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Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 529, 8 June 1869, Page 2

A very large population is gathering at the Eight Mile, New Eiver Distiicfc, in consequence of the rich discoveries which have been made lately. The men have been arriving at the rate of over 60 a day for sorce time past, and there must nmv be over ] 200 miners in the locality, The lead whioh was ebruck some time, ago on the terra?© has been traced down on the flat, where several claims have been bottomed, we are informed, in comparatively shallow ground, on gold. The prospects are stated to be very rich, but we refrain from mentioning them., as ifc is probable they are exaggerated. A large number of claims have been taken up, and should the lead be proved through the flat, profitable work will be given to a considerable population for some time to come. The large and handsome building whioh is being erected at the corner of Mawhera Quay and Albert street by Mr C. Holder, for Mr J. Taylor, is fast approaching completion. The main building on the ground is 33ft. by 53ft. 6in., and is 14ft. high. The upper floor is the same in every particular, and the total height to the top of the parapet is 34ft. In addition to the main building there is on the grouud floor a sitting-room and office, and on the upper floor two large bedrooms. It is impossible to say what the style of architecture is, as it appeal's to be a combination of many ; but when finished the building will certainly present a very handsome appeal - ance. The building will be used as a store and dwelling-house by Mr J. Taylor. The architect is Mr Armson, of Hokitika, aud the contractor, Mr C. Holder, of this town. A defaulter named Alexander Johnstone, who has for some months past been "wanted" on a charge of embezzling £87 10s while in the employ of N. Edwards and Co., in this town, was recently arrested in the Earl of Zetland Hotel, Melbourne, while engaged in playing a game of billiards. He was remanded here, and was brought down in the s.s. Alhambra, landing on Saturday night. Yesterday moiiiing he was brought up before the Resident Magistrate, and charged, on the information of Richard Nancarrow, with embezzlement. Mr Sub-Inspector James produced the warrant upon which the prisoner had been arrested, and asked for a remand for eight days, as the principal witness, Mr Nancarrow, was in Melbourne. The remand was granted. Our attention has been drawn to a paragraph which recently appeared in our columns regarding the announcement that the Crown Grants for sections in this town were ready for issue at the office of the Commissioi;er of Crown Lands, Hokitika. In some particulars we were wrong. It appears that the most of these grants have been ready for delivery for three years, and this fact was announced in the Gazette of the Province of Canterbury, which nobody sees, except officials. The charge made upon them for lying in the Government office is sixpence per month, payable, not, as we stated, from the 28th ult., but from the date when the announcement appeared in the Gazette, which will amount to about 16s due for rental on each grant. Why should the residents in Greymouth be compelled either to go to Hokitika or authorise and pay an agent there to take up their Crown Grants ? It would be a much more simple and inexpensive business to issue them at the office of the Warden or District Surveyor here ; but the simplification of business docs not seem to be any part of the duty of the Commissioner of Crown Lands in Westland. On Saturday we noticed that another claim had been bottomed on the Stoney Leal, and stated the prospects obtained. We have since been informed that the party got down in their shaft as deep as the prospectors, and got the same prospects as they did, but the shaft fell in on them. They thought so much of the ground that on Saturday they started to put down another shaft. The ship Memento has brought to Wellington a valuable and interesting addition to the library of the General Assembly, in the shape of 126 vols. of the Journals of the House of Commons, forming an accurate and complete record of the proceedings of the House of Commons from the year 1547 to 1868. On the Queen's Birthday in Auckland the weather was cold, and pelting showers fell during ths day. The ships-of-war boomed forth their canons, which were answered bj r the military on shore. Two men were shot while the Naval Artillery were firing one of the Armstrong guns. One of the men, aMr Martin M'Dermobt, tinsmith, was standing about forty yards to the right front of the gun, and on its being discharged he was seen to stagger, and would have fallen, but a bystander ran to his assistance. On a medical examination being made, it was found that a piece of metal had entered between his ribs on the right side and lodged in the cavity of his chest. The doctors had not been able to extract the piece of metal, and the case is considered a very serious one. Another man, whose name is unknown, wa9 at the same time wounded in the groin. A piece of metiU, about the size of a crown, was taken from the wound, and the man was able to walk about soon after. The Wellington Independent of the Ist inst. says :— Mr Fibzherberb, while in England, addressed a despatch to the Duke of Buckingham on the subject of naval protection for the Australian Colonies, including New Zealand. He points out with great force the limited request of the colony of New Zealand for assistance towards the protection of its harbors ; and says that in the event of war with any maritime powoi one of the first

points of attack would be the gold traffic between England and her gold-producing colonies. In support of his views, he says chat three years ago the Russian fleeb was prepared to make a descent upon these colo. nies. Hq then points out that what is wanted is a special naval station in the South Pacific, and an Imperial officer with an inde* pendent command. He calculates thab the cosb of suoh a squadron would be L 500.000 a-year, which he suggests might be equitably borne in equal proportions between the mother country and the Ausbralasian Colonies under a federal arrangement. He points out that this would be but a small assurance premium to pay on a trade which is worth about 1(60,000,000 a^ye«ar, Earl Granville, in reply, states that bhe suggestion is one which ib would be unavailing to discuss, unless there were sufficient reason to suppose thatit would be praotioally taken up by the oolonies concerned, He als.o says that as. the present Australian squadron costs only L 70.000 a year, he does not think Mr Fitzherbert'spro* posal to increase, that expenditure to L 500,000 a«year would be entertained by Parliament, even though the <joloiu'§s contributed half of that sum. The monthly meeting of the Volunteer Fire' Brigade was held last night at their hall— Captain Whall in the chair. When the roll wa3 called there were 24 members present. The reporb of the Finance Committee was read showing the balance on hand to be L2S 5s 8d ; amount due from the County Council, L 25 ; honorary members' subscriptions, L4B 6s ; due from the Borough Council, L 55 17s Gel ; total, L 157 9s 2d. The total liabilities were L 79 13s. A tender was received from Mr M'Davitt to supply tunics for the members at the rate of 40s each. The tender was accepted, and a committee was appointed to see that the contract was carried out. Several accounts were passed for payment. Ib was agreed to have the night wabchnoan sworn in as a special constable. Three new members were admitted, two proposed, and after the members' monbhly conbribubions, amounting to LI 10s had been paid, the meeting adjourned.