THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1809.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 492, 11 March 1869, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1809.

As no steps have yet been taken to secure the registration of the large number of residents whose names do not appear en the electoral roll, we are glad to hear that the matter is about to be taken up by Mr Win. Dale, who intends within the next few days to make a personal canvas, and provide the necessary forms for registering voters, which are not supplied by the Government. Of course he will charge a small fee for his trouble, which will surely not be allowed to stand in the way of any unregistered person having his name placed upon the roll. As the date of our annual race meeting approaches, the interest taken in it by the residents in the district is visibly increasing. The Stewards and Working Committee continue to do everything in their power to ensure the success of the meeting by making the arrangements as perfect as possible. On Tuesday, the sale of booths and stalls on the course took place at Kilgour's Union Hotel, and realised a total of LISI. Booths Nos. 1, 4, 5 and ' 6, were purchased by Mr James Johnston, of the Melbourne Hotel, for L2#, L 25, L 22, and L 23 respectively ; No. 2, Mr J. MUYleton, f. 30 ; No. 3, Mr Gihnor, L2O ;

refreshment stands, Mr Coburn, L 5; Mr Gledhill, L 4 lQs ; right to tend horses on course, Mr Bradley, Ll7 ; right to sell cards, MrCobirn, L 8 10s. Amongst the number of horses in training for the meeting, in town, Cobden, aud Hokitika, we may mention Nebula, Native, Cossack, Backbiter, Corsair, Slim Jim, Mazeppa, Gamester, Moss Rose, Prince Patrick, and Selim. Others are still expected, and, judging by the merits of some of those already here, some splendid sport may be expected. The nominations are to be made on Saturday evening. The Nelson Colonist gives the following, which may be taken as a settlement of the many rumors afloat on the subject :— Mr Lowe, sometime Assistant Engineer at Westport, has been appointed Gold Fields Warden at Cobden, in room, of Mr Dutton. It is said that in the. main, motives of economy have induced the Provincial Government to make this appointment ; but it is the opinion in general that Mr Harris, of Westport, was the fittest as well as the proper person, who from experience, length of service, and knowledge of the digging community and their ' wants, should have been selected. His being passed over seems a mistake, if it is not an injustice. Mr Dobson, Assistant Engineer at Nelson, goes to Westport in room of Mr Lowe, At the opening of the Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court, Dunedin, on the 3rd inst., His Honor Mr Justice Ward directed the Sheriff in future to strike the names of all jurors, who passed through the Bankruptcy Court, off the list of Grand Jurors. The next session of the Provincial Council ' of Auckland is to be held at Shortland. Northern papers state that on February 13, at Whangarei (Auckland), Mr D. Wilson's son was accidentally drowned by falling into a well near his parents' house. — On February 19, John Low, known as " Oneeyed Jack," was found dead in a gully at Newmarket (Auckland). The eveniug before he had been drinking heavily in the Eoyal George ; and under the influence of liquor, had even attempted to strangle a man. On leaving the inn he had apparently made for the Remura-road, for on this road he was met by some men coming to Newmarket. In the inebriated condition in which he was, he had gone down the gully, evidently seeking a pool where he had been in the habit of washing his clothes, for alongside of this pool his body was found. His head was much bruised, and a bloody contusion on the side of it showed that be had repeatedly stumbled down the steep side of the gully. When found the body was perfectly nude, as if he had gone to the pool oh purpose to bathe. The verdict of the Coroner's jury was — " Found drowned with marks of violence." At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, Kate Murray was brought up, charged with the larceny of a pair of earrings, and remanded until Friday. — Yesterday, Neil M'Kinnon, butcher at Pile Creek, was brought up on warrant, charged with fraudulent insolvency, and remanded to Hokitika. The Nelson Colonist says: — "Very early last Sunday morning, Mr Levestam's household in Washington Valley, heard some groaning in the vicinity of their house, and on making a search found the sounds proceeded from the direction of the pump, the well of which was completely covered with grass growing over the top, so that its exact locality was not discernable. Further search showed the well to be uncovered, and that a fine horse, named Captain, belonging to Mr William Tftylor, had found its way twenty feet down the well, where he appeared to be completely jammed, with his head just above the water. Mr Taylor most expeditiously procured a number of men and a block and tackle, by which means poor Captain was hoisted from his uncomfortable quarters after being there for several hours. Strange to relate, the horse, although severely cut on the back and suffering from cramp through being so long confined in its narrow and watery prison, had no limbs broken. He had been tethered in a paddock adjoining Mr Levestam's property, and must have broken the teiher-rope, jumped the fence, and whilst going over the spot where the well was, the cover (which was in a very rotten condition) gave way, and down went the horse, hind legs first, which fact saved him from being drowned. " From the returns lately issued of the Customs revenue collected at the various ports in the colony during the quarter ending on the 31st December last, Aye find that the total quantity of spirits on which duty was paid was 139,133 gallons. Taking the population of the colony at the last census, exclusive of the Maoris, to whom drink is not allowed to be sold, at 220,092, we find that the average amount per head is .632 gallons. In like manner we find the total amount of wine per head to be .214 gal. ; and of ale and beer . 533 gal. ; making the total amount of alcholic liquors per head consumed during the period referred to, 1-379 gal. The total amount of revenue derived from these three sources was L 99.556. Some extraordinary proceedings have lately taken place in Auckland, by which Mrs Robert Heir, the well-known actress, was arrested. The Weekly Herald of the 27th ult. says : — Our readers will doubtless have heard many rumors with regard to the legal proceedings taken by Mr Hall, lessee of the Prince of Wales Theatre, against Mrs Robert Heir, for an alleged non-f ullilment of a theatrical engagement. Damages were laid at £600, and as soon as it became known to the defendant's solicitor, through the notice of writi that service would be effected, that gentleman informed plaintiff's solicitor that a personal service would be unnecessary, that he would accept service, and had seen the Sheriff on the subject, and that it was desireable to save Mrs Heir as much personal annoyance as possible in the affair; notwithstanding this, a copy of the writ waß served upon Mrs Heir on the eve of the commencement of her readings at the Music-hall, on Monday evening. It having been rumored on the following day that an arrest was in contemplation, Mrs Heir's solicitor again waited upon plaint' ff's solicitor, and, having

mentioned the rumor, stated that there was no necessity for any such proceeding — that Mrs Heir had no intention of leaving Auck-: land, .and that, if required, ample security would be forthcoming. Notwithstanding these precautions to save unnecessary aunoyance, Mrs Robert Heir was arrested, on Wednesday, at 12 o'clock, in her apartments, at the Army and Navy Hotel. Steps were a* once taken to procure bail, and two leading gentlemen of the nity immediately entered into the required bonds for £400. Any amount of bail was forthcoming. As soon as the bonds were signed, Mrs Heir was relieved from the presence of her unwelcome attendant. As soon as we heard of the arrest, we made all diligent inquiries, which have resulted in the above facts. Mrs Eobert Heir has, since her residence in this city, completely won the respect and good wishes of all who have known her, and we are sure that every one will feel regret at what has transpired. Mrs Heir has, throughout her long and honorable professional career, always been regarded as in everyway entitled to the appellation of lady, and as this has been the first, so we hope it will be the last time that she will ever be subjected to such treatment. The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times says ;-r-" The resignation by Mr Hall of his offices. of Postmaster-General and Commissioner of Telegraphs, has been officially announced, but he has not resigned as a member of the Ministry. Mr Richmond will, for a short time, look after the postoffice and telegraph departments, and no new additions will be made to the ranks of the Ministry until Mr Fitzherbert returns. Then efforts will probably be made to strengthen the Government before the House meets. Notwithstanding the part Mr Travel's took last session, I should not be at all astonished to see him occupy a seat on the Ministerial benches when the House next meets." It is with great regret we notice in the Victorian papers that Mr O'Loughliii, late Crown Prosecutor of Westland, is iusane, and has been sent to the Yarra Bend Asylum : — " We regret to state," says the Bendigo Evening Neios of 2nd iust, " that Mr O'Loughlin, bairist.ir, who some years ago was in very good practice at Sandhurst, but afterwards emigrated t» New Zealand, where he met with some reverses, and from whence he returned to this colony not long since, enfeebled in mind and body — a complete wreck — was brought up before the •Sandhurst bench to-day, charged by th e police with being of unsouud mind. He was ordered to be sent to the Yarra Bend, and thus virtually terminates the career of a gentleman possessed of many good qualities, and not devoid of natural abilities, who has fallen another victim to the seductive influences of those drinking passions that are too frequently the bane of our colonial society, and too often bring about the downfall of some of our best men." The latest war news from the North Island is the fact that Rewi, the friend and confidential adviser and fighting chief of the King, has propose'd'^tb join Te Kootiwith seven huudred men. If this be true, the situation is very grave indeed, because this proposal may be taken as au indication that a warlike decision may probably be the result of the adjourned meeting of natives at Moerangi, to be held shortly, when the question of peace or war, so far as the Kingite3 are concerned, was to be decided. If the voice of the meeting be for war, the meaning is that Waikato.will again be in a blaze. The King has hitherto refused to give his sanction to Waikato joining in the war; bui this movement of Ilewi's wouhl imply that the King's objections are fading. Like all Maori rumors this may be much exaggerated ; but, at the best, the prospect is far from bright. The Wanganui Chronicle says it is reported, aud generally feared to be true, that Rewi has joined, or is immediately about to join ; the insurgents in that Piovince. The same rumor comes from Napier, the position of the wily chief being such that he can move east or west with c inal facJUty. He might not go either, as it is thought by some that he will neither join Te Koofci nor Tito Kowaru, but go on a raid of his own. There is no further news of im. portance from Taranaki. An Auckland paper states that one day lately,J several Europeans were engaged in digging over a piece of tapued ground opposite the landing-place, with the view of removing the bones that had been buried there in the old times. These natives were of the N'gatiwhana^inga tribe, and two old men of that people stood at a respectful distance from the diggers directing their operations. The bones received were put into boxes, for removal to some quieter spot than the bustling landing-place at Shortland. While the men were putting.the sacred relics in the boxes, a boy came forwardand wanted to take them away to sell them, saying that he could get 2s. (id. a-hundred for them ! The West Coast Times has been favored by the County Engineer with a table of analysis of five samples of Westland soils taken from the Hokitika and Greymouth districts. The analysis has been made evidently with great care, and will, no doubt, prove valuable. Dr. Hector says, in referring to them — ' • These results were not obtained in time for incorporation with the report which has been published on the subject, and will be reserved for a second report, which is in preparation. In the meantime, I may state, that- by comparing the results as tabulated with the composition of the soils from other parts of , the Colony in table 5 of the report, they will be found to resemble most in composition Nos. 15 and 16, which are soils from the Waikato district, the fertility of which is fully e&tablished." i This should encourage settlement, if anything can. The doctor adds — "Filamferous oxide of iron pervades them more or less."