THE The Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1087, 22 January 1872, Page 2

THE The Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1872.

The final deposit of £20 a-side in the match between Twohill and Vaughan is to be made to-night at the Brian Bora Hotel. The race will be ran to-morrow upon the raoe-coursfl at 2 p.m., and we presume there will lie a good attendance of the friends of both men as the match has created a great deal of notice among the mining community.

Captain Bonar arrived in Greymouth on Saturday, for the purpose of superintending the Volunteer firing in order to select a district representative for the Colonial Rifle Matches.

A fine young horse, the property of Messrs Hamilton and Gilmer, was drowned in the Ahaura River one day last week. The accident took place near the cargo boat landing, and close to the township.

The ferry-boat at the Old Ahaura was taken from its moorings last Tuesday, and the forryman found it the following day on the opposite side of the Grey River, below Moonlight Creek. The owner of the boat was totally unable to account fur its removal, but during the following night the mystery was partly solved Some time after dark the ferryman heard some one ( cpoeying from across the Ahaura, and on taking the boat over he found a man shivering on the bank of the river, and stark naked. He was taken into the boat, and brought over to the ferryman's house. He gave a rambling and incoherent account of himself, from which it appeared that he came up country on Tuesday, and that when he came to the Ahaura River he sang out, but finding he got no answer, he was compelled to swim the river. When he got across he recollected that he wanted to go over to Moonlight Creek, and seeing nobody about, he took the ferry-boat and rowed himself across the Grey. He landed below Moonlight Creek, and tied up the boat. He doe 3 not state how he passed the time until he was

'ound by the ferryman, further than to say ;hat as he wanted tore-cross the Grey River, md he determined to swim over. He said lie was caught in a snag ; about half-way across, and after some difficulty he succeeded in extricating himself, but he tore his clothes in shreds in doing so. The remains of the clothing aro still on the snag. The hero of this strange affair is a miner, well known on the up-river diggings. It is said he has been drinking haavily for sbine'time, and that he was scarcely conscious of what he was doing the whole time. The place where he must have swam across the Grey is in one of the most dangerous part of the river. The cuirent is very rapid, being just below the confluence of the Ahaura with the Grey, and the stream is thickly studded with dangerous snags. A feat somewhat similar to this was performed at the Old Ahaura some years ago. A man named Skene crossed and re-crossed in a fit of delirium tremens during a high flood, and although every effort was made to stop him by the on-lookers on both banks, succeeded in swiming the river before he was secured. It is stated upon good authority that the Nelson Provincial Government have received a revenue of LIOOO during the past month for the issue of miners rights, business licenses, fees and deposits from the Reef ton district alone. Two of the members of the Ahaura subcommittee of the Greymouth Hospital canvassed the Ahaura on Friday for subscriptions, and mob with very indifferent success. The same gentlemen were to canvass the farming districts of thelkamatuaaud Totara Flat on Saturday. In our report of the proceedings of the Borough Council in Saturday's issue, Councillor Moore was made to say, "That the Council could not get an overdraft from the Bank." It should read, "That riy overdraft from the Bank would have to be settled up at the end of the year, and as there was already an overdraft, it might prove a difficult matter to obtain another. The smartest Minstrel Company we have seen for some time on the West Coast is the Collins and Carroll's troupe, which opened a series of entertainments on Saturday night at the Volunteer Hall. To say that they are a long way above the ordinary run of such companies, was testified by tie applaus which rewarded their exertions on Saturday night, nearly every song and dance being encored, is only doing them justice^ Miss Carroll possesses abilities as a vocalist and actress ,of no small order, and ; is a worthy follower in the Julia Mathews style. It would be worth the company's while to introduce some good burlesques iuto their entertainments, as they have the. requisite elements among the members. Mrs Collins; who is an old acquaintance, is much improved since her lost visit. One of the greatest features of the evening was the pedestal dance by Messrs (Jarroll and Collins, which is. entirely . new, was ably executed ard well received. We must not omit to mention Mr Brown, who is not only a very good singer, but also is a burlesque actor of considerable promise, There is no doubt now that the abilities of the troupe are manifest, that the hall will be well filled this evening, when a new programme is announced. The troupe is sure to be well patrolled during their stay. The only case at the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Saturday, was that of Kittelty v. Vivian, a fraud summons. Payment was ordered to be made of the amount claimed, L 2 9s 6d, in two monthly instalments, or in default 14 days' imprisonment. The Westporl Times says !— " In our last issue we mentioned that the Alpine Company, Lyell, had brought down 2130z 13dwt gold, the result of 14 days' crushing. We are now informed that the gold when melted 14 days the batteries na<l~oniy oeSn ai -wonf 10 days. The above parcel was taken from the quicksilver ripples only, the copper plates not having been scraped." The funeral of the late Mrs Cassidy took place on Saturday. The cortege was very large, and included, amongst others, nearly all the principal residents in Hokitika. The crime of forgery appears to be becoming common in this Colony. At the Supreme Court sittings held during the first week of this year at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, several cases of forgery were tried. At Auckland the Judge said the crime was increasing so much that he intended to give heavier sentences for forgery, in order to try to stop such cases. W. E. Burke, the late chief bailiff at Christchurch, has been sentenced to four yeais for this offence. Dr Hector and Mr A. D. Dobson, the chief surveyor for the Province of Nelson, left Westport on the 15th instant, to examine the Mount Rochfort Coalfield, in order to report upon the best method of making a railway from thence to Westport. The Weslport Times says that a considerable saving of distance between Westport and the Inang&hua can be effected by a road communication between the Biackwater and the Landing. By this means the journey would be shortened by ten to twelve miles. We understand that the formation of the country is likely to admit of a good dray road, with easy gradients, being cheaply constructed. The following are the yields obtained on the Thames gold field during the past year : January 31, 11,8650z sdwt sgr ; February 28, 30,7490z 16dwfc 9gr; March 31, 45,2000z Ildwtßgr; April 30, 37,1540z 7dwt llgr ; May 19, 22,8530z12dwfc; June 14, 40,3220z 7dwt 18gr ; July 11, 34,1G60z 6dwt ; August 8, 28,5270z2dwt 6gr ; Soptember 4, 28,6550z 14dwt Cgr ; October 3, 18,0850z 14dwt 12gr ; October 31, 15,1550z0dwt 18gr ; November 28, 20,8410z I7dwt llgr j December 28, 18,008oz 14dwt 16gr. Total, 351,6860z lOdwt. The Hokitika Borough Council met on Friday evening, and the first business was an announcement that Councillor Jack had received a written: apology from Councillor Clarke in respect to certain language made use of by him. Then followed a statement that Mr Clarke had resigned his office as Mayor and Councillor. The following discussion then took place :—Cr Hawkins moved, and Cr Tait seconded— "That the resignation be accepted." The Chairman said that the only objection he ha! was tbat Mr Clarke was resigning an office (that of Mayor) which he never held. Mr Aleora moved as an amendment—'* That the letter be received, and Mr Clarke's resignation of his office as Councillor be accepted." Cr Jack seconded the amendment. Cr Tait said that it seemed the majority of the Council ignored the fact of Mr J. B. Clarke holding the office of Mayor. If the Council simply accepted his . resignation as Councillor, would Mr Clarke^ still remain Mayor of the Borough of Hokitika. The Chairman would call the attention of Mr Tait to the resolution passed at a previous meeting of the Council, to the effect tbat the 1 business of the meeting of the 20th of December in respect to the election of Mayor, was incomplete. The Council had nothing to do with what Mr Clarke might choose to designate himself. He might as well have written that he resigned his office of Governor of New Zealand. Cr Tait thought it would be better not to proceed too hastily, ahd suggested that a legal opinion should be taken. Cr Alcorn s«d that Mr Clarke spemed to have grounded his claim on the fact that he had obtained a majority of votes. In that case two Mayors had been elected, for Cr Todd had obtained five votes, which was a clear majority of the Council/ Or Hawkinß regretted very ranch that the amendment nad been put forward. ' He

thought that Mr J. B, Clarke had received punishment enough for any fault, he might have committed, and it would be far more courteous and gentlemanly to accept the resignation as it was sent, 'and proceed with the business 6f -the election of Mayor. The Chairman said thai? the only objection he had to that course was that it would stultify j the previous action of the CouuciH..-, He could not agree to u,ndo what had beeifypreviously done. After some further discussion, the amendment was 'carried, and-^Sne motion negatived. Councillors Todd and .Tait were then proposed for the office of Mayor, and Councillor Todd was elected by a majority of three votes. The Mayor, in returning thanks, said he would use his best endeavors for the benefit of the town and of the ratepayers generally, and he trusted that he should receive cordial help from the members of the Council. A body divided against itself could not possibly prosper, as had been seen duriug the recent proceedings. He would, however, not refer to them further than to express his regret that they occurred. He hoped the business of the Council would proceed harmoniously, and that the members would show that they merit the confidence which had been reposed in them by the ratepayers. • .