THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 843, 10 April 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1871.

To-day, being Easter Monday, will very generally be observed as a holiday. The Banks and Government offices will all be closed.

The jury-list for the district was revised by a bench of Justices of the Peace on Saturday morning. No objections were lodged, and the business was very soon disposed of.

At the rising of the District Court on Friday his Honor Judge Ward said he could not close the Court without making reference to the loss which the public service and the legal -profession had suffered by the death of Mr Abbott. By his death the public service, and especially the legal profession, had lost one who had well discharged the duties of his office, and many had lost an esteemed friend. It was almost unnecessary for him to say that the offices of the Court^yould be closed on the day of Mr Abbott's funeral It was arranged that the funeral should take place on Saturday, and it was understood that Mr FitzGerald, Mr Sprot, Mr Aylmer, and Mr Clapcott would act as pall-bearers.

A special meeting of the Paroa Road Board wa3 held' at the offices of the Board on Saturday evening. Present — Messrs Barnhill, J. O'Connor, M. O'Connor, Colton, and Leach (Chairman). The business of the meeting was the reception of the Auditors' report, and on the motion of Mr O'Connor, seconded by the Chairman, the Board resolved itself into Committee for its consideration. The report was read as follows : — " Paroa, Bth April, 1871. The Chairman Paroa Road Board. Sir, — We have the honor to inform you that we have this day completed the examination of the books and papers of your Board from January, 1869, and beg leave to submit to your notice the following report :— 1. That we have examined and compared the vouchers with the entries in the cash book, and find them to correspond, but beg leave to draw your attention to vouchers Nos. 14 and 21, with regard to an apparent overpayment in same. 2.. That Aye have examined the road ratebook and road rate-receipts, and beg to refer you to the large amount of rates yet remaining uncollected, as per schedule A; 3. That several errors of lesser importance occur to us, as shown per schedule B. 4. That, in the amount of rates collected and paid into your Board's credit at the Bank of iSew South Wales, several sums are included for which there are no corresponding entries in the assessment list, vide schedule C. 5. That a great number of entries in the ledger have been made in a manner inconsistent with the style of bookeeping originally adopted, and that these entries being so made preclude the possibility of drawing a correct balance-sheet. 6. That we have examined the Bank pass book and find the sum

of 4s 2d charged to your account for a stamped cheque book, the same amount being already included in vouchers No. 21. 7. That we have, in compliance with your request, taken out the balances, as they stand in the ledger, but beg to remind you that, owing to the defects mentioned in clause 5, as also to the omission of some accounts, they do not represent the true state of credit aud debit of your Board to date, and that, in our opinion, the only course for you to adopt would be to call for outstanding accounts, with a view of thus commencing an entirely new set of books. We have thfi honor, sir, to remain, yours, &c, E. Tyler and j Henry Elmer." The schedules referred to in the preceding report are- First, a list of unpaid rates due on the assessment of 1869. amounting in all to L3Ol Ids ; second, a list of items that should have been found entered in the Assessment Book ; third, a specimen of the informal book-keeping referred to by the auditors ; and last, the balance-sheet, as made up from the ledger, which requires the line — "Balance caused by wrong entries, Lll4 11s lid." A discussion ensued upon the yarious mat hers referred to in the report. With regard to an irregularity in relation to Voucher No. 21, the Chairman stated that Mr Hamilton had refused to sign it, owing to a discrepancy in the date of actual payment of cash, and of the date given in the voucher. The cheque was dated the 4th March, and the voucher tho 31st. It was resolved that the Chairman be requested to see Mr Hamilton in reference to this voucher. After some explanations had been given by one of the 4 auditors, it was moved by Mr John O'Connor, and seconded by the Chairman, " That all persons who have not paid their rates, as struck in 1869, and not accounted ior in the books now before the Board, be applied to for payment of the amount levied ; and, in the event of such payments not being made on application, the Chairman be instructed to take immediate steps for the recovery of the same." It was also decided that notice should be given by public advertisement to all persons having any claims upon the Board to send them ia. After the Board resumed, it was resolved to present his Excellency the Governor with an address on his visit to the district. The Board then adjourned. We have only received the bare minutes of the proceedings, but shall learn more completely what was done in the matter of the Auditors' Report, upon which and some other circumstances that have come to our knowledge we shall have something to say to-morrow. We may state that we have received information of the intention of the Government to institute a thorough investigation into the affairs of the Board, and that, meantime, no more advances will be made to that body.

When a steamerfrom Melbourneis tendered during the night, it would be quite as well to have sufficient lights in the Customs-shed to allow strangers to see that they are not making their entry into Greymouth through an underground passage. On Saturday night, or early on Sunday morning, during a drenching rain, the passengers by the Alhambra were lauded, and the crowd usually in waiting upon such occasnn3 were kindly permitted to shelter in the shed, where a solitary candle did its utmost to illuminate the scene. A few lamps would be very serviceaMe upon such occasions, and surely it is some one's duty to see that they are provided.

The prospecting company working go the west of Stafford Town have not yet struck anything payable. They have been some time using a boring apparatus, but with no satisfactory result.

The discovery of an auriferous quartz reef near the Pelorus is reported in the Nelson papers.

So far as ia at present known it is his Excellency's intention to leave Christchurch by Cobb's coach on Tuesday morning and to arrive at Hokitika on Wednesday, Any deviation from this intention will, no doubt, be intimated in sufficient time by telegraph.

A meeting took place at the Hibernian Hall, Addison's, on Thursday evening lust, for the purpose of raising further funds in aid of the French peasantry, sufferers by the war, Messrs Eteveneaux and Jules Simon, delegates from the Westport Committee, attended the meeting. About half-past eight o'clock a large number having assembled, Mr Gallagher was voted to the chair, and briefly explained the object of the meeting. The Chairman then introduced the delegates, who explained the results already attained, and urged the necessity for further subscriptions. Mr Phillip M'Enroe proposed that a committee be formed to act in conjunction with the Westport Committee. The proposition was seconded and carried. Mr M 'Enroe was appointed local treasurer. The lists were to be kept open for a fortnight, and a vote of thanks to the chair terminate the proceedings. Yesterday the committee made a partial canvass of Addison's TownBhip with satisfactory result. ■

On Monday, March 2, at Rangiaohia, Waikato, Constable Muirhead shot Constable Gilfillan through the body. The unfortunate victim died an hour afterwards. An inque9t xipon the body of the deceased was held on Tuesday, when the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Muirhead. [t was reported that Muirhead • entered the room where Gilfillan was lying in bed, and after simply saying, " I have no grudge against yob, Gilftllan, deliberately pointed the rifle at the breast of the deceased, and fired, the ball lodging a few inches below the heart. Muirhead was said to be a very hard drinker, and it is surmised that when he committed the act he was suffering from delirium tre* mens.

The Nelson Examiner, referring to the subject of the proposed Grey Valley Railway, says ;— A report, which received some credence, was circulated in Greymouth last week, to the effect that the General Government had determined to undertake the construction of a railway up the Grey River, as far as the coal mine, and that his Honor the Superintendent had proceeded to Welliugton to confer with Ministers on the subject. We are fully 'aware the Superintendent is anxious to see such a work undertaken/but the wishes of the residents of the Grey Valley are, we fear, outrunning facts.

The New York papers give an account of the capture of some of the swindling firms who have been sending circulars to England offering to supply counterfeit sovereigns in large quantities. These persons have, it appears from their books, which have been seized by the police, been making large profits— sometimes as much as £800 a day — by supplying forged notes at the rate of 100 dollars for every five dollars of cash remitted to them. Their plan was, it appears, to obtain from all parts of the country the names of the most likely dupes, and to teuix>t them with circulars, statiug that ' the forgeries were such as to defy detection ; that the orders for them, accompanied by a remittance, were to be addressed to the firm, as if for so many hundred years ; and that the required quantity would be forwarded by express, tn return nothing was sent but boxes of rubbish, and the victims were bound to remain quiet or avow their own criminality. Many of the letters of persons who had thus been duped were found on the premises of the firm, and have been published, with the names in full, in the New York Sun. Among them is one from the agent of an express company, offering to aid the swindlers in their operations ; another is from a writer who states himself to be a member of the Tennessee Legislature > another is from a resident in tlie State of

Georgia, who is confident he can pass off a great many among the negroes ; another is from one of the keepers in a State prison ; and another is from an "attorney and coun-cillor-.it-law " in the State of Georgia, who describes himself as a member of Congress, and consequently an " honorable." The business was carried on in the rao3t regular manner; there was a " correspondence department," a "inailingdepartment,"&c. ;and in one of the establishments at the time of seizure, there were sack#..containing .about 10,000 letters from parsons in all parts of the Union." . ; ' *L Mr T. Prin«le, of Hokitika, started on the 10th of March, to take some photographic views of the country south of the Mikonui. The principal object of the trip was to obtain a faithful picture of the glaciers on the Waiho, Mount Cook. The Ross Guardian reports the return of Mr Pringle, and states that the views reflect the highest credit upon him as a photographer. The first picture shows a general view of the Francis Joseph glacier on the Waiho. The next view is taken from the highest point that can be attained, and the Waiho river is represented rushing underneath the glacier. The third view is the Waiho, about 200 yards from where it opens out. There is also photographer's camp, where the tents were pitched about 600 feet above the level of the sea. The Mail publishes the following aa the result of the census taken -in the city of Nelson. For greater convenience, the town was divided into sub-districts, namely, east and west, the division line being the middle of Trafalgar street. In Nelson cast, the numbers are— males, 1415 ; females, 1502 ; total, 2917. In Nelson west, males, 1259 ; females, 1248; total, 2507; grand total, 5424, The "social condition" is indicated by the following figures :— Married— .aales, 812 ; females, 906 ; unmarried— males, 1792; females, 1720; widowers, 61 ; widows, 114; not specified, males, 10; females, 9. The above figures disclose the unpleasant, but not altogether unexpected fact that the population of the town is on the decrease, the total number as shown by the census of 1867 having been 5652 ; or 282 more than in 1871. During the three years that elapsed between 1864, in Ayhich year the census was taken, aud 1867, the town population had increased by 951, thus showing a far mo^e favorable state of things than that revealed by the present returns.

Tho Hokitika Racing Club ha^ve resolved to hold the Hokitika Autumn Race Meeting on the days originally announced —Monday and Tuesday, to-day and to-morrow.

During last week there have been two small rushes to ground beyond the Waimea township. The first was to the flat at the bottom of Italian Gully, where Roberts and party and Bell and party are working. Several parties have marked out claims anil are shepherding, because it is hoped that Bell and party will strike gold on reaching the reef, and because Roberts and party are getting a little gold, though not sufficient at present to pay. The other rush was to ground on the terrace between the Middle and Right Hand Branches of the Waimea Creek, near to Kemple's house, facing the Greenstone road. Kellery and party, who had been sluicing there sometime, and then decided on tunnelling, succeeded in obtaining small wages, but on resuming sL.icing at the beginning of the week, washed prospects giving ldwt. to the dish. On this becoming known, several parties took up ground, and are now working in earnest. The claims are on the side of a small creek, running partially through the terrace.

The following extraordinary story is given by the Auckland Evening Star :— " A circumstance has been related to us, which, if incorrectly stated can be denied, and if correctly stated, deserves attention A man named Dell, belonging to the Primitive Methodist denomination, was absent from home, but remitted money regularly to his family. In his absence his wife died. When out of her miud, from the affect of her ailment (erysipelas in the head), a neighbor had sent for the Rev. Father Macdonald, and had the rites of the Roman Catholic Church performed on her. On the return of Mr Dell from the Thames he proceeded to make preparations for her funeral. In accordance with a wish he had heard her express, that she should be laid beside a deceased child, Mr Dell had a grave made in the same place where those of the same communion bury their dead, when he was informed by the Roman Catholic clergymen that they claimed the body for interment in the Roman Catholic burying ground. Mr Dell naturally objected, and the clergymen persisted in the most peremptory manner in demanding tl^e body, and threatened Mr Dell with ulterior consequences. At the funeral, a Catholic clergyman" — uninvited — accompanied the procession to the Cemetery, persistently demanded the body, and, failing in his object, read a formal protest, and annouueed his intention of exposing Mr Dell, and denouncing him at the altar.

During the sitting of the Bankruptcy Court at Auckland, his Honor the Chief Justice referred to the practice followed by certain solicitors in not promptly paying their annual fee of £3 3s for their certificate, He read certain clauses from the tfegal Practitioners Act, and showed that such neglect was not only a : contempt of Court, but was an offence for which they might be fined £50. He regretted that the negligent practice of not promptly piying the fee tor their certificate was so prevalent, and took that opportunity of bringing it prominently before them. In the list of bankrupt cause? se,t dqwn for hearing he found the names of several solicitors who had neglected the customary payment, and he thought that such a practice of putting their names down for cases to be heard before the Chief Justice, while they were not qualified to do so by having obtained their certificates, was a procedure which he hoped to see put an end to, without putting the law in operation for t^e purpose of. imposing fines on defaulters. '