New Year.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 149, 25 December 1866, Page 2

New Year.

Ix our Dunedin correspondent's last letter mention was casually made of the adoption by the Otago Provincial of a scries of resolutions relating to the management of the gold' fields. Many of our readers from Otago will perhaps remember that for some time there has prevailed a growing opinion of the | necessity of re-organising the system of gold fields management. The various discussions and representations which had for a long time denoted public opinion on the subject induced the Provincial Council to refer the Avhole ' question to a select committee. The i report of that Committee was brought up the other day, and some resolutions based upon it were discussed and carried. The principal change effected is the placing the Gold Fields department under the immediate direction of a member of the Government. Hitherto there has been no political head of the department, and successive Governments have been guided almost entirely on gold fields matters by tho Secretary ofGold Fields, Mr Vincent Fyke. It is now proposed that Mr Pyke's office should be that of permanent undersecretary, whose duties are to consist chiefly in visiting and inspecting each gold field and reporting to the head of the department. Mr Haughton in moving the resolution pointed out the advantage which would accrue from the proposed arrangement. The under i secretary is to be regarded as a sort of inspector, and to be a.s much in the field as in the office, aud thus be able to consult witli Wardens, communicate with the Government, and act as a medium of representation between the Government aud the mining community or vice versa, without involving the present often tedious correspondence and delay. There can be little doubt that the appointment of a political head of the gold fields is a judicious and wise step, aud likely to tend to the advantage of the mining community. Hitherto there has been no one responsible for I the gold fields policy of the Government. Mr Pyke virtually has had almost uncontrolled sway, and although on the whole, he has managed the gold fields well, it is contrary to the principles of constitutional government that the gold fields should be atl ministered by an irresponsible officer. By investing the management of gold fields with political responsibilities, greater security is given that the Government will carefully regulate its gold fields policy, and pay as much attention to this branch of administration as to any other. Besides it will bo much more satisfactory to the miners to know that the management of their affairs is in hands responsible to the Council and themselves. The example of Otago may we think be followed profitably in this province. Mr Sale stands towards the gold fields pretty much in the same position as Mr Pyke in Otago. Virtually he is and has been the Government of Westland, and the Executive at Christchurch hove been almost entirely guided by ; his advice. It is absurd to suppose that a population of fifty or sixty thousand persons- will continue to remain satisfied under such a system of Government. It is contrary to all our notions of free and enlightened government, and prevents that free ventilation and discussion of gold fields affairs which should take place in the Council. In whatever manner the Government intend to bring about a change in the administration of alfairs in Westhuid, we earnestly trust that the constitutional doctrine of political responsibility will be followed. If instead of humbugging with a Commission to ascertain how to govern the district, the Government would take the responsibility lrpoh its own shoulders and give "Westland a seat in the Executive, a good deal of time would be saved, and the country would be better pleased. Then there would be some chance of dealing with West Coast affairs in the Council in the same manner sis with other subjects, aud the Government could' not as now. evade blame- and responsibility by plciiding ignorance orj good, but mistaken intentions. . jm

We have to caution the public that a number of forged Bank of New South Wales £5 and other notes areibeing passed in this, district. Yesterday, each : of the three Banks hi town discovered^ forged £5-iiote amongst its receipts. The forgei-ies purport to be issued at Auckland, but they are signed "H. Goulstone," who is the manager of the Nelson branch. They are not printed on bank paper, and instead of the words "Five pounds " being impressed in line small characters in the centre of the note, tliere are simply a number of fine straight lines. The imitations, although easy of detection by skilled persons, are liable to deceive the inexperienced, and it is, therefore, necessary • that the public should be particular in ascertaining the genuineness of notes tendered to them. The forgeries arc supposed to emanate from Melbourne.. To-morrow the l-eal fun of the Christmas amusements will commence. The llegatta opens at half -past ten, ami will be continued for most of the day as nine races are on the list, and there will probably be others got up. The amateur race (second on the list) is likely to be well contested, as we hear that good practice has been made by some of the intending competitors. On Thursday the sports commence, and will continue during that and the following day. In addition to the public sports, llcllier's Shooting Gallery, Kilgour's Union Theatre, Sweeney's Theatre, and several nf the hotels hold out attractions such as balls and concerts, whilst Mr" Johnston, of the Melbourne Hotel, advertises a monster bill of fare, tlie discussion of which is to be attended by the performances of the Alliance Baud, from one 'to •three o'clock to-day, and from twelve to four on other days. Amongst all these varied means of recreation, even the most fastidious cannot fail to find something to amuse him, Tho butchers of Greymouth, in their endeavor to keep up the traditions of their tra 'c ab this season of the yea-, have rea-lly made a very creditable show of meat. We must particularly mention the exhibition of . bcof, mutton, pork, &c, at the shop of Mr O'DoMnell as being a really very good show of the kind. Messrs Woolfc and Mace, Hildebranil, and. others, also turned out some very excellent joints and carcasses, dressed ami decorated with the customary evergreens. To-day thu Coal Creek Gardens will bu open to the public, and it will be seen by an advertisement that the proprietor has made great preparations for tho reception of visitors. The capital band, from the Alliance Hotul, will perform in the afternoon. The residents at tho Saltwater determined not to be behind their neighbors, have organised a series of sports, which take place on New Year's Day, and the Wednesday following. A good programme has been drawn up, and ho doubt the' sports will induce many Greymouth residents to pay their Saltwater friends a visit. A great inducement to visitors will bo tho opening of the tramway from Arney street to the head of the Lagoon. In another column we republish the account of a new method of gold washing iavjnted by a Mr Phelps, of T:ill>ot, Victoria. It will be found from the description that the now procc-s has been tested and proved to bu very effectual. If it bo true, as stated, that Mr I'liclps' machine can make stuff pi Qviously workcl twio.o over in quicksilver cradles pay, what would it do with the sand from tho beaches on this coast ? The masses of debris that mark the sites of tho old workings on the North and South beaches would provide plenty of profitable employment for such a machine. When the tramway along the South Beach is completed it appears to us to bo a very natural anticipation to expect that some day sooner or latev it will pay to convoy the stuff from the ohl workings to some place whore it can be cither sluiced in the usual way, or treated iv some improved manner. The machine'invented by Mr Phelps has the recommendation of simplicity, and its independence oi chemical processes. No doubt any recjuircc' information which is not contained in tin published account could be obtained fron the inventor without any difficulty. At the adjourned examination .of J. A Carr, at Hokitika, on Friday, Sullivan, thi approver,' concluded his evidence against thi prisoner, which was very strong and conclu sivo as to his guilt. According to Sullivan' statement the prisoner Carr was the associate of Burgess and Kelly's gang, and iv hi capacity as a police constable gave them in formation, and helped them to concoct thei various schemes- of robbery. The object c stealing the police elothiug, says Sullivan was to rob the Bank at Okarita. Sulliva: was to wear the constables uniform ; Car was to supply a printed form of information and Sullivan was then to go into the Ban! and see the Mauager, representing himself a a police om>cr sent down from " Hokitika t arrest some supposed robber. It appeal also that this choice sample of a policcnia knew of the intention to. rob and possibl, murder Mr Fox of Maori Gully. A very important discovery of a quart reef is reported in the West Cuad Times o Saturday. The account is as follows : — Th arrival of Messrs' Wildridge and party from ; prospecting expedition up the Hokitika rive •has placed us in possession of very iuiportau intelligence concerning the discovery o|fl rich quartz reef in that direction. WefflFj and conversed with Mr Wildridgejaar mates, whose names are David Hujflj^ ',' I Williams, Alexander M'Killop.jfflF.' "*" tin. andthey vouch for the coEffiwsF . . a i • i JflHßKre upon following statement, wluchjgHgre . / i , , jgHgg&ie into as our columns compel us tßgfißju • „ 4HHP? ; ut a month small a compass as possiuHsK-y, . „, „ *. jflMßßunt-bottoincd a"o they left the KauJ^Sßr , it • • ■ iSffliSfi weeded vi) the boat, well provision&HgUH 1 . , \ , T . „. , : . J!lsp, where the boat Hokitika river tojflsgpro i-i Jmß3r Ml d- Martin left m wjis hauled on JliffHoor ... , , , c i fissss: 0 other four, loaded charge oi ncT,&TCUpST ... „ . „,. , . Jj»f : ;U higher in) the river, with light sj&agsfp' i,^ • • , , b Mmm •» aiu l tnC nver ascended ;-«iPsis • iCr t° a point where it , J«|; i-iglit and left. The party '^fei-S^" at hand branch, and travelled °mWsffi? >' title's, tlie calculated distance alo&K'iwiio •! -I ji .i . ' $««si!P: J im l° s » Jl »il then the liver was ' '&&!$$ course °^ il^ ou^ (^ uc south steered | | ||iP^ho forest. Thej' had not traversed

nore than a' few miles when " an ininßJi| iwanip was reached, beyond which a traME ' iOiintiy covered by low ranges could bff^K ) iinctiy seen./' This they determined to fIX >ect, but the swamp being impassable, wlw compelled to make a long detour to avoidlfflj| Mid after a lengthy and wearisome journ^tfl at last reached that M'hich they immediatV- . % pronounced a very likely-looking place" Kf'~" : gold, as the slate reef could be seen crop'«t out of the banks of creeks, and, iv man|\ places, was intersected by quartz reefs anlvv leaders. Severnl creeks were prospected^^ and gold found in all, until one larger than W the others were reached, and after travel-ffjj liiufa short distance along it, a well defined 'fi quartz reef was hit upon, in which gold, iv ?| which gold could be distinctly seen. Of 1 course the party at once commenced testing ] it, and the result was most satisfactory, for after sinking eight feet through the reef, it was found to be richly impregnated' with gold and increasing in thickness. It is described as running north and south, with a dip to the west of about 4,1 degrees. At the surface it was two feet thick, but eight feet lower had increased to two feet six inches. It rests upon a Led of soft slate reef, a few inches of which nearest the ttone gave prospects'of from live grains to seven grains to the dish.; The -western side of the reef is backed by a layer of cement, which forms a casing of about one inch in thickness. Mr Wildridge says that he believes this track of. shite and quartz country is situated. bet wren the Hokitika and Totara rivers, at no groat distance from the sea, us in calm weather the sound of the surf cuild lie distinctly;, heard from the tops of ilVe ranges. .After?-, thoroughly convincing themselves nf lift, value of the reef, the party returned^ to the Gorge, and hastened to the Kanieri to^inakc^ known the discovery to the W'Ai'd^^l^ij^K Schaw, who, on being applied to, FOuHHm| them a prospecting claim shi.uld the : ||i|| covery prove'Aww/rfe. They then caniejg|p town to see Mr .Sale, ami urge upon hnwH^iU necessity of at. once cutting a trail;, as out it the reefs cannot be worked to j^P^vJ tagc- In fact, the men say that the cfSftl^&f^ I is next to impassable, they having cxpiTiifflpl [' the greatest dilliculty in' making tliwr»iis#' up the right hand branch of the llokra|| : ; and round the swamp. It would bo, tffiskif foio, quite impossible to transport iiiflßßnH?'''. necessary for the working of a reef.' ''aHgS^ Wildridge brought several pounds wcig]iupv ; specimens to town, and some of the st]|i|, >: . was submitted to iis, and, from its appmpi|: ance, we should imagine that it would cnffiPf, from forty to fifty ounces to the ton. TEp§/ j The Went Count Times of Saturday repoKsifr; that gold has been found by means of fail ' boring apparatus, at a depth of betwl||ife sixty and seventy feet on Tucker Flat. ;mjjiM contemporary says, "It is not yet cerraal?! whether the cutter has pricked into>|S Ift bottom or a reef boulder only, but cci tnafi is that gold is brought up by the punip^H Win such quantities as induces very saiig3ffi|p* hopes of the ground proving payable. " '^■hPl The Province of Marlburough docs not aj I * poar to lie in a very nourishing condition.-. We take from the Marlhotxiujh Prcus of the sth instant, the following not very bowM/i account of the financial .state of our u «iapv boring province s— Tins usu.il quarterly fJhM of ()ro\vn Lands took place, on Thursday hist. The inducement being small, the attendance was very meagre. Jixcipt'ili one instance, the lots ollercd went at the upset price, tho amount realized beinga trine over LI. 101). This, with the proceeds of last sale (LI, low), and a few small sums from inturinctii;ito private sales, &c, represents the amount of our territorial revenue, for six mouths, s;iy, in the -whole, L3,()UO. l-'roih this deduct tho cost of thi' Crown Lands department, sin" vcys, and our proportion of interest on the Half Million Loan, and the interest on the Kelson debt, and the balance, whatever that may be, represents our receipts froin^t-iie land revenue. Take this from any small sum that may be required over and above thu amount of our ordinary revenue to meet iho departmental and miscellaneous expenditure," and the balance, if any, represents (with 1 he exception of . some small matters in the tolerably well-rated towns of Pieton and Blenheim) the sum available for all the public Avorks of tlic province for half-a-ycar. Tlic Westland Observer and Okarita Time* of Saturday the loth instant says :— "l^yo whale-boats 'arrived: from Bruce ßav,oji Monday last, ami crossed the bar in /we style. Mining matters arc. reported as *«iet at that district — good wages can be mA® in most of the claims, but the diggers W™, .in common 1 with those in this loealit// have got the .' ' northern lever, and avcir^'g fast for tho new kelson gold iields^ T he population of , ■ Bruce Bay is estimate^* ali o»t forty. One i of thcMhale-boatsl/^'Holcitikathoiiev-t i day ; the other #l Wbes transhipping hi-r i living freight ip\ ft vess el of somcM-hat l larger dimuiij^ The Ve2 '% -Mail reminds its readers J^"f\v<a;y importaut, luensuio was pa^ llunn fc f tjlc last session of the ; OeiijF asemlJ y' call « l «i Act to provide fo !dr ° tCChOU ° f ° ySter li>is>ucries - Jt jjpts tho taking, possessing, or selling " ; UPra or oyster broods during the months JESovumher, l)eceud)er, January, Februrary, March. The penalty imposed for a breach of this law is not to exceed £20, to bi re covered before two or more justices of the peace, and one half of the penalty is to be paid to the person who informs agauist-th'e '-=: offenders and procures their conviction. During the oyster season, as it is termed, persons are permitted to dredge for oysters ;m obtaining a license from the Collector of Customs, for which they will have to pay iwo shillings and sixpence- Any person lishing for oysters without a license will bo iable to a penalty of live pounds. The ict also gives legal protection to persons lesirous of forming artificial oyster-beds )erniiision to do which may be obtained i/i vriting from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who will fix the limits of the groua^';o be taken, the conditions to be observ Jj^,; uid the amount to be paid by way of rent asT"" well as protect the possessor from the en- , * a-oacliments of persons who may wish to 7 interfere Avith such artificial .oyster-beds;.'! ' /

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