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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 813, 6 March 1871, Page 2

In the absence of our own telegrams we are indebted to the West Coast Times for the following particulars respecting the arrival at lnvercargill of his Excellency the Governor from the scene of the accident to H.M.B. Clio. A telegram from that place on the 3rd is as follows : — The b.s Storm Bird arrived at New River from Bligh Sound at two o'clock this morning. She came up

to the jetty at high water, arriving at ten o'clock, with the Governor and Captain Pitt on board. His Excellency was received by the Superintendent and a large crowd of persons. The Southland Times reporter, who accompanied the Storm Bird, reports that she left Invercaruill on Sunday morning at nine o'clock. The Sound consists of three reaches eleven miles in length. In the middle and second reach they observed a buoy upon the rock which had caused the ace dent. The Storm Bird proceeded to the head of the Sound, and found the Clio riding apparently all right, with sails unbent. The leak was twelve feet under water on the starboard bow. Two divers belonging to the Clio were sent down, and packed the wounded part and nailed the leak over. Carpenters repaired the outside, and the leak was then stopped. H.M S. Virago arrived on Wednesday forenoon. The Clio is lit for sea, but is detained for survey before deciding whether she shall go to Port Chalmers. The Storm Bird left at noon on Wednesday, and visited Break Sea and Thompson's Sounds, arriving at lnvercargill as above. She was detained on Tuesday by a heavy gale. The Virago reports that she felt the same gale outside. The Governor afterwards proceeded by special train to the Bluff, enroute for Dunedin. What is the Hon. Mr Fox about? We are informed by an Auckland paper that the Maori King Tawhiao has taken to dram drinking, and that the morals of his Court are not so severely proper as they ought to be. Our informant suggests that perhaps an unlimited supply of rum would be a powerful agency in settling the Native difficulty and the natives at the same time ! The police would do well to take cognizance of the very rapid, if not "furious," riding through the streets which often occurs in Greyniouth on a Sunday. That day is chiefly affected by those whose equestrian knowledge is confined to the art of frantically galloping through the streets to the danger of pedestrians, and the delight only of themselves and the dogs that yelp after them. $ The Arahura Road Board Board contemplate improving and widening the old horsetrack, from Stafford Town to the Beach, so a3 to make it available for drays. The beach, from the foot of the old track to the Arahura Bridge, is as hard and compact as a metalled road, and it is expected that the alterations proposed will have the effect of still further reducing the cost of freight between Hokitika and Stafford. A singular accident occurred to Mr Michl. Fox, butcher, at Napoleon, on Friday last. Mr Fox was about killing a pig, and just as he struck it with the knife, the animal snapped at his hand, and succeeded in catching the middle finger of the left hand betweeu its teeth, completely smashing the joints. Dr Lee did what he could for the sufferer, but it is feared that amputation of the tinger will become necessary. The Committee of the County Council in their report on the treatment and management of lunatics in Westland strongly recommends that the whole of the lunatics should be treated in one establishment, under one system of management. Although every possible care is taken to make the condition of the lunatics treated at the gaol as comfortable as can be, the Committee remarks that the existing arrangement is to be deprecated on account of the supervision, of the lunatics by the gaol authorities with regard to the probability of the recovery of the lunatics, bub it also places the gaol authorities under an unpleasant responsibility, and one that should not, in fairness, be tilwvvatp wpon them. The contact between prisoners and lunatics, upon which, so mucli stress has been laid, does not exist in reality or only to a trivial extent, that caused by the employment of one prisoner in menial offices in connection with the Asylum. At the same time the Committee are of opinion that the gaol site is the site for a lunatic asylum, and consider that extensive alterations or improvements undertaken in connection with the case of the lunatics should tend to the concentration of the lunatics of the County in the Asylum upon the gaol hill, under the supervision of properly qualified officers. The County Chairman announces in the Gazette that on the 13th instant he " intends to demise," on the South Beach, Greymouth, five acres to the Maid of Erin Mining Company, and the same area to Thompson and Company. The following figures relate to the Caledonian claim, which has recently occupied so prominent a place in our Auckland telegrams : — Total expenditure since formation (inclusive of battery costing LlB )0) of company in August, ISGB, L 19.147 17s 3d ; dividend paid February 6, 1871, U>72o ; dividend paid February 15, 1871. L 14.300 ; balance of two last dividends over total expenditure, L 872 2s 9d. Three other dividends have been previously declared, and others have been declared since. Four protections to persons forming tracks and maintaining the same in repair are notified iv the last County of Westland Gazette. They are as follow :— To Faulkner and Simmons protection for twelve months for a track about fifty chains long, commencing in the Eight-Mile Creek bed at a point about fifteen chains below Faulkner and Simmous, store, and terminating at Faulkner and Simmons' branch store, Maori Creek Township. The charges are : — Horses, without packs, Is ; horses, with packs, 2s ; to return free the same day ; cattle, 2s per head ; sheep, &c, 3d. To Condrick and party protection for twelvemonths for a track about fifteen chains long, and commencing at the Cock-a-bulk Creek, and ending about five chains east of peg 14 on the Clifton Eoad. The tolls being— Horses, ridden or driven, each, Is 6*l, returning free on the sarce day ; cattle, per head, 2s ; foot passeagers free. To Card Brothers protection for six months for a track following Ne»v River Valley from mouth of Cock-abulla Creek to mouth of Maori Creek at AM line, a distance of about five and a half miles : — For each horse ridden or driven, 2a 6d j for each head of cattle, 2s 6d; for sheep, &c, each, 3d. To James Hamilton and Co. protection for twelve months foi a track about one mile in length, commencing in the bed of the Eight-n;ile Creek, about thirty chains east of Clifton Township, and terminating at a point one chain south of Faulkner and Simmons' store, Maori Creek, Upper Township .-—Horses, without packs. Is ; horses, with packs, 2s; cattle, per head, 2s; sheep, &c, each, 3d. Mrs Martin, the wife of Mr Robert Martin, cabinet-maker, Nelson, accidentally fell down stairs and sustained injuries which caused her death. The recent decision of Mr Justice Richmond with regard to the Wangapeka Land Sales has created a good deal of HMgation amongst those who thought to make money by the speculation. Some of the original purchasers had re-sold portions to second parties at high premiums, and they are now sued for the restitution of the money paid. Two Maori Chiefs— one named " John the Baotist," and the other, Hemara, have been di owned by the cupsizing of a yacht at Wangarei Heads, Auckland Province. A singular accident occurred the other day at Nelson to Mi George Wilson, chief officer of the ship Wild Duck. Some parties fishing from the wharf hauled up a fish generally known as the,," stinging ray." Mr Wilson,

feeling interested in the capture of the fish, approached to look at it, and placed Ms hand under its fin, when he was warned by Mr Akersten, who was present, that it was rather a dangerous customer to meddle with. Mr Wilson replied that he knew all about them, and put his foot on the animal's head. As quick as thought, the fish whipped round its tail, and struck him on the leg, just below the calf, driving the jagged spike, with which the tail is armed, completely through the flesh, thus inflating an ugly and painful wound. Mr Wilson fainted, but medical assistance being procured and restoratives administered, he somewhat recovered the effects <if his misfortune, althou h we hear it is likely to be some time before he will be in a fit state to attend to his duties, Mr and Mrs Collins anpeared again before the public on Saturday evening in their musical entertainment, but to only a small house. To-night is announced as the last of their performances, and we trust they will be well patronised. Another Bishop of the Anglican Church has been elected for the diocese of Dunedin. The Rev Samuel Neville, Rectoi of Shelton, has been unanimously chosen the new Bishop, although the Rev Mr Jenner still maintains bis right to the see. The new hose reel for the Greymouth Fire Brigade has arrived by the Kennedy from Nelson. It has been built by a tradesman of that place, and appears to be all that could be desired in the points of both lightness and strength. The Wanganui Chronicle gives the following caution to the public:— "We would caution the public when posting newspapers in envelopes, not to stick the stamp partly on the envelope and partly on the paper. When the papers reach England stamped iv this way, we learn that they are charged as letters. The stamp must be placed either on the envelope or on the paper."