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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1152, 8 April 1872, Page 2

There have been brought to town some excellent specimens of stone obtained in a drive at a low level in Rody Ryan's claim, Inangahua.' < Interesting discourses were delivered yesterday, in theWesleyan and Presbyterian churches, by the Rev Mr Backhouse, who is at present in Greymouth as an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society. We understand that by the same gentleman a lecture is to be delivered this evening, in the Presbyterian church. It will be seen that Mr W. Courtney advertises for a hundred and fifty roadmen for the construction of the Reeftou and Grey Valley road. The probability is that it is Mr Courtney's tender which has been accepted by the Government. It will be seen by our telegrams that the firing for the Championship of New Zealand commences at Christchurch to-day. Mr James Wilkie, one of the members of the Nelson Provincial Council for the Grey Valley, has resigned his seat. The election of Mr Wilkie's successor will take place immediately. The body of the unfortunate young man, Edward Mnlvena, who lost his life by drowning on Thursday last, was recovered yesterday by the crew of the boat to which he belonged, and only a few hundred yards from the spot where the accident occurred. The body was brought to town, and an inquest as to the circumstances of his death will, no doubt, be held to-day. We believe that a tender, for the formation of the road from the Mia-Mia to Reef ton was accepted on Friday last, and that the road' will be immediately proceeded with. Tho o»ily piece now wanting to complete the main road between Greymouth and Reeffcon is that between Arnold and Ahaura, and some strong effort must be made to have it done before the winter "by hook or by crook," otherwise all the other portions of the new road will be comparatively worthless. A meeting of the Hokitika Coal Prospecting Association was held on Friclr.y evening at the White House Hotel. Several shares were at once taken up, and an application was put in by one of the shareholders for the whole of the remaining shares. We notice that Mr H. Redwood is about to sell by auction at Wellington about six or eight of his celebrated first-class thoroughbred mares. The present is a busy time in Timaru; On Saturday last (says the Herald), at the Government Landing Service, we noticed no less thair twenty -drays and. waggons,, allloaded with grain, waiting to discharge. Harnessed to these vehicles there were Marlborough is proving a Paradise., for -printers. A recent EicpYess says :— We are so overwhelmed with advertisements this week that we have been compelled to leave out a quantity of matter of interest, as well as five columns of advertisements. A singular accident happened lately to a man employed with horses on the railway, near Timani. He was feeding a pair of horses and standing between them at the time, when one of the animals making a snap at the other, his lower jaw came in contact with the man's face, one of the teeth inflicting a severe gash, laying his left cheek open from the corner of the mouth to the eye. The injury was so severe, that it was necessary for the poor fellow to be taken to town to get the wound dressed.

There is every probability, says the Hoki* tika Star, of the lead at Clearwater Creek continuing for a considerable distance. On Tuesday night, gold was struck in the shaft of Deehan and party, at a depth of 150 ft. The prospect obtained at the top of the wasn was three grains to the dish. QTie claim is in the direction of Donohue's, Edwards and party are getting good gold at a depth of 87ft ; and it is believed that before the expiration of many days a large number or the shafts which are now being sunk will strike gold. Mr JBrogden, the great contractor, visited Clearwater a few days since.

The Auckland papers state that there is every probability of the escaped convict Robinson being re-captured. He has been traced to the Waitakerei bush, and is surrounded on all sides. His supplies aTe cut off, and he must very soon yield himself a prisoner. He. was on Friday week seen several times, but the bush was so dense that he could not be taken. On one occasion of his being in view he presented a revolver at Detective Jeffery, but did not fire. The detective, however, let off a shot at him, but without effect. There is little chance of Robinson long remaining at large, as hunger alone will probably compel him to surrender.

The Order of St. Michael and St. George, of which^the Hon Mr Yogel and the Hon' Mr Fitzherbert have been made Companions, is thus described :— The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George was instituted by Letters Patent dated 27th April, 1818; and by the revised Statutes of the Order, dated in 1851, it consists of the Sovereign, Grand Master, twenty Knights Grand Cross, twenty Knights Commanders, and twenty-five Companions. The insignia are the Star, inscribed with the motto, Aunpkhim Meliwis (Evi; the Collar, and Badge, suspended from a watered Saxon blue riband, with a scarlet stripe.

The Natal newspapers are chiefly occupied in discussing the terms upon which the colony has disposed of its rights in the matter of railways. These terms seem to be liberal to the point of extravagance, for they concede to the contracting parties three million acres of land, a subsidy of 140,000 for twenty years, as much timber and soil as may be required, and the monopoly of transit and traffic for twenty-five years. Settlers who are not enamored of this gigantic scheme, and who think it possible that railways may be made too dearly, expect that Lord Kimberley will revise and perhaps cancel these vast concessions.

"Do you know the nature of an oath ?" Heading his remarks with this question, the writer of "Notes of the Week," in the Nelson Mail, says : — Those of my readers who are in the habit of paying an occasional visit to our law courts must at one time or another have been vastly amused on hearing this question gravely put from the Bench to some little child whose head was barely visible over the upper ledge of the witnessbox. Of course the poor little chap is sorely frightened at so formidable a question being

put to him, and with some little hesitation and embarrassment curtly answers "No." Now I have sometimes thought that if he could summon up sufficient courage to add to this monosyllable the words "Do you?" some little amusement would be created among the audience, and possibly the grave and reverend signior,. who had interrogated him might not be quite prepared to state in plain language what he considered was the ••nature of an oath." The question has never in my hearing 'been asked a child without the absurdity of expecting, him to answer it being shown, in the most unmistakeable manner, and it has invariably to be followed by some more intelligible query such as "Do you know that it is sinful to tell a lie?" "Have you been taught that those who do not speak the truth will be punished?" or something to this effect. Why not. put the more simple questions at first instead of asking one that any man possessed of an ordinary amount of common sense must know, is beyond the understanding of a youngster of eight or ten years of age?