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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 704, 23 July 1870, Page 2

A defaulter made an effort yesterday to escape from the vicinity of his creditors, and the anxious enquiries of a young wife, but was baulked in a most unexpected manner. It is said, that on the previous day he had represented himself at an hotel/ and various establishments in town as. a shareholder in a rich claim on the South Beach, had got married to a young lady, who, making a certain discovery, immediately repudiated her contract. The young man was shortly afterwards missing, and yesterday afternoon boarded the Dispatch from the North Spit; but unfortunately, the tug could not then get out, and had-to return to the wharf, where the wouldbe runaway, was pounced' upon by a draper, from whom he boa received his wedding garments, received a severe chastisement, was

then given into custody on a charge of obtaining goods by false pretences, and marched to the Station ; but was liberated, as there was no information sworn against him, or any warrant out for his arrest. He immediately made for the tug, which was again leaving the wharf, but was refused a passage. He made an attempt to reach the roadstead in the s.s. Waipara, which was about to tender the brig Magnet, but was put ashore from her, so that his enquiring friends have yet an opportunity of making his further acquaintance. . In consequence of a pressure on our sp ( %oe, caused by the arrival of our Wellington correspondent's letter late last evening, we are compelled to hold over very interesting extracts from our San Francisco, . Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland, Auckland, Nelson, and Wellington exchanges. The right, title, and interest, in the Geordie's Terrace Sluicing Company, were sold yesterday, at the claim, : North Beach, Mr J. S. M. Thompson, Gieymouth, being the purchaser. We understand Mr Thompson intends putting a number of men to work on the claim, so as thoroughly to test the value of the ground. Another performance by the Amateur Dramatic Club will be given in the Volunteer Hall, on Tuesday evening, when the play of " Life" will be again produced. An Italian boatman named Antonio was brought down the river yesterday, and conveyed to the Grey River Hospital, suffering from the effects of a kick on the face from the horse Which he was driving. ■ Another- of the Maori prisoners, Horapapero Hopu by name, died in ; the Dunedin Hospital on Sunday week. He was under a ! sentence of three years' penal servitude for high treason. He. was a sufferer from chronic asthma, which was the of his death. He had been an inmate of the Hospital for two months previous to his death. He was twenty-five years old, a Wesleyan, and during the past week • was visited every evening by his nearest friends and relatives, who are confined in the Gaol ; as well as by the Wesleyan catechist, who read prayers to him. This is the eighth Maori prisoner who has succumbed to asthma. Yesterday the Warden's Court was adjourned till Monday, in consequence of the absence of Mr Revell at Hokitika. , Mr W T. Newuhani, Mayor of Kaiapoi, died at his residence on Saturday morning last of heart disease. A mau named John Mann, a shepherd in the employment of Messrs Holmes and Co. , died suddenly at Brown's Bridge Hotel, Christchurch, on the 15th inst. The District Court was again adjourned yesterday morning, until Wednesday next. Information has been received, from the Attorney-General that Judge Clarke has been suspended, and yesterday Judge Ward arrived by the s.s. Claud Hamilton, from Wellington, to act in his place until the report of the Commission of Inquiry which has been received is decided upon. The Christy Minstrels arrived at Westporfc per steamer Kennedy shortly after mid- . night on Sunday last, and gave their first entertainment at the Masonic Hall on Monday evening. They will be here in a few days. Three old Charleston residents, Messrs Gray, G. Wilson, and S. Heighway, left \jTestport per John Perm on her last trip, as passeugers for Home by the New Zealand and San Francisco line of steamers. Messrs Gray and Wilson were shareholders in the well-kuown Maori Chief claim, and have disposed of their interest to Mr William Wilson, the purchase money being, we understand, LIOOO. The Rev. Father Colomb arrived at the Ahaura on Thursday evening, and held divine S3rvice at M'Kenna's Hotel yesterday morning. There was a good attendance. In the evening Mr Colomb proceeded to Napoleon and the Upper Grey. Three serious accidents occurred at Tuapeka last week. A miner named Banks, at Tnapeka Flat-broke his leg above the ankle, and it is thought that amputation will have to be resorted to. Another miner named Fergusson, residing at Blue Spur, got thrown from his horse, and fractured his collar-bone. Mr John Copeland, of Lawrence, solicitor, was also thrown from his horse, and sustained a severe fracture of the skull ; but we are glad to learn ; strong hopes of a speedy recovery are entertained . • From the Canterbury Press we notice that the Grand Orange Lodge of the Southern Provinces of New Zealand met in the Oddfellows Hall, Lyttelton, on the 12th July, at three o'clock. The usual business of the Grand Lodge, including the election of Grand Master and Grand Officers, was proceeded with; After the closing; of the Grand Lodge, the brethren assembled and marched in procession to the Queen's Hotel, where seventy sat down to an excellent banquet, provided by Brother Littlecott. After drinking the health of Her Majesty the Queen, followed by the Chapter toast; the Glorious, Pious, and Immortal Memory of William 111., Prince of Orange ; the. health of the Earl of Enniskilleh, Grand Master of the United Kingdom, was duly honored. The following toasts followed -in quick succession : — The Grand M aster of the Southei n Provinces of New Zealand ; Brother William Johnson, of Bally kilbeg ; Brother Alexandei Henderson, of the Belfast Weekly News ; Orangemen all round the globe, &c. After spending a very pleasant evening, the meeting was brought to a close by the National Anthem. A meeting of the local committee of the Grey Valley Hospital was held at M'Kenna's Hotel, at the Ahaura, on Thursday, 21st inst. Presents-Mr Whitefoord in the chair* Messrs John Hamilton (Gilmer), G. " Fraser, W. Morris, .W. Dargan, D. M'Kenna, Garvin, and Davies, Hon. Sec. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr John Hamilton was elected Treasurer, and a resolution was passed that '■ the subscription lists be called in, and that temporary relief be given in all cases of pressing emergency. Mr Whitefoord said he would have plans prepared for a euitable building, and .submit them to the committee, and in the meantime he would communicate with the Government with respect to the site. Messrs Fraser, Hamilton, and M'Kenna were elected a sub-committee, to consider and afford relief in cases of emergency. A vote of thanks was passed to the members of Amateur Dramatic Club for their services in connection with the Hospital benefit, and a copy of the resolution would be forwarded to each member of the company. After transacting other business and passing a vote of thanks to the chairman, the proceedings terminated. The County Council had auother sitting on Thursday evening. The following are the only subjects which came before them, in which the residents in this, district are' interested :— Mr Lahman moved— "That the sum of L4OOO sterling be placed on the Estimates for the construction of a road from Greymouth to the coal-fields." He stated that if the road were made, it would open up a vast extent of auriferous and agricultural land, and would also be the means of preventing the g»-eat loss of life which occurred through persons having to cross the Grey River so frequently The fords, he said, were always shifting, and many persons, through want of knowledge of this circumstance, were placed in great peril, and cases of drowning were frequent. Mr Carreras seconded the tnction. pro forma. A lengthy discussion ensued on the subject of the wants and complaints of the Grey: district, nearly

every member speaking. The motion was carried. The Chairman gave an explanation of the Estimates, as propounded by him, for the ensuing six months. The whole, with the exception of the decrease in pay to the constabulary, met with the approval of the members generally. In reply to Mr White, the Chairman said he did riot intend to cause enquiry into the working of the Harbor department in compliance with the recommendation of the jury, as contained in a rider to. the verdict given at the Coroner's inquest held on the bodies of the men who were drowned on the bar on Sunday last. In our notice of the last performance of the Amateur Dramatic Club, the name of Mr Elhier was misprinted Gilmer. We regret this, as Mr Elmer's clever acting contributed greatly to the success of the play. Mr Warden Whitefoord, accompanied by six or seven other gentlemen, left the Ahaura on Friday morning, on a visit to the quartz reefs at Murray Creek, on the Upper fnangahua. The party intend to take advantage of the fine weather and the low state of the rivers and creeks to visit all the diggings in the locality. Our special reporter is one of the party, and we expect to be able to publish an authentic account of the value, and extent of these reefs in a few days. The news from Bartlett's Creek, Wairan diggings, Marlborough, continues much.. the same, parties generally are doing fairly, but no very extraordinary finds are made. ' Pike and party, which consists of six, got. about 18 ounces of gold last week, amongst which was a nugget weighing 3dz 15dwt ; arid another party was said to have obtained 11 ounces. New ground has been found in tlie Onantulutu, where it is said the color; can be got anywhere. There is one store in that locality and about 30 men are working. Walton and party bottomed a hole and got about 1£ ounce in a tin dish, it is nuggety and of a dark appearance, similar to the Wakamarina gold. On the other side of the hill from where Walton's party is at work, a splendid sample lias been obtained ; it is also nuggety and of a bright color. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last night in the Town Hall.- Present—His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Wickes, Nichol, Purcell, Coates, and Parkin, son. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. An account sent in by Mr Dale, for services rendered as Valuator, was not received. A report from the Mining Committee was received and adopted. Tenders for forming and metalling a few of the back streets were opened, and the following were accepted, conditional upon the residents finding the cash and taking the Council's bill -James Scott and Co., Ll4. 10s, for forming Albert street, and gravel at 2s per yard ; James Scott and Co., for forming Mackay street west, arid footpaths, 'Ll4 10s, and gravel at 2s per yard ; Edward Drummond, for Mackay street east, L 25 10s ; John Pullerton, for supplying metal for various streets at 2s 5d per yard . The Town Surveyor was authorised to. spend LlO in repairing Gresson street, from Johnston street;: across Boundary street ; and also to report upon the repairs required on the old wharf, and draw up specifications for the work. Mr Wickes asked permission to pass-a resolution' without notice, calling for tenders for a sufficient number of piles to carry the protective work li&ht through the old wharf ; but, aa it was refused, notice of motion was given for next meeting. The Westport Times informs us that two - residents, Messrs Corr and Diokenson, left town to visit tho Lyell reefs, on Wednesday last, and arrived at the Lyell township the same night, and visited the. reefs tlie following day. They followed the line of reef as far as the prospectors, aud examined tbeir tunnels, consisting of a main tunnel with a T drive at the end. They examined the stone and discovered leaders in all the drives, and tested their distinct leaders, finding good stone in each, and also gold in the dishes they washed off. On the surface they traced three other distinct leaders with equal results. Some of the stone they brought to town, in which gold is generally and very plainly visible. They then visited No. 1 South, in company with Jacklin, one of the partners, and found a mass of mullocky reef, fifteen or sixteen feet wide. Not having much time to spare, they tried one dish, promiscuously taken, consisting of about four double nandfuls of stone, &c, and on washing it off, obtained about a grain of gold. According to the prospects they estimate the ground to pay, even when washed by ground-sluicing, at a rate of L 6 to L 9 per man weekly. They also heard that No. 1 North had got the same reef with dike results, but time would not admit of their inspecting this portion, of the : reef. The reef, as it present disclosed, is so soft that it may be raked out without using a pick, and it is in consequence of the facility; with which it may be obtained that it is estimated to yield such returns by groundsluicing.