Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 736, 6 October 1870, Page 2

A rather important rush has taken place in the Duffer Creek District, to a terrace at the head of Teviofc Creek, -where good gold I\as been struck at a depth of fifteen feet. The rnn of gold has since been traced along the face of the terrace, and is found almost in the roots of the grass. For the details we refer our readers to our up-country reporter's letter. We have much pleasure in directing attention to an advertisement in our columns calling a public meeting of the inhabitants of Grey mouth for the purpose of forming a company to establish gas works in this townAs this is an undertaking that everyone in Greymouth must feel more or les3 interested in, we trust the meeting will be largely attended, and such a spirit imported into the preliminary proceedings as will ensure the successful floating of the company. We have received a letter from three miners on the South. Beach on the subject of the Irish Patriotic Fund, and in reply to the one recently published by Messrs Dowliug and Colton. As it contains a very serious accusation, and we are in some doubt as to genuineness of the signatures, we have to request one of the writers to call at this office before the letter can be published. A small rush took place on Monday morning to a terrace on Mud Creek, near No Town. The prospects are considered fairly payable, and obtained out of two holes 30ft apart, and were sufficient to induce the Warden to grant the prospectors an extra man's ground. The sinking is about 30ft, but the ground will be worked by tunnels, which will not require to be long. The available ground is fully taken up. An accident of a serious nature happened on Monday last to a man named Samuel Browne. He was a miner engaged working in Melville's claim, which is situated about half-a-mile from the Eight-mile Township, Hokitika district, and whilst at his usual avocation, a large boulder slipped down and struck him on the leg. He was at once conveyed to the Hokitika Hospital, where it was found he was suffering from fracture of both bones of the left leg at its centre. The Pistrict Court, at its rising yesterday, adjourned to the 24th inst. It is expected that in future twn sittings of the District Court will be held here every month, aud that as summonses will probably be made returnable at much shorter dates than at present, a great number of the extended jurisdiction cases now heard before the Resident Magistrate will be taken in the District Court. A very important dispute between the two large water-race companies on the South Beach will be heard at the next sitting of this Court. We recently mentioned that a hitch had occurred in the working of the new Gold Duties Act which was likely to prevent the collection of gold duty till the Ist of January next. We vow hear that it is more than probable, in the event of any of the Banks refusing payment, that the Governor will, by powers vested in him by the Gold Fields Act, prevent the exportation of any gold from the Colony until January. The miners at the Branuer. coal-mine coinplaiu bitterly, and with just cause, that their salaries, paid monthly, due on the Ist of each month, are not paid till some time between the lOfch aud 16th. Besides being productive of a vast amount of annoyance to the business people who have to supply the men, it is a most pernicious system, and a great injustice to the working-men. It is to be hoped the matter will bs looked into, and ths oil system which prevailed up to within the last six months, substituted, by which every man was punctually paid for his labor on the Ist of the month. Two more claims have struck gold at Halfounce Creek. In Dunn and U'Hara's claims (amalgamated) a prospect of 22^v t > the dish has been obtained. Eight or nine claims below Lonargan's old store Neibuhr and Co. have driven on to the lead from a shaft they sunk on the reef. They washed six grains to the dish. In both claims th<s parties were driven out by water as soon as the gutter was touched. It will be necessrry to erect water whesls on each of the claims. Mr Dobson, the District Engineer, accompanied by Mr Woolley, Government Surveyor, and Mr MMm, luspector of Roads, left the Ahaura at the latter part of last week to pay a visit to the quartz reefs at Murray Creek. The tenders for making the road from the Ahaura and C:illaghan Creek, were to be opened on Thursday last, but in consequence of the absence of Messrs Dobson and Mir fin this could not be done. A good deal of inconvenience has been caused to intending contractors by this oversight, besides causing increase:! delay in proceeding with the making of the track, which is so urgently required. During the hearing of J. C. Warwick's application in bankruptcy on Tuesday before his honor Judge Ward, the bankrupt said that a certain agreement for the sale of a house was" drawn up by Mr Davies, a mining agent at the Ahaura. The Judge said the conduct of such persons ought to be brought under the notice of the Law Society, so that steps might be taken for their prosecutiou. Practising in Wardens' Courts was a very different th : ng, but those agents ought not to be allowed to appear in Resident Magistrates' Courts. Resident Magistrates certainly had power to allow agents to appear ; but it never was the intention of the Legislature to foster a class of bastard solicitors, who, when encouraged, assumed all the priviliges of the profession, without any of their responsibilities. The consequence was that such persons were now acting as conveyancers. After some conversation the subject dropped. W. H. ReveU, Esq, R.M., held a Court at the Arnold yesterday, when the following cas ;s were disposed of : — Logan Chandelor, .Martin Mullin, Patrick Walsh, and William Pitman were each fined 10s and costs, for being drunk and disorderly. David M'Alpiu, on two charges of being drunk and incapable,

was fined 30s and costs. Michael Phillips was severally charged three times with neglecting to keep a light burning in front of his licensed house, and was lined 5s and costs in each case. For a similar offenco, B. Brcmoiirl and Thomas C.ihill were fined Is each and costs, avnl John Kamptun was (met I 7s 6d and costs, Thomas Oahill was further fined LI and costs for keeping his house open j during prohibited hours. The following small-debt capes were disposed of .— J. I'yan j v. William Petersen.— A drum of L 2 9s 6d. j Judgment for LI to be paid at once, aud the balance in one month, or in default, one month's imprisonment. Estate of Thomas Cahill v. Thomas Kelly.— Claim of L 9. Judgment for amount claimed, to be paid by instalments of 10s per week, in default, two months' imprisonment. Same v. Samuel Taylor.— l.o. U. for L 2. Judgment by default for amount and costs. Same v. Mchan and Ahem. — Claim of L 5 os lOd for goods. Judgment by default, with costs. Same v. Conrad Streter. — Claim of L 5 Us for goods. Judgment by default less L 3 ; paid. Same v. Patrick Cashin. — Claim of L 5 14s 4d. Judgment by default for LI 1 4s 4cl and costs. Same v. Patrick Ahem. — Claim of L 4 15s 4d. Judgment by default for amount and costs. Again we have to travel from home to get ne .vs. Our irrepressible friend Mr Barff recently volunteered his evidence before a Select Committee of the House of Representatives on the subject of the development of the resources of the Colony. He was asked the question: — "In case tramroads wore made, would the difficulty of exit, arising from the existence of a bar at Greymouth River, not operate to pi event any large export?" To which he replied : — " I think not. A merchant in Greyraouth has recently had a vessel built in one of the neighboring colonies expressly for the Greymouth trade. This vessel only draws some B.^ feet water, and on her first trip she brought 420 tons of cargo for Greymouth." As the arrival of such a vessel has not yet been noted at the Customs here, perhaps Mr Barff will be good enough to tell us her name, and the date when she crossed the Grey bar. A meeting of those interested iv the formation of a Jockey Club, aud to make preliminary arrangements about the forthcoming Race Meeting was held at Gilmer's Hotel, Ahaura, ou Thursday, 29th inst. Mr D. M 'Kenna was called to the chair. Mr W. J . Potts proposed that it would be desirable to form a Jockey Club for the Grey Valley. Mr George Saddler seconded the motion. Mr John Tucker moved au amendment to the effect that it will'] be better to hold the Race Meeting first, and form the Jockey Club afterwards. The mover urged in support of his amendment that the expense of forming a Club was in the first instance very great, and it would be better to devote the whole of the available funds to ensure the success of the Race Meeting, and then take steps to form the Club. Mr Drury seconded the amendment, which was carried. After a desultory conversation the meeting was adjourned to Thursday, 6th of October. The committee appointed at the -public meeting held at No Town on the 19 th ult. met on Monday night to consider progress. (It will be remembered that the public meeting determined to petition the Government to cause the immediate construction of a road to No Town, aud the establishment of a Police Camp and Court House there.) There were present at the committee meeting —Messrs Corbett (in the chair), Marshall, Gothard, Haisty, Carter, M'Keever, Rnndle, Cameron, Marston, and Gillon. After adding the names of Mr Campbell and Mr Gillon to the committee, the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The signatures obtained to the petition were ascertained to number 533, which was thought very satisfactory, considering the difficulty of collecting from the outside gullies, and the fact of Red Jack's not being canvassed at all, although equally interested. The draft of the petition was discussed iv detail, the amounts and numbers mentioned therein very particularly, and, after drawing attention to a mistake of " L 1200" instead of (S LI 100" in the copy published in the Argus, was passed unanimously. Mr Haisty proposed, seconded by Mr Gillon, and carried- "That Messrs Corbett, Marshall, Bundle, and Campbell, be appointed to deliver the petition to the Warden, as representative of the Government, on Wednesday; to impress upon him the necessities of the case, and bespeak his influence in its favor." It was mentioned in the course of the meeting that the Warden's Court had been shifted from the Twelve-mile to accommodate the large number of miners then at Nelson Creek, which has since dwindled down to very few, and who are within a less distance from the Ahaura than from Camptown, while the only other important portion of the district— Red Jack's — is fourteen miles from Camptown, and only three aud a-half from No Town. The meeting was then adjourned until Friday next, to obtain the report of the deputation. A later communication states :— A deputation of the No Tosvu district, consisting of Messrs Jas. Molloy. J. M. Marshall, Thomas Bundle, and William Campbell, representing the commercial interest, and John Corbett, representing the miners, waited on. Mr Whitefoord on Wednesday morning, at Camptown, to present the memorial to the Government from the residents of the No Town district with reference to the grievances they are laboring under for the last five years. Mr Whitefoord received the deputation courteously, and promised to forward the memorial to the Government at Nel«on. Mr Corbefit presented the memorial in an able speech, and Mr Whitefoord replied at great length. We are sorry we are unable to give a full report of the proceedings in this issue ; it will appear in our next. The recent agitation respecting the new mining rules for Westland has resulted in a conference of mining delegates being held at Hokitika, for the purpose of suggesting amendments. On Monday, they met at 10 a.m., at Hansen's Post Office Hotel. There were present — Messrs Tribe and Mair, Totara ; Blackburn and Frazer, Kanieri ; Moran and Hannan Arahura. Mr Hannan was elected chairman. A letter from the Secretary of the Paroa Mining Committee, stating that the delegates from that district would be unable to arrive until Tuesday, was read. During O tiversation it was stated unanimously that it was the wish of the miners iv the various districts represented that the old mining regulations should be substituted for the new ones. It was resolved to wait on the County Chairman, and request that the new rules be rescinded in favor of the old ones. The delegates accordingly waited on Mr Hooa, who said he could not do as the Conference required, but he would legalise any amendments submitted to him by the delegates, taking the new rules as a basis. This latter course was adopted. The County Chairman placed an office and sta r tiouery at the disposal of the delegates, which were accepted with thaiks. The Conference was then adjourned till ten o'clock the following morning, when Mr G-adil, from Paroa, was present. A number of the clauses of the new rules were gone through, disenssed, and several alterations adopted ; but the whole had not been considered before the adjournment.