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Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 454, 10 December 1868, Page 2

Attention is called to the notice in another column from the Inspector of Weights and Measures, who is now in town, regarding the "Weights and Measures Act," which was passed during the last sessson of the A ssembly. This Act comes into operation on the Ist January, and provides a heavy penalty being inflicted for keeping short weights or measures, besides- forfeiture ; and a fine o^ £10 for obstruction of the Inspector in the discharge of his duty. Margaret Nichol, who was lately committed at the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, on a charge of concealment of birth, was tried before the District Court, at Hokitika, on Tuesday, and acquitted. The supply of scrub for filling in the protective works has been stopped during the last few days, a hitch having occurred between the contractors and Council. The matter was considered by the Public Works Committee on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and will be brought before the Council iv the shape of a report this evening. The precise nature of the dispute will then be publicly stated. The contractors recommenced work yesterday. A large and influential meeting, com- ! prising something like 500 persons, was held at M'Grath's Hotel, Greenstone, the other night, for the purpose of hearing Mr Don delas Carreras explain his views as a candidate for election to the County CounciJ. Mr Michael Flinn was called to the chair, who introduced Mr Carreras as a man whom he had known for nearly 14 years, as a miner and working man. Mr Carreras made a long and very able speech, for a report of which we regret we cannot find room. He explained his views of matters affecting the welfare of the district, and answered a number of questions satisfactorily. A show of hands was taken, which was unanimous in favor of the candidate, and a committee was appointed to ensure his return. The election of two members to represent Greymouth in the County Council takes place to-day, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, before tie Returning Officer, W. H. Revell, Esq. The candidates for the two vacant seats are Messrs Harrison, Wickes, and Lahman, and as they are all able men, and very warmly supported by various sections of the community, a close contest is anticipated. The past services which Mr Harrison has rendered to the town, both in his capacity of member of the County Council and the General Assembly, have given him a claim upon the electors which will no doubt be remembered to-day by those who have benefited by his past efforts on behalf of the County and town. His name ought to be placed Jn Iht position of honor on the poll

to-day. We anticipate the real contest will be for a second place between Messrs Wickes and Lahman, both of whom are untried men in New Zealand politics, but either of whom, we feel assured, would make a most desirable representative. It is for the electors to judge between the various candidates, and we hope they -will do so deliberately, and keeping in view the large and important interests which are at stake, and choose the best and ablest men to represent them. As some misapprehension appears to exist as to the qualifications of voters in the present election, we may mention that electors must eithsr be regi.tered on the roll now in force, or be the holders of miiers' rights or business licenses two months continuously and immediately preceding the nomination clay (2nd instant), with two months' residence in the Borough before the same date. — The election of one representative for the Paroa Electoral District in the County Council will also take place to-day at the polling-places — Police Camps Rutherglen, Arnold, Greenstone, and Pile Creek. The candidates for the seat are Messrs E. B. Fox, F. D. Carreras, and W. Dale, all of whom have spared no trouble in canvassing the district during the past week. The challenge - match between Professor Adams and an " amateur to play with singk - sticks and foil 3 for £25 a- side, is to come off at the United States Hotel, this evenin-/. Other entertainments are also announced for this occasion. At an election meeting, held in Hokitika the other night, the W. G. Times states that Mr M 'Quilkan inquired whether the candidate (Mr Boyle) was aware of the manner in which funerals were conducted from the Hospital. He might mention that some time since a friend of his had died there ; two coffins cam* over from the Hospital without even a chalk mark to distinguish the name of the inmate. All that he could do to find out his friend was to open the coffins and there laj the bodies without a stitch on them. Mr Boyle said, that if he were elected, the first thing he would do would be to move for a committee of inquiry. The election of four members of the Paroa Road Board will take place to-day at the various polling-places within the district — Barnhill's store, Paroa ; Fox's store, Arnold ; Hamilton's store, Pile Creek ; and Webb's store, Greenstone. There are eight candidates in the field, three of whom are old members of the Road Board, and about whose return there is very little doubt. These are Messrs E. B. Fox, H. Barnhil], and W. Leach, the other candidates being— Messrs J. Howison, T. Colton, R. Stansell, M. Dowling, and J. H. Murdoch. The Returning Officer in this election is E. Masters, Esq., Mayor of Greymouth. The qualification of voters is registration on some electoral roll in force within the district, or the possession of a miners' right or business license for two months, with two months' resideuce within the district prior to the 30th ult. The following racy skit on the candidates for the representation of Hokitika in the County Council appears in the Evening Star of Tuesday last : — Sale (a dark-brown colt) out of Commissioner, by Moorhouse out of Old Canterbury ; dam— Alma Mater, out of Separation by Postmaster-General, out of Rolleston ; sire — Independence j dam — Dontcarearap. Bonar (bay gelding) by Poi ridge out of Oatmeal, by Pease Bannocks out of Govornment Favorite ; dam —Highland Lassie, by Scotchman out of Haggis, by Handsome Sandy. Prosser (a young chestnut mare) out of Epsom Salts by Gallipots, out of Prescription by Blisters j dam — Miss Sawbones by Corporation, out of Improvement Committee ; sire — Facts, out of Figures by Calculation, out of Cocker by Muddle. Boyle (a dark bay horse) ; sire— Emei aid Tsle by Ambition out of Produce, by Retrenchment out of Old Lazar, by Second Moiety out of Special Rate. Shaw (a salmoncolored horse, aged), out of Artful Do Iger by Siniler, out of Morality ; dam — Benevolence by Pecksniff out of Humbug ; sire — Oleaginous out of Pizzey by Pee Bee, out of West Coast Times by Opposition, out of Quartz Reef. A second batch of volunteers for the Front, numbering twenty-five, was shipped by the p.s. Charles Edward yesterday afternoon. That vessel was chartered specially to convey the volunteers to Wanganui, after calling at Westport. These men, most of whom are stalwart fellows, well accustomed to the New Zealand bush, and some of whom have already seen service, were recruited by Mr Andrews, Collector of Customs, who spared no amount of time and labor to keep them together while the steamer was detained through the late bad weather. About five o'clock yesterday afternoon, the men were mustered behind the Collector of Customs' private residence, and addressed by him, impressing upon them the importance of the duties they had undertaken. The bugle then sounded the advance, the men were marched off, and the band stationed on the wharf struck up " The girl I left behind me." On board, the roll was called, and all the men were found to be present. On the steamer leaving the wharf, the recruits gave three cheers for Mr Andrews, and a parting cheer for Greymouth, which was heartily responded to by the numerous spectators on the wharf. This makes a total of forty-three men who have been enlisted by Mr Andrews in Greymouth. A muiderous assault was recently made by a Maori, near Manawatu, on a Danish gentleman, named Cornrupp, who came out with Bishop Monrad. It appears that he was travelling with a packhorse when a Maori' fell in with him. Near the Ohau river, the Dane sat down to take off his boots, when the Maori came behind him and struck frightful blows on his head and neck. Cornrupp rose and struck the Maori with his boot, who retreated brandishing his tomahawk. Cornrupp's horse had bolted; but the Dane, though desperately wounded, managed to crawl to the ferry-house, Manawatu, where Dr Featherstone dressed his wounds. He is not expected to live. The Wanganui Times, of the 28th ult, informs us that tho police, accompanied by some of

the Manawatu settlers, proceeded to the native pah on Thursday last in search of the Maori who committed the brutal assault on the previous day. The culprit waa at onco given up, he confessed his guilt, and said that it had been his intention to have murdered the man and then robbed him ; in this he was, however, baulked as immediately after striking the first blow he observed two horsemen come along the road at the moulh of the Ohau River and making towards him — supposing that he was observed he at once made off. The Maori belongs Ihakara's tribe at Otaki ; he was taken in custody by the police, and forwarded to Wellington yesterday morning, for trial. The natives say that if the Culprit is not hanged they will kill him. We are happy to say that the victim of this outrage is progressing favorably, and will, in all probability, ultimately recover. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M., John M'Grath waa brought up on remand, charged with stealing from the p.s. John Perm, and was again remanded for eight days, or until the arrival of the vessel. On the civil side of the Court, several cases were dismissed for non-appearance. An interpleader summons was heard— T, Gourlay, bailiff, v. Mrs Sutton and N; Edwards and Co. Tins summons was issued to prove the ownership of certain goods seised by the bailiff under a distress-warrant issued in the case N. Edwards and Co. v. J. Davies. The defendant, Mrs Sutton, did not appear, but Mr Perkins appeared for N. Edwards and Co. The bailiff was ordered to remain in possession, and proceed svith the the sale of the goods. It is 'reported by the Home ffcioa that the bishopric of New Zealand will be conferred upon the Rev. James Leslie Randall, rector of Newbury Berks. Mr Randall is the son of the Archdeacon of Berkshire, and brother of the newly-appointed incumbent of All Saints' Church, Clifton. Mr Randall was educated at Mew College, Oxford, an J became a fellow of that college. He graduated B. A. in 1851; M.A. iv 1855, and would therefore be about 3S years of age. He was ordained by the Bishop of Oxford deacon in 1852, aud priest in 1853, and was presented by the bishopric in 1857 to the rectory of Newbury, worth £380, and a house. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, on the Ist instant, Mr Hy. Smythies, barrister and solicitor, was fined £500 and costs, for having been gnilty, on the 25 th of November last, at Dunedin, "of unlawfully (after the passing and coming into force o£ the Law Practitioners Act Amendment Act, I860), being a person who had been heretofore convicted of forgery : To wit, at the Central Criminal Court, in the County of Middlesex, United Kingdom, and, not regarding the said statute, practising at an 1 before the Supreme Court of New Zealand, at Dunedin aforesaid, as a barrister of the said Supreme Court, in a certain c?.se depending in the said Court, wherein one John Richard Jones was plaintiff, aud Frank Alfred Orbell was defendant.