Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 626, 22 January 1870, Page 2

An important rush has taken place to a terrace about half-a-mile from Napoleon, on the track to Noble's, just at the other side of the bridge. Four claims .are on payable gold. The sinking is about 40ft, with a good thickness of wash -dirt. We. will be able to give full details in a few days, as our correspondent has started for the scene of the rush. The adjourned animal meeting of the Borough Council ought to have been held last night, but a quorum qould not be found, Those present were— Joseph Kilgour, Esq., Mayor ; Councillors Parkinson, Moore, and Purcell, After waiting close upon an hour for another member to turn up, but without avail, the meeting was adjourned until tiiis morning, at ten o'clock. At the Warden's Court, Greymouth, yesterday, before Mr Warden Revell, the cases Fitzgerald v. Peyman, and Cross v. Peyman, were dismissed in consequence of the non-* appearance of the parties. The Borough Council has made arrangements with, Messrs D. Maclean and Co. for the use of a portion of tlieir cattle sale yards in Boundary street as a pound for strayed oattle and horses. It will shortly be gazetted as a public pound. The public meeting called by requisition to consider the distribution of the County revenue takes place on Monday eveuing, at eight o'clock, in the Town Hall. Unfortunately the Mayor will not be present, as he proceeds to Wellington by the s.s. Murray on a trip to see the Flying Squadron. The nomination of a member of the Paroa Road Board is appointed to take place on the 27th inst. at the Road Board Office, Paroa, aud the poll, if necessary, on Friday, the 4th February. Three hundred men have been enrolled at the Thames, and are ready to assist against Te Kooti if required. By telegraph we learn that at the Christchurch Races on Thursday, the Metropolitan Handicap of 100 soys. was won by Mr Redwood's Peeress, with Mr Barnard's Foretop second. There were nineteen entries for the race. Mr Michael Henry Kittson has been appointed Clerk of Committees to the County Council By a proclamation in the Provincial Gazette, Otago, 100,000 acres of land at Preservation Inlet, West Cuast, are set apart for a site for settlement. Those who have claims to put in for the New Zealand war medal will receive the necessary forms on application to our Postmaster, Mr M 'Beth. The District Surveyor has been engaged during the last few days surveying the proposed line of road to the coal-pits, and a number of rural sectious over the Oniotuniotu Creek. A cattle dealer, named Robert Ralston, disappeared fiv,m Cromwell, Otago, a few days ago, under circumstances which point to the conclusion that he has been drowned, and his body carried down the river. The rifle match for L 25, between Messrs Maclean aud Nichol, is causing a good deal of excitement amongst the Volunteers aud the betting fraternity. Both men are practising very hard ; indeed, their shooting i 3 said to be such as would astonish some of the Greymouth cracks. 'The match is to be fired on the 4th February. Information has reached Waikouaiti, Otago, of a little girl, four and and a half years old, tlie daughter of Mr J. W. Murdoch, R.M., being lost in the Goodwood bush.. At the Ahaura Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday, the case Weaver v. Ashton, a charge of assault, adjourned from Cobden, was heard. The defendant was fined £5. The case Ashton v. Weaver, a charge of embezzling money, was adjourned to the 3rd February, for the production of further evidence. The latest Native news from the North received via Napier on Thursday, is to the effect that the Auckland papers state that Mr Firth telegraphed on the 17th to the authorities in Auckland that he had rectived from Te Kooti an offer of surrender to Government on condition that he would be protected. The authorities have telegraphed to accept no surrender from Te Kooti unless unconditionally. Yesterday morning, ab the ' Greymouth Resident Magistrate's Court, Henry Gibbs alias Rock, was charged with receiving stolen property, knowing the same to hive been stolen. On the application of Sergeant White the prisoner was remanded for eight days, for the production of witnesses, who are coining down in the Kennedy.. James Cattle was fined 10s and costs for allowing two goats to wander in the streets. George Martin, charged with the same off.nee, did not appear, and was fined £1 and costs. A Wellington journal says — "A recent case of distress promptly relieved has come to our knowledge, *ftnd is of so praiseworthy a character,; that ..we cannot refrain from telling it to our readers. A gentleman in the Telegraph Department, in Auckland, married, and possessing a small family and smaller salary, about twelve months ago becau.e insane. In the hopes that change and proper treatment would effect a cure, the then Telegraph Commissioner granted him six mouths leave of absence on full pay. The. leave expired, and instead of having im^ proved, the patient had become hopelessly worse. His term of service had not been such as to warrant the Government giving him any pension, but, as his wife was anxious

to get back to Scotland, they gave him a gratuity of L 65. Thia, however, was far kss than the sum necessary to pay their expenses in this Colony until the departure of the family, and save them from landing penniless at home. The Diatriot Inspector wrote down to Wellington, suggesting a subscription being raised in the Department. The oflicer here took up the idea heartily, ami but a few moments elapsed ero every official at every station in the Colony had contributed his quota, and nearly a LIOO was subscribed in an hour or two, to be sant by the I first moil. Thia sum was ailvanoed tempo- ) rarily by the general manager here, anil remitted by a steamer lfaving Wellington at the time for Auckland, in order to avoid any delay which would have been caused had he wsited till each subscription could arrive here from every out-station. By this tirae the distressed family have beau made happy. " A meeting of the actiug stewards of the Greymouth Jockey Club was held on Thursday evening last, at which it was decided to call the inhabitants together on Tuesday night next, at 8 o'clock, to take steps for the election of stewards and officers for the ensuing year. The visiting ground committee reported that the course alterations wore being rapidly proceeded with, and would soon be finished ; and that all matters connected with their duties were in as favorable a condition as could be hoped for. The hon. sec, was also empowered to advertise the preliminary notices of the meet, so as to ensure due and timely publicity to it in the adjoining provinces. Mr Lahman was to move last evening in the County Council "That copies of allcorrespondence, telegrams included, between the County Chairman and the Corporation of the Borough of Greymouth, and between the County Chairman and the Fire Brigade of Greymouth, having reference to the respective grants or moneys voted by this Council at the last session, be laid upon the table as early as possible." From the Clyde, Otago, papars we learn that the late storm was felt severely there. The T/hole of the valley was one broad sheet of water, and the Dunstan Times expresses its fear that the farmers will be heavy loser?; A melancholy case of accidental poisoning has occurred at Napoleon, which terminated fatally, on the morning of Tuesday, 18th inst. On the previous Saturday afternoon, about two o'clock, a fine little girl about seventeen months old, the daughter of Mr Charles Gardiner, an hotel-keeper at the Middle Township, was found playing with a box of wax vesta matches, and although it was suspected that she had swallowed some of them, she was not actually seen doing so. In the course of the evening the child became unwell and was put to bed. Shortly afterwards she began to vomit, and the mother became alarmed by seeing a phospheric glare on the matter which came from the child's stomach. Emetics and other remedies were administered, and on closer examination the remains of a large quantity of wax vestas were discovered. Daring Sunday and Monday the child appeared to be getting better, but on Monday night it suffered a relapse with convulsive fits, in one of which it died on Tuesday morning at nine o 1 dock. The poor li ttle thing became conscious, and recognised its parents just before its rie-ith. Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Gardiner, for the child was quite a ret with everybody in the township. The funeral took place on Wednesday evening, and was largely attended by the miners and townspeople. The LyUelton Times understands that a telegram has beeu received by the proper authorities, to the eftectthat the sentence on Smyth who wns found guilty of the murder of bis wife at Lyttelton, has been commuted to penal servitude for life. The Mount Ma Chronicle informs us that ' considerable excitement prevails at Blacks, in reference to quartz reef 3, and there seems to be a rage for prospecting. No very startling results, however, have yet been attained. The original reef, known as the American's, or Captain's, is being again re- worked by a somewhat strong company. The reef has been lately struck, and it is to be hoped will prove a success. There is but one opinion as to the advisability of having a crushing machine erected. There is no doubt whatever but that it would pay splendidly, and would give a great impulse to prospecting. The Overland China Mail, after describing; at some length the reception of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh at Hong Kong, states that after his departure a very droll rumor obtained circulation amongst the more credulous portion of the community. It was to the effect that the gentleman whom they had been feting as the Duke of Edinburgh was not the Duke at all ; that his Royal Highness had been kidnapped in Japan, and was detained for a heavy rarsom ; and that some one had been found to personate the Duke in order that his capture might be kept secret until the British Government decided on what was to be done. A Wanganui paper publishes the following memorial, drawn up by a Mr Charles Hulke, who is anxious that it should be adopted "by every community in the colony" : — " To the Honorable the House of Representatives of New Zealand, in ParJiament assembled — The memorial of the undersigned inhabitants of the colony respectfully sheweth that, whereas the Imperial ' Government has thought fit to withdraw its troops from this colony, your memorialists are of opinion that the cost of the Governor's salary should for the future be defrayed out of the Imperial instead of as at present out of the colo-. nial exchequer. Your memorialists therefore, most respectfully suggest that your honorable House will refuse to pass the estimate for the Governor's salary, save for such a period as will afford his Excellency ample time to confer with the Imperial Government on the subject, say for six months from the commencement of the session. Your m >mo- ■' rialists further suggest that in, the event of the home authorities declining to sanction the principle indicated above, your honorable House will not allow itself to be intimidated or cajoled into continuing the payment of the said salary."