THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 681, 31 May 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1870.

An important rush took place on Saturday at Napoleon, not far from the Cemetery. The prospectors, Messrs Wyndham and Gildea, have been at work for sometime at this place, but they refrained from making the prospect they obtained public until they had satisfied themselves that the ground would pay. The electors in the mining districts who intended to support Mr J. W. Jones, of No Town, in his candidature for a seat in the Nelson Provincial Council, will regret to learn that that gentleman's nomination was not proceeded with at Cobden yesterday in consequence of the discovery that Mr Jones' name was not on the registration roll of persons eligible for election. This has occurred through an oversight, and it ought to act as a caution to miners as to the necessity of having their names registered on the electoral roll. The holding of a business license or a miners right for a period of six months qualifies a person to vote, but the qualification must be registered before the holder of it can nominate or second a candidate, or become eligible himself for election to a seat in the Provincial Council. The County Chairman has given expression to one of his favorite theories — one that he has stated so frequently that we have no doubt he has brought himself to believe it, viz.,— "that the Grey District has received more public money than it is entitled to, for nowhere had more money been Bpent than in the Grey during the last eighteen months, for roads had been made in all directions there !" The idea is so utterly absurd, and is so far removed from the truth, that we rather applaud Mr Lahman for indignantly denying such a sweeping assertion. Will anyone tell us where the roads haye been made in all directions, in the Grey District— for ourselves we have long looked for them in vain. Any number have been constructed on paper on the Estimates, and in the brains of the County Chairman, but in no other

way that -we aye aware of, unless he intend to debit this district, in the return which th.9 Council has ordered him to make up, with the expenditure inmakingandmaintainingthe famous Greenstone Road. Surely the Councillors will not allow it to be charged to the Grey, as it was admittedly constructed for the purpose of securing the trade of the district to the port of Hokitika, and depriving Greymouth of it. The remarks of Mr Lahman on this subject are worth reproducing. He said, he " could not allow such a sweeping assertion as that roads had been made in the Grey District in all directions to pass uncontradicted. When they found the Chairman of the County Council making such an assertion it was no wonder that indignation meetings were held, and no one but that officer wa3 to blame. As these words would go forth in all directions they might be believed in some, but not in the Giey District. It was true that many roads had been projected, but none made. He was anxious to know where roads had been made in all directions in the Grey District ?" We hope to hear the answer when the promised return is produced. A well-known contractor has made the Nelson Government an offer to throw a bridge over the Ahaura River immediately below the township, or at any other situation the Government Engineer may fix upon. The terms on which this offer has been made have not transpired, but it is reported that they are such that the Government are inclined to entertain them. A Maori woman has been found dead at Waiuku, Province of Auckland, having died apparently from the effects of a stab in the left breast. Nothing had transpired to give a clue to the murderer. The Prince Alfred (German) Water-race Company, at Upper Nelson Creek, have had a washing-up after seven weeks' sluicing. The result was one hundred and twelve ounces of gold, giving an average of about LI 2 per man per week. We recently mentioned that a warrant had been issued against Mr D. Curie, proprietor of the Ross Guardian, for a libel on the Chairman of the County Council, published in that paper a few days ago. On Thursday last, Detective Browne proceeded to Ross and arrested Mr Curie, but bail to any amount was immediately offered and accepted, and defendant was released. The bail consisted in defendant himself L2OO, and two sureties of LIOO each. The case was to be heard yesterday, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Hokitika. Mr Harvey will conduct the case for the prosecution, and Messrs Button and Reid will defend the accused. The greatest interest is felt in Ross in the result. . In the County Council, on Friday night, Mr Carreras asked " When the money voted by the Council for the purpose of making a track from Marsden to No Name will be paid, the same having been completed, and passed by the Road Board Engineer ?"— The Chairman said in about two months, so that the Paroa Road Board, and its contractor may live in hope for a few months longer, Excitement in Cobden is running high over the present election. Last night an effigy was hung up in the main street on a gallows, but it was impossible to say who it was intended for, as it resembled the one candidate as closely as it did the other, and the supporters of the rivals disclaimed all connection with it. It will be remembered that during the last session of the County Council it was resolved that Warden's Courts should be held at stated intervals in the Paroa district. This has been paid no attention to, and the reason why will be found in the following remarks which passed in the County Council on Friday last :— Mr Carreras asked "What steps had been taken to carry out the resolution of the Council respecting the dates on which, and places where, Wardens' Courts should be held in the Paroa district ?" Also, " What steps have been taken to erect the necessary offices for the purpose of carrying out the wishes of the Council ?"— The Chairman said no steps had been taken, as there were no funds to erect the necessary building. He had not heard during the recess that any complaints had been made of inconvenience. An inmate of the Westport Hospital ex pired suddenly on Saturday evening, the cause of death being rupture cf the bladder. Deceased was named Geor»e Dell, aged about 45 years, and a native of Manchester. He is believed to have relatives in Queensland. We have frequently of late been asked to unravel the mystery of the numbering of the houses and shops in the streets of Greymouth, the principle upon which it is done, and the reason for it ; but after carefully considering the matter we give it up. Correspondents at a distance are not to imagine that our streets are miles in length when they are requested to address their letters to 282 Maskay street, 154 Mawhera Quay, 175 Albert street, 170 Gresson street, &c, &c. Our streets are generally of limited proportions, and with the exception of a few, are but thinly built upon, but some genius has struck the correct idea of making them sound very formidable. Is the town correctly numbered, are the numbers not stuck on at random, or is the secret that the town has been numbered from end to end, irrespective of streets or wards ? Will anyone satisfy our correspondents ? As to the necessity which exists for compelling the ratepayers, in a town like this, to paint any nnmbers at all over their doors, the idea is perfectly ridiculous, and ought to be resisted. The crushing of 671bs of stone from the Culliford Reef, Wangapeka, yielded at the rate of lOoz to the ton. The stone is said not to have been picked. The result of the crushing of the ton of stone sent to Melbourne will be looked forward to with interest. It is expected no time will be lost by the directors in getting machinery on the ground. An advertisement will be found in our columns notifying that all watermen or persons owning cargo-boats licensed on the rivers, not being within the districts of either Hokitika or Greymouth, are required to send in applications for such licenses to the County Chairman's Office, fourteen days before Ist July next ensuing. Aciording to the Nelson Examiner, there appears to be no doubt of a rich lead of gold having been struck in one of the tributary streams of the Kaituna, known as Bartlett's Creek. This creek we believe to be near the eastern or Wairau end of the valley, and to flow down from the back of Mr W. Adams' run. Eight ounces of large shotby gold is said to have been obtained by the prospectors, Cawte, Eagg, and Cooper, in two days. The district is declared a gold field. A rush has taken place to the spot from Marlborough, and several persons have left Nelson, but the ground is said to be limited. The amateur musical and dramatic entertainment given on Thursday evening, 26th ult., at the Ahaura, for the benefit of the Grey Valley Hospital, was in every respect a success. The room was crowded, and the performance passed off without a single hitch, which is in itself a wonder, when we take into consideration the short time the gentlemen who took part in it had to prepare, and the few opportunities they have had of rehearsing together. The first part consisted of a number of songs and choruses after the style of the Christy Minstrels, among which the song of "Anne of the Valo," sung by Mr Mackay, was much admired . The comic business, by Messrs Liddy and Atkin as Bones and Tony, was capitally done, and the pertinent local hits and "Conundrums" of these darkios kept the house in an uproar.

The dancing of Mr Liddy, especially the Clog Hornpipe, was very good. The gem of the evening was the trio " Come where my love lies dreaming," by Messrs Potts, Brodie, and Mackay ; this was encored. In the second part, which consisted of songs and recitations, the Italian national song, "Santa Luci," by Mr Mackay, was encored thrice. Mr Walter Atkins recitation, !*" Law," was well delivered, and his description of the celebrated action, Goody Grim v. , Lapstone, was humoronsly rendered. The song " Wrecked and Saved," by Mr Brodie, was loudly applauded and was encored. Master Willie Smith, a boy 12 years old, astonished the audience by the manner in which he sang "Father, dear father, come home," and he had to repeat the last verse twice. Mr Wagstaffe quite carried the audience away with him in his lamentations for the loss of his " Pretty little Polly Perkins of Paddington Green." Mr Atkins 11 Stump Speech" was a "caution." He introduced a number of the "distinguished bungs" of the township to the audience, and the comical way he jumbled up ancient historical personages with individuals whom • one often joins in a friendly "pewter" now-a-days, was clever and laughable. It would be difficult to select any one of these local allusions as a sample of the Tvhole, but when lie repeated the conversation that took place two thousand years ago, at Pinkerton's bar, between Julius C»ser and "Johnny the Greek," after they had a "Yankee Grab" for two half -pints, he threw every one in the house into convulsions. In the vocal part of the entertainment the singers were accompanied on the piano by Mr William Cameron, who is evidently a thorough master of the •"instrument. This was especially noticeable in his accompaniement to Me Mackay's song, " The Sexton;" and to the song, "Constance," given by Mr Brodie. A solo on the concertina, by Mr Callaghan, was encored twice. The success of this performance may be attributed in a great measure to the fact that the several gentlemen taking part in it did not attempt to go beyond their ability : each one seemed to thoroughly understand what he had to do, and he did it well. The thanks of the Hospital Committee are due to these gentlemen, who, at great inconvenience to themselves, took part in this entertainment for such a jood object, and also to Mr Pinkerton, who gave the use of, and fitted up his new house for, the purpose, and placed his splendid piano at the disposal of the amateurs. The name of the seconder of Mr Franklyn (Mr Atkinson) at the nomination yesterday for the Grey district was struck off the roll for Westland North at the Revision Court held at Cobden on Monday last. Since this discovery the question has been raised whether his nomination is legal, but we ■Believe it is so, no protest having been made to the Returning Officer at the time, and it is not his duty to raise the question — if question there be. because Mr Atkinson's name appeared upon the roll which was being used by the Returning Officer, and which, one would naturally suppose will remain in force, until another is printed. On the other hand, the supporters of Mr Wilkie are sanguine that, even should Mr Franklyn be returned, he will be ousted upon this point. If so, it will have to be done by process of the Supreme Court, which is rather an expensive affair. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Cobden, yesterday, before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M., Alexander Williamson was charged with vagrancy, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. Charles Madden, for having been drunk, was fined 10s ; and for threatening to stab with a knife, was fined L 5, or 14 days' imprisonment. On the civil side of the Court, the .following business was transacted : -Judgments by default — Flannery v. Smith, L 5 17s for board ; Thompson v. Gray, Ll4 3s. Mackenzie v. Lillie, Ll3 13s 6d for goodsjudgment for L 3 8s 6d ; Montgomery v. Miller, claim of L6O for tolls on the track up the Grey River — plaintiff nonsuited. The funeral of Owen M'Kenna, the miner who was killed by falling off a piece of fluming, between Napoleon and Noble's, on the 24th in st., took place on Saturday last, in the Greymouth Cemetery. As he was very much respected up-country, about seventy miners and storekeepers accompanied his remains to town, and the funeral cortege was largely increased by the presence of a great number of townspeople. The Rev. Father Bensfield officiated upon the melancholy occasion. The Thames Advertiser reports that a very important arrest under the Arms Act was made on Saturday by Inspector Thompson, of j the A.C. W. Fagg was arrested on a charge of selling arms to the natives. The same journal states that a charge of selling needle guns to the natives will very probably be made good against the prisoner, one of which is in the hands of certain natives of the Piako District. We learn from the Auckland papers that the Kingj has decided to receive and shelter Te Kooti, should he seek refuge at Tokangamutu. Tahou, one of Te Kooti's Chatham Islauders, with thirty men, lias lately arrived at a place on the Thames a few miles above Ohinemuri. He is stopping at present with the Ngatihaua Hauhaus. Some say he came there by Te Hira's invitation. At the amateur performance given at the Ahaura on Thursday evening last, for the benefit of the Grey Valley Hospital, the handscnw sum of L2O nett was realised. It is the intention of the gentlemen who gave this entertainment to repeat the performance at the different mining townships, commencing at Napoleon on Saturday next, for the same object. The Acclimatization Society of Otago contemplate the introduction of black game and ptarmigan into that province. A meeting of the Committee, appointed at a late meeting of the Catholics of the Napoleon district, with reference to the case of the Rev. Father Larkins, was held at M'Laughlin's Hotel, on Saturday, 2Sth May. A delegate was appointed to accompany the other gentlemen who are to proceed to Wellington as a deputation to lay the rev. gentleman's case before the Vicar-General. Mr Michael Landers was the gentleman to represent the Napoleon district, and the deputation referred to, belonging to the Grey district, consists of Mr Charles Cullen, of Greenstone ; Mr Michael Dowling, Saltwater ; Mr Thomas Tymona, No Town and Red Jack's ; Mr James Duffy, Maori Gully ; besides the delegate above mentioned. The body of a female child, apparently about a week old, was found in a gunny bag on the beach, in Pelichet Bay, Dnnedin, on the 15fch instant. The body showed no marks of violence. Through the neglect of the authorities in not proclaiming a polling booth either at Camptown or the Twelve-mile, nearly 1800 electors living at Nelson Creek, No Town, Red Jack's, Camptown, and the Twelvemile Landing have been virtually disfranchised. The miners at those places will have to proceed to Cobden or the Ahaura to record their votes. This is a feat which it will be physically impossible for the miners living at No Towm and the upper parts of Nelson Creek to perform, unless they start from tbeir homes at the midnight preceding the polling day. There is something suspiciously suggestive in this oversight. The authorities must be aware that a large rush has taken place to No Town in tho last three months, and that a large population is located there now. The want. of a polling-booth at Camptown was felt, and pointed out to the authorities at tho time of the last election. :