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Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 415, 10 September 1868, Page 2

Owing to the length of the telegraphic intelligence we publish to-day, we are compelled to bold over several matters of local interest. It is with considerable satisfaction that we notice the commencement of the railway works in connection with the Grey River Coal Company. Tho survey of the line has been made, and to-day tenders are called for clearing the timber and scrub for about sixty chains between town and the Oniotumotu Creek, A meeting was heltt on Tuesday evening last in the Fire Brigado Hall to take into consideration the formation of a Choral Society. The meeting was well attended, including a few ladies, and all seemed anxious that' something of tho kind ought to be established in Greyniouth. Mr King was called to the chair, and after briefly addressing the meeting, stating the objects <•£ the proposed society, shewing the advisability of forming such an institution, and the pleasure that is experienced in these social

gatherings, asked the secretary to read over a set of rules which had been framed for the working of the sqciety, which, after a few alterations, were ultimately passed, and became the rules of the Greymouth Choral Union. The following gentlemen were then elected officebearers :— President, W. H. JRevell, Esq. ; Vice-Presidont, G. King, Esq. ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr W. W. Cardnp; Committee : President, Vice-President, and Secretary, and Messrs J. Greenwqod, VYm. Rae, J. W Parkinson, and R. Shaw. The first practice will be held on Tuesday next' when we hope to see a large attendance. During fche present week the Foley Juvenile Troupe have been performing nightly at Kilgour's Union Theatre very goqd houses. The various members of tho company possess an amount of ability quite sufticient to render the entertainment in a very enjoyable manner, and during their shqrfc stay here have earned the good qpinious of all who have witnessed their performances. A few more opportunities will be given, and a visit to the Theatre will be amply repaid. The nqmination pf candidates for the vacant seats in the Municipal Council took place at the Court House yesterday at noon. Not the slightest interest seemed to be taken in the proceedings, as there was not a single representative of " the British public" present. The Pieturning Officer, Mr Revell, declared that he had received the following nominations :— John Heron, nominated by J. T. Fitzgerald, J. C. Moore, and J. A. Whall ; Joseph Eilgour, by A. Hosie, C. Holder, and W. F. Strike; David Magoffin, by E. Wiekes, G. Simmons, and J. C. Moore ; Ed. Masters, by J. A. Whall, W. J. Coates, and T. Foxcroft ; William Rae, by A. Hosie, C. Holder, and W. F. Strike ; George Simmons, by J. M'Gregor, M. Callan, and J. CattleHe further announced that the poll would take place on Thursday (to-day), at the Court House. The West Coast Times of Monday says that a sad accident, resulting in tho death of a miner named Peter Moran, lias occurred at the Kanieri. It appears that about eight o'clock on Saturday morning, while decease.d, with his three mates, were working in a tunnel on the Kanieri Terrace, some slabs which were supporting the rnof gave way, completely bmying him, his mates escaping with great difficulty. , On the miners working in adjacent claims becoming aware of what had happened, they came to the spot, and after working with a will for more than four hours, succeeded in extricating the man from the dirt he was embodied in. It was, however, too late, as Moran was quite dead. His remains vere conveyed to the Ballarat Hotel. The nomination of candidates for the two vacant seats at the Grey District Road Board is announced. to take place at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, at noor, to-morrow, and the pol, if necessary, will be held at the appointed pollirg booths on Tues- . day next. A parade ojt^ the Greymouth Volunteer Rifles is appointed for this afternoon, in the paddock behind the Court House. The band of the corps will attend. Every effort should be made to perfect the drill of tho company, as we see it aunounced in the Southern papes that all the Volunteei Corps in the Colony are to be invited to do a month's garrison duty at Paten, in order to enable the Government to send as many troops as possible to the East Coast. The Christchumh papers state that on Wednesday last, at a sitting of the Supreme Court, before Mr Justice Gresson, Thomas Brown Bain, late Clerk to the Bench at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with embezzling certain moneys received by him in virtue of his office, and was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. On the following day the Grand 0 ury made the following presentment with reference to this case, to the effect "That, from the evidence given iii the case of Thomas Brown Bain, there appeared to be a very lax system of accounting by the clerk, a total absence of any record of the amount received, or system of audit, The laxity, in fact, was so great as to offer inducement to fraud. " Mr Justice Gresson promised to forward the presentment to the proper quarter, in the hope that it would have some effect in improving the S3 7 stem. Although no official notice has been given by the Government, we are infoimed that it is the intention of the Waste Lands Board to sell the remaining unsold improved towa lauds in Greymouth, on the Ist October, in Hokitika. On that date all lawful occupants who have effected improvements on their sections to the value of L 25 previous to Ist July, 18G8, can purchase their sections at the upset price of 5s per foot frontage. In the event of any occupant not so xmrchasing, the section maybe sold by the\v aste Lands Board to the highest bidder, without any valuation far improvements. To avoid putting the occupants to the trouble and expense of appearing in person at the land sale, an officer will be appointed to receive the purchase moneys in Greymouth, due notice of which is expected to be given on an early day. The delivery of the budgeb-speech by the Hon. John Hall is thus described by the Wellington Independent, of the 3rd instant :— " Towards half-past nine o'clock, the strangers' gallery gradually began to fill, and stray members straggled into the House. By and bye, the Ministerial benches were occupied ; Stafford leant his head against the wall, and looked very, very weary ; Richmond sat bolt upright, and occasionally scanned an order paper with an affected look of interest, as if he had never heard anything j of the business conbained therein before j while Haultain, as is his wont, bit his thumb and tried to look sagacious in his corner. Then the ladies began to fill one gallery, and the reporters another ; then there was heard the rustle of garments and the scrapiug of pens ; then there was a lull for a little, until by and bye the Hon. John Hall, the pro. tern. Chancellor of the Exchequer, walked into the House a"hd took his seat along with hia Ministerial colleagues. Then some littla

formal husiness was done, at the conclusion of which Mr Hall walked forward to the Speaker's table, and amidst a faint round of cheering, essayed to deliver his speech. Evidently, the hou. gentleman was scarcely recovered from Ms recent attack of illnesSjbccaxise his movements were languid] and he seemed devoid of his usual energy.' Placing his white hat upon the historical box — which when Mr Gladstone u.ses it is ..-pf tin and japanned— the Cljancejlor pufc his hands into his pockets, Bwayed himself gpntly to and fro, and then commenced h,is speech.. Of the matter of that speech we need nq(; speak here, fcjtricfcly speaking it was not a speech at all but a reading — a reading from a printed paper, with voluminous marginal notss^which gave testimony tq $ie hon.. gentler man's slqll and industry. Aiid so the long story was told, which showed that there had been a. falling off in the revenue, that the finances o.f the colony were in a disorganised condition, and that between commercial depression, a falling off in trade, and the law price of wool, • the times were out Qf joint,' and the lines of colonists had not fallen in I pleasant places,."