parties, who have been occupied since June last in constructing nearly two miles of this work, under special arrangement with the holders of this available supply of water, are busy repairing any breaches which may have occurred in the cuttings, and expect to assist at ihe christening celebration by Haines and party in about a week. Fitzgerald and party have lately applied for a fresh lease, on the top of the terrace adjoining Boyle's claim, and, by means of ground-sluicing and cement crushing, of which there is an abundance of each description of workings, a far busier future for this locality is anticipated than heretofore.

The Belfast Hotel is being removed from the site it has hitherto occupied, near the beach, to the section adjoining Mr Byrne's boot and shoe premises, near the junction of Gladstone and Molesworth streets.

Another snag has been removed from the bed of the river, nearly opposite the groin, and deposited on the river-bank protective works.

A permissive Bill to check the traffic in intoxicating liquors is before the Legislature of New South Wales. It provides that the power of granting or refusing licenses shall rest with two thirds of the inhabitants in any given district, not, as at present, solely with the Magistrates. It is said that three fourths of the population are in favor of it. A largo and influential meeting was held in Sydney, on Tuesday the 28th September, in furtherance of tho movement, at which tho chairman, Chief Justice Sir Alfred Stephens, brought forward several facts on the subject, some of : which to us at least are quite novel. He stated, according to the *' Sydney Mail," that public-houses had been abolished in a large tract of land in the north of Ireland with very good results; he then instanced some reports made under the authority of the Convocation of Canterbury, in which an immense number of parishes were enumerated wherein there were no public-houses whatever and where crime had been of late years unknown. He referred to the case of tho Pitcairn Islanders, who enjoyed quietness until one of the men who knew how to work a still, made spirits in a kettle; the result of their introduction being that crime and even murder, disgraced the annals of Pitcairn within a few short weeks. He also alluded to Norfolk Island. There for a long time the inhabitants enjoyed an immunity from crime, until a change came over them on the introduction of spirits by the crews of vessels which visit the island. He then passed on to tho territory of Utah, which was one of the most flourishing tracts in the world. In it there was no crime, no pauperism, and an absence of licensed houses—in fact there was not a single pub-lic-house in the territory. In Sydney, 30,000 persons have signed a petition in favor of the Permissive BUI.

The Auckland glass works are meeting with a large measure of public support, the native manufactured article being preferred to that of the imported. Fish globes can be sold for 7s which would cost 40s if imported.

• In some parts of Germany every bottle containing poison is labelled with a death'shead and cross-bones as black as printer's ink can paint them. "Every parcel of poisonous medicine sent to a patient lias a similar label over the address. " Pray help me," writes a travelled person, "to urge upon our chemists and druggists the adoption of this very simple method, which is plainly within the comprehension of the dullest boy that ever handled a pestle and mortar."

An old woman, aged G8 years, was found lying in a street in Christchurch the other evening, with her log broken above the ankle. She was removed to the Hospital, but could give no account of the accident.

Colonel E,. Carey, C.8.. formerly Deputy Adjutant-General of the Australian colonies, has been appointed Deputy Judge Advocate at Manchester.

Mr P. J. Martin of Melbourne has been struck off the roll of Magistrates for being convicted of infringing the Trade Marks' Act.

A traction engine has been started on the Whittlesea road, for the purpose of conveying timber to Melbourne.

Mr Coleman Burke, of Dunedin, has been appointed a Justice of the Peace for the Colony. Japan has ever been famous for its bells, many* of which are very large. Humbert tells of one at Miako, in a temple called the Temple of 33,333, because that is the .uuuiijci of Idols re contains. Ho says it is the largest boll in tho world, being just about five times larger than tho great bell at Moscow. Its height is 17 feet 2Jinches, and its weight two millions and sixty-six pounds. Seventv-five of the trout and two of the sea trout died in the Acclimatisation Society's ground, Dunedin, in consequence of a rise in the temperature of the water. Bismarck, who as an old contributor to the Berlin " Punch " is somewhat of a humorist, has grimly remarked that the cost of the war will be trifling—Only two Napoleons. Mr Justice Ward has tendered his resignation, as a member of tho council of the University of Otago, and Mr Justice Chapman has been appointed in his stead.

The " Southern Cross" learns that Mr Aicken, C.E., Auckland, has prepared designs of a proposed floating dock, on an entirely new principle. Tho principal feature of the design is that the dock will be supported upon pontoons, the vessel being placed between an open framework, closely resembling the timbers of a ship. Mr Aicken we learn" is confident that his plan is quite practicable, and the expense of the dock will not exceed .£SOOO altogether. With respect to Mr Dickens's family it may bo news to many to hear ho had ten children (eight of whom are living)—two daughters and eight sons. One of the sons is in the Royal Navy, and is now stationed at Valparaiso, one in India, and two sheep farming in Australia, near Melbourne. The youngest of the sons is at college, and the eldest is now conductor of " All the Year Round." Of the dai ghters, one is married to Charles Collins, brother of Wilkie Collins. She is tho heroine of Millias' famous painting of the " Black Brunswicker." The unmarried (laughter, like Miss Thackeray, is a novelist of more than average talent. Her best knowu works are "Aunt Margaret's Trouble," "Mabel's Progress" and " Veronica."