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Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 386, 4 July 1868, Page 2

A meeting of the Greymouth Rifle Volunteers took plac.e on Thursday evening. After the usual drill, a meeting was held for the I purpose of appointing the non-commissioned officers and honorary surgeon to the corps. The following gentlemen were appointed : — Honorary surgeon, Dr C. L. Morice ; colorsergeant, F. W. Paul ; senior sergeant, J. H. A. Lyell ; second sergeant, James Kirton ; third sergeant, J. G. Thomas ; fourth sergeant, J. P. Joyce; senior corporal, J. C* Revell ; second corporal, Wm. Gledhill; third corporal, Edmund Wickes; fourth corporal, G. S Smith. An illuminated scroll testimonial has been presented to the Rev. Father Royer by the residents in the Arnould District, which bears the following ; — " To the Rev. Father Royer, Roman Catholic Clergyman, Greymouth. Rev. Sik — We, the undersigned, residents of the Arnould District, of all denominations, in presenting you with this address, desire to testify our sincere appreciation of the services you have rendered to us as a Catholic Clergyman, and also of the kindly and charitable disposition you have

ever evinced towards, the sick and needy, irrespective of creed and country. We trust that with the blessing of Divine Providence, you may be long spared to exercise those Christian and philanthophic efforts which so eminently quality you for your sacred calling, and that every blessing may attend you through life. Signed on behalf of the residents of the Arnould District." Here follow the signatures. The Rev. gentleman's reply is in the following terms : — " My Dear Fxuendp-— 1 thank you sincerely for yoiir beautiful address. Iv all my experience, of j many countries and peoples, I must say that j [ I never received more cordiality or generous sympathy than from the good people of the Grey Biyer District, and particularly from the inhabitants of the Arnould. Such expression of sentiment is pheering to me in my arduous missionary career ; and this your precious memento will be an incentive ' to greater energy and zeal on my part to discharge my pastoral duties, in a manner I pleasing to Almighty God, and satisfaction . to the flock entrusted to my spiritual care, Thia memento shall also be a strong reason, if any were required, tp make me feel t brotherly love for those who differ from me in religious doctrine. With prayers to the Most High to bless, guide, and protect you all in peace, harmony, and happiness ; to grant you the grace of true faith, firm hope f ardent charity, a happy death, aud a glorious future, I remain, dear friends, gratefully and affectionally yours, JjJapiaxuel RoYEit." This graceful act ou the part of the residents in the Arnould District id no more than is deserved by the Rev. Father Royer, whose exertions on tneir behalf for years past have been most assiduous, visiting them, a?}d attending tp their spiritual wants iv all weathers, and frequently at the risk of his life. We may mention that the illumination of the scroll has been executed in a tho r roughly artistic manner by Mr R, C. Brown, a miner at \v aimea Junction, Arnould District. A correspondent of the Otago Daily Times at Macraes, under date June J9th, writes that mining is at a standstill through the severity of the weather. Mr Claffey, a storekeeper, appear to have had a very narrow escape of being lost iif the snow. It having been reported that he was lost, Constable Rooney formed a party to go out in search for him, consisting of himself, Mr Ross the Postmaster, Mr Kiiby, and three digger?, whose names ape not given. They took the direction iv which the missing man was last seen. After wading in the snow for six hours and cooeying every five minutes, they succeeded in makiug Mr Clatfey hear them, when he cooeyed in return. The signals made by the party were heard by Mrs Mahon in the township of AJacraes, and Mr Mahon, accompanied by three others, starting at once, found Mr Claffey in the snow completely ex. hausted. The snow being four feet deep the party made their way with difficulty.' On discovering Mr Olaffey, Mr Million's party gave three cheers, which were returned by Constable . Roooey and his companions, and all returned in safety, the latter having been in the suow for seven hours. It is reported that another man was out three days and nights with a horse. He. reached Deep Dell Station, when Mr Bruce, the manager, had him carried into the house. When his boots were taken off, his feet were found to be in a frightful condition with the frost. He is reported to be recovering a little. The mail man was unable to proceed with the bags for three days. "We regret to have to record the occurrence of another boat accident, by which a man named Charles Melville, in the employ of Mr H. Rowe, butcher, Cobden, was drowned. It appears that on Thursday night Rowe aud the deceased went up the liver in a waterman's boat, accompanied by Bacon, the waterman, for the purpose of bringing down the carcase of a 'bullock. The night was cloudy with heavy rain, rendering it impossible on the way down to see the siv-gs on the falls. While running down Snag Fa'j the boat struck, immediately filled and went down, leaving the three men struggling in the water. Rowe and 3acon managed to get ashore, but Melville was carried away and drowned. Up to last night the body had not been found, but the boat was recovered during the course of yesterday. The Westport Evening Star informs us that Mr Aitken, under whose superintendence the line of telegraph between Greymouth and Westport is being constructed, has this week visited Westport, for the pur. pose of selecting -a situation for the erection of the Telegraph Office, and of completing arrangements for the early construction of the northern portion of the line. Communication, we believe, is likely to be established between Greymouth and Charleston within a fortnight, and in a month hence Westport will also have the advantage of being connected, by telegraph, with the other parts of the colony to which the line is already extended. It is satisfactory to know that, in the construction of the new line, great care has been taken, by the removal of trees and otherwise, to reduce as much as possible the chances of breakage, or those annoying interruptions which have been of so frequent occurrence upon parts of the line which pass through timber country on the East Coast and elsewhere. With thia precaution taken — a precaution which has not been adopted without involving some addition to the cost of construction— there is an increased probability of the line continuing open and in good working order, when communication is once established. The further precaution has been taken, of keeping the line, nearly throughout its length, in view of the public highway, a circumstance which will considerably facilitate the making of repairs, when repairs become necessary. The' following mining news from the Blue Spur, Otago, is taken from the Bruce Herald : — " The severe weather has nearly put a stop to sluicing on the Spur. The races in the ranges are snowed np, and the water is frozen into ice in the races before it reaches the Spur. The tail-races are also frozen at the claims ; and if water was procurable, much gold would be lost by washing away the

cement in its present state. The Perseverance Company have completed their new dam, and got their own water on to the claim again. They have expended a very large sum of money on the dam and race, and it is to be hoped that their indomitable pluck and perseverance will be amply rewarded. The company hold over four aores of ground on lease, besides a valuable extended claim adjoing the claim of Keppel and Co. The title of the company to the extended claim was disputed some time ago by Keppel and Co., but m the litigation which ensued, the Perseverance Company were the \ictors. A blast of 28001bs, of powder was lately fired by the Perseverance Company, with very poor results. The strength of the powder seems to have been spent against the back of the hill, aa very little cement was brought down, whilst ground gOO yards away, at the top of the hill, is cracked for a considerable distance along the race of Ponsonby and Co. Powder is now at a very reasonable price. The Lawrence merchants sell Hall and Son's brand at l£d per lb,, in large quantities. Wages have undergone no alteration, and eleven shillings a day for eight hours work is still the rate paid by all the large sluicing companies. Very little work can now be done on the Blue Spur, until the weathe r breaks up and a thaw takes place." We cannot find space to-day for detailed reports of the proceedings in the County Council during the last three days, aud musb content ourselves with a brief summary of the principal topics touched upon. On Wednesday, the report of the select committee on the Licensing Ordinance {the principal suggestions, in which we notice elsewhere) was brought up and adopted with amendments. It was agreed that in future auction sales under judgments of the llesident Magistrates' Courts should be conducted by licensed auctioneers, if there is one in the district. Several items on the estimates were passed. On Thursday a lively discussion took place with regard to the " Vote of censure" ou the Government previously passed. The remarks made by the members were of a very personal nature, and referred principally to recent articles which have appeared iv the Hokitika papers. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Hoos : — " That whilst this Council adheres to and affirms the principle contained in the Westland County Act, 1867, clause 13, and embodied in the resolution passed by this Council on June 23rd last, it repudiates the interpretation placed upon it and promulgated by the press, a bare majority of the Municipal Council of Hokitika, and a portion of the people, thatitwas a vote of censure either upon the Chairman of the County Council or the Government." A subsidy of LSO each waa voted to the Fire Brigade of Greymouth, Hokitika, and Ross. A long debate took place /with regard to the amount to be paid to country members for their attendance at the Council this session, when it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Whall, "That the amount of 10s per diem be allowed in addition to [the amount voted, each session aa honorarium to members from the country, to defray their hotel expenses during the session." It was also resolved — " That in the opinion of this Council the clause of the Eesident Magistrates' Act, 1868, whereby Debtors cannot be imprisoned for a less sum than LlO, is not at all suitable for a gold fields population, and it is desirable that the above resolution be brought under the notice of the General Assembly. "