THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 719, 27 August 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1870.

The outgoing mailjfor Europe, America, &c, via San Francisco, will be dispatched by Cobb's coach overland at noon on Monday. Owing to the continued indisposition of the Rev. Mr M'lntosh there will be no Presbyterian Church service either at the Volunteer Hall or at Paroa to-morrow. The following telegrams with regard to 'the Annexation movement have been received and published, in Hokitika : — " The Government have not contemplated our" annexation to Otago under a nominated Chairman. We are promised share of money voted for railway ■ purposes to be available for roads to Westland." -''Please state that there is not the slightest foundation for the rnmor that I am likely to be appointed Chairman. • Nothing is further from my own or the Government iutentions. On the contrary, I have been solicitous that the offer should be made to Mr Sale, and have exerted myself in that direction." An accident which recently occurred at Sydney affords a warning to mothers as to the care which ought to be exercised in keeping matches and other combustible materials out of the react of children. A nurse who was in charge of the sou and daughter of Mr Kichards, Government printer, kit them with a baby in a bedroom upstairs. The two elder children were aged respectively four and two years. Half an hour after leaving the children the nurse heard cries from the bedroom, and proceeded to the bedroom, and, upon entering it, discovered that both the dresses of the children were in flames, the hair of the youngest, named Ethel, being on fire. The bed curtains were all consumed, and the bed clothes on fire. The baby, who was sitting on the floor, strange to say, escaped uninjured. On the floor, close to where the children were, there was the greatest portion of a box of matches, with the heads burnt off. A box of matches which the nurse had placed in a box on the drawers was missing. By the side of the drawers was a chair which she had flung up previous to leaving the bedroom. The young child, Ethel, died from the shock to the nervous system, consequent upon extensive and severe burns. The litble boy, Thomas Edward, was in a very precarious state. Mr Rolfe, the ex-Mayor of Port Chalmers, has received, according to the resolution of the Tow n Council, a letter of thanks for his gentlemanly and able conduct during his term of office. Mr Reynolds, one of the members for Dunedin, in the debate on Mr Travera' motion in the House of Representatives, regarding trial by jury, seized the opportunity to relate a personal experience of his own. He happened on one occasion, he said, unfortunately,to be on a jury, eleven members of which were agreed as to the verdict, and one dissented. They were likely to be locked up • for the night,, when one of the jurymen said, "I will soon make him give in." He "squared." at the juryman, and tbe result was that he gave in. We (ire glad to see that the tioupe of Christy Minstrels now in Grey mouth are being liberally patronised, as they well deserve to be. Last evening especially the hall was densely crowded in every part, to obtain a seat being a matter of great difficulty. The singing, dancing, &c, were all iv their way excellent, and the whole entertainment was immensely appreciated by the audience, and loudly applauded in every part. A most attractive programme is issued for this evening, and the house is sure to bs again crammed, as a special tramway is to leave the Sal Water in time for the performance and return at 11 p.m. An influentially signed requisition has been presented to Mr Singer Barclay to staind for the repiesentation oi the Middle Ward in. tlie Borovigh Council, and be has consented to come forward. Mr Parkinson, the retiring member does nob intend to seek reelection at present. For the East Ward, the name of Mr W. S. Smith is mentioned (with, what authority we cannot say) as the probable successor to Mr Kilgour. Henry Lawrence, a sausage-maker in the employment of Mr Davis, butcher, George street, Dunedin, has been found dead in Kis bed. Charleston is now, and has been for some time, without a Fire Brigade. A number of blajk swans, supposed to have migrated from the Middle Island, have been seen in a swamp near Napier. The new Postmaster at Hokitika; Mr W. H. Harbour, late Receiver of Laud Revenue, entered upon his duties on Wednesday. Mr Stevenson, the late Postmaster, left by the Rangitoto for Wellington, and is expected he will have to go on with the English mail to Honolulu. Before leaving Hokitika he was sumptuously entertained by a large number of frieuds. It appears that some ground exists for the belief |that some of the passengers and crew of the ill-fated steamer Tanranga actually succeeded in manning a boat, and in getting near Hie shore at Pakiri, wbere, the boat beii.g swamped, they were drowned. A very heavy surf rolls upon this beach at all times, especially in bad weather, and it is quite within the bounds of probability that the boat may have been swamped, aud the unfortunate occupants of it drawn back into the surf and drowned. A settler living in the neighborhood of Pakiri informed the people of the Ringleader, which went in search of the mising steamer, that he had lived on the spot many years, during which several boat accidents had occurred, but no bodies had ever been recovered. A capture of an illicit still was very cleverly effected early on Thursday morning, near the township of Marsden. About two o'clock that morning Mr Andrews, Collector of Customs, Sub-Inspector Hickson, Sergeant White, and three troopers quietly left town, and rode as far as Marsden. Here they dismounted, and, leaving their horses iv charge of two troopers, the party proceeded on foot for about a mile and a-half up the New River, till they came upon a tent, in which they found a man named Robert Simpson, an old offender in this line. At first he denied all knowledge of tbe existence of a still, but after some pressure he showed where the still-house was. In the hut all

the appliances for carrying on distillation were found, including the mash-tub and seven casks of wash, so far prepared that during the week nearly 200 gallons of spirits could have been run off from them. At lirst the still could not be found, but after a close search, the copper boiler was discovered by Sergeant White. Samples were taken, anil the wash-casks, hut, &c., destroyed by order of Mr Andrews, and Robert Simpson was taken in charge by the police. The party then proceeded to the townships of Clifton, Nemona, and Marsden, and at tlivee stores detained a quantity of spirits and left an officer in charge. Prosecutions arising out of these proceedings will take place at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday or Tuesday. The prisoner was previously arrested, on the 14th September, 1868, for a similar offence, and was then fined LIOO, or six months' imprisonment. He served the term of imprisonment. We are requested by MiAndrews to add that the whole credit of the discovery and seizure is due to Mr Hickson aud the members of the Police Force. John Rice, who was, the other day, indicted at the District Court, Westport, with having unlawfully assaulted and maliciously wounded John Henderson, was defended by Mr Pitt, who contended, that the evidence went to show, that the stabbing was accidental. His Honor, after healing the Crown ProsecutorandMrPitt, reversed the previous practice of the Court and ruled that theCrown Prose sutor had the right of final reply, although no witnesses were called for the defence. The jury were some time coming to a conclusion, but they found the prisoner guilty, recommending him to mercy on the ground of provocation and excitement consequent upon scuffling. His Honor, in passing sentence, stated that it was scarcely possible for the jury to have arrived at any other verdict. He did not concur with their recommendation, but it Avould nevertheless influence him in inflicting the punishment which the prisoner so deservedly merited. The act, of which he had been guilty, was one of the most cowardly character, and one which must be met with the sternest justice. But for the recommendation of the jury, and the fortuna'e circumstances that the wound: inflicted was not of a more serious nature, he should have visited the offence with a far heavier penalty. The prisoner would be sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with, hard labor. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council ought to have been held last evening. About half-past eight o'clock there were at the Council table Ms Worship the Mayor, Councillors Strike, Moore and Nichol. One was still required to make a quorum, and as Councillor Uo.ates was sitting ia the Town Clerk's office, an attempt was made to induce him to come to the table to form a quorum, but he refused in a sentence more remarkable for its expressiveness than its politeness. Counuillor ."Strike reported the result of the negotiation to the Mayor, who thereupon adjourned the meeting until Monday, just as Councillors Purcell and Coates entered the room. There was very little business to do, and perhaps it is quite as well that the most important question — that of wharf extension — should stand until the annual Municipal elections are over. We understand that a few gentlemen in the Tokoinairiro district, Otago, having become enamoured of the modern spiritualistic notions, have been successful in their efforts to form a " circle." Messrs Gow Brothers, of the Taieri, Otago, have this season planted two thousand twoyear old Scotch firs, as well as. a A'ariety of other trees. The fact is worthy of record as being the first extensive planting of forest trees in the Taieri. Mr Stafford is reported ia Hansard to have made the following remarks in Committee of Supply:— The whole Customs expenditure was wonderfully cheap. They had, he believed, thirty-four or thirty-five ports, and they collected their Customs for one per cent, less than Victoria, with only three ports, and where the main business was done at one port. The service was efficient, and was continuing to improve from day to day. There would be nothing more fatal than starving the service. He must again impress' upon the Commissioner of Customs|tihat, until it vras raaile a colonial service it would not be as efficient as it ought to be, and the more attention the honorable member gave to the question the more convinced would he be of that fact. A correspondent writing from Otago says : — There is an oil that the people make here, which is said to be a certain cure for rhumatism, and similar complaints. It is made from the roots of flax (phormlum tenax) aud wood hen oil. I have seen it applied to stiff joints, sores, aud burns, and it was always a certain cure. Almost every body keeps a bottle of it in their house. The roots of flax make a capital tonic, and is simply prepared. Get the white end of the flax, and make tea of it. A wine glass full of it taken for a few mornings will increase the appetite. It is most beneficial to persons .suffering from bilious complaints, and is much used by the country settlers hi this part. An inquiry has been held into the circumstances attending the death of the late James lait, of Waikare. It appeared from the evidence that, in returning to Waikare, he was struck and overwhelmed by a heavy roller, his horse falling under him, and he, being washed from his saddle, was carried out to sea and drowned. The verdict was "Accidentally drowned." A horse and dray belonging to Mr Humphreys, of Charleston, recently slipped over the embankmeut on the Buller road, near the residence of Mr Dwan. With difficulty the horse was extricated. The miners on the South Beach are not going to allow the agitation with re3pect to the new milling rules to die out. They have called a public meeting for Monday evening, at the Paroa Road Board Office, for tbe purpose of adopting a petition to the Governor in Council, praying him to annul these new rules, as they are found to be very oppressive upon the members of the mining community. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, John White was charged, on the information of Stephen Egan, with larceny,- andon the application of Sub-Inspector Hickson. was remanded until Monday. Robert Simpson -w«i3 charged, on the information of the Collector of Customs with having been found in possession -of an illicit still, and was remanded until Monday, as the police were not prepared to proceed with the evidence. The following mysterious paragraph, from yesterday's W. O. Times, appears to refer to some movement which is on foot to defeat the annexation of that district to the Province of Otago :— A movement of a very different character has been organised under cover of the action taken by the Annexation League. The most active measures, we have been told, are now being taken iv all the centres of population, for demonstrations of opposition to the present Government proposals, and couriers have been sent with instructions to convene torchlight meeting?, at which the people's delegates will explain the present position of the affairs of West-land ; ■ and vague rumors have been circulated through the town yesterday, that it is contemplated to effect some violent and sudden change, either in public opinion, or in some other direction. The secrecy with which the organisation seems enveloped, precludes us from guessing the precise intention of those active in the matter, but we trust that the proceeding organised will not militate against a satisfactory adjustment of Westlaud'd

future in the present crisis. In justice to those gentlemen who havegiventheirattention publicly to the annexation' movement, we have been requested to say that they have no sympathy with the secret movement ; and wo trust that the good sense of the citizens will lead them to see the futility of pressing matters to extremes in the direction it is whispered that this movement aims. The following is from a Wellington paper of Aug. 18 : — lt will be in the recollection of our readers that at a certain [period of the parliamentary history of England, the blue protector, paying a rather unexpected visit to the House of Commons, electrified the then Sergeant-at Arms, by requesting him to remove the mace from the table in somewhat contemptuous terms, "saying Take away that bauble," When the House was in committee on the Sales for Non-payment of | Rateslßill on Tuesday evening, Mr Gillies caused considerable amusement by calling attention to the fact that the mace, contrary to usual custom when the Speaker vacates the chair, still remained on the table, and enquired whether the House could proceed while that symbol of authority was in that position. The difficulty was, however, easily solved by tbe Sergeant-at Arms removing it and placing it under the table, when the business proceeded. Evidently the hon. member does not share in the openly expressed contemptof the historical personage above alluded to respecting the time honoured symbol of parliamentary authority. We take the following particulars of a fire near Blenhim from the Neios : A laA named Pope, from Howland's mill, passing under the verandah of the Ferry Hotel, saw a flash of light like a match being struck at the entrance of Mr Hathaway's flax mill, where flax was stored. Immediately after a cry of fire was raised by Mr Gane, and a great number of people were directly on the spot, but by this time there was a pyramid of fire from the mill that defied attempts to approach the building and endeavors to pave anything from it, notwithstanding the most strenuous efforts were made. All attention was then directed to saving the engine, in which they were so far successful that it has been but little damaged. We arc not yet able to state the amount of damage done, but it must be very considerable, as there were six or seven flax machines on the pre-. raises, besides a scutching machine and 20 tons of prepared flax, that was ready for shipment. It is roughly estimated at LI, 000, of "which we are sorry to say there was nothing insured. It is supposed to be the work of an incendiary, aa Mr Hathaway was the last known to be on the premises. The annual report of the Nehon School Inspector has beeii|oublished. It shows that 3387 attend^ the school iv that Province. With regard to the school at Cobden, taught by Mr Ray, he says : — Considerable progress has been made here during the past year ; the present 2nd and 3rd classes being now equal in every respect to Hie Ist and 2nd classes of 1869. Though I was sorry to see, on my last visit, how small a proportion' the children above twelve "years of age bore to the total numbsr on the roll— 6 out of 77, I was able to record a considerable number of good readers. The handwriting was also neat throughout, the gradation of classes carefully preserved, and the order excellent. With regard to the school recently opened by Mr Young at Brunnerton, he says . This school has only been opened since the March quarter, and was urgently needed, 34. children being present when I visited the school, which was built by the inhabitants, who at that time were receiving no help whatever from the Board. The children, though backward, were being carefully taught, and the master appears to possess the confidence of the parents. An idea appears to have gone abroad that the amount of the General Government subsidy promised to Road Boards would be diverted to be spent in Municipalities. In order to put this right we can only quote the following extract from the debate on the Bill in the Bouse : — On clause 14 being read, Mr Yogel proposed an amendment, having the effect of dividing the amount proportioned to each province ; half to road boards in proportion to their rates, and the other half to towns, provided that no money should be spent in these towj;s . unless they were in road board districts, and then. only for roads outside such towns. The Superintendent should give l.oticp to road boards for a certain day, and they .would then get in their money, and upon the amount received the calculation would be lvade, and thus a great inducement Avould be held out to ratepayers to pay their money. Mr Kynnersley said that he saw no provision for the County of Westland gold fields, where no rates were collected. Mr Yogel said that it was an old and truthful adage that " Heaven helped those who helped themselves," and if this Bill had the effect of making the gold fields communities rate themselves it would be doing a great good.