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Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 150, 27 December 1866, Page 2

We understand that the police at Hokitika succeeded yesterday in arresting the person who lins done the part of "flashing" the forged Bank of New South Wales notes, some of Avhieh found their way into the Banks here. It appears that the scoundrel has passed a good many notes at the liuller, the Pakilii, and Fox's. "When. 'arrested no less than twenty-six forged LS-notes Avere found on his person. The WeApnrt Times states that on a recent occasion Captain Hall of the Egmont came in over the Buller bar in a whale-boat and took soundings, Avhieh satisfied him that his vessel could with safety enter the river, and it is by no means improbable, if passengers or enryo offer, that lie will bring the Kgmont in on his next trip. At low water, in the bed <>f the river there i.s nowhere less than twelve feet of Avater. A sad illustration of the parable of the " Roy' and the Wolf," says the West port Tint™, occurred yesterday avcclc. Three men weie bathing together in the Uivcr Aravaita when one of them, a Guernsey native, known only by the name of Tom, appeared to stumble, and called to one of his mates for assistance, but as it was shown in evidence at the police inquiry, "Deceased had o'i previous occasions been in the habit of lurking in the water, and I took no notice of him." Shortly afterwards, however, the other man noticed the deceased's condition, j the cry of drowning arose, and both swam to his assistance, too late, as the poor fellow sank within a yard of them, and before.Tones, the ferryman, avlio had noti< ed something wrong, could reach him. Our readers may imagine to A\h;it an extent this "larking had been carried by the deceased, when the witness before mentioned stated, in answer to a question by one of the jury, that "he could have saved him if lie had any I idea of his drowning— lie thought it was l;irking." The .body was discovered about j five hours afterwards and at a police inquiry j held before Sergeant Franklin the following j day, the jury returned a verdict in accordance Avith the evidence. We learn from Auckland that the incendiary Elcoek, convictt'don his own confession of setting fire to five houses in Auckland, has been sentenced to death, and to pena] servitude for life on a second indictment. It is not probable that the extreme penalty Avill be carried into effect. We notice that Mr Oswald Curtis and Mr Blaekett are candidates for the Superintendency of Nelson, which Avill shortly be rendered A-acant by the resignation of Mr Saunders, who is leaving the Colony for a time. The IT. C. TTit-4m t-4 says -We learn from Okarita that during the fortnight just ended the decrease in tbe population of that district has been so constant and excessive that not more than o'fiO persons of all classes now remain there. In consequence, many of the business people have- been compelled to close their establishments and join the exoilns. A gentleman upoiiAvhose accuracy we place the fullest reliance has supplied us with the annexed returns of the number of residents in Okarita town, and the estimated population of the various mining ••cutres in the district : — Township of Okarita, 200 ; Long Ueach, 301) ; Oilles[>ie\s Beach, 50 ; Hunt's Reach and Bruce Bay, f>o ; Haast JJiver and the immediate neighborhood, ;">0 ; total, GSO. We are indebted to our Hokitika contemporary for the following :- A statement of the receipts and expenditure of the ordinary revenue of Is'ew Zealand, for the quarter ended 30th September, 18C>C>, has just been issued. Tt slioavs that Canterbury— thanks to the Avealth of the West Coast digging, and the prosperity of its commerce- continues to maintain its position at tho head of the Provinces. The only other Provinces with whicli it can compare in peint of revenue are Auckland and Otago. The total revenue of Auckland for the quarter is L40,H)1; of Otago, Li)0,l):K) ; Avhilst that of Canterbury lis-L61,n78. Taking the several items of. revenue, the same relative position is maintained. Thus, under the head of Customs duties, Auckland is but down at L:i(>,2l9; j Otago, L4"),!)71 ; and Canterbury, Lf»B,r»3o. I A clear excess of .1. 13,000 for the quarter (representing 1-52,000 for the year) of Canterbury over her neighbor and rival Otago, shows unmistakcably how vast an impetus has been given to this Province by the industrial population of the Avestern district. The gross revenue of the Colony for the I quarter amounts to L 215,515, of which the sum of L 102.711 was collected in the shape of Customs duties. The tunnel on the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway is progressing rapidly. The Press says :— The driving at both ends of the ! tunnel is and has for some time been through soft rock, allowing the Avork to be carried on with great rapidity. Only 170 yards remain to be driven, so that, unless the hard rock is again met Avith, the tunnel Avill be open in April next. Yesterday, for the first time, ; the shots at the Lyttelton side were distinctly heard at the other, or Heathcote face; so distinctly indeed as to occasion some surprise that they, had not been heard before. This proves that there are nofervities nor any quicksand within the ijitcvf^Ming space.

We loam from the West Coast Tones that a company is -already in course wf formation to work the quartz reef which, we mentioned a clay or so ago as having been discovered by Mr. Wililridge anil party \ip the Hokitiksi river. ■'•'•-." The Wed (.'oast Times of Monday reports that a most melancholy occurrence happened at the Totara crossing-place on Saturday, which resulted in the drowning of two men and two horses. The accident was caused solely by the imperfect manner in which the 1 lower punt was fastened, and we hope that this sail catastrophe will teach the necessity of appointing some competent person to the office of Inspector of punts and ferries, whicli so far has not been filled in Westland. The Totara punt was owned and worked by four men, two of whom, named Cushman were brothers, the names of the others being Iteaney and Mole. On Saturday morning a dray and five horses, belonging to Mr Brooks of Lagoon liown, left that place loaded with goods for lloss. The dray was driven by a man known by the name of | Tommy, and reached the Totara some time during the forenoon. The leading horses were unhitched, and the other three and the dray were placed upon the punt for conveyance to the south side of the river. The punt worked upon two hempen ropes, one on each side of it on a level with the rail, and consequently in the event of these ropes breaking, the leverage supplied by the other in a strong current could hardly fail in upsetting the punt . This was proved on the j above occasion when the lower rope carried j away, and as a strong Hood tide was running J in at the time, the punt, immediately cap. I sized, shooting its freight into the stream, i when .Kenny and Patrick Oushman were i carried away and drowned, and two of the* horses met with a similar fate. The other horse swam ashore, and the throe men ching to the punt until rescued by a boat whicli pushed to their assistance. The bodies of the men have not yet been recovered, but the carcasses of the horses were washed ashore upon the beach about half a mile to' the north of the river. * ! • The Tanmnga Argus of the Ist instant, j says :— An accident somewhat ' startling to ( the residents of To Papa occurred about \ noon on Monday last, the 2o'th. A large Indian bear, '.which hail been, we arc informed, presented to. the 12th .Regiment by the GSth Light Infantry on their departure j for home, broke his tether chain and created j alarming confusion in the neighbourhood, j Colonel Hamilton very promptly had the ! animal killed. i In alluding to the present state of native affairs, the W(tn;/unui Time* remarks :— -The colonists are masters of the position. ! . Throughout this entire province life and pro- j perty are as safe as in any part of (ii-cat Britain. Beyond our borders in the Patea district within tho Province of Tnranaki the natives are yet a little troublesome, but a military settlement will shortly be established there, and the recusiint Hauhaus cornpolled to resort to more peaceful cinplo\mei t than wielding the tomahawk and rift •;. The Li/tlrlton Time* of the JSth instant states that on the previous day a prisoner^ who had been remanded on a charge of horse stealing from Hokitika, attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself in the lock-up, | Chri.stchun-.il. The prisoner had torn his I blankets into strips, the one end of which he [ had fastened to tho iron bars in front of the j window of his cell, and after, having placed the other end round his neck, secured his hands behind him, and endeavored to strangle J himself. The gaoler hearing his struggles ran into the cell, and cut him down in time to save his life. The following relative to the completion of the great Manawatu land purchase was f»r- / warded by telegraph to the Nelson papers on" the Ttth instant :— The Manawatu land meeting has terminated satisfactorily. The chief Parakaia wrote a friendly letter to .Dr. Feather.ston, who wanted to send for him, j but the meeting refused to do so. The great J hitch was as to how the money was to be received by each principle tribe. Ngatiapa and I,'angifcane demanded L 15 ,000, leaving only |j.'{oo() for Ngatiraukawa. Eventually Dr Featherston was chosen arbitrator. He awarded L 13,000 to the two former, and LI O,OOO to the latter, provided they would make liberal provision for dissentients, who all bflong to Ngatiraukawa. On this award being announced, Ngatiapa became greatly I excited, tore down their ilags, and in most i insulting speeches, ordered all visiting tribes j home. Dr Featherston at once retired, an- | nouncing his intention to break up the meeting, in two days (on Friday) unless Ngatiapa came to terms. On Thursday, Ngatiapa in- j vitcd I>r Featherston to their quarters. He refused to attend at all until the Queen's Hag had been re-hoisted in the open, and then | only undei it. This was done, and all the j other points discussed and settled. Dr j Fcatherston proceeded to Wanganui for j money, expressing confidence in Ngatiapa's good faith by declining an armed escort, j Payment was to'be made yesterday to repre- j sentative chiefs chosen by each tribe, when ' the meeting will break up. The Westport Times states. that the headquarters of the Nelson Government on the West Coast arc to be removed from Cobden j to Westport. Our contemporary is rather • premature in making this statement, us it has not yet been decided to remove the head- ' quarters. Such a step has been contemplated by the Nelson Government, and is very likely to bo carried into effect ultimately, but not for some time to come. The New Zealand Advertiser of December IS says :— '.' We that the Government are busy having the various stamps . prepared in anticipation of the Act coming into operation on and after the Ist January next. The stamps are being printed at the Government, printing office. It is rumored in well-informed circles that Mr Batkin, at present on officer in the Treasury Department) will be appointed Commissioner under the Stamp Act." We have to acknowledge the receipt of the first number of the Westport Times and Buller Express. The growing importance' of: the Buller'distriet, and the probabability of Westport becoming a considerable town have justified the proprietors in starting the paper thus early ; and we trust they will find their venture successful. r