Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1169, 27 April 1872, Page 2

The first of the winter series of entertainments in aid of the Literary Society was given last evening at the Volunteer Hall. The programme was of a varied description, and the thanks of the public are due to those gentlemen and ladies who came forward on the occasion. Miss Hart opened proceedings by playing an overture in excellent style, and Mr Greenwood followed with a reading of " Lady CWe." A song by Mr Bailey and a reading by Mr Newton followed, and Miss Hawley then sang a song very sweetly, which was applauded to the echo. Mr Kyle gave a comic reading, after which the well-known Christy song and chorus, "Oh gently breathe," was given by Messrs Lyell, Butt. Greenwood, Warner, Waters, and Poole most effectively. Mr Greenwood sang the solo part with great taste. A reading by Mr Andrews concluded the first part of the entertainment. After an iuterval, Mr Seymour gave a piano solo, and Mr Waters followed with a side-splitting reading from the "Pickwick Papers," explanatory of the arrest at Ipswich. Mr Greenwood then sang "The Village Blacksmith" in excellent style, and would have been encored had encores been permitted, and Mr Elmer recited a very feeling battle piece. The well-known song and chorus "Come where my love lies dreaming" was next on the list, Messrs Warner, Butt, Lyell, Waters, and Greenwood taking part in it, the first-named gentleman singing the solo with great taste. Mr Bailey sang another song; and, Mr S. Poole sent the people away in high good humor by his darkie representation. The attendance, though not so large as has been on some previous occasions, was very fair, and a good evening's entertainment was provided. Another will be given in a fortnight. Mr Drury addressed the electors of the Grey Valley at Smith's Hotel, Cobden, last night, on which occasion Mr fiae occupied the chair. The candidate entered fully into details respecting matters affecting the welfare of the district, after which a- vote of confidence in him was proposed and carried unanimously. The polling in the election of a member of the Nelson Provincial Ceuncil for the Grey District takes place to-day, at the various adveitised polling places throughout the district. The candidates are Messrs F. Guinness and E. A. Drury, both of whom have been canvassing the district during the last few days. We expect to be able to publish the complete returns in our next. We hear that Mr Guinnosjs addressed the electors at NoTown on Thursday eveniug, when, after his address, a vote of confidence in him was passed, although carried by a large majority. We hear that arrangements ha/c been made between Mr Thompson, representative of Messrs Langlands and Co., Melbourne, and the Energetic Co., Inangahua, for the supply of machinery, which will consist of teu heads of stampers, driven by a turbine wheel. This wheel has just arrived in Melbourne from England, and is capable of driving 25 heads of stampers. It, may be expected to arrive here in about six weeks. It is rumored that the washing up of the trial crushing has taken place in Shiel's prospecting claim, Inangahua, but the result is kept secret. However, it is reported as being very good. A quarter share was sold during this week by Mr G. W. Moss, for LllOO.

The new dramatic company, recently arrived, will give the first of their series of performances in the Volunteer Hall this evening, when several of our, .resident amateurs will give their assistance. The programme is a good one, includiug two scenes from the comedy "The School for Scandal," the farce "The Rough, Diamond," interspersed with an abundance of singling. The company propose shortly to play the drama "The Octoroon." To-night the Greymouth Town Band have consented to be present and play several pieces.

The Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, writing on 6th April, says :— " Gold is said to have been discovered at Tuhua, a place situated in Uppet Waikato, say 60 miles south and west of Ngaruawahia, not far from the Ngatirankawa country, and looking towards Wanganui . An experienced digger, who has prospected between Wannanni and Upper Waikato, tells me be is confident those districts are^auriferous, and partly alluvial, and says he and his mate obtained some gold thereabouts spveral years ago, but they were ordered off by the Kiugites. Last Sunday a large number of Waikatos were about to start for Tuhua to dig, but were restrained by Tawhiao, foiwhat reason I do not exactly know. Rewi and some followers were en route for Tuhua on the Ist inst. There is reason for believing that the greater part of the rough country lying between Cambridge, Lake Taupo, and Wanganui, is gold-bearing."

Some wags at Roxburg (says the Twuptika Times) having, by means known only to themselves, got possession of a few handbills of a popular entertainment, filled in the blank spaces "Teviot," and the date of the performance, " Ist April," then posted them in the most prominent places, A " sell " of a wholesale nature was the result. A considerable attendance responded to the announcement, but no showmen, of course, were visible. As if to ensure the attendance of all classes, a report was industriously circulated that Mr Bradshaw would meet his constituents on the same evening. Much to their chagrin, the grim petitioners of Teviot were served the same way as the would-be gay and festive spectators of the show. The popular question in the locality at present is, "Have you seen the show?" to which the retort generally is, "Have you heard Bradshaw?"

We recently mentioned that a townsman, Mr Thompson, had been lost in the ill-fated New Guinea expedition By a private letter received in town this week, we learn that Mr Thompson was murdered by the natives after landing from the raft, and his body was so mutilated and disfigured, that he could only be identified bj his beard. Mr Ch.rles Mayne, one of the earliest storekeepers up the Grey .River, was washed off the i aft and drowned while endeavoring to reach the land.

New Zealand preserved meat is pushing its* way in France. A gentleman writing from ■the north of France says that this meat is being sold in the neighboring towns at a shilling per pound. ■• . Forty-two natives have placed themselves upon the electoral roll in Hawke's Bay. One of the local papers expects to see a Maori returned to the Provincial Council before long. Mr B. Constable, of Wainku, Auckland, sent away in the Nebraska, on her last trip, the last of a shipment of 600 bales of flax prepared at his mill. Seventy tons more are nearly ready, and this will be forwarded by the next steamer. Mr Bishop, of Blenheim, lost a pocketbook containing Xii-io iv uutco rooontly. tMih book was found on the Grove road, but the notes had been abstracted, a cheque for L 3 13s 6d only remaining. The first brew of beer at Coromandel was started on the 10th inst. At the Auckland Supreme Court recently, Mr Elliott Meyer and Mr Charles Madden, passed as solicitors and barristers. ' It is not generally known that the claimant to the Tichborne estates was some time ago for several months a resident in Wellington, under the name of De Castro. During the trial just completed in London, the claimant's career was traced, with the exception of a period of six months, during which he disappeared, and re-appeared under the name of De Castro. It thus appears that the missing link in his life sould have been supplied by means of research in this colon, y. Truth is stranger than fiction. The potato crop is reported to be a total failure in the Wanganui district this year. According to. the daily Southern Cross the City Hall promises to be one of the most elegant interiors in Auckland. The proprietors have given Messrs Calder and J'errirnan, professional decorators, a full carle blanche to embellish the hall from their own designs, which are being carried out without any referenqe to expense. The walls are paintedoin panel, and on each of the divisions are floral designs worked in oil colors. The ceiling is painted in cerulean with stars, representing the azure finnanent, whilst a subdued light softens the whole and throws the sides and ends of the building into pleasing relief. The seats are comfortably recumbent. The proprietor and editor of the Wahatip Mail are rival candidates for the representation of Lake Wakatip in the Otago Provincial Council. It will be amusing to watch which candidate the paper supports. His Excellency's landing at Napier on his arrival from Wellington was attended by an accident from which fortunately no serious consequences arose. In firing the salute of welcome, the vent plug not having been properly screwed in when the gun was loaded, it blew out with great force, and flew into the air. Fortunately, it fell clear of the spectators, and no one was hurt. One hundred thousaud salmon ova, presented by the Duke of Northumberland to the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, arrived by the Nevada recently, but owing to their having been 100 days instead of 50 in transitu the whole of the ova had perished. The alleged discovery of gold in the Taupo district has induced the Government to ascertain the practicability of making a road to the plains. The Wanganui Herald, writing on this subject, says:— A double interest at present attaches to this road in consequence of the reported discovery of gold at Taupo, and between here and the source of the Wanganui river; for it will be remembered that a few weeks ago the natives informed Captain M'Donnell that gold had been found, and [produced some auriferous quartz. Mr Woon, on his return from his last up-country journey, gave an accurate account or the feeling of the natives with respect to gold - prospecting. Topine, a powerful chief on the river, is at present very friendly to the Europeans, and favorable to prospecting parties exploring his ter-' ritory ; but a little higher up other chiefs are located whose dignity was wounded, inasmuch as they -were not consulted by Topine in the matter, and they refuse to allow any parties to go into their district in search of gold. We know Mr Woon's great influence with the natives, and we hope ha will not consider it foreign to his duties to try to prevail with them, when he makes his next tour, to permit prospecting. We are confident, from all the indications and from trustworthy intelligence, that a payable gold field exists in the interior cf this island near Taupo, and would soon |be discovered if the country were thrown open to prospectors.

Some of the Chinamen at work on the banka of the Manuhenkia, Otago, are reported to be- making about Ll2 per week per man. Only 110 persons applied this year to have their nrmes placed on the electoral roll for Dunedin. The licensed victuallers of Wanganui have recently had " a scare." A legal gentleman discovered that in 1567 an act had been passed repealing that under • which all the licences had been granted. Consternation seized every Boniface, but they were relieved when a second lawyer discovered that the act of 1867 had been disallowed by the Governor. "'Mr H. Manders has publicly announced his intention to come forward as a candidate for one of the vacant seats in the Otago Provincial Council. In making this announce ■' ment, he says he does " not think much honor attaches to the position." The Lyttelton Times, in a leading article, very properly points out the very careless manner in which the statistics relating to the gold fields have been compiled, and the almost valueless character on account of their incompleteness. The "Further Reports" upon the gold fields for the year ending June, 1871, were only published the other day, and as a Parliamentary Blue Book and a guide to refer to for information this volume is a disgrace to the Colony. As our contemporary says, we find only "a lot of loosely put-together information about the gold fields of Auckland, Westland, ami Marlborough, but not a word about Otago." The Times suggests that regular quarterly returns should be published, and adds: — "It would be j ust, as easy, if the matter were properly and systematically looked after, to give a general quarterly return showing the state of the gold fields, as it is to give a return showing the amount of Customs duties collected, the value and quantity of imports and exports to and from the several ports of the Colony. There can be no doubt that the mining industry of New Zealand will presently assume very large proportions indeed, and if reliable statistics were perodically issued in the manner we have suggested, the development of the industry would be greatly aided. Capitalists at a distance would thus be able fco form a pretty accurate idea on points which they naturally inquire about, and attention would be drawn to the capabilities of the Colony in a manner that, both directly and indirectly, must result in its deriving great advantage." We may fairly hope that as the Government have now created a gold fields department the matter of statistical information will receive proper attention. At present one cannot look at the very valuable and complete statistics of the Victorian miningdepartment without a feeling of shame that such important matters should have been neglected in New Zealand so much as they have been.