Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 155, 10 January 1867, Page 2

The Council very properly declined to subsidise prospecting parties, but we think it would have been' a reasonable proposal that a certain sum of money should be set apart for the reward, of discoverers of new gold fields. Such a course would encourage prospecting, and would not be. open to the objection which would attach, to paid prospecting parties. We are surprised that none of tho, Westland members though of submitting such a proposition.

The last number of the Brighton Times contains the account of an alleged new discovery to the south of Fox's, for which a prospecting" claim had been granted. As the announcement may possibly lead men astray, we have to state on authority that the whole j affair is an imposition, and the prospectors have been placed in the lock-up, as well for their protection as their punishment. The prospecting claim was granted by Mr Jones, in the absence of Mr Kynnersley at the Buller, and on the consequent rush taking place, it proved a complete failure. ■ We are informed on the highest authority that there is nothing Avhatever to justify the excitement which the Buller paper alleges to exist at Westport respecting the diggings to the north of the Buller River. A few scattered parties of men are, and have for some time been working at the Karamea, Mokihhiui and Waiinangaroa, but nothing like a gold field has been discovered. There was a small rush to the Waiinangaroa as long ago as ISG2, but nothing came of it. We have been supplied by the Postmaster with some interesting postal statistics with relation to this place. During the year ISO 6 no less than 114,236 letters aud 51,270 news-, papers passed through the Greymouth postoffice. The number of letters received during that time was 55,462, of which 49,559 were from places in New Zealand, and the j remainder from places outside the Colony, exclusive of the United Kingdom. The numbes \>i newspapers received was 29,901 of which 23,439 were from places in New Zealand. Tho letters despatched from the post- j office was 58,774, of which number 41, 60S were to other parts of the Colony, and the balance to places beyond.' The number of newspapers despatched during the year was 30.551, of which qirantity 13,119 were sent to other parts of the Colony, and the remainder to places beyond. The Money Order system only came into operation on the 22nd January, 1866, so that the returns are for eleven months only. During that period 1,297 orders representing L 7.611 14s 9d were issued, and 148 orders amounting to L 792 11s 4d were paid. A reference to the Post-office notice contained in to-day's paper will inform the tha public that some improvements have been made iv the postal arrangements for this district. In future there will be two mails weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays to Cobden and Twelve-Mile Landing ; and every Wednesday and Saturday mails will be despatched for Wellington, Christchurcb, Dunedin, and Invercargill ; and for Hokitika and Paroa (Saltwater) every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Mails from Cobden and Twelve-mile Landing will be delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays ; from Ohristchurch, every Monday and Thursday ; from Hokitika and Paroa, every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. We are sorry that the expectation of a daily mail to and from Hokitika has not been realised. • A serious accident which might have been attended with fatal consequences, occurred on Sunday morning last to Mr Robert Beeston's cargo boat, White Prawn, while it was engaged bringing a cargo of goods from Fox's to storekeepers on the beach twelve miles south. There were five men in' the boat — the oM'iier, Ralph Flindall, James Burns, Harry Molsen,. and Fred. Hawley. They had proceeded some distance when the rising wind and sea compelled them to make an effort to- land. They endeavored to run the boat ashore through the surf, and were assisted in doing so by a succession of rollers. The first and.second carried them close to the shore, and the crew were reckoning upon the third landing them in safety, but it broke right over the boat, swamping it in an instant and washing out all its occupants. Fortunately the men all managed to reach the shore safely, and most of the goods were washed up, very much damaged. We mentioned in a recent issue that in Committee of Supply the Provincial Council had, on the motion of Mr Whall, increased the sum put down on the estimates as a grant to the Grey River Hospital by LSOO. The l eport in the Lyttelton Times of the proceedings in Council, makes it appear that the vote was increased oil the motion of Mr Stewart from LI OOO to LISOO, but the Press, on the other hand, simply mentions that Mr Whall moved an amendment to the effect that the amount be increased by LSOO, arid that the amendment was carried- by the casting vote of the Chairman. No mention is made by the Press of the sum originally put down in the estimates, and whether the Lyttelton Times is correct in saying it was LIOOO, we feel certain that the amendment regarding the increase was proposed by Mr Whall, and not by Mr Stewart, as it is hardly probable an amendment on their own estimates would emanate from the Government. A seam of coal has been discovered at Brighton (Fox's River.) The. local paper says :— At the back of the township, immediately at the rear of Fox's hotel, some parties have been sinking on the terrace in search of the precious metal, when to their great surprise they struck on a rich seam of coal, about ten feet from the surface, of immense dimensions, and to use the language of the finder, when asked was their much of it, replied, " millions of tons. " The piece we saw seemed to be but the crust or outside shell, if such term may be used with regard to coal, but on' enquiry we find it gets better as they penetrate in the vein. This will prove of no slight advantage to Brighton, inasmuch as apart from the benefit derived here, vessels instead of going away ballasted with sand and atone, will be remunerated by having a return freight to their port of desti- | nation. The West Coast Times is informed that his Honor Mr Justice Gresson will leave Christchurch for Hokitika overland on the' Bth instant, so as to be in time to settle 48su.es" for trial, and do other necessary work' Wore the Circuit Court is opened on the 15th | inst. There will probably be a sitting in Chambers' on Friday, the- 11th instant, which may be the only opportunity parties will 'have to apply to him before the criminal business of the session is commenced, '

We understand that yesterday two merchants in Greymouth obtained a warrant for the apprehension of a well-known up-country storekeeper who has absconded front his creditors. The charge in the cases alluded j to is that he obtained goods by means of false pretences. The Westport Times reiterates the statement that the Nelson Government intend removing their gold fields . head quarter from Cobden to the Buller. "As this is calculated to create a false impression, we have to state authoritively th*t there is no probability of the change taking place for some i time, and that the chances of its occurring > have rather lessened than otherwise recently. A convincing proof of the estimation in which the southern portion of Westland is held, notwithstanding the many rnsheß attended by as many failures, of which that | locality has been the scene was, says the West Coast Times, afforded on Saturday last ' by the departure of the schooner Glengarry for Haast River with a party of twenty miners, who, well provided with stores and \ necessary tools propose giving the neighborhood of that river a thorough prospecting. They were preceeded some weeks ago by another party of men bent upon a similar errand, but of whose movements nothing has since transpired, so the question of their success or otherwise is still an open one. We [ are, however, inclined to think favorably of [ the expedition, having from time to time heard certain rumors of "finds" of heavy gold in that direction. ! The Hokitika races appear to have been a j decided success, so much so that the West I Coast Times devotes a leading article to the s praises of Mr F. D. Hamilton, the secretary, ; to whose efforts the people of Hokitika are ■ indebted for the capital sport they have had. r In this age of testimonials it is not surpris- ' ing that it is proposed to present Mr. Hamil- ' ton with " some substantial token" of public I favor. In the report published of the cruise of the missionary schooner Southern Cross amongst the islands of the South Pacific, the follow- " j ing curious account appears : — ln the island J I of Ysabcl, where two tribes, the Mahaga and 3 ! Tetaihi, Averc at war, some of the former l " I adopted the following singular mode of plac- } ; ing themselves in a position of security : — } Th> Bishop slept on shore last night at one l>h\ce which' he describes as a most extraordinary habitation. A site for the village ' has been chosen on a hill surmounted by 1 steep, almost perpendicular, coral rocks ; the forest has been cleared for some space al round, so as to prevent any enemy from ap--1 proaching unperceived ; there is a wall of • stones of considerable height on that side of the village where the rock is less precipitous, 1 with one narrow entrance, approached only by a smooth slippery trunk of a tree, laid at 1 a somewhat steep inclination over the hollow below ; but the tree-houses, with M-hich we 1 made acquaintance of old at this island, are *■ at this place on a scale almost incredible, k Tall trees, rising out of the steep slippery t sides of the hill, are choseu for these great 1 bamboo nests, of which there are six at this 3 one village. From the wall of the fort — for 3 so the village may fairly be called — or from s the base, ladders are carried up- to those tree • houses. It is surprising to see men, women, 3 and children passing up and down these 2 ladders. The Bishop confessed that he was 1 afraid to make the attempt in the dusk of • the evening. It was his intention to sleep • in one of these curious houses, but he says 3 that he had no idea of their real character at 3 this particular place. A day or two after-, 3 wards, however, he went up into the highest k tree-house, and, with Mr Atkin, made care- " ful measurements. The house in which the 3 people wished him to sleep is built on the ' top of a tree, which rises up from the hollow before-mentioned near the forf". The top of » the. stone wall is on a level with the trunk, 1 at a length of thirty-four feet from the I ground. The ladder reaching from the fort t to the tree-house had forty-two rowels, at an 5 average distance of eighteen inches from one • another. The whole height of the house from $ the ground is ninety -four feet ; its length is : eighteen feet ; breadth, ten feet ; height, , eight feet, all being inside measurement. • Some of the trees were at a much greater ; distance from the fort, and the ladders at a I proportionately greater angle. One woman • carrying a load walked up one of these i ladders without touching anything with her i hand, with no balancing-pole, after"~the s fashion of our civilized performers, and with-' i out exciting the least remark or notice from' ■> the people standing about. On the naked • branches of these trees one man was walking i about, hanging out his fishing net, without' . grasping at anything with his hand, where one slip would have sent him down on to the stones and stumps of trees ninety or a hundred feet below. Accustomed from , childhood to these feats, they seem wholly unconscious of any danger, or indifferent to it. No accident occurred whilst they were making these houses, though to us it seemed an almost impossible undertaking to accomplish without th(i help of wings. Both, parties however met on friendly J;erms on board the schooner, and two young men were induced to come away for a short cruise. The West Coast Times of Tuesday say s that apprehension is entertained for the safety of a man named Michaelis Levy a hawker of jewelry, who left town on a peds' dling tonr last Wednesday. His first deati-i nation' was Stafford Town, where he propoSl remaining one day, and then make through the bush for the Bluespur lead township/! from which place he should have returnedio town on Friday last. He however, failed to. do so, and nothing having been heard of kite since his departure his friends are fesisoT that he has met with foul play or lost bintti^f> in the bush. They accordingly applied *> the police, and tendered a full deecription^el the missing man, who, it appears, is abww; twenty»two years of age, sft 4in high iatad> ,when he left town was dresiij^ ut "'dfrfc clothes and a dark Wlypo^M^f 'Prflßf'l^i" shoulder depended a, ftuaoita leather que" ! containing ftaue XSO worth of jewelry, ,

An iuquest was held on the body of ■ Michael Talty, a miner, at Campbell's Hotel, Twelve-mile Landing, on Monday, 7th. January, before G. W. W. Lightband, acting m coroner. The following evidence was taken: '■ — William- Green, storekeeper, examined : lam a storekeeper at Sunnyside. I know the . deceased Michael Talty. I saw him last on the evening of Friday, the 4th day of January. He?h'as at my store purchasing goods. He/ A left the store between.the hours of nine and,'.ten o'clock in the evening. He was not intoxicated ; he had only three or four glasses. He appeared to be quite steady. Jacob JBradwell, a neighbor of the deceased, accompanied him. By the Foreman: I don't think he had taken anything to drink before he came to my store, "as he had just left off work. I can't say that I- know anything more connected with his death. By a Juror: 1 He changed a £1 note, and paid for two 1 rounds of drinks. 1 don't know if he had ' any more.— Jacob Bradwell, a mirier, sworn i I met the deceased at Mr Green's store, Sunnyside. He was drinking with me, and •> we both got intoxicated, or partly so. We left for home together about ten o'clock iv the evening. We left the store with lighted ' candles, but fell over some logs and the r candles became extinguished. We walked 3 on in the dark up the terrace. I then turned and tried to persuade the deceased to acconiJ pauy me in the direction I was going, but he would not, and made for the track alon^the J edge of the- terrace. There are two tracks r at the place at which we parted. The one track traverses the brink of the terrace, and l the other bears away to the right into our claim. I don't know what became of him , after we parted, but I heard him walking away. I made no inquiries respecting the } deceased until the next day at dinner time. On the following morning his mate, William . Donovan, inquired about him, and stated that he had not returned. I told him the ; place at which we parted; By a Juror : Before we parted wo had some conversation respecting the tracks. I would not go his road for I was afraid of falling into* our tail race, -which is about twenty feet iv depth. ij/v ; ' He told me on parting to take care of myself. ;' By the Foreman : His tent is about 200 yards li from mine. A man named California Joe, j John Keenan, myself, and several others, >| proceeded in search of the deceased on the 'j Saturday following. We dragged the creek ■';■ on the Sunday morning following. Richard '4 Weeks and another ' man were down the ] creek in advance of us, and they discovered the body of the deceased. It was found en. ' tangled in the roots of a tree in the cruek, with one hand out of the water. His hand ! was partly grasping a stick attached to the . scrub on the bank. By the Coroner : Them was a perpendicular bank on the right hand 1 side near the spot where the body was founds The terrace is about 100 feefc in height. Tha ' terrace from which I suppose the deceased fell is higher up the creek, and on the right hand side. The terrace 1 suppose to be about GO feet iv height. I was' not sober ' when I left the deceaseds I was sensible and 1 cautious. I travelled part of the way home on my hands and knees, where there was. any danger. The Jury returned the follow-* verdict :— " Found dead in the. Creek, but that there is no evidence to show by whJfc means he met his death." (s^; The following items of miuing intelligence , are given by the Brighton Vfimes of Saturday : last :— " The new rush spoke of , early this i week, in the neighborhood of the seventeen' , mile beach is situated, we are given to understand, about a mile and a half this side the Razorback, and has drawn a large portion of our floating population who are on the qni vive for every new Dorado's. The ground is pretty extensive, giving employment to a great many, but of a poor nature, and what may be termed in the mining language little : better than tucker ground ; but of course, as in all such cases, some are making wages, and a few a little more than the recrgiiised wages — LGper week. We hope to be able to visit this quarter shortly, and give a full ' . report how matters stands, both as regards, business and mining. Till then we refrain from publishing any encouragement to proceed to the new fields. The terraceAyorkings we are happy to state are favorably progressing, and the majority of the claimholders are in hopes soon to be able? to test ' the richness of the ground. Several parties are getting in races, whick will prove of great [> value for washing purposes, together" with the renting of the surplus water to .otter claimholders. The lead, we are happy to , ;state, has been further traced a considerable \ distauce to the north, and the sinking being • of a more shallow nature, the gold will be ; obtained easier. The workings on the Flat >"'' .situated about three quarters of a mile from the township are progressing favorably under 1 the sturdy hands and the persevering and., indomitable pluck of the men at work. Notwithstanding the difficulties to ; contend against, in the shape of water and looseness of the ground, the party hope to be able to bottom to-day, and we hope to be able to chronicle something good in our next issue. In the meantime we wish them every success in their arduous undertaking. The several parties who have lately been .prospecting; ,- Fox's Biver, Beem to give a very poor ac« count of this quarter. It appears toe district is regularly rock-bound, and boulders of a very large description are scattered very close for miles together. The * country altogether, we understand," indicates but little^, " hopes of new ground being opened is itiii locality although on the return of some expe^ rienced miners who are now on the search' there arid determined to teat it fu%, ym are ' m\tfop}sß a more favorable account will he i fefofylsanrfrosa the WutCoatt Tmes that I mkW-W* ~X«hnedy h*A got her anchor, and * ip 1 l<S*ing Bosh End on the morning « t iWmrYmaf Day, Mr Gallop, one of the 1 tMm^^W 1 hiA «* Weafogly narrow' drowning, fie was standurf '<m r||| bridge with leVerat other jersona, aSfl by ' muchancekwt hi* footing and feUover- , ward* and the morning being very dark no '#£» saw %ftmbble; Fortunately, the man > if the wheel heard the jplath, and caught ' ji/iftiinpw of him as he passed underline , '&anter, and immediately giving the alannl > ' n.boat was lowered, and such despatch nladU ; ttfctthe drowning man was recovered in L / few minutes. But for the smartness o££fl|! \ Prs crew, his fate would have i*m& c, as he was almost insenmMe^§efi&,^ p; for although a good swinUnwSEriiP immersion in. cold water hrts>ffls± } W0