THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 793, 10 February 1871, Page 2

THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1871.

I For the last five years we have repeatedly had to ask the question — What is the Nelson Government going to do with the Brunner Coal-mine? And from all we can see and learn any reply of a satisfactory nature is as far off as ever. The indolence, negligence, and absence of all business ideas on the part of the Provincial authorities with regard to this valuable property would be deemed incredible in any other part of the world but New Zealand, where, \mfoxtYmately, thanks ta the blessings of Provincial Governments, these characteristics are thoroughly interwoven in the management of all p ti lie affairs. Of what earchZy advantage, ite ask, is to know that the Brunnec Mine is one of the finest in the world, that the coal is equal, ifnot superior, to any other, thafc a constant and increasing demand exists for it, aiid that the development of the coal field would give employment to hundreds of men and fleets of vessels — if the G-) vernme.it persist in its do-nothing policy, and allow the mine to be simply ruined by the present system of tinkering which has prevailed ever since the coal was discovered I From first to last the working of the Brunner Mine has been a history of stupidity and mismanagement, and, in spite of all that has been said", in spite of official reports and official control, there seems to be no hope of amendment. In any other hands but those of the imbecile Government at Nelson, the Brunner Mine would years ago have been properly and thoroughly opened, its extent fully tested, and a railway laid down to the pert. But under various pretexts the Government, instead of encouraging the employment of outside capital, have stupidly thrown every obstacle in its way. But for the insane act of tying up the mine in connection with that now exploded scheme the Nelson and Cobden Railway, it would have been taken up by large capitalists two years ago. And we are informed that not long since an offer was made by an English capitalist to the Nelson Government and refused, for a lease of the mine for twenty-one years, the lessee to expend i>70,000 in making a railway and upon the mine itself. The Government appears to prefer to lock the mine up and destroy it — for that is pretty near what it is doing now. Some considerable time ago a serious "fault" was encountered in the shape of a wall or dyke of rock cutting the seam right across. There is no reason to believe that it is anything more than what it is supposed to be by practical miners and geologists, but yet the Government have taken no steps to prove it. Even under their tinkering system cf working the mine produces a profit, and any sensible proprietor would have devotedjthat, at least, to a thorough prospecting of the mine. But no ; the Government carry the profit to the general revenue, and content themselves with exhausting the easily available coal with- . out care or thought for the future. They are in fact destroying the mine, and damaging the chances of its being properly taken up and worked.

Mr Curtis has told the people of his Province that he intends to apply to the General Government for a loan to enable him to make a railway from Cobden to the Coal Pits. It is very doubtful if he will get it in the face of the enormous engagements the Colony is itself contemplating. How was it that when the schedule of railways, • authorised to be constructed under the Public Works Act of last session was drawn up, he preferred to have that portion of the Nelson and Cobden railway commenced from Nelson to Fox Hill, instead of from Coibden to the Coal Mine 9 The latter work would [ become immediately reproductive ; it would not only pay all the interest on its cost, but would at once create a large and important profitable trade. The instilment from Nelson to Fox Hi'l will be practically useless until the whole line is completed. We fear that the sympathies of Mr Curtis and the Nelson Government generally are n<.t with this part of the Province, and .the time has come when ' the inhabitants of the district must take a more positive stand in support of their important interests. In our next issue "We will discuss this question further, and endeavor to point out the direction in which a public effort should be made in order to bring about a better state of thing 3.

The other day we gave a report of a civil case heard at Cobden — Boase v. Montgomery — in which it appears some oi the facts were uot correctly stated. We have since been furnished with the following report :— Charles Harvey Boase, plaintiff; and Alex. Montgomery, defendant. Mr Perkins appeared for plaintiff, Mr Guinness, for the defendant. This was an action brought to recover the sum of LlO for the illegal taking of a horse of plaintiff by defendant, and in support of- the case Charles H. Boase was called. He proved that he was the owner of

a chestnut pony ; that on the 28th June he turned his liovse out to graze ; that the horse had a sore back and was unfit for use ; that previous to so doing he rubbed the horse's back with salt and water ; that a short time after he saw defendant riding away with the horse at a great pace ; he called loudly to defendant, who refused to stop ; that the horse did not return till the i following evening ; that plaintiff had refused to allow the horse to be hired on account of its back, and had been obliged to pet a saddle made expressly for the horse ; that riding the horse might lay him up for a month, plaintiff could not say that it would. Chas. Turner, Daniel M'Millan, and James M'Donnell corroborated certain of the statements of plaintiff, and especially the fact of plaintiff having called to defendant to stop. On part of the defeuce it was admitted that the horse was taken, but it was alleged it had been taken by mistake. Alexander Montgomery, the defendant, was called, and proved that the horse was taken by him for the purpose of accompanying Messrs Heslop and Rankin to the Arnold ; that he. thought the horse belonged to Mr Seaton, and that he might use him ; that he thought it was Mr Seaton, who lived on the other side of the river, calling out to him ; that he had called at nlaintiff 's and apologised for having used his horse. The Magistrate, in giving judgment for plaintiff, said that this was one of a great many cases which were cominff continually before him, that all through the district complaints were being made by owners of horses that their animals were taken, riden away to a considerable distance, and, in many cases, badly used. Had it been any other than a man holding a respectable position as the defendant was, he should hove awarded the full amount claimed, that he (the Magistrate) believed nefendant, from his position, had not intended to steal the horse, or do plaintiff's horse any injury, but from the evidence it appeared that defendant knew that die j horse he had taken was missing, and, further, that he heard plaintiff calling him to stop. Judgment would be for plaintiff for L 5 damages and costs. The anniversary of Court Concord, A.O.F, is to be celebrated on Tuesday next. In the morning the members of the Court will assemble at the Court-room, Hunt's Club Hotel, and march in full regalia, headed by the Greymouth Brass Band, to Tivoli Gardens, where a picnic will be held. In the evening a ball and supper will be given at the Volunteer Hall. In another column his Worship the Mayor gives the formal notice regarding the election of assessors and auditors for the year, which takes place on tbe Ist March. ,« The Chcistchurch coach met with an acci-dent-whilst crossing the Arahura on Wednesday evening, whereby the axle,, "was broken. Tlie mails were not detained, as they were sent on at once by another conveyance.

A number of the leadiiig citizens of Christchurch met at Tattersall's, a few nights ago, for the purpose of presenting to Mr L. G. Cole a testimonial of their esteem, and to wish him "God speed" on his projected journey to America. An elegant collation of wines and fruit was laid in the club room, and about five-and-twenty gentlemen were present. The proceedings passed off merrily. The Governor had not arrived at Hokitika last evening, but the residents there are still confident that he will visit them. Bis Worship the Mayor returned after a fruitless errand last evening, and the Town Clerk on the previous evening ; the address being left with the County Chairman to present should the Governor arrive. We learn that the banquet which was provided for his Excellency, was "disposed of" by the members of the County Council and a few friends on Tuesday evening, and we believe they all did ample justice to the spread. /The news from the up-river mining dis triots is generally encouraging. Messrp Braithwaite and party have struck the lead at Half-Ounce this week. This discovery connects the upper and lower parts of the lead, and places its continuity beyond a doubt. The annual cricket match between Hokitika and Greymou.th comes off at Hokitika to-morrow, weather permitting. Our local team consists of Messrs D. Cresswell, Dunn, Thomas, Guinness, Kent, Milburn, Ollivier, Paul. Poole, Strike, and Twohill, with Mr T. Kenrick as umpire. The cricketers will proceed to Hokitika bythes.s Murray this afternoon, and return on Sunday morning. We are glad to see that our men have been very energetic lately, practising at six o'clock a.m, and again in the afternoon. The-gathering in of the harvest is going on merrily among the farmers on Totara Flat. They have good cause to be merry and thankful, those jolly-looking agriculturalists, for if the crops are not so heavy all round as they were last year, there is not any danger of anything being damaged or spoiled through unseasonable weather, as was the case last seasons The oat-crop, which is the staple this year, is in splendid condition, although lighter than it was last autumn, but the potatoes have suffered from the long drought. The wheat crop has not turned out according to expectations, but the climate or soil of the Valley is hardly suitable for wheat. A good many men who were drawn here by Baker's "will-o'-the-wisp," have found employment among the farmers, who were rather scarce of hands, so that " it is an ill wind that blows nobody good." According to the experience of former years, the Ahaura people may expect a visit from these horny-handed sons of toil when the harvest is over and they get their cheques, and there is no doubt they will be received with open arms and lovingly taken care of— as long as the "tcerags" last.

Our correspondent informs us that the reef has been struck better than ever in the prospecting claim on Anderson's reef at Murray Creek. The stone is described as very rich. The vein was at fault for a short; time, but it: was cut again while the party were sinking a monkey shaft in the tunnel ; two feet below the floor of the drive it is four feet vide. The crushing of the atone from No. 3 South on Cooney'a line is not yet finished, owing to the scarcity of water to drive the machinery. .This party, Martin and Co, have struck much better stone than that they are having crushed since they sent the sample lot to the mill. A movement is on foot &t Murray Creek to form a monster joint stock company, for the purpose of procuring machinery. If something of the sort be not dove the place will languish out of existance. There is nothing of any consequence doing iv alluvial mining on the Inangahua, except in those claims which are situated in the beds of the creeks. The excitement about the rush to the Little Grey has subsided at the Ahaura, but it will be a long time before the scoundrel who was the tool of whoever was the cause of it will be forgotten. When people begin to think calmly over the matter, they wonder what motive this vagabond could have in planning such a heartless hoax. He admits that he was well aware that he risked his safety, if not his life, when he undertook the perpetration of such a' gigantic imposition ; but the narrow escape he nas bad ought to act as a caution to him for the rest of his life. Tt happened to be fine weather when the greater number of the miners were scouring the bush, searching for the supposed gold field. Had the weather been bad, or had any other cause operated to exasperate the crowd of disappointed men, there would not have been any

necessity to bring the rascal up under the Vagrant Act. As it was, he owes the safety and protectior. he now undeservedly enjoys to the firm frout assumed by Constable Dorris, and to the praiseworthy forbearance and good sense of the majority of the miners. The story about an accomplice giving him L 5 is not believed by those who have carefully enquired into the matter since, neither is the covert ami cowardly insinuation by which he tries' to implicate the proprietors of tbe Mia Mia Hotel. The only motive which can be assigned for the commission of this crime (for a crime it is when the distressing consequences of his act are taken into consideration) is the gratification of a morbid passion for notoriety, which the man is known to possess, or perhaps the same feeling may h ye actuated him which operates on some crimins-ls who are sentenced to suffer death, and whose only wish is to have "one good blow .out," so that they can leave the world with a good opinion of it. There lias been, lately, quite a rush of people wanting to take up land over tte Little" Grey Saddle, but the operation of the agricultural clauses in the Regulations are suspended until the Nelson Provincial Council sits. It appears that a great portion of the available agricultural land is already alienated. By all accounts the Province of Nelson has at former periods suffered from an affliction such as it is visited with at present, in fact these fats of pecuniary embarrassment have come so often that they may almost be considered chronic. It was the custom when they were short of cash, and the officials wouldn't take his Honor the Superintendent's paper, to pay the servants of the. Government in land. In this manner a well-known surveyor, or, as they are now called, anengine?r, became possessed of ever so many thousand acres of land on the best part of the luangahua River. When the gentleman takes a trip to the Inangahna, if he goes by way of the Grey Valley, he will be able, when he gets on the Saddle Range and takes a view of his broad acres, to say, without fear of contradiction, that he is •'monarch of all he surveyed," and nobody can dispute his right. -^

Yesterday's West Coast Times says :— The polling for the return of a member of the House of Representatives took place yesterday. There were six polling-places — the Resident Magistrate's Court, Hokitika ; the Warden's Court, Okarito ; the Warden's Court, Ross ; Mitchell's Store, Woodstock ; Pringle's Store, Donoghue's ;. Canavan's Store, Five Mile Beach, Okarito. We have not had an opportunity of ascertaing the, result of the poll at Hokitika, where the voting, however, is not likely to have auy material influence upon the election ; and it will be some days before any information of the voting at the two polling-places afc Oka-, rito can be received. The returns at the other polling-places are understood to be as follows : —

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, before W. H.-Revell, Esq., R.M., George Martin, Andrew Agnew, and William Jones, were each fined 5s and costs for allowing their horses to stray on the streets ; and Thomas Fullarton, on two charges of allowing five horses to stray, was fined LI 5s and costs. On the civil side of the Court, Alfred Oleve sued F. W. Lahman for the value of two cases of eggs supplied to John Tucker, under a verbal guarantee given by the defendant. The plaintiff stated that the defendant ordered the eggs, and told him to put them down to Tucker, and that he (defendant) would pay them if Tucker did not. Tucker wa3 then due him a balance of An old account, and about three months ago he sued him for the balance ana also the eggs. He obtained jndgment, and recovered L 3, of which he credited defendant with fourtenths. For the defence, Mr Perkins said there was an express statute which prevented the recovery on a guarantee unless it was made in writing. On this he could ask a nonsuit, but he contested the action in equity, because the defendant, at the time of the giving of the guarantee, told the plaintiff that he would be responsible " only in the very last instance," and he believed that steps could yet be taken to compel Tucker to pay. This was sworn to by the defendant. The Magistrate said the very fact of the plaintiff having sued for, aud recovered judgment for these goods, put him out of Court now. The case would be dismissedjwith costs.

Carreras. . Woodstock . 4 Ross ... 82 Donoghue's ... 7 Hods. . 0 5 2 Keogo 10 73 20 h. • Tnbe. 8 87 21