Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 669, 3 May 1870, Page 2

In a recent issue we published an address to the miners of the Grey Valley, by tbe delegates of the Mining League at Westport. It contained some accusations against Mr Franklyn, the representative of the Grey District in the Nelson Provincial Council, to which that gentleman announced his intention to reply. Since then, Mr Franklyn has desired the Westport Times to state that, on further consideration, he declines to publish any reply to the remarks passed upon him by Messrs Barrowman and Doyle, in their address to the electors of the Grey Valley. A robbery of amalgam is reported as having taken place at Addison's on Monday last, the sufferers being Wilk and party, and the quantity abstracted is estimated at fifty ounces. A small rush has taken place in a gully known as Bourke's gully, in the Inangahua district. A party of men are engaged working, a few miles south of Bradshaw's Terrace, near Westport, a run of gold that may be accepted as a continuation of the terrace lead. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday James Cattle was charged, on the information of the Inspector of Nuisances, with permitting a stove pipe in his hotel to be on fire on the morning of the 29th ult. He said it was caused by the servant putting kerosene on the fire. Fined LI and costs — Thomas Fullarton was charged with allowing one horse to wander in Boundary street. He did not appear, aud was fined 10s and costs.— Woolfe and Austin, for allowing thirty sheep to wander, were fined 10s and costs. — Flynn, for a similar offence, with two horses, was fined 10s and costs. — An information was read by Thomas Gourlay to the effect that flowers, shrub?, plants, and bulbs, to the value of LlO, had been removed from his garden, and that he had reason to believe the same were concealed on the premises of Emiliue Neilson, at Tivoli Gardens. He stated that on Tuesday last his garden was all right, when he left for Hokitika. After returning, he visited the garden on Sunday and found a great many of bis plants gone, pulled up by the root, the ground around being quite loose. One fuschia in particular be valued at L 2 10s. A great many valuable plants had been taken away. His collection o dahlias had been cut, the tops stuck in the ground, aud the bulbs taken away. He saw bits of the flowera lying about, and by the aid of dropped pieces of leaves and branches

tracked them inside the gate of Tivoli. In the garden he saw a number of flowers and shrubs similar to those he lost freshly set that day. The large fuschia he identified and produced in Court, and also a number of other plants, to which he swore positively. There were also a number of others which he had every reason to believe were his. He had given no person permission to remove anything from the garden, except Mr Harrison, to remove some potatoes that were his. The defendant, on being accused, said the plants were his, and he had got them from the Coal Creak Gardens, where ho formerly lived. Constable Flannagan, who accompanied the last witness to Tivoli, gave corroborative evidence as to the finding of the plants, and their identification in the prisoner's presence. He said why he was blamed for these things was because he had been working in the garden digging potatoes for Mr Harrison. The witness knew of his own knowledge that the large fuschia produced was Mr Gourlay's. He could track the flowers right up to Tivoli. He had been in Tivoli a few days before, and did not see these flowers. All the fresh planted flowers were claimed by Gourlay. The evidence of a boy was offered, but as he had never been at school it was refused by the Magistrate. The prisoner, having been cautioned, Baid he never took a flower from Mr Gourlay ; he l had plenty of his own. The fuschia Gourlay swore to was sent to him four years ago from Dunedin. He had a dozen kinds of f uschias as well as all kinds of flowers in his garden. The Magistrate said he had power to deal summarily with the case, and sentenced the prisoner to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. A man named Kane has been arrested at Wangaloa, Otago, on a charge of setting fire to an unoccupied dwelling at Wangaloa Creek, near Kaitangata, during the night of the Bth April. A meeting called by circular was held at Pinkerton's Hotel at the Ahaura, on Friday evening, to consider "the most advisable steps to be taken for the purpose of obtaining the abolition of tolls on the Napoleon track (M 'Donald's), the Warden having granted further protection. Mr Pinkerton was in the chair ; and the meeting was addressed by Messrs Davies, Samuels, Kittelty, Terry, Morris, and others. A committee was appointed to draw up a petition to the Provincial Council, praying that body to cause the track to be thrown open to the public, and to compensate the owners therof. The meeting was adjourned till Monday evening, when the committee will submit the petition for approval previous it its transmission to Nelson. Mr Wylde has been inspecting the quartz reefs at the Lyell, and on his return to Westport furnished the following particulars to the Westport Times : — The prospecting party, Antonio Zala and party, have struck two reefs of great thickness in driving through their tunnel. Gold is visible in every piece of stone taken up, and also in the mullock which forms the casing of the reef. Until crushed, the amount per ton yielded of the precious metal cannot be specified, but the lowest estimate fixes it at not less than 20oz to the ton. Several leaders cropping up on the surface of the claim are very rich. Specimens brought down show gold throughout the stone and casing. Th c adjoining claims both to north and south have also struck gold on the boundaries of the prospectors' claim. The reefs cr leaders are cut through by Zala's tunnel at from 200 to 300 feet below the surface, and being exposed on the surface it proves equally rich there. Here is, of course, a very large quantity of stone proved to be payable in a high degree. We understand that arrangements have been made for the formation of a company for the purpose of procuring crushing machinery at once ; and that the necessary funds have already been obtained, pending the formation of the new company. So that not a day's delay may take place in commencing operations. A large amount of work has already been done by Zala and party, and they have undertaken to hand over onc-ha'f their interest in the claim to the company which will be formed at once. The Westport Times of the 26th ulfc. skates that a melancholy accident, attended with fatal results, took place at Dixon, Cook, and party's claim, Giles' Terrace, yesterday. It appears that about 11 a.m. John Rumney, who was working John Cowan's share, William Jones, and William Hopkins were working in a tunnel, Rumney being nearest the face, when the false set of timber gave way, immediately followed by several other sets and a mass of dirt. Tbe three men were buried, and when extricated — a number of miners immediately setting in aad clearing away the debris, occupying a space of two hours — it was found thab Jones and Hopkins had escaped without injury. Dr Thorpe was in attendance, but unfortunately medical aid was unavail' ig, as John Rumney was found dead, with a slab lyiug across his neck. The deceased was about 28 years of ape, single, and a native of Weardale, county Durham. Efforts are being made by the licensad victuallers of Otago towards the abolition of bottle licenses ; in order to remove any financial difficulty it is proposed that the ; publicans should pay an additional L 5 per annum for licenses. Mr M'lndoe was, on Wednesday last, elected for the Caversham district, Otago. The numbers were M'lndoe 146, Outten 71, Graham 16, Robertson 9. The monthly meeting of the Volunteer Fire Brigade took place last evening a t their Hall, Captain ,Whall, in the chair. There was a very good attendance of members. A letter was read from the County Chairman's Office, Hokitika, as follows : — " Referring to your letter of the Sthinst., requesting that the balance of the amount voted by the County Council for the Greymouth Fire Brigade may be forwarded, 1 am directed by Mr Hoos to inform you that the balauce is not at present available, but that he hopes to be able to pay it before the expiration of the present financial halfyear.—A. E. Tennant, Chief Clerk." The letter was received. Donations amounting

to L2O 5s were acknowledged. The only one we have not mentioned previously was the cheque of Mr F. Campbell for L 5. The Secretary was instructed to acknowledge receipt of the various sums, and to place them to the credit of the general funds of the Brigade. The Captain stated that in future the practices of the Brigade would be more confined to coupling than pumping the engine. After a conversation it was resolved to transfer the banking account to the Bank of New South Wales. A sum L 6 was noted to Fireman Wilson in consequence of injuries received at the late fire. Three new members were proposed. The meeting then adjourned. ! The body of the miner Moorhead, wh|o has been missing for about a fortnight, was found yesterday in the Grey River, a shoijt distance below the Coal Pits. A man passing one of the shallow ledges saw the body, but contented himself with reporting the circumstance at Brunnerton. Mr Drury, who |was riding down from the Ahaura, was the next to pass, and he dismounted, waded across into the water, and brought the body ashore. A cheque for £100 and some silver was found in his pocket. The matter was dulyreported to the police, and the enquiry wil be held to-day at Brunnerton by Sergeant Neville. The powder taken from Kooti is said to be very fine. The description of the casks bespeaks American origin. i A criminal information is in progress in Nelson by Mr F.Whitaker jun. against Mr De Hirsch for publishing a letter reflecting on his character as a solicitor. Out of a mining population of 1500 on thel Lawrence Gold Field, Otago. 500 are Chinese, and out of 1343 miners in the Queenstown district, 635 are Chinese. ; : The tender of Messrs Winter and Busby of Westport has been accepted by the District Engineer for the delivery of 4000 tons of stone (granite) in the Buller River. The price of the accepted tender is 5s lOd per ton. The Resident Magistrate at Napier has been suspended by the Government pending: an investigation of certain charges which; have been preferred against him. The Tuapeka Times of April 21 has the following: — We are informed that the Rev Mr Beaumont has accepted the Lawrence cure, and that he is expected to enter upon his duties in the course of a few days. Mr A. Reid, member of the Nelson Provincial Council for Westport, who left to walk overland, got bushed one night during a heavy fall of snow and rain, and had to burn all his papers as a substitute for a caudle, preserving his notes, however, respecting the Lyell reefs, details of which will be furnished by him to the Westport Times by first opportunity. We (Westport Times) regret to have to announce the death of William Honness, a miner of the Caledonian. The deceased had taken part in a cricket match on Good Friday last, at the Caledonian, and when returning home to his hut at Ballarat Creek, got off the track, and fell over a precipice, receiving severe internal injuries. He was conveyed to the Westport Hospital on Thursday, and expired yesterday about 5 p.m. Deceased is stated to be a native of Norfolk, and about 40 years of age. Yesterday Messrs Nancarrow, Henderson and Co. sold by auction, at Marsden, the Rutherglan and New River Tramway,, with the whole of the plant, carriages, horses, &c. , for L 3500. The purchasers were Messrs Hartley Studdard and Co., of Rutherglen. An Auckland journal has been informed that his Excellency Sir George Bowen has purchased, or is about to purchase, that valuable property belonging to T. Russell, Esq., known as the Pah Farm, and situate near Onehunga. The property, which cost L 12,000 some years ago, has been extensively and judiciously planted with trees, and otherwise improved, and will in a few years, become one of the handsomest sites for a country residence, in th.3 neighborhood of Auckland. The intention of Sir George Bowen to purchase this property shows that he is not tho only Governor who has duly appreciated the magnificent climate and situation of Auckland. A fierce war is just now raging between the press of the Northern metropolis and that of the Empire city concerning the port of call for the mail steamers. Mr Yogel, as our readers know, has secured for Auckland the advantage of being the port of call for the present mail boats, but other parties are in the field proposing to make Wellington the port of call with a larger class of boats. This had led to an altercation of courtesies between the press of the two cities, a choice sample of which we take from the Auckland Herald of Tuesday last : — We are reminded, whilst looking over our Wellington files yesterday, of former piscatorial experiences. The Empire City is like a lantern-jawed schnapper that has been about fifteen minutes landed in the bottom of the fishing-boat— everybody thought he was dead, when suddenly, with a tremendous gasp and a flash of the tail, he caused the whole party to look round, and in. consequence, he got more kicks than half-pence." The writer of this has forgotten the pitiable state of Auckland three years ago, previous to the discovery of gold at the Thames, when Auckland as much resembled a "lantern-jawed schnapper" as does Wellington at the preseut day.