Untitled

Grey River Argus, Issue 121, 20 October 1866, Page 2

"We were qujte prepared to find, that MMoorhouse's Bill for increasing the representation of Westland would not get through this session. We now learn, from the Wellington Independent, that the Bill was withdrawn for the present session, on the assurance of the Government that next session action wouhl bo tftken in the matter to promote the objects of the Bill, so that mem-: hers could take. seats in about two or three weeks, after $h.e Assembly should meet. We nojiipQ jn tl\p Diuis.tan paper an announcement tljafc D.r Charles Morice, who hag accepted, tho fyppojiijanent as surgeon to the Grey Payer Hospital, h,as been ei,tertained fUj & fwewell dinner, and presented with, an acldr<ess ;ftnd a testimonial in the aha.pe of a ca.ge of surgical instruments. The Mayor of the municipality presided on %he opcasion, A telegram fr-qjn Sydney in th,e.4?Y7»«i of the 11th inst,, announces that a rush has set in from that place to the West Coast. A meeting of the subscribers to the Religious Institution Room was beld last night in the room of the Institution, Gresson street, W. H. Revell, Esq.. R.M., in the chair. We have only space to give the results of the meeting, as embodied in the following resolutions : — l. That at the expiration of the time for which they have been let, the sittings be again free to the public. 2 That the committee of management be enlarged by the following additions : -Messrs Revell, Thomas, Masters. M'Dowell, Bain, and Kissling. 3. That the question of remunerat ing the officiating clergyman be left in th c hands of the committee. 4. That Messrs Wicks, Coatos, Allen, and M'Farland be elected trustees of the building. Some animated discussion took place, which we regret our lack of space prevents our reporting. The prospects of the Grey District are undoubtedly brightening, and we are justified in predicting a speedy and important improvement in the general condition of affairs. Sufficient to warrant these remarks is con : veyed in the letters of our several corre= spondents on the various gold fields, published in to-day's paper. The rush to the Pakihi is becoming a considerable one, and although there has not yet been sufficient time to prove this new field, it appears so far to hold out good inducements to miners. Reasoning by analogy, there are no grounds for sup ; posing that the portion of the pqast to which population is now tending is exceptional in character ; on the contrary, there is strong reason for believing that it c&ntains auriferous wealth, equalling that of the other successful diggings on this coast. Our cor. respondent's news is satisfactory, inasmuch as he states that payable gold has been obtained in more than one instance, This augurs well, and we trust that the rush of population now taking place will result in the development of a good lasting gqjd, field. From the N.ew River, or Saltwater Diggings, the intelligence is highly satisfactory, and there appears to be little doubt that where the ground can be properly drained, very good results can be obtained. Several claims have turned put well, and there is no reason to doubt that the lead throughout will prove rich. Our co-respondent in the Arnold District reiterates the old story — there is plenty of payable ground, but not sufficient water to work it. The small race?, dependent upon

petty surface streams for their supply, are quite inadequate to the wants of the district, and nothing shpr^ qf a large and permanent supply- pf water can ever, develope the. undoubted, rich deposits in this district. It is much to be regretted that Brunner. Race Company' shquld be doomed so, long a period of inactivity. Every practical authority confirms the opinion thas the proposed large race from Hohunu, Riyep would prove of incalculable advantage 1;p. the whole Arnold District, and be a very lucrative undertaking, We believe that spme time ago the Superintendent was applied to, to render Qovernment assistance to the Com-, pany, either by means of a guarantee or in some other way, but no, reply has yet been received. We conceive this to be an under.: taking to which the Government might very properly render aid, its importance being s "J\ei eu ti tp, warrant its being considered, in the light inpre of a public $ian speculative character. We would suggest th,at if Mr Whall has, n,p.t. alr-ea.dy. been, 'spoken, to p,n th.c su,l}ject t h,e $h,pulil b,e requested %o. bring the pase pf the Company hefore the Goyeriunent, and, to urge its favorable, consideration, We lean^ from tl^e West, Coast Times that an affair of a yery unpleasant character too,k place on Wednesday evening, at dinner-time, a,t Cftf^ Paris, ppkitika. Mr Carey, of t^e firm, p,f Messrs Carey and Gilles, stft^ed th.a,t ihe passengers by the Panama Hue of steamers complained of being starved. Mr Jgh^ White, the agent of the company, replied t^at. he did not credit the statement and, made, that it was untrue, After a lapse of a few hours Mr Carey meeting Mr White in the Cafe, demanded if Mr White would repeat his assertion, and Mr White replied that if Mr. Carey would repeat his assertion, he, Mf White, would lepeat it until morning. Mr Carey thereupon, assaulted Mr White, and we understand that the latter gentleman has instituted proceedings in the Supreme Covert for the assault, We are not surprised that Mr White should exhibit some indignation at the charge made against the company he represents, for it is very well known to ourselves personally, as well as to all travellers by this company's steamers',- that the victualling department is conducted in the most liberal spirit. A very important advertisement appears in our columns to-day, from the Okarita Prospecting Association, offering a reward of LSOO for the discovery of an inland gold field, within 20 miles of the town of Okarita, or between the boundaries of the Little Wanganui on the north, and Cook's River on the south. . The conditions are that the discovery must be made within three months from the loth October ; that the gold field shall yield not less than oOOoz. per week for a period of three months; that the discoverer or discoverers shall make application to the committee for the reward, and shall be required to make application to the Warden of the district for a prospecting claim on or b&fore the 15th January next, in order that I the name or names may be duly registered to enable the committee to pay the reward to the bona fide discoverer or discoverers ; and that the gold field must not be beach diggings, nor within a half-mile of the same. In addition to the above reward, the committee intend making immediate application to the Government for a sum of money to supplement the above LSOO, and in the event of the application being granted, the money will be added to the reward, under the same conditions as above. The sum of LSOO has been paid into the Bank of New Zealand by the committee. At th.c Hokitika Police Court on Wednesday the prisoners Chamberlain, Aldridge, and Carr were again brought up on remand. Mr Button appeared for prisoner Aldridge. The police applied for a remand on the grounds stated in the first application. Mr Button opposed the application. He submitted that the police were, in point of fact, asking his Worship to ignore the Habeas Corpus Act, theMagna Gharta, and the petition of Rights. Besides, the prisoner Aldridge had now been in gaol some three months, and he was constantly being remanded from time to time, and he therefore hoped his Worship would discharged them. His Worship sympathised with the prisoners, but he could not set them at liberty. He would, however, release each of them upon their own respective bonds in the sum of LlOOeach. The rush to Hokitika continues. Wev learn fiom the local paper that on Tuesdaj^ 148 passengers landed ; and that on Wednesday 199 more were added to the population, making a total of 347 who arrived by the two Melbourne steamers jrnd the Egmont. Cobb and Cp,'s coach oame to grief on the last journey but one from Christchurch. The Teremakau. put through the road in three different plaoes between Blake's Camp and the Taipo, and in attempting to ford the last place the coach was washed some distance down the stream ; the king bolt snapped and the hinler part of the vehicle became detached and was carried down by the current and stranded on a sand bank. One fe. male passenger had a narrow escape, and was only rescued from drowning by the gallantry of Captain Smith, of Ohristchurch, who pulled her out of the coach and swam ashore with her. The mail and passenger's lug gage went down stream with the opach, and. there is every probability that they are irrecoverable. -The driver, who managed to remain on the forepart of the coach, was luckily able tp save himself and horses. The road has suffered extensive damages in many plages by the late floods, The last coach arrived without accident, and the remains of the former one have been rescued> but the mails were washed away. We take the following items of mining information from the Okarita paper: — "At the Three Mile Beach several parties have lately found profitable employment by simply washing the surface sand, or the layers, pf black sand w^ich. a,re so near the surface as to be procurable more by ' skimming ' than digging. The gold thus obtained is excessively fine, b.ut is contained abund- ; an^ly nt most of the layers of black sand, and, with the use of quicksilver, may be

saved sufficiently to pay at the rate of L 5 or L 6 g, week. One party who last week only experimented for a short time obtained 13s worth of gold from a quantity of sand which it would only take tb,em an hour or an hour, and a half to put through the sluice-box. A\ $ie Saltwater Beach, to the:uQr.th of Qkarita, several parties, of diggers who have come down from Hokitika have set, in on the ground which has already been partially wrought, an,^ are now- at work jn th.c expectation of coming upon a second bottom. is considered, however, that their work will be considerably impeded by waters From ; those who have recently arrived at the Saltwater, we learn that considerable numbers are making their way down the beaches, either visiting, the Okarita district for the first time, or returning disappointed with their experience of the recent rushes to,the northward. Brace Bay proper- may now be considered to be deserted, there being now not more than two, persons there. At Hunt's Beach, however, a few parties still continue at work, with varying success, v< Lately one party has been p.u,t prospecting the bush in the neighborhood. They returned this week, and have again started out, being understood to have found sufficient to entourage thpm to resume their examination of the district." j The West Coast Tivies of yesterday states j that the late, accounts from the Arahura rush are not of the most satisfactory nature, as agreat many duffers havebeen bottomed there, totally disproportionate; Tin number to the payable claimsjin hand. From this it is in? ferred that either the lead is exceedingly narrow, or that it is disconnected and consists of scattered patches only, * We. are glad to learn that another amateur musical entertainment for the benefit of the Hospital is on the (apis, and that a dramatic performance for the same object is contepu plated. The proprietors of the Alliance and Victoria Hotels also announce, the former a ball, and the latter a concert, at. their re. i spective halls, in aid of the Hospital funds. The following important telegram, fr^ft Wellington, appears the Otago Daily Times of the 12th inst., dated the preceding day :-" Letters from the West Coast state that Major M'Donnell started from Ketemarai on Monday night week, with 75 Euro., peans and 50 Natives, and just before daylight rushed a thickly fenced village. His call to surrender was answered by a volley i from wharos, which were earthed, slabbed, and shot. proof. The rebels made several sallies, but were as often driven in ; the forces in the meantime removing the earthcovered roofs, and pouring in volley after volley. All the whares -were burnt ; and some of the nine prisoners taken say that 14 were burnt in the ruins, in addition to 2] ] picked up dead. As the force retired, the neighboring Natives came up, but were beaten off; Ensign Poma killing three. Threats and a cocked pistol compelled the prisoners to show the forces a short cut back, and compelled them to help in carrying the wounded, of whom there were four, and three killed." At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Thursday, William Johns?^ alia* Francis Bowler was brought up charged with stealing a half sovereign, a shilling, and a sixpence, from the person of the cook at Ashton'3 Hotel. It appeared that the prosecutor on the previous evening had got drunk, and was being helped home by a friend, when the prisoner came up and offered to assist, at the same time talcing hold of the other arm of the man. He shortly afterwards put his hand into the prosecutor's pocket and took out the money, and on being detected by the other, he offered to "go snacks," as the drunken man would know nothing about it. He was, however, given into the custody of the police, who recognised him as an old offender, not long discharged from Hokitika gaol, where he had undergone six months' imprisonment for stealing a brooch. He was convicted, and sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labor. Yesterday two inebriates were fined in the usual penalty, but no other police cases came on for hearing. We learn, from the telegraphic intelligence in the Christchurch papers, that an important discovery of a petroleum spring has been made at Warehama, Castle Point, in the Province of Wellington. When discovered it was set fire to, and it continued to burn for a week, requiring several men to (extinguish it, \The reiterated declarations of innocence made on the scaffold by Kelly and Levy, coupled : with the assertions of Burgess respecting the non-complicity of his fellow convicts in the Maungatapu murders, may probably give rise to an uncomfortable feeling of doubt in the minds of some persons. An able article in the Nelson Examiner of the 6th inst., satisfactorily shows how conclusively the independent facts of the case proved the guilt of the condemned men. Certain simple circumstances are referred to which corroborate Sullivan's account most remarkably, and which appear to have escaped the memory of the prisoners when so vehemently declaring their innocence. The Colonist also mentions a circumstauce relating to Levy, which cannot fail to strengthen the conviction of his guilty participation at least in the proceeds of the terrible crime. It states that Levy made an attempt a few days before his execution to convey a note to Burgess inclosed iv a fish. One of the under assistants of the gaol had been attending on Levy at breakfast, when he asked him to take a small fish to Burgess for his breakfast. The man was proceeding to do so, when one of his seniors stopped him, and on opening the fish found a small billet artfully concealed within. It was couched partially in slang, but the main purport of it was to the effect, that if he and Kelly should put their heads together to endeavor to get off, he (Burgess) must bear them out in it. The concluding part of the note stated, that he was puzzled how to account for L2O of the money, he had about him when apprehended, and if heTcould do that he would be hopeful, or some expression of the like nature. When he learned that the note was discovered, he became greatly agitated, and implored the officer to return it to him, saying that he would not on any account that the Rabbi should know he had written it, as it would cause him to think worse of him. He was told that the note was .already in the hands of the authorities, and ,that very likely the Rabbi would know its contents. Upon this he became as pale as death, and trembled so violently that he had to be, supplied with restoratives, which he qoul'l not properly convey to his lips. y ' I ' " : 7!