Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1024, 7 November 1871, Page 2

The bridge at Coal Creek is to be removed from its perilous position forthwith. The successful tenderer for its removal is Mr John M'Lean, of the Ahaura. The new site will •'""iVflar the end of the saw-mill tromwav. xvcw *„„.. i _ Uce a unn g tne past week to the Cockney Terrace, at No 1 own, and to Stuart's Terrace, at Moonlight, lne latter has caused some excitement among the up-river miners. It seems set in for a spell of bad weather, not that it io an y *i,;- o __._—.«« of late, but ii aocs stsem remarkable that yesterday four years was the anniversary of the "big flood" in Greymouth, when the tramway station and several thousands of pounds worth of property were washed away. Considering the state of the roads up-country, it is likely we may be without means of communication should the present weather continue. A fracas occurred at the Shamrock Hotel, No Town, last week, which resulted in the landlord, Mr J. Macarthy, getting rather roughly handled by some of his customers. All the parties are said to be to blame, but the affair will be investigated before the Magistrate at Camptown on the Bth inst. The adjourned race meeting was to be held ; at Hamilton and Gilmer's Hotel, Ahaura, yesterday (Monday) evening. Business :To appoint stewards for the ensuing races, and to fix the date of the meeting. An accident occurred yesterday to the mail coach running between Greymouth and Hokitika, which fortunately resulted in no further mishap than the loss of the coach, which is certainly great enough to the contractor, and which could have been prevented, or indeed any possibility of an accident by the outlay of a few pounds by the County Council. The coach left Mr Asbton's yesterday morning at nine o'clock, and reached the New River a little after ten. There was not much of a current, although the river was running rather strong, and the driver, who is a careful man, not thinking that the ford had shifted, commenced to cross. He had no sooner got fairly in the river when he found thab one of the leaders was sinking into a quicksand, and he at once made great exertions to save the horses and the mails. At the risk of his own life and of that of the boatman plying across the river, the traces were cut, and the leaders escaped without much injury. A passenger (Mr Proctor), who was in the coach, was also rescued, although with considerable difficulty, and the mails were then saved. The driver and the boatman seeing no chance of saving the coach and horses, and the water coming down in increasing volume, cut the polers away, which swam ashore, although considerably damaged ; but the coach was unfortunately washed out to sea. We understand upon good authority that a perfectly safe road could be made by the County Council at an expenditure of about L3O, and for LSO a road that would last for years. Representations have been madn to Mr Lahman, the County Chairman, pointing out these facts ; but he, with his usual courtesy and attention to the wants of his constituency and the well-being of the County, has neglected to proceed in the matter. Mr Ashton, notwithstanding the mishap, will attempt, should weather at all permit, to run a coach this morning. N othing certainly can be said at the manner in which Mr Ashton fulfils his contract, as let the weather be any way promising the attempt is made, although the result may be at considerable loss to himself. Up to a late hour last night there was no tidings of the missing j coach. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before W. H. Revell, R.M., John Nicholas was fined 5s for being drunk and disorderly on the previous day. — P. Crogari was summoned for causing a breach of the Municipal bye-laws, in keeping 45 pigs within the limits of the town. Constable Keating, inspector of nuisances,, stated that on Monday lasb he saw the pigs on defendant's premises, and told him thatthey must be removed as they were causing a uiisanco, The pigs were still there on Satur*

ay last. Defendant admitted the offence ; ait said the pigs belonged to Mr Maclean, nd were only placed in his 5 ard pending the rrivnl of the Charles Edward. He should nly be too ' glad when they wpre removed, ,s they had done a deal of damage to the 'ard. His Worship informed Mr Crogan hat he was liable to a penalty of LI per lead ; but as this was the first offence he hould fine him LI and ' costs. — William Mitchell was charged with using abusive anguage in the street on the Ist instant. Constable Flannigan'«tated 'that lie saw the lefendant on Mawhera Quay, about one )'dock in tW morning, and when witness passed him he commenced abusing him. He 'ollowed defendant, who ran away into Fones's Hotel, and escaped. Defendant said that he was drunk at the time. Sergeant White stated that the defendant had been fined previously for assaulting the police. Bis Worship fined him L 2, or in default 14 lays' imprisonment. The Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts will be held at Campfcown on Wednesday, Bth instant, and at Ahaura the following day. ■ Two thousand nine hundred pounds has been voted by the . Assembly for the encouragement of geological science. William Pothan, who was recently committed for trial on several charges of cattle stealing in the Upper Grey, was liberated on bail on Wednesday last. The amount of the bail is LI2OO ; the accused in L6OO, and six sureties in LIOO each. *AIL the sureties were obtained at Greymouth . Mr Gough's new puni, across the Ahaura River, near the new township,- is now in position. The punt was swung on Thursday last, and it was found to act. admirably. The fords of the Ahaura River are now in a dangerous state, owing to the effects of the recent floods, and travellers who are not well acquainted with the crossings are warned against attempting them. The Legislative Council, on Friday night last, passed the following resolution, proposed by the Hon. Mr Waterhouse, by 21 votes to 7 : — " That, in the opinion of the Council, it is essential to the maintenance of efficiency in the public service, that the General Assembly should hold its sittings at the. seat .of Government. 1 ' The Wellington Independent observed on hearing the result of this vote—" Thank God for the House of Lords." The Warden's Court sat at Reefton on Friday, 27th October. The cause list was comparatively light, but over 100 important applications were disposed of. Several parties are applying for gold-mining leases, but only one has yet been granted ; about twelve others are awaiting approval. The next Court will be "held at Reefton, on or about the 16th November. Mr Thomas Cooper has assumed the duties of /Clerk to the Courts and officer in charge of the Reefton district. ; Mr Warden Giles had a narrow escape from drowning on the 28th October. The Warden was returning to Westport after holding Courts at Reefton, and when attempting to ford a deep and dangerous stream known as Stony Creek, a tributary of the Inangahua, hia horse was carried from under him, and with much difficulty the rider managed to swim ashore. The horse was recovered some hours afterwards. Mr W. Pitt, solicitor, andMr J. Temperly were with Dr Giles, but seeiug how that gentleman fared they did not attempt the crossing. The mining interests of the late Alexander Barbour, who was recently killed at Moonlight Creek, were disposed of last week, at auction, by Mr F. Guinness, by direction of the Curator of Intestate Estates. The purchaser was Mr John Dick. A difficulty, onmftthinc Rimilnr to-the one which occurred in the case of William, Counsell (who was killed at Napoleon some two years ago), is likely to arise out of this case. A sum of money was placed in the hands of a resident at Ahaura, by Barbour's nMteSjJjp^defray^J^g expense^ st^tftSvtev was" given Tor the work, which is partly, executed ; but the Curator has claimed and obtained the money through his agent, and the contractor is now anxiously inquiring who* is going to pay him for his labor and material. The Rev. Father Portius is now on a visit to the up-country destricts. The reverend gentleman held Divine service and preached at Napoleon on Thursday, 2nd November, and at Ahaura on the following Sunday and Monday, to large congregations on both occasions. He proceeded to Totara Flat and Half -Ounce, en route to the Inangahua and Murray Creek, on Monday. He has also visited the Arnold, No Town, and Nelson Creek. The special objects of Father Portius' visit is the building of a church and the establishment , of schools in some central position in the Grey Valley, and in pursuance of these intentions, negotiations are in progress, and are paitially concluded, for the purchase of Mr P. M'lnernay's property at Ahaura, as an endowment for the above objects. . The Wellington Post, speaking of the retirement of Mr Sewell from the Ministry, says : — " The fact that such an utterly useless and very expensive appanage to the Government of the Colony as Mr Sewell - • Minister of Justice,' forsooth .'—has been discarded, would be highly gratifying to the general, were it not for the uncomfortable conviction that the veteran place-man is certain to be shovelled into some snug sinecure. That he should have been supposed to possess influence or ability, or probable strength in opposition sufficient to render him worth the acquisition of the Fox party, is one of those singular things which no one can understand ; this much is certain, however, that from the day of his return from England to the present time, he has neither rendered services to the Colony, nor added the weight of aught, save a vote, to the Ministry, of which he formed, a member." ' A complete answer has been given to those persons who argued that there were no contractors in the Colony in a position to compete with the Messrs Brogden for the railway contracts. In the House of Representatives, on the 31st ult, Mr Reid asked the Minister of Public Works, "Whether the Government had received from Messrs Connor, M'Kay, and Proudfoot, contractor, Dunedin, an offer to the following effect, namely : Offering to construct 50 to 500 miles of railway for Colonial Debentures bearing 5£ per cent, or cash payments : the price to be settled by arbitration ; the agreement to be without 5 per cent profit. Also, offering to pay a cash deposit of 2\ per cent on the amount up to L 200.000, and over that sum and up to L1', 000, 000 a deposit of i per cent, or give a reasonable cash security. Also, offering to compete for any length of railway by public tender, and give any cash security required by Government ; and offering forthwith to deposit, as preliminary security, LIO.OOO to the credit of Government ? Whether tho Government consider the terms which Messrs Connor, M'Kay, and Proudfoot offer as favorable to the Colony as the agreement made or about to be made with Messrs Brogden, for constructing railways to the value of L 1,000,000 sterling, assuming payment to be made in cash or debentures? What action the Government intend to take in respect to the above offer? In reply, Mr Gisborne said that the offer was only received yesterday, and had not yet been submitted to his colleague. An answer would be sent down before long, and when it was, the Government would have no objection to inform Mr Reid what that reply was.