THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1869.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 465, 7 January 1869, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1869.

By one of those coincidences which sometimes happen, both ourselves and our Hokitika contemporary, the " West Coast Times," find it neoessary to preach a homily to our readers on the enoi'mous risks from fire which the inhabitants of this town and of Hokitika run every hour of their lives, and the very inadequate means there are at command for providing against such a calamity as a large fire. Our neighbors enjoy a very important advantage. As the "West Coast Times" says, they have "awellrorganised Fire Brigade — a noble band of men, prompt and energetic in action, and well trained " — and yet that iournal is compelled to admit that, " with our present means of dealing with a large conflagration, the Fire Brigade would be almost powerless." If this is the position of affairs at Hotitika, what is it here in Greymouth ? It is true we have got an excellent fa'c^enginc, and |we had a Fire Brigade, The former rusts idly in the engiuerhouse, and the latter has become extinct. The Greymouth Fire Brigade exists only in name, aud for ail the purposes for which it was originally formed is useless. This docs not arise from the Inefficiency of the few men who have faithfully followed np the obligations they assumed when they became tnembin*; { Hit. it is

the effect of the criminal— and that is not one whit too hard a word to use — apathy and neglect of those who ought to have been foremost in coming forward. We can hardly bring ourselves to credit the indifference -which the inhabitants generally, and more particularly the young and active amongst us, have manifested with regard to establishing efficient precautionary I means against the burning of the town. Can any sane person for a moment doubt that anything like a serious fire in any part of the town means the destruction of the whole? Providence has been kind to its. >Ye have had no fire as yet ; but it would be madness to assume that the immunity already enjoyed is permanent. From what slight and apparently trivial causes the greatest disasters often arise, and especially in cases of fire ! A match carelessly thrown down, a pipe dropped out of the mouth of a drunken sleeper, a fallen lamp, afoul chimnev — each and all have been known to be the origin of the most fearful calamities. We have said that any fire of importance in Greymouth might, and probably would, involve the destruction of the greater portion, if not the whole of the town. What is to prevent it] Every house and store in town is formed of and con^ tains materials of the most comubustible nature. The continuous character of the main street is another element of danger; the flames would leap from block to block with uninterrupted velocity, and one single hour might see the fair town of Greymouth a heap of ruins. And what would such a fire mean ? It would mem simply absolute ruin to the majority of the owners and occupiers of property, and almost irretrievable disaster to others. No one is insured, and yet those, who have most to lose appear indifferent. Surely this is the blindest folly. Men canuot always guard against misfortune. The wisest plans and the most careful calculations sometimes are of no avail against unforseen circumstances. But here we have a matter about which there can be no possibility of doubt. We know well that fire can be put out by water, and we have abundance of the necessary element within a few feet of our doors. We have the appliances for availing ourselves of this antidote, and yet those appliances are practically useless, because of the want of the men aud organization necessary to make tliein valuable. It is a shame aud a disgrace to the town that whilst so many young athletic men are ready and willing enough to play at soldiers, tbey will not proffer their services in a capacity in which they might do real service. How to handle a rifle aud wear a sword are useful things, no doubt, but we are inclined to think that more real service could be done if those who favor such accomplishments could work heartily at the pumps, or head a forlorn hope against a burning house. Several solemn warnings have lately been given — Timaru, for instance, where nearly the whole town was swept away in a few minutes. It may be that the next may be nearer our own doors,

Our Hokitika neighbors have certainly something to boast of in the West Coast Times. It is seldom indeed that a large and intelligent population has to depend upon so accurate and instructive a journal. In the leading columns of that paper of Tuesday appear the following lines : — " There has been, we believe, no new scheme brought forward for doing more than has been done up to the present time in making roads into the interior. One only of the candidates for the Council had a definite suggestion to make, and that was that the Council should undertake all the more important works, and after carrying them out, should hand them over to the Road Board to be maintained." Truly may ifc be said that there are none so blind as those who will not see. We don't know who the " only candidate" referred to may be, but this we do know, and our contemporary ought also to know, that at its very first session the old Council passed the following amongst other resolutions relating to the future administration of affairs in Westland: — "That the County Council be invested with the power to appropriate money out of the County fund, for the construction of main roads, bridges, wharves, and other public works, and retain the supervision over works thus constructed until such have been handed over to the Municipalities or Road Boards for maintenance." So much for our contemporary's and the " only candidate's" originality. The resolution just quoted has been given effect to in the County of Westland Act. Some time ago we reported the disappearance of a young man known as Louis Martin, but whose proper name was Carl Ludwig Martin, who was supposed to have been drowned while on his way from Greymouth to the Eight-mile Terrace, New River, where he was working. We regret now to add that the worst anticipations have been realised by the finding of his body in the New River. When the rumors of his disappearance were circulated, Mr Wm. Thompson, an intimate Mend and countryman of Martin's, offered a reward for tho discovery of his body, and a diligent examination of the rivor in tho jicality where he was seen was made by Mr

Morden M, Richards, a miner at the Eightmile, and after a five days' search he found the body, on tho 2nd instant, entangled in the brushwood in the river with feet uppermost, about two and a-half miles from the spot where he was expected to have crossed the New River on a log. The body was taken out of the water and information sent to town. Early on- Sunday morning, Constable Mueller and Mr Thompson started for the New River, and at the spot indicated f ound the body of the deceased. Mr Thompson had taken up with him a pack-horse to convey the remains to town, but found that they were too' much decomposed to be removed, besides, the place was over four miles from the nearest diggings, and there was no doubt as to the cause of death, The Constable and Thompson proceeded to the Eight*mile township to obtain assistance, Early on Monday morning eighteen miners volunteered to accompany the constable to the spot, and as it was impossible to parry a coffin with them through the bush they had boards pawn at the Eight-mile, which they carried with them, and, on the beach of the New River made a coffin for the deceased, and buried him near where he was found, Copstable Mueller reading the funeral service. Prom inquiries instituted there appears now to be no doubt. thsi the deceased was drown§d while attempting to cross the New River on a log, during very bad weather, and the river being umisually high, as he stated at the last place he called at (Dixon's) that he was anxious to reach his destination. The deceased, who was well-known and much respected both in town and at the Eightrmile, was a native of Frankfort-on-the-Main, Prussia, and slightly over twenty years of age, His brother is a merchant in Melbourne. The search and fimeral expense's were subscribed by his numerous friends in Greymouth, and much credit is due to Mr Thompson for the earnestness with which he set to work to unravel the mystery of his friend's disappearance, and also to the miners at the Eight-mile, who so nobly volunteered for the sad task which they were called upon to perform. Prom the Greenstone we learn that a new rush took place on j Tuesday last to Maori Point, where good gold had been struck. A great number of men went to the locality, and others were following. The country is "likely-looking;" but very little is yet known as to the prospects. The population of the Greenstone diggings is increasing at the rate of 50 a-day. The surveyors are now engaged blazing a track from the Hokitika side of the Teremakau to Greenstone ; but no steps can be taken to construct the track until the meeting of the County Council. A post office was opened at the store of Mr Murphy, Maori Gully, on the Ist instant. The mail for the Arnold closes every Friday, at 4.30 p.m., and the mails from that district arrive in town every Thursday, at 3 p.m. The fire-bell rang out ominously last night, at half -past eight o'clock, and a general rush was made to the engine-house. A blaze was seen in the direefcionof the Preston-road, and the engine was smartly out, manned by plenty of willing hands, and dragged by the nearest route in the direction of the fire. But the blaze very spon died out, and proved to have been a fiie lit on or near the beach. The engine was brought back to town, and the excitement soon died away. A meeting of the gentlemen who have subscribed towards the cost of. the preliminary survey of the proposed line of tramway from Card's Lower Store to the Greenstone, was held on Tuesday evening — Mr E. Wickes in the chair. A committee was appointed to communicate with the proprietors of the Greymouth Tramway and Saltwater and Rutherglen Tramway, to ascertain the terms upon which they would sell their lines to the proposed company, and what amount of the purchase-money they would take up in shares. , During the present; week, another rush has taken place in Nelson Creek, this time to a terrace near the Old Township. So far as is yet known, the prospects obtained were about 4 grains to the dish, but it would take some time to prove it. There were said to be 200 men on the ground on Monday last. A number of Government officials are now on a visit to the Greenstone diggings, to enquire into the wants of that much-neglected district. The company includes the Hon. J . A. Bonar, County Chairman, Mr Fraser, the Chief Surveyor, Mr Rochfort, the County Engineer, Mr Warden Keogh, and Mr Inspector Broham. The newly-appoiHted Medical Assessor for Westland is Dr Rutherford Ryley, of the Hokitika Hospital. A perusal of the, proceedings in the Re" sident Magistrate's Court, which we publish to-day, should be to convince any one that there was (hiring the holidays, and may still be, in ' town some very smart burglars. In the two principal cases heard, in both of •which houses were entered and money stolen, the parties charged with the offence were dismissed, as the evidence did not connect them with the crime, and none of the stolen property was recovered. It would be well for householders and obhers to be on their guard, as in these caaes "prevention is better than cure." . H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh is expected to arrive at Wellington about the end of March. He sailed in the Galatea from Plymouth on the 2nd November for the Cape of Good Hope, touching at Madeira en route. She is expected at Cape Town by the end of December, and after remaining there a few days the Prince will steer his course for Swan River, Western . Australia, ; which he will roach, about the close of January, 1869. Early. in January he. will leave for Sydney, . calling at Adelaide and Melbourne, which will occasion a delay of probably eight or ten days ; and about the middle of March the Galatea will make for New Zealand. She is timed to reach Wellington about the end of March. From Wellington, the head-quarters, the Prince will doubtless visit the more important towns and places of the Middle Island. The time allowed him in the Colony will admit of this, M he will not l«ave Auckland (his last place

of call in the Colony) till the latter end of May. From Auckland, he will sail for Yokohama, in Japan, which will be reached about the end of June. He then returns by way of the Gulf of Pechili, Hong Kong, Manilla, Singapore, and Penang, and proceeds to Calcutta, to be reached by the end of October. The return voyage will be continued by way of Trincomalee, Point de Galle, or Colombo, proceeding thence by way of Mauritius to the Cape, which will be made, it is expected, by the middle of Xpril, , 1870. Another stay will be made there, after which the Prince will call at St. Helena on his way to old England, where it is calculated he will arrive about the close of July, after an absence of a year and ten months, and a trip of something like 39,000 mile)?. We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of " The Temperanoe Year Book, and Total Abstainers' and Rechabite Directory, 1869," published by William Bell, of Melbourne. It is a very tastefully got-up volume, and contains, besides the calendar, a mass of information interesting chiefly to members of Temperance and Rechabite Societies. The copies for New Zealand contain a colored map of the colony. A meeting of the Grey Elver Hospital .Committee was. held on Wednesday evening, at the Albion Hotel, It was stated that the number of patients in the Hospital on the Ist December last was 23 ; during that month nine were admitted, six discharged, and one died — leaving a total in the Hospital on the Ist January of 25. During this month to date two were admitted, and as there were only 24 beds, three patients are now located on the floor, while some others have been refused admission. The accounts for the month were passed for payment. Messrs Parkinson, Strike, and Gilmer were appointed the Monthly Visiting Committee. The Committee wish, to acknowledge the services of Mr J. Bruce, a patient in the Hospital, who has worked hard to improve the appearance of the reserve. The mate of the s. s. Kennedy had a narrow escape at Hokitika on Monday night. It appears he was going on board that steamer, and, in stepping upon the gangway-board, | leading from the steamer to the wharf, the board — the edge only of which was upon the wharf — slipped, and the mate fell between the steamer and the wharf, in the fall receiving a very bad cut over the eye. He was fortunately rescued, and taken on board the steamer. A rather amusing incident is related by the Evening Star as having occurred in Hokitika during the last sitting of the District Court :—"While the case of Michael Healey was being heard, Mr Cassius, who Avas a creditor, after examining the debtor, essayed t« address the Court. Before he had got one sentence out, however, he was chacked by Mr Harvey, who objected to Mr Cassius touching upon the privileges of the bar. Mr Cassius did not see being put down so summarily, and again attempted to speak, but was interrupted by Mr Ilees and Mr South. His Honor then explained to Mr Cassius the usages of the Court, which did not, however, seem to satisfy him, and he wound up by asserting that it was unjust that after losing their money by insolvent debtors, creditors should have to pay heavy fees to lawyers for the very equivocal advantage of seeing what said debtors did with their assets. At this a smile rippled over the judicial visage, and the ' Bur' bent their heads closely to the table, probably for the purpose of ascertaining what kind of timber it was made of. The court then resumed its usual monotony."