Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 894, 8 June 1871, Page 2

The Greymouth portion of the inwards English Mail, via California, will arrive this morning by the Kennedy, and in all probability the same steamer will afford the opportunity, on its return trip, of forwarding a supplementary mail to England, via Nelson. The mail will, in the ordinary course, close to-day for transmission by the Claud Hamilton. The Hospital meeting last night lapsed for want of a quorum, and was adjourned until Friday evening. We are informed that the Committee have received no subsidy from the Westland Government for *lx months. 1 . They have written, telegraphed, and used every form of remonstrance without avail, and it becomes a serious question how the institution is to be carried on. Our local capitalists are quietly allowing their more spirited neighbors at Hokitika to usurp the most profitable fields for investment in this district. A large water-race will shortly be commenced in the Lake Brunner district which will command the whole of tin available water for working the high tefi-nces in the neighborhood of Lake Brunner ni'ul the No Town diggings. The water will l><» derived from tributaries of Lake lirtutiitr and lake Ahaura. The race will he titkd) ia the first instance to Bell Hill, where there is a large extent of splendid sluicing ground, with a depth of washdirt more or less payable of from 50ft to 300 ft on a face. The extension will be to the high terraces near No Town and Nelson Creek. The projectors have applied for eighty heads of water, but the race will be constructed -with a capacity of fifty

heads. The estimated cost is about L4OOO to Bell Hill, and LIO,OOO to No Town. The work is being undertaken under the auspices of Hokitika capitalists, and we heartily wish them success. The surveyor will finish his work in about a fortnight, when tenders for the construction of the race will be at once called for. The company intend to adopt the principle of carrying the water across' the gullies by means of iron pipes. Mr Peter Duncan addressed -the -'electors at Paroa on Tuesday evening. Mr Ress was in the chair. Mr Dungan explained ills views and opinions regarding the wants of the district. His speech was similar to that he delivered at the Greenstone, and was listened with attention and satisfaction by the meeting. After the candidate had concluded, the following questions were put to him : — Mr W. Wright : Will you vote for a bridge over the Saltwater and New River, connected by a road along the lagoon? Mr Dungan : I would support any measure likely to conduce to the benefit of the district. Mr W- Wright : If returned, would you bring forward a motion to that effect ? Mr Dungan : Any question conducive to the interests of the miuing community will at all times have my warmest support; but in this case I would not take upon myself^to bring forward the motion whj|Mßtejjequire. Mr Wright : Then if j^^^^^^Hkd and wont bring it forward will be got to do it. Mr to this question of roaM^^^^^^W. will not make any promise. j^|^^Hbnnor's bridge is thrown open to the^BJp I would in all justice recommend that he receive reasonable compensation. Mr Wright : What would you do about a bridge over the New River ? Mr Dungan : As I said before I cannot at preseut give you any direct answer upon this question. The Chairman : Are there any other gentlemen who wish to ask Mr Dungan any questions ? If not I will call for a show of hands. Mr Butler ; I consider Mr Dungan a very able and proper man to represent us in the County Council, and beg to propose him as our representative. Mr M. Dowling had great pleasure in seconding the motion. A show of hands was then called by the Chairman ; the meeting was unauimous in favor of Mr Dungan. Mr M, Dowling begged to move a thanks to the Chairman for the able nnd impartial manner in which he had conducted the business of the evening. Seconded by Mr Dungan, and carried. The Chairman thanked the meeting for the orderly manner in which everything had passed off, and for the reception they had given Mr Duugan. He was also obliged for the honor they had conferred in electing him to the chair. Mr Dungan addressed the meeting, and in a few words thanked them for the confidence they had placed in him. That it would be his earnest endeavor at all times and in whatever situation he might be placed to uphold the mining interest as paramount, and. in the same spirit he had ever done. The meeting then dispersed. Mr Leach addressed a large meeting at Greenstone on Monday evening, and was well received. He expressed himself in favor of a dray road to connect the Greenstone part of the Paroa district with the ream ('hristchurch road by way of Lake firunner, after which, to form branch tracks to the various mining centres, whereby the miners Avould get an easy access from one place to another. He thought, through opening tip land, as mentioned, on the banks of the Brunner, would not only be eagerly accepted for payment of road-making, but would find ready purchasers by agricultural settlers. He then alluded to the Government water supply policy, education, and other matters, and received a resolution in his favor. On Tuesday evening, the same candidate held a meeting at Marsden, and received a similar vote of Lonfidei.ce. We are informed that the contest for the Paroa district is likely to be a close one, each candidate mustering a strong body of supporters. On Tuesday eveuing a miner named William Holloway, from the Rutherglen district, arrived at the police station, Greymouth, apparently in a great state of excitement. He stated to the Sergeant in charge that there were hundreds of men threatening to kill him -with their picks, and that he had only escaped by running as hard as he could from his claim, near Rutherglen, to the station. He was very violent, and as the Sergeant believed him to be insane, he was locked up for the night. Yesaerday morning he was brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court, before E. Wickes and R. Reid, Esqs., J.P., on a charge ot lunacy, when Sergeant Moller stated that he had known the defendant for two years, as a miner, working by himself in a very wild portion of the Rutherglen district. He was very eccentric, and was constantly complaining of people persecuting him. He was known in the district by the name of " Cranky Bill" The defendant was remanded until Saturday for care and medical treatment. An amusing case came before the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, in which it plainly appeared that the prisoner and one of the witnesses ought to have changed places. James Collins was charged with stealing a quantity of beef, of the value of LI, from the hamess'cask of the schooner Mavy Van Every. It appeared that Collins was engaged on the previous day as cook. Sawyer was the principal witness against Collins. He stated that he went on board the schooner only that morning, while Collins was lighting the stove. Collins then gave him three pieces of beef, wrapped in. an old bag, which he took ashore, and gave to a boatman, who had since gone up-river. He could not tell the boatman's name. On being questioned by the Bench, he said that he asked for the beef and Collins gave it him. The prisoner Baicl he knew nothing whatever about the beef, as he had never opened the harness-cask since he went on board. He saw the witness on board early that morning, and he must have taken the beef away while he (prisoner) was busy in the galley. The Bench dismissed the ' charge, stating that greater suspicion attached to the witnes than to the prisoner. The Hawke's Bay Provincial Council has authorised the Government to offer the following bonuses for the encouragement of new industries in that Province : — A sum not exceeding LSOO to any firm which may cure and export from Hawke's Bay the first 100 tons of meat preserved by the tinning process, and LSOO to any firm which may first produce 100 tons of marketable sugar, and 3000 gallons of proof spirit manufactured from beet-root grown in the Province of Hawke's Bay. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Hokitika, last Friday, before G. G. FitzGerald, Esq., Peter De Loree was brought up iv charge, on remand, for the robbery of jewelry at Ross. The evidence given on the day of remand by Sergeant-Major O'Donnell was read over by his Worship, -who stated that, with reference to that information, there was no evidence against the prisoner, and directed his discharge. The police then Applied thut his Worship would make out an order respecting the gold found on the prisoner, but he stated he could not. There was no case against him on the evidence. He was accordingly released. A meeting of the Waste Lands Board was held at Hokitika on Tuesday. From the report of the proceedings published by the West Coast Times we select the following I items relating to this district :— Mr Hoos moved, and Mr Lahman seconded — "That the previous resolution with respect to block No. 1, Greymouth district, withdrawing it from sale, be rescinded." Mr FitzGerald

said that if the withdrawal of the land in question was incomplete, the present motion would stand good. Mr Hoos said he vraa under the impression the resolution at the ' previous meeting could be withdrawn. Mr Hoos's motion was carried. — Mr Driscoll, Clerk to the Board, produced letters for consideration, which were read by the Chairman; The first was one from the Warden at Greymouth, W. H. Revell, Esq., protesting against in agricultural lea% being granted in the neighborhood of the Stony Lead, as the grouniMa known to be auriferous. A second letter was read from Mr Warden Revell, enclosing letters in support of the argument. The Chief Surveyor said that five applications for agricultural purposes in that block were sent in. Mr Warden Revell wrote a second letter, recommending that a block of fifty acres be exposed for sale with the sanction of the miners, but not to be within twenty chains of high water mark. The miners had no objection to the land being sold if twenty chains in width was kept for the purpose of water-races. The applications were recommended to be granted.— A letter was read from C. S. Heron requestinc the Board to acknowledge Hamilton Russell and Co. as the occupants of section No. 1258, block No. 52, Greymouth district. The Board could not entertain the application, Mr FitzGerald stating that the license which had been issued to occupy was sufficient—Lot No. 1318. Mr Roscow appeared of Mr Joseph Kilgour, for 20 acres in block No. 1 at Greymouth. The Surveyor said that the ground in question was not likely to be required for station purposes, but on the suggestion of Mr Hoos, it was decided to keep a road two chains wide and about an acre for station purposes. The block was not so large as represented— it would not give Mr Kilgour more than five or six acres. The application was granted, L2O paid, and license issued.— Mr Allen made application, on behalf of Mr H. Kenrick, for ninety acres of land, lot 1315, in the Grey district, near the railway reserve, in block 1. L9O was paid, and license to occupy granted. — Lot No. 1316. The application of Edward S, Lapham for 20 acres, block 1, Grey district, was granted, L2O paid, and license to occupy issued, subject to alterations as amended by the Chief Surveyor. The Westland Independent of Saturday last calls the attention of the public to the circulation of base coin, in the following words :— We would warn the trading public of this town that a quantity of base coin, chiefly counterfeit shillings and half-crowns, has been lately put in circulation. The imitation is excellent, so good indeed, that some of tbe-inost cute folks in Revell street have already been taken in, and the workmanship shows that the " shufol" is not of New Zealand manufacture. For the information of others, till recently ignorant of the term in question, we may say that "shufol" means, in slang, base coin. At present there is no clue to trace the utterers; all that is known is, that they are here, and tbat a fiood of excellently executed representatives of value are about. It is supposed that the coin in question has been manufactured either in London or Melbourne. This warning should, however, put tradesmen on their guard. The JJawke's Bay Herald says that in part of the North Island where the public works are in process of construction, the natives are employed on them. On the road between Napier and Taupo a large number are employed, and are working excellently. Another considerable number are employed on the road- between New Plymouth and Patea, and others, again, on that between Tauranga and Rotorua. The advantages of the system of employing them on roads are manifold ; in tbe first place it opens the country up ; in the second place, it accustoms the natives to work, and accustoms them also to the possession of a little money and the consequent acquirement of a few luxuries. In the future they will not be readily contented without these luxuries, and as they will have to work to get the means of purchasing them, the present system, it is hoped, with reason, will have the effect of breaking them in gradually to habits of industry. 4,840.000 acres of the Province of Wellington, out of a total area of 7,200,000 acres, are still in native hands. The population of Auckland is estimated as exceeding 62,000. The Post Office and Telegraph departmeut opens up a field for the employment of females as clerks and operators. Their services have already been made available bo some extent by the Government of v ictoria, there being seven females on the Civil service list. Whenever a suitable opportunity presents itself, the Government intend to add to the number. The Wellington Independent, which ia understood to be the organ oi the Government^ makes the following remarks upon the question of greater attention to the administration of the Gold Fields of the Colony : — " Had the Auckland Provincial Government displayed a little more confidence in the reports of experienced miners, and a little more faith in their splendid resources, they might, by a large and connected scheme of working these mines of wealth, have saved all the outcry about the unemployed in Auckland, and an immense outlay to capitalists in unsystematic workings and unnecessary expenses of management. The immense revenue accruing to the Province from the gold export duty seems, from our Auckland files, to be expended, not in developing the gold fields, but on objects fioin "which they can receive no benefit. Much dissatisfaction among the mining community consequently prevails, which has at last pulininated in a petition now being numerously signed, asking the Governor to withdraw from the Superintendent the delegated powers. On the West Coast of the Middle Island much discontentment also prevails. The County of Westland is likely to be partly annexed to Nelson, and partly to Otago. The immense riches lying there all undeveloped prove that where (as in all the alluvial gold diggings of New Zealand) gold-mining is as certain an industry as husbandry, it can be most advantageously carried on on some uniform plan, and on a scale beyond the means of private citizens. It may therefore be a question how far the present lamez-fairc system of governing these gold fields should any longer obtain. Were the Government to keep large auriferous tracts in their own hands, there would not only be a source of employment to many thousands ; but, with proper supervision, they might become a large source of revenue. California would never have attained its present greatness had the Government there not constructed large water-races — far beyond the means of private capitalists, and derived several millions of revenue from the sale of the water. We do not advocate the Government becoming gold diggers or gold speculators, but we think that both in Auckland and on the West Coast they might greatly .assist in the. development of our auriferons resources, and at one 'and the same time aid capitalists and laborers. Taking all these considerations into account, we have/ come to the conclusion that special commissioners should be appointed to examine and report upon our auriferous resources, and to suggest such action on the part of the Government as will best lead to their fuller development, and so advance the general prosperity of the colony. Such a report would most certainly have the effect of inducing more capital to be invetsed. Mr Donald Reid, now; the head of the Provincial Executive of Otago; made the following remarks upon the wholesale rail-

way scheme of the General Government, at a recent public dinner : — I wish it to be understood that I do not think the beat means of communication at the present time would, in every instance, be afforded by the construction of railways. Railways are, no doubt, a very desirable class of works in those districts within which there is a remote probability that they will become of a reproductive character. When such is not the case it would be much wiser to attempt to develope the industry, of the country with the means at our command,' and leave it to the time when such districts will be better populated to construct a more perfect means of communication. I have been termed a non-progressive man, in fact, a drag. I can assure you that it is much pleasanter at all times to be seated on the box with an excellent team, with gold lace, and driving at a rapid raise ; but it is also necessary sometimes that one should act as a draw on the wheel. And we must be careful that in the attempt to construct large public works, for the credit perhaps of constructing them,! the day does not come when we shall not have the means to construct really necessary works, and that our burdens are not made bo heavy as to prevent other people from coming amongst us, and helping to make this country what we hope some day to see it. We learn from our Auckland files that the 2fcto Zealand Herald boasts of a "special [ commissioner," who accompanies Mr Mackay in his run and travels among the Hau-haus, and who writes from Ohinemuri as follows :- - "I have read it, or heard it "said, that the Maoris are dying out. 'Wai,' as Bluenose would say, ' I kinder guess those who think bo had better come up here and see for themselves.' The proportion of women and children is almost more than that of a settled English population : all hardy, many handsome. The women ride in what used to be the old English fashion ; that is, like men. I saw one young girl about nineteen carry a log of wood that would have puzzled me to shoulder. Since we have been here, the women have been almost constantly engaged in preparing food. 1 should like some young ladles to see the work the Maori women do. It is an impression that Maoris do not cook their food in a cleanly way. I never saw food more carefully prepared ; but, certainly, the plates and the knives and forks are scarce. There has not been a fight but one small one between two men ; there have been no quarrels. 1 have seen no child beaten since I have been here ; and yet there are fully seven hundred persons, all told. Ido not know whether 1 have previously mentioned in any of my despatches that in the division of the food I was allotted, as a pakeha, eight kits of potatoes and half a pig as my share for the day." The maintenance of the Penal department and the Police service, costs Victoria L 253.655 per annum, from which is to be deducted as the proceeds of prison labor just LBOOO. A quarter of a million annually to repress crime, which repression means, under the present system, fattening the rascals up in gaol, and sending them, when their sentences are little more than half expired, loose again upon society in good health and spirits to commit fresh depredations. Bat the quarter of a million does not cover the expense of repressing juvenile crime, for the reformatory and industrial schools cost an additional L 50,600 per annum, less L2OOO which these establishments return in labor to to the State. A gentleman from Auckland reports that the excitement in Auckland is daily increasing, and far exceeds anything ever known there. One gentleman's income from the Caledonian alone amounts to L 20,000 per month. Some Coromandel stock, a few days ago unsaleable at Ss 6d, fetches now L 7 10s. Tookey's claim is rapidly rising in repute. On the Caledonian claim over LIBJOOO was spent before the " color " was seen ; but the first fortnight's working freed it from all debt. He considers that other claims, if worked as the Caledonian, are sure to yield corresponding results. No good can be expected from any mine on which sufficient capital has not been expended. The dividends paid from the Caledonian and other claims are being rapidly invested in others, so that a complete development of the resources of the Auckland gold fields may now be expected. Two of the officers of the Virago will take away from New Zealand very lasting mementoes (if we may call them by that name), Lieut. Wilcox and Lieut. Little having made selections of their future partners in life from our colonial circle. The Southern Cross, of May 19, give 3 the following interesting account of the marriage ceremony : " St. Paul's Church probably never presented a more pleasing and animated appearance than it did yesterday afternoon, when a double marriage was solemnised between two officers of H.M. $. Virago and the daughters of two of our leading citizens. The happy pairs were Lieut. Little and Miss Priscilla Helen Hamlin, and Sub-Lieut. Wilcox and Miss Ratherine Anne O'Neill. About half-past two o'clock the carriages —eight in number — drove up to the church, and the brides were led up the aisle to the altar— Miss O'Neill leaning upon the arm of her father (the Hon. James O'Neill, M.L.C.), and Miss Hamlin supported by her brother (Mr John M. Hamlin). There were twelve bridesmaids. The brides were both dressed in white satin, and the bridegrooms were attired in naval uniform. The Eev. C. M. Nelson (Incumbent of St. Paul's), Dr. Purchas (Onehunga), and F. Gould (Otahuhu) ■were the officiating clergymen. Mr Edward Gr. Fellows acted as bridegroom's man for Lieut. Little, and Miss Elizabeth R. Isaacs was Miss Hamlin's attesting bridesmaid. SubLieutenant Henry Crawford was best man for the other bridegroom, and Miss Laura Cleghorn Miss O'Neill's attesting bridesmaid. The church was filled to overflowing, and when the wedding party left a large assemblage gathered outside to see them enter>the carriages and drive away. The Virago is now under orders to proceed tv England ; but yesterday's incident will serve as a memento of her visit to many in Auckland, while two ofr her officers at least will not be likely to forget their jerin'l of service on the Australian station, ami hvmh- particularly that portion of fchcir stay which was spent in Auckland."