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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 686, 11 June 1870, Page 2

There was a very large attendauce at the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, to hear the continuation of the charge of libel against Mr Dale ; but the curious people who thronged the court were doomed to disappointment when the defence was not entered into, but, under advice, reserved The accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Hokitika; but the same bail as formerly was accepted. The Glassblowers' entertainment came off last night with the usual attendant amount of success and pleasure to the audience. Mr and Mrs Woodroffe's performances were eagerly watched, and an unflagging interest was kept up to the end, culminating in the excitement of the art' union for the really beautiful prizes that were awarded to the holders of the fortunate numbers. Some appeared rather sceptical last night as to the speed at which the wheel revolved, but a close inspection, and this was attained, convinced the most thorough unbeliever of the truth of the exhibitor's statement. This afternoon a performance will take place, giving an opportunity for ladies and children to be present who have hitherto been debarred from the nightly exhibitions, and we would impress upon those for whose special JUonufii xb Ja iicui, to embrace the opportunity. The exhibition is such as must delight all, as well at afford instruction to those who witness it. The Timaru paper of Jnne 1, says : — lt is rumored that Paterson, the present representative in the General Assembly for the South Island, is about to resign his seat, and that Kuri, a well-known Maori residing at Arowhenua, is likely to be his successor. Yesterday's West Coast Times contains the following :— " We were last night shown a sample cf coal of first-class quality, which was obtained a very short distance from the Kanieri, and on the river bank. It is true coal, not lignite, and it has already undergone such tests as put this question beyond doubt. It burns with a bright clear flame, and leaves little or no ash, though the samples so far tested have been obtained from, the surface. It is expected that, good as the quality of that tried is, the mineral will be better at a greater depth. The coal so far has been an outcrop, and the seam from which it has been got is about two feet in thickness, widening as the reef goes down. The importance of the discovery, if it prove as good as it at present promises, can hardly be over-estimated, and we are only surprised, as we understand the seam has been opened up more than a week, that no application for a lease has yet been made by the proprietors. We trust the atteution of the County Council will be directed to the matter, so that if it is of the importance to the best interests of the County that seoms probable, steps may be taken to utilise the new industry as 3bon as possible. A small sample of the coal can be seen ab our office, but in the course of a day or two we are promised such a quantity as' will satisfy the most incredulous as to the value of the find." The Thames Advertiser gives a return of .the gold obtained from the seveial claims during the mpnth of May. The stone crushed amounted to 6550 tons, and the yield of gold 11,0580z 15dwt 13gr. This is a considerable increase as compared with the corresponding month last year. A return of the Customs revenue collected at the port of Thames is also published, showing that it amounted during the month of May to L 359 10s, as , compared with L 336 18s 2d for the month of April. The only important business transacted in the County Council during the last few days may be briefly mentioned. Mr Lahman carried the following motion : — " That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable, and moreover, most necessary, for the carrying on of the Government of the County, that immediate and more efficient steps (than hitherto) shonld be taken by the Chairman to recover from the Sinking Fund Commissioners that portion of the accumulated Sinking Fund which is due to the County of Westland." Mr Reeves' motion for the construction of a main road to Ross was negatived by 2 to 6. Mr. Robinson moved — "That for a more economical and efficient conduct of surveys, both mining and agricultural, within the County of Westland, it is, in the opinion of this Council, desirable that District Surveyors be appointed at a small fixed stipend, and who shall be compelled to keep a record of all transactions undertaken by them, which shall be placed at the disposal of the Government." After a long debate, this was negatived by the Chairman's casting vote. It was resolved to call for tenders for keeping open communication by steamer with the South. Mr White brought forward a motion, of which he had given notice, reflecting on the capacity of Mr Barff as Sub-Warden for the ICanierj, During his

speech on the motion, the mover made several offensive remarks respecting Mr Barff and other members (if the Council, and a very stormy discussion ensued, in which personalities were freely used by some of the members, and at last Mr Robinson, the member for Kam'eri, for the purpose of ending the scene, moved the adjournment of the Council until Monday next. The Chairman and Mr Lahinan opposed the adjournment, being anxious, that the business on the paper should be proceeded with. Eventually, the whole of the members, with the exception of Mr Lahman, who retained his seat, left the Council in disgust, and the proceedings were in consequence necessarily brought to a close, and the Chairman declared the Council adjourned until Monday next. A member of the Otago Provincial Couacil has given notice of his intention to move .the following resolution .-—That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that blocks of land to the extent of fifty acres should be offered to anyone willing to plant the same in forest trees, subject to regulations agreed upon by the Government, and that Crown Grants for such lands should be obtained in [ favor of fiacli pecsous after tlic reg«Mwus so made have been fulfilled by them. A requisition, signed by nearly 300 electors and others in the Charleston District was forwarded by last Monday's mail to Mr E. Conor, M.P.C., requesting that gentleman to allow himself to be nominated to the vacant seat in the House of Representatives during the forthcoming election for Westland north. A similar requisition, we understand, will be presented from Addison's. In the Otago Provincial Council, a few days ago, Mr Ashcroft, on rising to move his motion, "That an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting - that he will be pleased to cause to be placed on the Estimates a sum sufficient to purchase fifty acres of land at Martin's Bay, as an endowment for Martina M'lntosli, the first child born at Martin's Bay," said that having been informed that he was not likely to obtain the support of the Committee in regard to the motion, he would withdraw it. From the Wakatip Mail we learn that the Martin's Bay track is being rapidly proceeded with, and is completed from the head of the Lake to the foot of the rapids on the Routeburn. There the greatest obstacle on the road has to be overcome, as precipitous rocks stands in the way, and some blasting will be required. All dead timber, however, has been removed along the Routeburn, and the track is defined and passable for pedestrians up to the saddle. There are forty men employed, and with favorable weather, the track will be completed to the latter place within two months. At an adjourned meeting of the Ofcago S 1 "* -Patrick's Society, held in Dunedin, a few days ago, the first question was whether the Society was to be open to Irishmen and persons of Irish descent only, or whether it was to be thrown open to persons of good character of all nations. A smart discussion took place, some being in favor of confining the' membership to the Irish alone, and others warmly advocating a liberal extension of the society to all honest men whatever their nationality. Upon the question being put it was carried by a large majority,, that the Society should be open to all nations whatever. The Chairman mentioned that the Sub-committee had discussed the question of admitting females as benefit members, thus throwing open St. Patrick's Society to the shop girls, seamstresses, and tradeswomen of the Province. The question was not decided at this meeting, but we understand that it will be discussed at the next monthly meeting, which was to be held on the Bth inst. The following resolutions were to be brought before the Otago Provincial Council : — That in order to attract population to the Province, both of the laboring classes ami capitalists, it is desirable that the land laws be amended, so as to embody the following principleSj^yjz—JL-JU— gpimb ull-mraoicr lnirtts-De-openlof selection. 2. That 2s 6d an acre be charged for eight consecutive years, one payment to be made when the land is taken up, and every year an additional payment of 2s 6d until the sum of 20s is paid. 3. That so soon as the eighth payment is made, the person making the same shall be entitled to receive his Crown Grant. 4. That within agricultural areas on the Gold Fields any person having already taken up land, or who may yet apply, for land, instead of paying 20s cash under the existing law, may elect to pay 2s 6d an acre for eight years. 5. That within Hundreds already proclaimed any person may either purchase a 9 at present for 203 cash, with depasturing rights, or, if so minded, may elect to purchase at 2s 6d an acre for eight years, without depasturing rights. 6. That ah address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to cause a Bill to be introduced at the next meeting of the General Assembly to give effect to the foregoing resolutions. An amusing incident, characteristic of the precocity of young New Zealand {says the Oamaru Herald) occurred at a recent meeting of creditors, held at the Royal Hotel in this town. The meeting was largely attended by the chief business men of the town. The two local lawyers were at their post, and the war of words between debtor and creditors was about to commence, when one of the legal gentlemen discovered that there was an intruder, in the shape of a small boy of II or 12 years old, in the room, who he politely requested to retire. The boy did not appre- ' ciate the gentle request, but with brisfcliug hair aud defiant demeanor boldly took possession of the floor, and declared that he had as much right there as "any other man." He came as an opposing creditor. The bankrupt owed him 8s 6d, and he was not going to accept a compromise ; no, not he, he knew better than that. A benevolent gentleman endeavored to show the youngster that according to English law he had no right to be there, being under age. With ready wit, however, he stood erect, and cheekily said, " So much the worse for English law, I be a foreigner." It is needless to say the gentlemen were convulsed with laughter, aud the youngster, after many threats of being forcibly ejected if he did uot leave peacefully, retired, hissing between his teeth, "he would oppose, he would send his big brother to do it for him." The bankrupt and his legnl adviser smiled complacently when this youthful but demonstrative ere? ditorhad been ejected, and the business of the meeting proceeded. The writer of " Notes in the Gallery," in the Nelson Evening Mail, of a recent date, gives the following characteristic sketch of Mr Luckie, in the Nelson Provincial Council : — "Anyone who, like my shadowy self, has been in the habit of constantly attending at the Hall, will have perceived that if you waht to "rile" Mr Luckie you have only to insinuate in the mildest and most gentle, manly form, that he has a spite against the Superintendent. The British Lion, on such j an assertion being made, is fairly roused, and he thunders fort); sentence after sentence of wrathful declamation upon the head of the hapless offender. But if, when such an accusation is actually wade he becomes grand in his oratory, he is sublime, overpowering, when nobody has ever hinted at such a thing, This is quite a new phase in his character, and was exhibited for the first time on Wednesday last, when he said that he had walked out of the House on the previous even* ing, as he did not wish to vote against the unauthorised expenditure, lest any of" his good-natured friends should accuse him of vindietiveness, T n§n waß fa^ c jj ur!^

into a fit of eloquence, and spoke of the utter scorn and fiery indignation with which he treated such insinuations- which had never been made, mind you — and in a peroration worthy of Demosthenes, he concluded with these words:— "No, Sir, my hands are clean, and I wish the same could be said of every Government officer." I once heard a story about Lord Brougham, which, for want of something better to do, I will tell you. It Wiis in the old days, when he was going to contest a seat in Yorkshire, and he had, of course, to travel by coach. Now we all know that the old coaches were not famed for cleanliness, and as Lord Brougham arrived at his destination only ; just in time to mount the hustings he was unable to attend to his toilet. He made his speech, indignantly repudiated some accusation which had been brought against him, and concluded, like orators of a later date, thrusting out his hands and exclaiming, "Thank God my hands are clean." A roar of laughter from the mob below induced him to look at his hands, which to his horror he saw were perfectly black, the result of his coach travelling. Awkward for Lord Brougham, -wasn't it ? A fore-and-aft • schooner called the Lulu, has just arrived in Auckland after completing a fine weather cruise around the New Hebrides Islands. On the vessel arriving at one of these islands called Mallicollo, Mr Young, o passenger, went on shore, and met with a very warm reception; He boldly went amongst the people, who had evidently never seen a white man before. They turned him rouud, and examined him all over, and were particularly interested in the make of his clothes. His pipe, too, was the cause of loud and long wonderment. After staying for a while, Mr Young prepared to go on board, but the moment he got in the boat some dozens of arrows were fired at him. A light skirmish was kept up for a few moments, until Mr Young discharged his musket in the air, when the whole bevy scampered away. The arrows are made with cane, about four feet in length, and tipped with six inches of finely pointed human bone, artificially poisoned. Mr Young had been visiting these islands for the purpose of trying to obtain laborers for the flax mills in Auckland. He succeeded in getting twenty-seven strong able fellows,, who have been engaged for Messrs Blessington and Walker's flax mills. The Wellington Independent gives the following particulars regarding the working of the telegraph — When the telegraphic tariff was reduced by 150 per cent, a great many people considered the experiment to be an overbold one, and considerable curiosity has been expressed as to what the actual resujt of the experiment has been. The new tariff oi ten words for a shilling came into operation on fcbe Ist April, and we are indebted to i the courtesy of the Hon. Commissioner for tho following comparative statement of the number of ordinary telegrams sent during the last month of the old tariff and the first month of the new one, together with the revenue collected during March and April respectively— March number of ordinary telegrams sent 8407, representing a revenue of L 1356 Bs. April— number of ordinary telegrams sent 13,722, representing a revenue of Ll2lO 15s 6d._ It will be seen by this that although the revenue of the department suffered to the extent of L145 12s 6d, no less than 5315 additional telegrams were sent. These figures must be considered as being highly satisfactory, and there seems little reason to doubt that in the course of a very short time the increased number of telegrams will fully make up the trifling deficiency in the revenue which has resulted from the first month's experiment.