THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 797, 15 February 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1871.

The County Council ought really to adopt a more equitable basis upon which to regulate its compensation to persons whose land may be affected by taking roads thiougli them than that at apresent in operation. We notice that Mr Cassius has been paid Ll5O compensation on account of the Hokitika and. Arahura road cutting across a small corner of his paddock at Arahura. Now it is beyond dispute that the construction of this road has enhanced the value of property along its course nearly 100 per cent., and Mr Cassius is directly one of the greatest gainerß by it Why not in such cases adopt the principle followed in Victoria viz. — competent authorities assess whatever the value of the land before the road or railway, aa the case may be, is constructed, and also what it is worth after — allowance as the ordinary market value being made for the quality of land actually consumed by the road ; the difference to be paid or received as the value may be fixed by the valuators. The effect of this arrangement is that owners of property are only too glad to allow roada or railways to pass through their land for the more value of the land used. We consider the payment of Ll5O to Mr Cassius to be a gross injustice to the County. The Treasurer of the Grey River Hospital begs to acknowledge receipt per J. H. Sullivan of £11 14s, amount of contribution from the members of the Red Jack's Benefit Society. The Autumn Meeting of the Weatland Racing Club is announced to take place on the Hokitika Course on Monday and Tuesday, the 10th and 11th April. The Sheriff of Weatland, Mr FitzGerald, has received intimation that the Governor will not interfere with the fulfilment of the sentence passed upon the man Anthony Noble, now under sentence of death for the murder recently committed in Sewell street, Hokitika, and that arrangements have been made for the carrying out of the dread sentence of the law, within the gaol enclosure, at eight o'clock on Thursday morning. We are clad to learn from the proceedings of the County Council that the unseemly dispute between the two Governments with regard to the punts across the Grey and Arnold Rivers is to be submitted to arbitration. The County Chairman has notified his intention of appointing one of the members of Council to negotiate a settlement of the rival claims in dispute. A debauch*, residing in that classic locality, Little JBourke street, Melbourne, at the close of a spree, drained a quart pot filled with kerosene,mistaking the stuff for whisky. A. stomach-pump "struck" the ,"ile," and he recovered. , The Town Clerk of Hokitika reports to the Borough Council that the original valuation made by the valuers was L.29,167 10s, of which L 975 were appealed against by eight persons representing 21 properties. The reductions amount t0L244 105, which, at Is in the pound is Ll2 4s 6d ; the present valuation now stands at L 28.923, which, at Is in the pound, will make L 1446 3s to be collected during the current year. The valuation for the year 1870 was L 50.903, which was reduced after the appeals to 148,629 12s. The number of appeals upon that occasion were 83, representing 161 properties, and the reductions amounted to L 2298 Is, which, at Is in the pound, was LI 14 13s 6d. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before W. H. Re veil, Esq., R.M., Elizabeth Collins was charged with a breach of the peace in view of a constable. Constable M'Kenna stated that he saw a row in the defendant's house— defendant and Mrs Ryan fighting and struggling about. He put Mrs Ryan out at defendant's request, but defendant then rushed at Mrs Ryan, and tore her dress. The constable then arrested the defendant, who was very violent, screaming and holding on by everything she could lay hands on. She was also charged with assaulting the police in the execution of their duty, having pulled a handful of the constable's beard out while he was taking her to the station. Mr Perkins appeared for the defendant, and argued that the constable had

no right to arrest the defendant, as a summons would have served all purposes. The defendant said she was only preventing Mrs Ryan carrying off her property, and that she was dragged out of her house, and veryN roughly treated by the constable. The | Magistrate dismissed the first charge with a caution, and fined the defendant 10s for the assault on the constable. -E. Trahey was charged, on the information of — Hildebrantit, that hs> had reason to suspect, and did suspect, that the defendant did feloniously kill two sheep, the plaintiff's property, at the Teremakau. The case was adjourned until Friday. —Civil Cases— Thompson, Smith and Barkley v. A. Lardi : Judgment by default for LSB 6s lOd, and costs. Thomas and M'Beath v. Miss Barnes : Judgment by de- | fault for LI j: and costs. A correspondent of the Thames Advertiser, writing from Ohinenmri under date the 20th of January, says :— Kimball Bent, who, whilst in the rebel pa of Katamarae, shot Captain Hassard whilst in the act of charging the pa, visited the district in company with Reihana Te Tauhau, who picked him up at Taranaki. Whilst here he was recognised by one of the Defence Force men who was at the attack on the Katemarae pa, and saw him shoot Captain Hassard. He has been an armourer's assistant, and is therefore very useful to the rebels. He has left the district, thinking, no doubt, that it would not be very safe to stay in the vicinity of the Europeans. He is a miserable looking man, dressed in an old Bhabby trooper's suit."

The fourth anniversary of the Court Concord, A.0.F., was celebrated yesberday by a procession, pic-nic, ball and supper. A number of the members of the Court assembled in the forenoon, and, with banners flying and preceded by the Greymouth Brass Band, marched through the principal street 3to the gardens at Tivoli, where it was arrangsd that the pic-nic should be held. During the day, crowds of visitors flocked to the gardens, and mixed in the games anil amusements, such as archery, football, duck-in-the-pond, aunt sally, &c, and, as the weather was very -fine, spent a most pleasant day. In the evening over sixty ladies and gentlemen sat down to supper in Johnston's Melbourne Hotel. The spread provided by the host was everything that could be desired, and was such as to reflect great credit upon the hotel. Chief Ranger Jeffard occupied the chair, and the vicechaiis by S.C.R. Ancher and P.C.R. Sewell. After supper, the Chairman gave the usual loyal toasts, which were duly responded to. He then proposed "the Army, Navy, and Volunteers," which, in the absence of Captain Hamilton, was responded to by Ensign Hall. P.C.R. Sewell then proposed the toast, "Kindred Societies," which was responded to by P.V.G. Hardwicke, of the Greymouth Lodge, M.U.T.0.0.P. ; N.G. Thomas, P.G. of the Hand of Friendship Lodge, M.U.1. 0.0. F. ; and Mr Fitzgerald, for the Ballarat Hibernian Society. Br. Hogg proposed "The Commercial Interest," and Mr Badger replied. Br. Ancher then gave the toast " The Greymouth Brass Band, without which the proceedings of the day would have been very tame, which was responded to by Mr Badger. The next toast — "The Greymouth Volunteer Fire Brigade " — was proposed by Mr Badger, and responded to by Lieutenant M'Gregor. Br. Jones proposed "The Mayor and Borough Council of Greymouth," which was not responded to, as there was no member of the Corporation present. P.V.G. Hardwicke proposed the hsuLh of the members of Court Concord, A.0.F., coupled with the name of Chief Ranger Jeffard. In reply Mr Jeffard said he hoped the residents would not reckon the Lodge by the same number of members who turned out in the procession, as there were nearly 100 members in the Court, which, in every respect, was in a very prosperous condition. It was the second, richest Court in the district, and that was saying a good deal, when it was considered that the Court next them had been in existence for ten years in Nelson. I He thanked the company for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received. P.C.R. Sewell then proposed "the District High Court, and Executive Council of the A.0.F., coupled with the name of P.D.S. Hall." Brother Hall replied. Brother Ancher proposed "The Ladies," which was responded to by Brother Roache. Brother Hall proposed "the Press," which was responded to by Mr Stark, for the Grey River Argus, and Mr Hurst for the Freeman. Brother Ancher gave the toasb, "Our worthy host Johnston," which was duly acknowledged. The company then adjourned to the Volunteer Hall, and finished up the day's amusement with a jolly good dance, which was kept up until daylight appeared this morning.

We notice that the question of allowing private rights to water available for the Ross and Mikonui and Kanieri Lake Water Races has been raised in the County Council. Mr Bonar very properly urged the necessity of the Council preventing any difficulty in the construction of these large races by the Government that might arise through the rights for the water being taken up by private parties for speculative purposes. Some discussion on the point whether compensation would be claimable by parties who might have acquired water-rights, and Mr Barff is reported to have said that under the Public Works Act, 1870, no compensation would be awarded in such cases. Mr Barff is entirely wrong, as the Government in taking up or applying for water rights would be placed exactly in the same position as a private person, and would be subject to the same regulations. If any person has acquired the right to any water under the Gold Fields Regulations, and faithfully observes the conditions of those rules, he would be entitled to full compensation, in the event of the Government taking possession of the supply. This was fully explained in the Assembly by the Colonial Treasurer when that part of the Act relating to water supply was passing through Committee. Mr Bonar, therefore, was. perfectly justified in pressing his motion, and we are glad to see it was carried. Nothing could operate more prejudcially against the success of the Government measure for water supply than the creation of sham claims to compensation.

The latest news from Gillespie's Beach, Okarito, is to the effect that the long spell of dry weather has retarded the progress of the place through the want of water, but Wheelan, M'Bean and party having just completed their gigantic race without any mishap or interruption until the last day, when Mr John M'Bean fell off the saw-pit and broke three of his ribs. He is progressing favorably, and will be able to resume work perhaps in a few weeks. They commenced, cutting the race on the sth March last year, and had the water running on the ground a few days ago. The length of the cutting is about three miles, and the fluming 37 chains, at an average height of 37ft; the size of the ditch in the clear is 3ft 6in, with a depth of 2ft, but they intend rising it an additional eight inches. It has au average fall of 15ft to the mile! The cost of the fluming is reckoned at L3O per chain. It is supposed to carry at present 16 heads of water, but when the additional foot is put to it, half as much again. It takes its source from a larger barren swamp between the creek Waicuppa Cuppa and Cook's range, and will always command a regular supply of water. The party leased five acres of ground known to themselves to be auriferous, through some of them having previously worked it. The water commands such height that it strips the ground to the

top of the wash, and is admirably doing the work it was intended for. Its depth is about 30ft ; and the parties are in high spirits, and expect to reap a rich reward for their long and hazardous undertaking, which reflects great credit upon them. They purchased a plant of a saw mill, and as soon as the water is fairly at work, intend erecting it, and extending the fluming both north and south of the beach. The traffic is mosfclyinterrupted between here and Okanfc", and the communication will be entirely stopped unless immediate steps are taken to have these bluffs repaired. The principal obstruction is at the Hollow Rock, about three miles from Gillespie's, rendering it very dangerous to pack-horses, who have to wind their way round numberless boulders of immense size, and are frequently knocked down with their load by the surf whilst rounding these obstacles. Not long ago, Mr M'Lennan was on the point of losing two of his at this particular place. They got covered entirely under the surf. Mr Edward Ryan's horses met with a similar accident, and Mr Gibbs was also on the point of losing one of his. It is needless to say more, for this speaks for itself. I have no doubt, had the Okarito Road Board means at their command, butthey would see these bluffs put in thorough repair ; but what has been done with the land voted for such purposes ?