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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1072, 4 January 1872, Page 2

Dr Hector is now in Nelson, on his journey : from Wellington to the Inangahua to inspect and report upon the geological formation of the reefs. He may therefore be expected down by one of the coasting steamers at an early date. " The anniversary of the Greymouth Fire Brigade was celebrated last night atGiltner's Hotel. There was a very large attendance, considering the inclemency of the weather. Dancing was kept up with spirit until halfpast one o'clock, when supper was served and several toasts proposed, but we cannot report the speeches in tins issue. The dancing was resumed, and kept up until after daylight this morning. It will bo remembered that when Mr Harrison, M. H.R., presented the petitiou of the leaseholders of the Native Reserves, praying ■ for a sale of the lands, an answer was returned that steps would be taken in the matter to comply with the request. Accordingly Mr Mackay and Major Heaphy were communicated with, and we .announced some short time since that the Chief Commissioner of Native Lands would be despatched for the purpose of inquiring into the matter. That gentleman, Major Heaphy, arrived in Greymouth yesterday by the Alhambra, and will proceed to make himself acquainted with the wauts of the leaseholders. The Major is an old visitor to the West Coast, having explored, along with Mr Brunner some years ago, the sources of the Buller. The Star Minstrels and Polygraplric Company gave an entertainment last night which, considering the state of the weather, was very well attended. On Wednesday niglit some mischievous person fastened a piece of a clothes-line across the tramway, in Tainui street, in such a way as to catch any passengers just above the ankle. One man got a very nasty fall, but the consequences would have beeu very serious if the tramway carriage had come, along. • . In a,Gto2e«e-issuedJately r the Speaker-of the House of Representatives . notifies the receipt of a letter from W. H. Eyes, Esq.", containing his resignation of his seat in Parliamenk Articles of agreement between the Government and Mr John Martin for a fourweekly steam postal service between JPicton and Manakau are just published in the General Government Gazette. The coutract dates from the 14th of October, 18.71, to the 13th April, 1872, the payment for the complete trip both ways to be L3OO. The Hod Mr'Ormoiul and his family had a fearfully narrow escape from a serious accident near Napier the other day. After driving across the Epairiarua Bridge, the horses got restive, the harness broke, and the carriage ran backwards do,wn a steep incline, but fortunately reorosscd the bridge safely, thus avoiding a fcxll of 20ft into tlie bed of the river. The usnpl monthly meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee was held at Giliner's Hotel last evening. Present : Messr/? Greenwood (chair), Moss, Kenricki Newton, Arnott-, King, Gilmer, Re veil, Kennedy, and A. Ellis, of Nelson Creek. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, a letter was read from a minor named Scott, offeriug a model of a steam.engine which he had made, to bo disposed of ly art union, half theproceeds to go to the hospital. It was agreed to thauk Mr Scott for his offer, but the Committeo did not consider it expedient to adopt the principle of disposing of by art union tickets iv an. object which is partly private. The Treasurer reported having received the following amounts :— Subscriptions from Half-Ounce and Duffer's, per Mr Nicol, Lll3 0s 6d ; subscriptions from New Eiver district, per Mr Hamilton, L 10 0; additional subscriptions from Half-Ounce, per Mr Nicol, LB3 11s;. Westland subsidy for September, L 67 9s 5s ; subscriptions from West Ward, per . Mr. Arnott, L 3 3 ; payments by patients, Capt. Carstahs, Ll4; A. Bliss, 18s ; John Murphy, L 5 ; subscriptions from Nelson Creek, per A. Ellis, L9O ; subscriptions' from Nelson Creek, per A. Ellis, Ll4 13s VNelsqn subsidy for November, LS6 4s 9d ; half proceeds of entertainment per Star Minstrels, Lls. Mr Ellis desired, on behalf of Mr Jas. Ciillen . formerly of Nelson Creek,' jbo remove the erroneous impression that t'io latter iiad not pa'ii Jor his maintenance whilst in the Hospital. The accounts for the month, amounting to L 193 9s 10s, were laid on the table aud passed. The Visiting Committee reported the num- ' ber of patients in the Hospital on the 30th November to be 31 ; admitted during the. month, 14 —7 of which wero by subscription tickets ; discharged, 23 ; died, 1 ; remaining in Hospital on 3]st December, 21, The Visiting Cflmmittee for the month are Messrs Maclean, Kennedy, and Arnott. . \t the .Resident Magistsate's Court, yesterday, Alexander Williamson was brought up from German Gully charged with larceny. Drs Motice and Smith stated that they examined the unfortunate man and found him morose and sullen, and. considered from his general demeanor that, he was unfit to be at largo. He had been afflicted m the; sanie ; manner some two j'ears since. Ilemauded for fourteen days for medioal treatment. — Rose Davidson was brought up on remand also charged with lunacy. Drs Morice and Smith deposed to having examined the woman whom they found to be incoherent, but thought that with a little attention she might recover. Kemanded for fourteen days. —Stephen Cattle was charged on remaud with attempting to commit suicide on the 22nd ult. From the evidence it appeared that, on the 22nd December, the prisoner walked into the premises known us the Suoremo Court Hotel, Gresson street, with a woman's dress round his n ( e,ek, on removing whicb it was discovered that his throat was cut and the anterior jugular vein severed, causing a wound about two inches in length, and varying from threeeighths to one-eighth of an inch in depth. Dr Morice was sent for, 'out before he could sew up the wound, chloroform had to be ad : ministered as the prisoner was very violent; He had been living with a woman named Jane Anderson, and in consequence of some disturbance between them she had taken out a summons against him on tbe morning in question, and he was bound over to keep th 6 peace. Sergeant White-produced the weapon with which Cattle tried to cut his throat,' which was a jagged table-knife. The prisoner, who stated that he had been drinkind during tbe morning, aud was not conscious of what ho was cloingy was committed for? trial at the Supreme Court —Peter Scundry! was charged, with' assaulting Mr James! Johnston, of the Melbourne Hotel. It apj peared that on the 'st instant, a man named Stephens, better known as "Dutchy." was! scrubbing the floor of the hotel when de?

''■*' y .- :' :'••■■■ fendant came in and endeavored to entice him away from Jiiswork, and on Mr Joh^-* ston interfering, defendant abused him and struck him.' , The offence being fully proved, defendanti was fined 10s and costs. "■'.. At' Hokitika oii Monday last Judge Ward was presented with an address by Mr J/;^: Bonar, and signed by all the mercantile firms' in that town, thanking "his Honor "for having, by the exercise of a sound discretion in the Bankruptcy Courts, ulaoed all business transactions on a much firmer basis than heretofore, and thus raised 'the tone of commercial morality. " Hia Honor, in reply, said -" Mr Bonar and gentlemen— lt is with no small pleasure that I'liave listened to the address which has just been read, showing as it does ' how highly the recent change in the administration of commercial law has. been rated by the public of Hokitika. Every place in which the Bankruptcy Acts are laxly .administered attains, sooner or later, an unpleasant reputation. However honest and honorable the great majority of the traders there may be, yet if it be known that it is in the power of any debtor, by meansof bankruptcy, to defraud his credi-: tors with scarcely a chance of detection or punishment, that place isinvariaHy selected as a city of refuge by fraudulent bankrupts from every part of the colony, and a taint is most unreservedly cast on the whole community. Moreover, indulgence in the ' dangerous luxury of dishonesty is remarkably infectious, and throughout all Westlard that infection was spreading fast at tbe date of my arrival. Fraudulent bankrupts prospered, and, by that facb alone, the public credit was endangeied,* and the honest trader daily defrauded. That day, 1 trust, has passed ; aud the $rank approval given by your addiess to the recent administration of the law affords tho best .possible proof of the, true feeliug of the commercial community on the subject, arid will, I hope, render the performance of the duty of the Bankruptcy Court easier to my successor than it has been to me. It is not always a pleasant task to change a regime of considerable laxity to one of strict justice, however needful that change. may be."