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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 870, 11 May 1871, Page 2

The s.s Murray, with Westland's portion of the English mail via San Francisco, left Nelson ou Tuseday evening, B and may be therefore expected here to-morrow morning.

Several cases from the Nelson SouthW est Goldfields are on for hearing at the present sittings of the Supreme Court, at Hokitika. And yet Nelson does not contribute a farthing towards the cost and maintenance of the Supreme Court buildings and the officials of the Court.

We have ascertained that the nam who fell off Langdon's Punt on Monday, and was drowned, was William Duckworth. As yet nothing has been seen of his body.

The tender of Mr Charles Seabrook has been accepted for tlie erection of the Court House at the Ahaura, for the sum of L4C6.

A meeting of the Committee of the Grey Valley Hospital was held at Pinkerton's Hotel, Ahaura on the evening of Tuesday, 9tli hist. The Hon. Secretary reported progress with reference to the approaching musical entertainment and ball for the benefit of the restitution. Tickets had been distribute! throughout the mining districts, and a considerable number bad been sold already. It having come to the knowledge of the Committee that certain objectionable females resident in the Napoleon and Half-Ounce districts had expressed an intention of being present at the ball, it was unanimously decided that the managing comraittpe would reserve to themselves the right of refusing admission at I the doors to any person they chose. The Secretary was requested to make arrangements about getting the best music procurable for the ball,

£ml a ipte of thanks was parsed to Mr Pinkcrton for the oiler of the use of his pianoforte. The Hon. Sec. was also reel vested to call for tenders for making the approaches to the building. It was announced that liberal contributions of poultry, hams, liquors, -&C, to be used at the supper, had been promised by the farmers and business people, and ib was decided that a list of these contributions should be published. Mr White placed his large stock of glass and crockery ware at the disposal of the Committee for the occasion, and a vote of thanks was passed to him. A ccneral guarantee was also given that any articles lenb the Committee would be returned, or iF injured or destroyed, compensation wi'l be made. After disposing of ooher routine business, the Committee adjourned to Saturday, 13th inst.

The West Coast Times— said to be edited just now by Mr Hoos— thus modestly desennts on the virtues and attributes of that gentleman. Commenting on the forthcoming election of a member of the County Council to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr Reid, the Times says :— Up to the present (time there is but one candidate mentioned, and that is the late County Chairman, Mr Hoos. There is no doubt but that strong opposition will be offered to a man who has, in his administration of County affairs, proved himself to be intellectually superior to anyone who Ins preceded or succeeded him in office ; but the fact remains, that Mr Hoos has done "ar more to advance the real interests of Westland than all his detractors are likely to do in a century. Mr Hoos will probably meet with strong oppositiou from his o'd opponents, who will, as usual, be very anxious to prevent the County from receiving the benefit of his services. The election will take place on the 19th of the present month. "

Messrs Cobb and Co., true to the instincts of that faculty of übiquity with which that enterprising firm are gifted, have made their cippearance in the Upper' Grey district. Mr E. .Dusbridge, late of Ash ton's establishment at Greymouth, has commenced running a two horse conveyance between Totara Flat and the Ahaura, at a fare of 5s each way, and he intends, should sufficient inducement offer, to extend the Hue to the Little Grey Junction, and to Duffers and Half-Ounce Creeks. Th ; .s conveyance will be a great convenience to the residents in the Upper Grey district during the ensuing winter months, and we wish Mr Bnsbridge success in his undertaking.

The official returns for the March quarter show that there was a large falling off in the export of gold at all the ports of the Colony, with the exception of Auckland. That field, both in quantity and value, shows a superiority to any other part of New Zealand. In 1870 the quantity exported thence was but 30,0000z5, whereas in the same quarter of this year the export amounted to 84,0000z5. But for this one instance of increase, the total exports of New Zealau/1 would have exhibited a rather disheartening decrease, but. a-i it is, the Colony as a whole is credited with 180,100ozs this year, as against 157,32b"ozsinthe year previous.

From Brighton, we learn that Beswig and party are still busily engaged siukmg the shaft between Dublin Terrace and Brighton, seeking for the lost lead, and are very sanguine of success.

We are glad to hear tbat the Tucker Flat rus'i is progressing favorably, another claim bottoming on gold on Saturday lash, in shallow sinking of twelve feet. There is, as we have previously stated, a chance of considerable litigation in convection with the new discoveries, as two companies claim a portion of the ground now being opened up.

An 'exciting chase took place this week between an abscovder and the assistantbailiff at the Arnold, in which the representative of the law Avas successful. The levanter left Maori Gully suddenly, quite ignoring his numerous creditors, but they put the matter in the hands of the bailiff, Mr Oastle, who started in hot pursuit through gullies, ami over ranges— through German Gully, Maori Crock, aud over into the Ei'Jht-mile district, lwhere he was successful in pouncing upon his man a few miles from the Eight-mile, aid brought him to town. Seeing that he was fairly beaten he disgorged his plunder, over LIOO, which, beiug sufficient to satisfy his creditors, he was allowed to go.

The census returns just published give the entire population of the Province of Nelson at 22,396, which shows a fa 1 ling off of 1418 in the year 18G7, the decrease being' confined exclusively to the south-western part of the Province, the settled parts of the Province showing an increase of nearly GOO, as follows : — Motueka, 1481 males, 12(51 females ; Collingwood, 810 males, 522 females ; Cheviot, 335 males, and 103 females ; total of settled districts, 13,861. Electoral district of the Buller, 3206 males, 1193 females. Electoral district of Grey, 5221 males, 555 females. Total, 8535. Among other things brought to light by this year's census is the fact that there is only one widow in the city of Nelson, which would have been a perfect paradise to Mr Weller, sen., in this respect. There are also more married women in the town than married men, the explanation being that many miners leave their wives iv town whilst absent on the goldfields.

A new branch of the Hibernian Society was opened at Bcighton a few days ago by the officers of the Charleston branch. The event was celebrated by a banquet and ball.

The recent floods seem to have prevailed with great severity all along the coast. At Westport, ab the end of Freeman-street, and on each side of it extending to the slaughteryards on the spit aud northwards along the beat;h, a stiip of ground in many places a hundred feet in depth, has been swept away, threatening the flagstaff. The signal-shed had to be removed. The bonds belonging to Messrs Builio aud Humphrey, Powell and Co., aud Mr John Corr wore condemned by the Collector of Customs as dangerous, and the contents were removed to a buildiug formerly used by Mr D. Leslie as a bond, and to the. Government receiving sher". The residents in the streets exposed to the tide were swamped out of their houses, aud portions of the town which had hitherto escaped were threatened with speedy extinction. A number of dwellings near St. John's Church were also flooded, the occupants escaping by means of drays. Dr Thorpe's resilience Avas surrounded with water, a boat plying between the house aud terra Jirma. Of the Old Cemetery wot a vestige remains, and on its bite the sea has formed a tolerably distinct channel towards the river, but without breaking a clear passage through. In north Gladstone-street nearly all the houses were flooded, and high water mark may now be defined at about thirty feet distaut from the fences at the rear of the buildings in that quarter of the town.

We see by the Adelaide papers that the mayor of taat city has brought a rather curious subject under public notice. This is the alleged fact, Ihat some families had been poisoned by eating mutton which had been tendered unfit for human food by the sheep haxlng fed on a poisonous herb. At the last meeting of the corporation the mayor brought up a report on the matter, from which the following 19 an extract : — " I have the honw to report, : c or the information of the City Council, that on the Bth instant I received reliable information that several far. "lies

were suffering from symptoms of poison, by eating meat sold in the city by the butchers as wholesome. I immediately made inquiry, and find as the result that a number of sheep have, in travelling, been fed upon the plants known as the native cucumber, or 'coleyntb,' the native melon, and also the ' lotus Australia,' which plants are now growing most luxuriantly in all parts of the colony. In the coarse of this inquiry I find one whole family, consisting of nine individuals, varying in age from seventy years to an infant, completely prostrated, the symptoms being violent sickness, purging, and paius in the limbs. I have also reliable evidence to show that other families have suffered in the saint way, and are now suffering from the same cause. "

The Vlowing Permissive Bill adveitisemer.t appears in the New Zealand Herald :— " Inhabitants of Onehunga ! J. I. wishes to add one more to the seven already estabe lished legalised temptation shops to druuk • ermess. Be up and prevent the packing of the Bench."

With regard to mining matters in the Tuapeka district, Otapo, the Bruce Heralds Laurence correspondent writes:— "The great cry is still for water, and as the diggers formerly wished it, they now earnest!}' 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 this year will mark an era in its lowuess. A one-seventh sbaro in the Otago Gold Miuing Company was disposed of 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 injuriously on the value of shares in all the claims, and as law has always been resorted to, a goodly share of their gains has gone into the pockets of those for whom, if they were wise, it never would."

In a recent issue we mentioned the effect produced on flax by the accidental agency of sea spray. Mr Williamson, of Wanganui, by wliom the fact was observed, communicated it to the Flax Commissioners, and has received the following letter in reply :-• - "Dear Sir— l laid your letter of March 23 before Dr Hector. He said a similar effect ou the phormium tenax could be produced by application of heat, as scorching before a fire ; that possibly in the case of the salt spray, it was due to the partial stoppage of growth which other plants in the neighborhood most likely showed in a scorched appearance. I think there ought to be some experiment made to ascertain if salt spray has any or what effect. — Yours, &c, John Kebbelu"

Arrangements have been completed (understands the S. If. Advertiser) for starting another paper at Levuka. The plant has been purchased and the staff engaged, and the first vessel for the Fiji will convey the whole to the islands. It is said that Mr D. Murray, of Levuka, now on a visit to Sydney, has accepted the editor's chair. The paper will be published as a bi-weekly.

We are gl,id to hear most encouraging reports from the Kanieri district. The Albion Company has taken on some twenty hands, and the prospects of the Shenandoah have so largely improved that they either have or are about to engage nearly aii equal number. Things in this locality are decidedly locking up, and should anything like Government promises be carried out it will be one of the most flourishing in the Colony.

Thhe following hints to Volunteers are from the scientific gossip in the Melbourne Leader: — With respect to shooting matches, there are some scientific niceties which should bD observed in securing accuracy of aim, which 1 do not remember to have seen alluded to. The position of the moon must have some effect on the course of a ball. The the same power which lifts the tides will affect curve described by the ball shot from a rifle, rapid and transitory though its flight may be. The density of the air is measured by the barometer, aud hygrometers are also worthy of attention. This density must affect the range. The ball will go further before reaching the earth when the glass is low" than it will when the glass is high. There is yet another nice consideration which should not be overlooked. In shootiiis; east or svest there is little tendency to deviation ,- in shooting from north to south in this hemisphere, the ball has a tendency to fall to the east of the target, and in shooting from south to north the tendency is tothe west. Ghort as the distance may be, 'the convexity of the earth has an appreciable value, and it is obvious that if the target is in the south, aud the marksman in the north, the marksman partaking of the earth's motion on it« axis from west to east, at a point whore the circumference of the earth is greater than it is where the target is situated, the ball will start with an initial momentum to the eastward greater than the motion of the target in the same direction, the ball will hit (or miss) to the eastward of the point at which it was aimed. I must confess that I am nob well posted up in the literature of volunteering, and these points may have been discussed before, but as I Lave nob meb with any volunteer who was cognisant of them, I presume that they will be news to the majority. Ido not suppose that in the rough a*id tumble work of actual warfare the soldier will concern himself much about the moon, the barometer, or the points of the compass ; bub the marksman who would seek "o attain excellence cannot afford to overlook the slightest consideration that may affect his aim.

At a meeting of the Westland Waste Lands Board, held at Hokitika on Tuesday, two applications for rural land in the Grey district for 110 acres were made. The Board ordered the matter to stand over. On the motion of Mr Lahman, the block was withdrawn from sale, with a view of its again being submitted in three months in accordance with the Act for dispos; 1 as suburban land.

Daniel Crosbie, a man supposed to be connected with a late robbery in tb.3 Rangitikei district, was arrested at Wanganui on the 28th, on the charge of h avinof stolen a gold chain, and a cheque for Lll 10s at Palmerston some short time ago. He was remanded to Tlangitfkei.

In Messrs Batti and Biehards's window at Wellington, there is now being exhibited one of the 'etters sent by carrier pigeon from Paris to London. In size it is seven-eighths of an inch, and contains six columns of V 'National giving an account of the victory of the French at Orleans. The name of the paper is plainly visible to the naked eye, but the news contained in the columns can only be read by the aid of a very powerful microscope. A common magnifying glass just shows that there are letters in the columns, but does not bring them out so as to be readable. It is a very neat and pretty specimen of what cau be accomplished by photographic art, and is another insfcauce o? the truth of the proverb of necessity beiug the mother of invention.

It appears that the deputation which recently waited upon the Hon. Mr Sewel! at Hokitika did not invite the presence aud co-operation of either Mr Hoos or Mr Barff. This act of cleverness has elicited a letter from a correspondent of the Went Coast Times, from which we extract the following: — "1 would firstly draw your attention to the fact that Westland owes the honor of Mr Sewell's visit entirely to the representations made by Mr Hoos to

Dr Knight, and the favorable impression that gciitleman formed of the County, after his tour of inspection made in conjunction with our late County Cliairmao, and perfected at an inconsiderable expense to our local treasury. It also cannot surely have escaped the memory of those calling themselves "leading citizens," that Mr Earff has been for five years a mining representative, and is personally acquainted with the members of the present Ministry, by wiiom he must be considered as thoroughly au fait in Westland matters. In a community like this, where such a lieterogcnous|n?ass go to make a whole, mauy of them of unknown capability, or at least doubtful acquirement,, are apt to briDg representative institutions into contempt, through lack of nob studying questions from more than one point of view, or from an oyerwheening self-conceit as to their relative value as component units, and I would ask if the Wellington authorities will not deem it passing strange that these two gentlemen were not present on an occasion of vital importance to us, and will not deem it somewhat significant that one more particularly with whom Dr Kniglia sought information, and from whose practical conceptions the Doctor gained most of his ideas, was slighted so disgracefully.