Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 167, 7 February 1867, Page 2

By accident, our usual telegram from Christchurch was omitted from our last publication. News had been received of fresh native disturbances at Wairoa ; three militia men had been shot -dead, and severaj were wounded. Large reinforcements, consisting of regulars and militia, had been sent to the front. .The Governor was to leave Christchurch on Wednesday for Timaru, and was to arrive in Duuedin on Saturdaj-. The rush to the terrace behind the Nelson Store, South Beach, mentioned in our last lias not realised the expectations formed of itWe .are informed that several claims bottomed at about 22 feet, and obtained the color but notfi ing more. We hear, however, that hopes are still entertained of finding something good in the neighborhood, and prospecting is being actively carried,on, It has occurred to us that this locality offers a favorable opportunity for the use of the boring tools at pre ; sent in Greymouth and waiting for employment. Why dp not a number of the men subscribe and hire the tpolsfor a short time ? they would find it more profitable than the usual expense and delay of ordinary prospectjng- . '■:.'. .. '.'■ ''."'■ ■■■■'■ ■' . . '.' • Kilgour has received a telegram from .■Jfe'D. F. Hamilton, who is iu|£!hristchurch, stating th.at he had made application to the Government fora grant of land for a vacecourse at Greymouth, and' that a favorabla really was anticipated. ' We are glad to learn that the dispute be- ; tween the directors and contractor for the Greymouth and Saltwater tra nway has been arranged, anel that portion of the line already completed, has been handed over to the Company. To-day the line will; be opened for passenger tiamc-to a short distance beyond tli c BalUrat HoteL Yesterday the Directors sent down some men to remove {the fence placed by Mr Thompson across the line, and they have instructions to keep the line clear of all obstructions. The construction of the remainder .of the line has been contracted for in small portions, and is expected to be completed and open for traffic by the Ist March. Last evening there was a specially attractive performance 'at the, Union .Theatre, in \yhich both -.'Mrs Chas. Poole and Miss Rosa Cooper took part, Romeo and Juliet being . the play presented. There was an excellent house, and. the- perfprmanfie was really ex« cellent. Mr? Poole and Miss Qooper oj course were a host -in theinsolvcs, and it is ;a

I long time since we saw the v . characters' of Romeo and Juliet so well rendered as they were by the two ladies mentioned. Last night Mrs PopleV Borneo wag a classical perform r ance, her delivery of the language, action and" dress most approp iate and refined, Miss Rosa Cooper made a capital Juliet, and played the i part with great delicacy and tenderness. The celebrated balcony scene wa3 unexceptionally good, the beautiful language being given with the utmost feeling. We have not time to notice the other parts of the -pcrfor" mance, andniustcontentourselves with saying that altogether it was the best thing that has been seen on the boards in Greymouth, We notice that Mrs Charles Poole has been reengaged iv conjunction with Miss Rosa Cooper. This evening will be produced Reade and Taylor's great play entitled Court and Stage, Mrs Charles Poole will appear as Nell Gwyune, aiid M 133 Rosa. Cooper as Francis Stuart. The Wesport Turns of the 2ud inst-, says ; —/The esQOrt, under the charge of Sergeant Franklyn, according to announcement, made a start to Fox's oh Tuesday last, and was accompaniedjjy Mr. Kirton/loeal agent for the Bank of New Zealand. They left the other side of the river about 9 a.m., and reached Brighton about 5 p, m, on the same day. Th§y returned on Wednesday, leaving Brighton at 5 30 a.m., .arriving at Wesport ,at about three p. in, They brought 20000z3. of gold for the Bank of Now Zealand, purchased at Pakihi, but nothing from Brighton, The Bank of New' South Wales at the -latter, j place, though haying gold in their possession decline at present to avail themselves of the escort service, as they can ship it from there at less expense. If they do send it per escort 'they- will not do so till they have accumula, ted 10,00Coz. as the expenses attached would be as much with a small as a large quantity.' The Claud "Hamilton will take 8,305 ozs, 3 dwts, 20. grains of gold from this port for Sydney, Of this- quantity 1,8140z3, lldwts, were transhipped from Westport. The proportions shipped by the Banks is as follows : —Bank of New Zealaud -4,4720z5, lSdwts, 9 grains; Bank of New South Wales, 3,8920z5, sdwts, 11 grains. Thc'Nelson Colonist reports the discovery of a new seam of coal at Pakawau. ',, It says ; — We understand that the promoters of coal mining enterprise at Pakawau, in no wise discouraged by former failures, have been .quietly prosecuting their scheme, and that Mr Wiesenhavern last week discovered a scam seven feet thick, containing four feet of clear coal, cropping out at .'a short distance from the shaft. The committee are in negotiation with capitalists in Australia respecting the development of tha mine, with due regard to the interests of the subscribers here. We w:ere yesterday shown a magnificent sample of plumbago, brought' by Mr D. Johnston, jun. , f rom Collingwood. It was taken from a vein, or rather seam.no less; than sixteen feet in thickuess, which has -been traced to extend for a considerable distance. The mine was taken up some time ago by a party of adventurers, but the want of the necessary capital to develope it compelled them to abandon the enterprise. The plumbago is of great purity, and must eventually become, a valuable and extensive export. We learn from the West Coast Times that a public meeting was held at the Bendigo Hotel, Stafford Town, on v Saturday evening last, for the purpose of hearing an address from Mr Barff, M.P.C., upon the proceedings of the Provincial Council during the late session. The large hall was denslyMJrowdjd, and the audience throughout evinced an amount of attention which speaks well for the district, and proves beyond a doubt that the -mining population in Westland do really, take an: interest in what concerns them so closely— viz. , that part of the politics of the province which .applies to Westland. Mi* Macdougail (of the Bank of New Zealand': was voted to the chair, and briefly introduced Mr Barff to the .meeting.. >"' Mr Barff spoke at some length, and gave an interesting resume of the proceedings in Council, arid the part he took in them. The following resolution was Unanimously carried • -r- " That we the inhabitants of the Waimea district, in public meeting assembled, arc happy to express our "great thankfulness to our repr -. sentative, Mr Barff, for the faithful manner in which he has represented the interests of the district during the late session of the Provincial Council." .;■■■' The present excitement regarding the rush to the Haast River is most inexplicable, as there has been as yet nothing whatever to warranlr it. We can understand it to be the interest of the steam-boat agents to fan the excitement, but we most seriously caution our readers against being carried away by the .accounts which have been circulated. Positively, no precise information of auy kind has been received from the Haast, further than a large number of men are flocking thither. At Hokitika there appears to be quiet a furore, every steamer and sailing vessel that' leavjes being crowded with diggers. We hop^ this rush will not turn out a second Bru^e Bay delusion, but wo niuoh fear it. V The following mining news is given by the Brighton Times, of the 2nd instant :^-" On; Thursday last the report of rich finds having been obtained at the Razor Back became currently known, and immediately a smallrush set in to that direction. Of the .vast numbers who a few weeks back would have availed themselves of such information there remains very few, every one with very trifling exception being profitably employed. We are in receipt of no definite information from that quarter, none haying as yet returned; but the reports are that the ground has not been exaggerated, and that it is of 'sufficient \gxtent for all who are likely for some time at »'le.ast to visit it.— We were shown yesterday, by Mr Payne, clerk of the court,: a'splendid 'sample of coarse gold," about three penny' weights, which had been got up Fpx.'s River j the exact locality is, not yet ;in,ade known.— j On the terraces w^haye^ again ..to report fresh finds, payable, gold Uaving been; struck at; : 107 feet. The resiilt of the shafts more re« e,ently bottomed is encouraging, as it goes to

show that the gold is be traced further inland. Payable gold has been struck within half a mile of this township, and as a consequenpe of the fresh ground opening up a greater feeling of qonfidence prevails respecting the future of the district. The terrace i ground proper js now yielding splendid returns, One party washed oiit during the week37ooz, ofainalgani, and many others are doing exceedingly well, Hibherto all the gold obtained in this district has only been acquired after months of unremitting labor, and though we have no hesitation in stating that there is ground for a much larger popu^ lation than we at present have in this field ; still it would be most inadvisable that miners should come unless they have means at their command to justify their entering upon such an undertaking, new ground js being bottomed at a depth of 100 to 150 feet, and - requires thoroughly timbering ; water is scarce, and would requive some trouble to bring in for washing pin poses. Parties possessed of moderate capital need have no hesitation in- setting; in : to work here, as the shafts continue to be bottomed daily upon good' gold both north and south of the ground; first opened.— At the Pakihi there is .little or no change ; the entire ! population is employed and satisfied, and the quantity of gold offered for sale encourages the belief that as a rule the miners are doing well. New ground has been opened up and found to be payable- on the north bank of the river, between the township and Brighton,— The escort which left here on Wednesday last did not convey any gold to Westport from this district, it not being the -intention j)f the bank to ship from Westport:' No surprise is felt at this course, as the facilities .for shipping the gold are equal to any on the West Coast, and it would be: a useless risk % to. entrust' it to an escort through such a line of country as is met with at intervals between here and Charleston, the bush at some few poiuts being very thick, and bordering the track. At such a spot, it would not be a difficult matter for a few desperadoes to surprise .any escort." ' The budget of news by the Panama Mail is moro than usually full. We have to-day liberally extracted from the Panama Star and Herald, the intelligence full of interest. ' We learn' froui the West Coast Times of. yesterday that Mr Fitggerald, 11. M., Captain Tnr-nbull,: Mr Cooper, and a survey party, and Mr Inspector Broham, with a number of police were to proceed to Haast River in the Alhambra yesterday. ; ' ■ ■". A man, whose namo wo have uot ascertained, was brought down from the coal mine yesterday afternoon suffering from a broken rib and other severe injuries, caused by a fall of a large quantity of coal whilst he was cutting under it. He was taken to the Hospital and at onoe attended to by Dr Morice. His' injuries, although severe, are not likely to be permanent, and he . is progressing favorably. „ . ■ '■'■■ yf Several shooks of earthquake were exIpkrieuced at Nelson pn the sama day that we. had the very high wind iii this district. ; : A heavy fall of rain followed arid did some damage. The Examiner says ':— Two of the .bridges on the Waimea-road were partially - damaged, but the Wairba-bridge sustained no injury. The flood in the Waimea river was -not of an ,unusu;il height. The greatest amount of damage inllicted bj' the stoimwas in' the town and its neighborhood, the. slips from the hills having destroyed several valuable gardens, and endangering two or three houses. One of these, a pleasant villain Brook-street, is scarcely safe to reside in, and an 'overhanging and unsupported mass of stones and soil threatens to oyerwhelmii it... An opinion Ires bceiugi veil that we owe these land-slips in some degree to the shocks of earthquake felt here a few days ago, which loosened; the soi' and prepared it for the slips which the rain has caused. Looking to the •angle of most of the bills where the slips have occurred, the rain alone, we think, was sufficient to effect the mischief committed. These land-slips will cause a very heavy loss to a few individuals. A most serious and as it proved unfounded charge was made in the Resident Magistrate's Court; at Cobden, on Friday, by Mr Mackley, a station owner up-country, against Mr Thomas Scanlan, storekeeper, Maori Gully. The circumstances of the case were as fol-.' lows :— Sonic time ago one of MrMackley's men was sent down to Maori Gully with a loaded pack-horse, arid another one which he rode. ©n reaching within a short distance of Maori Gully the swaddle iiorse^broke its leg in a hole and had to be killed on the spojt, the man, with the. permission of some miners in an adjoining 'tent, leaving his saddle with theni until he should send for it. The miners shortly afterwards liad to leavethe district, and they took the saddle to Mr Scaiiian's store and left , it there, where it remained some time. Sometime^ subsequently Mr Mackley's man called for the saddle, but was unable to say which it was, and he went away without it. Eventually Mr Mackley. met Mr Scanlan : --.at the^ Totara Flat, and recog--nising his saddle ordered Mr Scanlan- to dismount and give it up. This Mr Scanlan refused to do, and Mr Mackley then wished to give him in. custody, but the constable would not arrest him. Mr Mackley then' came downjbo Cobden and filed an information against Scanlan, charging him with feloniously stealing the saddle, and on the warrant issued in consequence Mr Scanlan was arrested and brought down to Cobden. Mr Revell, before whom the case was heard,, dismissed the information, and we understand that Mr Scanlan has commenced proceedings against Mr Mackley for false imprisonment, and claims heavy damages. Mr Tyler appeared for the prosecution, and Mr O'Lbughlin for the defence; Very favorable accounts, says the West Comt- Times, are to hand fromvthe " Big P-addock,"- wtere between two and; three thousand diggers are located, of whomthe majority are making fair' wages. Those claims on gold -paying /from L 4 to ; LlO per week to each sliareholder, arid as the w.orkVirjgs are -nipt confined to one lead^ but appear scattered throughout the paddock, the !;ri;imber of payable claims is something considerable!. On^the Ist instant, a rash set jn;

to a terrace at the head of the "Frenchman' Track"— -no great distance from the paddock and quickly congregated some four or five hundred miners on the. spot. It is reported that the prospectors washed out 4 dwts. to the dish, the depth of the shaft being twenty . feet, A fewvdays previously to the .ibove <lats, new arid payable gold was struck into .near -' Larke's Gully," and old workings, Situated some two miles fron) the " Blue Sj)up Lead." "||j[-dwt to the dish was washed by the prospectors, from adepth of 32 feet; and (j on the 29th ult., about 300 miners had assembled, and were busy sinking in all direc« tions round the prospecting shaft. The Big Paddock Township is increasing in'size, and now contains 40 stores, 2 public-houses, 4 butcher's shops, 4- bootmaking establish' ments, and a slaughter-yard. It is stated that much "rowdyism" exists there, and the inhabitanta are loudly crying put for police 3 protection. .'-■■. '...'■.; ; / . • • The West Coast Times gives the following report on the recent news from the Haast River :— The arrival of the Bruce yesterday morning from Baast River supplied us with " : further intelligence of the diggings lately dis* ' [ -\ covered there, arid although it is exceedingly meagre so far as absolute detaiVis cOTcerned|C'v; it quite confirms the formefcr^jfirb of tho ;■ opening of new and payablatgrpund. At tile same time, certain of the statement? in circu- . lation yesterday were excbediriglyexaggera* tedj iuasjriuch that we weregrayely told, not ■ a olaim on the terrace \vas paying less than L2O per week, whilst oneXout of three was ; , certain to yield a "homeward bound pile." It is quite unnecessary for us to comment; ' upon the absurcu'ty of such. a Vgain" as not a digger of six; months' standing but .''would "pooh, pooh" it as so lnuch "bunkum," although- quite prepared to buckle :on his >. swagand risk a campaign at the<\ '.'Dorado' 1 that promised such brilliant results; However, there are a few grains pftnith to be gleaned out of this siiperabundaiice of chaff, quite sufficient to prove tliaia very fair rush, is in '-hand, and that those men who were first ';■ on*the ground can hardly fail in securing^ ; payable claims, As,we stated- in' a former- ' issue, the diggings first .di? c Pyered at thei ; ; "■■ '. Haast- are situated on two low terraces, spine t.w°niiles north of the river^ and thither the earlier arrivals flocked, but the number being quite disproportionate to the-exteut of -availy ■'•;'•■. able and payable, ground, caused many of the disappointed ones to scatter 'and prospect elsewhere. : ' The result was' encouraging, aa gold was stiuck on the beach south of the ■ river, -and in such quantities; that placed be- ' yond doubt the value of the discoyeiy. From what we can gather, the workings are situated on low scrubby sand terrat'es^a short distance above high water maritj? the sinking being shallow with the usual black sand and light gravel for washdirt, out;of;w;hich very fair prospects were obtained. Idwttothe shovel is the highest returns we; have heard, of, "but nearly every, claim bottomed yielded from that amount .-; -..downwards- .-to 1 grain. Touching: the extension of the workings, we may state that there is a probability of theiv yet rcachiug the Habuka rivcr,v|r distance of ' six miles' south from the Haast, as; it is.said that terraces of similai' formation to those aU ; rieady prospected extend almost;.:ivubrokenly to the former stream. The; Haast riyer dig-. * ings may, however, be conaS^icV^as^ess'eur'.'-".-'^'-. tially beach workings, and beiicli workiriga \ ; only, as through the near approachi of thci: ;. high ranges to the coast line, the niargi.n of . back country left by such a configuration is very narrow, much broken, and not at all likely to couttiin gold in payable J'^viantijiies,. .-.r* But between the river Habuka -south arid w. Briico Bay north, there appears .to be a long line of available beach that will very possibly be found auriferous in places, and hence be able to support a modcratdy numerous ipopio ' l.lation. ■-.-■' -' : .'. ;:.. ' .'■■)} : - : :' V ; : - : -'- ;: . ;-"' ;: '; ."-.