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Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 464, 5 January 1869, Page 2

Wine and spirit merchants, hotel-keepers, | and brewers are informed that the Distillation Act, 1868, is now in force, and that they are required to have their places of business registered at the Custom House. A. writ having been issued for the election of a member for the Grey District in the Provincial Council of Nelson, the Returning Officer, J. R. Dutton, Esq., R.M., has appointed the nomination of candidates to take place at the Court House, Cobden, on Tuesday, 26th instant. The poll, if necessary, will be taken on Friday, the 29th instant. The only names which we have yet heard mentioned of gentlemen likely to contest the seat are those of Mr J. D. Pinkerton, Ahaura, and Mr D. Girdwood, Greymouth. At the Resident Magistrates's Court on Saturday, before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M., Patrick Walsh and George Sawyer, charged with having been drunk and disorderly, were dismissed with a caution, and James Dunn, for a similar offence, was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. For a breach of the peace, John Robinson was fined 5s and costs,

a,nd Richard Hearce 10s and costs. Sydney Percy, charged with larceny, was remanded until Wednesday. —Yesterday, Jacob Bradwell was charged with having been drunk and incapable, and was dismissed with a caution. James Davidson was brought up supposed to be of unsound mind, and was remanded for a week for medical treatment, Dennis Carroll, James Brimble, and Alex. Constantine were each fined 10s and costs for permitting their horses to be at large in the streets. Thomas Gourlay, bailiff, was charged with having assaulted Mary Sufcton on the 12th ult. The complainant stated that the defendant had been in possession of her house from the. previous Friday. On the Saturday evening she met him in the street, and ho offered her back the key. She refused to take it, when he seized her by the shoulder and lifted her dress before a crowd of people. The only person present whom she knew was Carlisle Hammond. He was now called as a witness but did not appear. The Magistrate said that as this was a very serious charge against an officer of the Court, one from which he must either be exonerated or it must be brought home to him, he would adjourn the Court until the following day and compel Mr Hammond's attendance. Recruiting for the Armed Constabulary Force has been stopped for the present. The last detachment of: the men enlisted here by Mr Andrews, Collector of Customs, numbering thirty-two, was dispatched to Wanganui direct, by the p,s. Charles Edward, on Sunday forenoon. A large crowd assembled to see them off, and the recruits cheered loudly as the steamer moved from her moorings. This makes a total of eighty-nine men enlisted in Greymouth. The first rifle competition of the Grey Rifle Volunteers took place on New Year's Day, and was in every respect a most successful meeting. The first .event was Captain Hamilton's prize of £5, with £3 added; second prize, £5; and third prize, £3; — five shots at each range. The following were the highest scores made: —

The remainder of the day was taken up with three separate competitions of five shots at each of the above-named ranges. Prizes for each event, £3 and £2. 250 Yards. Volunteer W. S. Smith 14 Sergeant Thomas 12 Corporal Wickes 8 200 Yabds. Sergeant Lyell. 11 Volunteer Moss 10 v^unreerspfltiTTTrr.TT-. .--.-.-.■■.,t^_iq____ Volunteer Simmons 10 The tie was shot off, and won by Volunteer Moss. 150 Yards. Volunteer Simmons 19 Volunteer W. S. Smith 18 Volunteer Holder 16 Volunteer Moss 15 Sergeant Thomas 14 Consolation Prizes of £2 and £1. Corporal Wickes 13 Corporal Smith 13 The tie was won by Corporal Wickes. The telegrams from Wellington state that a great fire took, place at Wanganui on Wednesday night.' The Rutland Hotel and eight other houses have been destroyed. The damage done is estimated at L 9500, of which L 5200 is covered by the various Insurance Companies. A sad boat accident has occurred at Invercargill. On a recent date, a boat capsized and four men, named Bryson, Naylon, Hart, and M'Culloch were drowned. The bodies j of Naylon and Bryson have been found, but the other bodies had not been recovered. Three men narrowly escaped being drowned yesterday afternoon, in the river, just off the mouth of the lagoon, on the north side. They had been out fishing in a canoe, had come to town, sold the fish, and were returning to the north side, when they foolishly allowed the canoe to encounter the swell driven in at that point by a strong spring tide. She cleared the first wave, but immediately capsized. Ferry boats at once put off from both sides, the men were all rescued, and the canoe was towed into the lagoon. New Years-day will long be remembered with pleasure by the Sunday-school children of Greymouth and Cobden, and not only by them but also by all those who were interested in the annual picnic which took place on that day. It has become the custom—and a very excellent one it is—to provide by public subscription an entertainment for the children on the first day of the year, in order that they may join in the festivities of the season. This year it was arranged to hold the picnic in the large paddock belonging to Messrs Willoughby and Fairhall, which was kindly given for the occasion. The town was canvassed by Mrs Masters, Mrs Coates and Mrs Thomas, and the subscriptions came in very liberally—amply sufficient to provide for the entertainment of two or three hundred : children. The arrangements were taken in hand by the teachers of the Sunday-school held at the Institute, and the Wesleyan Church Sunday-school, and the teachers of the South Beach and Cobden schools were invited to co-operate in the movement, and bring the children under their respective charges to the picnic. The preliminaries were all carried out admirably, and on the morning of New Years-day, the streets were thronged with crowds of boys and girls hurry - ing with eager anticipation to the mustering places of the several schools. The general assembly took place at the wharf, to meet the children from Cobden, where a procession was formed, and headed by a band of music the children, numbering over 200, marched to the picnic ground. The sight was one of the most interesting and gratifying that has ever been witnessed in the streets of Greymouth—so many well-dressed, healthy, happy children marching out to enjoy the annual festival provided for them at the public expense. Happily this year the day was everything that could be desired — indeed, the

finest we have had for many months past, and consequently those who joined in the pic-nic — adults as well as children — had every facility offered them for enjoyment. Of course, the majority of the parents and friends of the children were present during the day, and took part in the general rejoicing ; and it was a thorough day of rejoicing and exuberant mirth with the children, which they will long remember and talk about. Games of every kind were provided, and entered into with great spirit during the former part of tlie day, after which dinner j and tea were provided for the children first, I and afterwards for their friends. There was more than enough for all, even after bushels of lollies and sweetmeats were scattered broadcast over the ground and scrambled for. After refreshment, there were boys' and girls' races and games for toy-prizes, and many of these were keenly contested. The proceedings were brought to a close by a balloon ascent, which, as it was the first ever witnessed by many of the children, was watched with much interest. They then marched back in procession to town, and before dispersing gave three cheers for Mr Masters, the Mayor. Amongst those who were in charge of the children, and who distinguished themselves by attending to their wants or adding to their enjoyment, we noticed Messrs -E..-. Masters, D. Magoffin, Perkins, Savage, Warren, and others. Messrs Willoughby and Fairhall gave the milk as well as the use of the ground ; the Union Bakery sent the buns ; Mr Barke made the balloon, and inflated it ; Messrs Hosie and Savage provided the flags ; and there were many others, whose names we have not got, who worked equally hard in many capacities to render the pic-nic a success. All who took interest in the affair have now the satisfaction of knowing that it was an immense success, and that they were instrumental in causing over 240 children to remember with delight the opening day of the new year. The Wellington Evening Post says : — " When the steamer from Panama, carrying the English mail, arrived in harbor, it became known that small-pox was on board ; but, nothing daunted at the alarming intelligence, our contemporaries' emissaries speedi'y reached her deck in search of news, aid triumphantly bore to the shore their packets of papers ; but they were immediately fo% lowed by the officers of her Majesty's Customs, who seized and burnt the documents supposed to be infectious, and then proceeded to purify the buildings, bestowing, very properly, a large amount of their labor on the staff of the Government organ, whose editor, fortunately being present, will, we hope, receive much benefit from the fum'gatory process, happily resorted to in this particular instance." — An-,occa3ional correspondent at ...Nelson - Greek sends us the following notes : — The holidays have passed over very pleasantly up here. There were sports of different kinds at the Upper and Middle Townships, with very liberal prizes. Messrs Ahem and M'Kay have been making a very successful collection towards having a Catholic Chapel here, and tenders are invited for its erection. I am sorry to have to report that sickness is very prevalent on Try-again Terrace ; taking the form of fever. A young man named Walter Penketh, better known as Wat. the Baker, died here on Monday morning, after only a week's illness. He was indefatigably attended by Doctor Hudson both day and night. Owing to the high state of the rivers his body was interred here. This makes the second buried, and 1 believe a memorial is in course of signature to have a piece of ground set apart for a (jeneral cemetery. A collection by Messrs Jones and Ellis was made towards having the graves above alluded to fenced in, and the public very generously contributed a sum close on Ll2 towards the object. An adjourned meeting of the Borough Council was held on Saturday afternoon, for the purpose of receiving tenders for the supply of scrub. There were present the Mayor in the chair, Councillors Wickes, Kilgour, Parkinson, Coates, and Strike. The Town Clerk reported that, in accordance with his instructions, he had informed Mr Perotti and Mr Bushbridge that tenders for scrub would be received up to that day, but no tenders had been sent in. Mr Kilgour moved the adjournment of the Council, but this was not seconded. Mr Parkinson thought that some steps should be taken in the matter at once. Perhaps the best thing to do would be for the Council to lay down a tramway and bring in the scrub and shingle required for the public works. By this means he believed the Council could bring it in cheaper than it was supplied. He moved — "That the Town Surveyor be instructed to ascertain the best situation for laying down a tramway for bringing in scrub and gravel, and report to the next meeting as to the probable cost. Mr Coates seconded the motion, which was carried, as was also a resolution for extending the time for receiving tenders for scrub to Thursday next. Speculation has frequently been indulged in as to where the Hauhaus obtain their ammunition. The following paragraph from a letter of the Poverty Bay correspondent of the Hawhes Bay Herald will furnish those interested in the subject with food for re* flection : — "I have just received a remarkable present — it is a cartridge — one of two founl upon the Hauhau killed at Patutahi the other day by our transport party, This cartridge has evidently been one of many manufactured for the use of the Hauhaus. It is, however, too artistically finished and the powder is too fine in grain to have been made by the enen. y. The paper coverings or cases of both these cartridges are formed of a number of the Southern Cross journal, and they contain portions of a speech delivered by Mr G. Graham, of Auckland— upon : what subject I could not discover. The cartridge has been examined by many persons, and some rather free criticisms indulged in. I draw no inference ; "but merely "mention the facts. The fellow cartridge is, I believe, in possession of a gentleman who is connected with a London journal, and who is residing here."

Yds. Yds. Yds. Tota Volunteer W. S. Smith 17 16 13 41 Sergeant Thomas '•...... 17 15 10 4! Volunteer Hogg... f ;..... 15 9 14 3* Volunteer Simmons ... 18 12 6 31 Volunteer Holder 17 9 6 3! Volunteer Moss 12 11 8 3