THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MAY 5, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 670, 5 May 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MAY 5, 1870.

The licensing meeting, which ought to have been held at the Court-house on Tuesday, lapsed for want of a Bench of Justices. There were present on the Bench W. H, Revell, Esq., R.M., and C. Whitefoord] Esq., R.M., but a Justice to complete the quorum could not be found, and the applications were not heard. They will consequently have to be sent to the County Chairman, with whom the power now remains of granting or refusing them. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee was held last night at Gilmer's Hotel. Present — Messrs Whitefoord (chair), King, Strike. Glenn, Winter, Perkins, Arnott, Gihner. and Maclean. The. minutes of the previous meeting were read aud confirmed. The Visiting Committee reported that 16 patients were admitted during the month, 11 discharged, and three died, leaving 28 in the building at present. The accounts for the month, amounting to L 217 17s lid, were placed on the table and passed, and L 6 17s 6d was received for the sale of vegetables. Thomas M'Naughton'fl offer to keep the Garden in

thorough order for the sam of LSO yearly was accepted. The Treasurer reported that the Wesiland Government Suill owed ihe Committee four months' subsidies. Messrs Bavkley and Moore were elected members of the Commiuiee in the place of Messrs Lapham and Smith. Messrs Strike, Whitefoord, pnd Gihner were appointed the Visiting Corami wee for the month. Another session of the County Council commences to-day at Hokitika. The business will be of the usual formal character — listening to the Chairman's opening address, and appointing Committees. It is likely that no business will be transacted before Monday. As regards our representatives! Mr Harrison will be present to-day, and Mr Lahman will put in an appearance on Monday. A general meeting of the Greymouth Rifle Volunteers will be held to-night, at the Volunteer Hall, after parade. The business is stated to be important. In another column we publish the balancesheet of the Committee entrusted with the collection and expenditure of the money raised for tbe relief of some of the sufferers |by the Boundary street fire. A balance still on hand, and in order to decide upon «its disposal, a meeting of subscribers is called for to-day at noon, at Kilgour's Hotel. At the meeting which was held at the Ahaura on Monday evening; la3t, with reference to M 'Donald's track, it wa s suggested by the Chairman (Mr Pinkerton) that the time had come when it was necessary that the people of the district should form themselves into an association for the purpose of watching over and protecting the interests of the place. The hint was taken, and it was agreed that a meeting should be held at M'Kenna's Hotel, on Saturday, 7th inst., to take steps towards the appointment of a District Improvement Committee. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday, the following list of civil cases was got through :— G-. Simmons vE. Neilson, L 6 18s, and J. W. Parkinson v H. L. Ralfe, Okarito, L 5 3s, judgments by default. Maclean and Co v East, L 7 4s Id ; ordered to pay LI per week, or oue month's imprisonment. D. Henry v A. Montgomery, claim of L 5 ; judgment for L 4 10s and costs. Hall v Erown, L 5 14s lid ; judgment by default. Mayor and Councillors of Greymouth v James Lee, L 6 Bs, for rates ; judgment by default. Same v McCarthy, L 2 10s, for rates ; judgment for plaintiffs. Same v Martin Codyre, LI 6s, for rates ; judgment by default. M. Love v Boyle, Ryan and party, L 5 8s 6d ; judgment confessed. H. Giesking v Mrs Rodgers, Ll 8s 7d, for goods ; judgment by default. Broadbent and King v William Walker, Ll 10s, ani Crogan v Graham, L 36 10s 8d ; judgment by default with costs. J. M'Davitt v O. Boden, L 4 ss ; judgment for L 3 5s and costs. Sanrise Quartz Mining Company v W. Wilson, L 9 7s 6d ; adjourned to the 12th inst. As attention is at present being directed among miners to California, owing to the opening of the new mail route, we publish the following extracts from a letter just received by Mr M. .Darcy, storekeeper, at Nelson Creek, from his cousin, who was formerly digging up the Grey River : — "At the time I left you I went to Melhourne, intending to return back to Wanganui ; however I went to the Weddon Mountains, New South Wales, and from thera, along with many others, I steered my course to California, and now I shall tell you something of the country : It's the worst country in the world for a poor man to face to make a living, the average wages on the mines being 3dols per day (12s) ; and a man to look for a claim to himself, as in New Zea. land, he has no chance, as they are all in the hands of large companies, and require lar^e capital to work them io advantage. The generality of the mines are silver, copper, and lead, and the gold mines are not as good as in New Zealand. I think New Zealand is preferable for a working man. 1 would not advise a poor man to come here, as the habits and custom of the people are not so liberal here as either Australia or New Zealand. Wages for laboring men are 8s per day. City property is about five times as dear in San Francisco as it is in Melbourne, and not half so well built or laid out. The population of the city is about 200,000. It's a good wheat producing country, and flour realises about L 9 per ton (wholesale). There are a good many New Zealand boys here. I have seen Jack Meeny and his brother Michael ; they landed the same week as I did. I shall soon be back again." A miner at Brandy Jack's sends the following complaint, but as the cap does not fit us, we publish it "for the benefit of whom it may concern" :— "Mr Editor— You will excuse my trespassing on your valuable time while I direct your attention to some rather strange words made use of in the newspapers published on the coast, that everyone cannot read or know what use they are for. One man reckons 'they cannot express themselves in English, and just put in words as they know nowt about, nor nobody else, "for instance, 'the euphonious soubriquet of Sailor Bill,' and certain ai tides 'to be taken cum grano salis,' some French sentences, and lots of other words rather hard to mouth. I have always looked upon the use of them as being, not only pedantic, but selfish, as if written only for those who were in possession of a large dictionary, or had got a classical education. If they must be used in the high state that literature has advanced to on the West Coast, how would it do to have foot-notes to explain the meaning or give translations of them, for the benefit of those who are innocent of the classics or dictionary, or have a column called "the salted column," for putting in the news of duffer rushes, &c, so that diggers may be sav^d so many fruitless trips through incorrect reports — for we use the word salted as intended to deceive— and one for Greek and Latin proper name?, or high-sounding words and flourishes of language. Something of the kind must be instituted, else stick to the truth and plain English. At the present time, when there is an agitation on foot for the creation of Mining Boards, the following remarks by the latest Southern Cross to hand, may prove instructive:—"A condensed report of the "first meeting of the Mining Board, "atthe Thames, appeared in yesterday's paper. ; The proceedings, as reported; were not calculated to give

the outside public any very great idea of the capacity or wisdom of the Board. On the contrary, the report must leave the impression on the minds of impartial observers that the Mining Board, now that it has got to work, is an unsafe body to manage any large interests, such as those of the gold field. And it is because such is manifestly the case, that we propose saying a word or two in reference to the Board. In the first place, the result of the election demonstrates the fact that the great bulk of the miners, and other persons interested in the gold field, took no interest whatever in it. To them, the election appeared to be a simple farce ; and accordingly, out of a constituency of over six thousand, only 552 voters exercised the franchise, although polling-places •were opened in Auckland, Coromandel, and elsewhere within the gold field. This, after two years' incessant agitation, and after an active personal canvass, was undoubtedly a barren result. But if the Mining Board cannot, except by legal fiction, be held to represent the mining constituency, it manifests a disposition to make up for its want of popularity by an assumption of power, which would be supremely ludicrous were it not dangerous. The Home News says : — Dr Featheraton and Mr Bell, although they have been hard at work ever since their arrival, have not made much progress in the objects of their mission. They have been everywhere well received, and have left no stone unturned to serve the colony. They are not sanguine as to their ultimate success with reference to a regiment of the Imperial troops being retained in the colony. Should their request in this matter not be granted, there is no probability of their endeavoring to obtain powers to raise a troop in the island. The Commission appear to have been met by the members of the Government more immediately connected with the colonies with the unfailing " non-intervention" policy. A story too goodnotto bear re-telling is told in connection with this. It is said that when the impolicy of interfering between the Maori and Pakeka population of New Zealand was insisted upon, one of the Commissioners said to a gentleman representing the Government, "If you will not interfere between us and the aborigines of New Zealand, why not apply the same rule to the loyally-disposed inhabitants of Ireland and the aborigines of that country ? If the Maoris have a right to a king of New Zealand, why not the Fenians to a similar luxury in Ireland ?" The reply of the official is not recorded. The Commissioners, although they are not likely to succeed in the main objects of their journey, will not return without having produced a wholesome effect upon the interests of the colony notwithstanding. Emigration, postal and passenger communication, the utilisation of the products of the islands, and many other kindred matters have engaged their attention, and the result cannotfcul to be for good.