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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1133, 15 March 1872, Page 2

The Bishop of Nelson was to leave Westport for Greymouth in the steamer Kennedy last night. Whether the steamer calls first at this port or Hokitika, it is certain he will be here ou Sunday, when lie will preach in Trinity Church. We believe the L3OO which was yesterday received by the Flood Relief Committee from Melbourne was collected by Messrs J. S. M. Thompson, E. Masters, W. Glenn, and G. Cook, who, on receipt of the news of the flood, canvassed a number of the principal business houses connected with the West Coast trade, and also their personal friends, for subscriptions. Dnring the high winds which have prevailed during tho last four days, the police have been very industrious in pi eventing the indiscriminate lighting of bush fires, so as to prevent a repetition of scenes which recently took place. They cautioned all parties who were clearing land that the fires must be looked after and put out at four o'clock each day, otherwise in the event of tho fire spreading to adjoining lands they would be dealt with criminally. The next incoming Suez mail is due at Melbourne on March 14, and the next San Francisco mail at Auckland on March 25 An additional steamer had been chartered at San Francisco, to leave that port on Feb. 28, so that no delay might occur. Ab the Kesidenfc Magistrate's Coarfc yesterday, before W. H. Revell Esq, R. M, Robert I Kettle, charged with lunacy, was discharged, lon the certificate of the Medical man. I Robert Hayne, for allowing four goats to [ wander in the streets, was fined 10s and \ costs. The civil cases were not important. ] It is announced that Bachelder's " Grand Panorama of the American War" will be exhibited in the Volunteer Hall here on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next. A thorough trial was lately made in Australian waters of Roff's patent for telling the weight of the contents of a vessel. A. barque, the Ecliptic, of 500 tons burthen, was fitted up with the machine, at Melbourne, and despatched to Newcastle for a cargo of coal. When she returned to port, she was visited by a large number of gentlemen connected with the shipping trad 3, and the machine was tested severely, but was found to be thoroughly correct, and to answer the fullest expectations of the promoters of the patent. The Provincial Government of Otago has entered into a contract for the erection of a quartz-crushing battery on the reclaimed ground at Dunedin, to facilitate the testing of quartz. The sending of quartz elsewhere to be put through the testing process will thus be obviated, and the work will also be done at much less expense. The machine is to be worked by water power, and the Water Works Company has agreed to supply water free of cost. A case of some importance to those engaged iv Volunteering pursuits was heard lately, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, ■Port Chalmers. The District Adjutant, Major Atkinson, charged a member of a disbanded corps of ' Volunteers with having unlawfully in his possession a rifle and accoutrements belonging to the Government. He had been . requested to hand over the articles to the Captain of the Port Chalmers Naval Company, but had neglected to do so, and the present action was therefore instituted against him. The Bench fined him 20s and costs, and made an order for the immediate restoration of the articles. On the 2nd instant, an accident of a veiy serious nature befel Mr Charles Smith, of Robinson's 8a3% Akaroa. Mr Smith was in the bush cutting saplings, when an old Tetolri tree fell upon him, completely smashing one of his legs, from just below the knee downwards. After lying for some little time, the unfortunate sufferer managed to extricate himself, and crawled away to where he could cooey for assistance, which was promptly rendered him. Medical assistance was at once sought ; but, owing to the severe nature of the injury, and unfavorable symptoms showing themselves, amputation of the limb was decided upon. A new seam of , coal , has just been discovered on Government . ground recently leased by Messrs M'Farlane and Martin, in the Kaitangata district, and within, half-a- . mile of the bank of the river Clutha. It is at present being opened out for the lessees by Mr A. Reid. The seam was found cropping out at the foot of the hill, and a depth of 74ft has been opened, but it is not bottomed. It is thought to be a lower seam than that wrought by other parties in the district, and the coal is said to equal the Grey River coal. Showers of thistle down, resembling a snowstorm, were seen at Christchurch oue 1 day last week, during the prevalence of a I high wind. An Auckland paper relates the following : — " Professor Haselinayer has been astonish- ! ing the Maoris. The trick is not altogether original, but, to the untutored Maori mind, it must have been beset with a wonder scarcely to be imagined. The Professor walked on to the wharf yesterday, and seeing some kits of peaches, he placed his hands on one, and said, "How much?" "Sik-a-peuny" was the (reply. "What!" asked Haselniayer, " all this for sixpence ! Good. I will take one.. They are cheap." 'Che Professor opens a peach, and to the surprise of the Maorl-\yoman takes out a shilling from the inside of it ;,< •opens another and a larger one,' and.;, takes i. ont half-a-crown. Maori woman's eyes become as big . as saucers with surprise. .*. Professor splits another peach, and a sovereign drops iiito his left hand. Mapri; woman calls every Maori about her within hail. There is a crowd directly. White men mix in. Professor astcs woman what Bhe will take jfor the whole lot of her peaches. Maori woman heaps them all up, and sits in front of ttiem smoking her pipe. She won't soil. "Good,"

says the Professor, " You are wise and pvudent. Don't sell by any means. Take home your peaches, and shell them. Plenty of shillings and half-crowns inside." Maori woman is not all a fool —she does not know exactly what to make" of the affair ; but when the Professor had walked off, and the crowd had dispersed, she is seen to • open about a dozen of the peaches, and, strange to say, finds nothing but the kernels. She swears or is supposed to swear in Maori, and begins xo smell the joke, although still sorely puzzled. '

A New York paper remarks :— " Colonel F. A. Bee, representing the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the Australian (Pacific Mail) Steamship Line, has received an interesting letter from the Postmaster of Sau Francirco regarding the foreign mail for !New Zealand and Australia coming this way. He says that since March, 1871, the date of establishing the direct line of steamers from San Francisco, the amount of letters and printed matter received at the San Francisco Post Office from Great Britain, destined to New Zealand and Australia, was as follows : — Letters, 1260 bags — Sl6llbs ; printed matter, 3383 bags— lßs,osolbs 6ozs. The Postmaster adds that the weights recorded in his office correspond with those recorded in the several dispatching offices of Great Britain. He also says that since the establishment of the line, 1001 bags of mail matter have gone through that office on their way across the American continent from the colonies of Australia and New Zealand to Great Britain, and that the proportion of letter mail in these lots was greater than that sent the other way."

In the person of the Porirua Coroner, Wellington appears to possess a very eccentric genius. On one occasion (says the Wellington Independent) this grave but genial old gentleman addressed the foreman of the jury as a "sharp old cock," and at an inquest at Porirua he informed Mr Loundes that he "made such a very smart foreman that he would soon give him a chance of displaying his cross-questioning abilities, as he intended to exhume the body of old Joe Burrell on purpose." On tho completion of the inquest ihat witnessed these lively proceedings, the Coroner was asked to give a burial certificate ; but the verdict of the jury had much displeased the doctor, and he replied that "as they seemed such a smart lot they would have to wait till he got the opinion of the Attorney-General in the matter," and was about to proceed on his journey home, eighteen miles distaut, when one of the jurymen succeeded at last in prevailing upon bim to give the order for interment.