Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 844, 11 April 1871, Page 2

With regard to the approaching visit of his Excellency the Governor to Greymoutb, we may draw the attention of the public to the fact th&t however unostentatious may be the reception accorded to his Excellency, it cannot be done without some expense. The programme proposed by the Reception Committee is expected to be to a considerable extent self-supporting, but there must necessarily be a balance that will have to be provided for somehow. It appears to us that as the County Council will defray the expenses incident to his Excellency's personal accommodation here, it would only be a fitting and j proper thing for the Borougk Council to vote a small sum towards the cost of providing the Governor with a suitable public reception. We notice that in the little Borough oFTimaru the Corporation spent LSO, and we are sure that no more than that sum would suffice to meet all extra expeuses to which the Recep.tion Committee might.be compelled to incur. Ihe Borough Council have a perfectly legal right to vote money for this purpose, and it seems to us that it would be better for the money to be raised in this way than by means of a public subscription. We hope that the Borough Council will at once take up this question, and follow the example set in other places much less able to afford a few pounds on affairs of this kind than Greymoutb. The Oamaru Times announces that the General Assembly will meet for the despatch of business in the first or^ second week of July. The members of the Choral Union, in conjunction with the Town Band, gave an invitation concert.last evening in the Town Hall to their friends. The hall was crowded, by an audience that seemed thoroughly to appreciate the entertainment provided for them. Being a private concert we need onlysay that the pieces selected were very well .sung and played, and that the whole affair passed off most successfully. The members of the Choral Society and the Band have made rapid progress lately, wliich redounds both to their own credit and to that of their instructors. Last evening's entertainment shows how easily, by a little combination and trouble, the monotony of life in Greymouth might be enlivened by a series of concerts, and it is to be hoped that the ides will be taken up and given effect to during the coming winter. The New Zealand Gazette, of the 27th ult., contains the appointments of Matthew Price, Esq., J.P., to be a Resident Magistrate for the Resident Magistrate's District of Hokitika Land,. Justin Aylmer, Esq., J.P., to be tt ACBiaent M agio 1.1 ate iui- ime vnuiiitu xuatrict, under the extended jurisdiction. The Reception Committee notify by advertisement in another column that a citizen's ball and supper will be held during the visit of the Governor to Greymouth. We are requested to state that the announcement is made in order that those who intend participating in the ball may make their preparations. The Committee are at present ignorant of the precise day of hjs Excellency's arrival, but they have received an intimation that a public ball and supper would suit his wishes— which are that any festivity connected with his visit should ba shared generally by the inhabitants. To-morrow or the following day the Committee will be in a position to make definite arrangements, and timely notice of them will be given to the yublia. We hare to remind the members oi the General Committee that they have to meet at the Corporation, offices this evening at 8 o'clock, to yeceive the report of the Sub-Committee.

The Provincial Government of Otago offered free passages to Martin's Bay to bona fde settlers by the Luna, which was to sail on the 4tb from Dunedin. Information "was received by telegraph yesterday that Miss Edith Palmerston wilt visit Greymouth on or about the 24th instant. From **the Gazette we learn that 39,797 gallons of spirits were distilled in the colony during the year ending 31st December, 1870, of which 11,551 gallons were cleared for home consumption, and 81 for exportation, ; the remaining 28,130 gallons remaining in bonded warehouses. Mr G. Brodie, Inspector of Bankrupt Estates, was one of the passengers who arrived in Hokitika on Saturday evening from Christchurch, by Cobb and Co's coach. Mr Montrose, manager in New Zealand for Messrs Greville and Co, Reuter's agents, also arrived, for the purpose of completing the arrangements which have been made, and which have been so useful to the public in the several settled communities of the West Coast.

The man Cedeno, convicted of the murder of a fellow servant, was executed at Christchurch the other day. Since his conviction the unhappy man had manifested a morose and sullen demonnor, and on one occasion attempted to commit suicide by means of a piece of tin, which he had by some means or other secreted unknown to the warder. This attempt, however, was discovered in time to prevent anymore than a alight superficial wound in the throat being inflicted. Since that time the culprit was prevented from a second attempt by his arms being secured by means of belts and straps ' connecting with a pair of gauntlets, by which they were secured to his side. This apparatus was also used by the executioner, for the purpose of pinioning, the usual method of securing the arms by ropes being done away with. On the day of execution, at five minutes past eight, the executioner came from the yard in which the scaffold was erected, and proceeded to a room off the visitors' yard, in which the unhappy man, attended by bis spiritual adviser, was, and proceeded to pinion him. Shortly afterwards the culprit, attended by the priests, and supported by a warder, came out, followed by the executioner. His manner was exceedingly firm, and lie walked steadily forward, the ghastly hue of his countenance only evincing his realisation of his awful position. A procession was then formed, headed by the officials of the gaol, the priests reading the burial service, peculiar to the Roman Catholic Church being next in order, followed by the priaoner and the executioner, the procession being closed by the witnesses required by law to bt present to certify to the sentence being carried out. In this order

the steps leading to the scaffold were reached, which the unhappy man ascended with a firm step, and placed himself under the fatal noose. After a short whispered conversation between Father Chervier and the condemned man, the executioner adjusted the rope, and proceeded to place the black cap ovc the face of the convict. Here, however, a delay of some seconds occurred, the cap being too small for the man's head, and the executioner had some difficulty in pulling it over his face. Just before the face of the condemned man was finally covered, and the light of day for ever shut out from his eyes, Father Chervier held the crucifix to his lips, which he kissed repeatedly and fervently? Father Cbervier then took leave of his unhappy charge and the executioner glided behind the screen, and with his hand on the lever waited for the fatal signal ; this was almost instantly given, the drop fell, and the murderer was launched into eternity. Death was almost instantaneous, only two respirations of the chest and a convulsive clenching of the hands being visible. After hanging for about twenty minutes the medical gentlemen examined the body and declared life to be extinct.

We have to draw attention to the important sale by D. Maclean and Co. of the valuable property of Messrs Fairhall and Willbughby, which takes place to-morrow at the auctioneer's rooms, Mawhera Quay.

This is the " unkindest cut of all ":— The Oamaru Times publishes a rumor tothe effect that Mr Vo«el has been accredited to the Washington Cabinet by the British Government ! ! !

A cottage owned by Mr Welch, caterer to the Police Camp at Hokitika, and occupied by a relative of the owner, was found to be on fire shortly after church hours on Sunday last. The cottage is situated in the vicinity of the Church of England, and, on the alarm being given, those attending the church service readily rendered assistance, and succeeded in extinguishing the fire, but this was not effected until considerable damage had been done ; and, but for the supply of water available in the neighboring drain, and in conveniently situated water casks, the building would have been entirely destroyed. The Fire Brigade brought out their hook-and-ladder apparatus, but it met with an accident before reaching the scene of the fire, and the extinguishment of the fire depended upon tho ready presence of other volunteers. The interfor fittings of the building were entirely destroyed, and the wonder is that the building itself was not consumed.

Respecting the supposed destruction by fire of a portion of the late San Francisco mail, the Wellington Evening Post has the following : — We have been favored by the Postmaster-General with the following information regarding the supposed destruction of a portion of the late San Francisco mail : — The only mails received 'via San Francisco this month were two from London and two from Dublin for the whole of New Zealand, comprising 190 bags, and of these thirty bags were despatched from London in December, but arrived at San Francisco too late for transmission by that month's steamer, the City of Melbourne. The mails rjceived for November were— Three from London, three from Dublin, and three from Liverpool, comprised in 240 bags. For December— Two mails from London, two from Liverpool, and two from Dublin, contained in 289 bags, to which should be added the thirty bags received this month. The average number of mails received each month is eight or nine, contained in from 230 to 300 bags, so that there appears to be six or seven mails (between 80 or 100 bags) missing.

A new use, says the Wellington Evening Post, has been found for the demilitarised, and a guard is now stationed at the gatehouse of the Government domain. A good deal of curiosity has been expressed as to the .wrauu rut bills, H.UU OUfr.Ht iuiuui Uao 10 that, although Government House has been completed by the contractor, it has not been paid for by the Government, a decided difference existing between the parties as to the actual amount due. The Government sticks to the contract ; the contractors say that the contract is nothing, as the Government has departed from it in a variety of ways. So a very pretty little dispute is pending, and as the contractors wont give up possession of the building till it is paid for, the Government has placed a demilitarised guard at the gate to prevent Mr Martin taking the house for the damage, and removing it bodily some night, as a decisive way of bringing matter? to a concfusion.

The following are full particulars of the accident mentioned in a recent issue . — On Sunday morning last, the wife of Mr Wra. Salt, farmer, of the Mount Grey Downs, was drowned, with her child, two years old, whilst attempting to cross the river Ashley in a dray. It appears that she was being driven over by a lad named Samuel Scott, and on reaching the centre of the stream she thought it was too strong to attempt to go any farther. She then told the boy to turn tue horse round, and make for a shingle bank not fat distant . In doing so, the horse and dray were capsized, and the deceased was washed down the stream. The lad being able to swim, reached a shingle spit in safety, and was taken off by Mr D. Milne. Sergeant Davies wa3 immediately informed of the accident, but it was some time before he discovered the body of the womau, as it had been washed down a mile and a-half from the scene of the accident. The horse was drowned almost immediately, and now lies on a spit in the centre of the river. There is little hope that the body of the child will be discovered, as it will most probably be either washed out to sea or buried in the shingle, in consequence of the heavy fresh in the river.