THE Grey Rider Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1265, 19 August 1872, Page 2

THE Grey Rider Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1872.

A meeting of the .shareholders in the quartz claim at the Inangahua known as the Golden Fleece was held at Kilgour's Hotel, on Saturday afternoon, when a dividend of L 549 Ha lOd per full share was declared. It was stated at the meeting that the reef .varies in thickness from sft to 13ft, and that the stone can be raised at the rate of 12s Od per ton. It was arranged that the future working of the mine should be done by contract, if that plan were found to be more economical than the present method.

Mr N. Salomon, jeweller, late of Dunedin, is at present- in Greymouth, exhibiting a magniheent stock of watches, chains, jewels, &c, at the Albion Hotel. As Mr Salomon has disposed of his Dunedin business, this will be nis last visit to the coast. Melodrama, moonlight, and Miss Stephenson attracted to the theatre a large audience on Saturday evening. "Dominique, the Deserter," was tbe drama, and "A Conjugal Lesson" the farce. Mr Thornton, who is an actor as well as a scenic artist, took part in the play, and "La Petite Amy," the clever little girl who appeared some time ago on tbe some boards, amused the audience in the intervals. A gentleman possessing the name of Herbert Lascelles and the qualities of a capital comic s : nger, also contributed to the quantity and excellence of the eutertainment. The performance pleased eveiybody who was present except one possessor of a season ticket who. writes to us that lie is disappointed that the company do not produce •' fresh pieces" every evening. Thiß they have done in the ordinary sense of tho words, but tbe "disappointed one" Beems to think that by " fresh pieces" Mr Burford meant that something peiiectly original would be produced on every occasion of the company's n|tpearance, and because something perfectly original is not produced every evening, ho considers that the company are "humbugging the public." The gentleman who thus complains has evidently a high conception «f the expanaivenefls of

the human intellect. The general opinion of the public is that the company attempt too much by performing so many heavy plays at such short intervals. To satisfy this season-ticket holder they would require to have a Shakespeare in the study and a Garrick on the stage, but Shakespeares and Garricks are not always available among colonial commnnuties, and it is, no doubt, owing to that unfortunate but insurmountable difficulty that the company at the Volunteer Hall only perform three times a week, and play pieces which have not been written- by dramatic authors resident in u.ey mouth.

Thomas Costello, butcher, of Gorge Town, Boatman's, in the Inangahua district, has been missing for upwards of a fortnight;. Every inquiry lias been set afoot by the police ana others, but without clearing up the mystery connected with his prolonged absence. The first intimation of the matter was given by George Falconer on the Bth inst., who reported that Costello left Boatman's on Tuesday, 23rd July, to search for two head of cattle, the joint property of the partners. When leaving, Falconer gave Costcllo L2O; Tho latter was subsequently seen in Reefton, and later in O'Donnell's accomdation house on tho Buller road. On Thursday Constable Jeffries proceeded to Boatman's to institute farther enquiries, and aaw Mr John Deehan, who stated that he was in company with Costello on the night of 31st July at O'DonneH's accommodation house. About 10 p.m. Costello accompauied Deehau with the intention of sleeping at the latter's hut, but, on arriving at the door, he declined, stating his intention to cross the creek and go to Yankee Charley's. Coatello -was then m a state of semi-intoxication. Mr O'Donnell saw Cos^ello a few moments subsequently, making towards the tree that crosses tho creek. O'Donnell accosted him, but he made no reply and passed on. O'Donnell appears to have been the last person who had seen the missing man in that locality. Two days later he was in Reefton, and it is believed that he then bad no meney in Irs po; session. The accidental omission of a paragraph in the report of tho County Council proceedings which we published on Saturday materially altered the whole sense of the report. The Paragraph | omitted read thus t— "Mr Kouinson then moved, as an amendment — 1 That the consideration of the question [of compensation to Tramway Companies] bo adjourned until this day six montns.' " This was the amendment \ihich was seconded by Mr Fox, and which, on division, w?s carried, the votes being— Ayes . Messrs Button, Robinson, Fox, Dungau, and Lahman. Noes: Messrs Ralfe, BarfF, and Hoos.

The Reef ton paper of Saturday furnishes the following items of mining intelligence : — " The Invincible Gold Mining Company, Registered, adjoining and south of the Anderson's Creek Company, have within the last few days been raising stone from their new shaft, equal in richness to anything yet obtained from the Murray Creek reefs. The stone in appearance is not unlike the Larry's Creek reef, and the gold is also of a coarse character, and. well distributed through the lode, which varies in thickness from 3ft to 44ft. — At the Ajax Company the batteries commenced work again on Tuesday last, operating on stone from the company's ground. About 400 tons of stone will be put through previous to washing up."

The expected unity, union, and uniformity of government on the West Coast, incorrectly spoken of as "unification," is thus referred to by a Wellington correspondent of the West Coast Times:— 11 ' The prospects of 'unification' are not of the brightest hue. Indeed, I, do not think that desideratum will be effected this session, although its failure — should it fail— will not bo attributable to any fault of the Government or of the West Coast members. The Bill to effect the desired union is not yet printed, nor is it yet definitely settled whether the County or Provincial form of Government shall be adopted. Two Bills on the subject are, I believe, in the hands of the printer, one providing for a County, the other for a Provincial administration ; and the. decision as to which shall be brought down to the House will be made after further consultation with the West Coast members as to the respective merits of each. Whichever form of government may be decided upon, the proposed alteration of boundaries will be formidably, and, I fear, successfully opposed, so" for as this session is concerned. This good will, however, result from the introduction of the Bill— West Coast grievances will bejventilated, and the way paved for their amelioration next session."

Two cases which have the appearance of self-murder are reported from Oaniaru. In the first case, Isaac Davis, cousin to Mr Moss, clothier, was found drowned in a creek, and the presumption is that he made away with himself while in low spirits, in consequence of some reflections upon his character, these reflections being merely some chaff by some friends who had perpetrated npon him a practical joke. In the second case, Bridget Faire, a farm servant of eccentric disposition, is supposed to have leapt into a lagoon at Kakanui.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Saturday, a woman named Jane Anderson was sentenced to a month's imprisonment and hard labor for stealing a tin. of kerosene from Mrs Gieskiug.

The Rev. Thomas Flavell, of Charleston, has been invited by members of the English Church at Reefton to take charge ot that district, and the Bishop of Ne'son has acceded to their request.

The Premier, Mr Fox, is said to have telegraphed bis congratulations to the shareholders of the Golden Fleece Company and the inhabitants of the Inangahua district generally upon the eminently successful result of the recent crushing from that' claim. An epicurean prisoner in the Reefton lockup has addressed to the Visiting Justice, Mr Broad, the following letter :—" dear sir. please send me 1 gahon of the best rum, 31b. of white sugar, 31bs of ootmeal, 21bs of mustard for potestas, 1 pint of milk per day, 2 fresh eggs per day so soon as 1 receive this, I always will pray for your worship and be allways your umble servant and sinciar frend. James Bowle3 a prisener at Reefton and i promise to do any thing for you affer i have Done my time to his Execelency the right Honerable sir Charles Broad Knight."

The Inangahua Herald is informed that Inspector Shalcrass, acting under instructions from the Provincial Government, has been inquiring the whereabouts of Mr C. H. Crampton, the Superintendent relying upon his assistance to obtain signatures tx that district to the auti-separation petition which recently arrived in Westport. Had Mr Crampton still been resident iv the district, it is very certain, says the Herald, that any efforts he might have been induced to exercise in the direction referred to would have' been unavailing; but, as it happens, Mr Crampton left the district some few days ago for Melbourne.

A recent telegram from Invercargill reported the arrest of a man named Morrison for the manslaughter of another named Sim* mons. At the luquest the evidence went to show that along with two other men—Clifford and Illingsworth— deceased called on the 23rd ult at Morrison's accommodationhouse, Benmore; that ho remained there, and during the evening attempted to steal a pair of boots ; that on the following day, as he refused to leave the house, and used very abusivo language, he was forcibly ejected by Mr Morrison, who did not see him again until the next day (Thursday), when do-

ceased was found a few hundred yards away unable to walk without assistance, and complaining of having lost the use of one side of his body. Mr Morrison, having attended to his wants, took steps to forward him to the hospital, where he died on the 3lst ult. On Monday, "from information received," Mr Morrison was arrested by the police on the charge of manslaughter, and after some evidence had been taken by the Resident Magistrate, the case was remanded until the 12th inst, bail being in the meantime refused.

By the Wakatip Mail we learn of the death, by drowning in Lake Wakatip, of Thomas Russell, nephew of Mr M'Morran. The unfortunate youth, who was only about 15 years of age, had been impatiently looking forward during the day for Mr Murray's equestrian troupe, and on their arrival, shortly after five o'clock, was too glad to be enlisted in the service of watering the horses. He rode too far into the lake, and the horse and he slipped over a terrace. A groom in the employ of Mr Murray, named William Gnbben, swa:n to the rescue, and on reaching Russell, who tad again risen., was about to secure him by the back, when he (Gribben) was caught round the neck, . and both sank to the bottom. Here Gribben released himself, aud brought the drowning lad once more to the surface. Here again the struggle for life proved too strong, andßussell clutched his would-be preserver by the legs. At this time Gribben, who had managed to extricate himself, was exhausted and again helplessly sinking, when a long pole wa3 put ont which he laid hold of arid;was pulled ashore. •■■>* '••

In the list of coastwise imports at Nelson, seventeen tons of Pawau shells are mentioned as having been entered at the Customs, brought from Kaikoura in the schooner Pearl. As many readers may wonder what kind of shells these are, and for what purpose they are intended, it may interest them to learn that they bring a high price in the home market— from L9O to UOO a tonbeing used for inlaying mother-of-pearl, papier-mache, and working up into fancy goods of various descriptions. Roughly computed, there are 9000 shells to the ton, which will give 153,000 shells for the caigo brought by the Pearl.

The petition itf course of signature^ iv tbe Charleston district last week, prying for Separation, received some 350 names. Had the bad weather not interfered with the almost purely voluntary canvass, this number, says the Herald, would no doubt have been doubled; whilst had the committee funds to expend upon a thorough canvass, every signature ia the district might have beeu obtained.

The parliamentary correspondent of the Wanganui Herald furnishes the following bit of gossip anent triangular friendships : " Mr O'Conor has obtained a Committee of Enquiry as to the charges made against him re the Westport land purchase. The position of the Ministry is rather curious in respeut to this matter. Mr Luckie is, as all the world knows, a Ministerialist, and Mr O'Conor supported the Ministry last session. Mr Luckie is known to be hand and glove with Messrs Fox and Yogel, and Mr O'Conor is, therefore, a little jealous. The Government, which can very ill afford to lose a vote, is trying to ' keep square' with both parties, and accordingly Mr Luckie is a little piqued at the lukewarmness of the Government. As if still further to excite Mr Luckie's jealousy, the Indepemlent of Saturday contains an article with too transpa rently hypocritical impartiality, but slightly espousing O'Couor's cause. It seems pretty evident that the two members hate each other so cordially that they will not even vote ou the same side, no that the Government is bound to lose a vote ■whichever way the matter goes."

Regarding railway plant fpr Otagp, the Daily Times has the following :~" Among the passengers by the Wave Queen, which arrived yesterday from Bristol, is Mr Amos, engineer, formerly of the Kaipara flax mills, who went home some eighteen months ago, and has returned to take charge of the fitting up of the locomotives, carriages, trucks, &c, for the Port Chalmers Railway. He is »c---complied by two assistants, Messrs Thomas and Gatwood. Photographs of the plant imported have been shown to us, all of which look substantial. First and foremost are two of Fairlie's patent double bogie engines, weighing close on 25 tons, one firstclass carriage, three composite carriages, one break goods van, one passenger break van, six timber trucks, 14 platform trucks, and 10 covered goods waggons. The engimes are respectively named the Rose and Josephine — names selected by Mr Oliver, one of the promoters, while on a visit to England. It is intended that the Wave Queen will come alongside the Railway pier at Port Chalmers and discharge the plant. The pier is now 400 ft in length, and has ISft of water alongside of it. The pier is to be extended over double the present distance."

An Otago contemporary supplies the following: — From the 4th of June to 4th July, applications were made through the Immigration Office, Dunedin, for passages for 54 persons, equal to 49J statute adults. From the 4th of July till yesterday, 10 applications were made to have 23£ statute adults brought out here. This latter number was made up of 11 domestic servants, 1 shoemaker, 1 storeman, 1 farmer, and 1 laborer, and 4^ undescribed.

In the House of Representatives, as already reported by telegraph, Mr Taiaroa moved that the Government should carry out the promises contained in a deed of sale to the Crown, dated 12th June, 1848, of certain land in the Middle Island. Mr Rolleston, in supporting the motion, alluded to the proposal for the sale of tbe Greymouth reserves, which he characterised as a disgrace to the English name. Mr Swanson considered the report furnished to the Government by Major Heaphy as to the sale of the Greymouth reserves an insult to the common sense of the House. If the land had become valuable, no matter from what cause, who was better entitled to the benefit than the native owners ? Mr Fox explained tint the Government did not father the report of Major Heaphy ;,it was laid on the table, as many other papers were, in accordance with the wish 6f the House. He desired to explain, however, that it was possible Major Heaphy had better information on the subject than the House could possess. Whether this were so or not, he knew that if it had not been for the steps takan at the instance of the Native department the whole of the land would have oeen swept out to the ocean. However, he did not urge that as a reason why the land should be sold, particularly at a price that might be considerably too low.