Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 774, 3 January 1871, Page 2

* Mr Buckley, who is to contest the seat for the Grey Valley, with Mr Harrison, in the House of Representatives, lauded from the*Gothenburg on Sunday, and is now busily engaged preparing for the coming struggle. #r *: The New Year's Day dinner of the patients in the Grey River Hospital took place on Sunday, and we are glad fo say that, thanks to the liberality of the citizens, it was as good a •' spread " as that of Christmas Day. The following presents were received by the Superintendent on behalf of the patients :— From Hildebrand aud Weber, vejal, pork, and sucking-pig ; Alex. Cbnstantine, 2 fowls; William Gord 2 ducks } Bradley,*

milkman, can of milk ; Giesking, grocer, 2 pairs fowls, 61b butter ;j*W. Taylor, 2 fowls; Ryan Brothers, 2 cakes; Morton, hotelkeeper, 1 doz stout, doz sherry ; Strike andJßlackmore, 2 doz lemonade, 2 doz ginger beer, 1 doz stout; Thomas and M'Beatb, dish of tarts ; Orr, grocer, 2 boxes figs, 1 bottle jelly ; Williams, baker, 1 tin biscuits,. 1 cake ; M'Carfchy, Brewer, 15 gallons ale.

Mr Kiernan's panoramas -will be exhibited tV-day,. at four and eight p.m., at the Town Hall^Gresson street. Tjhuß«afteraoon exhibition will be especially foiijshildren, when the price will be ' proportisnately^small. The panoramas are well worthy of a visit, having been well received wherever they have been exhibited. An Ethiopian entertainment, by a number of amateurs, wi!J be jzjyen fc in the Volunteer Hall on Thursday^cvening. . The ' proceeds will bohansted over* to the Greymouth Brass Band. " *** '■»«.» . The antmnl meeting 'of the'^Greymouth Volunteer; Fire Brigade will be held* this evening, at eight o'clock sharp. At this meeting the balance-sheet of the previous six month's will'be' brought up, and the^lection of the officers for the ensuing twelvem onths will take place.. It is therefore requested•tbat the whole ofr the members should ba present. ... W. H. Revell, Esq., has been appoin'.el principal Returning Officer for the Electoral District of Grey Valley. The Jollowiug are the newly-appointed polling-places :— The Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymonkh ; the Road Board Office, Paroa ; the Warden's JOourt, Clifton ; the Warden's Court, Pouna'mu; tli ei* Warden's Court, Maori Gully, Arnold ; the Warden's Court, Cobden ; the Warden's Court, Camptown ; the Police Station, Ahaura ; the Police Station, Napoleon Hill ; Mr William Campbell's store, No . Town ; Mr George Muir's store, Netaon Creek. ■" ■*.

At haj[£.-past |twp«,o'clock. this morning a gentlemau arrived from Hokitika, and'Hnffirmed us' that the Greymouth men -were successful in the following events : — Standing Hop, Step and Jump : Ist prize, £3 ; P. Twohill. 200 yarrt3 Handicap : Ist prize, £7; Dan Twohill. Vaulting with Pole* : Ist prize, £4 ; J. Heaphy. Half-mile Handicap": Ist prize, £10 ;J. Rankin. Running High Jump : Ist prize, £4 ; P. Twohill. 440 yards Handicap : £7 ; P. Twohill. Everything the men from Greymouth entered for they won. Six other events are to come off today.

A large and influential meeting of the political friends of Mr W. H. Harrison was neld at the Albion Hotel, last evening, for the purpose of forming as Central Working Committee for the purpose of securing that gentlemen's return at the ensuing election for the General Assembly. The gentlemen present enrolled themselves uuder the presidency of J. Kilgour. Esq., and E Masters. Esq.. vice chairman, with power to add to their number. The meeting was adjdurned until Wednesday evening at Gilmer's Hotel, on which occasiou the Committee invite the attendance of aIP Mr Harrison's political supporters. A meeting was held on Saturday, the 3!st iiist. , at Mr Anderson's Hotel, Half-Ounce, for the purpose of forming a committee for i theJortU^omin^ ele^tifta,«uyorder to watch p*6vir 'ffieidfeeFest of "tße mstridf-in gggfeval. The meeting, which was largely attendf^ was addressed by several gentlemen, and a hope was expressed that the township at Half-Ounce Creek, which was now thp mos.^ important of any of the up-country diggings, would Uje nominated a polling place. By the interest which appears to Ji>e taken in the election generally, it rtfoybe expected that the candidates will meet, upon their arrival, with a hearty reception, but it did not appear that either of the two gentlemen was considered as quite a favorite. The following gjptlemen were elected a committee -^Messrs Yoking, Ahdersbn,%aler, Lonargan, Graham, and Mr H. Ske'ad, to act as Secretary. ■,

Considerable excitemnit wa3 caused at Half-Ounco Creek, when it became knoygn that a miner, named Nicholas Levgreen, a native of Sweden, had left that place some seven weeks ago and had not been heard of since.* It appears that he started with the. intention to go over the Saddle to Murray Creek, -but that he was taken illgftt the junction of tha Little Greyi*and was left there by one of bis mates. Nnff . waking his fipearance in Murray Creek ifc^was surised that he had changed his mind and turned back to Greymouth. However, it, appears now, that such w,as not the case, as he had not called on any of his friends here Several of his countrymen started yesterday" in search of him, and as it was known .that he had a sum of more than L7O with him, there is some foul play suspected. ix Jjjfe: "Hie New Yeair was brought in in the usual orthodox fashion on Sunday morning. Perhaps the fact that it fell upon that morning made it quieter than usual, but, notwithstanding, bells were _ rung, bands played, fireworks were discharged, blue lights were burned l>y the Charles Edward and at the flagstaff, mutual congratulations and rejoicings were the order of the mornjng^_bnt all these outside appeWßfnces gradually sub-_, sided as Sunday morning dawned, and no* "tine would have guessed from the appearance of the various congregations at the morning service that extensive "first-footing" had beeu^he order of the night. Gold has been struck in the Britannia Gold Mining Company's Lease. Shamrock field, Addison's Flat. On Sunday morning week, a horse belonging to Sam Jenkins, of Addison's, went down a shaft about thirty feet, and when taken to the surface, was found to be severely cut in the fore shoulder and otherwise much shaken. The annual picnic of the childreu attending the Sunday Schools in Cobilen and Greyinoutb, took place yesterday at Tivoli Gardens, and tne event was as successful as those of former /ears. The picnic would have taken place as usual, in the paddrck of Messrs Fairhall and Willoughby, but although these gentlemen were quite willing to do everything in their power to assist, it was too much to ask them quietly to submit to the destruction of a fine crop of young grass in exchange for a day's pleasure. In thedillemma, DrMorice at once came forward and offered the grounds at Tivoli, which were readily and gladly accepted, as th'sy are nicely adapted for the^urpose. This year, as hitherto, the public had been ■very liberal in their contributions for the purpose of this annual treat, and the ladies' and gentlemen who had taken the affaitgn hand, had been most industrious, for many weeks pastjin. making every preparation for this event, which is now looked forward to as a sort of land-mark in the year — a day upon which the members of all classes and religions mingle together as .one. The clny waspbeautifully fine, and in the morning the children attending all the- Sunday Suhrols assembled on the wharf in holiday attire, and with a liberal display of banners, to welcome the children from Cobden. The TLowu Baud alsowasseinbled there Snd the procession was funnel, an^fcinarched through the town as far the gardens, where sports of e\ery kind were immediately commenced, :m<l carried on uninterruptedly until the evening. There \vereover4oo children presen^frotn t'.ie Town Hall, the Wesleyan Church, S iu'.Ji Oeach, and Cobden Schools, v and the parents and friends of tha children assembled, to the number of over 1800, and *he scene presented in the afternoon was one (i. the most interesting and rao3t promising '■hat could be seen in a young colony. Refreshments were provided in abundance for the children, and prizes were liberally given

for all the little games which were got up on the ground. The presence of the town band materially contributed to the day's enjoyment. In the evening the procession was again formed, and inarched back to town as far as the* Custom House, where tlift National Anthem was sung, and an unlimited quantity of cheers given for everybody connected with the treat ; indeed the children seined to be loathe to separate after their day's fun. We do .not intend individually to mention the member? of the Committee, who worked bard to make this picnic so succersful, because it would be invidious, but we aresrequested by them to* return thanks to the master of the schooner Rose of Eden for the use of his flacs, to Mr Bradley for the fine supply of milk which he unsolicited brought on tt^the ground, to Messrs Simpson taiid Nvij^ieclc for services volunteered in cltetirig provisions, water, &c, to the ground, and to all* who so willingly assisted on the occasiou. We believe that the balance, . if agjy,* remaining, will be appropriated to the formation of libraries for the Sunday Schools. • /■"'"The members of the Wellington Fire Brigade lalfr, a few days ago, an information at the Police Court against their treasurer, Morton'Quin, for appropriating a cheque for Ll9 that he had received from the insurance companies. -* Mr H. Hajl, the present contractor with the New Zealand Government for the San Francisco mail service, has written to the Sydney Herald, saying his contract with the New Zealand Government is for four years, and will not terminate in April next, as the Postmaster-General assumed when he made the new contract. The Southern Cross* denies the existence of any contract as stated by Mr Hall. We hope sincerely the Cross is right, as it will be a very.serious business for the colony to be saddled with two expensive mail contracts at one and the same time. An accident happened to Captain Robert Dyasov, at the Kaiapoi regatta, in firing the signal cannon for the Challenge Race. The powder in the vent had not exploded, when, in placing some fresh powder, the piece discharged some of the powder which had not ignited through being damaged, forcing it into Captain Dyasui's face, which, besides, was severely scorched. A piece of powder, the size of a wheat grain, penetrated into his under lip. The wounds are very serious, and his face will bear the marks for some time.

Judge Richmond the other day said he would decline acting in opposition to a bankrupt, unless he were opposed by some creditor who took the initiative ; and, doubtless, his Honor is right, on the "principle that the judges of the land shall not set in motion the machinery of their own courts, or appear for plaintiff or defendant. There is, however, action' taken by the Inspector of Bankruptcy, who is a public official, really more or less directly antagonistic to the bankrupt. In many estates, especially in the worst kind, it is nofworth anyone's, while to throw good money after bad^ There are but few creditors who care to appear in person, and none like to incur legal expenses in opposition which is generally resultless. If the Inspector in Bankrupty in his report narrates any misfeasance in any estate, even though unopposed, it might not be unreasonable to expect the presiding >iradge to. act upon the reporfeirrespective of outside opposition. The suTrjeet is a very difficult one, and one cannot help having a keen fellow-feeling with the suffering creditor.

In the course of his "talk," the editor of the Colonist says : -The match i 3 lit, a few fentle inspirations, and, — thank you, Mr far veil, of the Ahaura township, in Grey Valley of the West Coast of Nelson Province .1 am smoking a cigar in that outlandish island region, by the said Charles -Harvell, tobWconist amVcigar niunufacturer; and it is now his turn to thank me for thus prpising his efforts and his wares in this column, which people, deemed discriminating, are good enough to say is a popular column. Of course*tliese people are right, though the writer has often had modest mis.giving* as to the fact. Your true genius, you see, sets up such a high standard that he despaiis of reaching it. Well, Mr Harvell s cigars are excellent, well packed in a good* orthodox box, well shaped, well made of good American leaf, drawing well, well flavored, and carrying a full inch of ■fine white ash, exhaling a rich and pleasant aroma ; so say 3 a personage who permits smoking in the dining-room. I don't desire to smoke a better cigar, and after that, Mr Charles Harvell will know to what pnblisher to transmit his advertisements, notifying a new colonial &de, which if extended ought, seriously, for quality, to supersede the foreign made article.

The Westport Timenfoya :— " On the first day of the races the casualties, wo regret to state, were of a very (Serious character." *A passenger by the tramway, in leaping off the truck in motion, fell and broke his leg ; the injured man is a miner named Daniel M'Namara. Other. accidentLalaS-occiirred, more directly^coimectedy wife, the xac.es. ■ The irijter of Supple' Jack 'fa* the Hurdle Race, affifr a 'heavy fall at one of 'the -jumps, and then riding a very close race with Gamester, unfortunately came in contact with the post opposite the Judge's chair ; the horse was uninjured, but Campbell was unseated and his left thigh broken. He was ■ conveyed to the Hospital, where he received medical assistance. Almost simultaneously with this accident a horse attached to a springcart containing a little boy, the son of Mr H. Pain, took fright and broke away, doubtless startled by the roar of voices as the horses in the Hurdle Race neared the winning post. The child was hurled from the cart, but happily sustained no injury, and Mr Robert Henderson, the owner of Gips}', in his endeavors to stoi. the vehicle, had the misfortune to allow the wheel to pass over his ankte. He was conveyed to the Grand Stand, when the ankle was found to be severely lacerated. Earlier in th-3 day Mr Heron, the rider of Squatter, in the Packers' Purse, had a very narrow escape from fatal or very serious injury. The horse he rode, at. the commencement of the race, ran against a post, the concussion bringing horse aud rider to the ground. The latter escaped without injury.

In view of the telegrams which we publish to-day, we give the following, which may be called connecting links in the chain, from the Wellington Pout of the 21st December :— "We learn from the Wanganui papers that in sonsequeuce of the recent occurrence in the Waikato, and a little domestic quarrel among the Wanganui natives, the proposed great gathering at Te Ao Marama is not likely to take place. 'This,' says the Chronicle, • must be rather a disappointment to some of our Maori friends, considering the preparations which have been made — the pounds of powder sold to the natives by special license, and the rolls of carpeting, enough to cover the floor of the great runanga house, presented to them by the Defence Minister, but fqt. which 'the country has to pay. And tins, by the way, is not a little lot of carpet. The Pipiriki Maori Hall is about 100 ft long by 30 broad, and takes a good piece of cloth to cover its floor. The cloth won't cover it long, howver, if it ever covers it at all. Doubtless ere long we shall have the pleasure of seeing our dusky friends from Pipiriki arrayed in gay garments, hastily improvised from bits of the drugget so liberally supplied to them from Messrs Taylor and Watt's store. And that is the way ye govern the natives.' Rewi, the celebrated Waikato chief, is at Utapu, close to Pipiriki, with fifty followers, ea

route for the place of meeting. He hap come at the express invitation of Topia ; but in consequence of ihe action taken by him relative to the murderers of Mr Totld, and also the possibility and even probability of Tito Kowaru being present at Pipiriki during this weak, the lower and loyal Wanganui natives have refused Jo meet murderers. Mete Kingi has gone against the express desire of Mr Fox, who asked him to remain at home,, * The Ngatirahuuganui, who arrived last week, returned by the Wanganui, by the direction of Mr Pox. Mr E. \Voon, who was to start yesterday, will be the only European prosent." *

The Nelson Examiner has the following remarks on the Government's scheme of life assurance*: — "Our readers are fully aware that the public debt of New Zealand already approaches eight millions, and that Parliament has agreed to augment this little sum by ten additional millions, to be spent, we are promised, reproductively. But little notice has been taken of another debt, designed by Government to go on silently accruing, and which itrwas perhaps thought would escape notice. That "clever financier " the Colonial Treasuer, has introduced a system of Government Life Assurance, . which, however commendable Life Assurance may be, and great the advantage of placing it under the direction of Government instead of leaving it in private hands, as managed in New Zealand, is simply a means of raising money— of incrseasing the present revenue of the colony at the experfse of our children. The premiums received are subject to appropriation by Parliament, and no provisions is made to meetfuture liabilities out of present receipts. All money, obtained will be absorbed injo revenue, and the charges hereafter to arise will have to be defrayed by Parliamftntary votes. A more objectionable method of Government raising money jind increasing the public debt could not have been devised, and if the scheme prove successful, it must very largely increase the colon v's liabilities .