Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 540, 3 July 1869, Page 2

A number of storekeepers and publicans on Mawhera and Richmond Quays, have taken the question of providing the much-required wharfage accommodation into their own hands, and are about to erect substantial wharves opposite their plaoes of business. We understand that a contract has been let for the erection of a wharf two chains and ahalf in length, between Tainui and Albert streets, at the expense of a number of the residents in that block, anl it is expected that the work will be Qonimeneed this morning. Several gentlemen in the block from Boundary to Johnston streets have agreed to take up the debentures of the Borough Council to the amount of LIOOO or LISOO on condition that the amount is expended in the erection of a wharf in that locality. This proposition has still to be considered by the Council, and is likely to be so at the adjourned meeting on Monday evening. The County Council will positively meet on the 14th inst., for the furtherance of public business, as it is absolutely necessary that the sittings shall not be delayed. Neither Mr Harrison nor Mr Barff will be present, both being engaged in attending to their legislative duties in the House of Representatives. The tender of Mr Mark Sprot for the lease of the Kawhaka toll-gate, at £42 \er week, has been accepted. Messrs Rhodes and Pelling, of the Harmonic Hall, deserve credit for their indefatigable labors to provide an evening's good amusement at their concert hall. As talented a company of vocal and instrumental performers as can be obtained on the coast has been "engaged, and the entertainment is consequently of a very pleasant, varied, and enjoyable description. The hall has been enlarged, re-painted, decorated, and otherwise made comfortable for the audience. This is announced as a re-opening night, for which a vevy attractive programme is promised. It gives us pleasure to record an incident which is well worthy of imitation. A miner, named Dykes, from the Cement Lead, Saltwater, stepped into Mr Parkinson's shop, and enquired if he took subscriptions for the Grey River Hospital. On being answered in the affirmative, he threw down a £5-uote as a donation, saying that he had never yet given anything to the institution. We commend this example to the notice of many miners who are in a similar position. The new line 6f road to connect with the Christchurch road will run parallel with the Hau-hau tramway, and we understand that the shareholders intend to apply for compensation, in accordance with the tramway resolutions of the County Council. Some enthusiasts think that the road will benefit the tramway ; but the compauy take a totally different view, and if it is proved that loss accrues, their, claim must undoubtedly be recognised. The usual weekly meeting of the Borough Council lapsed on Thursday night for want of a quorum. There has been no business of interest before the Resident Magistrate during the last two fays. Operations have once more been commenced in the deep shaft, Wetherstones, Otago, the contractor being actively engaged in pumping out the water with which it is filled. • A meeting of the Westland Board of Education is to be held at Hokitika on Wednesday next. The W. 0. Times understands that Mr Armson, the architect, has received instructions to prepare plans and designs for three buildiugs for the banks at Greymouth. The Teremakau ferry has been leased to Samuel G. Rich for £115 for six months, and notification to that effect appeared in Thursday's Westland Gazette. The ferry is to be worked by boats, and protection is allowed for half-a-mile from where they start. The schedule of prices is as follows : —Horse and rider, 2s. 6d. ; foot-passengers, Is. each; parcels over 401bs. weight, not being passengers' luggage, 6d. ; assisting to swim cattle or sheep, per 100 head, 10s. Double fares may be charged betweeu 10 p.m. and 3 am. Tenders will shortly be called for the erection of a brick theatre at~ihe rear of the Criterion Hotel, Dunedin. It was recently announced by telegram that Mr Booth had succeeded in "capturing" a large body of rebels. What a farce this proceeding was will be seen fmm the following, taken from tbe Wanyanui Times:— ln our last issue we rather gladly announced the capture of the rebel chief Tawoa,. with fortysix of his men and seventy-six women and children. Since then particulars have come to hand from which it appears that the " capture " was a preconcerted affair. Taun a being chased about by our local force, had neither provisions nor supplies of any kind; but that wily old rebel knew that he had a friend and protector to fall back upon ; therefore, the capture was arranged and carried out in true Maori diplomatic style. From information received, a force was ordered to proceed up the Patea river in canoes, under the ostensible guidance, but the actual control, of Mr Booth as Native Commissioner. Previous to our men starting, the Wanganui Veteran Volunteers put their tents in order, dry fern upon which to stretch their weary limbs on their return^, and uther little

arrangements to secure a comfortable night's rest when they came back. Having proceeded a long way up the river and made the capture, they were told by Mr Booth that the canoes were wanted for the accommodation of the prisoners, and our me'h must march oveiland for Patea the best way they could. The notorious rebel Tauroa, with the men, women, and children of his hapu were comfortably accommodated in the canoes, and started triumphantly down the river for Patea, where they knew that Mr Booth would feed and accommodate them at the expense of the Colony. Having seen Mr Booth's pets away in the canoes, our poor fellows started to trudge it on foot over precipitous cliffs and through dense forests, through which they had to cut their way. On arriving at Patea, perfectly done up, they at once proceeded to their tents, but lo and behold they found them occupied by Mr Booth's pets, and were peremptorily told that they must seek quarters elsewhere ! Captain Kells remonstrated, but Mr Booth's authority as Civil Commissioner was supreme, and our foot.sore Volunteer Veterans were obliged to go into the town and find quarters and pay for them the best way they could. In Otago, the Dunstan squatters, it appears, are about to erect a boiling down establishment in their neighborhood. From the local journal we learn that a private meeting of gentlemen interested in the subject was held last week, when a resolution to that effect was arrived at, and Mr W. Fraser, of Earnscleuyh Station, was elected to proceed at once to Melbourne to make arrangements for the necessary plant. According to the same authority, the undertaking will be started by a joint stock company, and a number of shares will be taken up iv Clyde. With regard to the late reported discovery of gold at Malvern Hills, Canterbury, the Lyttelton Times writes : — The public are cautioned against rushing to the Malvern Hills until further information has been received about the recent gold discoveries. All that is at present known is, that the reward has been claimed. No doubt the gentlemen who have claimed it have good reasons for the step they have taken ; but until the exact locality and the nature of the discovery are made public, it would be manifestly unwise for any large number of people to rush into what would probably turn out to be a wild-goose chase. If gold exists in the locality — and it is quite probable that it does — it will be known soon enough for every one in the Province to be able to get a fair start. In an essay on the geology of the North Island, by the Hon. J. Coutts Crawford, F.R.S., published in the first volume of "The Transactions and Proceedings oi the New Zealand Institute," it is stated that the severest shocks of earthquakes that have been felt in New Zealand since the arrival of the settlers, took place in 1843, in October, 1848, in January, 1855, and in February, 1863. The three first were most severe in Cook's Strait, the last at Napier. Wellington suffered severely from the earthquake of 1848, and that of 1855 raised the land, iv its vicinity to a height of from nine to four feet above it 3 former level. Nelson felt both shocks perhaps less severely than Wellington. The impression is, that during the earthquake of 1855, while the land at Wellington rose, that on the south side of the Straits was depressed, and of this there appears to be good evidence. A child, eight years of age, named Woods, was lately burned to death in Russell street, Dunedin, under the following circumstances : — The child, on rising that morning, thoughtlessly sat down on the hob beside the tire, which was burning brightly. While thus seated, the fire caught her night-dress, which was almost immediately in a blaze. Her mother, on hearing the screams of the child, attempted to put out the flames, first of all with her hands, and afterwards with a blanket. Before they were extinguished, however, the child had been very severely burned, so that notwithstanding that Dr Allan, who was summoned, did all in his power under the circumstances, she died on the following evening at 6 o'clock. Anothei "bird of a feather" has been "annoying" the notorious prisoner Sullivan, now located iv Dunedin Gaol. We find in a recent Dunedin paper that at the Resident Magistrate's Court Peter Sherry was charged by Warder Ferguson, of the gaol, with behaving in a disorderly manner, calculated to cause a breach of the peace. The warder stated that he had charge of Sullivan, who was outside doing some work, and that the accused came out on the footpath, and used such abusive language as to excite the prisoner to such ail extent as to render it necessary to take him inaide the gaol. A crowd was gathering round, and another warder was called to take the accused into custody. Mr Ward endeavored to excuse the prisoner, on account of the character of Sullivan. The Magistrate, addressing the prisoner, said : Sullivan is bad enough — we all know that ; but instead of your having such a determined "down" upon him, you ought to sympathise with him, for your character is as black as it can be. "Peter •Sherry" is a household word in this Court, and even in Tasmania, before you came here. You are a pretty fellow to call out to Sullivan. You are the last man who should upbraid him. You know that. I consider this a very seiious offence, endeavoring to excite a man in custody to such an extent that the constable could hardly hold him. I have had so many complaints of a similar character that I must put a stop to it. — The prisoner was fined £5, or, in default, to be imprisoned. The following particulars regarding mining! matters at the Blue Spur, Otago, are furnished by the correspondent of the Tuipeka Times : — The cement claims were never looking better than at the present date. Several companies are on the verge of washing down their races, so Lawrence may expect a large yield of gold. Mills and Co. fired a successful blast, the charge being 64 cwt. This company have been unable to get the water on their claim in consequence of their flume being brought down by an extensive

slip, for which they think themselves entitled to some remuneration from the parties who were the cause of the slip. Fife and Co. fired a blast of 14 cwt of powder, which .was very successful. The Perseverance Co. fired a blast of 13 cwt— a great success. This company have a good supply of water, and are opening another face in their claim nearly adjoining the boundaries of the Otago Sluicing Co. Fearing that eventually the Otago Co. might fall in for a portion of that which does not belong to them, they (Perseverance Co. ) are working with the intention of taking some of the dead weight off. Had the Otago Co. continued working on their red face, in which they fired a blast some three years ago, and had they taken out the intervening wedge, there would not have been a claim in the province fit to rival them. The tribulers of the Blue Spur Sluiciug Co. have commenced washing down their race. It is to be hoped they will be more successful this oleaning-np than their last. The British American Co.'s case has been decided against them, so they are about to extend their tail-race past the plaintiffs' in boxes.