Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 194, 11 April 1867, Page 2

We mentioned in a recent issue that the Nelson authorities at Cobden were cutting a channel by prison labor from the river into the tidal creek, which runs from the north spit to the west side of Cobden. This channel is now nearly finished, .and wo arc informoil that it is likely to prove more effectual that is quite desirablo, inasmuch as there is a probability of itsbetug the means nf diverting the main current of the river, and thus causing the shoaling of the Greymouth side of the river. Should this opinion be a probably correct one, it is desirable that the harbor-master should immediately make an examination of the new channel referred to, and if necessary prevent its being continued. Very serious consequences miirht result from any disturbance of the present course of the river ; and it is very undesirable that any risk of such a contingency should bo occa^ s.ioned simply out of consideration for the convenience of the few b.oats plying across the river. We learn from the lIW. Coast Time* that the dam, recently erected with tlie intention of diverting the Hokitika River through the large bank at the head of Gibson's Quay, has proved an entire failure, it being unable to withstand the current. Several of the. pontoons have bpcn removed bodily, leavin" large gaps in the structure, through which the stream rushes in great volume. We see it announced that a company is about being formed for constructing a line of tramway from the Buller to Charleston (Pakihi). The capital is fixed at L 20.000. and the Nelson Government have offered to make, a gran.t of land along tlie. line, and survey the line free of charge. The Dunedin JUvenhif/. Mar. states that Mr J. B. Bradshaw, M.H.R., has been appointed Minister of Mi.nes, -with a salary of LI OOO per annum. The. Tasmanian Maid, which came in yesterday afternoon, brought wifch her a nun\ber of diggers, who had accompanied the corpse of one of their, mates, John Hanlon, for the purpose of paying liimtho.last tribute of respect, and bearing his remains to the Greymouth Cemetery for interment. The deceased had been a miner at Fox's, and died of a prolonged and painful attack (if dysentery, aged 37, leaving a wife, and it is believed a family at Melbourne, to bewail his early death. Since Tuesdaj , rumors have been rife in town of some extraordinary discoveries in the neighborhood of the Buller, but until yesterday we were unable to glean anything like reliable particulars. Tho sum and substance of the late news, we may state, is to the effect that some good ground has been opened about midway between Fox's and the Pakihi ; andth;>t a rush has occurred to a place a few miles from Westport. Mr Commissioner. Kynnersley, when at the Pakihi oil Friday last, was applied to for a prospecting claim iv the locality mentioned, where prospects of from lSgr. to Idwt. to the shovel were said to have been obtained. Mr Kynnersley, we hear, proceeded to the Buller to make full enquiries into the matter, and by the Tas--1 manian Maid, which arrived yesterday afternoon, we learn lie felt justified in granting the extended claim. We gather, also, that the diggings at the Karamea are turning out successful beyond all previous expectations ; but it is right to say that Mr Commissioner Kynnersley warns tlie miners rushing up |h«^-44«i,L^-»jj^esent ,there|is nothing to f^^^^Z^am^mjSSSgJK'ioii Times of yesparagraph, evi-.

dently referring to the recent discovery on the Buller: — "The report of Mr Commissioner Kynneisley with lespect to the nature of the new diggings on the Caledonian Tu> race, about 0 milos east of Westporfc, reached town on Sunday, from Avhich we gather the following particulars. There have been 12 or more claims granted, and one or two holes bottomed on gravel and red and black sand, The washdii't varies from two to three feet in thickness, three fi7.1l shovels of which have been washed and yielded nineteen grains, or six and one.third grains to the shovel, The gold is of a scaly nature, somewhat similar, but Larger, to that obtained on the Darkies' Terrace at the Grey. A rush we believe is setting in to tho spot, but the Commissioner in his report cautions miners at a distance against proceeediijg to the place nutil some other shafts arc bottomed and reported on, which will be about a fortnight hence." A narrow escape from another fatal accir dent occurred on the 3rd instant at Charies=ton, A boat was conveying . passengers from the p.s. Southland, when it was capsized by a sea and precipitated them. all into the surf, But for the brave conduct of Captain Bearitlge, harbor-master, and several other men, wlio plunged into the surf to the rescue, it is probable all wonld have been drowned. Several women and children were aniongst the passengers. The latest news from Fox's is as follows, taken from the Brighton Times of yesterday : "The accounts from the Welshman's and Daylesford Terraces still continue to be satisfactory ; and since the fall of the late showers of ruin attention has been more particularly directed to washing. No new claims of any consequence have recently been bottomed 'at. either of the terraces, but a great many of the old ones continue to pay the minors handsomely, the average earnings being from L2O to L3O a week per man. At the Eureka Terrace, on this side of the Welshman's, the miners are reported to be doing first-rate, the wash dirt is said to be very extensive iii depth and rich in gold, and in some instances, recently, as much as L4O ami LSO per man have been divided as the result of -one week's washing. Some holes have lately been bottomed about five miles south of Brighton, and although gold has been found in payable quantities, nothing in the shape of startling results has yet been obtained. The few diggers on the spot, however, are very sanguine as to their future success, as they believe there is a good lead yet to be developed in that locality. On Thursday last, gold was struck on Gcordie's Terrace, about a mile this side of the Tikojnha river, and on the highest hill over which the old track to the Pakihi piisses. A rush, set in on Friday to the spot,, which continued throughout the whole of Saturday, notwithstanding that the rain fell heavily at the time. The whole jf the ground on the terrace has been pegged off, and holes have been sunk to the depth of .12 feet. The bottom consists of dark - cement, a sample of which wo have.inspected, and have no hesitation in pronouncing the same to be highly auriferous." The candidates for the representation of the South-west Districts in the Provincial" Council of Nclscin are,. we understand, Messrs Donni!, Crate, Klien, Dreyer,-and Wilkie— the three first for Charleston, and. the two latter for Bu'ler. and Cobdon. Mr Umuw's address appears in our advertising columns, and we notice that he has been invited to come forward by an iiiilcntially signed rcqnisitimi. lk "\ v "^TTie" Bruce Herald says that a beautiful nugget of gold was discovered a few days ago, in one of the shallo.w gullies, situated east of the Round Hill. The locality is known by the name. of Xuggctty Gully, from the general character of the gold found thure. The golden lump weighs 2 loz. lldwt. lSgi\, and is estimated to -contain at least 21 oz. of pure gold. A few small peccs of quartz embedded in it make up the balance, and improve its - apearance as a specimen. Tlie names of the discoverers are Dewes, and Vallcly, and the depth of ground in which it was found was about three feet. By a return forwarded- to .us. by the Postmaster at Groymonth, we. learn that during the quarter ending March 3 1st, 15157, the number of letters received and despatched at tlie Greymouth Post Office was 40.510, and 13,(>:"51 newspapers, against 20,730 letters, and o,9o;") newspapers received and.des.patu.hed during the corresponding period of 1860. The Post Ofiiee orders issued for the, March quarter, 13(57, amounted to L 2021 17s Od, and those paid to L 202 15s 1 1 d, against L 1298 9s 3d received, and Ll2l ss. 7d paid' during the corresponding period of 18G6. The increase in each item for. the quarter just ended amounts to 14, 050 letters, and. O.b'SG newspapers, and L 723 Ss. 3d for Post Office orders issued, and LSI 10s 4d for those paid. The Otago representatives in shooting for. the colonial prizes/are— G turner W. D. SmUh, artillery ; Sergeant Lacy, Waikari Rangers ; ;uul Privates Gliisliolm anil Kich.arils.on,. West Taieri. Corporal Christie and Private Richardson tied, and fired off. at COO. yards. The champion made " a richochet, .and Richardson a miss. The next shot Richardson scored a bull's-eye to Christie's centre, and thus secured a place in the representatives. The seizure of an. illicit still has been, made by the Hokitika police, making the third instance of the kind in that district. The West Coast Times gives the following account of the affair :— " From information received, Mr Patten, the Collector of Customs, Inspector Broham, Sergeant Hickson, and some police proceeded about six o'clock to a cottage and garden situated on the side of the Hokitika River, opposite to the spot known as G eordie's ferry. Having arrived there the authorities at once commenced to search. A man was found sleeping in the cottage, who j was immediately taxed with having a stil concealed upon the premises. This, as might naturally be supposed, he stoutly denied j. but nevertheless a search was coumieuoM. Sergean^Hickson proceeded to a skittftn'situated vt tti^ rear of the "cottage. J&fex ilpukujg about kclU!(j^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

— - :; , - - .-.,..Jc! . could be lifted up. This being ||§tfir • was found to exist, which had hcMjg^ i partly underneath the cottage|fi» ■ underneath the garden; exactlMKß • portion of the vault covered by^^Kp ! nel the still was found in full wlgi ! worm attachedr Around this i som c six drapery cases ans wering^Hi pf vats, each containing 75 gallo^Hjgf ; i a portion of which was actually r^HI 1 1 tillation. The spirit was distilled^Mi; about one ton of which had bee^Mß| and some three or four uimsed^Kfl taken possession of by the police^BßJv pected still was no longer a mat^B|| ciori, but one of certainty, and tlilfl§ ( i the law detected and exposedljj^Hgel worm, vats, and all the apparat.us^SP^ on this illegal trade were P°f^jß|§§i| the authorities and destroyedtif^^p^ possession, who called himself |j||[juilf wad at once taken into eustod^Hffif morning he was brought b^|Bi court, and, having no defenee^Mß fined Ll 00 or in default four iflgg As the accused either had "o^^H pay, or if he had would not^H was taken away to undergo tlifljH few mouths sojourn in ' duraiflH probably long before the peri JHH he will be prepared perfectly tflffij' truth of the axiom that 'hones^Bn A mar. named Robert -LyndsHHi'' known to many persons here n^Hs formerly employed by Mr Chris^H|, : , goldsmith, is reported to be B' r Sunday week, under rircunistai^H,to the supposition that lie l»iiy JBfi i his .death from intoxication as.-w^H'l he was suffering under the tcrru^H 1 delimvi imntws. He has beenaHp^* 1 both at Greymouth and Hoj^l \ . hitherto without the slightest clj^R- : j tamed to his whereabouts. His. Excellency the Governor ha^^B. the May or of Hokitika (Mr ßonar)t«H| tico of the Peace for the colony. fl||jf v ;, ship took the customary oaths' berefc; Resident Magistrate at Hokitika en ivjjw We learn that on and after Saturday! the fares on the Greymouth and Saltji Creek Tramway Company will be refly The charge to and from Greymouth and { water will be 3s, or as for a return tic and a corresponding reduction will be v to intermediate stations. Return tic issued on Saturdays will be available an following Monday, This liberal reduc will doubtless have the efteet of makii pedestrian a rare sigl\t .ilong the line, am trust the Company will find that the pv appreciate their liberality. A. recent issue of the Southland Times —We understand that it is the iu^entin the General Government to introduce at next session of the Assembly a measure most comprehensive character— little than the virtual abolition of the systei Provincialism, and, instead, to. substitu system of local self-government, based i the municipal system of the Colony of turia. It is. contemplated, also to make ! alterations in the tariff as will tend to n its operation less, severely felt hy the winclasses, and tend more to equalise the buri imposed. An inquest was held on the Ist install the body of a miner named Denis Faloy, was working at Gillespio's Beach, and let down an abandoned claim to obtain s slabs, to be used in another claim, when sides caved in and bulled him beneath s .'eight or ten feet of sand and old tim Notwithstanding the most earnent effort the part of his mates and others, the un tunatc man was suffocated before he couh extricated. The Went CoK^Thnm rpf Monday devot leading article o^omp length to.au accd of the career of DrjAlexander Hunter, 1 innsfc have been well known to such of readers as have been colonists for any lei of time ; and to a description of his J| . which occurred at Hokitika on SaraH morning last, from bronchitis. His djfl appears to have been somewhat sudilS though, as he had been for. many yeafl subject to chronic bronchitis .ami conqß of the lungs, it was not altogether uuexpjß We arc able, from personal acquaintanß cirdially endorse the high opiuiou^H great talents enunciated by the wiite™? article, who considers him thegreatesjra eal operator we have ever had in the efflm His death was evidently hastened Hr stunning effect produced xipon him melancholy death of an idolised sctßj' was. on his way out to join his paig^fSpl ill-fated London, which was luslJlMto j giuuiug of last year, on her voyal^iy bourne. Tliis son Avas of greaßroo) having taken high University howlrs, the unhappy father so took his loaK^ as to have never thoroughly rec||§|re shock it occasioned him. Dr Hufl iffr "! a widoAv, who Ayill receive fiom^ is boro\igh scholarship a pension o%\ 20 annum. She was formerly Miss Hj pa sister of the late Lord Advocate ofl |ot and was married tc Dr Hunter in 18 3. late physician had left behind hnu|| iiw tached friends to deplore his loss,^f a) few members of his profession to isunj At a meeting of the Church oW§E Building Committee, held the othragi it was determined to commence th^sco tion of a Church with as little|*3i possible. Tenders for the workfir called for as "soon as the liecessaiTsw tions and plans can be prepared. J|| The correspondent of the West (Sw says : — " Should the rush of peogj|| 9 at the present rate for even a sfifjfi T believe the Pakihi will be able tofj|p larger-population than, the rest 6Wt> j province. The rush is not connii n miners, Charleston at present fan|y| ai witli sharp, shrewd men of bumSe j look out f-or business sites. iiMsfe i males to this quarte^aW) affljecc vJB tively alarming asg^|^^rrive 1 -A To all that intend qßm||3iere I cau* warn^^^^^v^^^^

business men. Indeed, there are enough miners here at present to take up a lead -'rcacluug ahnost from here to the Buller. Prospecting around the Pakihi is vigorously carried on, the bush for many miles being fairly swarming with prospectors, whose success up to the present has not been very i encouraging, nevertheless, hardly a day passes ; without one or more parties obtaining pay- ; able ground. Very few remain at Fox's, as j» the terraces are mostly taken up. besides the ( sinking ib expensive and deep, and the shafts have to be slabbed. . The miners, therefore, all conic here, as the ground is easily prospected,, being both shallow and dry, indeed, some of the best claims are not more than five or six feet deep. I can easily foresee the wave of population will flow north for a certainty, there being over 20 miles of very likely-looking country between here and the Buller." It appears by Monday's Wed Cuatsl Times that the escort from the Waimea district on Thursday last brought 4000oz. of golddust,, the proceeds of a fortnight from that district. This quantity-is below the average 'returns, the decrease being in a great measure en ised by a scarcity of water, which compelled to heap up instead of sluicing their washdirt. The WeUinijtun frulqjcmlcnt gives the following particulars relative to the new constabulary force about to be raised fir the North Island .-—Measures for the organisation of a mounted -armed constabulary force, the formation of which was first mooted in the last session of the Assembly, havo reached so advanced a stage that the strength of the force has been determined on, and a number '; of gentlemen recommended .is oHjceis by Major M'Domi'jlL It is stated that tho force Trill consist of 300 men, six troops of 50 each, and will be made up from the existing rjinnants of colonial forces and men formerly beloning to colonial corps. These troops will be posted in those parts of the Northern Island where their services are most likely to be ■required. The gjntlemeu who have beon recommended by Major M'Donnell for commissions arc— Captain Ross, of the Wangamii Rangers ; Captain Jfewlaml, Patea Hangers ; Cornet Kennik, Wangamii Cavalry ; 1 .ient. Gudgeon, Native Contingent ; Lieut. Fortescue, Patea Rangers ; Lieut. O'Callaghan, Wanganui Rangers ; Ensign Xewlaud, Wanganui "Rangers ; Ensign Walker, Native Contingent ; Xieut. l (1 ookes and Ensign Gloag, Taranaki Military Settlers." Major "M'Donnell has gone to Tanranga, where he relieves Colonel Haultain,