Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 160, 22 January 1867, Page 2

\f We are glad to learn that a telegram was | received yesterday fiom Mr Whall, M.P.C. | announcing that the Resident Ragistrate's j Extended Jurisdiction Act is to be brought linto operation in Greymouth on the 11th \February.It is with regiet that avc have to announce the death of Mr J. A. Keenau, which occurred yesterday morning, rather suddenly, fram some disease of the brain. The de. csased gentleman Avas one of the earliest residents in Greymouth, and has been ac. tively engaged in business as an auctioneer. He had a lit a day or two ago, the effects of Avhich had probably been intensified by excitement, as, although he Avas out on Sunday, he Avas taken suddenly umvell yesterday morning and died in a feAV hours. We understand that Mr Harry Kenrick, clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court, is about to leave the district, to assume the post of Resident Magistrate at Brighton. Whilst Aye may congratulate the Nelson Government on having secured the services of a gentleman of Mr Kenrick's abilities, Aye are sure his departure Avill be regretted by all Avhoin business or social intercourse have brought in contact with that gentleman. Mr Kenrick has 'always taken aliA r ely interest in the progress of the town 'and. district ; and the community, in losing him, AviU have difficulty' in replacing him, It is gratifying, liOAvever, to know that Mr KenI rick is called away to fill the post of honor and trust which has been conferred upon him, ' '

■■We "remind our readers that Mrs Charles Poole makes her first appearance at the Union Theatre this eveniug, The attraction of this talented actress will no doubt secure a crowded house. A second accident h.ts occurred on the tramway to a trespasser on the line. One of the hctelkeepers on the South Beach was galloping along the embankment, when hi s horse tripped on one of the sleepers and fel off the line throwing his rider violently on the ground. After the caution that has been given offenders deserve to suffer. We are requested to mention that during Mr Harris's absence from Cobden registration of births, marriages, i\nd deaths can be accomplished at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth. From a variety of causes, the meeting which should have taken place last evening, to receive the report of the committee" appointed to collect subscriptions towards the reception of the Governor, did not take plaje. The nexb meeting has been duly notified to take place on Wednesday evening, and we trust, for the honor of the town, tha,t there will be no lack of spirit in the matter. We understand that about LSO has been collected, but the town has not as yet been thoroughly canvassed. ' Our Chrisfcehureh telegram informs the public that His Excellency may be expected to arrive on Monday next, and it is probable he will remain in the neighborhood for two or three days, The municipal autho.itics of llokitika have taken steps for giving the" Governor a fitting reception. The sum of LI OO has been voted for triumphal arches aud other decorations, and a grand banquet will form part of the programme, should it be the pleasure of his Excellency to attend it. It is also proposed that the members of the various secret societies shall form a procession, and that there shall be a general illumination. Ac: cording to present arrangements, his Excellency will arrive in llokitika on Thursday. In the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, James Bowles was brought up on remand, charged with larceny from the person. The prisoner had been seen by the constable at the Alliance Hotel to pick the pocket of'a tipsy man who was at tho rear of the hotel. The prisoner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in Hokitika gaol, We take the following from the West Coast Times of Thursday :— Celebrated as Westland is and has been for moving accidents by flood and field, many of which have resulted fatally, whilst others may be numbered amongst hairbreadth escapes, one that occurred within the past ten days, and was brought under our notice last night may truly be considered as the most extraordinary instance of intense suffering coupled with endurance and miraculous preservation from a dreadful death that has ever taken place in the district. As yet Aye are in possession enly of the bare outlines of the ease, which are simply as fol'ows : — On the 4th instant, Sergeant Wilson, who is in charge of the Itangiriri station, started on horseback in ; pursuit of one Taylor, at present in custody charged with stealing a valueless cheque. The Sergeant proceeded towards the Hurunui, and had occasion to cross the Teremakau at a point not more than h'fteen miles distant from the Raugiriri station. The river was very high, having been swollen by t&e late heavy rains, and the many large boulders which strewed the ford rendered crossing still more dangerous ; but not to be deterred in the prosecution of his duty, the sergeant, who is a most zealous officer, made the attempt, and gained the middle of the stream, where the horse stumbled amongst the stones, and the next moment horse and man were struggling desperately for life in the current. By some means they bcca-nit*. separated, and the sergeant, Avho is unable to swim, Avas washed against a snag, the end of which protruded a few feet out of the water. To this he clung Avith despairing energy, and for many hours withstood the buffeting' of the flood, which at last subsided, but left.him in so exhausted a state that he was unable to make the slightest effort to reach the shore. He, however, clung to the snag, and incredible as it may appeal*, maintained the same position for four days, Avhen— just as he Avas on the point of giving way completely exhausted—a Mr Evans, Avith a drove of cattle from Eastern Canterbury, most fortunately happened to pass, ami rescued the poor,; felloAV from his unparalleled position of intense agony. He Avas immediately conveyed to Alexander's accommodation house, at the junction of the Teremakau and Otira Rivers, where he received every attention his pitiable state demanded, and so far recovered that yesterday he Avas able to leaA r e in Cobb's coach for the Rangiriri, where he Avas Avelcomed as one from the dead by his distracted wife and family. The horse that he rode also escaped' drowning, but reached the shore in such a mangled and bruised condition that it is not expected he will be of any further use. An estimate may be formed of the current from the fact that when picked 'up by Mr Evans, Wilson Avas almost in a state of nudity — his clothes, even to his boots, having been torn away by the stream. , We learn from tlie West Coast Times tbaij the population of the Waimea district is steadily on the increase, many truant miners having returned from the Buller diggings. Oa Monday last a rush set in to a terrace situated betAveen three and four miles up the right hand branch o£ the Waimea river. It was caused by a party of Maoris, Avho for > some time past have been Ayorking there upon the first bottom, Avhich consists of a stifl blue clay and has hitherto been regarded / a main sedimentary deposit haviug.no dip beds beneath it. It appears that the Map declined to accept this theory and accordatly prosecuted their researches by sinkinff o a lower level, this commendable entdflrise being rewarded by the discovery of aether stratum of- heavy wash, which yiekw good prospects of heavy gold, This event* likely to be productive of the most impopnt reresults, as the clay lead cxtendjrfchrough many other parts of the distri* and no reasonable doubt can be entertaJPd that in every place where, found it 'will, wive a mere' shell resting on beds of "Avasl* which probably contains gold in greater IF- less quantities, m

The Greymouth and SaltAvater Creek Tramway has so ,far proved a complete success, and no doubt Avhen the line is completed it will en)oy a large and very remunerative ( traffic in passengers and goods. Although the carriage in use is only a temporary one, and by no means so easy and comfortable a vehicle as it is intended to be made, it has already become the favorite mode of convey-' anoo by passengers down the South Beach, During the last few days there has been aconsiderable stream of passengers, and the receipts of this single carriage have been sufficient to pay all the present working expenses of the company and leave a little OA r er, So satisfied arc the Directors of the ultimate financial success of the line that they have withdrawn all the remaining shares from the market. We believe that in a feAV days the line Avili bo opened as far as tho Ballarat Hotel, -• We have not been able to gather that any steps have been taken by our local member of the Provincial Council to further the wishes of the inhabitants Avith regard to forming the town into a municipality. Of course Mr Whall may have made representations. to the Government on the subject, but nothing of the kind has been made public It is very desirable that this matter should Le pushed on as rapidly as passible in order that some poAver may be conferred of dealing Avitlt the sanitary affairs of the town. Tho nuisances aud hotbeds of disease that, are scattered all over the town AviU assuredly give rise to some epidemic unless abated, 'and as people do not seem to, care for health and cleanliness for their own, sakes it is right they should be forced to do so for the sake of others. The tide of population ho.s again fairly sot in toAvards tho Grey district, Aot only, have the recent discoveries at the Saltwater induced a. large fl,, w u f population, but the uprivcj diggings aye steadily increasing the number of. their inhabitants. The rush to Fox's may be said to have entirely ceased, and a reaction ha.s sot in which will prove beneficial to each district alike, relieving the superabundance of the one, and supplying the need of the other. We can haully venture to give publicity to all Aye have heard about the last new rushes in the neighborhood of the .Saltwater. Those Avho have got good claims speak iv cxtnwagent terms of the diggings; and all regard them as good and equal to the average of the other West Coast gold-fields. We understand that the miners are gradually pushing their Avay northwards toAvards Greymouth, and that several parties are profitably, working within a very short distance of the town. Recently a motion was carried in the ProA'incial Council considerably reducing the remaining term of Dr Haast's engagement as Provincial Geologist. Since then it has been ascertained that the sum voted would not be sufficient to enable Dr Haast to complete the arrangement and classification of the articles in the Museum, and a motion has been crimed empoAvering the Superintendent to make arrangements Avith Dr liaast to complete the Avork by the 30th June, ISG7, and phvuiug at his Honor's disposal LI 700 for" the purpose. In the discussion which ensued on the motion, Mr StuAvart took occasion' to defend Dr Haast's reputation. He showed that many of the things said against that gentfteman wore utterly false. About tho discovery of gold, for instance, it had been said that Dr Haast had given it as his opinion that gold avouM not be found on the West Coast. He (Mr StoAvart) was in a position! to disprove this. He hold in his hands ay report, dated as far back as ISC2, in Avhiclv Dr Haast had not only said that gold woujfl' be found there, but in Avhieh he actually de-. fined, with almost incredible accuracy, /ho geneval direction of the strata in Avhii/ti it would be found, and the extent of co/ntry over which it might be looked for. T/make the matter even more certain, Dr Haftst had at that time (ISG2) drawn a sketch/map of the country, explanatory of his nport, and laying doAvn the locality of the g*ld. That map he now held in his hand, aftd the hon. member for Selwyn would couirni him in saying that it had been among/ne documents of the Provincial Secretary's/nice for a considerable time. He Avould Jk the House to agree to the resolution. 'lAerc Avcre other considerations besides the* of a mere utili-, tarian nature ; althouglyooked at even in tthat light, the maps Avh/h Dr Haast Avould leaA'e behind him, aud tl/ specimens he would .' arrange for the Provii/o would be of ineal-. culable value. / A recent numbocrof the Dnnstan Times states that about ly) Chinese have iioav permanently settled yAvork on the banks of the Molyneux, bctwo/i the half-way house and. CroniAvell. The/ appear to be satisfied -with their earnings, /hich range between 25s and L 2 per Aveek a/ian. We are given to understand that m/y thousands of this contented and industryis class of miners will, -within' the next fe/months, take up their residence in the nei/iborhood of the Molyneux, the banks of /hich offer peculiar advantages fcr the cmgpment of Chinese labor. /We j&rn from the Wellington Evening , ) S^ost tftt advices were. received in Napier by the Wk mail steamer via. Panama, to the effecphat emigration on a large scale was abofi to talce place to the ProA'ince of Hike's Bay. The ship selected av\is the Motmorency, to sail on the 22nd Nouem ; )er. »c -immigrants, the nu iiber of whom is not *ficially known, but Avhich tho agents estiifnate at 250, Avere to be selected by Miss rßye. The Lyitelton Times states that the Provincial Council Chamber is not considered safe, For . several days past portions of plaster and bits of stone have fallen at interA r als in thft reporters' gallery from the top of the south partition wall. The block of Avood Avhieh forms the key of the last arch of the roof over the gallery can be plainly seen to have given Avay about five inches. Another indication of pressure is given by the closing up of the joints of the avooc! work immediately over the two last trefoils Avhich form the terminals of the arches on.the.ieft of the gallery. It seems advisable that tho building should be carefully watched, in order that the true cause of the damage Avhicli is going on may be -'ascertained- and preventive measure's adopted,

We observe an announcement in tn&" Christcli"rch papers that Mr Crosbie Ward oas been appointed agent in England for the Provincial Government of Canterbury. The duties of this office have been gratuitously discharged for the last fifteen years by Mr. Selfe, one of the early founders of tho Canterbury settlement. Tho Went Coast Times of Saturday annouuecs that a severe accident occurred on Friday to Constable M'Cormaek, of the Westland police force. It appears that the officer in company Avith a sergeant, Avas proceerli A in a cart loaded Avith luggage to the steanS ship Nelson, then lying at the wharf, Avhere, on driving along Gibson's Quay, the horse suddenly shied. with such violence as to precipitate the constable from his seat into the road, upon which he fell so forcibly as to de. privc him of consciousness, Fortunately the sergeant had sufficient presence of mind to grasp the reins, and restrain the affrighted animal from dragging the vehicle over the unfortunate man's body. He was soon con. voyed to the camp, and the services of Dr Rilcy having been secured," wo are happy to be able to state that he is at present progressing favorably the worst result being ,i number of bruises, We -learn from the WestVoml Times that a fatal mining accident occurred on Friday at the old Auckland lead. It appears that a, party of sixteen men were ej|loyed bringing up a tail.race from the beacHf for the purpose of draining the Auckland Swamp, the cutting having reached a depth of twenty feet. Suddenly the sides caved in, and buried tAvo. of the number, one of whom was extricated unhurt, but the other, named Charles Bray, received such severe injuries that, although alive when dug out, he died a few minutes, afterwards. The Lytlhion Times pays the following complimnit to the West Coast members •— *' One peculiar feature of the late session of the Council Avas the presence of the West Coast members . It augurs well for the unity and the progress of Canterbury that the presence of these members has had a uniformly good result upon the discussion aud decision of our public affairs. They have commended themselves to the inhabitants of. East Canterbury by their demeanor as. private individuals, and by the intelligence, impartiality, aud discretion they have exhibited in their public appearances. They have especially won favor by their freedom, from those qualities Avhich were especially dreaded as likely to characterise them. They have advocated with boldness a«d persever-. ancc the claims, of their own district, and have often gone beyond Avhafc others might consider reasonable. But theyhave never professed to ignore the interests of the rest of the Canterbury community,' nor shown any want of confidence in the substantial fairness and Justice Avjqh which all the affairs of the West have been considered,. The Cliristchnrck papers are full of accounts of the Governor's vist, and his Excellency appears to haA'e been right loyally received. On the arrival of the Queen a.t Port Lyttelton, she was boarded" by the Superin- . toiident and Provincial Secretary of Canterbury i and his Excellency Avas received, on landing^ by the chairman aud members, of. the. Lyttcltf'U Municipal Council,' who presented him with an address. The road was kupfchy the Yi.luntcer Artillery. His Exqellei/:* \r;is next conducted to the Queen's %PiSs^i whore a dejeuner had been prepared, aud afc Avhich he was the guest' of the Lyttelton Municipal Council. Oa leaving the hotel, an address A\as presented to his Ex.eell.ency by and on behalf of the Maoris of the Peninsula* to which he briefly replied. His Excellencythen redo to. Christcliuruh in a&arriage which had been provided for his recep^s|||scorttdl by the Canterbury Yeomanry Ca|||fyv.'' At the Sumnev Hotel an arch of eve^pens and. flags had been thrown across the mp^'On reaching Christchurch, his Excellency was, received under a triumphal arch^by the Christchurch City Council, the Volunteers the Fire Brigade, and the police, and a va3t concourse of citizens. Mr William Wilson;, then presented the address of the (jjity.' 1 Council. To this address his Excellenc^) made a suitable reply, and then proceeded tiff! the Town Hall, escorted by a large procwlffl| sion . At tho Town Hall the Governor found! a fine collation laid for his refreshment. Onf the chairman proposing "The heath of his/ Excellency Sh George Grey, the Governor of New Zepland," Si|George Grey said, he had been highly .gratifi^, with what he had been able, in so short a time, to see of Canterbury, On every side he witnessed signs of wealth, prosperity and contentment. He claimed the pity and sympathy of his audience, for he was at a loss to find expressions in which to describe tho changes which had taken place in the province since his last visit to it. It appeared to him that, like Rip Van Winkle, he had been asleep for a long period, and had suddenly Avoke up only to be made ac-i quainted with au entirely new order of things and had come amongst a people Avhom he ought to have known better, aud Avith Avhose requirements he ought to' have .been better acquainted. He recognised some familiar faces, and some well-remembered land marka although so many of his old friends had passed aAvay. He felt like one of the people of Canterbury. He congratulated them upon having done so much to promote the material prosperity of the province— upon sending out ships freighted with such stores of Avealth— upon having provided future homes for nvil-. lions of people. They must not relax their ' exertions, of Avhich they might Avell be proud Their actions might be misunderstood— their motives belied; still let them persevere, 1 and they would find by-and-by, that their efforts to promote the Avelfare of the colony Avxmld be recognised and duly appreciated, and they would prove themselves worthy. 'scibna of the. great race from Avhich they sprung In the evening the chief streets of Christ^ church were-illuminated,