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Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 373, 4 June 1868, Page 2

Late last evening we received authentic intelligence of the opening of fresh ground up the New River from a miner who had just returned from the rush for supplies. The ground now being opened is at the Eightmile Creek ou the New lliver, near Maori Creek. Three parties are reported to have been working Ihere for some short time, and making good wages. The sinking is deep, being upwards of 40 feet. There were about 50 men on the ground on Tuesday. The Nelson authorities notify that the price of coal at the mouth of the Bruniier Mine will for the present be 10s Gd per ton, instead of 12s as heretofore charged. We think this reduction has not beeu made at all too soon. On Tuesday night a concert for the benefit of the Misses Caramlini, was given in the Institute, Gressnn street. Owing to the ; inclemency of the weather, and the comfortless state of the room, there was only a moderate attendance. The programme included most of the best pieces in the repertoire of the fair performers, and the various duets and solos were given with the usual excellence. To-night, a complimentary benefit to Madarn.fi Caraudini will be given, and on this occasion the concert will take place in the Union Hotel. We have no doubt there will be a good attendance on this the last opportunity of hearing these talented vocalists. The following appears in the Panama Herald of the 24th April :— " The'fichborne family is likely to keep itself before the public for some time Sir Roger, as lie styles himself, passed through Panama a year ago on his way from Australia to claim his estates in England. His honest appearance gained for him the sympathy of many foreigners here who thought him a good natured, honest, ignorant ass, top simple to deceive any person, and on the strength of this opinion he borrowed money enough, here ia pay his hotel bill and carry him home, which he nevei has had either the decency to acknowledge or the honesty to return. Another case of drowning occurred on the river on Tuesday evening. Two men belonging to the ketch Ellin, which is taking in coals at the Cobden wharf, started to cross the river to Greymouth in a small dingy. The wind was blowing in heavy squalls, and a strong fresh was coming down the river, and the men foolishly set canvas on the boat. When about half -way across a sudden puff capsized the boat, and both men were immersed. One of them managed to get hold of the bottom of the boat, but the other, a seaman named John llollope, a Norwegian, never rose again. Some boats put off to the assistance of the survivor, who was speedily rescued from his perilous position. It is reported that both men were the worse for liquor when they lelt Cobden. The body of the deceased has not yet been found, but it will in all probability be cast up on the North Beach in a day or two. A public meeting was held at the Union Hotel, last evening, for the purpose of taking into consideration the resolution of the County Council respecting the future management and maintenance of Hospitals in Westland. W. H. Harrison, Esq., M.C.C., was called to the chair, and explained the business of the meeting and the reasons that induced the Council to pass the resolutions. After some remarks from Mr Kennedy, Mr King moved, "That it is the opinion of this meeting that owing to the difficulties attendant on the collection of voluntary contributions in this district, no change should be made in the present sy stem of management and support of the Grey liiver Hospital." This was seconded by Mr Magoiliu. Mr Duttpn

on behalf of the Nelson Government, stated that the sum of LliiflO had been placed on tho estimates for ttic Giey River Hospital, and that sum, if voted, must be regarded as the limit of the subsidy. He felt sure that the Nelson miners would contribute freely, and he would guarantee that L3OO por I annum Avould be subscribed by them. After j remarks from Messrs Kerr, Revell, and Whall the resolution was lost. On the motion of Mr Keuriuk, a sub-committee consisting of Messrs Kennedy, Sheedy, Whall, Hall (Oobdon), and Parkinson was appointed to canvas for subscriptions, and to report on Wednesday, the 17th, on which clay the election vi the new committee would take place, Mr Skoglund, of the firm of Skoglund and Purcell of this town, was near being drowned on Tuesday, whilst on his way from Charleston. He was in company with the mailman, Mr Donnell The party w?rg crossing Fox's river at the first crossing, when the stream, which was running very strong, carried Mr Skoglund's horse away. Mr Donnell, who was mounted on a strong, powerful horso, and had already crossed, plunged in again to Mr Skoglund's rescue, and managed to bring him after great difficulty to the shore. Mr Skoglund informs us that travellers should be very cautious, ntot on account of the rivers only, but the traegs being so very bad and swampy. Ou Tuesday only three civil cases were heard at the Resident Magistrates Court, none of which was of the least interest to the public, Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the case of Morris Levy v. Molloy Bros ; and judgment was given for plaintiffs in the following cases :- Jas. Howie y. Stephen Rolf, L 2 ; Bolton v. D. Duncan, L 4 15s ' There was no business of any kind transacted yesterday. The protective work recently constructed under the direction of the Road Board at Saltwater has withstood the last freshet, and the Engineer is satisfied that it will permanently secure that portion of the bank opposite the township. The river is however eating considerably into the bank below the piling, and it is intended to extend the protective work a further 120 ft., which when done will effectually prevent further encroachments. The pile driving for the river protection will soon be finished so far as the lower township is concerned, as only fifteen more piles have to be fixed. The number of piles that have been driven is three hundred and seventy, the rhole of which have bepn driven a depth of 25ft. in the bed of the river. Thirty-two piles 40ft. long, and driven 18ft., have been added to the wharf, which may be considered qtiite secure. Nearly two-thirds of the planking and capping have been completed, but the filling in is not progressing satisfactorily, owing to the Board being short of funds. It is to be hoped that the County Council will at its next sitting make I such provision as will enable the protective works in this town to be completed without much delay. We notice that one of the i proposed landing stages has been erected, and we fancy they will be found to afford I every necessary convenience for lauding and shipping passengers and cargo. For the last forty-eight hours one of the most violent " southerly bursters" has prevailed on this coast that can be remembered. The wind blew in- squalls with tremendous force, accompanied with heavy falls of rain I and hail. The temperature being cold added !to the general discomfort. The bar was rendered entirely impracticable to shipping except at the cost of being half swamped with the boiling sea and heavy rollers which swept in towards the beach ; and the river was lashed with waves of sufficient size to t render navigation by boats dangerous. All j the steamers kept to their moorings at the I wharf. A boat was capsized on Tuesday j night through being struck with a squall, i and a man drowned ; and a vessel, the Nile, was blown ashore on the North Beach. Tho j rivet was much swollen yesterday, but no , damage was done by flood. Last evening a ! sudden change took place, the wind shifted ! to the N.E., and in a very short time the sea j on the bar diminished, and a bright starlight I night foretokened fine weather. In all probability the stormbound steamers, will get away to-day. The resolutions of the Education Board on tbe subject of national non-denominational schools do not receive the support of the clergy. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper has written to the West Coast Times a letter expressing his strong dissent from the proposed plan, and claims superiority for denominational schools on the following reasons :— " No Government Board or local Committee can ever exercise the supervision which the clergyman has over his school. With them it is a matter of official routine ; with him— I speak for the clergy of the Church of England, and I believe the same may be said of those of other denominations— it is a solemn labor of duty and love. The school to him is one of the chief spheres of his work, not for the purpose of teaching his children to hate other Christians, but to educate them mentally and spiritually to do their duty to God and man. He tries to do that, not by coming in now and then to teach religion as an extra accomplishment, but by constant personal presence. Is the State wise in refusing to help fellow-workmen in education of this kind ?" A meeting of Roman Catholics was held at Hokitika ou Tuesday evening last, in the Presbytery adjoining tho Chapel, for the purpose of expressing their dissent to the resolutions recently passed by the Westlund Board of Education, respecting tho extension of religious instruction in schools receiving Government aid. The following Resolutions were passed :— " That a united /secular edu- • cation is not calculated to train up Catholic • children in the spirit of the Catholic Church." " That this meeting views with regret the late proceedings of the Westland Board of Education, and emphatically protests against a national system of education being forged upon the Catholic body." "That in the event of the system o( education suggested by the Board of Education being adopted by tho County Council, k petition be fo.rward.ed

to tho General Government, praying it to protect Catholic interests, which would suffer by such a system." ' ■ That a deputation, consisting of the following gentlenie.i, viz., Messrs Byrne, Kittsnn, Drisco!!, Kviiir ncily, Lynch, and the Chairman (Mr il/'l'') : | wait upoii Mr Bonar to-mormw (Msis day) ;i i eleven a.m., to lay before him rii.j reis'-lntim'* passed at this meeting, and v.<> finii.;'t Ijimi tt> j carry out the views of this meei/i.ig." "' f-Mfc I the thanks of the meeting be tendered to Mr Byrne, for the action he took at the late meeting of the Weatlatid B.oard of Education, and that the meeting, iv the name ajid on behalf of the Catholic body, adopts the opinion which he then expressed," — The Weatland Observer informs us that a deputation, consisting of the following gentlemen : — Messrs Hyde, Lynch, Q'Donnell, Driscoll, Kennedy, and Kittson, who had been appointed at the meeting of Roman Catholics, waited on the Chairman of the County j Council, on Tuesday, at 10 a.m., for the purpose of laying before him the views of that body with regard to the question of education. Mr Hyde, as Chairman of the meeting, introduced the deputation. He said they had been appointed to wait on Mr Bonar to represent to him the feelings of the Catholic body on this cmestion, and to request his iutluencu in frustrating the attempt now being made by the Board of' Education to establish a national system of education in Westland. He would respectfully submit the resolutions passed at that meeting, and would request that Mr Bonar would give them hi 3 serious consideration. Mr Bonar said he was hardly in a position at present to give the deputation an answer on this subject, as the matter had not yet been brought before the County Council. In the meantime, the Board of Education were the re. sponsible body. He would, however, keep the resolutions before him, aud when the time arrived, they would receive his best attention. He would always endeavor to support a system of education which would be satisfactory to all religious bodies, but there was great difficulty at present in arriving at a conclusion on that point. A Select Committee of the County Council had been appointed last session for this purpose. M.r Kittson enquired if they had brought up a nsport. Mr Bonar replied that they had not as yet, as they had been waiting for a report from the Board of Education. Mr Hyde said he trusted Mr Bonar would give the matter his serious consideration. The resolutions had been drawn up hurriedly, and might not express fully their views on the matter ; he might say, however, that the Roman Catholics would never consent to any other than a denominational system. Mr Bonar said he should be very sorry to see such a large section of the community standing aloof fro^i all the rest, lie would, however, as he said before, endeavor to promote a system which would meet the approbation of all religious bodies. Mr Hyde thanked Mr Bonar for his courtesy, and the deputation then withdrew.