Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 637, 17 February 1870, Page 2

The opposition to King Cobb upon the road between Christchurch and Hokitika has been a short-lived one, as it is announced that arrangements have been entered into between Messrs Burton and Co. Mid Messrs Dalwood and Co. As a natural consequence, we hear it rumored that the old table of charges is to be once more put into force. On his late visit to Auckland, Mr D. Sheedy invested in some claims in the Coromandel district to a considerable extent* although they at that time had not struck gold. By the arrival of the Kennedy yeste--day he has learnt that in two of them — the Brian Bora and the Sunburst— capital prospects have been found, those in. the former being, he is told, the best yet obtained in the district, while those in the latter are very goad. He is. one of the. fortunate few among the unlucky many whose luck has been tried on the Auckland gold fields. A match at billiards for L.5 aside between two non -professionals took place at the Albion Hotel on Tuesday night, and drew together a large audience, because it was known that this match was to be on the " square," and aa this course of conduct has been, rather unusual of late, great interest was taken in the event in consequence. The game was 500 up, and the players Messrs Kirkwood. and: Buckingham, the latter giving his opponent JOQ points. Mr Buckingham played much better than in his previous match, and rapidly overhauled his opponent in the first half of the ga.me ; but Kirkwoo J, by steady playing, eventually managed to win by 18 points. He was unfortunate in his breaks, and had not tbe same good luck as his opponent, who besides is one of the best amateurs on the Coast. • Tbe amount of gold shipped yesterday for Melbourne by the Eangitoto Was, 3500 oz. The County Council finished ita sittiugson Tucttlay evening, and now stands prorogued to the sth May next. On Monday night, Mr Harrison asked about the delay in receiving Crown grants, when the Chairman, stated the delay lay with his Excellency the Governor, who had not returned those sent for signature. Questions were asked respecting the Arahura Road and the Taipo Eeofs, and satisfactorily .answered. Mr HobinsoD drew attention to the incomplete returns of the sale of Crown lands, and to tie damage done by the <Uwu on the Hokitika Eiver to David j

Hudson. The Public Works Commibtee brought up a report granting Mr Blake's terms to build abridge over the Taipo, and recommended granting his contract for three years to keep the Christchurch Road in repair. The reports of the Agricultural Reserves and House and Printing Committees were recefved. A committee was appointed to contract for building a bridge over the Hokitika River. The Council resolved to grant 10Q aores of rural land to every person who exports 50 tons of dressed flax in twelve months, realising L.25 per tou here or in London. The Council declined to entertain Messrs M'Meokau/ Blackwood, and Co.'s tander for conveyance of mails to MelbourneOn the following night, the Public Works Committee recommended leasing the Golds, borough Road by tender, and it was carried. Mr Hudson's claim for damage was not sustained. Mr Harrison moved the prorogation of the Council to May 5. Mr Blake's term of contract were ordered to be amended before acceptance. The matter of the recon, s traction of the Goldsborough Road was again brought up, when it was agreed that the tenders should be returned to the tenderers to be modified, the time to be extended to Friday next, and none but those who have already tendered to ba allowed to send in fresh tenders. The Chairman then thanked the members, and declared the Council prorogued to sth May next. The Auckland papers suggest that the General Government might materially assist the numerous unemployed workmen at the Thames by at once disbanding the Waikato militia and hiring as many unemployed miners in their place. The four shillings a day (says the Herald) which is a mockery to the Waikato settler, who, by losing his harvest, is at a loss of pounds, would be a godsend to the starving Thames man. The adjourned Foresters' Fete will be held, as will be seen by advertisement in another column, to-morrow, at the Tivoli Gardens, when we hope to see a large attendance. As all the grounds, refreshment rooms, and sports are under the control of the committee alone, parents and children will be able to enjoy themselves iv witnessing the capital l^gramme which is intended to be carried out. We hope the weather will be suitable, for in such case we anticipate a successful Jete. ■ c Just before the start for the Consolation Handicap, at the Croxtbn Park Races, Melbourne, on thesfch insb., A. E. Bird, one of the English champion pedestrians, came up the course in front of the stand, in what appeared to bo a state of semi-nudity, but which some persons on-the ground described as racing costume. Bird was arrested by Sergeant Ennis for indecent exposure ; he was afterwards bailed out in the sum of LlO, to appear t?b tlie Fitzroy Police Court. We deemed it our duty in our last issue to call attention to the non-appearance of the Resident Magistrate at tunes when parties are preseut with their witnesses to get their cases disposed of. Another instance was afforded yesterday, M'hen Mr Revell was absent at Maori Gully on his usual visit, and again the business bad to be postponed through one Justice only putting in an appearance. We certainly think that the R. M. Clerk should have arranged, as we urged formerly, to have the benefit of Mr Whitefoord's services when available, and nob compel the increased expenses of an adjournment to be borne by litigants when it could be po easily remedied, especially as in the first instance the fault lies with him in granting a summons to be heard on a day when he ought to know the Resident Magistrate would and could not be present. If this course be not adopted, we evidently want a large increase to our bench of Justices. The following, figures, says the Southern Gross, of the 31st, ult., which may be relied upon us authentic, will show the expense involved in. working quartz reefs. We may observe that the claim is considered a very good one : — Quartz crashed, 306 tons, yielding G39oz Bdwt lgr, producing LI, 401, 14s 6d ; average value per ounce, 435, 9d j average value per ton of quartz, L4Us 6; average yield per ton, 2oz 2dwt ; average amount of quartz prod.aced per week (for 20 wenks), 15 tons 6cwt. Average cost per ton for wages only (this item includes labour on permanent improvements to the mine), L 2 7s lOd ; expense of getting, carting, charges, und crushing, LI 14s 2d ; total cost per ton, including crushing, L 4 2s. By the arrival of the Tararua, the. Fire j Brigade has received from Ballarat 25 firemen's hatchets, belts, and pouches. The | only things now required to complete the equipment of the Brigade is a ladder carriage and ladders, and the owners of properties should at once put the brigade in sufficient funds to enable them to obtain them. From its commencement the Brigade has received but scant encouragement, yet it has manfully struggled on, despite the apathy displayed to its existence by those, most interested in its maintenance. As the carriage and ladders are most urgently required, we would suggest an immediate canvass of the town being made to obtain the necessary funds. The want of the ladders was felt at the late fire, and we do not wish to have to reiterate the same complaiut should a similar disaster ensue. Remarking on the proposal to rush Ohinemuri, the Thames Advertiser says : — " Any attempt to open the country by a mass of diggers rushing there would be quite certainly a failure. Supposing 500 men went up taking each a week's tucker, and marched to.the ranges, a few miles above Ohinemuri ; they would hot see a single Maori, to fight; with, and they" would be" neither paid nor supported, by the Government, but the contrary. They would have no chance of getting food while they remained together in a body, and certainly could do no piospecting; thus mere starvation would bring them back to Shortland, But supposing that they could get food, they certainly could do no prospecting, while they remained in a body. For that purpose they would have to separate into parties, of three or four, and so separated two or three of the parties could soon be cut off, just', to encourage the others.. WcuU the remainder continue their

prospecting under the circumstances ? Would it not be quite intolerable if food were scarce — if every gully had to be ascrtinised for enemies as well as reefs — if the digger had to lug with him a rifle and ammunition besides his swag— if he could not go to aleep except- with the fear that he would be killed before he recovered consciousness again? Would capitalists take costly machinery up there, or would they invest in the claims ?" . Our Oamaru contemporary repocts that there is every probability — indeed, almost a certainty— of the quartz; reef recently dis- j covered on the Marewhenua gold field tnrn« ] ing out exceedingly rich stone. Mr Robin* son who has obtained a prospector's claim, brought down on Monday last lOlls of the stone to Oamaru, which was crushed on the following day with a peafcle and mortar, the result beiug 17 grains of amalgam gold, representing at the lowest estimate 7 grains of the pure metal. This would give about 80 grains to the cwt or over 3J ounces to the ton. This yield would, it is needless to say, pay handsomely, but there is eveiy reason to believe that tlie quality of the stone wi J improve as the reef is penetrated, the stone in question having been got within six feet of |the outcrop. The reef runs north and south, and is about six feet in width. We believe that it is in contemplation ,to organise a company to work the reef, and there should be no difficulty, with such golden prospects, in raising the necessary funds.