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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 775, 5 January 1871, Page 2

We have received no further details of the reported massacre in the Waikato. It is to be hoped the report may turn but to be unfounded, but we can only say, in the meantime, . that we received the message in the usual course from our correspondent at Patea > and have no reason to doubt its authenticity. Mr W. H. Harrison left town yesterday morning to commence the electioneering campaign through the up-river diggings. It was his intention to address a meeting of the electors at the Ahaura last night. ' The adjourned meeting of Mr Harrison's Central Committee was held last night at Gilmer's Hotel, Mr J. Kilgour in the chair. The names of a large number of gentlemen were added to the Committee. The business was principally of a routine character, and the meeting was further adjourned to Friday evening, at the same time and place. A rush took place on Tuesday morning to German Gully, Arnold district, to a terrace immediately behind Phillips's store. The prospects are from six to eight grains to the dish, from five to six feet of washdirt, and the sinking ninety feet ; but the ground, can be worked by tunnels from the face. This will most probably be an important rush, as there is a large number of likely-looking terraces in the locality, which are yet unprospected. The prospectors are Cashien and party, who have been working on the quiet for some time past. The usual meeting cf the Grey River Hospital Committee was held last evening at Gilmer's Hotel. Present— Messrs Revell (chair), King, Kennedy, Maclean, Kenrick, Arnott, Greenwood, Moss, Gilmer, Masters, and Kilgour. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the accounts for the month, amounting to Ll7B Is lOd were laid on the table and passed. 1 The number of patients admitted to the Hospital during the month was 14 ; discharged, 19 ; died, 1 ; leaving 20 in the Hospital at present. The Treasurer reported he had received the following subsidies :— From the Westland Government August, LBl 12s lid ; September, LB6 19s 8d ; October, L 62 6s lid. Nelson Government—November, L 54 6s 9d ; sales of vegetables, L 3 6s 6d ; from patients in Hospital, L2B ; Masters and Maclean, on account cf South Beach collections, Ll2 ; Rowe, for Richardson, a patient since deceased, L 22 ss. The other business was of a routine nature, and the meeting adjourned for a fortnight. The annual meeting of tho Greymouth Volunteer .Fire Brigade took place in the I Brigade Hall on Tuesday evening, for the purpose of electing officers for the year and transacting other, general business. During the election Mr Anchor occupied the chair. For the office of captain nine were nominated, but only three allowed themselves to go to the poll, viz., Captain Whall, Foreman Amos, and Foreman Hosie. The voting lay between the two former, and the result was, Amos, 16 ; Whall, 13 ; one vote informal. Mr Amps was then declared duly elected captain for the year. Captain Amos thanked the members for the hofcor they had conferred upon him, and expressed the hope that all the officers who might be elected

would work well together for their own interests as well as for the interests of the Brigade. For the office of Lieutenant, the late holder of that position (Mr Hosie) declined to be again placed in nomination. Mr Whall was also nominated, but declined. He said he had held the post of captain for five years, and wished now to drop into one of the companies as a member. His health was not what he could wish it to be, and he hoped that Captain A mos would receive the same amount of support and good-will from all the members as he had received during his term of office. (Loud applause.) There were eight nominations, but only two went to the poll- -M 'Gregor and Eissenhardt, and the result of the election was— M 'Gregor, 17 ; Eissenhardt, 14. Lieutenant M 'Gregor thanked the Brigade for the position in which they had placed him, although he thought they had made a mistake, and kept the best man out ; yet he assured them that he would do the best he could for the interests of the Brigade. (Applause.) The other officers elected were :— Fo*reman Hook and Ladder Company, Mr C. Holder ; Foreman No. 1 Hose Company, Mr Eissenhardt ; Foreman No. 2 Hose Company, Mr Dupre ; Treasurer, Mr J. A. Whall ; Secretary, Mr J. C. Moore. Finance Committee — Messrs Fraser, Glenn, Jefford, Sewell, and Walton. The annual banquet was fixed to take place on Monday night, at Johnston's Melbourne Hotel. It was remitted to a committee to order a hook and ladder carriage, either in town or from Melbourne or Ballarat, according to circumstances. Two new members were admitted, and the meeting adjourned. The body of the unfortunate man, Samuel Wogan, who was drowned by falling into the Grey River on Tuesday week, was noticed in the surf opposite the Paroa township, on Tuesday, and immediately brought ashore, and conveyed to O'Connor's Bridge Hotel. Yesterday afternoon, an inquest was held by Mr Revell, I istrlct Coroner, at Paroa, when the decease^ wa'> identified, and the facts elicited relating to his death, which have already been published. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death." A subscription-list has been set on foot at Hokitika for the relief of the wife and family of Samuel Wogan, who was drowned in the Grey "River last week. It is to be hoped a similar movement will be initiated here, as the family are in very destitute circumstances. Fires have been very prevalent of late near the Ahaura, and the township was in great danger of being destroyed on Sunday last. Some mischievous person or persous set fire to the bush, and the wind carried the body of the flame in the direction of Pinkerton's stable, but the impending danger was averted. Had the fire caught the stables, nothing could have preserved the township. No candidates are yet announced for the representation of the Hokitika and Totara Districts in the General Assembly. Yesterday Messrs M 'Gregor and Campbell, the contractors for the erection of the new wharf, commenced operations by getting the engine and gear into position to begin pile-driving, A skiff was capsized on the Hokitika River on Tuesday. Its occupants, Mr Gray, of the Customs Department, and a lady, were picked up and landed by the boat belonging to Messrs Daly and Kelly. A concert is to be given to-night in the Volunteer Hall, by the Greymouth Amateur Minstrels, in aid of the funds of the Town Band. The programme, which will be seen in another column, is attractive enough to secure a full house, but irrespective of that, the effort made by the amateurs to assist the band will no doubt be appreciated and substantially seconded by the general public. A few days ago Mr Justice Johnston, at Wellington, sent a juryman to gaol for a week for coming into Court drunk. At Wakapuaka, a child named George Frost, aged about three years, was found drowned in a well on his father's premises. The body of a man named Wakefield, a late Richmond resident, was discovered in the river-bed of the Wairau, near Manuka Island, by Mr Morse, who gav«> instructions to Constable Knapp to have the body conveyed to the Top House. According to a Canterbury paper, the Christchurch merchants and millers have notified their intention of buying and selling grain by the cental system, on and after the Ist instant. Sir David Munro has received a requisition from the Motueka district, asking him to allow himself to be nominated as a member of the House of Representatives, and it is said that he will accede to the request. When Dr Featherstone landed at Wellington, the wharf was crowded and the shipping hoisted all their bunting. Altogether it was the greatest reception ever given in Wellington. All the Cabinet Ministers were present, and over a thousand spectators. Dr Featherstone was repeatedly and loudly cheered. 5, A block of antimony, from the reef found by Messrs Caudwell and party, Waipara, Otago, has been smelted at Wilson's foundry. It contains about 70 per cent, of metal, while the reef is six feet in thickness and of an extent that has not yet been ascertained. The Chinese state that it contains silver, but whether they are correct^ in saying so, we are unable to say. ' The diggers at Big Bay are reported to be making about 25s to 30s a week, the only drawback to them being that they lose half their time in humping provisions a distance of 25 miles ; otherwise, if provisions could be landed in the Bay, double the amounts could be made. The diggers began first from turning over the beach boulders, where payable gold was found ; they are now striking inland on the flats towards the terraces. The further they go in better prospects and coarser gold are obtained, aud from the information we have received there ! is every likelihood of somethiug good being struck. Late telegrams informed us that the Prussian forces before Paris had been greatly hampered in constructing their field works by the accuracy of the fire from the French forts. We learn from the English papers that a large share of the credit given to the French artillerists on this score is due to a gunner named Christian, a native of Alsace, who is described as having pointed the guns with "extraordinary accuracy." The garden calendar of the Greymouth Almanac gives the following useful hints for operations during the month of January :— The opening month of the year corresponds to an English July in season and in temperance. Seize, therefore, the commencement of the month for the planting of London and Walcheren cauliflowers ; imperial white winter, and other sorts of flowering broccoli ; early York, nonpariel, and drumhead cabj bages ; globe savoys, Brussels sprouts, curled 1 greeus, and other varieties of winter vegetables. Transplant cabbage and cos lettuce, green curled endive, leeks, and celery, planting the latter vegetable in well- manured trenches in the shadiest and moistest portion of the garden ; if desired to be very fine, it must have frequent copious waterings during the drier portion of the season. Sow broccoli, cress, mustard, endive, lettuce, French beans, radishes, onions, carrots, Swede, yellow Aberdeen, and white stone turnips. Gather all ; sorts of garden seeds as they ripen. Hoe' advancing crops of cauliflowers, and shade, with their own leaves large heads of nearly ! matured crops. Earth up celery, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, planted in

December. Pull full-grown garlic, eschalots, and onions ; prune melons and plant cuttings for a- successful crop ; give daily waterings to cucumbers. Gather sage tops, lavender- , spikes, camomile ' flowers* and plants of v penny-royal, hyssop, mint, balm, marjoram, and other aromatic herbs, and dry for winter, use. Commence, budding fruit trees on cloudy clays. Summer-prune all gross and superflous shoots in fruit trees of whatever kind, and support branches which give promise of being broken down by over abundant crops. Transplant, shade,* and water biennials, and fibrous-rooted perennials. Clear away the decaying stems of such herbaceous plants as have done flowering. Take up and dry bulbous roots of all kinds. Support carnations, dahlias, and hollyhocks; and propogate sweet-williams, pinks, and carnations, by layers and pipings. A discussion hns taken place in the Dunedin City Council in reference to Vogel's refusal to pay the cost of advertising the requisition to him and the hire of the Masonic Hall for his meeting. The Mayor contended that Mr Yogel should pay the expenses, as the list of names, amounting to 840, was published at his request. Mr Yogel then offered to pay half. The Council decided to pay L 2 only, the cost of advertising being L 7. We learn from a Wanganui paper that the Hon. Mr Fox has been very unwell for several days. It appears that, while travelling during the late hot weather, he was attacked by sunstroke, which produced a certain amount of brain congestion, and consequent general prostrat^n of the Bystem, but he is now rapidly recovering. The flat contradiction given by Bismarck to Dr Russell's account of the interview between King William and Napoleon was subsequently smoothed over by an explanation in a German organ. Commenting on this explanation, the Times says : —Our own opinion is that in Count Bismarck's note we have only an instance of the tendency of public men to give off hand denials of anything that is inconvenient. In our own House of Commons it often happens that a member will cooly .write to deny having said something which the independent reports of half-a-dozen papers describe him to have said, and will complain of having been 11 misrepresented. " A deputation of merchants waited lately on his Honor the Superintendent of Otago to represent thn great loss to the mercantile community of Dunedin, from the want of regular steam communication with the West Coast ports, and to ascertain whether the Government would, before closing the contract for the Martin's Bay Service, be disposed, by the offer of. a small additional subsidy, to induce the steamer to make either fortnightly or monthly trips to Hokitika and Greymouth. His Honor, in reply to the deputation, expressed his willingness to do all he could to forward their views, and further stated that he had already been, in communication with the General Government on the subject, and that they had expressed their approval of the proposal, and their willingness to aid in carrying it out. His Honor further stated that he hoped shortly to arrange with the steamer now about to take up the Martin's Bay service ttf extend her trips as far as Hokitika and Greymouth. A correspondent of the Melbourne Daily Telegraph, referring to an appeal made by that paper on behalf of the suffering inhabitants of France, makes the following suggestions :— " What I would suggest is that every one should give some small part of his weekly earnings, and continue to do so until this war and its evil effects are over. Let the authorities- -or, if they will not do it, let a body of gentlemen willing to do so— cause receiving boxes to be placed wherever convenient — say at post offices, churches, newspaper offices, &c, marked 'Contributions for sufferers by the- war in France.' Let them open weekly subscription lists, and I dare say, in the course of time, Victorra will be able to send something more worthy of her great resources than she appears likely to do without a general system of subscription. lam not at%l one-sided; let it be for both sides of the quarrel. I only mention France particularly, as she appears to be by far th c greatest sufferer. " An Australian country paper has the following : — " One of the recent elevations to the Magisterial Bench at Taralga is J. F. Mooney._Jßsq /t _publican i This gentleman, hearing that ms appointmentf~was likely to be objected to, contemplated a resignation of his honors/ an intention which called forth a requisition from the inhabitants of Taralga, begging him to reconsider the matter. On receipt of the requisition, J. F. Mooney, Esq., was seized with the ardour of composition, and by way of reply produced the following exquisite piece of euphuism, which, along with the requisition, he has riade as public as advertising can make it :— ' Gentlemen, — In reference to your respectful and highly complimentary requisition, I fell with pleasure disposed to acknowledge the sincerity and affection therein expressed. The deep feeliug of gratitude that is due to you I cannot momentarily vindicate, but eventually will endeavor to repay by aspiring to those motives that will invigorate the confidence you have reposed in me by entreating my acceptance of that honorable but responsible office, the duties of which cannot be discharged void of .a conscience, a Christian disposition, and a man wh > is bound to no party. As you are already aware that on learning that I was one of the party appointed, I deemed it inconsistent with my occupation to hold that office, and accordingly considered it expedient to tender my resignation. By your earnest appeal opposiug my doing so, I shall try to alleviate, rather than countermand, these generous feelings that has long existed between us.- -I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your most obedient servant, Ji F. Mooney." * The following particulars regarding the discovery of human remains in Stewart's Island, mentioned ii a recent telegram, are furnished by the £ ou'hland Neios:—M.r West, formerly of the Lord Clyde Hotel, and now one of the survey party engaged, in laying off the Maori reserves at Stewart's Uand, sends us the following particulars of the finding of some sad relics of humanity. Writing at Port Adventure, on the. 17th December, he says :—" To-day, as William Nivens and Alexander Fraser were cutting traverse lines on the coast, at the back of the Maori village, on the S.W. side of Port Adventure, they came upon the skeletons of two human beings. One was lying stretched out under an ironwood tree, the bones a little disturbed, a heap of shells at the feet. Close by, there were two pairs of Wellington boots, and a pair of low shoes, much worn and cut"; the clothes quite rotten. The other lay at a distance of about ten feet in the open, the head down hill, the legs stretched out as if it had rolled away from its fellow. Upon this one were found a Spanish half-dollar piece, a copper coin, and the photograph of a young man smoking a cigar. It is very plain, considering the time that it is supposed to have been exposod to the action of the weather. There must have been other photographs as there were five small square pieces of glass, and some decaying portions of the frames. There was also an old razor, a bit of red-stained glass, and a tooth-brush. Poor fellows, they were not half a mile from che Maori settlement ! The remains are believed to be those of two men who ran away from an American whaler (name unknown), ! at Pegasus about nine years ago. A ship-) mate of theirs, who deserted at the same ' time, is said by the Maoris to have reached 'the village in a very exhausted state, with i

but little clothing left on his person -the / rest having been torn off ia struggling . through the scrub. He stated that he had V been forty days coming from Pegasus, during which time he had been living on ■ shell fish, and carrying lighted fern all day, -^W for the purpose of making fires at night." 1^ The letter does not state whether any attempt was made by the survivor or the Maoris to rescue the unfortunates, whose mournful fate has been told with silent eloquence by the perishing remains so recently discovered. On this point the ' public will no dbubt wish to learn more, although, beyond the gratification of a very ■ natural curiosity, there could be nothing gained by an enquiry. Unlike castaways the poor fellows had but themselves to ; . blame^for their untimely end; they were-truly^'-waifs and strays " in the thick { and matted forest. The photograph re- f. : .\ ferred to is [ that of a person appar- r ently from twenty, to twenty-five years of v; age, either clean-shaven or beaHless, with '; - oval and regular features ; the eyes full and % well defined ; a dark, broad-rimmed felt hat* ajj£ set slightly on one side, and the style of f dress, convey the idea that the wearer was ' an American.