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Grey River Argus, Issue 103, 8 September 1866, Page 2

We have received information from the new rush at the Teremakau to the effect that between 3000 and 4000 men are on the rush and in its vicinity, but there is af present not sufficient ground for more than a small proportion. Only two claims had been bottomed when our informant left, but the prospects in each were very good. . ' • The West Coast Times states "on authority" that the Provincial Council; will meet for the despatch of business early in October. ( The new diggings at the Arahura appear to.be attracting a good many miners. The Hokitika papers state, however, that there is not room for any more new coriiers, every bit of available ground having been taken up. . We regret to announce a veryjnielanpholy case^of suddenileath which occurred yesterday in a boat a short distance below the coal pits. The cargo boat Faugh .VB^Uagh was proceeding up the river, and everything was* goiug on as usual, when one of the crew, named Edward M 'Mullen, better known as Ned M'Williams, who was poling the boat, suddenly fell back into the arms of .one of his mates and never spoke again, although he lived for about fifteen minutes before he expired. The body was brought back to town in another boat last eveuing. -The deceased was believed to be a native of Liverpool, and about 27 years of age. The Wellington papers periodically appear with mysterious paragraphs, relating to reported gold discoveries in that province. The last canard of the kind was to the effect that gold "had been- discovered near Terawiti, and of coucse the papers descanted eloquently thereon. Dr. Hector, the Director of the New Zealand Geological Survey," went to the locality, but found no indication whatever of any grounds for the rumored disco\»ry, and the whole affair ap-. pears to have baen a hoax. ' . ' - According to the Oamaru Time-* it is reported that two men belonging to the Wanaka station recently made according to their own account, a discovery .of some importance. They had been to the West Coast, and on the route thither, or on their return journey, they fell in with what they reserve to themr selves as an important secret for the present. They, we learn, have betaken themselves to Christchurch (the discovery havfng been made in the Canterbury province) in order that they might communicate personally with the Government functionaries. Whether it is a gold discovery, or an'iinportaut tract of available country found out, of course no one knows, but it is suspected by some to be. the latter. We shall probably "soon hear- more of it. They were away for a period of three months on their journey. Some slight difficulty threatens to inter, fere with the commencement of the Saltwater and Greymouth tramway. A company was started in Hokitika some time ago for the purpose "of constructing a tramway from that town to, Greymbuth, but it so far collapsed that the promoters were sued, for sonic of the preliminary expenses. ; The Company had, however, got protection from "the Government for their proposed line, arid it is this fact that .has delayed a definite reply from the Government with respect to granting protection to, the Greymouth and Saltwater Company, until it waa positively known whether the Hokitika Company intended to proceed with their undertaking. The spirited manner in which the people of GreymOuth took up the proposed line to the Saltwater appears -either to have infused some vitality into the Eokitika Company, or else has induced a spirit of opposition, for we notice that au advertisement appears in the. Hokitika papers, calling for tenders for. the supply -'of. 500 sleepers for the Hokitika and /Greymouth Tramway Company. We are inclined to think that this is simply a dodge to retain the Government protection,, as-the number of sleepers advertised for is not sufficient for liiore than as many yards of

tramway, whilst one would think that the work of -forming the line would be the first ] bonafide step to take. Should the Hokitilta Company maintain their gi'ound with respect to the protection granted by Govern-. inent, it will' probably necessitate' a double survey to be taken, so that' prielirie will not intei'fere with the right of the other. We .should hope,, however, than no illegitimate opposition will be raised to the, carrying out of the Saltwater and Greymouth line, as the Company is able to commence its operations at once, and cany out the undertaking with-; out delay. With regard to the choice of routes from the head' of the Lagoon to the town, we Understand the Government has . been requested to survey both, in order that the shareholders may decide which it will be most advisable to adopt. We notice 'with satisfaction that Mr Balfour has been gazetted as Marine Engineer for the colony, and in that capacity will also act as the head of the Marine Board. 'The prisoners, at Nelson-- have, it is said, applied to be tried by a special jury. The triar takes place. on- the 12th inst. : ; > l '^An improvement is stated to have taken .place in the Nev/ South. Wales diggings. . A recent telegram in the Aryus says that the Forbes diggings ,are improving rapidly. nugget weighing 450z was lately found there. We would suggest as an advantageous means of making the resources of the Grey district well known in Australia, that specimens of coal, and of gold from the various diggings should be forwarded to the forthcoming Exhibition in Melbourne. A very interesting- collection could be made, and, as the samples would be returned to the owners, we should think those who are in,possession of good specimens of gold would be willing to lend* them for tlus .purpose. We should be glad- to receive the names of those who would co-operate in this matter, and will undertake to have the specimens forwarded j at the same time 'we are willing to accompany them with a concise account of the Grey district and its various resources. We think that the Banks should assist in form, ing the collection— indeed, all interested in the progress of the district should lend their hearty aid hi bringing the Grey Gold Melds prominently before the people of Australia. We trust that the invitation we h~ave given will be responded to. From the published statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Province of Canterbury for the quarter ending, June "3o,. we learn that in the Ordinary expenditure and Immigration account the receipts amount 'to L19.54S ISs lid, with a balance against account of July 1, 18GG, of L19,5(59 Is 4d ;' and the expenditure L20,2'54 17s 3d, with a balance against account from March 31, 1866, of -L 15,803 35..~ In the Land and Works general account the receipts are L 51,253 4s 9d, with a balance against account to July 1, 1860, of L 3934 17s Sd ; and the expenditure amounts to' L 20,806 4s 7d, with a balance against account from March 31, 1866, os L 34,33.1 17s lOd::. In the U ail way and Harbor Works account the receipts* are JL44.125 9s 9d, with a balance from March 31 of L 48.026 7s 9d; and the expenditure is L 45.028 lls Id, v.ith a balance in favor of account to July 1, 1866, of L 44 ,123 6s sd. On the West Coast Gold Fields account, the receipts were L 43,935" 15s 6d being derived principally as follows :— Customs, L 13.782. 17s sd; gold export duty, L12, 605 12s Id ; publicans' licenses, L 6724 03 Gd; miners' rights, business licenses, &c, L 3176 19s 6d ; laud sales, L 4365 13s ; sales of debenture 8 , under Canterbury Loan Ordinance . 1862, L 1281; telegi-apb. fee's, L 635 13s Sd, &c, &c! The expcnjliture for the quarter was^L4o,lß9 7s sd. This shows an excess of revenue over ( expenditure of L 3206 Ss. Id ; but the balance, to the debit of the account at the end of the former quarter was L 106,552 12s 7d, so that there is still a debit balance on this'accouriiamonuting to L 102,836 4s- 6d. The general balance-sheet aj>pended to ; the statement sh6ws that the balance against the province on July 1 was L82,'216 1751 d., At the end of the previous, quarter, it was L111,751..5s Bd, which' shows a' reduction in our indebtedness for the quarter of L 29,534 8s 7cl. We learn that a new_ and, tolerably good rush has set in.to a creek on the Inangahua, but that mimng affairs in that district are generally dull. The diggings on this side the Saddle are decidedly the test, aud it is ■ -expected that there will be a great improve-" merit during the., coining summer. From Duffer's, Noble's, and Red Jack's "the. accounts are highly satisfactory, the sluicing parties being all profitably engaged. ; We notice, with regret, that the Hospital Committee has found it necessary to institute proceedings against its late collector for embezzlement, he having retained to his own use certain monies received by him as colj lector, and not accounted x for. The accused was brought before the Magistrate on Thursday, but remanded" until Tuesday next, for the production of evidence. From the West Coast Times- we take the following items of mining information :— "On Thursday last Mr Schaw, the Kanicri warden, granted a prospecting claim to a party of miners who had opened new' payable ground obout ten miles -from the Kanieri township, up the river. The prospect was obtained out of a terrace, arid amounted to 3 grains to the dish, with from five to six feet of wash-Uirt. The adjoining country is pronounced as ' likely looking. ' A considerable rush' set into .it from the Kanieri and Hau Haudiggings. Sergeant Clements, officer in. charge of the Long Beach, Okarita, in his fortnightly report, states that thVpopuiation there may be estimated at 1400, inclusive of business folks. The .miners • generally are. making wages, and a few are doing something more.- Somejiew ground was opened on the beach last week from which fair prospects were obtained, but -sufficient itime has not elapsed to allow of jtsbeiug.tested th'o-rougfcly-j should it turn; out well the place will look up again. There arc about nine hotels and thirty stores on the beach. 'The ; officer in charge.at the Totara reports that,, during the last fortnight, no now ground was opened in. that drigfciict. The comple-

:tion of several large-^ate^ races|hi{is copferred an" immense benefit M^qn the;^4inera,^who are. enabled to- occupy wo^vwitiiimuch profit to themselves "% great ideal of"tprrace ground,^ which but the other day ;was abandoned 'as worthless. "On the Cemetry terrace some excellent sluicing,. claims. ...are,. in. work, from one of which 87 oz. of gold were obtained last week. Throughout the dis- ; tript there is very general prosnerityamongSu" the 'miners, and the greatest confidence is expressed by all in its permanence ;1 and so strong is this feeling that; many have settled down, with tiieir, wives and families, fully impressed that the district will last for years. The population is estimated at 7000, and no crime was reported at the Police Camp during'thefortnight," .'•; ,'''. ,- .^ The shipments of gold from Melbourne to England for the present year exhibit agreatly iucreased proportion in the quantity transhipped :from -New., Zealand, J chiefly bwiug to the large production of the precious inctal on- the West. Coast.; ! We learn, from the .4/ > </Ks,"th i ftt,iip to the 24th August the total quantity of .gold exported since the beginning of the year was 1,132;2060z:, of which 20|,3U bz. \Vere transhipped from New Zealand. During the corresponding period of last year the, total amounted to of .which 105,0460z. were the produce of NeAv Zealand. We find that whilst the shipments of Victorian gold showa falling off during the present year of 27,11 lbz.. the transhipnients via Ivfelijoiirrie of gold from New Zealand- show an increase .-of; nearly one hundred per cent. — viz., 100,2Cuoz. These facts speak volumes, jiud cannot fail to attract the notice of the Victorian miners, who for the most part are in any thing but prosperous circumstances* We learn, froma Wellington .pai>er that a "Bill is how before Parliament to amend the law respecting the liability of innkeepers, and to prevent certain frauds, Upon them. Its chief provisions sire as follows :^' (l.) No' innkeeper is to; be liable for any loss sustained by a guest beyond the sum of £30, except where such goods or property shall have been stolen., lost, or injured -by the wilful act, : default, or neglect of such innkeeper, or any servant in his ; employ. ' (2.) Where such good's or property shall have been deposited expressly for safe custody with such innkeeper :"'■ Provided always : that in the case, of ■ such ; deposit it shall' iie'lawfiil for stich innkeeper; if he thinks fit, to require as a condition of his liability that such goods or property shall be deposited in a box or other receptacle, fastened and -sealed by the person depositing the same.' The innkeeper is obliged", to: receive the property of guests for safe custody, or he will notfbe'entitled to the benefit of the Act. . A copy of the second section of the Act is to be exhibited in a conspicuous part of the hotel. Horsesand carnages do not come withiri-the' terms of the Act." ;■•■•/> ! ; r ? :■;''. \_' '■ , •-/. ' The kelson ' Colonist r gives the . following additional particulars respecting the prisoner Sullivan :— A resident Jin Wedtferbuni, Moiiut Kororig district,' writing' to 4 Mr M'Eachen, a friend of his" in Nelson, corro--borates former statements both of 'Sullivan himself and of persons who knew him hi Victoiia. The correspondent says—" We received the newspapers you sent us, and were quite convinced that the Sullivan mentioned was Tom Sullivan of Koirong, aud your letter, which arrived a few days after, confirmed our opinion. I sent your letter to poor Mrs Sullivan, and she could not believe that such vras the case. She was very ill indeed, aiid'sent for meyest'erday and declared she would not believe such a thing unless she • had it from .Her husbarid'i oyrn lq)s. She sent, again for , the letter, and this time was more composed, and listened to the reading of it without being somuch excited. Sullivan and his wife kfept the half way -house between Wedderburn and Inglewbod for a long time, and between four, aud five mouths ago he sold it, and .with .the proceeds -he and Harry Presnell went to New Zealand. The excitement here has been very great, to think that we had a man living amongst us who was looked upon by a good _ many as being respectable, arid who was' a member of the Progress Committee of Koron^', and yet was concerned in such terrible enmes. He was Secretary for the Cemetery, and indeed; was quite a public man upon all occasions of public importance. His youngest son Tom i3*living with his mother, in the house that was built for, Dr Dean. Jt is ;iiot known where the other lad is. There are a great many rumor3"flying about, but they can only be taken for M-hat they are Tvortft As regards Sullivan being in Otago that is all a mistake, of which you are by this' time, aware. " . Since' this letter was received; in fact only a few .days ago, a letter has been received by Sullivan from his wife, who is expected to arrive here shortly, as she announces her intention of coming to Nelson. She says" to her. miserable husband, ' • though, . all, else, desert you yet I shall not," and she expresses her satisfaction that he had not with: his own, hands taken any one's' life. The foregoing letter tallies with Mrs Sullivan's in various particulars: ,' . :'' '. ''.\ \