THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1162, 19 April 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1872.

In tbe Australian telegrams which we published yesterday, there was mention made of "Some wreck painted yellow— a pait of deck fittings— being passed between New. Zealand and Victoria/ 5 and that "it was too boisterous .to examine it closely." At .this particular time, when the brig. I Magnet is considerably overdue at this port, snen a statement naturally created some speculation ■as to whether the wreck .seen might not be part of the missing vessel,;; and the Melbourne papers were read with some, interest, with a view to obtaining further details as to the portions of wreck which had been thus seen. We notice that mention is made of the. circumstance in two of the Melbourne morning papers. In the. Daily .Telegraph of the 11th instant, there appears the following paragraph: — "The captain of the schooner Seabird, from Dunedin to this port, recently arrived, passed a quantity of 'floating wreck, consisting of a portion of panelled bulwarks or deck fittings painted white. At the time ho passed the .wreck he was in lat. 42deg. 35min. S, and long. l r )4deg. E. He observed a corked-up bottle fixating with it, and would have lowered n boat to secure the bottle, but the weather was too boisterous." On refer<i:ce to r the shipping intelligence, tit ill pears' that the Seabird arrived at Mel-

bourne on the lQbh, and we find that, in the Argus of the 11th, similar mention is made of the incident, btit there is a difference as to the position in which portions of tbejwreck were seen. 'Jthis may be a mistake of the printer, antf it obviously is a mistake ot somebody's, as the position attributed to the Seabird would not coincide with , any position in the ordinary .course of vessels from Dunedin to Melbourne. The paragraph ■ is as follows ; — "A quantity of floating wreck, consisting of a portion of panelled bulwarks or deck fittings, painted white, is reported as having been seen by Captain Garth, of the schooner Seabird, while on the voyage from Dunedin to this port. Captain Garth states that he passed the wreck in long. 154deg. E., and lat. 62deg. 35min. S., and that there was also a corked-up bottle floating with it. He would have lowered a boat to secure the bottle, but the weather was too boisterous at the time to incur any risk." Ihe description of the deck fittings given in either of those paragraphs agrees with such deck fittings as the Magnet had, and the position given would place her about 300 miles off the Tasinanian coast, at a time when she might be expected to be in such a position, considering that she left Melbourne on 16th March, and that some broken weather was experienced on the Australian coast shortly after her departure. It is impossible, therefore, to ignore the possibility of some of the wreck seen belonging to the Magnet, but the circumstance need not yet give cause for alarm or for abandonment of all hope as to her safe arrival on some sea-board. It is possible that, in some of the squalls experienced towards the end of the month, she may have had some of her masts or spars carried away, and, along with these, a part of her bulwarks, and that subsequently she bore up, as she best could, for Twofold Bay or for some other port with which there is only communication . at considerable intervals. The number or names of the passengers on board the Magnet are not at present known, but telegrams have been forwarded via the Bluff by the owners here, Messrs Kennedy Brothers, so that bj the first steamer from Melbourne there should be advices which should set at rest any doubt or anxiety on that subject. According to the copy of the manifest published in the Melbourne papers, the following was the cargo which she had on board for this port :— 20 cases old torn, 50 cases geneva, 3 quarter-casks whisky, 4 quarter-casks sherry, 42 bags 2 tanks malt, 15 chests candles, 4 casks soda crystals", 10 pockets hop 3, 99 bags salt, .10 drums oil, 25 boxes candles, 28 packages hardware and ironmongery, 7 tons 546 packages sugar, 694 bags flour, 97 cases kerosene, 359 packages oilmen's stores and provisions, 10 cases Moselle, 10 crates bottles, 50 broom handles, 10 packages 80 half-chests 20 boxes tea, 6 boxes glass, 10 packages paint, 6 bales paperhangings, 1(3 packages furniture, 12 packages paper, <3 kegs shot, 6 packages sundries, 5 packages drapery and soft goods, 10 quarter-casks 50 cases brandy, . By the report of the Government astronomer for the month of March we find the weather which ; prevailed at Melbourne towards the end. of that month described as follows :— " The prevailing wind was from N.E. and S.R. ; the strongest breezes occurred on the 13th from N. and N.W;, and 26th and 27th from. W. and S.W. ; the greatest hourly velocity, thirtysix miles, from eleven o'clock to noon on the 27th, with wind from S.W." It has to be remembered that the Magnet wa3 not overladen or in any way incapacitated for the safe completion of her voyage. Laden as she was when she left Melbourne, she was in excellent trim, notheavily laden, nor flying light in. ballast, as vessels are when on their upward voyage. There is nothing, therefore, to suggest disaster, unless she met with altogether exceptional weather, and there have been numerous instances of much longer passages being made to .New Zealand, from eithor Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, or Hobart Town, and there have been instances of superior' vessels making even longer passages between such proximate ports as Dunedin and the Bluff. ..We notice that Mr J. Masters, a brother of Mr E. Masters, of Greymouth, has obtained his degree of Master of Arts from the Melbourne University, ,- Mr White; M.H.R., of Hokitika, was a passenger bythe Waipara, which arrived in port last evening. • • . Yesterday the Postmaster and the public had a plethora 'of mails from all parts. The Suez mail was landed from the Alhainbra at an early, honr in the morning, and in the afternoon the coach from Hokitika came in laden with bags of newspapers, representing two months' mails from San Francisco. There were also large mails from Australia, and from the Northern and Southern Provinces.' ' '• • :-'.'--•- . ' ' . „ After exhibiting the Diorama of the American War id Hokitika and Boss, Mr Rainer is now a passenger by the Kennedy, with his company and properties, Intending to open fora' short season at Weatport and at Charleston. ' • There were no police cases heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, but there was a number of civil cases, the majority of which were of no public interest. The case which occupied most, time was that of Hampton and Hill v. M'Carthy and Co, in which Mr Perkina appeared for the plaintiffs and ; Mr Guinness for the defendants. The action was brought for the recovery of LlOO damages "alleged to have been sustained by the plaintiffs, who are dairymen, through an alleged breach of contract on the part of defendants by refusing to carry out a contract for the supply of grains, at the rate of 4^d per bushel, for twelve months. The Magistrate gave his decision in favor, of the plaintiffs to the amount of. L5O. and. costs. We are informed on the best possible authority— ,Mr George Sadler— that the track over the Saddle is "simply abominable," The people of Reefton and. the Grey Valley have been led to believe that before the winter a comparatively good road would be made. This expectation has been met.by an advertisement from Mr Courtney that 150 men are required for road works. This is very satisfactory per se ; but when we find that the road is corduroyed with dead horses, the time has surely arrived when the.inquiry should be made— Are the. roads progressing ? The road from the Landing to Reefton, .part of the line towards the Buller junction, is, ,we hear, ; fast assuming a tangible shape. Our people should not be asleep in reference to pushing on the works already, contracted for, which ought, if properly attended to, soon afford every -one whose business or pleasure requires ibthe advantage of driving through to" Ueeftoa in that acme of comfort, a twolmrso bug-jy. .•...-.■. ■■:■ . .-,,, •Itia notified in the Nelson Gazette that a gold nii>.«jiy lease of ten acres at Murray -b'reek.'liiansjahua, 'has been surrendered by Adam Smith. Block 72, rural land, Grey District, is now open for sale, although no notice to that effect is given in the local journals. The | block is situated between the Teremakau and Lake Brunner, to the eastward of the Hohonu range. The five-mile match between F. Hewitt and Belford, which was run at Melbourne, and which resulted in an apparently easy victory for. the former, has. given rise to borne unpleasaut insinuations respecting the geiniineness of ; the race. Ledger, Bedford's trainer, accused Bedford of having sold the rafie, and implicated several well-known bookmakers in tbe transaction ; these, Ledger served .with writs for conspiracy to defraud; ' Tho affair, however, has been hushed up,

and the accused bookmakers have gone to , Sydney. One of them was induced to stump I up L2OO before his departure. Professional | pedesbrianism certainly seems to have fallen | . to a low ebb in the-polomea.;i ' A very serious accident occurred on Thurs- i day night last, to a sailor named. Frauk Brodley, who was working on board the brig Gazelle,- at Lyttelton. Ife appears he was coming aft from the fore part of the vessel, and fell headlong down the fore-hatch, which' had been left open for ventilation. He was picked up insensible, and taken- to- the Ly.ttelton casual ward; We. are sorry to learn that faint hopes are entertained of the snfferer's ultimate recovery, as, besides severe wouuds and bruises, he has received serious injuries to the spine. ; -« .. A. sale of saddle and draught horses was f held in Wellington on Saturday last; when about a dozen* were put iip. and disposed of. at from L 3 to LlO eaoh. " . . . . . The now achoolhouse at Westporfc is now. ready for occupation. The Times says it reflects very little credit either upon the architect or the Board. It is a low squat building, badly lighted, and no provision whatever is made for ventilation, except through the windows. Altogether it is a most unsightly and unsuitable building. The workmanship and, material, which are very good, form the only redeeming feature 'about it. ■ • On Saturday morning an accident happened in the Buller river to one of Pell's boats, which, fortunately, was not attended with any very serious damage. The -boat was moored with several others at the Blackwater, the men were haying- breakfast when suddenly they were startled by seeing the stern sheets floating down river ; when they went to the boat she was swamped, havingbeen caught in some way by the current. Her freight was nearly all the property of Mr M'Kee, and consisted of a -waggony. har- . ness, and horsefeed. The horsefeed has been recovered, together with most of the harness and waggon. , The late heavy fresh in the Buller has done no damage to the bank, but, were it not for groin at the end of Gladstone street, it is, quite evident that the encroachment at that! point would have been considerable. The sea has rounded off the point below Munro's wharf, thereby widening the entrance at the new channel ; but along the beach, at the back of Gladstone street, notwithstanding the prevalence of southerly gales, no encroachments have taken place. Property holders, says the Times, are beginning to smile again, in consequence of the improved appearance of the beach, which now seems to have a tendency to form in the shapeof a spit, commencing close to the new channel and ending about Dr Thorpe's residence. ; \ i It has been advertised that' there is some: probability of the standing of Mr Alfred Maunders, of Ohristchurch, formerly a popular Superintendent of Nelson Province, for thej Beat vacated by the retirement of Mr Lightband. . Referring to the rumor, the Colonist says:— "We do not, of course; . profess to. know Mr Saunders's intentions, but our information leads us somewhat to doubt the 'pro-' bability ' of his coming forward. It is true that Mr Litghtband has been in communication with Mr Saunders, for the purpose of inducing him to come' forward, and has urged him to do so personally and by tele-, graph. We. are informed also that Mi Saunders has replied to Mr Lightbahd, in effect, that only en a good requisition being presented to him would ho stand for the City ; and it is stated that Mr Lightband has been endeavoring to promote the floating of such a requisition, with what effect we do not pretend to say. Thus matters stand ; and, as they stand, we shall simply be mistaken if Mr Saunders puts in an appearance as a candidate at present." - . At the January Criminal Sessions held in Dunedin, Judge Chapman, in his charge to the Grand" 'Jury, in' the case of Ewing, charged with shooting with intent, a Chinaman, at . Dunstan Creek, used the word "fossicker," the meaning cf which he gave to the Grand Jury as being synonymous withthe word used in town— "loafer." Mr R. Fraser, a miner, feels hurt at the Judge's rendering of the word, and thus writes to the Otago Daily Times:— l beg leave to differ from him there, as "fossicker," in. the digging vernacular, means a miner generally working by himself in shallow grbund, either old or new, but where he can overcome 3 any difficulties by. his own individual exertions without other assistance. The word "loafer," 1 as we use it upon the diggings, 1 ; means a hanger-on of the grog shinties which we -have here- a mail who will do anything to exist without working— a disreputable character. Now, Sir, to identify the two classes as one is an insult to a large body of men, numbering many hundreds in the Colony, who earn an honest living by laborious toil, quite as honestly as Judge Chapman. The fossicker is independent of any employer. His work is there every day, without the fear of being discharged at a moment's notice at the caprice of any man. -./;,. , The arrival of nineFijians at Auckland, for the purpose of giving public " entertainmerits," was recently reported. According to the advertisement the troupe "comprises relatives of some of the most noted Man-' Eaters, Mountain Devils, and Cannibals on the Islands, % and if they are as terrible as their names, which are published, they must be quite as bad as their relations. .They exhibit a number of . " genuine Fiji Curios," in which human bones, ; and kni/es, forks, : dishes, &c., for cannibal feasts, play a prominent part. They give -'"illustrations of the primitive life of the natives in the Fiji Islands. Frightful misery entailed by kidnapping, the grief and war songs of the relatives and natives, frightful yells and demonstrations of deadly revenge on white manstealers for their treachery in trapping them under the garb otreligion, in their infamous personification of the late., arid, ever-to-be respected Bishop Pattesoh, and 'their horrible revenge on the' real Bishop, M '&c, be. The following lather necessary intimation is appended; to the advertisement :—" The proprietors wish to represent facts as they occurred, and in doing so strict decorum shall be observed on the stage, and no scenes brought forward that could annoy the most fastidious." : '; ,