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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 696, 5 July 1870, Page 2

Once more, we are to-day compelled to publish, without the possibility of any communication with the outer world. Gobb and Co.'s coach started as usual yesterday,, and got as far as the New Eiver, which was^unning in full flood," and the ferryman refused to cross the mails' and passengers until the top of high tide. The coach remained there about four hours, in the hope that the Hokitika coach would get to the Teremakau, and send on the mails to the New Eiver, but it did not arrive until the Greymouth coach was compelled to leave, in consequence of the state of the tide. It was expected that the mails would have been sent on and crossed at high water, and transmitted to town by means of a boat on the lagoon and the tramway, but as this was not attempted, we have to submit quietly to our disappointment and that of our readers who looked for latei southern news. No steamer arrived from Hokitika or the north, so that we were de> prived of news from those quarters ; and tc add to our troubles, the telegraph line bptween Greymouth and the Southern Provinces was washed away, so that we were " insulated from creation." It is to be hoped thai communication will be resumed this morning. The next Victorian mail will proceed bji the s.s. Rangitoto, expected to leave tomorrow at 11, a.ni. . • . ■ The monthly meeting of the Volunteei Fire Brigade was held last night at the Brigade Hall. All the officers and twentyseven members were present. Mr George Martin was elected a working member. Mi J. C. Moore was elected secretary, in room of Mr Hawley resigned. Messrs Fraser and King were appointed auditors, and two new members were proposed. Our esteemed and enthusiastic American citizen, Mr Maxwell, of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, celebrated yesterday as the Fourth of July in becoming form ; having his house covered with the flags of all nations, conspicuous among which was the stars and stripes and British ensign, and a string oi flags across the wharf to the topmast of the schooner Excelsior. In the evening Mr Maxwell caused fireworks to be displayed on the Cobden spit, and in his hotel entertained a large number of his friends to supper. The chair was occupied by W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M., and the vice-chair by J. Kilgour, Esq., the Mayor. After full justice had been done to the good things of this life, which were so plentifully provided, the usual loyal toasts were proposed, followed by "The Memory of Washington," "The President of the United States," " The Daj we celebrate, "&c, &c. The company broke up at an early hour this morning aftei having spent a most happy evening. With commendable promptitude, the formation of Tainui street, opposite the Hospital, was commenced yesterday. By private subscription a substantial bridge. will shortly be thrown over the Tidal Creek at this point, and the main road continued along the street. The Amateur Dramatic Society announces an entertainment this evening at the Volunteer Hall. The pieces are the nautical drama of "Black-eyed Susan," and the farce of the "Irish Lion," with a musical interlude. A first-rate evening's amusement may be anticipated. There was only one case before the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday — a matriobligingly allowed" the parties an Sour to make it up, the case was arranged, and. was "settled out of Court," without the interference of officious lawyers or the vulgar public. It is requested that all who intend to become members of the Greymouth Brass Band should send in their names to Mr £. Cannon, Arney street, before Thursday next. There has been no connection with upcountry for nearly a fortnight, owing to the heavy freshets in the river, consequent upon the rains which have fallen almost uninterruptedly for the las*, week. Yesterday there were seven: cargo boats loaded lying at anchor at the upper wharf, ready for a start ; it is to be feared that, owing to the appearances of the weather last evening, our upcountry friends will be a few more days longer short of provisions, as the river was running very strong, and all the creeks must have been in full flood last evening. As we mentioned in our last that in con. sequence of recent freshes in the river the road above the coal pits is for horsemen literally impassable, we would also advise travellers going up country to take the punt at Brunnerton, and thence the track on this side of the Grey to the punt of the Arnold river. It is inexcusable that the luspector of roads for that district has left the road alluded to in this shameful condition unnoticed for over ten days, whereas the commerce on it is of such an importance that the road should have been repaired in a day, no matter how many hands it required to do it. We trust that early attention will be given to this matter. The Bruce Herald understands that a large extent of ground has been taken up between Lawrence and Waipora (Otago) for the purpose of mining for antimony. This mineral is worth about L 35 a ton in the' home market, and from the richness of the specimen from this new claim which has oeen exhibited, there is every reason to believe that the speculation will prove a remunerative one. Good coal has been discovered oh the Main South road, some eight miles south of the Mataura. The discovery was made by the roadmen while engaged in digging out the foundations of a culvert. The extent of the seam is not known. . . - We were informed by telegraph from West* port, on Saturday last, that Mr Kynnersley was returned without opposition for Westland North in the General Assembly. This result is highly satisfactory, there being not the slightest doubt that Mr Kynnersley will prove himself an able representative, and one who will be a credit to the district that returned him. The most important wrestling match ever held in Victoria came off lately at Croxton park, between John Padon, champion of New Zealund, and George Scott, the cham^ pion light weight of England, for LIOO aside. No time was lost in setting to work. After a short set-to, the first fall was scored to Scott, and Padon followed suit with a clean throw off the left leg and hip. Scott scored the next fall— a back buttock, and then another. The betting was now two to one on Scott. On resuming play, Padon scored a fall, as Scott lost his hold. Padon also won the next fall. The men were now three and three, and offers to back Padon at even money did not meet with any response. Both men were now playing very cautiously, and after a very sharp struggle Scott won next.throw by an inside click. In the next wrestle Scott did^not seeni to be in such condition as Padon, who threw his adversary in splendid style with the right leg and back heel. Both men were extremely careful over the next struggle, it being the deciding one.

After a very good wrestle, in which, howevejr, it was evident that Padon had the adyanJjigeS in both strength and condition, he^tnrew Scott with his left leg and wott'^the match. The wrestling lasted about ari hour and a quarter* It rained incessantly all the time, and the ground was so saturated with wet that tlwoi fresh positions had been taken up before the match ..Was. over, v- Everything* passed off. with the greatest good-humour, and during the whole match there was not the slightest dispute. Scott attributes his defeat to the slippery «tate--of'the~*grotniaY" and, while admitting he was fairly beaten, isjof/ppinion that he would have proved the victor if the ground had been firm enough to .get [a. foothold. .. The.; backer of -Padon -ex*pressed his readiness to match, him against any man 12st weight for LSO a side. "| ' The old township of Noble's is /getting washed away more and more with every flood, and very little downfall of rain suffices now to put the whole of it under water. Several of its inhabitants lately have shifted to the terrace opposite the old township, and. the remaining parties will .likely have to follow. Unfortunately the late floods havenot passed over Noble's without a sid accident. The little daughter of Mr Charles Mori, storekeeper, about two years old, was suddenly missed on Friday evening, and has not since been found, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts on the part of Mr Jas. M'Loughlin and several other gentlemen, who started at once down the creek in diligent search after the unfortunate little girl, who seems to have been the pet of all the inhabitants. There can hardly be any doubt that the child has been swept down the creek, and from thence into the Little Grey. The following remarks by the man "under the verandah," are as applicable to New Zealand as Victoria : — A bank-note is an agreeable sort of thing in its way. People don't object to whole bundles of them. And yet anything more maladorous than some of the notes just now current cannot be conceived.. A. bank-note long in circulation acquires a good deal of foul matter on its way. It is much corrupted by evil communications. 1 don't see that it adds 1 anything to its value that you can smell it a yard off, and I can confidently appeal to several remarkably smart bank officers engaged in the note-sorting profession, whether the effluvium, from the old notes isn't offensive enough to produce nausea. The objectionable thing is that some of the banks, instead of retaining and destroying these dirty promises to pay, re-issue them again and again until they are greasy enough for a boiling-down establishment. Members of the Masonic fraternity will read with pleasure the following extract from the latest European Mail has come to the front lately in two distant parts of Europe. It was the masonic lodges of Madrid that conducted the funeral of Don Enrique de Bourbon a few days ago, filling the chamber of death with masonic symbols and placing on the coffin, with the dead prince's sword and sash, more masonic emblems ; and sending 600 fellow masons as mourners to his grave. Again, though the fraternity takes no part in political or ecclesiastical contests generally, the Grand Lodge at Baireuth has now broken this transcendental silence, and issued a circular directing attention to the proceedings of the (Ecumenical Council, vindicating the right of the society to exist in spite of ecclesiastical opposition, and calling upon members to perform the moral duties with ; zeal and exactitude, and uphold the freedom of science and of conscience. The adhesion of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has. given masonry a fresh spurt in England. At the recent dinner in aid of the boys' school, at which the Prince presided, more than LIO,OOO was subscribed. If modern masons are not otherwise practical, they certainly are so in charity. We notice by the Otago papers that the following letter w has .been written. J>v .the xvev tf. »x\tntoslroFtms town to TMr Ashcroft, member for Oatnaru, Otago, with regard to his motion in the Provincial Council to grant Martinetti Whit worth M'lntosh fifty acres of land :— " Dear Sir,— Although lam not personally acquainted with you, I have seen in the newspapers your notice of motion in the Provincial Council of Otago regarding my little daughter, Martinetti Whitworth, the first child Dorn in Martin's Bay; I have also seen the withdrawal of that motion, because of the refusal of the Committee to support you in it ; and 1 cannot allow the opportunity to pass without expressing my own and Mrs M 'ln tosh's best thanks for your kindness. Considering the sufferings endured by Mrs M'lntosh and the baby, and in fact by all the children on that cold sandspit, from the effects of which they have not all fully recovered even, now, and upon which they still look back with horror; and acknowledging also the goodness of God in sparing our lives, we thoroughly appre 5 ciate the kindly feeling which led you ttfi make the proposal, even although it has been refused. — lam, dear sir, yours faithfully, J. M'lntosh, the Mance of Greymouth, June 10th, 1870. In consequence of a series of motions recently carried in the Otago Provincial Council, Mr Haughton has introduced the following into the Assembly, which may be looked upon as a corollory to the recent division on the vote by ballot question :4- ; (1) That the representation of the Colony is not on a proper basis, the qualification for . electoral registration excluding from political rights a large proportion of those; who contribute to the revenue. . (2) That, in a view of the approaching dissolution of this Parliament, a bill should be forthwith introduced extending the franchise to all males: above the age of 21 : years, under the following qualifications and restrictions :— (a) That they be British subjects, (b) That they be registered in their electoral districts, (c) That they be not inmates of gaols, hospitals, and lunatic asylums, or of any eleemosynary institutions, . . . ■.-.>.■ Gasoline, a fluid which has recently come into use to a considerable extent in Melbourne for illuminating purposes, has been the cause of a fire which destioyed property to the value of L2OOO. The occurrence took place at Mr Long's store, 64 Elizabeth street, and it was proved that the fire was caused by the flame of a lamp coming in contact with the vapor proceeding from a stream of gasoline running from a tin into a gallon measure. The flames communicated with the gasoline in the measure, which blazed up, so that: the measure was dropped, and the fare, spreading over the floor amongst various kinds of oils, caused a general conflagration. The dangerous nature of this substance is shown by an analysis made by Mr Cosmo Newberry, analyst to the Mining Department, from which it appears that, when at a temperature of 55deg. Fahrenheit, a small quantity of it gave out a gas or vapor which ignited when a light was placed at a distance of about six inches from the fluid, , which imme-. diately communicated with the liquid, and that when at a temperature of 75aeg. Fahrenheit the gasoline was set on fire from a distance of two feet, through the. communicating medium of its own gas. Since the fire in Elizabeth street, the Melbourne insurance companies have intimated to their customers that any one storing gasoline on his premises will vitiate his policy.