THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1868.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 376, 11 June 1868, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1868.

The news from all the mining centres iv this district contiuues to be of the mos* prosperous description. On all hands we hear of new rushes, which, as a. rule, are turning out well. The late rushes which we reported at the New River and Lake Brunner are affording work for a considerable number of men, with every prospect of turning out really good profitable ..workings ; while a J the older and now thoroughly established dignings are daily increasing in population and material prosperity. To the north, and nearest to the Grey, on the Nelson side, the latest discovered workings —on what is known as the " London Terrace" — are being slowly but surely developed and extended, the lead running towards the Grey River. Eight parties of men have now bottomed on good payable gold, and a large number of shafts are being put down on the south side. Over 100 miners are now at work, with very fair prospects of success. The sinking is 60ft., and those who have bottomed are so satisfied with their prospects that they have set in busily to clear away the timber from the vicinity of their claims and erect substantial wooden huts to winter in, while a store is now being erected on the Terrace. The prospectors say that when they get properly on to work they will average at least £8 per week per man, with a long spell of work. Further north, on the beach, a number of claims have been taken up inside what is known as the old beach lead, at the foot of the terraces, in which very good prospects have been obtained. We are reliably informed that a stone, covered with fine gold, taken out of one of these claims, was shown to a person in town this week. The men here employed anticipate doing very welL At Herbert's Terrace, a few parties of miners continue to do well, and one party of men j have set in to siuk for the main bottom, as

they believe that all the gold which has pre» viously beeii obtained on this Terrace has been upon a false bottom, and should they be successful it is very probable that they •will be richly rewarded for their labor and enterprise. We hear from Canoe Creek that there has been a small rush there to tlie North Terrace, one party having struck good gold. A large number of claims, have, consequently, been taken up, and as the gold already obtained is coarse and heavy, if the lead proves to be of any extent, profitable employment will be &iven to a large number of men . We may mention that the population of this creek and district is rapidly in, creasing, and the miners here employed have a very high opinion of the place, and believe that these digging will go on developing and improving in richness for a long time to come. A notification in the Coitnly of Westland Gazette of the Bth inst. convenes the next meeting of the County Council at the Su r preme Court-house, Hokitika, on the 16th inst. We are informed that during ths present week a raid was made upon the shantykeepers on the North Beach by an informen and we may expect to hear rpore of the matter in a few days at the Cohden Police Court. At a repent meeting of the Grey Road Board a letter was read fronj the Arahura Board, requesting their concurrence vi a scheme for holding a cpnferenpe, of delegates from the Westland Road Bpards, in order to consult as to what amendments they ought to suggest to the County of Westland Act. The Grey, Totara, and Arahura Road Boards gave their assent to the scheme, and an answer is now awaited from the Qkarita Board. Meantime, we learn from an Hokitika contemporary that the Chairman of the Arahura Board has sent circulars to the other Boards, including that of Okarita> requesting the delegates of each to meet, in the first instance, at ten a.m. on Monday, the 15th inst., at Ryan's Imperial Hotel, Revell street, when they can appoiut any place of meeting they please fqr the transaction of business. Each Board is to be re* presented by two delegates, There was no business whatever transacted at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. The latest mining news from Brighton is to the effect that the claims on the Belfast Terrace are all at work steadily and satisfactorily, while those on the Welshman's are generally at a standstill in consequence of damages sustained by a recent flood. There is a report of the discovery of some cement •workings three miles south of Brighton, and of machines being in course of erection for same ; also, that there are some miners on Razorback who are likely to prove fortunate after a lengthened period of labor in that locality. A very sudden death is thus reported by the Westland Observer of Tuesday:— "A mau named John Ellis died suddenly at six o'clock yesterday evening. He was coming down Gibson's Quay, in company with a man named Blake, when he fell on the footpath opposite the European Hotel, when he threw up a quantity of blood. He was at once taken into the European Hotel, where he died in a few minutes afterwards. It was reported to the police at six p.m. that the deceased was in a dying state, and the police called on Dr Beswiek, who at once proceeded to the place, but life wus extinct before the doctor arrived. On the following day an inquest was held, when the jury retui ued a verdict of ' Died from pulmonary appoplexy, and disease of the pleura, brought on by excessive drinking.' " Mr Warden Keogh, in his report from the Grey River District for the month ending the 31st May, writes as follows : — " No fresh i ground has been opened during the past month ; but I have to note within the same period an increase of population, chiefly due to diggers returning from Queensland, and pretty evenly distributed over the district. At the Limestone, the population now numbers about 100 men. The ground here has not hitherto proved rich ; but wherever a good water-supply is obtainable, small wages can be made. In the Arnold district a good many men have lately set in to work in German Gully, where fine samples of gold are got. In Maori Gully, I hope shortly to see the large race now beiug brought in by M adden and party, completed and at work. This has been a long and heavy undertaking, and the shareholders aie entitled to look forward to good profits from their spirited enterprise. Two extended claims, namely, that of Flanagan and party (one acre), and that of M 'Night and party (two acres), have been taken up in Maori Gully during the month. I consider mining generally throughout the district to have improved during the same period." On Tuesday night the Greymouth Volunteer Rifles were paraded in the Institute, Gresson street, and their arms and accoutrements served out to them. These consist of the regulation long Enh'eld rifle and short bayonet, with white belts and cartouche box. The company was then inspected by tho Adjutant of Westland Rifles, Captain Stack, who put them through the manual exercises, and at its conclusion complimented them on the progress they had made in the short time they had been in existence as a Volunteer Corps. Dr. J. Rutherford Ryley, Surgeon-super-intendent of Hokitika Hospital, Gaol, &c, has made his annual report on the condition of the institutions over which he presides. He concludes by referring to the general condition of the town, and his remarks are so applicable to the present condition of Greymouth that we extract the passage : — I "Since my last report no case of zymotic or insectious disease has, to my knowledge, occurred in the town or district, which, considering the almost total absence of sanitary regulations, is remarkable. Two of the deaths which occurred in the hospital, I have traced directly to miasmata ariving from open privies, gutters, and trenches, reeking with fostid miasms. I took occasion in my last report, dated Ist May, 1867, to point out the probability of cholera— which was then

raging at Panama, within thirty day's sail — visiting these colonies at no distant date ; and I have Bince observed from the Colonist that a public meeting was held at Nelson, on the 3rd May— two days afterwards- for the purpose of adopting sanitary measures for its prevention, which meeting was attended by tjnee uiembers of the medical profession, all of wh«uii entertained my views on the matter. Jt has now been established beyond a doubt that cholera is a disease strictly preventable by sanitary and hygienic measures. In the report of the medical oflber of the Privy Council, the following passage occurs : — 'lt cannot be too distinctly understood that the, person who contracts .cholera in this country is ipsQ facto demonstrated with almost ah" solute certainty to have been exposed to excremental pollution; that what gave him cholera was mediately or immediately cholera-cpntagium discharged from another's bowels ; that, in short, the diffusion of cholera among u.s depends entirely upon the numberless lilthy facilities which are let exist, and specially in our larger towns, for the fouling of earjjh, and air, and water, and thus, secondarily, for the infection of man with whatever contagion may be contained in the miscellaneous outflowings of the po? pulation. Excrement-sodden earth, excre? ment-reeking air, excrement-tainted water, these are for us the causes of cholera.' I need not dwell Qn the .fearful facilities afforded in this town for the spread of chpleraj and would suggest that measures be taken immediately for the abolition of open privies, and the substitution of earth-closeps. Those who could not afford to pay LG or L 7 for a patent self-acting apparatus, could by means of a pan of earth and moyeable box fitted into the privy accomplish the pbject in view quite efficiently } an.d. at a very small cost the contents of these closets might be removed daily or weekly, and the value of the material as a commercial product would go far to defray the expense of scavenging."