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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1225, 2 July 1872, Page 2

An application was made to the District Engineer, through Mr Warden Whitefoord, on Thursday, 27th ult., at Ahaura, for permission to erect a wire tramway, for horsa traffic, across the Arnold river. The applicants do not ask for special protection for any specified time ; all they want is an assurance that the Nelson Government will not cause or permit the wires to be cut or otherwise injured. The protection of the County of Westland Government is, we understand, already secured. The prompters of this undertaking propose to place on the Arnold, at their own risk and expense, a substantial and safe means of crossing the river, and one which will be available for traffic at all times. The following is the schedule of tolls it is intended to charge :— Each horse and load, Is 6d; travellers on foot, Cd; cattle, Is per head ; sheep, 2os per hundred. It is to be hoped Mr Dobson will see fit to grant this application, because in the proportion that extra means are afforded of crossing these dangerous rivers, the risk and expenses of travelling, is lessened, and those who offer to place these facilities in the way of the public, should meet with more encouragement. The last opportunity for catching the outgoing San Francisco mail occurs to-day, when the s.s Kennedy leaves at 4 30 p.m. for Nelson. At the Resident Magistrate's, Court yesterday Edward Duggan was charged with having been drunk and disorderly- on Satur- , day night, and with making use )>f abusive language in a public place, afj/er having been arrested by the constable. For the first offence defendant was-fined LI or 24 hours' imprisonment, and for the second LI or three days' imprisonment. It appears that we were in error in stating that the family of the man Harrison who was drowned at M 'Gee's bridge lived in Greymouth. His wife and family are residing close to the spot where the unfortunate accident took place. A correspondent informs us that the deceased, Edwin Harrison, was drowned in a hole in Red Jack's Creek, two and a half miles from Camptown, and that the body has not yet, been recovered. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Stafford, on Friday last, Dennis Hannan appeared to an information laid by James Fowler, "for that he, the said Dennis Hannan, did, on the 12th day of June, 1872, at Stafford, sit and vote as a member of the Arahura Road Board, after having been appointed, on the 28th duy of March,, 1872, to an office of profit under the said Board (to wit) that of Assessor for and under the Board, for the sum of Lls, he the said Dennis Hannan being at the time incapacitated to be and continue a member of the i said Board." After the evidence had been heard, the Magistrate reserved his decision

for a week. A second information was then proceeded with, which charged the same defendant with "knowingly voting upon a matter in which he had a direcc pecuniary interest, viz., when the sum of L3O was passed for payment for the two assessors, Ll5 of which sum was for the benefit and profit ot defendant." This charge was dismissed. The West Coast portion of the San Francisco mail was brought down by the 8 8 Alhatnbra, and was landed here early yesterday morning. The Comedy and Burlesque Company, assisted by Signor Donato, the wonderful one-legged dancer, give the first of their series of performances at the Volunteer Hall this evening. The programme includes the omedy of " Hunting a Turtle," a song and dance by La Petite Amy, the dancing of. Signor Donato, and the burlesque of "Lurlme." We have to acknowledge receipt from the Westland Survey Department of sheet No. 7 of the sketch map of lands open for sale in the County. This 'sheet embraces a portion of the Grey District from the Marsden Road to the Arnold River, Kflnnedy's warehouse, Hospital street, Greymouth, is gazetted as a warehouse for the reception of goods under bond. ' '. Miss Aitken is giving a series of readings at the City Hall, Auckland, prior to her departure for Europe. It is noted to be a curious fact that the newly-constituted Victorian Ministry does not contain a single "Mac." The Age says it is the first time that it has occurred for years that no member of the Ministry has been in possession of this "aristocratic prefix." Tne Nelson Town Board must be sharp on wandering cattle, if we can judge by the following paragraph, which appears in a JNelson paper :—" Balloon.— Wanted, a balloon by the undersigned to carry cows across Nelson street, from one allotment to another, seeing that they cannot cross the street without being chargeable by the City Council as stragglers. Perhaps the Inspector of Nuisances knows of one. I will pay him a good price for it. — Mrs Jennings. Dunedin papers report that a seatu of coal has recently been discovered by a settler named Mr Baird, on his property, block 4, North Harbor and' Blueskin district. A shaft is now being sunk to test the seam, and sanguine hopes are entertained that the quality will prove to be good. Should such be the case, the discovery is a mosc important one, as there are indications of a large mass of coal in the ground. The distance from Deborah Bay being only, about a mile, would render it easily available for shipping and other purposes. Writing about Schaefer, the German traveller, the Bendigo Advertiser says :— Adversity, misfortune, ana circumstances, the occurrence of which he- had never anticipated, utterly exploded Schaefer's brilb'ant prospects of travelling all over the face of the civilised world, at least for the time being. This little man has been pulled up in his pilgrimage, and has been compelled by sheer necessity to adopt the ordinary vocations of life to win the oread that pe- . risheh . From associating with the illustrious personages of the world, and being extolled as one of the wonders of the age, poor Schaefer has been reduced to the necessity of getting his living by selling secondhand jewelry in the city and suburbs of Sandhurst. ■ After all the talk about prospecting the Tauranga district (writes a correspondent of the Soathem Cross), it would seem that the intentions of the inhabitants have been almost anticipated, if credence is to be given to the statements made in a letter received the other day by a gentleman in Te Papa from one of a party at present near Mataora, a place not far from, and on the eastern side of the Ohinemuri ranges. The letter s bated that the party had found payable gold in two reefn, and that, in washing the dirt, they obtained 3gr to each dishful of stuff. The writer, moreover, stated that he was about to set off for Auckland, there to claim the reward for the discovery of a gold field. If this be true, there are good days in store for the Tauranga district at no very distant date. The Thames Advertiser, referring to the offer made by an English company to construct a railway from Point Russell to the Thames, says :— " The terms submitted on behalf of the company are not allowed to transpire in the meantime ; but, from what we could ascertain from the representative of the company, when visiting the Thames a few weeks ago, we have no doubt the Government will see it to their advantage to accept the offer. It will be remembered that the company had its origin in the purchase of the freehold of the coalfield at the Miranda comprising an area of l'>,ooo acres, to work which a capital of L 40,000 was subscribed in England. The extent and importance of this undertaking to ourselves cannot be overestimated. With a new and extensive coalfield to be developed, the company propose to extend their enterprise to the opening up of interior communication, so that the produce of the Waikato may find its way to the Thames market, and direct export from this place may be encouraged." I A "benefit," thoroughly "complimentary" in its character, and " grand " in its proportions for Greymoutb, was given last evening to. Mr George Bromley. The compliment was conveyed to Mr Bromley on the stage by Miss Clara Stephenson, by Mr Burford, and by other members of the company j who have entertained Greymouth for the past two months, and in what newspapers call the " auditorium" by a large assemblage of friends both of Mr Bromley and of the company aforesaid. The performances, according to the play-bill, commenced with the "thrilling drama," "Lady Audley's Secret." Miss Clara Stephenson was Lady Audley, Mr Bromley was Robert Audley, and Mr Burford was Tilke, who is described in the story and in the playbill as a drunken, but, as it proves, a very shrewdly drunken gamekeeper. Mr Bromley, as Robert Audley, essayed a part which is not exactly within his line of "business," but, in the second act at least, he sustained the common conception of the part extremely well, and he received, as he deserved, second to Miss Stephenson, a call before the curtain. He was not in the first part — more from foibles in details and dress than from his acting— a perfect realisation of the Robert Audlejr which most readers of the story form, or which is usual upon the stage. If, for instance, the cigar which he disports and fitfully smokes were eliminated, lie would himself feel less embarrassed, and the spectators would like him all the better in what is obviously a " gentleman character." Miss Stephenson acted her part admirably, but was a scintilla too well-dressed for the. surrounding scenery, which the painter or paperhanger of the proscenium has succeeded in rendering extremely shady by J a fancy for placing the strongest colors in the front. Sympathizers with Mr Artemus Ward might be disposed to ask- " Why such a garden of cabbage roses in her auburn hair?" and it might be as freely echoed by the audience " Oh, why?" Deducting the roses, and the pleasing robustness of Miss Stephenson's face and hgure, it would be a very critical audience whojwould not concede to her the merit of well conceiving the character which she represented, and of acting it with care and faithfulness in the most minute detail. It may be a fair ques- '. lion between psychologists and ordinary i

people whether, in such a pretty and plump person as Miss Stephenson appears to be in the play, there ctrald be concealed the elements of a hypocrite or a maniac— Lady Audley, as described and represented, being either or both. Mr Burford, both by his acting and by his assumed dialect, made his representation one of the best features of the play, although he was not always appropriately applauded. For a heavy piece like that of "Lady Audley," prepared at short notice, and on such a stage as that which Grey mouth only yet possesses, the other pecformers did what was sufficient for the circumstances — to make the play a success. The play was followed by a musical melange, in which Mr Bromley gave a comic and locally complimentary song, and in which some local amateurs materially assisted. A protracted programme was brought to a close by a repetition of the burlesque ■'•lxion," and the night's entertainment brought to a close a season of dramatic performances superior to anything which Greymouth playgoers have as yet had an opportunity of witnessing on what, without any great stretch of courtesy, may no.w be spoken of as the Greymouth stage. An extraordinary scene presented itself, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, at Auckland, on the night of the 21st ult. It was one of Mr Frank Weston's gratuitous oil seances. Within ten minutes of the time of the doors being opened every seat and every foot of standing room in the house above and below was occupied, and still there were some hundreds wishing to gain admission, wishing in vain. Then the idea seized upon some one that there was a back entrance to the theatte leading onto the stage. He gave the word, and like a bewildered flock of sheep followiug a leader there was a rush round the corner from Queen street to High street, and an entry was effected through the private gate to the theatre, when before one could moderately count twelve the whole of the stage was occupied, a very large proportion of those joining in the rush being ladies. Mr Weston had scarcely room left for himself, his .banjo, and his stock of oil. Space in fact was so scarce that Mr Weston had to accommodate his hat by allowing it to remain for the whole of the evening on his head. The wizard sang, talked, banjoised, spun yarns, made the people laugh, stamp their feet, clap their hands, and buy his oU, all in a manner not to be described. The cheapness of the entertainment was the great relish given to it.