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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 834, 6 July 1871, Page 2

In the Resident Magistrate's Court, Westport, on Tuesday last, the proceedings were limited to the hearing of two civil cases—Stitt Brothers v. Lloyd and same v. Hayne. In the first case the plaintiffs sought to recover the sum of £25 Is lOd. The amount was admitted by the defendant, who had filed a set-off for £8 Bs. Evidence was taken in respect to the setoff, which was reduced to £3 19s, the plaintiffs obtaining judgment for £-21 2s i.Od and costs, of which £5 was to be paid in seven days, and the balance in monthly instalments of £5. In the case of Stitt Brothers v. Hayne the plaintiffs obtained judgment by consent for the amount claimed, £5 2s Bd, and costs. The defendant asked for time to be granted, and suggested that three months should be allowed. His Worship ordered that half the amount be paid forthwith, and the balance within fourteen days. In the Warden's Court on Tuesday a few applications were granted for water rights and one extended claim. Tenders have been let for the removal of Mr Williams's premises, north Gladstonestreet, to the plot of vacant ground between Messrs Graves and Fleming's drapery establishment and 'Mr Horn, tobacconist. Pending the removal the business is being carried on in premises opposite to the Bank of New Zealand, Gladstone-street south,

The barque Queen of the South left Lyttelton for Sydney on the 27th ult., having as passengers the political pardonholders, as also the five ticket-of-leave men from Western Australia. The former will proceed from Sydney to San Francisco. The Grey " Argus" gives it as a rumour that the General Assembly will not meet for the despatch of business until the 14th August. A wise step, says the " Colonist," has been taken by the resuscitated New Zealand Steam Navigation Company, in reducing fares for both first ard second-class passages, by the well-known steamers "Wellington and Taranaki,.to the extent of from 20 to 33 per cent, which is a very large reduction. The faro from Nelson to P cton is lowered from £2 and £1 10s, to £1 10s aud£l ; to Wellington, from £3 and £2. to £2 and £1 10s; to Dunedin, from £8 and £5, to £6 and £4 ; and from Manukau, from £5 and £3 10s, to £1 and £3. Similar reductions are made in other fares, but there is this point to be noted by passengers, that 10 per cent, above the reduced rates is chargeable for all tickets issued on board the vessels, so that to get the full benefit of the reduction they should apply at the office of the agents. We learn from the " Timaru Herald " of Wednesday that on Sunday last, were found on the Ninety Mile Beach, about two miles from where the wreck of the Despatch is lying, some human remains, consisting of a breastbone and ribs. From the size of the bones, they are probably thoso of the poor lad Wallis, who lost his life in the stream running out of the Saltwater Creek lagoon on the 13th August last. A correspondent for a southern journal writes from Wellington as follows :—" 1 think the members of the Ministry were very glad indeed when the Nevada, with Dr Fcatherston on board, was fairly out of the harbour. For some time back his relations with his former colleagues have not been of the most cordial character, and the breach between the Premier nnd himself was daily widening. It was only the prospect of his early departure which prevented an open rupture, and ho did not hesitate to speak his mind very freely about certain late doings on the part of the Ministry, A gentleman who knew Dr Fcatherston well told me, a few days before the Doctor's departure, that ho would willingly exchange his Agency-General for a seat in the House of Representatives, had such an exchango been possible." The " Grey Valley Times," it is said, will shortly be published under a new proprietorship. Mr Wilkie, M.P.C. for Nelson, is to bo editor, as well as a member of the firm.

Sickness ig reported to be very prevalent among the Upper Waikato King natives, and a number of deaths have taken place.

Requisitions have been presented to MiFish, juu., and to Mr L. Thoneman, asking them tfi 1 econie candidates for election as R'uyor of the City of Dunedin. Iron-piping, of Dunedin manufacture, is coming into use on the Goldflelds, as a substitute for wooden fluming, and is said to give universal satisfaction.

A fire was discovered on Sunday week on the wholesale premises of Messrs Briscoe and Co., Dunedin. Throe members of the Police Force, who were quickly on the spot, provented the fire from spreading, and in doing so Sergeant Baxter had one of his hands burned. The fire was in the back part of the premises used for the storage of iron and white lead, and it was among the cases containing the former that the fire existed. It was kept down till the arrival of the brigade, when it was extinguished. By the ship Alexandria, which arrived at Auckland lately from London, the General Government received a number of Snider rifles and 1,030,000 rounds of ammunition for them.

Several outrages have occurred at Fiji. One, which took place at Levuka, was caused by a number of Chiuamen, who attempted to stab a European, and being afterwards reinforced by one of their countrymen armed with a revolver, paraded the beach for a time, though they abstained from further violence.

Mr R. M'Aslan, counter clerk at the telegraph office, Dunedin, expired suddenly on the morning of Juno 24, The cause of death is said to have been disease of the heart.

A Bluebook lately issued by the Queensland Government shows that out of a total revenue of £743,058, that colony pavs annually £315,000 in salaries and wages. Some beautiful Berlin work has been produced in Auckland by the use of dyed flax. The flax seems to have absorbed the colours readily, and the gloss is equal to silk. Hewitt and Harris, the pedestrians, who have been running champion races in Dunedin, are to visit Cliristchurch, where Hewitt will run a match for £ 100 against £SO ; after which he and Bird will leave for America. A telegram from Wellington denies that Mr Waterhouse is about to proceed to Australia on a mission connected with the mail service. It adds further that the above gentleman was never offered the Postmaster-Generalship, and has not joined the Ministry as reported. According to a Melbourne contemporary Dr Youl held an inquest, a few days ago, at the Morgue, on the body of John Soraerville, a passenger by tho Rangitoto, from New Zealand, who had been found dead in his berth on board of that ship at sea. He was aged about forty-four, and the result of a post mortem examination showed that death had resulted from disease of the lungs. The Chinese continue to spread themselves over the Otago Goldfields. The "Mail" says : —" Several claims have, during the last fortnight, passed into the hands of the Chinese, who entirely hold the Big Beach (Shotover), a large portion of Moke Creek, most of Twelve Mile (Lake), and a considerable part of other places."