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

Of all the wretched sights which meet the eye in this much neglected town and neighborhood, none is so much calculated to impress the mind with feelings of- disgust and. indignation as a visit to' the place on the South Beach where the dead of Greymoutti and its vicinity are interred, and called, by courtesy, a cemetery. On a recent occasion, while travelling through the bush amongst the claims on the second terrace from the Beach, we discovered an apparently well worn track over fallen logs and through copioiis mud which we followed for. a shortdistance, and suddenly found ourselves standing amongst a lot of mounds- of sandy soil, which, much to our surprise, we found to be graves. The swampy, partially cleared, '• and unfenced piece of bush into which we had tumbled was indeed a "grave-yard," and a more desolate, neglected, and wretched looking spot it never before was our misfortune to visit. It was no place for moralising over the untimely fate of many who lay around vs — victims to a system of misgovernment and neglect— but the feelings which alone must take possession of the breast of every man who enters the place i must be indignation and disgust at the wretchedly miserable spot where we are compelled "to put our dead out of our sight," and. a shudder of horror at the bare thought that it might be our own fate to take our last long rest there. The plain facts are that when we -saw the place there were large pools of stagnant water lying round the graves, many of which were partly trodden down by the hoofs of cattle, and some, we regret to say it, bore the footprints of men. The piece of ground here set apart for the purpose of being at some distant date con- : verted into a cemetery — we say nothing about the wisdom of its selection — is, to; all appearance, undefined. It is unfenced, and around it on all sides the miners are busily at work, coming closer and closer every day to the spot where the graves are. If a lead should be struck running through this spot, we will not answer for the consequences, in its present uncared-for condition. At present the cemetery is a standing disgrace both to the Government and to the inhabitants of Greyniouth. This ought not to be allowed to continue. If the Government Avill not expend money to make the place at least decent and christian-like, the citizens must do it themselves. The cost would be slight, and would chiefly consist of labor. The material for fencing is on the ground, and a superabundance of metal for footpaths is on the Beach, within a few yards. We trust that something will be done speedily, that the matter will be taken up in some form or other, and the cemetery- -for such we suppose we must call it — made something like a place of Christian burial. The Okarifca correspondent of tho West Coast Times supplies the following information : — "Although I have no startling news to send, I consider what I have is very satisfactory. The miners -some tln^ee or four thousand — scattered from Okarita to Hunt's beach (within eight miles of Bruce Bay), are all settled into work, and most arc making Avagcs, or at least a pound or two over tucker. I have no doubt there is a great quantity of gold brought into Okarita, but I am unable to say what amount. Sonic parties who were prospecting up the Waiho lately, .have returned. They brought a little coarse gold down with them, and they say they believe good payable gold will yet be found in the snowy ranges, if properly looked after by a strong and well equipped party. ' The country is described as very precipitous, and the bush and scrub very hard to get through. lam of opinion next year will sec splendid discoveries in the ranges, as this year gold is so easily procured on the beaches, men will not penetrate the bush. By next year the beach diggings will mostly be worked out,- and the miners will be compelled to prospect the in' terior, where no doubt heavier gold will be found. . It is the opinion of many patties that there is another layer of payable black sand below the water level, on the beaches ; and I am acquainted w.ith some parties who intend, in a month or two, to spare neither time nor expense to test the matter, by procuring 30ft. to -40ft. Calif ornian pumps. I am. not at liberty at present to give more in. formation. To-day being her Majesty's Birthday will be observed as a holiday by the public offices and banks, and no doubt also by the public generally. A reference to the almanack informs us that this is her Majesty's fourtyseveuth birthday. The civil cases which were set down for hearing at the Court this day, will be heard on Tuesday next. Some interesting letters containing a description of thp '•:verlandJ«^ A^!ff*'''s**?T l*--1 and the Grey have recently appeared in the Ckristchurch Press. The following remarks of the writer are not without*mterest and weight at the present time : — "ln returning through Hokitika, on my way home to Christchurch, I may notice a few points omitted from my former remarks. I understand that the population of the town of Hokitika, and its immediate neighborhood, to.be from 8000 to 10,000; Greyniouth, 3000 ; other townships and outlying districts, about 18,000; making the total population of Westland within Canterbury about 30,000 in round numbers. I have already alluded to the great desirability which exist that this large, industrious, and pros-* perous population should be thoroughly well represented in the Legislature; and this I hope to be the case, not as a matter of justice only, which it undoubtedly is, but also as a matter of convenience, in order that members representing districts on this side of the Alpine range may be disposed to legislate, as far as Westland is concerned, in accordance with ample and reliable information as to the resources, interests, and requirements of that part of the province and itg^opulation." We (Lyttdton Times) understand that his Honor the Judge has conferedthe office of Sequestrator, for the Westland District, on Mr Hardcastle. . There has been no business of any importance at the Resident Magistrate's Court," Colxlon, during the last two days. There wilTbie 1 no Court.toi-day. '

I ■ * ' *' ■'■•:_.-•...■.' It is stated that on his recent, visit to thei North, the Governor sipbke to several 6E the leading Natives of the'trbuble's produced by drunkenness, and of the benefit to be clerived from abstinence. '-. Anioiig others, the" sub-,, ject was broached in*' the interview with Thompson, wha agi'eed to take a pledge for twelve months to abstain from intoxicating liquors, and to enjoy. only the cup which cheers but not inebriates, if his Excellency would do the same. The bargain was struck at once, and it is to be hoped that it may be ■iiept as faithfully by the " kingmaker" as it doubtless will be by his white brother, and that so excellent an example may be productive of good. It is rumored that his Excellency intends to pay a visit to the South ' almost immediately. Thes.s. Eclipse is still detained in harbor probably for that purpose. A telegram in the West Coast Times- of Tuesday states that several severe shocks of earthquake had been felt at Christchurch the preceding day. The Southland Times of the 9th inst. says : — "We have information from River ton, under date 7th May. Hunt and party had arrived at the diggings, but no important news had been received as to the gold finds ; all hands appear to be working steadily, and with seeming success. A disturbance took, place on the night of the 28th April, at a tent of a questionable character, between three^jnen named George Boyd, John M.'Roy, and Timothy Donovan. Boyd, it appears, charged Donovan Avith stabbing him. with a knife in the hand, and was taken into custody, but upon further investigation it was found that Boyd and M 'Roy were the aggressors, and they were arrested. They were brought up before the Resident Magistrate at Riverton, on Saturday, the sth May, when it was proved that they dragged Donovan out of the tent and maltreated him outside. They were each.fined L 5 and costs, or one month's imprisonment.