Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 749, 5 November 1870, Page 2

It is rumored that Mr Hoos is going tc stand for Ross at the coming election for the County Council, and has taken care to pay the Ross Fire Brigade the subsidy voted at the last session of the Council. As Mi Hoos is not going to stand for Greymouth, the subsidy voted for the Greymonbh. Fire Brigade still remains uupaicl, and if some effort is not male, it will soon be numbered amongst the " lapsed votes" of last session. The meeting of miners which ought to have been held at Paroa on Thursday evening, foi the purpose of receiving tbeir delegates' report, did not come off, there being only three persons present. Apathy such as this is most astonishing, when it is considered th it Paroa was the district in which the movement for the revision of the mining rules was originated. All applications for renewals of publicans' licenses, expiring on or before March Ist, 1871, must be sent in to the Resident Magistrate's office to-day. The monthly meeting of the Volunteer Fire Brigade takes place on Monday evening, at eight o'clock, when all members are requested to attend^ as the business is important. The usual fortnightly meeting oi the Borough Council was held in the Town Hall last night. Present — Councillors Wickes (in the chair), Kennedy, Woolcock, Barclay and Coates. The minntes of the last meeting were read and continued. A memorandum was read from the Gas Company as to the -privileges to be granted to them, to which they wished the seal of the BoTongh attached. The matter was referred to the Public Works Committee, arid the Council's solicitor, with power to act. A number of residents wrote complaining of the condition of Mawhera Quay east, which was alleged to be in a dangerous state, and in bad weather it was impassible. They asked that the roadway and footpath should be made good. Referred to the Town Surveyor to report. A petition on the same subject was presented by Mr Woolcock, received, and laid ou the table for a week. The Town Clerk reported that he had received a satisfactory guarantee for the construction of the proposed new wharf from the east end of the present one to opposite the Bank of New Zealand. He knefi that another guarantee for a continuation of it would be sent in next day. He had also received a notice of moton to rescind the motion passed at last meeting for constructing these wharves, which could not be considered at that meeting. The matter was allowed to drop, and the meeting adjourned. An example has been set to the miners 0^ West.and by the shareholders in the Shamrock Water-race, Maori Gully, which we hope to see speedily followed. Five men, named Michael Madden (who was hurt the other day while falling a tree), Michael Burns, John Boland, Francis Malone, and John Ryan, commenced four years ago to bring a supply of water into Maori Gully, at a sufficient elevation to command the tops of the hills in the neighborhood, which are all known to be auriferous. For four years these men have worked on, with great perseverance, aud have now succeeded in bringing the race in- twelve inileF, from Stoney Creek, winding round the sidlings of

the ranges. It carries six heads of water, which is all used by the party, who keep two claims going, sometimes one or two miles apart. They have before them hundreds of thousands of acres of known auriferous country, as they have only water at a sufficient height to command it, and we understand the shareholders average from L 7to LlO per week per man, with the . prospect of doing so all their lives, or as long as they choose to w?rk. Only the other day they Finished a new dam, which will hold' a'rf additional three or four days' supply of water, and which- they estimate to have cost L 360. They certainly deserve the good fortune with which they are now about to be ivwirded. Two miners, supposed to be of unsound mind, were brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday. Patrick Pyle, was brought in by his mate from Clifton, and was remanded until Monday for medical treatment. Patrick Fleming was brought up on remand, when Drs Moriuo and Smith stated that they bad examine I him, and found that he wag suffering from debesius.was of unsound mind, not safe to be at large, and a lit subject for the Lunatic Asylum, as he was not likely to recover for sojoie considerable time. He was remanded to tiie Lunatic Asylum at Hokitika. A sHljing of the District Court was held on Thursday morning, before his Honor Judge Ward, to consider a motion by Mr Pitt, of Westport, to quash the rule nisi a ljudicating Davis Hayman, late of Charleston, a bankrupt, and freeing him from arrest. Mr Pitt appeared for Mr Hayman, and Mr Harvey for Messrs Marks and Fuer3t, of Hokitika, on whose affidavit the order of the Courb was ' made. Mr Pitt showed cause why the rule should be quashed, because there was no intention on the part of Hayman to leave the colony. He was going to Wanganui to commence business, had sold off his stock in Charleston by auction, which had been purchased from Messrs Marks and Fuerst, but covered by unmatured bills, which bills he was perfectly able and willing to meet at maturity ; and when arrested, he Lad on him in cash sufficient to pay all his creditors 40s in the pound. He (Mr Pitt) considered this a most malicious prosecution, that Hayman had been arrested under circumstances of unprecedented cruelty, and he moved the Court not only to quash the rule, but also to assess long damages against the petitioning creditors. Mr Harvey opposed, on fie ground that the facts, as they appeared in evidence on the last occasion were of a very suspicious character. The goods were purchased from his clients at Hokitika, and withiu a fortnight weie sold off by auction, and converted into cash by Hayman at Charleston, who then Jeft for Westport, with the avowed intention of going to- Wanganui, but Wanganui was on the way to Auckland, and Auckland was on the road to San Francisco, and there was no ssvying wheya Hvvyman would be ere the bills were matured. Under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the petitioning creditors could only come to the conclusion that these steps were taken by Hayman with the view to defeat his creditors ; and consequently, the proceedings taken by the creditors could not be held to be malicious, and he was surprised to hear that element introduced by his learned friend. The Judge said there could not be a question that the facts appearing on the affidavits had a very ugly aspect, but after the explanations which had been made, ho had decided that the orders for arrest and adjudication should be discharged, and the petition for adjudication dismissed, with c isbs, as he considered that Marks and Fuerst had acted too hurriedly, and ought to have made fuller enquiries before they took the steps they had done. _ The usual weekly parade "of "our Volunteei Company was held on Thursday nighc at the Drill tf.<\ll. We noticed, iv addition to the old members of the company, a squad oi fifteen or twenty recruits, who have recently joined, and who appear to be taking great interest 'in their drill. Captain Hamilton m tilled to the men tbat the selection of men to compete at Hokitika for the representation of the district at the Colonial Prize Filing would take place ou Thursday next, 10th inst., and the two following Thursdays. A3so, tliafc a new medium rifle was bo he shot for by the second-clas3 shots of the company; the first competition to take place on Wednesday, 9th inst. Volunteer Chamberlain was elected Color-Sergeant, in the place of Mr F. W. Paul, resigned, and the parade was dismissed. We are informed that on Tuesday last thirty pack-horses, with heavy loads, and four horses in sledges, passed Ferguson's station, six miles from the junction of the Little Grey, and a dray with a load of machinery, went to withiu four miles of the Saddle. There are only about five miles of the track to make, in order to make the road passable from Cobden to Murray Creek, and it is believed the work can be done for L7OO. The track, both up and over the Saddle is in good order, and after striking the Tnangakua, the track is along shingle beaches. As we briefly mentioned in our last, all the machinery for the Murray Creek Cement Company was delivered on the ground on Saturday, wieh the exception of four heavy pieces, which arrived on Sunday, being all within the contract time. From the reefs we hear that Kelly's claim is expected to turn oat very good. Some splendid ston.^ has been struck, the shareholders then sunk a shaft fifty feet, and struck the reef, as good as ever. They are now sinking another at 100 ft, in order to test the ground thoroughly In Anderson's claim magnificent specimens are obtained. The workmen are now stripping another face, and have covered over the old face, so that it cannot be soer. They have one specimen stone as large as au iron bucket, M'ith gold richly distributed over >t. There is every prospect of a very large rush taking place to this district this summer, and it is to be hoped that pressure will be brought to bear upon the Superintendent, to induce him to spend the money voted for the Saddle track . Should he delay or refuse, it is satisfactory to know that there are persons, both in town ond up-river, sufficiently enterprising to put their hands in their pockets and make it themselves, so that the trade of a large and important district shall not be diverted to Westport. The Superintendent of Nelson left Westport yesterday morning, proceeding overland to Gteyinouth. A very melancholy incident happened during the voyage of the James Nichol Fleming from Glasgow to Port Chalmers, on the 3rd out, August the 6th, a steerage passenger, James Abernethy, died of pleuro-pneu. monia, leaving a widow and eleven children to mourn his loss. The following electioneering rumors are from the Nelson papers :— Mr C. Pharazyn, son of Pharazyn, of Wellington, is a candidate for Wairarapa, which is now to return a second member. Mr Bunny, the present member, will again come forward. Mr Walter Johnston, son ot Mr John Johnston, of Wellington, is a candidate for the district of Manawatu. Mr Edwards will retire from the City of Nelson, and Mr Wells has announced his intention of doing the same by the Suburbs. The retirement of Mr Wells, who has so long been politically and socially connected with the Suburban districts, causes very general regret, and it would afford great and general satisfaction were he to reconsider his decision. Mr F. Kelling is spoken of as a candidate (Waimea east being now incorporated with the suburbs), and others aro mentioned, so that a contest seems probable. For the

vacant city seat, Mr Shephard, the Provincial Treasurer, will probably be brought forward, and his Honor the Superintendent will offer hiuisslf for re-election. We are not aware whether any changes are likely to take place inthd representation of Waimea and Motueka. We have heard it said that Mr Baigent will be (.pposed in Waimea, but have no good authority for the statement. Mr Maemahon has been spoken of as an opponent of Mr Parker, at Motiieka, but we understand the former gentleman declines to stand against the sitting member. It is said, but we do not know with what decree of truth, that Mr Kynnersley will not offer himself again for the Buller, but will seak to represent Picton. Mr Donne has been mentioned as the probable successor of Mr Kynnersley. The Provincef of Canterbury has now a credit balance of L 120.000. The Never Despair Company, Wellington, after having driven 362 feet, struck a welldefined thick reef, the gold being plainly visible in the stone. Messrs Sheppard and Co. have again got the mail contract for the West Ooasb of the North Island. The contract is for three years, and the subsidy is L3ISG. Mr Vincent Pyke is spoken of as a probable candidate for the Otago Superintendency. Mr Coleraan Burke, Dunedin, has been appointed a Justice of the Peace for the Colony. Mr J. Hughes, M.P.C., has also been appointed a J. P. Mr William Toogood, of Wellington, has applied for letters patent for the exclusive use of an invention of a machine for the cleaning, dressing, and preparing the fibre of the x>hornuum tenax, China grass; and other vegetable fibres. We learn from the Daily Times that the workmen employed on Mr Packham's contract for the Port Chalmers Railway have stopped, in consequence, we are informed, of Mr Packaui declining to go on without a written order from the engineer to make certain material alterations suggested aud found necessary by the latter. We are very sorry to see this and trust that the matter may soon be set right. We learn from the Olago Daily Times of the 27th Oct., that the trial case of Anderson and Another v. Burke and Anotlier, which began in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the 11th inst., and extended over eleven sitting days, was brought to a close last night. Ifc has created great interest, not only by reason of the peculiar circumstances of the case, bub also because some of the evidence was so directly contradictory in plain matters of fact that it is almost impossible to doubt that perjury had been committed by one or more of the witnesses. Opposing testimouy is common enough in Courts of Justice, but in this instance the opposition is of a peculiar kind, and not to be explained away. The verdict of the jury was substantially for the defendants. It .vas stated a short time ago that Mr G. A Sala, of Daily Telegraph fame was about to visit tho Australian Colonies in the interests of tbat journal. The outbreak of the war, however, has prevented the carrying out of this design, and Mr Sala is now among the hapless band of newspaper correspondents in France. It was he who by his eloquence persuaded the m>b at Metz not to hang the correspondent of the Graphig, on a lamp-post, as a Prussian spy. As the police have some reason to suspect that some of the crew of the Taranaki would not be indisposed to take advantage of tfae confusion at the late fire, a telegram was sent t ) search the vessel on its arrival in Wellington. We learn from the Post of 26th Ofitohftn- fckob ao ooon no the Taranaki came Alongside, at an early hour that morning, a strict search was instituted by the police, and tbree pairs of boote — bwo pairs of Jadies' and one of men's — were discovered in an empty trunk. Nothing else was found. A case of somnambulism is reported to have occurred at Weatherstone, Otago, the other week, when a certain gentleman got out of bed at midnight, yoked his horses, and commenced rolling a paddock. After working with a will for a short time, and giving his horses a goml sweat, he stabled them, and retired quietly to rest. The Germans in Dunedin collected close upon L3OO to aid the sufferers in the war. The French collected LIOO in one day. The ten-mile spin at Riccarton, Canterbury, on the 9th November, for a silver cup, promises to be an exciting affair. All the local peds of note are entered, including Young Austin, Shell, Pentecost, Porter, &c, and in addition ws learn, from a private letter received from Bird, the English pedestiian, that there is every probability of his putting in an appearance on the occasion. The recent hot weather experienced here seems to have been also felt severely in Otago. The Daily Times informs us that one of the results of the great heat experienced a few days ago is the destruction of seventy-five of the trout, and two of the sea trout in the Acclimatisation Society's ponds, from the rise in the temperature of the water on those days. At Nelson, on the 27th ultimo, Francis Harri3, late Sub-Treasurer of Nelson, was brought before the magistrates in the gaol, charged with altering a certain receipt for money, and putting off the same knowing it to have been altered, viz, a receipt "signed J. Powell and Co, dated 30th June, 1869, for the sum of Ll6 4s 3d. Mr H. Adams appeared for the prosecutor, and Mr Fell for tho prisoner. In this case the charge was that in one of the duplicate vouchers sent in for this amount the date had been altered from 1869 to IS7O, thus making it appear that twice the amount for which the receipt was given had been paid by the prisoner as Sub-Treasurer, The Provincial Auditor stated that prisoner had been credited with the amount specified in the voucher in his monthly statement for Jirae, 1809, and that a couple of months ngo he had sent in another voucher, the date of which appeared to have been altered from 1869 to 1870, for a precisely similar amount, purporting to have been paid to the same man. James Powell stated that he had supplied certain goods to the value of LIG 4s 3d to the Provincial Government in June, 1869, for which he had been paid on the Ist of July, and by way of receipt he had drawn oufc, and signed, vouchers in duplicate. The vouchers produced were the ones he had signed. The alterations that appeared in oue of them was not there when ho signed it. He had received no such amount in June or July, 1870, Prisoner, who reserved his. defence, was committed fov tylal at the next session of the Supreme Court. Two other charges of a similar nature, one referring to a receipt for the payment of L 23 13s to Messrs Bull and Bond, and the other for L 4 15s to W. 11. Forder >vere brought agaiust the prisoner. On both of the charges of tampering the prisoner was committed to take his trial at the next sessian of the Supreme Court.