Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 738, 11 October 1870, Page 2

The s.s. City of Melbourne, with the San Francisco mails on board, was due at Auckland on the 4th inst., but according to the time occupied by the steams of the line on the last three trips, she need not be expected to readi Auckland until the 14th. When .Jibe mail does arrive, we may expect news from England, by telegraph to San Francisco, five days later than that received via Suez. The dates of the newspapers brought by her from England will be six, and possibly eight, days later than the dates of those brought by the Suez route, i.e., to the 18th or 20th August. It will be remembered that during the last session of the Assembly a large sum was voted as subsidies to all Road Boards in the Colony, amounting to about L 540 each. As the first quarterly payment on account of tLis sum was due on the Ist October, it is advisable that the Paroa Road Board should at once send in its application lo the Treasury at Wellington for the amount. A meeting of the Provisional Committee for forming a Gas Company was held in Kilgour's Hotel last evening. A prospectus drawn up by a sub-committee previously appointed was submitted to the meeting aud unanimously adopted. A large number of shares were taken up in the room. Before the Committee commit themselves to launching the Company it is thought desirable that the town should be canvassed, in order to ascertain how many shares will be taken up by the publio, and. consequently, deputations will shortly wait upon the residents for that purpose. Captain Bouar's cup was fired for at Hokitika on Saturday, and won by Corporal M'Levie, with a score of 48— seven shots at three ranges. We have to acknowledge the receipt from the Government printer of copies of the Acts passed last session of the Assembly. The General Government denies the accusation of obtaining its last message of English news from the Press Association Telegrams. On the other hand, it is stated by the Otago Daily Times that not only was this taken, but when Mr Stafford last addressed his constituents at Timaru, the Ministry surreptitiously obtained their copy of his speech from the telegraphic report sent to the Times by its special reporter. The heavy rains that have been experienced ou this coast aopeai; tphave nrevfiile..] in. me Had tar. "no Gavisccßurch coach did not arrive at Hokitika until Sunday evening at eleven o'clock, having been detained at the Taipo, which river was in high flood. The wire suspension bridge there has suffered damage through contact with a tree floating down the stream. A miner named Johnson had a narrow escape from drowning in Moonlight Creek on Saturday last. He wanted to cross the creek, which was much swollen at the time, and he mounted one of Aitkin and Magill's horses, behind the packer. When in the middle of the current a floating spar or snag struck the horse, when the animal in trying to avoid the obstruction capsized. Both men were thrown into the water, but the pucker managed to hold on to the horse, while Johnson was carried down the creek near its junction with the Grey. He was washed ashore on the North Spit, not much the worse for the ducking. The usual compulsory practice of the Volunteer Fire Brigade took place last night. There were twenty-two members present, and apologies Avere read from six others. Two gdod practices were gone through at the stand-pipes on Mawhera Quay, and one in Tainui street, all of which worked satisfactorily. We may mention that no report has yet been received by the Treasurer of the Brigade from the public committee appointed to canvass the West vYard for subscriptions. The lovers of high class dramatic and musical performances have a great treat in store for them. Mr and Mrs George Darrell have arrived in Greymonth, and will make their first appearance this evening at the Volunteer Hall. Mrs Darrell, who is better known by her late name, Mrs Robert Heir, is a refined artiste in every sense of the term, and her reputation is alone sufficient to ensure a large attendance of the public. Mr Dairell is a clever, rising young actor, has an excellent voice, sings good songs well, and is especially successful in buffo parts. His impersonation of the " Young Girl of the Day "is in itself worth going to see. Mr and Mrs Darrell only contemplate at present two performances in Greymouth, but we have no doubt they will be induced by liberal patronage to remain longer. The "bill of fare," which is announced in our advertising columns, is ample and varied, and affords full scope for exhibiting the special rob. of each performer. It is announced that the Hon. Mr Gisborne, Colonial Secretory, has been appointed Secretary for Public Works under the Public Works Act of last session. The appointment is understood to be only of an interim character. Mr Lowther Broad (brother of Mr Charles Broad, Warden at Charleston) has been gazetted a Warden for the Wangapeka and Upper Buller districts. We notice by our Nelson files that he proceeded to Waugapeka a day or two ago. Mr Broad has, consequently, resigned his seat in the Auckland Provincial Council. An association is in existence in the Red Jack's district, the object of which is to procure medical and surgical assistance for its members in case of sickness or accident. There are 70 members in the Society. The hon. sec. , on behalf of the association, recently placed himself in q'ommunication with the Committee of the Greymouth Hospital, to ascertain on what terms the members of the Red Jack's Benefit Society could secure the right of admission to the Grey Hospital, in the event of it becoming necessary for any of them to apply t? be admitted. A. reply was received stating that provided there were 100 or more bona fide members on the society's books, if each member paid Is per month, in advance, to the funds of the Hospital, any of them would be admitted — subject to the rules of the institution. This ofter was made

on condition that the society furnished the Hospital Committee with monthly returns of the names and occupations of persons who had joined the society during the month for which the returns were made out Messrs T. H. Sullivan and D. Ferris, the treasurer and secretary of the society, Wtiited on Mr Whitefoord on Wednesday last, at Camptown, and made an offer to him as one of the Committee of the Grey Hospital, that the society would pay in advance for the required privilege the sum demanded for every good member on the books at the cud of every quarter, but as there were at present only 70 members on the books the society, it could not comply with the condition that they should pay for 100. Mr Whitefoord promised to lay the society's proposition before the Committee and forward a reply without delay. Mr Henry Shaftes Harrison, long the representative of Wanganui, has taken leave of his constituents and public life. Mr Blackett, Provincial Engineer, Nelson, has received an engineering appointment from the General Government. The first election in New Zealand for a Provincial Council, under the new Ballot Act, took place in Invercargill on the Ist inst. The Southern Cross gives the following as an example of the unscrupulousness of some of the bankrupts who have of late figured in the Auckland Supreme Court : — We may mention that a bankrupt who received his discharge not long ago, and whose liabilities amounted to nearly L9OO, with a deficit of some L7OO, the day after obtaining his discharge Lad a quantity of expensive furniture and a splendid piano taken to Lis Louse. The Nelson Colonist says that it is stated that a private telegram to an official of the Bank of New Zealand, has announced that the contract for the Nelson, Cobden, and Westport Railway had been signed in London, but that no action would be taken in the matter until tlie peace of Europe was re-established. The Hon. John Hall recently addressed his constituents at the FUkaia, Canterbury. A vote of confidence in him was carried unanimously. Mr E. C. J. Stevens has also received a similar vote from his constituents at Selwyn. The Nelson Mall states fchafc Mr George Donne, member of the Nelson Provincial Council, has accepted a seat in the Executive as Representative of the Gold Fields, vice Mr A. Reid, resigned. Two miners at Moke Creek, Otago, are reported to be getting lib of gold each per week from their claim. This, at the current price of L 3 15s per ounce, is equivalent to L 45 each per week. Not bad tucker. Two miners, named Barton and Hutton, met with a serious misfortune on the 27th ult., when their hut and its contents were completely destroyed by fire at Stoney Creek, Otago. One thousand pounds bonus was voted to the Meat Preserving Company of Canterbury by the Provincial Council. A committee has been appointed by the Canterbury Provincial Council to consider the expediency of constructing the northern railway on the narrow gauge. A peries of burglaries have been committed at Otahuhu, Epsom, and* Panmure by a prisoner named Martin Michael Weldon, who has been committed for trial on the charges. The premises broken into were those of Isaac Gwyune, hotelkeeper, Epsom ; James Hogan, storekeeper, Pamnure j and premises at Otahuhu. The Right Rev. H. J. C. Harper, D.D., Lord Primate of New Zealand, accompanied by his chaplain, the Rev. W. Henry Cooper, arrived at Wellington by the Gothenburg, to assist ab the consecration of the Yen. Archdeacon liacllield on Sundoy la.ot. A petition -was presented to Judge Gresson at Christchurcli, signed by the whole of the legal profession, asking for the discharge of M'Gregor, who was sentenced, a few days ago, to imprisonment for acting as a solicitor. The Judge said he would be happy to do so, but did not think that he had the power. Hot and dry weather continues to prevail in Southland to an almost unprecedented extent for this time of the year, so that we are not surprised to learn that the good folks in Invercargill are sighing for the return of their usual "busters." Water is scarce, and »rated waters are rising in price. A canny Scot in Fiji bought 16,000 acres of laud the other day for 6d an acre. One out of a few Chinamen who have lately arrived in Otago from Victoria is suffering from leprosy — a disease which is loathsome in the extreme, and highly contagious. At the same time we learn with pleasure that the Government have taken steps to guard against the increase of the evil. A picked sample of quartz, weighing 2lb loz, brought to Invercargill recently from the Shotover Reef, Lake Wakatip, by Messrs J. and J. Blacklock, yielded on crushing at the rate of Cooz to the ton. Two pieces of poor-looking, or worse than average stone -in which the gold was barely, if at all, perceptible to the eye— gave at the rate of Goz 7dwt aud 9oz sdwt to the ton. The reef we (Southland News) are told, i 3 a very extensive one, and, with such prospects, we need not say bids fair to rival the best of the Auckland miues. A very important and valuable enquiry has been instituted by the Mining Department of Victoria, under the direction of Mr R. Brough Smyth, into the connection between the granite formation of the Colony and the auriferous quartz beds which run through it. Hundreds, net to say thousands, of specimens are being collected and arranged, and some valuable discovery may be looked for as the outcome of this investigation. The Thames correspondent of the A ucHaml Herald writing on the rush from thence to Queensland, says :—" The news published in yesterday's papers respecting the new rushes, has created quite a stampede amongst the digging community. For the last fortnight every steamer has taken a few meu away to this El Dorado, but this morning and again this afternoon, the number of men with swags, and the word ' Queensland' on their tongues, is quite unparalleled on the Thames." The Wellington Evening Post says :— Among other items of expenditure incurred by the Colony on account of the Commissioners is one — L4O for the Court suit worn by the Hon. Francis Dillon Bell on the occasion of his presentation to her Majesty. The money has been duly paid, and the clothes of course have become the property of the Colony, and the question arises will they be kept in London for the use of all future Commissioners, or will they be brought out and handed over to the custody of Colonel Gorton, the Colonial storekeeper ? In the latter case, a portion, at least, of this cost might be recouped by showing them at a small charge. The behaviour of the South Sea Islanders, recently imported as laborers by certain Auckland men, appears to be of a most disgusting character, if we may judge from the following extract, which we take from the N. Z. Herald :— " As a proof that we in no way magnify the features" of this uiipleasaut subject we may inform our readers of the foundations upon which our assertions rest, We have received letters from several correspondents complaining with considerable \ bitterness the odious sights to which

their families are exposed by the manners aivl habits of these woolly barbarians; In one case we hear that they have exhumed the bodies of animals which have died of disease, and devoured them greedily. In another we hear that they have scoured the creeks and landed putrid carrion on which they feasted exultingly. Dead animals of all kinds are dainty bits to these insular epicures. Their behaviour in other respects is described as exceedingly disgusting. At a general meeting of the Canterbnry Jockey Club, held at Tattersall's on Saturday, October Ist, the following entries were received for the Canterbury Cup :— Mr Studholme's Knottingly, aged ; Mr S. Nosworth's Malice, 3 yrs ; Mr J. A. Douglas' Malabar, 4 yrs ; Mr S. Garforth's Backbiter, aged ; Mr W. Dalamain's Atalanta, aged. For the Canterbury J. C. Handicap :— Mr M. Studholme's Knottingly, aged ; Mr M. Studholme's Wide-Awake, 5 yrs ; Mr M. Studholme's Thornie, 4 yrs ; Mr R. M. Morton's Southern Chief, 5 yrs ; Mr R. M. Morton's Atlas, 6 yrs; Captain LaurelPs Miss King, 6 yrs ; Captain Laurell's Wildboy, 6 yrs ; Mr S. Noswovth's Waterwitch, 4 yrs ; Mr J. A. Douglas' Malabar, 4 yrs ;Mr S. Garforth's Backbiter, aged; Mr F. W. Delamain's Atalanta, aged ; Mr F. W. Delamain's Blink Bonny, 6 yrs ; Mr P. Campbell's Catapult, 5 yrs. More entries are expected from the other Provinces.