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Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 157, 15 January 1867, Page 2

S( We observe that an attempt is being made to establish a cricket club in Greyniqijth, a meeting for promoting which object i§ anannounced to take place to-worrow eyening at the Albion Hotel. We trust to sep this national pastime inaugurated undoi? good auspL-es. f+ Very good accounts are to hand fruttn the Saltwater diggings, where some excellent new giouud has recently been opened. There has been a steady increase hi the population during the last week or two,, and within the past two or three days there has been a large accession to the number of miners, most of whom have returned from Fox's and the Pakihi. In our next we expect to be able to publish a full report on these flourishing diggings. r An accident occurred on Sunday which it is to be hoped will operate as. a warning against equestrians making use of the tramway instead of following the proper horse track. A horseman was galloping along the line when the horsu got one of its hoofs jammed between the rail and one of the sleepers, which resulted in the horse's hoof being completely torn off. The horse had to be shot to put it out of iniscry. We may also state that the line is so much damaged by horsemen and drivers of drays that the Company have resolved for the future to prosecute any person guilty of trespass on the line. .at A trial trip on the first section of the Greymouth and Saltwater Creek tramway was made on Sunday afternoon, and was a most successful one. Upwards of forty ladies and gentlemen had been invited, and were conveyed as far as the Australasian Hotel, where they were received on arrival with the hearty cheers of the assembled diggers. The carriage ran remarkably smooth considering that it was only on a temporary framework and wheels, and was without springs. The wheels and other fitting have, however, just arrived from Melbourne, and will be fixed at once. A few trips were made during yesterday ; and to-day the traffic will be com- I menced in earnest. Regular trips at stated hours will take place, at the times mentioned iii the advertisement. We are glad to be able to congratulate the Company on the completion of the first section of their undertaking, and on the prospect of financial success which is held put. There is very little doubt of the line paying, whilst it isvery probable it will yield very handsome profits indeed. Our telegram from Christchurch announces the arrival of his Excellency Sir George Grey at Christchurch, and that it l»as been positively arranged for the Governor to visit Westland. It would.be as well if the Improvement Committee would telegraph to Christchurch to enquire if there is any probability of his Excellency visiting Greymouth, in order that ample time may be allowed, for preparing a suitable reception for the Queen's representative. Should it be his Excellency's intention to visit Greymouth, it would be the best plan to convene a public meeting at once, tp appoint a committee $P carry out the arrangements. We are sure our fellow citizens would not like the Governor to have a shabby reception in Greymtmth, particularly as Sir George Grey gave his name to the river. , The following is the list of prisoners committed from Greymovth for trial a.t the present creminal session of the Suprenie Court : ' —James Wilson, murder ; Wm, ' De Lacy, conspiring to rob ; James " M'Qee, attempt at highway robbery ; Jaiflejs embezzlement; Samuel Symm.Sj obtaining money by false pretenp.es, (tjiVpe. charges) ; Elleji Cane, bigamy ;.\^lftamßipp ( th, obtaining money by means p^ a. vahieaQss cheque j; Ebenezer Lush, larceny p^ goods, of the value of L 8 ; Louis Bourcpjild, alijys L'oujs Bollandj, uttering L 5 bank n,p^es knowing them to be forged ; Joseph Cox, highway ropery wiijh violnce. v " ' .' ''.'■' 5

The dramatic company at the Theatre 'Roy^l ought to be tyetter suprprfed than they have been lately. T^emeanspfratiQnal amusjenient in Greymgutl) §re bnt fewj .and the drama should alway/3 secure a fair share of public patronage. Mr .O'Brien's company j although small, includes several actors of merjt, and. jthe performances are quite up to the aygrage. We should l\ke to see tlye efforts of |he njanager rewarded with better house§ ; We notice that Mrs Eyereste takes her farewefl bei^efjt to-morrqw evening, on which occasj ( qn an attractive fti". will be pre : sentjed. # The Auckland Gpyernment has pffered a re^yard p,f LSQQQ fpy the discpyery flf a pay : able gpldfield. It would ajipear frpm the follo\ying that prqspeojiing is attended with some difficulty in that provjijpp. The Southern Crps<s, of January 2, says: — '.'Although many p,f our readers are aware of the fact that gold has b,eeii fflUnd in thp interior of this province, beyqml the confiscated boundary^ still |t cannqt do any harm to repeat jt, with the addition that the ground has beei] partjal'y p ) rqspecte.d during t<he. last twelve mqnths or moie, by men from the Alexandra military aettlqinpht. It will be' in the public recollection that from time to time prospecting parties w.e.re reported by our correspondent as haying started from the. settlement for the Pirongia ranges ; but little qjj nothing l^as ever been heard of them since, however, we were waited on by pug of the prospectqps--a man who, with orp other companion, stuck to the work from the first up till the present time. We believe tfyajj he waited on big Honor the Superintendent on Monday, a.nd informed him of the nature of his discovery. From this man's statflnie.nt we are able to glean the following facts : — That he is any experienced diggeiV having been on the Califorhiau and Australian gp,ldfi.e]ds in tl^e early days, aud took service in the Waikato Militia on the outbreak of the. war. ,• He served his time in the 2nd \^*aikatos, ui^til struck off pay; and then formed pne of a, party under Lieutenant Brown, p.f the. regiment, to prospect the country across from Eangiriri to the Paiko. That party did not qnc^ find the color ; but our informant adds that tins was by no means a satisfactory, tesf p,f the country, because the gentleman, in charge M-as inexperienced in mining, aud that the hifjst likely places were not tried. He next went to work with a party prospecting on his own account, and states that he found the most likely wash dirt in the Maungapiko creek $h,at he has seen anywhere jn the country ; but henvas unable te follow \t up to. Ibs source. From the Maungapikq, hp worked up and across I the Pirongia ranges •and along tl^e bush to I'Kawbia. .Wbgiy P t t Iv^whia, th^ i^q>tives. detected the two. p;pospe£tora in tlje bush by the smoko of their, cajijp (jre j .and a visit was paid to them, by tics Maqris. Eewi enquired what bxonght %\\otf\ there, and he was told that thay we/ft prospecting |or gold on their own account, and had nothing whatever to do with the Govepinient. J^ewi told them that he could nq£ allow them to, do so ; that his land was tapugd, .and th.at if the prospectors found gold, the Government would step in, .and that tb,e.y. (^hq Maoris) would be forced to fight. He gave the prospectors food and shelterior-^e night, and told them to go away and n.nt return. But in the meantime, John Cash find las companion, Brennan, had se§n enp^ig^ to satisfy them that the precious metal existed in paying quantities ; that it was diffused over a wide extent of country, .a^d, would bo found all along the western sjopes of $}c ranges from Pirongia to Taranaki. Cash, the prospector; who is now in Ajic.k.la.n.d, bottomed a hole in this district, but wa§ forced to give up working until he got a pump, which ho proposes taking back with hhn. He is confident of ultimate success . The only obstacle in the May of thoroughly Resting the value of this information lies in, the fact that the auriferous ground belongs to the Ngatiamanio-: poto and ffeighboring tribes ; and as is well known, they will have nothing to do with Europeans that they can avoid. However, John Cash, who spent, ten months prospepting in these ranges, and as far aa he co.u.ld test the level country, has a high opinion of the ground. His discovery may be of no present valne on account of the, natives ; but we would advise him to send in a written statement of the facts to the Superintendent; and should the goldf ield be opened within a reasonable time, his claim to a portion of the reward offered for the. discovery of a payable gold field could not be overlooked." We learn from the West GoaM Times of Saturday that the latest intelligence, from Okarita tells of a revival of mining in. that district, the exodus northwards having entirely ceased, whilst a counter flow of population has commenced setting in, several parties of diggers having' returned, to the once despised locality and set into ground which was left the other day as unremunerative, but is now esteemed at its p.oper value and found to pay fair wages— LG and L 7 per week a man, being, obtained at the expense of light labor! Not more than 300 miners are located on the Long Beach, the majority of whom, however, are doing well, with brightening prospects in store, gold having been struck 'at a low level by the extended claim parties in payable quantities, and of a coarser sample than any hitherto found there. No estimate can yet be formed of the weekly returns, as the water is very troublesome and will require horse or steam power to overcome it. ' Steps are taken to introduce the former, and the latter will follow should the other be found insufficient for the purpose. There are only six; stores and as many hotels in occupation on this once populous beach, and many deserted buildings stud the sand, the proprietors haying left. for other and more populous localities. A few diggers are profitably employed up the Waiho River, as may be inferred from the fact ijhat four men came down from, thence last week with 20ozs. of nuggetty gold, which they disposed of and imi^em'ately returned burdened with a large quantity of provisions. ; The Okarita district is very quiet, no crime, calling for the interference of tlie police having taken, place there fov several weeks. . ' *"■ ""

■The Canterbury annual races take place on the 16tji, 17th, and 18th of this mouth. TJw*Lyttetioii/ Times gives the following turf gossip ;—!•" The annual race meeting is now drawjng neay, and publjc interest in this yery English §pqrt is beginning to revive. The advent qf Messrs Staffprd .and Redwood's horses is always a turning pojnt in racing affairs. When thflse gentlemen put jn their appearance, the public begin $0 fee awaro^, Jihat the races ape drawing negf. Mr H. jf Stafford has brought down three' hprses, first,^~ ipi which is Ladybird, whose name and per- * formances are so well known ag ifo require no comment. Suffice it to say that the old mare looks as well as eyer, fulj pf pluck and in fine racjng condition. Wi^ her, Mr Stafford has brought fcyp, new ones,— Queen, bj T()wton, qii^ of Princess; and Qmen, by % same sire, out of p/issaiidjra.. M F K d- ?- iyoqd has nofc yet arajyed, but hp has sent forward three hqpses. A ke r a.ke, by Towtoi; t put of Miss. Rowe, qwn brojjlicr tq Mr L Wa}ker's bprsp, Mastep Eowe. ?he brothers ;ire bo^h enteped % the Canterbury Cup, the gr-eat race of tjie meeting," Mr Red: wpqd's horses ljaye arrivec} sq cecentjy fhat it would be premature, tq gjye any remark's upon their cpu4ition. W^ may saj, howpyer, that his owner looks upon 4ke-AV^g as a mqst prqinismg colfc ' AtaLanta and Bjackboy accompany Ake-Ake; both of these have b.efp.re appeared hi Cjiuterbury. 1 " A long string qf horses are nj tßajning at Weblj's stable, inchuling Storiul^'ird, Belle pf the Isle, Little Lady, qwn sj^ter tq Ballet and Magenta; $ese |q U p ' belong to Mr. Harris. Master Rowe, Pres.to, Musician, M.ainsail, and two colts by IVaducgr, belong: ing tp, Mr Mallpfik, make up the list They all dp. credit to Mr Webp/s and arq fit tjfl gp for a ma,n's life. In addjtion tft thesp, Yirgiuia jg being ■traced by jjer pwHe"t t . and will prqye ; a daiigeroug ma,re. Though there t^re flot quj|e so many horspg as lasi ' year, decidedly, -a better Jot, and there is every l}r.osi»ee| 0/ having 311 excellent meeting. The adyept pf tile Governor, the fjlQJljbies wljjch will be offeied bj'USe/ raj|way for the. conveyance 8 f the public, will Oj^ke the forthcoming • '.meeting the bes^b^ tended, I;hat j^as ever yeJE t tf^ken p^ace m (SSx-c terb.^ry." . . x S The West Go,ati Tinges qf safe^ i'Whateyerdpjubts may h^ye existyd "a^Q^ whether th.c. wJaters of tl^e Ayest ( oast wef«K reported to by that higbiy (jstoemed fish tb^S barr^cou!» were effectually dissipated on, Thursday last by the arrival of the ke&lf F'lorfiiiqe fr.fm^ Greympnth,, as p,n th,e passagq down her crew cau i gh 1 t no (ewer, that eight c\ozen thru.mj)ing fisl^ of the. abp^esppcies A^ccfti^^ng tq t}^e m,en's statem,on^, the se% wjis swarming w^th thcift and hqd betten fishing ajpp^anpes beeu at cqiuiuaiuij the. Y.essoLhay.e; been foaded,. ' T-h,e few secure^ were hawke^ ab,qut the streets,- and fetched, yery remunerative prices x A^en' §hall wq hear o.f the estab,lisl^ent of \\ r ? s t Coast fishing, cpjnga.jyy ?" , A 7 iatoqa, sa.ys the M^lhpume Argtis, i* ab.o,ut to lo.se. a gciutlen^an wb«> oaii scarcely, be .suffered to depart w^hout no,tice ; The, career, of WilliauV Bauclere Otway, M.D,.^ before his arrival \n \s^3, was somel I what rem?vrkable. lie had bceji.many yeara. in the. service of the. Uuifced .States Gpvern^'^^ j nievit gep^ogically surveying portions .'".'''' of that cqntinent. He was subsetmeiitly sent ! to Sib,p^-i.a, the gold mine§ in whic]\ country he scientifically inspected, afterwards.-.'pur-suing snnilar ii^vesstigations in California aud Oregon. Afterfour yea;w' labp/ in the latter. " places, be concluded, that worit in 1552, and sailed for Victoria. He i^ay be said to. hayti been the first to intrp,dnc.e quartz-crushing tc; Victoria, and the wcll-rei^einbered old wiudinill erecteil by hin\ \ti. 185,3. 01^ the j^ackbil^ of Ballarat, by in,ean,so l £ which b,e managed to work p, battery of four st;\nipers, attebti the fact. He afteuwarxls helped to, introduce, the Chilian n^ill, .o.nd ever, since his name has been connected with d^scayej-ies and improvements jn, inining, processes, for. the cx v traction oi gobl from tailings by, mbans of . chlorine, s^nd liavuig beei\ given f<«ely to. tb,e wo,rl(V Dr Qtway is on 'the pp^nt.of praceecling tp, England; an'q[ Europe, to g^ye lectures embodyyig the results of his experiences, as be says,' for the. exaltation, qf th.c Australian cp)ftn(es. :