Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 743, 22 October 1870, Page 2

Last night a deputation from the directors of the Greytnouth Gas Company waited on the Borough Council, and obtained permission to lay the pipes through the streets, and to have access to them at all times for the purposes of repair. The question of the proposed site of the works was talked about, but the locality was simply indicated as

being somewhere on the banks of the Tidal : Creek between the Tainui and Herbert street bridges. It is to be hoped the question will be fully considered in all its bearings before a final settlement is arrived at, so as to give as little annoyance as possible to the residents in the neighborhood. The mail for England via Suez will close this day at 4.30 p.m., and the mail via San Francisco will leave by the overland coach on Thursday, the 27th inst. It will be seen by an announcement in another column that the Early-closing Movement, to which we referred in our last, has proved successful, and a large number of places of business, including the offices of all the principal merchants, will be closed at two o'clock to-day. Next Saturday the ironmongers will follow suit, and we have no doubt thab ere long the movement will ex» tend to nearly every branch of trade in town. It is expected that the English mail, via San Francisco, will come on here in the s.s. Alhambra, but should the s.s. Kennedy leave before her it is probable that she will bring it. Mr and Mrs George Darrell repeat their famous entertainments in the Volunteer Hall this evening and also on Monday night, after which they leave for Hokitika. The first of the public meetings for receiving and considering the reports of the mining delegates from the Kanieri district at the late Mining Conference, was held at the Star hotel, Kanieri, on Wednesday evening. The meeting was well attended, many miners coming in from the Hail Hau and Blue Spur, thus plainly showing that they are not so apathetic in matters concerning themselves as the general public have been led to suppose. We believe the result of these meetings will be, that a strong Miners' League will be formed, and a standing committee appointed, whose duty it will be to watch over the miners' interests generally. In our last we briefly mentioned that another rich discovery had been made on the Saddle. Regarding it a correspondent writes as follows :— Since my last there hns been another reef struck about half-way between Ross' accommodation-house and. the old reefs. The prospectors are James Anderson, Potter, and party. I send you a sample of the stone ; break it where you •wiU, from the face, you will Tiot find a piece of stone that does not 3ontain gold. It is the opinion of all old reefers that the palmy days of Woods Point are about to be revived in this district. Fresh reefs are being found every day, — even while I am writing there is a report of the discovery of another reef even better than the last. The prices of shares are going up ; L3OO cash having been offered and refused for a shave in the new reef. Messrs P.ac and Wickes, the projectors of the dray-bridge over the Grey River opposite Cobden, have received an answer from the County Chairman to the effect that he does not consider the terms offered sufficient to induce him to grant the required protection ; but that he will lay the application before the County Council, at its first meeting. fn the Resident Magistrate's Courb, on Thursday, before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M,, the adjourned civil case Drury v. Guinness was further adjourned for the purpose of being referred to arbitration. F. P. Atkinson v. Joseph Graham -this was a claim of LSO for breach of written aggreement, whereby the defendant bound himself not to trade in hides or skins, during a specified time, within a radius of fifty miles from the Ahaura. Messrs Perkins and Newton appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Guinness for the defendant. After the plaintiff's witnesses Ivulbeen examined, Mr Guiunes de dined to call any evidence for the dofonc?.. The Magistrate said there could be no doubt as to the intent and meaning of the deed entered into between the parties, and from Graham's evidence there could be no question that he had, during the specified time, been dealing in hides and skins, on behalf of one Mitchell Graham, that he had forwarded jtLwjeti»u*r«"««» rr vwr-iren(terson dim Co. , and that he had drawn money on account of them. He did not see that he had any option but to inflict the full penalty that was set out in the deed. Judgment for LSO and costs. Yesterday Robert Boyce was charged with stealing a L 5 note from Wra. Linford, at Maori Gnlly, Arnold, on Monday last. From the evidence it appeared that the prisoner called at the complainant's claim, and went with the mates to their hut and liad. dinner. After that Linford went to work, and the prisoner also left the hut. At ten o'clock at night Linford noticed that his blankets bnd been disturbed, and on • looking into his purse, which was under the pillow, hs found that a L 5 note had been taken, but some silver vas left. The note taken was on the Bank of New Zealand, had a small tear, more like a cut, on its right side, and the banker's signature was not discernable. The note produced was afterwards shown to him by Sergeant Emerson, and was identified as the one stolen. John Hampton, storekeeper, at Maori Gully, stated that the prisoner came to his place on Monday evening and had two glasses of ale which he paid for with a L5-note, but he could not remember what like a note it was — whether it was new ov old. He had several L5-nobes in his possession at tho time, and showed them to the Sergeant, and he took possession of four of them. When he was in two of Linford's mates came in with the number of the lost not* on it. They then looked at the numbers on the notes, and the Sergeant remarked that neither of them corresponded with the number on the paper, but he took away one. Sergeant Emerson stated that Liuford's mate] told him the number of the lost note was ten something, but he could not remember it all. The prisoner was arrested at the Coal Pits, and three IA -notes and some silver were found on him. On the way to town the prisoner said, 1 ' lam sure I never did the like before. " The prisoner was generally walking about the township, and playing billiards in publichouses. For the defence Linfortl was re-called and three similar L5-notes shown him. He picked out the one he lost, and positively swore to its identity. The prisoner was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labor. G0(l,0()0ft of timber were shipped at Havelock, Marlborongh last month. A pawnbroker at the Thames has been fined L2O for receiving i pledge from a girl under fourteen years of age. A thief broke into the house of Mr Webb, Balclutha, Otago, the other night, and stole some M.S. sermons, a photographic album, and an old saddle. It is stated that as soon as one or two more electoral rolls are printed, and a few other changes incidental to the adoption of the ballot completed, the writs will be issued for the elections for the General Assembly. The Caraudinis received an ovation at their farewell concert. Messrs Small and Sherwin sailed in the Wonga Wonga, for Honolulu ; also Messrs Braham, Rogers, and Jones, comedians. The Molyneux, at Mount Benger, Otago, is lower at present than it has been at this time of the year for seven years past. The miners are steadily at work, and obtaining fair returns, with the exception of those employed in dredging. An Auckland correspondent of the Hawke's Bay Herald writes to that journal as follows : — The war news has upset all calculations here. Numbers on the look-out

for billets are very bitter against the powers whose " little game . has so inopportunely crossed theirs. The unfortunate Treasurre hns to barricade himself, and leave his private secretary to guard the approaches against the swarm of suppliants whose expectations have been raised by the big loan, and big billets— or small ones — hoped for in connection with it. Aspiring emigration agents, railway officia's, surveyers, engineers, and active stock and money brokers, are hanging about the Government Buildings, watching the chance of attack on the attractive persons of the Colonial Treasurer, What the feeling will be when the hard truth and harder disappointment have to be faced, I can't pretend to say. But the guns of ■ Wessinbnrg will drown the cry and cover the Treasurer's retreat, no doubt. The Press says : — By a private letter received from Wellington we learn that it is probable that a Permissive Bill will be brought into the Assembly next session by the Hon. the Premier, and that a vigorous effort will be made to support the movement by the various Temperance Societies and others throughout New Zealand. The schooner Peri has been seized by the Government for smuggling at Auckland. The new lead at the Big Paddock is turnout quite equal to expectations. Messrs Shanaghau and Creighcon have been returned to represent Newton in the Provincial Council of Auckland. Mr Creighton is dangerously ill. Mr Barff is paying the inhabitants of the Waimea district a visit, and has announced his intention of becoming a candidate for their suffrages at the coming election for the County Council. Mr Gillies declines to stand for the East Coast. The contractors for the Port Chalmers Railway have decided to alter the gauge of the line from 4ft Biin, as originally intended, to 3ft Gin. The Southland Times of the 7th inst. has an obituary notice, two columns in length, on the late Province from which it takes its name. The article is headed by the words - "Southland : in memento," in old English characters, between two black lines. An Otago paper says :— John Chinaman is not an unmitigated blessing, even ou the gold fields. Mr Beefcham, R.M., was occupied for an entire day lately at Arrowtown in hearing " sickening cases of mining disputes, and lost or stolen cocks and hens," in which Chinamen were concerned. At the Magistrate's Court, Oxford, Canterbury, a few days ago, Joshua H. Harper was charged on the information of Sergeant Davies with having given a receipt for L 5, without having stamped the same. The evidence of J. Walshaw proved the offence, and defendant was fined LlO, to be paid at the rate of LI per month. At a recent meeting of the Council of the Otago Acclimatization Society, Mr Murison stated that he had, on Friday last, Mr Clifford being present, counted 142 sea trout, 1084 brown trout, hatched from the ova recently brought from Hobart Town, and Mr Clifford reported thab since that day the remaining thre<y fish had been hatched, not an ovum proving barren. Two residents at Otakia, Otago — Messrs M'Laren and M'Kegg — have made persevering efforts to find coal in that locality, but without success. Mr M'Laren gave up after sinking a shaft to the depth of 90ft, while Mr M'Kegg sank no les3 than five shafts to a depth varying from 20ft to 70f fc. Some new ground has been opened up at the Waikaka diggings, Otago, where the miners are reported to be making from Ss to 10s per day. There are also a number of Chinese at work on the ground, and as their numbers are increasing it is supposed they are doing well. The scarcity of water is the chief impediment to mining operations in the locality. Mr Heller was still playing to crowded liomms irr JVelsoir at last advices, but it is probable' he wiH'arrive here by the s.s. Kennedy, now due. On the 14th inst., an inquest was h eld at the George and Dragon Hotel, Great South Road, Canterbury, on the body of Mr Innes, the landlord, who died from injuries received in descending from one of his own stacks on the 21st of last month. Dr Coward presided over the. enquiry, and Mr Ranger was chosen foreman of the jury. From the evidence given it appeared that on the day named deceased was ascending a stack, near which was stationed a threshing-machine at work, but on being cautioned by one of the men that he was in danger of being entangled iv the driving belt, he turn round and slid down the side of the stack to the ground. Unfortunately he had but a few moments before placed a pitchfork against the stack immediately under the spot he ascended to, and coming in contact with it in descending he received a serious wound. Dr Patrick was at once called in, but though most assiduous in his attentions deceased, after lingering in great pain for nearly three weeks, expired. A verdict of " Accidential Death " was returned. There was recently on view at the Scandinavian Hotel, Dunedin, the model of an under current wheel, and appurtenances, invented by Mr Dnunmy. It is intended to be used on the Molyneux, and similar rivers with auriferous banks, to work pumps for raising water for sluicing purposes. The wheel works between two pumps anchored in midstream. A framework which extends from one of the punts to the bank supports the rods by which the motive power is transmitted from the wheel to the pumps on the bank. This framework can, in time of floods, be disconnected, and the punts brought near shore ; and means are also provided by which it does not interfere with the punts rising and f ailing according to the height of the river. There is a contrivance by which the flow of water to the wheel can be lessened in times of freshes, or altogether cut off if desired, thereby allowing of repairs to the wheel being made. Several gentlemen inspected the model, and those competent to fcrm an opinion considered that it would be effective for the purpose for which it was designed. The following overture was recently made the Presbytery of Canterbury to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church of the colony: — "Whereas the Church of Christ has, in all ages, suffered greviously through the dissensions and divisions amongst its members ; whereas, of late years, earnest desires have been expressed by individual Christmas and by the authoritattive exponents of opinions on the part of many branches of the church, that great unity should prevail, and that efforts should be . made toward the union of various sections of the Church upon a comprehensive scriptural basis ; and whereas, further, resolutions have been passed at the General Synod of the Episcopal Church, or Church of England, in New Zealand, recognising the desirableness of such a union among the churches within the colouy of New Zealand : It is humbly overtured by the Reverend the Presbytery of Conterbury to the Venerable the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, indited to meet in the month of November ensuing, that they would take this whole subject into their serious consideration, appoint a committee of conference with other churches upon this subject, and devise such other measures thereanent .as may tend to promote the glory of God and the good of the Church."