Untitled

Grey River Argus, Issue 57, 24 May 1866, Page 2

A notice has been issued by Mr Warden llevcll, stating that " all that portion of worked ground lying north of Saltwater Creek, along the sea Leach, and back as far as the first terrace is hereby declared to be 'Old Worked Ground,' under clause 1, section 13 of the Canterbury Gold-fields Regulations." We believe, also, that the other clauses will apply to the ground in question. The quantity of ground that may be granted on old worked ground is mentioned in the following regulation : — " Extended Mining Claim's may be granted by the Warden, upon application being made as hereinafter di' rected, subject to the conditions that a sufficient number of holders of Miners' Eights shall be constantly employed thereon, namely: — For a quarter acre (1O,SJ)O square feet), two men; for half au acre (21,780 square feet), three men ; for one acre (43,500 square feet), five men ; and so on in proportion. Provided that no such claim shall be granted in now and unworked ground, unless jt shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Warden, that such ground has been fairly tested, and cannot be profitably worked in claims of the ordinary size. Provided also that an extended claim shall in no case be permitted to exceed three acres in extent." We understand that a memorial is under signature by the leaseholders of Maori ground in the back streets, praying for a reduction of the rents, es:ecia\lj«dn those instances in which LI per foot ifahai-ged. The memorial when sufficiently signed will be forwarded to the Native Commissioner. Wo take the following from the West Coast Times- of yesterday :— " Yesterday, Mr W. H. Bracken, the well-known proprietor of the Queenstown Hotel, was arrested on the charge of assaulting, early on the morning of the same day, Patrick Connell, a miner, while within Mr Bracken's house, in Rcvell-stroet. We are in possession of a circumstantitil statement of the" full ■particulars which have led to the above-men-tioned painful circumstances ; but deem it the most fitting course to await the official examination that will take place, in order that the facts may be placed in an authentic Bhape before the public. When we mention, that directly conflicting statements have been made of the causes which brought about the unfortunate fracas— the necessity of leaving the public mind unprejudiced in the case must be apparent to all. At a late hour last night Connell was alive, but still perfectly unconscious. Several medical men were in attendance on him, but without cntertaiMing any hopes of his living through the night. Sergeant White was present to take any dying declaration should siich be necessary or practicable;" We have since been informed that the man is dead. Nothing has yet been discovered of the scoundrels who cut the watermen's boats adrift from their moorings. Various motives arc' alleged to have actuated this wanton destruction of property, it being however generally understood that it lias been done by rival boatmen in order to reduce the competition on the ferry. It.is.to be hoped that the miscreants will be discovered and that they will get the punishment they so richly deserve. The Daily Times of the 12th inst. sjujsr' "During the detention of the bam>>"^^ : spcy, in which Lady DonJ^yl^ Strath - Callao, a partvj****^ l passenger to Maori Kaiki* '™* ™ acle U V *° visit tlie * Heads, in which her Lady- - Rp^Lr Wilton, and Capt. Deane, joined. After rambling about some time amongst the huts,- one of the Maoris recognised Lady Don from having seen her perform at. the Princess Theatre. A report was spread through the settlement, ' and a large concourse' of Maoris, including their Princess, assembled round the party, and requested her Ladyship to act as in the Theatre, whereon Lady Don humorously sang 'My Johnny was a shoemaker,' which delighted her sable audience very much. The Princess joined in the thorus, during which the Maoris danced round to the tune. - The weather was beautiful, and the party thoroughly enjoyed the trip." The Wellington correspondent of the Canterbury Press says :-^" The. discovery of gold in the province, reported in the newspapers last week, and then contradicted, has something in it. In a gully near Castle Point, on the East Coast, a person states that he has washed as much as three dwts. to the dish. This country has long been considered by many persons toj 'be auriferous, but it remains to bo seen whether the precious metal exists ii\ payable quantities over any considerable surface of country."