Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 776, 7 January 1871, Page 2

Mr Harrison's Committee will meet at Gilmer's Hotel on Monday evening, at eight o'clock. The census of the Colony is to be taken in February, and the forms of returns are to be delivered by the Sub-enumerators at the dwelling-houses in their respective sub-dis-tricts between the 3st and 27th, both days inclusive, and the forms are to be collected on the 28th, or aa soon thereafter as practicable. Gerald G. Fitzgerald, Esq., has been appointed Superintendent Collector under the Census Acts, for the County of \v estland. ' The annual dinner of the members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade takes place at Johnston's Melbourne Hotel, on Monday evening, at half -past eight o'clock. Members are requested to muster in full uniform, afc the Brigade Hall, at eight o'clock the same evening. ' As we mentioned in our last, a. subscription has been opened for the family of the late Samuel Wogan, who was drowned in the Grey River last week. Mr C. .Rhodes is the Treasurer for this town, and as the famify of the deceased are in very distressed circumstances, it is to be hoped that the donations will be liberal. A small rush has taken place within the last few days to a portion of the old Darkies Terrace, North Beach, in consequence of the darkie ■who originally discovered it, striking another rich patch, although, so far as is yet bottom of a paddock he took one pound weight of gold. The locality is about a quarter of a mile on this side of the old terrace, and yesterday there were over one hundred men on the ground. Christmas and New Year Sports were carried on with much spirit at Marsilen. Our correspondent's letter came to grief somewhere between Marsden and Greymouth, was returned to Marsden open, and has since arrived here, but rather late to be of much interest now. We may mention, however, that Messrs J. Hamilton and Co. were at all the expense of the sports. A female named Charlotte Lloyd dted suddenly at the Seventeen-mile Beach, and as there was no medical man present, an inquest was held by Mr Whitefoord on Thursday, when the jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes, and that no blame was attributable to any person . A fatal mining accident occurred to a miner named Patten, a Scotchman, at the head of Connolly's Creek, a tributary of Maori Gully in the Arnold district,' on Thursday. sth instv- The deceased was paddocking by hirnselE when the ground gave way and smothered him, killing him instantly it is supposed. The body was extricated as soon as the accident been me known, and an inquest will be held on the remains by the Coroner, Mr Eevell, who proceeds to the Arnold this morning. The Greymouth Amateur Minstrels gave a concert on Thursday evening in the Volunteer Hall, for the purpose of financially assisting the town band. The entertainment was not so liberally patronised as was anticipated, principally, we suppose, because the people have had a surh't of amusements during the padt fortnight, and a very powerful secondary reason was that the evening was very wet, the streets very muddy, and it was preferable to be at home than abroad. However, the entertainment was a very good one, sevei'al of the songs and choruses being rendered in excellent style to the apparent satisfaction of the audience. The comic business was well managed, the step dancing very good, and the evening's amusement passed off in a very creditable manner indeed. The Town Baud performed outside the hall while the audience were assembling; and it is to be regretted that the limited attendance made a poor return towards the object for which the concert was originated. The only civil case of any interest on the list at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday was the case A. R. Guinness v. Morris Levy. Mr Newton appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Perkins for the defendant. This was a claim of over L 26 for legal and travelling expenses, and amount of a judgment alleged to have been paid by the plaintiff on defendant's account while actiug as , his solicitor. The plaintiff's case was that I in 1868 he was employed by the defendant to obtain certain judgments in the case Levy v. Boyle, to take further proceedings in the Supreme Court, to sell some property in Greymouth subject to those judgments, and to obtain and execute a conveyance for the same. The costs altogether came to between LBO and L9O, but he agreed to take L7O, and give the defendant a receipt in full for all costs incurred up to the dftte of settlement. In the course of these proceedings it was necessary to advertise the sale of the properly for three months in the County Gazette. For this purpose plaintiff went to Hokitika, and Mr Haywar'd, then Chief Clerk, told him that if he got the signature of the Sheriff to the advertisement it would be published gratis, as all Government notices were. The Sheriff signed the advertisement, and it appeared in the Gazette

eighteen times. He heard nothing further of ib for five or six months after he had settled up with defendant, when an account was rendered to him for L2O 2s Gd for the advertisement. Mr iLiyward had then M't office, and the demand was made l>y Mr Tennant, yho succeeded him. He considered that he. was still acting for the defendant, and resisted, the claim, was summoned, proceeded -to Hokitika, ' ami defended thecase, lost it,', ahd some -jrtbnfchs after *ards* paid the amount of the judgment? which he now claimed, together with costs, fees, and travelling expenses. In cross-examination by Mr Perkm*s, 'plaintiff 'said it was Mr South "s clerk; who obtained the Sheriff's signature to the advertisement, and when he received the summons, he did not speak to Levy about it before 'proceeding to Hokitika to defend it. For the defence the receipt was produce^. By it the<plaintiff agreed to take L6O in full satisfaction of all expenses incurred up to date, including the execution, at some future time, of a deed of conveyance of the property in question. The defendant stated that the advertisements were inserted long before the settlement, and when the receipt was given they were both aware that there might be some future claim made for the cost, as the advertisements were a subject of conversation between them on the occasion upon which the settlement was made. It was intended that the settlement should include all past and future expenses in the matter. Some time afterwards, plaintiff spoke to him in the A lition Hotel on thesubject, saying that he had been summoned for th:;se advertisements, and he thought it would be a losing job for him. Plaiutiff harl ceased then to act as his solicitor ; and he never authorised him to proceed to Jtlokibika to defend the case. The Magistrate said it was quite clear that at the time of the settlement both parties were cognisant of the fact that these advermeuts li;ul been inserted in the Gazette,' and lie did not see, from the nature of the agreement, which was a settlement in full, that any claim could now be made. The 'caae would be-dismissed. At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday, before W. H. lie veil, Esq., KM., Duncan Oswald was charged with being about to leave the colony, for the purpose of avoiding giving evidence in the case against Annie Stewart for larceuy. He was bound over in the sum of L5O, and two sureties of L 25, to appear at the Supreme Court, to give evidence in the case above mentioned. Jas. Green, a sawyer, at Maori Gully, was charged by his mate, Alexander M,Neil, with stealing 25s from his children's moneybox. M 'Neil said that, on the Ist instant, his wife, in the presence of the defendant, counted the money in the box, which amounted to 27s 6d. On the 4th he again looked, and found that it only contained 2s 6d. He charged the defendant with taking the money ; at first he denied it, but when he saw that he was to be given in charge he admitted it. Defendant now said that he took eight shillings out of the box. He thought there was no harm in it, as he inteuded to put it back again. The Magistrate Baid he believed, from the fact of the defendant denying the charge, that he intended to take the money, and appropriate it to his own use. The sentence would be fourteen days' imprisonment, *with hard labor. The Volunteer Encampment of the Canterbury Volunteers at Sumner appears to have been a great success. There were 300 men in camp all told. The official inspections, and sham fights were to come off on Monday last. . An important link towards telegraphic communication between England and Australia has been completed. The sub-marine cahle between Java and Singapore has been successfully laid. •» A Sydney telegram reports that a Mr F. C. Lane, lately arrived from Auckland, jumped overboard from the Morpeth steamer when she was out at sea, and was drowned. Jn connection with the reported disagreethe following telegram in a San Fraucisco paper is of interest : — "New York, November 14- The steamer Vanderbilt arrived this afternoon, laden to the water's edge with guns from the United States Arsenal at Wtfst Tro> f for France. This makes the fourth load the Va,nderbilt has brought, and guns are being shipped by numerous barges besides, and from here forwarded by every French steamer." When arms are being forwarded to France from a State arsenal in this open manner, it is not to be wondered at that the Prussian Government should complain. The reception of the Southland members when they returned from the Otago Provincial Council was not a very inviting one Some of the members were mobbed. According to the lnvercargill telegraphic correspondent of the Dnnediti Star -"They were met at the railway station by a crowd. Messrs Tosback, Wood, ami Kinross were received indignantly. '<n instant explanation was demanded for their vote against the enlargement of the boundaries. Their egress was iinen.vpt.fcd until the demand was complied with. A written explanation was handed out and read aloud. It was immediately voted as unsatisfactory, and the denouncement that they were traitors and had sold the Province, was loudly cheered. Mr Wood" assured them they did not know their fiiends, and denouueed the 'lying telegrams ' wliich had been received. The reply, "Deliver us from such friends!" was cheered. They left the station, and were howled and groaned amid cries of— 'How much did you get for your votes, traitors ?' " Contracts have been accepted at Westport for repairs to the Inangahua road, between the Nine-mile Creek and Okikanui ; from thence to the Oweka Flat ; while a third contract completes the road to Christy's Hill. The small amount of money available (L 300) will not admit of very extensive repairs bein* effected ; but it is intended to expend the money so as to secure the largest possible benefit. We (Times) understand that Mr Dobson is preparing plans, &c, for a road from Charleston to Addison's. The gradients will be shown for a dray-road, but in the first instance a horse-track only will be constructed, at an estimated ostof Ll2OO. And yet the Nelson Government declines to expend L5OO in opening up a very important road in the Grey District unless the inhabitants subsidise it by an equal amount. The following are the details of the murder at Le Bon Bay, recently reported by telegraph. At the inquest, the first witness examined was Robert dodgson, who, stated that he resided in Le Bon Bay, and was there on the 22nd ult., at the house of George Hall, Thos. Grogan being present. During the day Hall and Grogan, quarrelled. On the following day, the 23rd, he was also at Hall's house, in the same company, when David Wright was called about 9 in the morning by Grogan to have a drink. Wright went away ami returned about two p.m., and then commenced drinking with the others. They were quarrelling amongst each other from three to five o'clock. Soon after that time Grogan knocked the pipe out of Wright's mouth, and Wright took up a bottle partly filled with rum to strike Grogan. Mrs Hall then, turned Wright out of the house who started towards his home, calling upon Grogan to come on. Witness was holding Grogan back. Hall started after Wright, and Grogan, who had got hour, witness, followed and knocked Hall down, about thirty i yards from his (Hall's) house. Grogan then followed and overtook Wright, whom he struck three times, and then fell with Wright. " On getting Jup from Wright, Grogan made (

another attack upon Hall. Hall then struck Gros-in with a bottle which he held in his (Hall's) right hand, and was guarding himself witli his open left hand from Grogan. Grogan did not fall from the effects of the blow from the bottle, which struck him on the left temple. Grogan then knocked Hall down, and fdl with him. Witness then went and took Grogan from Hall. Wright | at this time being again on his way home. On Grogan standing up, he said to witness, lifting his shirt at the same time, " Look here, Bob, Wright has stabbed me," showing, me the wound in his left side. He shortly after again said, " Oh dear ! I am stabbe:l," and then fell, jnever speaking agaiu. Witness then went for assistance. Grogan was still breathing, and BMH was rubbing his (Grogan's) pulse. Between the time of Grogan falling and my leaving, Wright had returned, and Hall accused him (Wright) of stabbing Grogan. Wright's answer was, " How couM I stabhini." Previously Wright had said excitedly, "0 dear, Tom is dead." On my return Grogan was dead. Wright was sitting by the body, and Hall was in his house. It was about two minutes from the time Grogan left Wright until he said he was stabbed and fell. Tbe jury returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder" against George Hall alfcl David Wright. From Welshman's Guily, Otago, we learn that Phillips and Davis have struck a new run of gold on the outside of the old one. From a small paddock they have obtained one hundred ;md fifty ounces. An old Canterbury settler who has recently returned to Kngland by San Francisco route, gives a detailed estimate of the expense of the journey, the total being LI 12 10s 4d. "It is impossible," he says, "to do the journey for less than this, and no person ought to undertake it for less than Ll2O. The figures given in Hal's estimate in New Zealand are a delusion and a snare."