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Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 171, 16 February 1867, Page 2

Our Apnold correspondent reports a small but promising rush near to Italian Gully where the; prospects obtained • are very en. pauragrng. He informs us. %a.s several claims are on payable g&ld, the prospects varying from £dwt to 2dwt to the tin dish, but as much as 4dwthas been obtained in occasional instances, The sinking is stated to be from thirteen to twenty feet, and our correspond" gut is of opinion that the rush is the best that has opgnrred for some time in the district., At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr John Heron appeared in answer to a summons, charging him with having thrown refuse bread on the public footpath. As/the pffence was qf a very trivial nature, it was dismissed. Mr Heron .appeared to doubt the authority of the Magistrate, and made remarks which led tp his being prdered into custody for contempt pf Cqnrt. -He, however, afterwards apologised to. ■ the bench, with which the Magistrate was satis,fied. It is, announced that the Eev. Mr Buddie, of Christchurch, will preach in the Religious Institution Roum to-worrow, in the. morning at 11 o'clock, and in the evening at half-past six. '.- ' . •■'■ "■;....."■' -% ■' ;■'■•■ .•'' ..■ ; The services o£ the Church- of England will ' be celebrated- to-morrow at the Court-house by Mr Kalfe,:,ai\thoriscd Lay Header. ■ The 'West Coast Times of yesterday says :-— "Later -news frojn. the Hrfast River is of a srmbre character, no new ground having been opened, and in consequence the township is thronged with ' the unemployed, many of whom are in a desperate plight, not possessing means to either prospect the country or pay for a return passage to- Hokitika. We are informed by a gentleman who arrived in the Bruce yesterday, that several parties of miners had prospected up the river and about the low country, but failed to strike anything payable, although the' 'color' could be obtained almost in any ~ place. Those men stated that traces, of former prospecting parties were abundant, several old workings ami camping grounds having been discovered." We notice that the Nelson Coal Company, actuated by a desire .to promote the welfare of their employees, have decided 'to provide them with a hall and reading room, tenders for the erection of which are called for in our columns to-dny . Plans and specifications can be seen at the company's office, Cobden. The trafljq returns of the Grey month and Saltwater Creek :■ Tramway Company (Limited) fop the we§k eiuling 15th February, 1867; shows the receipts from passengers to have been L.53 S.s, and -fiom goods 13s. The .number of single tickets issued was ' 520&, and of return tickets 99.^— total number of passengers, 620, "We have been requested by Mr Lahman to state that he declines to stand as a candidate for election as a member of the Im provement Committee. We have to remind 1 our readors ■ that: the. polling f( r the election of members, of the Improvement Committee takes place on Mondaj' at the Tramway Shed from 12 till 4 o'clock. Ihe qualification is ' leasehold, freehold or household. Many of our readers will be interested to learn that the interprovincial cricket match between Canterbury and Otago has resulted in an easy victory to the Otago team, they having beaten their opponents in one innings, and 37 runs to spare. The numbers were>— Otago, Ist innings, V 94 ; Canterbuyr, Ist in-, ningf, 25, second innings, 32. The Press thus extapiates on the defeat of the Canterbury players .— "Tire interprovincial cricket match has proved a great blow to'tho' pride of Canterbury, whose'ehanrpions were >2>laiiily doomed to the mortification of a defeat iii one innings;. Of course all kinds of reasons, possible and impossible, will be urged in expense, ami the blame will be freely thrown upon a certain mysterious run of ill luck. But, notorious as are the uncertainties- oj cricket, ill luck does not pursue an eleven through two successive innings, when play big on their own ground and in fine weather; and yet allow their, opponents to make a creditable score in the interim. When.OtagO' could make 94. it was something more than ill luck that rendered Canterbury unable to get beyond 25 and 32. The Canterbury men certainly fell fell below their usual standard of play, but every one who watched the game must admit that both in bowling and fielding the Otago Eleven as a whole were "decidedly superior, and that they are fully entitled to the victory they have won. " The West Coast Times states that a party of surveyors has arrived from Christchurch, under orders to commence the survey of a line of railway, for which purpose LSOOO was voted during the late sitting of the Provincial Council. His Honor the Superintendent is expected to arrive at Hokitika-tliis evening, and will remain -on the ,;West Coast for a lengthened period . His Honor will be accompanied by Mr Beswick, Secretary of Public Works. The public meeting oil Thursday, nigl.t very properly included in its vote of thanks to the tmproyjtneut Coimnifctee, the name of Mr Payne,the lato hon. sec., whose gratuitous .. services to the citizens are too well knowii to need any remark froiri our-, selves. It must be a source of satisfaction to, Mr Payue to lpiow that the services he has rendered have net been unappreciated ; •but we are but expressing the opinion pi a; large section of the public in suggesting that; some siibstahtial recognition "should be accorded to thsvt gentleiftari. Mr Payne, was: one of the earliest residents of Greymouth, and from the -first -took an active part \iy every public movement. /.-During . his resi- ■ deuce, here, b,e devoted, a large amount of bia

time to the service of his fellow citizens, and Avas largely instrumental inpromotjthg many important^' matters affecting th ejr interests. Without fee or reward pf any kind, he acted as secretary, Ib our most in^ortant jmblic bodies— the Imprpvenient and Hospital Committees—cpnducted their correspondence, and in fact, performed much of their duties. We are sure the public will agi'ee Avith us that such, labors deserve something mere than- a passing recognition, and Aye have confidence in believing that it only requires the ball to be set rolling to convince Mr Payne that although absent he is not forgotten', nor his past services undervalued. We have less delicacy in giA'ing the hint conveyed jn our remarks, seeing that Mr Payne is now star tioned elseAvJierg ; and althojigli fully aware that testimonials are easily obtained, and frequently given, Avithpuj any realyeaspn, Aye conceive that in the present* case it Avould be graceful on frl^e part of tlje c?tjz3ns, and hpnorable to Mr Payne "that lie should be asked to accept some practical testimony of the apiireciatipa jn Ayhich hts'pubjic services are iiQld. His Exccjlency;the Gpvepnor Ayas at I^aia.; ppi the other day, and laid the foundation s{>one of a Ma°ri church. Dui-jng the inter? A r iew with the natives, Ihaia Taintii, a Greylnouth Maori^ asked — 1, That the -West Cpagt ro.seryos mjght be subdivided amongst the Maprj pwncj's. % That the rents' arising might be paid ovcy to thenij^ and W> poj'tion kept back by the Goveiiunej.it' as ati presen^. 3. That powder .and shot might be sold to them as freely as tp Ex>ropeans, What his ExgelleiiGy's reply Avas Aye th> not lcaini. The programme of the v fj'sst Greymouth Rg>ces appears in o^r columns of to-day, tha Stewards hanhig met ai\ Thupsdjiy cv Bu i n g at Kilgour's Hotel, in order to consider the ''bill of fftre"; "jS'pppged by Mr .'Han4lion. There was a good muster of the geritiemen appointed to bear 'office, AJr P. Comiskey being pi the chair, and we fep} gure that the carefully drawn-up progi'ammej as appiwed by the meeting, will be appreciated by our Hokjifcika auc\ otligrWest Qoasj; neighbors, as Avell as by more diefcanl; hoi'SC- owners. It is not only varied and liberal, but bears evK dent impress of having been framed to suit alike both local and visiting sportsmen ; Avhilst the A'alue of the prizes offered, and the ample time allowed for preparation, must induce more spirited competition than even at the lptc surprisingly successful Hokitika Races. The absolute ground has not pet been picked, but the clerk of the cpurse and, special committee are actively at Ayork selecting the best site suited for galloping and sight-seeing. We are glad to learn from Mr - Hamilton that his application- to' Mr' Warden' luJA'ell fpr projection of the gold-diggers K .. claims, dnringthe vaeesmeotiug, was promptly, a oo.ded to. . The Wunyanui Chronicle says : — Siuce the payment of the Manawatu purchase, a number of our Maori friends have, come out strong in the Avay pf sw.eljdpin , One chief, avlio has iiiA'ested in a fine trap, Avas seen the other day Avith a silver-mounted whip getting into his vehicle aiid driving a little bit, then getting out and Ayalkhig^ — not sure Avhich was the most correct card, but as one or. both Avere equally material or knmatcuiul, he a-p*-,-peared evidently determined to do both. >3fe. Avasarraye^l in a suit of clothes Ayhich wffuld? have done no discredit to Beau Brnmmel, with a pair of slippers. tipped with fur, and (there is always s.:me inoongruity about a Maori's dr-pss^ try ifc ■as he may) a cap braidedAV'itli tarnished- gold; lace. A. large amount of money has baen spent in rings, chuius, tfec, much of them, avc fear, the merest Brim ma'S cm -"' The Southland Times reports that payable , gold has been discovered at Port William, Stewart's Island. A party consisting of some half- dozen- persons, proceeded to the island, spme short time since, and prospected with successful results, getting some rather coarse gold. They returned to town, applied to tlie Commissioner .of CroAvn Lands for protection, and Aye understand that it is their intention to again ren^w their search for the precious meta'. Other prospecting* par ties are likely to take a trip to the locality."' . It would- appear that the examination r • ceutly made. by the Government, surveyor ofthe proposed line of road between Greymouth and the Arnold township has resulted in the discovery, that it is .almost impracticable, the country being a constant, succession of ridges and gullies, many of them quite precipitous.. Another route is,. however, to be searched fir, and-jt is to be hoped a practicable one will be found. „ . ... :,;,-