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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1143, 3 April 1872, Page 2

Yesterday, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, four persons who had been observing the Easter Monday holiday in a fashion of their own which interfered with the peace of the community, were brought ud as " disorderlies," and were fined, or committed to prison in default of payment of the fine. William O'Brien, against whom there had been some previous convictions, was ordered to pay L 2, or to be imprisoned for four days, and James Doyle and John Haye3 were fined 10s each, with the alternative of fortyeight hours' imprisonment. George Barker's offence was a breach of the peace . in view of a constable. He was seen by Constable Keating striking a man on the wharf with his clenched fist. His excuse was that the other man had " challenged him," and that both were the worse for liquor. He was fined 10s. Mary Lawrence was informed against by Hannah Kilner for insulting and provoking language, and the Bench was asked to bind her over to keep the peace. The Bench did so, and ordered the complainant to be similarly bound over, Mrs Lawrence to pay the costs. A liquor analyst is employed in Victoria, who visits all the public-houses, notes the quality of their drink, and reports accordingly to the Board of Health. It is high time that some similar functionary were appointed in New Zealand. The fnantfuhua Herald reports that a miner named Edward Fuller, about twentyfour years of ige, has been missing for some days from his claim, Bituate on the Buller river, about ten miles above the Lyell. It was known that he had been drinking for some time until his mind became visibly affected, and it is feared that he has made away with himself, or accidentally fallen into the Buller river. The following is the official list of representatives from Westland entitled to compete at the colonial prize meeting : — ColourSergeant Chamberlain, Greymouth Rifles; Rep 1871. Private L. Skene, Ist Westland Rifles. Private W. C. Sheppard, Greymouth Rifles (extra). Sergeant Jenkins, Totara Rifles (extra). Private W. G. Moss, Greymouth Rifles (extra); Rep 1869. At a meeting held in Christchurch the Chairman said that the Defence Minister had informed him that it was his wish that the representatives should only stay in the province seven

days, six of which would be occupied with the firing, and the other with the ball ; he, therefore, did not see how a dinner could be held. The programme would probably be, that at the close of the firing there would be battalion parade, at which the prizes would be distributed, then would follow the b&U, and the men would be dismissed the following day.

The mail and a large portion of the coach, to which an accident lately happened in the Totara, were found on the beach on Saturday.

Mr Diedrich, who came from Okarito on Saturday, informs the Ross News that the Wanganui Bluff is very difficult to get round at present. He lost several head of cabtlo in going down, and on his return left his horses at the river rather than risk them round the Bluff.

From a correspondent at. Martin's Bay, the West Coast Times learns that the settlers were very much pleased with the visit of the Charles Edward, and express a hope that the Otago Government would continue to send them a steamer at regular intervals, so that they might depend on the time of her visit. The weather there for the [last six weeks has been all that could be desired. The crops are looking very fine, and things in general are looking up. A good number of old settlers have returned, and many mote are expected shortly, so that if the Government carry out their promises, they expect soon to be in a state of prosperity. From a private letter received by the mail, there is intelligence of Mr Aspinall, of Victoria, having arrived at home. His friends in the colony will regret to hear that he has not at a ll , improved in mental condition.

A new trade protection society, lately started in Melbourne, has hit upon a novel method of collecting debts. They send round to debtors scarlet colored envelopes, with only a small oval of white in the middle for the address. Round the scarlet part appear the words " Trade Protection Society." This is almost as bad as the dunning postal card.

"A fruitful vine !" as may be judged by the following from the Sydney Empire : —At her residence, Bunyan, on Monday, the sth February, 1872, the wife of Mr JWilliam Scanes, senior, of a son; the seventeenth child.

The Timaru races take place on the 10th mat. The Herald says : — " Within the last few days we have had telegrams from Greymouth and other places, from owners of racehorses, requesting information as to the value of stakes to be run f or^ &c, aud from this we gather that the handsome programme published by us on the 22nd January last has attracted attention, and that in all probability we shall have in April a more then ordinarily successful meeting."

A fire which destroyed two stacks of grain happened the other day at Mr Craighead's farm, Prebbleton, Canterbuiy. The machinery fortunately was saved.

The last crushing of the Heart and Oak Company, Otago, yielded 2750z from 178J tons of stone, enabling the directory to declare a dividend of L 135 per sixth share for the month. The Gabriel's Gully reef must be looking up, as five sixteenth shares sold for LIOOO a few days ago.

The Canterbury Press has been shown some very good specimens of white building stone near Mr M. B. Hart's property at the Malvern Hills, which somewhat resembles Oamaru stone in appearance, and seems capable of being worked with all the ease of that stone. The supply is unlimited, and ■when the prnjp.p.fced tramway to the Malvern Hills is completed, will be comparatively easy of access from Christchurch, and can be put down there at a price which will ensure its large consumption.

A serious accident occurred to a farmer named Michael Moorhead, who resides near Southbridge, Canterbury. He was driving a pair of horses in a dray, and was holding the shaft horse by the reins near its head, when both animals shied at a lot of pigs, jumped quickly aside, and his left hand becoming entangled in the rein, was pulled almost completely off. When examined, the only connection between the thumb and the hand was found to be a small piece of skin, the bone having been broken off near the second joint. Moorhead came to town by the first train, and Dr Campbell finding the injury to have occurred too close to the thumb, did not remove the thumb, but replaced it in position, and stitched up the skin.

A rather singular accident took place at the City of London mine, Thames gold fields, a few days ago. While the .manager, Mr T. B. Hicks, was coming up the shaft, and had reached a distance on the ladder, about ten feet from the bottom, a heavy weight was heard descending. Quick as lightning Mr Hicks grasped the ladder with a firmer hold, and had no sooner done so than ke received a tremendous blow on the chest, which severely injured him, but still did. not cause him to loose his grasp. On descending to the bottom, it was found that the cause of the accident was a large dog (since dead), which in the course of his wandering made a mistake, and wandered below. Mr Hicks's injuries were examined, and found so severe as to necessitate his being confined to his bed for some time to come.

Some statistics of the population of the City of Auckland, compiled by the Southern Cross, show that out of 22,370 persons living in Auckland and its suburbs, rather more than one in every thirteen persons are engaged in some one or other branch of trade and commerce. If, after this, says our contemporary, a complaint is heard of "how dull trade is, to oe sure," or " there is nothing doing," or that " everything is overdone," people in perusing the foregoing statistics will probably know "the reason why." One thousand six hundred and ninety-five houses (many of them comprising two, three, or more in a firm) are engaged in supplying the city, suburban, and provincial wants of Auckland (excepting only such ports as receive their supplies out of the Province.) That we are overtrading among ourselves we think there can be no manner of doubt whatever.

The Premier of Victoria, at the Ministerial banquet, said :— Next month the mint will be opened, by which, after fully paying its annual expenses to the State, we expect a splendid boon will be conferred ou the mining interest. The quantity of gold exported from Melbourne is about 1,700,0000z a-year ; and Colonel Warde assures me the mint can afford to purchase it for a shilling an ounce over the price paid at present ; whereby miners and reefers and all those engaged in our main productive industry will gain nearly a LIOO.OOO a-year, without the loss of a penny to the State. This will be a handsome New Year's gift for Ballarat and Bendigo, Castlemaine and Wood's Pdint.