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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1270, 24 August 1872, Page 2

The recent action of the police in prosocuting all parties guilty of committing a nuisance or causing an obstruction on the streets, ha* worked a rapid cure ; as streets ■winch were lately dangerous for traffic after nightfall are now cleared of obstructions, and can be travelled with safety. Hitherto the lines inilictcd have been light, but we have no doubt that iv future, after the examples that have been made during the present week, and the warnings which have been given by the Borough Council and the Press, the Bench will deal heavily with those who, in this respect, offend against the law.

Meetings were held at the Little Grey on Monday, and at Half-Ounce, Duffer Creek, and Granville on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, in connection with tho agitation now going on in tho Grey Valley with reference to the proposed change of Government for the Gold Fields. The memorial to the General Assembly praying for separation of the South- West Gold Fields from the control of the Nelson Goveri-ntenfc, and the document published by the Nelson papers with, ib is said, official authority against separation, were read to meetings m e\ery case, and those present were asked to choose between them. Resolutions were passed unanimously at each meeting condemning, in Most unqualified terms, tho inisgoverament of the Nelson Executive. Tho memorial vi

favor of a radical alteration in the Gold Fields Government has received nearly six hundred signatures in the Upper Grey and Totara Flat districts.- Meetings will be held at Moonlight, Nelson Creek, and No Town during the ensuing week. There was again a very good house at the Voluuteer Hall last night, to witness the drama.of "Under the Gaßlight." Theindividual parts were well played, and ; the scenery and mechanical effects' wbrked much more smoothly than on the first night of its production. The train scsnawas a»great success, and had to be repeated at the demand of the audience. Tne scenes on the river were well executed, and Mr Thornton deserves much credit for the success he has achieved in that respect. The scenery is far beyond anything that has yet been seen in Greymouth. >

We have received the seventh number of Hansard, containing reports .of the debate on Mr Ciirtis's pro-Proyincial motions on the subject of the gold duty, from which we shall make early extracts. The speech of Mr John White on the latter Bubject would alone occupy three columns of our space.

A meeting of the Committee of the Grey Valley Agricultural Association was held at Lardi's Hotel, Totara Flat, on Wednesday, 21st instant, at 8 p.m. A variety of matters were discussed, and the desirability of having an exhibition of agricultural produce and stock was affirmed. Future arrangements were to be carried out by the Committee. It was decided that the annual ploughing match should come off on the 12th September next. It was agreed that Messrs Donald Maclean, Greymouth ; David Jellie, Ahaura ; and Walter Murpby, Totara Flat, should be requested to act as judges at the forthcoming ploughing match. The ground selected for the contest is a paddock belonging to Mr Robert M'Neill, of Lome Hall farm. The amount and number of the prizes, with the conditions and regulations to oe observed by the competitors,-were settled, but these matters will no doubt be made public in the usual manner by the Committee. A silver tankard, presented to the Association by Messrs Forsyth and Masters, of Greymouth, was exhibited in the room, and it was decided that this gift, together with a sum of money, should form the first prize. After the transaction of routine bu-riness, the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

At the Kesident Magistrate's Court, Hokitika, on Thursday, George Henry Chamberlain was brought up in custody charged with feloniously and burglariously . breaking into the store of Messrs Cowlishaw and Plaisted, and stealing therefrom four blocked tin candlesticks, and two ornamental candlesticks. Inspector James applied for a remand until the following day, in consequence of the illness of a material witness. Prisoner, on being asked whether he had any objection to urge against the application of Mr James, said that the present charge was included in the one already dealt with, and he should not be charged again. His Worship said he had no doubt there had been a scries of breakings into the premises of Cowlishaw and Plaisted. It was impossibb to have removed the large assortment of goods stolen in one visit to the premises. No doubt if the robberies had been committed at one time they would constitute but one offence, but they would be distinct offences if perpetrated at different times. He should look at the depositions {and consider the matter, but the prisoner could rest assured that such evidence as could be adduced would be

placed before the Crown Prosecutor. Prisoner was then remanded until Friday, bail being «iio»o<i , pi.i'cmip.r in LIOO, and two sureties iv LSO each. Ecferring to Mr Curtis's statement that at Charleston and Reefton " votes of confi-

dence in the Nelson administration" had been passed, the Westjwrt Times says :— "As may be remembered, ' the ' votes of confidence' passed at .Reefton and Charleston were, in point of fact, mere complimentary expressions, th.inking the Superintendent for his visit to the gold fields, and for his satisfactory "promises" as to the future administration or affairs, rather than expressions of content with past or present actions of the Nelson Executive. At Rcefron especially

his Honor had to listen to very plain outspoken opinions, adverse to the Provincial Government, one leading man among the miners expressing a belief that they had to pay most dearly for Provincial mismanagement, and that future Chancellors of New Zealand should be seated not on a woolsack but on a digger." .

The Otago Daily Times has it on the best authority that an estimable member of the Presbyterian Ministry living in the country has a haunted Manse. Many noises are heard at unseemly times, and men do watch, but the cause is never visible to mortal eye. Tho Society for Investigating Spiritualism should not overlook so promising a field for their labors.

We learn that a crushing, at the Government battery, Jtlattray street, Dunedin, of two tons of quartz from the Shamrock claim (Doyle and L'o.'s), Dunback district, yielded loz 17dwt 18gr of gold, or very nearly 19dwt per ton. The reef from which this stone was taken in o\(t thick. A shaft is intended to be sunk to the depth of GOft, at which depth the reef will be worked.

A fine Lid, the son of Mr J. S, Dean, oE Moorhouse street, Ross, in the employ of Mr B air, storekeeper, had been sent on Wednesday on gome errand up the Mikonui, on horseback, and was returning down the creek, when the horse became frightened and bolted. The unfortunate boy fell, and, his foot catching in 'the stirrup, he was dragged along some distance and very much bruised. He was taken to the hospital, and is now much better. ,

Mr IT, J. Sniytb, tho Messrs Brogden's agent for Otago, is now in Dunedin, having returned from Wellington. The Times understands that he has instructions to proceed with the contract of the firm on the Clutha line immediately. A beginning was to be made at the Chain Hills on the"lstk or 16th", ani work will be soon'cbtaimenced at various points along the whole section, and operations will be pushed on as expeditiously as possible, {t is expected that work will.be started on the Mataura line in the course of eight or ten days.

At the Resident .Magistrate's Court yesterday before It. Reid and E. Masters! Esqrs, J.P,, the following persons were fined Is and costs for allowing their goats to wander on tho public streets :— R. J. Johnston, Elizabeth Lee; E. Wickes, and T. Joyce. — Similar informations against E. Fielder and G. Lawrence were dismissed with a caution.— William Moutray was charged wfth obstructing Hospital street, by allowing a cart to remain thereon. As this was a first offence, it was dismissed with a caution.-T-WiUiam Woods, charged with throwing a lot of rubbish on Richmond Quay, was fined 10s and costs. — Woolfe and Austin were charged with obstructing Mackaystreet by leaving the shuttersjof their shop thereon! Constable M'l^enna stated that on the 16th he told Mr Wjclfo to remove the shutters fron th' ' /*path. No notice of this was take i, ana on the 2J.st a summons was served on :thp defendant, who, when he received it, called to a shopman to bring a hammer and nails and he would nail the b- s (meaning that summons and some others he lad prcvior.ply got) np to the verandah-posy.. The shut ars were still iv the same place, projecting three or four feet on the footpath. Tho defendant now

said that the shuttors had been in their present position for seven years. He had no backyard oi 1 any other place to put them. For years he had been subjected to a species of petty tyranny from "the police, so that he was constantly before the Court, and if the police Avere not ashamed of it, he was. Subinspector Hickson said the defendant had been more, frequently^, warned than - summoned, and the police had been only too lenient with him. The defendant had a stable only a few yards from his shop, but his man told the constable that, wag. top far to carry the shutters. The Bench said that as the defendant appealed to be determined to defy the police he would be fined 10s aud costs.— -Thomas Spoor, for wheeling a barrow along the footpath, was fined Is and costs. — Henry Watson and 3 ames May,'charged with throwing slops and rubbish oh Mawhera Quay, were dismissed with a caution.

Some telegraphic correspondence has taken place between Mr George Donne, M.P.C. for Charleston, and the Superintendent of the Province, who is at present attending the sittings of the General Assembly." The former urged upon his Honor's attention the necessity existing for an amendment or adaptation of the law with respect to beach claims, and the increasing importance of this particular industry. The telegraphic reply of the Superintendent is as follows :— " I have not forgotten the promise made by me at Charleston respecting beach claims. I consider legislation necessary, and shall endeavor to introduce provisions in the new Gold Fields Act now before Parliament. In any case, the new Act is so different in most of its provisions from the existing law, that entirely new regulations will have to be framed should it pass. Either in the, Act, or iv regulations under it, and probably in both, I will endeavor to meet the views of the miners respecting beach claims."

The funeral of the late Mr Richard Sea-. ward.Canrtell, Captain of the South District Rifles, Dunedin, took place on the 14th. There were present— Tho Deputy-Superin-tendent, and Lieut-Colonel Cargill, Captains Stavely, Jamicson, and Copeland," ' Lieuts A. W. Jack, Somerville, Smith, and Shand, the staff-sergeants, about 40 volunteers, and a large number of citizens. The body was borne from the house to the nearse, and from the Cemetery gate to the grave, by detachments of the company of which the deceased was captain. The chief mourners were Messrs Clapcott, Brodrick, Oswin, and two of the deceased gentleman's sons. The pall-bearers were the Captains of Companies and Lieutenants Jack and Shand. The ltev. E. H. Granger was the officiating clergyman.