THE PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 939, 31 July 1871, Page 2

THE PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1871.

The English mail via San Francisco arrived yesterday morning by the s.s. Murray, and was promptly sorted and delivered. The letters for Hokitika were sent through by a special messenger, and the newspapers for the same destination will go bj coach to-day. On her return from Hokitika the Murray will take the outward mail for Europe via San Francisco. A meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee was held at Gilmer's Hotel, on Saturday night. Present — Messrs Masters (in the chair), Arnott, Greenwood, Newton, Gilmer, Moss, King, Maclean, Revell, and Reid. A latter was read from the Greymouth Gas Company, stating that they would be ia a position shortly to supply gas to the Hospital. — Received, and the service to he laid on at once. The returns from the scrutiueers were laid on the table, but they have already been published. Mr G. King was appointed treasurer, and Mr H. Newton, secretary. It was agreed that the attendance of members at the committee meetings be recorded ; and that a visitors book be kept at the Hospital. Tenders for the ensuing six months were then opened and accepted as follows : — Coal, 22s 6d per ton, G. Martiu ; firewood, 16s per cord, D. Driscoll; burial of deceased patients, L 2 17s 6d each, J. Quinn ; bread, B<l per 4lb loaf, D. Letham; washing, L 6 10s per month, Mrs Eichards; meat, 4fd per lb, Hildebrand and Weber ; milk, od.per quart, Hill and Hampton ; groceries, D. M'Lean ; wines and spirits, Hamilton and Nichol. It will be seen by advertisement in another column that applications will be received until Thursday next for the office of County Engineer, at the County Chairman's office, Hokitika. The salary is to be L 350 per annum. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, at the Ahaura, on Friday, 28th inst., Mr Louis Davis, on behalf of the Anderson's Reef Gold Mining Company, sued several of the shareholders of No. 1 North, for money alleged to be due under an agreement made when the prospecting claim and No. 1 North were ' amalgamated. Mr Guinness appeared for the defendants, but none of them, except Mr H. D. M'Pherson, appeared in person. The case occupied some time, and after hearing a considerable amount of argument between the learned gentlemen on either side, Messrs Staite and Guinness, the Magistrate expressed a doubt as to whether the case ought to have been brought into his Court, and adjourned the further hearing of it for a fortnight. Messrs Newton and Co., No. 3 south on Westfield's reef (Kelly's line), at MurrayCreek, have had a quantity of stone crushed from their claim at the Murray Creek Cement Co.'s machine. The tables were cleaned up last week, and it is stated that sixty (60) ounces of amalgam, the prodiice of twenty-six (26) tona of quartz were obtained. There was scarcely any gold in the ripples or in the stumper-boxes, and various rumors are atlont as to the cause of this. The result of the crushing was not satisfactory to the proprietors of the claim, as it was expected the quartz would run three ounces to the ton, and a parcel of ten tons of stone is now going through the mill, which will be considered a fair and final test of the value of the reef in this claim. The trial crushing of thirty-three (33) tons of quartz, which was crushed from this claim some months ago yielded thirty-eight (38) ounces of retorted gold. At a meeting of the committee of the Grey Valley Agricultural Association, which was held at Totara Flat, recently, it was incidentally mentioned that the attention of the Government should be drawn to tho disgraceful condition of the tracks in the agricultural districts, and especially the main road through Totara Flat, and the road to the IfliiKgnhua and Murray Creek, which places, it was stated, have now become a market for the produce grown in the Grey Valley. It was decided that the matter could not then be entertained by the committee, as the meeting had been called for a special purpose, but. each member present expressed himself in indignant terms at th 6

gross neglect of the authorities. It was also stated that if a movement were initiated elsewhere, having for its object the withdrawal of the Grey Valley from the control of the Nelson Government, the personal influence of those present at the meeting, and the active co operation and support of the residents in the agricultural districts, might be relied on to ensure its success. A meeting of the Committee of the Grey Valley Agricultural Association was held at Lardi's Hotel, Totara Flat, on the 25th iust. There were present — Messrs David Donald (m the chair), Michael Savage, Patrick M'KinJay, JRobert M'fteill, and R. Alcorn (Hon. Sec). The meeting was called to make arrangements and issue a programme for the Annual Ploughing Match, under the auspices of the Association. It was intended to hold , the ploughing match on the 16th August, but it was thought the dotice would be too short, and that there would not be sufficient time to get a reply from the gentlemen who have been authorised to act as judges. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, after Avhich the report of the subcommittee appointed to select the ground on which to hold the match, was brought up, and adopted. The committee recommended, as the most suitable ground, one of Mr Antonio Lardi's paddocks, near Grey River. The land lias beeu in stubble since last season. It was proposed by Mr Alcorn, and seconded by Mr Savage- -" That the ploughing match be held on Wednesday, 23rd August." — Carried. The following conditions to be observed by competitors at the match were then agreed to :- That the quantity of ground to be ploughed by each competitor be half an acre, the work to be performed within five hours, viz., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The furrows to be 6in deep, and 9in wide The ground to be ploughed in two " lands," with an equal number of furrows on each side. A wall 18in wide to be left between each man's ground. The number and amounts of the several prizes -were then arranged, and it was unanimously carried that Messrs J. B. Hunter, Totara Flat j John M 'Millan (Kennedy Bros.), Greymouth ; and J. G^Thoinas, (Thomas and M 'Beath), Greymonth, be requested to act as judges at the match, and to award the prizes to the winners. The names of Messrs Antonio Laidi, and William Methven were added to the committee, and, after transacting other routine business, and passing a vote of thinks to the Chairman, the meeting Ayas adjourned. We have been requested to inform the members of the Association, who have not yet paid their annual subscriptions, that the amount will be thankfully received by the Hon. Sec. up to 22nd August. The regular Resident Magistrate's Courts were held at Camptown, on Wednesday, 26th inst., and at Ahaura, on Thursday, 27tb, and the following day. In the Warden's Court at the Ahaura, on Thursdaj', several actions were set down for hearing, brought by the Union Bank against a number of miners at Half-Ounce, to compel them to produce the original certificates of their several shares, so that a transfer from Jas. Magoffin to the bank of those shares, might be endorsed on them. The shares were transferred to Mr Magoffin, in the first instance, as a security for debt, but the miners refuse to complete the transfer to the bank. All the cases were adjourned for tbe production of Mr G. C. Bowman, on behalf of the bank, who was uuable to attend on account of the flooded state of the country. A meeting of the Grey Valley Hospital Committee was held at Pinkerton's Hotel, Ahaura. on the evening of Friday, 28th inst. There were present— Messrs |Whitefoord (in the chair), While, Boag, Wright, Dargan, Pinkerton, Hay den, and Potts, hon. sec. The principal business before the meeting was to arrange about the immediate liquidation of the building debt. It was stated that owing to the recent bad weather, it was found impossible to get the outstanding subscription-lists in, and also that a considerable amount of money W'S yet to come in for tickets of admission to the late ball aud concert. The committee again requestparties who have lists or tickets in their possession to forward them at once to the hon. secretary, so that the accounts may be made up and a balance-sheet published. Several propositions were marie as to the best way of paying off the liabilities, but as immediate action is necessary, it was decided to communicate with the Nelson Government on the subject. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings, i The moil from Westport to the Inangahua may be classed under the head "intermittent." On Tuesday, 25th inst., the mailman from We&tport made his appearance at Reefton after an absence of two weeks. The delay was occasioned entirely by the almost impassable state of the tracks. The residents in the Buller, or Grey Valley, cannot boast much of their roads, but to show the superiority of the Grey Valley route to the reefs over the other, at the worst of times, it may be mentioned that Sadler's express has reached Murray Creek regularly every week for the last fourteen months, with one exception, and the delay on that occasion was caused by an accident which befel the express-man's horse at the Ahaura township. A man named Fergus Campbell met -with a serious accident at Murray Creek, on 22nd July. He was working on the roof of a new house, which is being built at Black's Point, for Mr Tapley, the manager of the Anderson's Reef Gold' Mining Company, and in consequence of the slipping of a plank, he fell to the ground and besides receiving other injuries his right arm was fractured above the wrist. The sufferer is progressing favorably under the care of Dr Rockstrow. Mr James Ferguson, of the Hikmatua, reports the narrow escape from death by drowning of two men in Snowy Creek, Little Grey, on Wednesday, 26th instant. They •were, he says, attempting to ford the creek at a place where a bridge which has been washed away stood at one time, but they were taken off their legs by the current. Mr Ferguson fortunately happened to come up on horseback at the time, and he must have used extraordinary efforts to save the men, for he informs us that " he caught them by the hair of the head, one with each hand, and holding his horse with the other, he dragged the whole lot ashore. " Mr Ferguson deserves great praise for the courage aud dexterity displayed on this occasion. Mr C. E. Haughton, M.H.K, recently repeated his amusing lecture upon " How we are governed," at Port Chalmers. Although in the main the lecture was identical with the one delivered in Dunedin, many new points in the way of illustration were introduced—especially we may note an imaginary address to tho electors of a seaport town : — "To the Electors of Port Molyneux. Gentlemen — The retirement of your late representative upon a securer basis as regards finance than is afforded by the precarious occupation of a legislator, affords me an opportunity of soliciting' your suffrages at the ensuing general election. My principles are identical with those of the present Superintendent. lam in favor of ' the wilderness blossoming as a rose,' and of overcoming all practical difficulties by theoretical solutions satisfactory in themselves, and never likely to be tested by experiment. The more money we can borrow the better, provided we spend it on ourselves ; and the generations which follow us, while paying the interest, are at liberty to bless or curse us as may suit their humor. If elected, I shall hope to prove in every way worthy of your confidence. I shall be pre-

pared to state— upon oath, if necessary — that there is 56ft upon the bar at low water, and that the dock will accommodate vessels of every possible length, breadth, and dimensions. The statement that it leaks I shall repel with indiguation. lam in favor of progress in every direction, except so far as regards your trade going to Dunedin. The Port is the natural capital of the Province, and indeed of the Southern Island ; and I shall be prepared to support a resolution for the removal of the seat of government, and the filling up of the various mud channels ■which now occasionally allow of the passage of barges to the City piers. The dredge I consider ought to be at once scuttled, and any attempt to raise it made a misdemeanor by statute. lam gentlemen, your obedient servant, Josh. Billings."