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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1281, 14 September 1872, Page 2

Mr Thomas Wangh, of the New River district, was a passenger from Melbourne yesterday by the steamer Tararna. He is in possession of as late information as ifc was possible to procure from the Roper River district, ' and he assures us that, so far as he could ascertain by diligent inquiry, there is nothing whatever to encourage people to proceed thither. With others, he telegraphed for information to Port Darwin ; •• id tho reply received was that gold had been got, but not in payable quantities. He had also information direct from two brothers of the namo of Gifford, who left tho New River \ some months ago, and, after proceeding to Australia, sailed for the JKopcr. They describe the climate as bad, and the prospects I discouraging; There was also a dearth of 11 tucker." Mr Waugh adds that numbers of miners had come down country to Melbourne, prepariugto start for theNorthein Territory, but the majority were returnirr; to their old grounc 1 . The majority of tl-s passengers who left Melbourne by the Omeo were for Queensland, aud the Bengal, which had been placed on the berth, was unable to get filled up after six weeks' detention. The poll for the election of three members for the Hokitika Borough Council took placo on Thursday. The numbers of votes polled were:— Todd. 278; Cassidy, 27G ; Lynch, 174; Tait, IGO. Messrs, Todd, Cassidy, and Lynch were therefore declared elected. In the Supreme Court, Hokitika, on Thursday, Chamberlain was placed on his trial, on the second indictment, for breaking into the store of Messrs Cowlishaw and Plaisted. He was not quite so demonstrative as on his first trial, but he was very tiresome in his cross examination of Rowley, which occupied three hours and a* half. Only three witnesses were examined before the Court adjourned, and it seems likely that the trial will extend until this afternoon. The other indictment, for stealing glass from Mr Walker's shop, we understand, -will not be proceeded with. The Grey Valley Agricultural Association's , ploughing-match came off at Mr Robert , M'Neill's farm, Totara Flat, on Thursday, 12th inst. The weather was beautifully fine and there was a large attendance of visitors from all parts of the Giey Valley and the Inangahua. The first prize, a silver cup and a sum of money, was won by Mr David Campbell, ploughing for Mr David Donald. A banquet took place in the evening, at Lardi's Hotel, and the festivities weie wound up with a ball and supper at Marshall's Hotel. It was the greatest success of any contest held under the auspices of the Grey Valley Agricultural Association. The telegrams from Tom asville, published in the Melbourne Argus, and reprinted elsewhere, should act as a caution to those who are inclined to risk their fortunes at the new diggings at Charters Towers. It appears that a large number of miuers are already on the ground, but those sinking have lost the lead, which is very narrow. No inducement is held out to persons to visit the diggings, and all the alluvial sinking is already taken up and reeling is evidently a matter of considerable time and expenditure of means. Under these circumstances Charters Towers does not appear to be such a good thing as was at first supposed. We also publish a special report from the Argus correspondent at Yam Creek, where the prospects appear to be more favorable, but as yet operations have not been commenced, although a number of claims have been taken up, and e ir ery preparation for work made. The Wellington Gas Company intend to increase their capital by L 20,000, and existing shareholders will not be allowed to apply for .a greater number than one-third of what they at present hold. Mis 3 Stephenson's benefit, the performance of the " Colleen Bawn," and the reproduction of the burlesque " Lalla Rookh," were three circumstances which contributed to the crowding of the theatre last night by an audience who were rapturous in their applause of most parts of the play, and warm in their approval of the acting of the fair benejiciare. The "-Colleen Bawn" was put upon the stage successfully as to scpnery, but indifferently, in some particulars, as to cast. "Danny Mann" decidedly wanted verve, and was troubled with an embarrassing modesby which hemust learn to overcome if he hopes to have even the amateur's privilege of freedom from criticism. Neither was Miss Stephensoii "the Colleen " into which out reporter is conceited enough to think he could have converted her if he were permitted the privilege of handling her auburn locks and choosing the style of her shoes and —stockings. These petty particulars did not, however, derogate from her acting, and all the ladies of the company deserve equal compliment. Mr Small had a part in " Miles Na Coppaleen" which suited him admirably; Mr Burford, as "Mr Corrijran," had not. At the close of the drama, there were calls for Miss Stephenson, Mrs Kyle, and the other ladies of the company, who all acted carefully, and Small and others were also curtained. Before the burlesque began, Mr Burford, in an extempore address the candour and humour of which were exceedingly amusing, thanked his patrons, the people of Greymouth, his professional and amateur assistants, and his scenic artist especially. He announced Mr Small's benefit, and the benefit of tho Volunteer Band, as impending incidents, and his determination, after Mr Haselmaycr's departure, to get so fond of Greymouth as not to think of leaving it for a very long time— an announcement which made many young men excessively rapturous, and benevolently disposed towards all man and woman kind— particularly woman-kind. - At three o'clock this afternooa> the burlesque is to be reproduced for the special civ tertainment of young Greymouth. The West Coast Times learns that the works at the Westland Quartz-mining Company's claim, Donnelly's Creek, are progressing favorably. The tuunel which is being constructed to the main reef has been completed to the extent of 200 ft, and the contractors for another 50ft have started work upon their contract. Ifc ia expected that 315 ft of tunnelling will have to be completed to reach Ihe mam reef. The manager has recently had a shaft sunk upon the reef, and he brought to town four samples of stone taken from three different levels. These have been crushed at the Bank of New Zealand, and the result showed an average at the rate of loz 15dwt to the ton ; one sample showed at the rate cf 2oz ldwt llgr to the ton. The samples wore crushed in a Berdan machine, in the ordinary way. There are good reasons, therefore, to anticipate a very good result to the shareholders when tho main reef is reached. In the Houso of Representatives, last week, Mr Fox, in answer to a question pKt by Mr White, whether any complaints had reached the Government as to the alleged mismanagement of the Brunner coal mine, and whether the Government intended t» j take any action in the matter, said, in answer ' to the first part of the questivi, thai he had

received a letter from Mr F. L. Clarke, coal dealer of Hokitika, complaining that the Nelson Government, who have charge of the mine, are in the habit of supplying coal short of weight, and that he has been a loser to the extent of 10 per cent on the coal purchased by him. He asked the Government to enquire into the matter, stating that an enquiry had already been held, but that that enquiry was conducted by officials employed in connection with the working of the mine. Mr Clarke now requested the Government to remove his well-grounded and serious com plaint, and the hon. member who brought the subject before the House had also asked tha Government what they proposed to do in the matter. He would read to the hon. member the opinion of the Attorney-General on the subject, which was this: The Government can only interfera in the same way as a private, individual, namely, by laying an information ; moreover, auy individual, if injured, has a right of action. Therefore, the Government did not intend to interfere. A public meeting, called by Mr P. Dungau, M.C.0., was held at Clifton on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of making the miners acquainted with the various clauses of the new Mining Bill. Mr W. Leach was called to the chair. He briefly explained the object of the meeting, aud called upon Mr •P. Dungan, who addressed the meeting upon the Bill, and drew particular attention to the special report which has been presented to the County Council, the residencearea claim, the business site claim, and the increased tax upon the water-races in the shape of L 5 rent upon every head of water above two. Tho following resolutions were then passed unanimously : — Proposed by Mr R.i'Minhinit, seconded by Mr W. M'Kichney — "That this meeting looks with alarm and indignation upon the action of the late Government in introducing a Gold-mining Bill for New Zealand, one of its main objects being to add increased taxation upon the already over-burdened mining community of the Colony ; and it is further of opinion that if snob taxation become law it would have a most disastrous effect on mining industry in New Zealand." Proposed by Mr D. Madden, and seconded by Mr J. M'lntyre — "That this meeting emphatically protests against the proposed Gold-mining Bill of the late Fox Ministry, it being most inimical in every' respect as applied to the mining industry of the Colony, arid this meeting is also of opinion that the additional taxation as proposed in the Gold-mining Bill, -if it become law, would prove most damaging to the mining interest of New Zealand," Mr M. Hogaa proposed that a committee be formed for the purpose of communicating with the v&rious mining centres in connection with the abovo subject, when the folio »ving gentlemen were elected :— Messrs Minhinit, Madden, Berger, Thiers, Gratorax, Bell, and Knox, with power to add to their number. After a vote of thanks to Mr P. Dungan, and the usual vote to the chair, the meeting closed. According to a proclamation issued on Saturday, the following new regulations are in force, viz. : — (1.) That telegrams of the General or Provincial Government marked urgent. General Government telegrams having precedence ; (2. ) telegrams relative to the arrest of criminals or persons accused, or the discovery or prevention of crime ; (3.) telegrams relating to cases of pressing sickness, or death, may be transmitted in priority to any other. Subject to the above objections, all telegrams will be transmitted according to the order in which they may be received ; and in order to prevent a monopoly when several telegrams are presented for transmission, no officer shall transmit more than 200 words of any telegram at one time.— Independent, September 2. . A decided case of somnambulism occurred in the house of Mr Clarke, saddler, Cashel stroot, Christchurch, early on Saturday morning last. Mr Clarke employs a servant girl fifteen years of age, who sleeps in a room overlooking the backyard, the window being about 18ft from the ground. It is generally his custom to rouse the girl between seven and eight o'clock in the morning, but receiving no response 1 to his summons on Saturday, he ascended to her room, and was astonished to 'find it unteuanted with the window open. Ec searched the house, but could find no traces of his servant, and on going to the outer doors found them all locked as they had been left the previous evening. Returning to the bedroom, he could discover no disarrangement of clothing or anything else, and looking out. of the window could see nothing by" which the 18ft could have been descended. He then proceeded to the yard and there found the girl seated upon a heap of firewood with nothing on but her nightdress. Inquiries elicited the fact that she must, have got up in her sleep some little time previous, the usual hour at which she was called, and opening the window had jumped into the yard. By great good fortune the descent was unattended with serious results, for no injuries were sustained, except a little skin being grazed off the left arm. This is the first time that the girl has acted the part of a somnambulist, and it is easy to understand that she was very much frightened when awakened by the shock on alighting in the yard. • ' ■ The Parliamentary correspondent of the Colonist thus describes Mr Fitzherbert :— " He is the most ' languagable' man in the House, rolling out; the longest sentences, and, kowtver intricate these may be, never forgetting the proper relation of his verb and its antecedent, loading his speech with words and imagery, sinking and swelling his voice, and generally— well, I think speaking too much and dissipating his ideas in a deluge of wordiness. Yet he is always listened to, from his experience and old debating power, and being regarded as one of the fathers of the House. There was some exoitement in the usually quiet streets of Westport on Saturday evening last. By the light of blazing flambeaux, and to the tooting and braying of a brass band playing the "Rogues March," two mangy looking effigies, respectively labelled "White" ans "O'Conor,- .were paraded ; and afterwards, midst shouts and hootings, consigned to tarry flames in Palmerston street. As fun for the small boys it was immense ; but, says the Times, if meant as a political demonstration it was unnecessary. Silent contempt for local representatives is the present feeling prevailing in Westporfe. Twenty-five hundredweight of stone taken from one of the Anatori reefs was recently sent to the Perseverance battery, Collingwood, for crushing. Mr Adams, the mining manager, writes to Mr Webster that the yield nas been 2oz Sdwt, or at the rate of 2oz per ton. The stone did not consist of selected specimens, but was taken out indiscriminately, and the result may therefore be considered highly encouraging. A company has been formad to work this promising reef. A gentleman ai Shortland received a letter recently from a correspondent at Tapuaeharuru, near Lake Taupo, in which the writer says: — "An acquaintance of mine, an old West Coast digger, started yesterday to see the Superintendent. He stated to me that he has found alluvial gold, and intends to make the details of the discovery public, if so advised." From time to timo we hear, reports of the existence of alluvial gold m the locality indicated, and it is not unlikely that this discovery may lead to important i"3sults.* From Honolulu papers wo gather that the authorities of that port charged the owners of the Nebraska with having clandestinely introduced small-pox. The agents «f tke line gave the necessary bonds to appear,