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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1234, 12 July 1872, Page 2

The annual general meeting of the subscribers to the Grey Biver Hospital was held in Gilnier's Hall last evening. Mr "WV S. Smith was in the chair. Three reports connected with the conduct and business of the institution were read— the Committee's report by Mr Kenrick, the Hon. Treasurer's report by Mr King, and the Medical Officer's report by the Hon. Secretary, Mr Newton, On the conclusion of the reading of the reports, it was moved by Mr Whall, seconded by Mr Andrews, fand unanimously agreed to "That a cordial vote of thanks be accorded to the members of the central and local committees of the Grey River Hospital for the manner in which they have performed their duties during the past year." There was also, on the motion of Mr Chamberlain, seconded by Mr M'Millan, a unanimous vote of thanks given to the Surgeon, and to the Superintendent of the institution. Besides the reception of reports, it was the object of tho meeting to nominate a committee of management for the ensuing year. About twenty-tive gentlemen were nominated for election, and it was arranged that a poll should take place at Gilmer's on the afternoon of Saturday, the 20th instant, Mr M'Millau and Mr Kirton being invited to act as scrutineers. The proceedings were concluded l>y a vote of thanks to the Chairman. Tt is confidently expected by Mr Mirfin, the Overset* of Works, that the Reefton and Mia Mia road will be opened by the 20th inßt., in the event of tho weather continuing as dry and as favorable for out-door work as it is at present. The traffic permitted at first will, of course, be that of passengers and horses, the work being too new for the immediate passage of heavy drays. In consequence solely of the unusually unfavorable weather which has prevailed while this work has been in progress, its cost will probably txceed considerably the amount which was originally estimated, but there can be no doubt as to the propriety of its being pushed on undir any circumstances, it the development of the

district to which it loads was at all to be considered as it deserved to be.

The circumstance of other meetings being held on the same night, and the not less important circumstance of the night being bitterly cold, interfered with the simultaneous attendance, at a meeting fixed for Wednesday, of all the members of the committee appointed by the recent public meetinc. The Mayor has, however, issued circulars to each member, desiring his attendance at the same place of meeting this evening, at eight o'clock, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the sympathy with the object of the meeting will prove superior to that distressing dose of " snifters" from which most members of tho committee, in common with the community generally, are so severely suffering.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, a few civil cases were disposed of In the case of Hamilton and Co., of Clifton, v. C. O'Brien, a claim for L 7 16s 6d, the defendant admitted the debt, but pleaded inability to pay, except at the rate of 5s per week. The Magistrate gave an order for payment at that rate, but the plaintiffs preferred not to accept it. — In the case of the same plaintiff v. Conway, a fraud summons, ib was represented for the plaintiff that the day after he received the summons, he transferred his property to evade the debt, which was owing since 1869, and that there was a probability of his leaving the Colony. The Magistrate considered that the fraud summons' should be heard at Maori Gully, where the case was originally heard. — In the adjourned case of Harris y. Drury, a claim for LIG, judgment was given for Ll3, with costs.

The adjourned inquest on the deceased Edward Wright, who was killed on Saturday last, near Red Jack's, was resumed yesterday at Gilmer's Hotel, before W. H. Revell, Esq , District Coroner, and a jury, of which (Ay R. De Costa was foremau. John Jones said : lam a bricklayer at present, but was working on the telegraph line (Ga van's contract) between No Town road and Red Jack's Creek. I was tent mates with the deceased Edward Wright, and have known him for several years. Last Saturday evening, the 6th inst., about half-past four, I left him to go about half a mile through the bush to get a billy ; I left him working at a tree, taking it down. When about half way back I heard the tree falling. I reached the place where I left him in about a quarter of an hour, and as I passed th« place I heard a moan. 1 said "Is that you Ned," but got no answer. I heard another moan, when I got down off the sidling about five or six yards, and saw the deceased lying with his head down hill, and a part of a limb of a tree lying on his neck. I lifted it off, then shifted him about four yards from the place towards the track. I was not able to carry him to the tent, and ran for assistance for two of my mates who were about half a mile away. They came with me — Harris and Nankervis. They found him just where I left him ; he was alive, but insensible, and bruised on the head and face, blood flowing from the mouth and nostrils. We carried him to the tent and attended to him. There was no cut on the faca ; it was swollen up and blackened. At daylight on Sunday morning I went to Red Jack s and got Thomas and Cramer, who helped us to bring deceased to the Greymouth Hospital. I was on good terms with deceased. It would be about half an hour from the time I left him until I returned. He was a good bush man and understood bush work well. The limb of the tree had evidently come down from the top of an old dry pine, about fifteen feet long, but it had broken, and the piece that was lyiug on the deceased was about Bix feet long, and five inches through. The loo; was removed from the man before I went for assistance. If Harris said that he removed the log, he would not be speaking the truth. At first I thought the deceased was only stunned, and not so badly hurt as he was. The jury returned a verdict of " accidental death."

A meeting is appointed to be held at Reefton on Saturday evening, for the purpose of considering Mr Harrison's scheme for the future governmeut of the West Coast Gold Fields, and other matters of vital importance to the district. The Herald, in referring to the subject of the meeting, says : — " While opposed to the Provincial system, yet should we prefer to accept Mr Harrison's. proposal for the erection of a new Province, rather than hazard the possibility of continuing connected with Nelson." , The Cromwell Argus is informed that two pounds weight of gold, of the value of» L9O sterling, was obtained a few days ago by two men working in one of the tunnel claims in Pipeclay Gully. By Messrs Wood and Cunningham's grain report, we learn that 600,000 bushels of wheat have been exported from the Province of Canterbury during the six months ending 30th June ; of that amount the southern districts have contributed 162, 194 bushels. The Tuapeka Times calculates that there are 270 hotels and from 400 to 500 sly grog shanties on the Otago gold fields. The promoters "*of a mining company in New South Wales have adopted a very peculiar title. They call their association the "Honest Lawyer Gold Mining Company." A regular coal famine exists in Timaru, so much so that the Steam Mills and the Foundry have stopped work for want of that commodity. As a result of the recent hard frost in Otago, the young folks in, Arrowtown were able to slide through the first set and Sir Roger de Covet ley to the strains of a band, and, according to the local paper, they enjoyed immensely the novelty of dancing on the ice. A trial of Messrs Bolton and Elder's " Rock -render " will be made at Manuka Creek, Otago, on Friday next, when a blast of three hundred pounds will be fired in Mr Coombes' claim. Mr J. Cracroft Wilson, C.8., has been created a Knight of the Star of India. An awfully sudden death occurred at Roxburgh, Otago, on the night of the 18th ult. A man named Gregory, a baker, in the emSloy of Mr Ormoiid, came into the bar of Irmond's Hotel, about eleven o'clock on the night in question, and called for a glass of sherry. When he had drunk it he remarked to Mrs Ormond, who wa^ in the bar at the time, that it would be his last. Mrs Ormond thought nothing of the remark, as he intended leaving his employment the following morning, He then went into a sittingroom, and after remaining there a short time suddenly fell back. Dr M'Dougall, who was present., Bent for Dr Miller ; but before anything could be done, the man was dead. Deceased wa3 51 years of age, and a native of Scotland. The full whip particulars regarding the death of Dr Pearson, at Akaroa, ai'e given by a correspindtnt of the Canterbury Press : — -"E.irly on the morning of the 27th Dr Pears< a left his house in Watson's Valley. Mrs I'-sarson, thinking her husband got up professionally, paid little attention until she got up in the morning, and finding the lavnp ! alight, discovered her husband had not nil ' his clothes, buy not liking to give unnecessary alarm she made every search in h-> power. His not returning gave some alarm j but as persons from a distance often fetch an extra horse with them, and hearing tint hoiscnier had passed through the town early on that morning,, no general senrchw.s marie until the morning of the 28th iti3fc. Several turned out, and their search resuUe . in jart nf the clo .lies being found distributed over some distance. His dead body was

eventually discovered in a state of nudity, nearly a mile up the range from where the clothes were found, but had no marks of violence.

A seam of coal was recently reported to have been discovered at Deborah Bay, about one mile from Port Chalmers jetty, and right opposite to the mooring ground of the San Francisco mail steamers. The. Daily Times office has received a sample of it, taken from a depth of four feet only below the surface. It looks well, and is of similar appearance to the coal obtained at Green Island. The Deborah Bay coal, so far as it h.i 3 been tested, seemß to be of a gaseouß nature. On sinking to a depth of sixteen feet through the seam, which dips towards the aouth-west at the rate of 1 in 12, a good deal of water delayed the workings It is now proposed to send in a tunnel from the hill side at a considerable distance below this, in a line with the lead, and to have a tramway leading down, to the water's edge, thence a jetty through the bay, over the bank which skirts it, and into deep water, where vessels could be supplied at 10s per ton, delivered on board. It is expected that a company will be Btarted at once to work the seam.

The Boss JWeios learns that section 1, at the Kanieri end (Whitaker's contract), will be finished in about three months. Smith and Co are busily engaged erecting a bridge over Deep Creek. Section No 6 (the last of the sections open for tender) was let last week to Mr Tracey, for LBOO. The wire bridge over the Totara is passable, but in not yet boarded over. Some very fine specimens of auriferous quartz have been brought to town this week by Mr Trenery. They are pieces taken from the ground which has so far been opened by the parties engaged in testing the Just-in* time Claim at Boatman's. It is a meagre I description of them simpijr to say they are auriferous. The quartz and the mundic or | other material which runs through it is thickly permeated with gold, nakedly visible to the naked eye. The apecimeus are some of the best which we have seen coming from the reefing' district, or from the particular part of it which is known as Boatman's, and : if the reef from which they are taken is as extensive and well-defined as it 13 rich, there are few places in New Zealand with better prospects. ' According to the West Coast Times report of the proceedings in the County Council on Wednesday, Mrßonar moved the aijcurn» : ment of the Council until Monday next. In doing so, he oaid, he desired to allude to a matter which was now public property— the ' elevation of the Chairman to the Upper House. He felt much pleasure in congratulating the Chairman upon the honor which had been conferred upon him, and he felt glad of having a public opportunity of doing so. Mr Fox, in seconding the motion for adjournment, said he heartily concurred in the congratulations tendered to the Chairman by the member for Hokitikaj Mr Bonar. The Chairman expressed his thanks for the congratulations accorded to him, and desired to give an assurance that he would always do his best in the Legislative Council for the West Coast Gold FieHs. He might mention that in the appointment he was named as representing the Gold Fields, and he believed it was the first time a member, had been summoned to the Upper House as the representative of the mining interests. Some strange specimens of legislation are^ afforded by the proceedings in the Hawaiian; Parliament. According to a report of one of its recent sittings, the Hon. Mr Rice gave notice of his intention to bring in a bill to render the proprietors of all bar rooms, or. establishments where intoxicatiug drinks are sold to be drunk upon the premises, civilly liable in damages for injuries done or received by those becoming intoxicated on their premises, such injuries being the na- ; tural or consequential results of such intoxication. A petition was presented from Wailuku, that representatives who get drunk be not paid. Returned to tke merdber who presented. A bill was introduced by the Hon. Mr Lonoaea to prevent any one who keeps a mistress, or is in the habit of getting drunk, from holding a. Government office. : The bill was* after discussion, read a second time.