THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1869.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 604, 2 December 1869, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1869.

A meeting of the Greymouth Sports Committee was t held last evening in Giluier's Hotel JftThere was a good attendance — Mr W. F.<Sfrike in the chair. The programme of the forthcoming sports was submitted, and, after a discussion, approved of. It will be found in detail iv another column. A fatal accident occurred at Heal f 'Ounce Creek on Tuesday morning. A man named Martin Olsen, a Norwegian, was working •with his mates in a sluicing claim, when, without giviug any warning, a mass of earth fell from the face and buried < »lsen. He was extricated in less than five minutes, but life was extinct. It is supposed by his mates that the quantity of stuff which feil on him could not have suffocated him, especially as he was such, a short time under it, but in the absence of medical evideuco this cannot be determined. The deceased was a mau well known and much rcspeete I amongst his countrymen. He was to be buried to-day at the Cemetery ! Duffer Gully. In the Warden's Court, Greymonth, yesterday, the only business tranaaoted was the dismissal of the following cases in consequence of the non-appearance of the parties : Cochrane and party v. Marks Cane ; Evans v. Williams. . Tfeero appears to be some, probability either of a gas company being started ia town, or started by private enterprise. It will be seen by a paragraph iv our shipping column that one-half of the cargo of the barque Bella Vista, which is now daily expected, consists of gas pipes and packages of ironmongery. The total quantity of alcoholic liquors on which duty was paid in New Zealand during the quarter ending on the 30th September J.-isfc was 200,142 gallons, being at the rate of 1 147 gallons per head of the European population, or 46SS gallons per head per annum. The total quantity of J^ejiu^cQ^cted on these liquor^^t^g-^^^^^HH«t<|S I LI 00,645, beS^PaV the^^^^^^^^H head, or LI 15s 8d per ly-a^QQ^^^^HJH | Per the Electro the Gtenei-allxovernment have received at Wellington 95 cadis of Snider rifles, and 1Q25 packages Snider ammunition from the Imperial Government, The nomination of candidates for the seats in the Paroa Road Board, rendered vac-infchy the annual retirements, took place at the office of the Board on Tues lay, when the following gentleman were nominated: — Mr Williams proposed Mr Hamilton, and Mr J. O'Connor seconded. Mr M. O'Connor pro. posed Mr M. Dowling, and Mr J. Williams seconded. Mr J. Williurs proposed Mr J. I O'Connor, aud Mr Barnctt seconded. Mr Davidson proposed Mr W. Leach, and Mr Barnett seconded. Mr W. Leach proposed Mr Hugh Barnhill, and Mr Davidson seconded. As only three of these gentlemen can be returned, a poll was deinande 1, which was appointed to tako place on Thursday next. The polling-places are — Road Board Office, Paroa ; Castle's store, Arnold ; Hamilton's store, Eight-mile ; and Taylor's store, Greenstone. Samuel Boyle, Esq., Mayor of Hokitika, , has been appointed a Justice of the Peace. The Wanganui Chronicle states that ' * there is lying on the sea beach, alxmt three miles on the north-west side of the Wangaehu River, a boat, painted blue on the sides, green inside, and black hotlo:n. It ha 9 evidently heen submerged for some time, as there are many liarn.iclea attached. The j boat is four-oared, when new must havo been a fineilooking craft, and probably belonged to the s.s. Taranaki, lately raised in Queen! Charlotte's Sound. The boat does n;jt appear to have suffered much from being driven ashore, having only two small hoL-s in the bottom. In consequence of the lai'ge number of whales captured along the East Coast during the past Season, we {/ferald) hoar with much satisfaction that there is every probability of whaling being revived at Kaikoura during the next season. The w< nder is that it has not been done, a3 it is admitted by every one well-acquiiiuted with the subject that a better site for a whale fishery does nob exist along the East Coast of this inland. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, before W. H. Revell, Es^., U.M., J. Semines was charged with having firearms in hia possession. This case arose out of the accidental shooting of Mr P. Crogan on Monday evening. Two witnesses proved that the affair was purely accidental, aud the prisoner was discharged, with a caution to be more careful in the use of firearms in future. — Yesterday, D. Podson, charged with committing a breach of the peace by fighting on Mawhcra Quay, was fined 10s or 48 houra : iinprisMiQieiit. Andrew Crawford, for having l.een drunk ru>l incapable, was lined 10s or 4S, hours' imprisonment. Robert Lynch w;is charged with having assaulted Martin Codyre on the 26th u\h. The complainant, who aw? pcaral in the box with his nose broken, and his eyes bearing the indications of having received a, severe beating, stated that he was in the cottnge occupied by Thomas Lawrie. Thp defendant followed him in, s\tu\ without any provocation struck him a blow which broke his noise, lie was not aware what

happened afterwards, although he must have been beaten either with lists or soine weapon. Mr Sub-Inspector James stated that he was called by the complainant's wife, and found him covered with blood, and blood all over the place. The defendant's statement was that he told the complainant not to speak to him, as he did not wish to have anything to do with him. Complainant followed him into Lawrie's bedroom, then out again, and interfered in their conversation, then chal< I lenged defendant to fight, and struck him a blow on the face. He then struck out in re^ turn, took the complainant by the throat, pinned him up against the wall, and hit him three or four blows on the face. Thomas Lawrie stated that the coinplaiuaut was told by defendant that he did not wish to speak to him. A. few words passed, when they both "shaped," and fought a round in the bedroom. Complainant struck the first blow, but he (witness) thought that he got more than he deserved. The defendant was lined L 2 and costs, aud both he and. the complainant were bound over to keep the peace for three months, themselves in LlO, and two sureties of L 5 each. Our readers will be glad to Jearn— we give the statement on the authority of the Dunedin Evening Star — that Mr Dawbin has reported tj the Otago Government that the salmon are in so advauced a state that they are "shoaling together, preparatory to starting for the sea." He does not think that they will leave the ponds until there is a freßh in the river, in which case he will be compelled to let them go. The Government intend to retain twenty in the ponds, experimentally, to learn whether they cannot lie bred as the sea-trout have been in Tasmania, An extraordinary general meeting of the Moonlight Gold Mining Company was held at the office in (Jreyninuth on Tuesday, and adjourned in consequence of the absence of Mr Wylde, the manager. We learn, however, that the working manager on the ground, Mr Caples, is now raising excellent stone by d y labor from Taff's tunnel. He reports that gold is seen nicely scattered through the solid, stone, and good prospects can be washed from the casing. Tali's reef, which is only one of three iv the claim, has now been proved to be not less thau four feet thick, and stone from it can be raised by clay labor at a cost of not more than 6s per ton. As to the crushing machinery, the wheel is now almost completed, and is really a credit to the builder. The tramway aud shoots are expected to be finished this weak, aud the number of hands employed will consequently be reduced considerably. Should everything go on well, and the weather keep fine, the machinery can be iv full crashing order belore Christmas. The battery and shed will be put together next woek, and the fluming erected the week after. The first crashing will be two or three hundred tons, in order honestly to test the true value of the stone. An inquest was held in the Court Housy, Charleston, on Tuesday afternoon last, by Charles Broad, Esa., Coroner, for the pur■M^^^^^uii ing into the circumstances atd^i^^e death of PatiickKirk, who met with a violent death in an affray which took place early that morning in Princes street. The jury elected to have the investigation carried on with closed doors, as publicity being given to the proceedings might ititerfere with the ends of justice Tha inquest was resumed on the following day, when a verdict of nians'aughter was given ag:iin t M'Lougulin, O'Brien, Snllivan, Malon.-y, and others whose names are unknown. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee was held last evening in Gilmer's Hotel. Present — Messrs. Kennedy (in the chair), Gilmer, Moss, Kevdl, Perkins, Macleau, Arnott, and King. A letter was read from the Ethiopean Amateur Minstrels, enclosing a cheque for LlB 17s 6J, being the balance accruing from the late entertainment. A cordial vole of thanks was awarded to the donors. The Treasurer reported that he had received country subsci iption lists from the following collectors: — G. Paul and Co., Ruther»lcn, LlO Ss 6d ; Samuel Hastie, Bed Jack's, Li"); Curtiss, Arnold Junction, L2os ; J. Watkins, Twelve-mile, IA 10s ; P. Swe ;ney, L 4 IGs; Win. May berry, LI 15a j W. Mor.is, Ahaura, Ls2s ; J. D. Pinkerton, Ahanra, L 21 ); J. Hamilton, Ahaura, L 5 15s Gd ; D. M'LCenna, Ahaura, L 3 13s ; Frasor, Ahaura, Ll6 ; George Banimn, Grey Junction, LS3s; George Willing, Lll 3s Oil ; Gilmer and Hamilton, Ahnura, L92s Gd ; Denis Eyail, Canoe Creek, Ll4 ; James Molloy, IVo-Town, L4O os Gd ; S. M. Mack ley, Nobles, Ll4 2s Gd. The Visiting Committee reported that during the mouth twelve patients had been admitted — five from Westland,' and seven from Nelson ; fourteen discharged, and two died, leaving thirty-one at the present time. The accounts for November, amounting to L 314 11s 5.1, were laid on the table and passed. The Visiting Committee for the present month are Messrs. Gilmer, Kennedy, and Lapham. The remaiuing business was unimportant. We learn from the Timaru Herald that a most determined case of attempted suicide has happened at Temuka. It seems that between 10 and 11 o'clock at night, a man named James Pilbrow (lately in the euipley of Mr Shaw, surveyor, Timaru) cut hhn&elf with a penknife behind each ear, then cut his throat, aud, finding that did not kill him, he stabbed himself in the abdomen (a very dangen us wound). He then weut to Dr llayner's house, and told the doctor that he was bleeding to death. Pilbrow appeared quite rational. The following additional particulars have been furnished us :— lb appears that Pilbrow was staying at Dyson's Hotel, and went to bed about nine o'clock. On the other lodgers retiring to rest about eleven o'clock, Pilbrow was not in the bedroom, though his bed had been occupied. About midnight Dr Rayner was awakened by a man knocking loudly at his door, and calling out that he was bleeding to death. Dr llayuer at once got up, aud on reaching the door, he saw a man going in the direction of the township. Seeing blood on the floor of the verandah, Dr Rayner followed the man, and came up with him at the back door of M r Dyeon's hotel. 1 1 was then found that

the man was Pilbrow, with his throat cut, and otherwise hacked about the neck, and with a stab in his abdomen. Sergeant Barshain was speedily on the spot, and rendered assistance to Dr Rayner in sewing up the wounds. BText morniug the would-be-suicide's belt was discovered in a paddock, about a quarter of a rfcrilo from the hotel, where from certain signs the attempt had evidently been made. Pilbrow since he has been a resident at Temuka, has been a tem^ perate man, but some years ago he received a concussion of the brain, which may possibly account in some measure for his mad attempt. It is curious to note that Pilbrow retained the knife he, had inflicted the wounds with ran it was taken from him by Dr Rayner. There is at present but little hope of the man's recovery. TII2 body of a man has been found at West Wanganui. It is reported in the Nelson Exayuner that, as Francis M'Grame was travelling from Collingwood to the Anatori diggings, he observed, as he approached the ferry-crossing opposite the Maori pah, the body of a man lying near the edge of the channel iv about three feet of water. He at once proceeded to the store, where he obtaiueil the assistance qf George Peters and others, who removed the body from the water and buried it. It was identified by Peters and others as that of John Burrell, who had passed through Collingwood aliout three weeks previously, on his way to the Anatori Crook, after a visit to Nelson. The deceased had been drinking to excess for some days previous to his haviug been seen alive, aud it is supposed that, in attempting to swim the liver, he became exhausted and was drowned. The body was much decomposed and had on a pair of drawers, trousers, tlannel shirt, and a pair of new boots ; a six penny-} liece and a few matches were found in the trousers pocke f . _..