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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 823, 17 March 1871, Page 2

Last evening was the opening night of the Bazaar in aid of the building fund of St Patrick's Church. : Although the weather was showery and comparatively few strangers .were in town, the Volunteer Hall was crowded with visitors during the evening. The hall was most tastefully decorated, and the various stalls, elegantly laid out with everything that would extract money from reluctant pockets, presided over by the ladies who had undertaken the duty of saleswomen, presented a lively and attractive appearance. The strains of our excellent Town Band enlivened the proceedings, and judging, from the brisk and determined manner in which the lady amateur dealers prosecuted their business, the proseeds of the bazaar bid fair to be considerable, considering that last evening's proceedings were only initiatory, and that the real business commences in earnest to-night. An imnienss variety of goods of almost every description covered the stalls, many of the articles having been specially imported from Europe for the occasion. ,. To-night there is sure to be a large attendance, and no doubt a good deal of the pocket-money of the visitors will find its way under the irresistible influence of the fair traders into the treasury of the Building Committee. More than a geneva! outline cannot be given on the firat evening, for the reason already stated ; but fuller details can be' entered Upon as the pecuniary result of the enterprise is developed. We recommend everyone to visit the Bazaar on this the night of the Patron Saint, whoso name our local church bears.

This, being St. Patrick's Day, -will be observed as a holiday by the Government Offices, and the Banks will be closed at eleven o'clock. Last night, the prospects of a successful race-meeting were not very bright, as the weather appeared threatening, and several heavy showers fell j but it is hoped we will be favored with as fine weather as we had last year. The town began to assume a busy aspect last night, from the number of visitors who arrived in the afternoon ; but the town was not nearly so full as on former occasions. For the amusement of the public, no fewer than four select balls arc to be given this evening, at the Victoria Hotel, the Hibernian Hotel, the Dunedin Hotel, and the London Music Hail.

H. H. Lahman, Esq., County Chairman, arrived in town yesterday. He will remain here for a few days.

Last night a man named Patrick Cruise was arrested on a warrant, charging him with committing a rape on a child seven years old, in Greymouth. He will be brought up before the Bench this morning.

A meeting of the Stewards of the Greymouth Races was held last night for the purpose of altering the programme of the meeting inconsequence of ;the small number of entries. 'The' prograniine? jjiiblished this mWning is entirely- ri'ew'Y" l all the races on the first day being post entries except the Lottery Plate. 'Jhe entries and nominations for the second day's racing, as per profgi?auurie,( will < ; be" .received 'at the Albion 'Hotel '•up -to half-past eight o'clock this evening, and the weights for the handicap will be declared this evening, and acceptances must be sent in to the Secretary before eleven p.m. We notice that on the course to-day a splendid luncheon will be provided at the booth of Mr J. Johnston, of the Melbourne Hotel, quite equal to anything supplied in town.

Mr John Griffen of Dunedin has been sworn in as a Justice of the Peace by his Honor Judge Chapman.

Thirty brace of Oalifornian quail have been liberated in the Wakatip district by the Otago Acclimatisation Society.

The first section of the Dunedin and Clutha Railway contract has been given to Mr J. T. Chaplin. Work will be commenced at once, and the first sod will be turned by the Governor.

At an inquest held in Nelson a few clays ago a juryman was fined LI for being eight minutes late in putting in an appearance. Half-a-crown a minute is a pretty stiff penalty, and the example will no doubt have a salutary effect.

We (Press) learn that the General Government, acting on the approval of Mr Blackett, Colonial Engineer, have decided on theadoption of the llakia Bridge for the main line of railways, and that the piles for the additional intermediate pieces have been ordered from Sydney. Additional superstructure to the design submitted by Mr William White has been adopted at the instance of Mr Blackett.

The erection of the Port Chalmers gas works, in rear of the premises of Messrs Thomson Brothers, on account of that enterprising firm, has-been actively proceeded with. The tank for the gasometer has been completed, and the gas-house commenced. The principal portion of the plant has already been received, and the whole of the works are expected to be completed in about two months, when gas will be available to residents in George street. The works are being so constructed that the supply can be easily extended if required.

King and party have again started for the Kainianawd (Napier province), taking with them six pack horses and a supply of stores aad other necessaries. The company allows them 30s each j>or week in lieu of rations, and the use of the horses. They will, we understand, continue to prospect the locality referred to in their report as one where signs of gold were everywhere to be met. It is believed they are hopeful of making some discovery. One thing is certain, they are i; isen, t of .^.ergy .aiid.. .<jxpe.rA9n.ce,,^ixd}4f th.c, : Daily Times, speaking of the San Francisco'

mail subsidy, says : — " Sharing public interest at first with the Caledonian, but since entirely overshadowed by it, is the news brought' by last steamer of the refusal of Halladay and Brenham.gand Webb, to ratify Neilson's mail contract. The truth of this news has since been denied by the Evening Star, a supporter of the Government. The Evening News (Opposition) us strongly asserts its truth, of which, for my own part, I have not the slightest doubt. No!- only was it currently reported in San Francisco, but passengers per City of Melbourne heard it in best-informed circles, there, and Captain Grainger positively affirms that Mr Stewart, cf Collie, Stewart, and Co., was on his way to make new arrangements, when he met Mr

Yogel at Honolulu, and returned with him. Hall, having got the Honolulu subsidy of LSOOO, is to run his present line, backed by a further subsidy of L 35.000 from Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland, but calling at Fiji instead of Auckland. The Evening Star, to which 1 hiive before referred, although denying the absolute repudiation, states that great changes will have to be made— that no one ever expected the steamers could be allowed to go south instead of Sydney, and that everyone who took the trouble to understand the question must have been perfectly aware that great concessions would have to be made and the battle fought in Washington as well as in Auckland. For one, I must confess to having been ignorant enough to consider the contract on the conclusion of which the colony was so completely congratulated in the minute of the PostmasterGeneral, as a contract in the usual sense of the word, and not as a (mere memo, subject to revision and alteration in what were put forth as vital points of gain to the provinces separately, and to the colony at large. Curiously enough, while everyone has been and still is talking about this, the morning papers are both silent, and give no sign either of assent or denial. If Mr Yogel has written anything to his colleagues you will probably hear it from Wellington, as the letters for the Government were sent to that city on the arrival of the mail."

With respect to dredging for gold in the Shotover, the Wakatip Mail says :— "Dredgiug is going to succeed on the Shotover. The new dredge built by Barton and Co., Maori Point, is, as soon as launched, upon gold. It is said by some that the Point will be a modern Pactolus of wealth to that firm. The dredge built by Greaves and party to replace the one destroyed, is, we hear, obtaining good results. The dredge owned by Collins and. party has been removed from Arthur's Point, and is working higher up on Sutherland's Beach The returns are not made public, but the owners say they are satisfied."

A Mr Mark Gardner has the credit, in Victoria, of inventing a safety gun cotton, or rather a method of using gun cotton, which will, it is said, do away with the accidents resulting from tamping. The fuse and mining primer are attached to the charge in the usual way. A cone of hard wood, one and a half inch in length, and of the same diameter at its largest end as the gun cotton charge, and having a hole through the centre for the passage of the fuse, is put on tne top of tbe charge; and the whole being placed in the bottom of the hole, a handful of sand is poured on, which completes the loading. The charge is then fired in the common manner.

During the Jafce Besslon of the County Council a matter was disposed of which has hitherto most unaccountably escaped public notice in any shape — We refer to the lengthened leave given to Mr Warden Schaw. This gentleman has managed to obtain twelve months' leave of absence on half-pay for lhe purpose of visiticgEngland. And the best part of the affair is that Mr Schaw has made no secret of his intention not to return to the Colony if he can better his position elsewhere. We have no objection to proper terms of leave being granted to public officers as a relief from duty, and in such cases on full or half pay, but it seems to us to be an outrageous unreasonable theoiy to allow an officer in Mr Schaw's capacity a year's leave on pleasure, and to continue paying him a salary, although it is more than doubtful if he will return to his duties. The length of leave is absurd, especially, when no provision is made for supplying Mr Schaw's place during his absence. It amounts to one of two things, cither that the public service must seriously suffer, or else that there is . no real necessity for Mr Schaw's services; at.i all. Alreay great inconvenience has resulted to the.r,e9JjJeo|s;p^ the Waunear- district,.; and will prj&apy^ continue, for it ..eamiotisbs ex.-*'*. pected,jth|iji '...ss£ : -^ylmQV^<^-t&miig\Ay .db\ the:hV!^^]^ ;^^i^rmporl^t'-di3traeti.''.?-^E[o\i:<': in the^'^drl^iStte'. County Chairman ; could.' conseijtijij^e^igave granted -Mr Schaw we cannot%™£)^lii. . .We hear that the leave was granted by the General Government, but the County Chairman would surely be consulted on the matter.

By the last published Gazette we notice that a reward of L3OO will be paid to / anyone giving such information as will lead to the conviction of any person guilty of the capital offence of supplying arms and ammunition to rebels, under the thirty-third section of "The Arms Act Amendment Act, 1869." A reward of LlOtf will be paid to anyone giving such information as will lead to the conviction of any person guilty of a felony or misdemeanor under the provisions of "The Arms Act, 1860." The above rewards will be paid only after conviction. The informant's name will not be divulged without his own consent, except where it is necessary that he should give evidence in Court. In the case of accomplices giving information leading to conviction, a free pardon will be granted in addition to the reward.

The West Coast Times reports that an accident of a very painful nature occurred on the Arahura road on Wednesday. The unfortunate sufferer was a boy named Emile Itohloft, a son of Mr Rohloff, baker, Revell street. While enjoying the boyish luxury of swinging behind M'Gurk's coach, one of his legs was caught by the spokes of one of the coach-wheels. In a moment he waswhirled round with the revolving wheel, and, by the entanglement of the limb between the wheel and the body of the vehicle, the leg bones were so • shockingly crushed- in some places that they protruded through the flesh. There were two lady passengers in the coach, and as they saw the boy going round with the wheel, they alarmed the coachman, Adam Blair, who at once stopped the horses, and rendered the poor boy all the assistance that could be given, and had .him conveyed to town, when he was transferred to the hospital. His injuries are so severe that amputation will, no doubt, be nececsary. The little fellow continued sensible while being brought to town, and very naturally vowed that he would not again swing behind coaches. His having done so was, of course, unnoticed by the driver, and no blame whatever can be attached to him.

The Otago Daily Times reports upon a specimen of stone from the Ophir quartz reef, Upper Shotover, the property of Mr F. W. Macdonald. The specimen is a very good one, the gold being well distributed throughout, and the stone, though hard as a whole, contains some soft places. It was obtained at the level of the river, 900 ft below the terrace ; but the crown of the reef is 300 ft ■abova I .tlifiN-i,ii.vett > .^>JUi&. d-eef.-iaptteee thickness, and about 45f j^.of^t is clear. Ten j>a<jres, forming the key^Hhe entire reef, have been leased by Mr^Macdonald. The

reef is said to be one of the richest and cheapest to work in the entire district, and enjoys the inestimable advantage of a copious a:id unfailing supply oE water. Machinery can also, we arc informed, be conveyed to the spot without much difficulty. Mr Macdonald, who JLr.s luen engaged in mining in the district for tho last seven years, is desirous of meeting with some one who is also a practical miner, to join him in working the reef, and to a suitable partner he would he prepared to make liberal concessions. The Wakatip Mail, speaking of this reef, says: — "Some of the specimens procured from it are perfect gema. The reef is solid and defined, and promises to turn out grand things."