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Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1020, 2 November 1871, Page 2

A nugget weighing 51b 7oz lOdwt was found, last Monday, in the Greenstone district by a party of three miners named Frank Reenan, William Spiers, and Wm. Connor. The nugget was found in a claim upon the Argus Terrace, about 300 yards to the west of the Court-house, just off the main road. The fortunate finders were, of course, exceedingly hilarous on espying the welcome stranger sticking out from the face of the claim about 15ft from the surface, and under where an immense boulder had been taken away. On taking the nugget to the bank the party were offered L 257 cash for it } but they refused to sell it, and merely deposited .

it at the Bank of New Zealand. The ground in the vicinity of the find has been but little worked, so that a fresh impetus will be given to mining in the locality. It will be seen by our telegrams that there is every livelihood of the proposed alterations of the Borough Wards being effected, as an amendment for that purpose has been made to the Municipal Corporations Act. Vote by ballot has also been introduced into the Bill. There were no cases at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. The latest quotations from Auckland are : —Caledonians, L 122 10s ; Thames, L 2 4; Alburnia, L 8 2s 6d ; Nonpariel, L 5 12s 6d ; All Nations, L 5 6s ; Monotairi, L 3 Jsa ; Shotover, 14s 6d. A narrow escape from drowning occurred at the Greenstone on Monday last, when a child belonging to Mr Shanahan was found by Mr P. Quinn, in a waterhole near the township. Mr Quinn at once got the child up and in a little time animation was restored, and the child is now none the worse for the accident. Much annoyance and dissatisfaction was experienced in town yesterday when it was found that the s.s. Rangifcoto had proceeded on to Nelson during the night, and this was much increased when, on the arrival of the coach from Hokitika, it appeared that the Greymouth mails had not been landed there, and consequently had been carried on to Nelson. The Rangitoto arrived in this roadstead about 10 p.m. on Tuesday, fired her gun, and afterwards several rockets, and because she was not waited upon by the tender immediately she passed on. It is true that she could easily have been tendered if the agent here had received any definite iuformation from Hokitika as to the time when she might be expected, as it was a calm moonlight night, and there was plenty of water in the channel ; but it is really too much to expect that the tender is to be lying in the Grey Roadstead day and night waiting the arrival of the orean boats from Hokitika, where they are generally detained from 24 to 48 hours, and usually despatched on the tailend of the tide. It is plain that the interests of this port are being sacrificed, and this is most likely owing to the want of a proper understanding between the agents here and at Hokitika, and the masters of the steamers, or some other cause. Whatever that causa may be, we hope it will be remedied soon, and that it will be a long time ere we again see our mails carried on to Nelson in such calm summer weather as now prevails on this Coast. According to the Thames Advertiser, an Auckland dairyman on being charged with being drunk and disorderly on Thursday, received a severe reprimand from the Resident Magistrate, and was told that sooner than get nimself into the hands of the police again for such offences he had better drink his own milk and fill the can up with water, as a little extra dilution would make but a trifling difference to his customers. The milkman appeared amused with his Worship's idea. The Victorian Standard says that the Duffy Ministry will henceforth be known as the Teetotal Ministry. The Chief Secretary (Mr Duffy) is a teetotaller ; so is the Treasurer (Mr Berry) ; Mr Grant, the Minister of Lands, is a teetotaller ; and so is Mr Walsh (the Attorney-General) ; while Mr Longmore (Minister of Railways) is a devout disciple of Rechab. Mr O'Grady takes a little No. 2, or Colonial wine ; Mr M'Lellan, the burly and much-loved member for Ararat, is the only one of the team that can take a " nip " of " hard stuff," and he is very moderate indeed. The monthly meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee was held at Gilmer's Hotel last evening. Present — Messrs Reid (chair), Newton, Arnott, Kenrick, Maclean, Revell, King, Nancarrow, and Greenwood. The minutes of the previous meeting having beenread and confirmed, Borne correspondence was received, and the accounts, amounting to LIBB 0s 9d, were laid on the table. The Visiting Commiteee pointed out an item in the accounts — washing powder — which seemed to be out of all proportion, one and a half cwt being used monthly, and the Visiting Committee were requested to inquire into the matter. The accounts were then passed. The number of patients in the Hospital at present is 30 ; admitted during the month, 21 ; discharged, 14 The Treasurer reported having received the following sums : -Payments by patients — Philip Duggan, L 5 ; James Edwards, LI 10s ; Frank Molloy, 10s ; John Clark, 10s ; Hospital Donation box, L 2 12s 6d ; sale of vegetables, L 4 6s 6d ; payments by Scandinavian Society on account of C. P. Neilson, a deceased patient, L 7 10 ; Westland subsidy for July, L 57 9s Id ; do, do, for August, L 65 0s 2d ; Kerr, 4rnott, and Co, LlO ; Nelson subsidy for September, LBB 10s 3d ; Literary Association benefit, Ll7 11s 6d. A cordial vote of thanks was accorded to the Literary Society for their efforts in getting up the late concert. The Sub Committee stated that circulars had been sent to the various districts, asking them to call meetings to appoint Local Committees. The Visiting Committee for this month are Messrs Nancarrow, Eeid, and Maclean. A Committee was appointed to canvass ths town for subscriptions, as follows : — East Ward : Messrs Maclean, Nancarrow, and F. Hamilton. Middle Ward : Messrs Kennedy, ' Gilmer, and Maxwell. West Ward : Messrs Arnott, Moss, and Purcell. It is an old saying " that you must go from home to hear news," and therefore we were rather surprised to see the following announcements in the Fiji Gazette and Central Polynesian, published in Levuka. The paper is dated the 23rd September, and is under the head, "Missing Friends' Messages". — "J. E. Hawley— Any person acquainted with the present residence of John Edward Hawley (late telegraphist) in Victoria or New Zealand, will oblige by communicating with F. P., office of this paper." — " John Dakin Elmer — Information of the whereabouts of the above-named will be thankfully received. Address ' News,' office of this paper." — T. Kenrick— Any information concerning Tom Kenrick, from Hokitika, would be thankfully received by J. Simmonds, Auckland Hotel, or at this office." By a strange coincidence there happens to be three well-known and highly respected residents in this town of those names, or as we have heard so much lately of the peculiai 1 actions of "spirits" in transporting individuals from one place to another, are these gentlemen subject to their influence, and by some strange process of volition are they conveyed to and from Greymouth to Levuka and vice versa in the course of 24 hours or is it a case of three Dromios Then again there are electoral addresses from Messrs J. C. Smith, Alexander W. Johnston, W. Scott, and W. Brown, in which everything is promised, and the Fijians on reading them will be forced to acknowledge how superior he is, .and exclaim with the American humorist, " We are a great people, we are." Then again a hospital is wanted for Levuka, and there is a critique of an amateur performance in its aid, and among those who "fretted and fumed his hour upon the stage" we find the following regarding one who was protty well known here : — "While Mr F. P. Atkinson's Isaac Woolf was an admirable impersonation, played with the requisite humor." Notices also appear under the heading " CakobdU Rex," telling everybody that " The King, with the advice of the Executive. Council, has been pleased to appoint Patrick Brougham, Esq., to be acting police magistrate for Levuka, ' and "G. D.

M'Cartney, Estj., L.LD., King's Counsel and Public Prosecutor." Lieutenant G. A. Woods, late of the New Zealand Survey Department, is Registrar-C4eneral. While a number of other persons are appointed returning officers. Dr Ryley, late of Hokitika, is still practising the healing art, and the Masonic Brethren were to establish a lodge to be called ."- Lodge of Polynesia, E.C.," on the 2nd October. Altogether the paper is a very, creditable production, notwithstanding the writing is somewhat peculiar. From attaching ioo nuich credence to the evidence of constables in Victoria there seems to be a danger of juries and judges falling into the opposite extreme of attaining too little. Not very long ago a policeman's oath in the sister colony was pretty generally considered to be worth at least twice as much as an ordinary citizen ; but that absurd delusion has been dissipated, and a reaction has set in, the former privileged class, by having abused its privileges, is made to suffer proportionately . A recent case tried in Melbourne shows upon the face of it that juries i there are beginning to treat policemen's cvi- j dence too cavalierly. The facts were— some two couples were standing talking together | at three o'clock on a rainy morning in a public street. These early, or rather late birds had no right to complain if Constable Doody did issue the time-honored mandate to them to move on. He did so, and a dispute was the result. After interchanging some words/ and the evidence was conflicting as to which side was the abusive-one, the re. presentative oi i^he, law proceeded on his temporarily interrupted journey to the East Collingwood lock-up. The plaintiff^ had taken his number, but not content to wait till later in the morning, they followed him to the lock-up for the purpose of reporting him to his superior— abusing him, so he says, all the way. On their arrival there he gave them in custody for insulting behavior. Both Doody and the lock-up keeper deposed at the trial that Henderson and his wife and Mrs Foot were slightly, though not much, the worse for liquor, but that evidence was directly contradicted. At all events they were locked up and bailed out in an hour's time. For this they were awarded L6O.