THE The Drey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY 11, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1078, 11 January 1872, Page 2

THE The Drey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY 11, 1872.

We intended to have commented upon the public meeting at Recfton, a report of which we publish to-day, but the pressure upon our space precludes it for the present. The particular attention of shareholders is called to the second annual meeting of the Murray Creek Gold Mining Company, which takes place to-night at Gilmer's Hotel, at S o'clock. The harvest work was begun at Totara Flat on Saturday, January Oth. On that day Mr R. M'Neill commenced to cut down a patch of about four acres of early oats. This is, we believe, the first work of the seaKon, with the exception of a field of about five acres of English hay, taken down by Mr James Corhrane, at Clumber Farm, near Caniptown, before the recent wet weather. The crops throughput the Grey Valley are looking reniaikably well, thanks to the late favorable growing weather. The harvest generally will be fate, but there is every appearance of an abundant crop. To-night the half-yearly meeting of the Grey mouth Literary Association will be held at the Heading Room, at half-past seven o'clock. A meeting of the Christinas Sports Committee met at the Albion Hotel ou Tuesday evening. Mr W. F. Strike, Chairman to the Committee, presided. The Treasurer submitted the balance-sheet, which had been audited according to previous resolution, showing a balance to their credi*, aft r paying all claims, of the sum of L2O 15s Gd, which was unanimously voted to the funds of the Greymouth Jockey Club, the Committee being of opinion that as the money was collected for spot ts, it would be carrying out the wishes of the subscribers by handing the amouut over to a fund for a similar purpose. Some unimportant business was then transacted, and a vote of thanks accorded to the Chairman brought the business to a close. We cannot refrain from complimenting the Committee on their general arrangements and the oi derlv manner in which the sports were carried on under their directions, and we feel certain that the services rendered by them are duly appreciated by the public generally. The balance-sheet and subscription list will appear iv to-morrow's issue. Captain Baldwin ■ requests us to state that he has never appeared in Nelson in connexion with the Government Life Assurance, as was publicly stated at the lecture lost night. We are unable to give the annual Customs returns, as promised some days ago, iv consequence of the inability of the local authorities to make up the returns which should have been ready on [the 31st ultimo. As the returns -will be published by the Government between thin and March, we suppose they willbe ready for publication in time for the Gazette, and in about three months we will be able to extract them for the information of our readers. Alexander Williamson, of. German Gully, was, through a typographical error, reported as being charged with larceny instead of lunacy. At a meeting of the Westland Waste Lands Board, held at Hokitika on Tuesday, Mr Lahman applied to purchase 20 acres of rural land in block 71, Grey district, in order to protect the interests of the miners. The land was also applied for by Patuck Kearns. It is known to be in the immediate vicinity of gold workings near the Teremakau. The Board decided to adjourn the application until the next sitting. An interesting lecture was delivered last evening in the Volunteer Hall, by Mr Short, the lecturer for the Australian Mutual Provident Society. The Mayor, E. Wiekes, Esq, occupied the chair, and on the platform wore the Rev Mr Taylor and Mr Newton. There wa<» a large attendance, and the lecturer went very fully into the subject, sueaking for over two hours, advocating the superior advantages of the Mutual Provident scheme to insurers over the Govenment scheme. Owing to the pressure upon our space by the arrival of up-country correspondence, we are compelled to withhold our condensation of Mr Short's speech until our next. We may meution that at the conclusion of the lecture ten proposals for insurance amounting to L 7200 were received. The punt on the ferry at the Arnold River, lately in the possession of Mr G. Curtis, was sold on Tuesday, 9th inst,, to satisfy a judgment of the Resident Magistrate's Court at Ahaura in Alcorn and Co. v. Curtis. The punt, with gear, &c, realised LBO. Mr J. M. Langdon, of Langdon's Ferry, on the Grey, was the purchaser. At the .Resident Magistrate's. Court, at Ahaura. on Monday, before C. Whitefoord, Esq., William Pothan sued John Reid for damages for detention of a cow. The defendant was adjudged to return the cow within 14 days or pay LI 2 and costs.— Several females were dealt with, for breaches of the licensing ordinance.— Three miners were fined L 2 or one week's imprisonment each for furious riding through the streets at Ahaura. The defendants , in these oases complained loudly against the severity of the fines. They said that when the alleged offence wns committed they were returning, to their claims after the holdays, and that when they rode through the Ahaura it was raining heavily, and the streets were entirely deserted. The defendants elected to "take it out " for the seven day?, bnt ultimately the fines were paid. — A number 6t civil cases were disposed of, and the Court adjourned to 18th January. , The Watdens' Courts, at the luangahua, were held at Christy's Accommodation House, before Warden Giles, on Saturday, 6th inst., and at Reefton on Monday, Bth inst At the latter place a large number of cases and applications were disposed of. In E. A. Drury'V. Armstrong, Kennedy, and others for the v*lue of a share in Kelly's claim, ami for an arbitration of partnership' property, the complainant: was nonsuited with cos s —In W. M'Lean ond Co. v. Alex. M 'Cloy, it was sought to make the defendant liable for his proportionate share of expenses for work demo in reference to the crushing machinery for Rhody Ryan's claim. The complainants were nonsuited in this case jilso. Mr Warden Giles arrived at Ahaura on Tuesday evening, from Mm ray Creek. ; Tho Itcsi'ent Mngistrate's and Warden's Courts were held at Ahaura on Monday, Bth jnst., and iinothpr of the "cattle duffing" fcwes came before the Heneh. The judptnent iive'n in the case Pothau v ; lieid, definately |aj'B down the principle that owners of cattle must cut out and carefully return to. the Owners any stray beasts which m»y by any

means get mixed with their herds, or else become liable forlthe full-value iof the stray animals. ' Carry.' this doctrine a little further, and suppose a stray child happens to wander, or com&ibj any othfr, ineattslinto. n strange household; is the^h'ead of that household," as the census forms say, obliged to find a father or an owner for the little waif. There are several people pausing for a leply. Another case came before the Court, and tho decision given in it will effectually teach miners that their presence is *not required at Ahaura, or if they do visit this model town, they roust conduct themselves decorously. Three miners' were retmrning homewards ou horseback during the holidays, and they rode at suqh a pace through the toWn that they brought themselves within the power of the law for furious riding, and were fined heavily for the offence. This would be all very good and proper, if the town was so crowded that these " beggars on horseback*' would endanger any one by their actions, but it appears the reverse was the case. It was raining heavily, and the streets .were empty, as they usually are, for as the old saying is "you might fire a cannon up and down the streets and do no damage" at most times in the Ahaura, and these proceedings are calculated to keep the place deserted.