Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 869, 10 May 1871, Page 2

Mr Hoos has again another chance of obtaining a seat in the County Council, and intends, we are informed, to avail himself of it. A ccording to present .appearances he is not likely to be seriously opposed, unless, indeed, Mr John White should decide to come forward- in which case Mr Hoos would have to light hard. We think the Hokitika electors might do worse than put in the late County Chairman. If neither himself nor his admiuistratiou were very popular, he would make, as he has always been, a useful member of the Council. His experience alone ivould bo worth something. As County Chairman he was a failure, but as a councilolr he can yet do good service to Westland. He would bo preferable, we think, to Mr John White, more especially as that gentleman will be unable to attend the next session of the County Council. The only other probable candidates that we can think of are gentlemen who have formerly presented themselves — Messrs W. Evans, R. Eecvcs, and S. M. South. Mr Evans may come fonrard if lie is pressed sufficiently; Alessrs Beeves and South require no pressing— indeed, the latter is willing to be a candidate for anything from a District Court Judgeship downwards. But fancy the wearisome dobates of the Council beiug made still race wearisome by the dull platitudes of Mr South ! Why not put in the sprightly Sprot? — the Council Hall would become a favorite public resort, and even money might be made by a charge for admission, after the manner of th./se houses of entertainment patronised by the merubers of the P.E. Any discussion between Messrs Sprot and Barff would alone be worth the money. We remind our readers that the outgoing English mail closes at Greymouth at 8 o'clock this evening. No supplementary mail will bo made up, so that all letters and papers must be posted by the time specified. Another case of drowning occurred on Monday evening. One of the ferrymen working Lawgdoiya punt, and known by the sobriquet of "Big Bill," whilst worse for liquor, fell from the punt into the river. The rapid current quickly carried him away, and no trace of him has since been found. W. S. Reid, Esq., the newly-appointed .Assistant Law Officer to the Government-, left Hokitika for Wellington by the Alhainbra. Mr and Mrs Sewcll were passengers by the same vessel. It will be seen from our telegram via Taurangathat thenativesatOhinemuri still refuse to allow then land to be opened to the Thames miners* The opening up of this part of the country has long been a subject of solicitude, as it is' understood to contain a large area of auriferous quartz. The Supreme Court sittings for the disposal of criminal cases commences to-day at 10 o'clock at Hokitika. The calender is a light one, consistiug of only six cases, the most serious of which is that against Patrick Cruise, charged with rape on a child. The only other case from this district is one for sheep stealing, which, in consequence of the death of the accused, will of course not be proceeded with. We hear indirectly that the changes just being made in the staff of the Hokitika Post Olßce are due to the discovery of irregularities on the part of one of the late officials in that department. We are #iven to understand that the Nelson Government contemplate a reduction in the number of Wardens on the South-West Gold Fields. According to our information it is probable that one Warden will have to tako charge of the Westpo'-t, Charleston, md Brighton districts, and that Mr Whitefoord will have the custody of the very extensive districts of the Upper Grey and Inangahua. In consequence of this arrangement only very occasional Courts can be held at Cobden. Whilst the Nelson Government is justified in pursuing an economical policy we cannot forbear expressing an opinion that no single officer can satisfactorily attend to the Grey Valley and Inangahua districts. According to pre-sent-appearances the Little Grey and lnaugahuaare likely to become exceedingly importaut, and a good deal of litigation may bo expected to occur in those localities. Mr Whitefoord 13 a most hardworked and hardworking officer, but we are satisfied that, if our information be correct, ho is being expected to dispose of more work than he can efficiently attend to. We understand that the office of Gold Fields Secretary of Otago, at present hold by C. E. Haughton, Esq., M.H.11., as a political department, is to be made permanent, and that Mr Haughton will receive the appointment, in which case he will retire from politic.il life. The other afternoon the Hokitika beach was found to be thickly strewed with shellfish. As scon as the news spread abroad, a strong contingent of the rising generation started a "cockle rush," and buckets, tin dishes, sacks, and baskets of every description were in great request. There weie at least four varieties of cockles found, some of them of almost monstrous proportions. The appearance of these biv«ilves at Hokitika is a rather puzzling circumstance. One theory is that an encroachment of the sea must have taken place along the coast to the north, as the current has had a strong southerly set for several days past. Boat accidents are becoming frequent on the Grey River. Another, but happily one not attended with any serious consequences, occuired yesterday by which a coal boat belonging to Batty and Co was nearly lost. The boat was bringing down a cargo of coal, and struck a snag near the falls, «ud immediately began to till, but she was pulled into shallow water and then allowed to ground. A Victorian paper relates the following dialogue between a witness and counsel for the defence, which occurred some time ago in a court not a hundred miles from Ballarat. The witness was a stout, solid-looking fellow, with a face as grave as an old headstone in an ancient churchyard, and seemed expressly made by nature for being snubbed and played upon. The counsel in question stands alone in his elory as an adept in the use of colonial Billingsgate, and enjoys a wide-spread notoriety for his singular ability in badgering and browbeating witnesses, and all who arc opposed to him. As soon as the witness entered the box, the learned counsel eyed him with a quick, sa&vp glance, which plainly j said, "All right my man, VYI polish you off i directly;" and, drawing his hand across his j legal forehead with a majestic sweep, he , smiled a significant smile, clearly intimating to the assembled court that they might expect soniß rare fun presently. He then opened fire. Counsel: "V/hat are you?" Witness: "A quartz feeder." Counsel:

"What! are you really so very fond of quartz?' 1 Witness: "No, I prefer pints when I can get them." (Laughter.) Counsel: " Pints, indeed !do you mca-i pints of colonial, or points of law." Witness: "Colonial, of course ; a pint of colonial is more to the point, and contains more spirit than all the law and 'lawyers in Victoria." (Great laughter.) Counsel: " Come, now, you seem a very smart fellow ; what does the battery do with the quartz?" Witness: "The very same that a lawyer does with his clients." Counsel: " And what may that be !" Witness : " Why, it extracts every particle of gold out of them." Counsel : " You can go down." Which th^ witness did, amid roars of laughter. We learn from a Hokitika contemporary that severe iloods have occurred in the Okarito district. At Wanganui Rise aMr Bell has been a very heavy sufferer, his house, boat, and crops, together with about 200 ft of his ground, having been washed away, Mr Baker, of Waitaka, had his horse drowned. The Waitaki and Wateroa, formerly one river, have now two distinct outlets, 300 yards apart. Mr Harris, the Okarito mailman, in endeavoring to cross on his way to Hokitika, was washed off his horse, and had a narrow escape from drowning. The punt on the Okarito River was also washed away, and large numbers oj cattle, and sheep were drowned. Altogether, this is the most disastrous flood that has occurred in this district for some time. It is reported in Auckland that the city police, who arc at present amalgamated with the Armed Constabulary, will shortly be again placed under the control of the Proviucial Government. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, 'the following civil cases were dealt with : — Gilmour v. Murphy — No service of summons ; enlarged for a week. Baruhill v. Parkhurst — Judgment confessed for Ll2 J&3 sd, and costs. Barnhill v. O'Donnell— Judgment confessed for L 2 Cs 2d, and costs. Browne v. Montgomery — Judgment by default for L 5 and costs. Hurst v. E. O'Connor, Westport— Summons not returned ; enlarged for a week. T. Bailey v. D. Faulkner— Lll os Gd ; adjourned for a week, in consequence of the absence of witnesses. North v. Worinald- Judgment by default for L 5 13s, and costs . Noy v. Tapscott -Judgment by default for L 37s and costs. M'Farlane v. Dawson— a fraud summons for LG 16s 3d. Defendant was ordered to pay 30s per month, or one month's imprisonment. W. J. Coates v. D. Murphy, Greenstone— Judgment confessed for L 62 11s 2d, and cost?. Franklyn, Easy, and M'Goghy v. Hill-A claim of L7O 18s 9a for partially clearing 24 acres 2 roods 35 perches of bush land up the river. Thft plaintiffs were nonsuited, with 45s costs. Trustees in the estate of W. Moufcray v. P. Campbell — Judgment confessed for L 96 19a lid, and costs. The Wellington correspondent of the Omnaru limes says— Mr Charles Lemon, General Manager of the Telegraph Department has, it is undei stood, applied for a Court of Enciuiry to investigate the charges of acting in opposition to the regulations cf his department. The nomination of candidates to fill the vacancy in the County Council, caused by the retirement of Mr W. S. Reid, takes place, at Hokitika on Friday next. No names are /is yet mentioned of the candidates. With regard to mining matters in the Tuapeka district, the Bruce Herald's Lawrence correspondent writes:— "The great cry is still for water, and as the diggers formerly wished it, they now earnestly pray for it. The want of it is creating a great stagnation in some districts. I may state, however, that the Molyneux is very low, and in consequence many thousands will flock to its banks, and no doubt many will fall on gold. From present appearances it is generally supposed that tliis year will mark an era in its lowness. Let us hope that it may be so. A l-7th share in the Otago Gold Mining Compaq was disposed the other day for the sum of LSOO, supposed generally to be a fair price. However, the water complication on the Spur is acting very infuriously on the value of shares in i.li the claims, and as law has always been resorted to, a goodly share of their gains hag gone into the pockets of those for whom, if they were wise, it never would." We learn from an Otago paper that a series of sad occurrences has taken place in the family of Mr A. M'Nab, of Knapdale, Southland, four of his children having died of violent dyseutry from the 21st to the 25th April, iuclusive, while the remaining two are dangerously ill with the same malady. A coroner's inquest elicited the fact that the disease had probably been caused by the children drinking of the water from a rivulet near the house, the well having become dry. This rivulet is. fed by several springs, one of which has a, peculiar alkaline tast.e. Some of the water has been sent, to Dr Hector, in hermetically sealed bottles, for analysis. The ages of the children who died ranged from five years and a hnlf to a few months. The funeral was largely attended. A northern contemporary has the following about a matter that concerns Duuedin. We do not vouch for the correctness of the information given, though it seems not at all unlikely :— lt must evidently be a popular i delusion that the New Zealand Government arc short of money —in fact, that remarkable body of men must have so large a quantity on hand that they are puzzled what to do with it. Current rumor in Dunedin has it that Fern Hill, the residence of the late Mr John Jones, and now the property of Mr Biss, is about to be purchased as a gubernatorial residence, Sir George Bowen having expressed a strong desire that such might be done. This would, of course, have thedoulle effect of pleasing the Governor and the people of Otago, besides putting a large sum of cash in the bauds of a gentleman whom a cerfain member of the MjuHry ha? always displayed a particular readiness to obligp. The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times intimates the ]M*obability of the General Assembly not meeting until July or August. He sayo :— The general impression which prevailed until lately was that Parliament would be called together early in June, in order to grant supplies before the expiration of the appropriations. It is now, however, rumored that the Government has discovered some loophole to gnable it to carry on for a short time longer, and that it is possible the House may not be called together before the end of July or beginning of August. If the Bank will let them, the Government will put off assembling the House as long as possible, certainly until Mr Vogel's return, if return he does, a thing which come people think improbable. The decision of the Bank will probably be a good deal influenced by the tenor of the information received by the next mail, and until that comes, it is not likely that any positive decision will be come to as to the date for the meeting of the Assembly. Ten years ago, says the Australasian, Mr Jacob L. Montefiore, of Sydney, brought before the notice of the public a proposition to impose a license-to-trade tax ; and this meaus of raising a revenue is once more undergoing discussion, in. the neighboring Colony. Mr Montetiore shows that ifc prevails in almost every country iv Europe, as also in the United States, anl he argues that it is both just and equitable. There are many reasons to be urged on behalf of its adoption in these Colonies ; one of the strongest being that the distributing class is in an exceptionally favorable position in all

new countries, and especially in our own, and contributes bat little to the general revenue. It is a subject of well-founded complaint, both with local producers and Engli % h consignors, that they obtain an altogether inadequate price— regard beinghad to the retail selling price — for their products. Consumers complain with equal tritth that ;hey pay exorbitant prices for articles which are disposed of wholesale at vcy low rates. It is the intermediate man who shears both producer and consumer. Him, Mr Montefiore proposes to tax in Australia as in Europe and America, and we believe the public generally will be disposed to say "Amen." A correspondent of the llawktfs Bay Herald, writing on the Thames Gold Fields, says:— "ls it not too bad that Mr Yogel, whilst using his magnificent talents for the benefit of the colony, should lose his shares in the Caledonian because some friend could not be found to pay up for him a few paltry pounds due on calls ? Those who are sceptical of A. E. Bird's ability to run twenty miles in two hours — and the number Is by no means small — (says the Lyttelton Tivoes), will be somewhat taken aback to learn that he has made a match to perform even a more difficult task. He has, ' in short, accepted a bet of L2OO to LSO that he does run thirty miles in three consecutive hours. The conditions stipulate that the race shall be run on or before the sth of August, twelve hours' notice of the day to be given by Bird, and that it is to be run within twenty miles of Christchurch. The provision "on or before" is made with the view if Bird feels that he is iv the requisite form on the evening previous to running his twenty-mile match, he may declare to run the two races off at the same time, thus the distance to be run in the first match would also form a portion of the thirty-mile match . But, on the other hand, shon'd he not be in sufficient condition ft.r the longer race, he will have six weeks in which to specially prepare himself for it. Five per cent, of the money was staked by each party to the nntch on Saturday night, forty-five per cent, more is to be paid on the 10th of June, and ti-.e balance on the balance on the 23rd of the same month. We need scarcely say that the feeling is strongly in favor of time, although it must be said that Bird is very confident. News of a battle-royal between two journalists may at any time reach us from Wellington. Referring to the late Superintendence election there, the Haxvke's Bay Herald's correspondent writes :—" People generally imagined, at the beginning of this week, that the number of candidates would be still further reduced to two, owing to the sudden and mysterious disappearance of Mr Henry Anderson. Some letters appeared in the papers enquiring what could have become of him, and they had the effect of making him turn up with a vengeance. He seemed to imagine that the writer of the letter was his alleged enemy — Mr M'Kenzie (the proprietor of the Independent)— anA informed him , through the post, that, as soon as the elections were over, he would give him a sound horse- whipping. Mr M'Kenzie is said, on hearing the news, to have gone to I the nearest shop and invested iv a walking- . stick about a couple of inches in diameter. r The public are now waiting in eagei expectaj tion to see a regular set-to between the two j journalists. It will very possible be no idle threat on the part of Mr Anderson. People have not yet forgotten the castigat : on he 3 administered when ou the Independent, to " his contemporary the Advertiser, who was audacious enough to allude, in uncoinpli- '' mentary terms "to his 'nationality.' It is r generally believed, and generally hoped, that he will get such a lesson from Mr M'Kenzie < and the stick, as will cause him to confine > himself to paper warfare during the remain- [ der of his life." The Canterbury Press reports that a 3 lamentable accideut occurred on Wednesday, . the 3rd instant, at Mr Innes's Mount Brown [ station, leyond Leithfield, to a man named Ralph Wiliiams. He was last seen alive on r the day named, having about Ba. m. gone to ' look for the cows. Being missed at dinnertime, a search was made for him, when his [ body was found quite dead, lying face down- ', wards, in a gully 4 0 yards from the cowshed ; it was sfcark naked, the neckband of \ fche collar, socks, and shoes alone remaining. His clothing was found, tom to pieces, in other parts of the paddock. On the back of 1 the body were bruise marks and slight 1 abrasions of the flesh. On the arrival of 1 Sergeant O'Grady from Leithfield, about 4 "■ p-m., the body was removed, when a serious 1 wound was discovered in the groin. It is 1 believed that a two-year-old bull, which was looked upon as rather dangerous, had been > ! the cause of his death. At the inquest, Dr ! , Trevor, who had made a 2>ost mortem exami- ' j nation of the body, referred to the fact that . | it was fearfully bruised, scarcely a rib re- : maining whole. A wound, such as would be ! made by a bull's hqrn, penetrated the left j breast through the ribs, the lung, and to the ■ ! covering of the heart, which in his opinion, was sufficient to causo death instantly. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was killed by the bull, adding that no blame ; attached to Mr Innes or any one. 1 In this year there will be fifty-three Sun- ' days, but onty fifty-two weeks. Nowhere !■ during the year does Sunday come oftener than once in seven days. The first week of 1 the year begins with Sunday, and so do all ! the other weeks. This may appear mysterious at first, but by consulting the calendars 1 for 1871 and 1572 it will be seen that the last week of 1871 begins with Sunday, and has a Sunday following it. As two Sundays cannot come together, the year 1872 begins with Monday, and, it being Leap ' Year, Sundays wiil occur once in seven 1 days thereafter. The arrangement will 1 place Sundays at the end of the week ! instead of the beginning, and is a complete theological triumph for the Seventh '■ Day Baptists. This complication of the calendar is supposed to have been planned by the Jews, who, on account of their supe- , rior education, were entrusted with its revision. This explanation is not to be binding upon anybody, nor to conflict with any per: son's constitutional privilege of universal '. toleration.