Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 617, 30 December 1869, Page 2

In order that our employees may enjoy their annual holiday, no paper will be issued from this office on Saturday morning (New Year's Day). To make up as much as possible for this deficiency we, to-day, present our readers gratuitously with a large doubL rpage supplement. Our resume of the events of the year 18iil>» as well as the com* plete statistics of the port during that period, cannot well be published until the year bas expired. They will therefore appear on Tuesday. The as. Omeo, wish the English Mail on board, arrived at the Bluff at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday. By sotne unaccountable delay, we were nrt informed of the fact until 2 p.m. Jt was 6 p.m. ere the last slip of the English news reached us, and an hour later before tUe last of the intercolonial news, brought by the same boat reached us— nearly ten hours after the arrival of 1 the steamer at the Bluff ! So much for the present telegraph, arrange* ments. Wherever tLe delay took place, we are Mire it was not ab the telegraph station here, for we are lucky at present in having one of the smartest and most obliging of officials in that office. The Greymouth Aunual Regatta tale.'place on. New Year's Day. A first-rate programme is advertised elsewhere, and some splendid sport is anticipated. The Annual Picnic of tbe children attending all the schools in Greymouth aud Cobden takes place on New Year's Day in the padi dock belonging to Mr Fairhall. It 13 to be hoped the weather will prove propitious, so that the children may thoroughly enjoy their annual treat. The Resident Magistrate, the Inspector of Police, three constables, a legal gentleman, and five witnesses, were engaged for an hour and a-half yesterday forenoon, endeavoi * ing to. solve the knotty problem whether a well-known citizen in this tow nwaa drunk and disorderly on Monday morning last, nt two o'clock, when he was arrested by Constable Flannagan, taken to the station, bail refused, and locked up in a cell for the night. There was very little question about the disorderly condnct, for four witnesses and the defendant all admitted that they were enjoying themselves at Christmas time walking a,b'>ut the street singing "Slap Ban," in full chorus, which, at two oVlock in. the morning, cer-

tainly comes within the meaning of the Police Ordinance ; but the difficulty was about the degree of elevation which the defendant had reached at the time. A sergeant and constable swore that he waß very drunk, while four witnesses, who were with defendant at the time, swore} that he was sober — only " j^'lly," but did get very much excited when the constable seized him by the throat, aud dragged him to the station. Another feature of the case was that Constable Flan-* nagan swore the young men wero yelling, shouting, kicking or knocking at doors in Gresson street. Sergeant White and Constable Keating were awakened out of their slumbers in the station by this noise, and Insi)ector James heard the noise in bed in his private residence in Aruey street. Ou the other band, four witnesses sworo positively that they neither yelled, screamed, knocked or kicked at a single house or door in Gresson street^— in fact, did nothing but sing. The Magistrate, in commenting upon the case, said there was no doubt, from the evidence of the police, that the defendant and others were going about tbe streets in a disorderly man* I ncr at two o'clock in the morning, disturbing peaceful citizens by singing. Not long ago he had occasion to speak veiy strongly with regard to persons conducting themselves in this manner. In this case the evidence was very conflicting as to the state the defendant was in at the time — the police swore he was drunk, while the other parties swore he wus not ; but they might have different opinions as to what drunkenness consisted in. The law was no respector of persons, and ifc was tho duty of the constable to arrest every, one -•• gentleman, miner, or prostitutewbo behaved in a disorderly manner in the street. The evidence was not sufficient to warrant a fine for being drunk, although there was no doubt the defendant and his party had been guilty of disorderly conduct ; and he cautioned these gentlemen (if they called themselves such) as to the manner in which they conducted themselves in future on the streets. Case dismissed. A prize shooting meeting for the Greymouth Volunteers has been arranged to come off on Saturday, at the range. It tilso iv* eludes a match for all-comers, the prizes in which will be as hotly contested as in any of the others, The details of the prizes, distances, and conditions will be found by reference to our advertising columns. Letters of naturalization have been issued by the Governor to Frederick Dupre and Peter Secunni of Greyraouth, and Peter White of Hokitika. A man named Hugh Fitzsiminons died on the night of Sunday last, 26th instant, at Liverpool's Creek, New River, from the effect of injuries received on Christmas morning by falling from a terrace into the creek. It appears that the deceased bad been drinking all through the night, and on Christmas morning, he, with his mates, and other friends, were at the tent of John O'Brien. He was standing outside the door, when he stumbled, and fell down the faco of some old workings, some twelve or fifteen feet deep. He was immediately got up and carried to his own tent, where he died about 10 p in. on Sunday, 26th instant. It was stated that during Christmas Eve the deceased had been fighting with a man named John Laylaud, and a report was current iv the district that the deceased had been killed iv the light,' but such is not the case, his death being purely accidental. We believe lie was mate of a miner named Kooney, who was killed at the same place on the 10th November last. Mr Warden llevell did not proceed to the New River to hold the inquest, as he could not get a horse to hire in town. Information was sent to Sergeant Boyle to hold a police enquiry into the circumstances, and forward the evidence taken. Although the precise result of tbe crushing of tbe Moonlight Quartz Company is not yet made pxiblie, we believe it i 3 sufficiently good to induce the Directors already to send to Melbourne for an additional eight head of stamps, amalgamators, &c. This will enable the company to put through double the quantity of stuff, and consequently double the available dividends. The annual general meeting of the company will be held to-day, at the company's office, at four o'clock. We are given to understand that, although the Bank of New Zealand has as. yet only advanced to the Comity LSOOO, being onehalf of the amount arranged for by the County Chairmar, to wipe off old liabilities, a proposal is now under consideration to advance the remaining L5;)00, on condition that it is repaid at the rate of L4SO a month. No definite arrangement to that effect can be come to before the next meetiug the County Council, which will take place on or about the 10th January. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Grey Eivor Hospital Committee was held at Gihner's Hotel, last night. Present- -Messrs Kennedy (in the chair), Moss, Smith, Revell, Whiter, -Arnobt, Gilmer, and Maclean. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted, Tenders were opened for the erection of a cottage for the Superintendent, and the lowest, from G. A. Smythe, at L 73 103, was accepted. The Treasurer reported that he had received the following country subscriptions :—Dodsworth, North Beach, L 4; M'luroe, Little Grey, 1A; Roche, L 2; Mujr, Camptown, &c; (two lists), L3O 7s 6d ; MThee, Orwell Creek, Ll3 15s ; Warden Ijuwe, Coblen, L 7 2s ; White and Garth, Moonlight, I Mi ; Caples, do., L 22 Is; Kenyan, do., L 8 15s 6d. We omitted in a previous, issue to mention the amount collected by- J. Howison, Stoney Lead, viz., L 26 11s. The remaining business was unimportant. Branch No. 7 of the Ballarat Hibernian Society has been successfully established at Addison's Flat by Mr H, F. Byrne. Fioni the Westport Times we ]eii,ni that a banquet was given in honor of Mr- Byrne's visit. The chair was occupied by Mr E. J. O'Connor, M.P.C.; the vice-.chair by Mr T. Gallagher, AL H.I!. The chairman was supported on his right by the guest of the evening, in regalia, and on the left by the Rev Father Walsh, JNotwithatandiug the extremely wot day, visitors .represent;:)*; Charlee-ton, West-

port, and the Caledonian were numerous. A novel feature in meetings of this kind was the presence of a large number of ladies, but their pn-sence wa-3 presumed to have some relation to the "light fantastic," whioh was to succeed the "heavy business." After the removal of the cloth many toasts were proposed and drunk with true Irish enthusinsm. ■ Home .good national and other soncs weie simg by various gentlemen, but the main feature of the evening wrvs an expkn.itiou by Mr Byrne of the nature and objects of the society whose claims he was there to advocate. This he did with a clear, ness and with a simple earnestness which showod, at all events, that his heart was in his work. He pointed out the advantages of benefit societies, and their peculiar adaptability to mining communities, but pressed more the moral advantages to be derived from the society he represented than the pecuniary ones, although the latter were not to be despised. In fact, he represented the main object to 1)6 to raise the character and moral standing oj his countrymen. He read extracts from the rules to substantiate his views, and to prove that none but men of good character could be members, An ordinary listeuer would conclude that the rules aud objects explained were ne.irly identical with those of the Oddfellows, with the exception that none were eligible to membershiu but those of the Itoman Catholic faith. Abcflfc two o'clock, the business being concluded, d;uieing was commenced and kept up with spirit. till long after break of day. Henry Hiiudyside is gazetted as. having been appointed clerk of the Warden's Comt on the Nelson South-west Gold Fields. We notice that Robert Howe has challenged three of the runners at the late Christmas sports, or any man on the Coast to run him for a stake of LSO or upwards, and the challenge has bean accepted by Jas. Ran kin, under certain conditions, which will be found elsewhere. Ilunkin has deposited L 5 at this office, as a preliminary to the acceptance of the challenge. The Nelson Mail was informed oil Monday, *' by a gentleman upon whose veracity it can rely,!' that a gold bearing reef has been discovered withhi one mile north of the city. A young boy, son of Mr Edmonds, carpenter, Waugaiiui, has been killed by a cart passing over Ilia neck. A man named Michael Caniubell, a sawyer, who leaves a wife and f;im*y, ha^ been drowned iv the neighborhood of the same place, while batljing. Dr Carr, the mesmerist, seems never to be out of trouble. A resident in Wanganui, named William King, has just brought an action against him for LlB 7s, for money paid and damage sustained by the plaintiff through the improper medical treatment of his wife by the defendant. It will be noticed that the Art Union of Messrs Broadbent and King is to be drawn to-night at the Volunteer Hall. Reference to the list will show that the majority of the prizes are valuable, and worthy the attention of our renders. The following, says the Wanpanui Times, beats Cousin Jonathan by chalks : — Nearly a year ago n- gentleman in Wanganui compromised with his creditors, aud under a leL'al document promised to pay a dividend every aix months from and after a certain day. He has just remitted from the Thames gold fields one shilling as the h'r.«t six months' dividend ! That, positively, protects him, as the legal document does not specify any particular sum to be paid every six mouths ! He demands from the " Trustees" a receipt for the remittance, and we demand from them our dividend out of the one shilling. A committee was lately appointed at the Thames to report upon the management or mismanagement of the mines there. They have reported < the causes of depression to be :— lst. tiaind locked up under lease. 2nd. Fictitious value oj mines. 3rd. Misgovernment ; want of proper tribunals. 4th. Want of legislative aid to gold fields. The proposed remedies are : —Mining Board, Court of Mines, temporary suspension of leasing regulations, immediate granting of all applications for leases and completion of surveys, and additional Wardens to determine objection?. The Wellington correspondent of the Wentjjort Times says .-—The rumor respecting the seat of Government beiug removed back to Auckland is again going round. Now that Wellington is no longer the port of call for the English mail steamers, the great argument iv favor of its being the seat of Government is removed. It is well known that his Excellency-, Lady Boweu, and more than one of the Ministers would gladly see the change, and,' indeed, when once Auckland is in telegraph enmrounieation with the Middle Island there will., be no .argument to use against its being the seat of Government. As a city it certainly' is' more fit to have that honor than Wellington, which has absolutely nothing but its harbor to recommend it. Wo lately mentioned the attempt to set tire to aii empty house on the Esplanade, Westport. An inquiry, extending over three days, has been held, twenty-three witnesses examined, and tbe following verdict arrived at : — " The jury find that the premises were wilfully and maliciously set on tire, but by whom there is no- evidence to show." Asa rider to their verdict, the jury added " For the prevention of similar occurrences more police protection is reexuired during the night, and the strict enforcement of the Vagrant Act." After the inquiry, Dr Giles communicated with the Provincial Government, suggesting the propriety of a leward being offered for the discovery of the inceadeniary by whom the fire was obviously caused, and we observe that a reward of £50 is now offered.