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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 655, 31 March 1870, Page 2

Mr Kynnersley is now daily expected at Cobden from Nelson, We learn his intention when he left there on his Magisterial tour to the Upper Buller, was to come to the Grey overland, in order to judge from personal observations of the state of the tracks through the district. We learn that the residents in the block between Albert and Boundary streets, huve promptly acted, upon the suggestion con. taiued iv our last, and subscribed the amount necessary for erecting a stand-pipe and tilling in a landing-stage for the fire engine, in front of the centre of the block. This example ought to be followed by the owners of property in the other blocks, for although the water may appear to be near enough in the front street, yet with the exception of oue or two spots, it is impossible, for want of lillingin, to back the engine close enough to be of any service in case of fire. A miner at the Kanieri, named J. Conneran, has beeu committed for trial at Hokitika on a charge of assault witL intent. No business of any public interest has occupied the attention of the Resilient Magistrate's Court during the week. We are glad to see Mr Revell has resumed his seat on the [ Bench after his recent illness. Mr Fox returned to Wellington on the 27th hist., and leases for the South in a few days. We are informed 'that Mr Langdon's punt at the ferry on the Grey River is now completed, and will be launched on Thursday next. The ceremony will be quite an event, and will be duly celebrated, as it deserves to be, seeing that the enterprising proprietor has spent over LI 100 in the construction and purchase of the punt, wire rope, supports, approaches, &c. It is proposed in Wellington to give Commodore Lambert a public dinner, prior to his final departure from that station, which wiil take place in about a month hence. Mr F. L. Clarke's tender for the supply of unscreened Grey River coal has been accepted by the Hokitika Hospital Committee, at L 2 4-s Gd per ton. Mr Franklyn, M^P.C, proceeded from the Ahaura to Napoleon yesterday, at which place he will address the inhabitants of the town and district as to his intended course of action during the forthcoming session of the Provincial Council. It is also his intention to visit his colleague Mr Mackley, and come to aome arrangement with him with regard to their ■ future course of action on subjects concerning the welfare of the constituency. The gentlemen who have been nominated for the Thames Mining Board were Messrs. Chantrey Harris, William Sowerby Greenville, Edward Henry Power, William Hawkes, James Shutherland, W. H. Oldrey, John Pearson, Alexander Hays, Daniel Grove, Patrick Nolan, William B. Henderson. Only seven are to be elected out of this number. During che recent visit of the Provincial Secretary and Warden Whitefoord to Napoleon, those gentlemen visited Mr Skead's school iv the township. The children went through their exercises, and the visitors seemed much pleased with the appearance and deportment of the little ones. In answer to a question from the schoolmaster, Mr Greenfield said that, as Napoleon was not within the limits of a gazetted Educational district, no direct subsidy could be given to the school ; but there was a clause in the Act empowering the Government to grant a subsidy in proportion to the amount subscribed by the parents of children attending schools outside the limits of Educational districts ; and he promised to recommend the Napoleon school to favorable notice in the proper quarter. The Southern Gross of the 19fch inst. says that Mr Lewis Hewitt, arrived in Auckland from the Upper Waikato. He reports affairs" amongst the King natives to be highly satisfactory. For many years past he has never known appearances to be so promising of a permanent psace. The Ngatimaniapoto and Waikafco tribes are busy getting ia their potato crops; and profess themselves only anxious to remain at peace. Much of the bitterness of feeling with regard to Europeans which followed the war in Waikato has disappeared, and the old restless feeling which used to be so distructive of amicable relations between the two races is fast dying out. The natives are learning to appreciate the beuetifcs of peaceful industry, and every day this can be continued decreases the chance of auother rupture. As grest interest has been taken here in the pedestrian matches between Harris and Hewitt at Melbourne, we may repeat a statement made in the Herald, that the result of the great pedestrian match has not given great satisfaction as far as the sporting men of Geelong are concerned, and it is reported that mo men hailing from Geelong will be backed to run the colonial champion, Harris, any distance up. to 220 yards. The two alluded to are undoubtedly fast, but it is doubtful whether both of them will be able to hold their own against suck an athlete. With regard to the recent events, " the man under the veraudah" writes in the Leader:—l fear that the enthusiasm of the twenty or thirty thousand people who, on Saturday: and Monday last, rushed to see which of two men was stronger in the loins and swifter in the legs, has not quite' sius

vived the lame and impotent conclusion. I am afraid that the public mind is not quite satisfied that the wager-makers are not in some way responsible for the results. Some people, the condition of whose betting'books rendered them very uncomfortable on Saturday evening, felt much better about six on Monday. Drawn bets are better than lost bets. I begin to appreciate the advice of a frequenter of the verandah, whose sporting experience has be-m ' rather extensive. "Never bet on anything that speaks," says the oracle, and the oracle isn't far wrong. For that which speaks can bargain, and when bargains are made something or somebody is bought or sold, The human raco is a very unsatisfactory race to back for money, or indeed for anything more valuable than forfeited scrip or neglected call-notices. We are full on foot-races just at present, and the enterprising importers of athletic talent can't have done badly in their speculation. The only uneasiness felt on their behalf is that they may impair their resources by giving some ruinously large sum to the Melbourne Cricket Club for wear, tear, and use of the ground ! A man suffering from an attack of violent and dangerous mania was brought to the j Ahaura on Tuesday, by a party of miners from Duffer Gully. There being neither i medical attendance nor any suitable place available in which any case of sickness can be treated in the township, he was detained some time waiting for a boat, but as none made an appearance, the poor fellow was tied on a horse, Maze|>pa-like, and forwarded down the river. He was brought to town in charge of constable Dorris the same night. The Auckland Evening Star says :— "The Auckland Police Force is to be incorporated with the Armed Constabulary, in terms of a resolution passed during a recent session of the Provincial Council, which gave the Superintendent discretionary power to effect such an arrangement. The police will be taken over by the General Government, and enrolled as Armed Constabulary, but the number and distribution of the force will still be subject to the will of tha Provincial I authorities, who will pay for the maintenance of the force at a rate to be agreed upon. The General Government will, in fact, supply police for the use of the Provincial Government, and the force will be organised by the officers of the Armed Constabulary, A singular accident occurred at Langdon's ferry on Tuesday. A valuable horse, the property of Mr John Hamilton, of Cobden, was being taken across in the usual manner, when, in the middle of the stream, it sank without any apparent cause. The carcase was taken ashore, but it presented no signs of life. No blame is attributed to the ferryman. The Pulpifc and the Press are at variance in Melbourne, with regard to the best means to be adopted for suppressing vice. Eeviewing a recent speech made by the Bishop, the Leader contains the following truthful remarks, which have a wider application, and may be read with benefit here as well as in Melbourne : — "The reason of the comparative failure of the Pulpit is to be found in the fact that ministers have given their teaching a direction too exclusively looking to the next world. They should apply themselves more than they do to make this world better and purer. What we wish to point out to the clergy is simply this, that their efforts are less productive than they might be, in consequence of . being in a great measure misdirected. Casting their eyes aloft to the world beyond the skies, and omitting to take within their view what concerns the daily life of thi3 world, as though it had no reference to spiritual life at all, they have committed an oversight that is chargeable with much of the active evil which we have now to deplore in the conduct of society. Mr Johu Sinclair, of the Toi Tois, Otago, is described by the Bruce Herald as the first discoverer of gold in that Province. He is said to have made the discovery eight years before Gabriel Read, but the then Superintendent, Captain Cargill, "wise in his generation," at once declared that if the discovery of gold was ouce made known it would ruin the province for ever, as strangers would rush the ■ country, and carry off the benefits, to the ruin of the settlers. Knowing that Mr Sinclair, whom he accompanied to Otago in the John Wickcliffe, was a freemason, he strongly urged secrecy, which Mr Sinclair promised, and to which promise he proved faithful throughout. " As a social question," says a Victorian paper, there is much to be. said in favor of colonial wines, which the zealous followers of temperance should not lose sight of. It is this : It has been established beyond the shadow of a doubt that however largely colonial wine is made use of, it will never produce those disastrous effects which spring from the excessive use of spirits, or that excitement of the brain which eventuates iv ddirium treviens. And, further, that ihe moderate use of genuine Australian wines, so far from having a pernicious effect upon the blood, purifies and freshens it, and conduces to health. Confirmod drunkards having a knowledge of the injury they were i doing themselves by the abuse of alchohol, i and unable to resist. the temptation of drink, have as a last resource, found all the exhilirating effects they desired in colonial wine ; and, stimulating themselves with no othe^ intoxicant, have, in a' few weeks, found themselves less the victims of the degrading vice, and improved in health and spirits This improvement in health has led them to the more moderate use of even the beverage that they have received so much benefit from, and eventually they have become temperate and sober men. These facts cannot be too widely disseminated. Colonial win©3 are destined to be of great use in tending to allay the disposition to drunkenness ; and it behoves every one to advocate their use in place of more pernicious beverages."