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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1301, 30 September 1872, Page 2

The Resident Magistrate at Greymouth was occupied for several hours on Saturday, in the presence of a numerous and eager auaience, with the hearing of a series of cases all relating to one and the same matter— a scene between Louis Haselmayer, Professor of Magic and Music, and James Johnston, I proprietor of the Melbourne Hotel. The , original and greatest complaint was made | by Mr Haselmayer, who charged Mr Johnston with using towards him language which was abusive, insulting, and intended to provoke a breach of the peace, and who also asked that Mr Johnston himself should be bound over to keep the peace. A cross complaint, similar to the first of those made by Mr Haselmayer, wan brought against the original complaiuant by Mr Johnston; Mr Newton appeared for Mr Haselmayer, and Mr Gninness for Mr Johnston. The people attracted to the Court were probably present in the expectation

of being amused, the Professor possessing less facility in the pronunciation of the English language than in the use of his digits as a magician and musician, and Mr Johnston being known to. possess a facility in the use of poetical quotations and in the art of oratory which is seldom parallelled. The hearing of the cases, in providing this element of amusement, was not equal to expectations, the language proved to have been used byMr Johnston being much more melodramatic than comic. From the evidence it appeared that Mr Haselmayor disputed his hotel bill as not being according to contract, and, because he said an arrangement had been come to different from, the charge made, Mr Johasfcon called him " a liar.'' Mr Haselmayer considered a breach of agreement " something like swindling," and made some other and more pointed references to swindling, whereupon Mr Johnston "shaped," "put up the middle part of his body," (in deference to which fearful and wonderful object the Professor retreated towards the wall), and he accompanied the pugilistic action by such words as "thief," "robber," "squint-eyed essence of a scoundrel," and — worse. The Professor declined to fight " with such men," and Mr Johnston, on second thoughts, also declined to do so personally, but intimated that ho " would hire his barman to do so." This, and a good deal more, was given on one, side, sustained by evidence. Mr Johnston's statement, was milder, but he admitted having, in retaliation for the Professor having called him a "swindler," threatened to "give him fits," and described him as ' ' the squint-essence of a sweep. " Mr Johnston's allegation, as to the bill, was that the charge made was the ordinary one paid by "commercial travellers," and that the Professor gave more trouble than any two gentlemen of the peripatetic profession. The scene occurred in the bar of the. Melbourne Hotel, which the Magistrate held to be "a public place." The Magistrate also considered that the defendant in the house of which he was landlord, for the proper conduct of which he was responsible, and in conducting which he was protected by the law, had used uncalled-for and altogether unwarrantable language to a person who was living in his house, aud who had not misconducted himself so as to justify such treatment. His Worship imposed, a fine of L 3, with professional and witnesses' costs. In the second complaint, his Worship did not consider it necessary to bind Mr Johnston over to keep the peace, and dismissed the complaint, each party paying his own costs. The cross-complaint by Mr Johnston was also dismissed, with costs. The hearing of the cases lasted till half-past two o'clock, a large amount of irrelevant matter having been introduced, and an amount of deliberation given to the decision which was worthy of the trial of a capital crime. The Professor, of necessity, did not give his "mid-day parlor performance," and, in a pecuniary point of view, the parties are, therefore, "quits." Those proposing to tender, for the conveyance of inland mails in the Greymouth district shotild remember that the time for receiving tenders closes this afternoon. What it is feared is a fatal accident occurred on Saturday iv the lagoon south of the town. A fine little boy, oetween two and three years old, a son of Mr C. Brockley, tinsmith, Boundary street, was playing with other children, and when last seen, about four o'clock in the afternoon, he was in the vicinity of Sefton bridge. When the child was missed, a thorough search was instituted. At tbe Sawyer's Creek end of the lagoon the hat and scarf of the boy were picked up, .which would indicate that the body had I>cen carried laudwarda by the incoming tide, which runs very strong here. All day yesterday the search waß continued, and the lagoon was dragged throughout its length without finding any further trace of the missing little one. A reward of Lo is offered for the recovery of the body. A painful nnd serious injury was sustained yesterday evening by Mr James Hampton, dairyman. Ho was attending some of his cattle on the Stony Lead, when, under circumstances which we have been unable to ascertain exactly, one of the beasts gored him, completely destroying one of his eyes, and, it is feared, inflicting some injury on the nerve centres. He was removed to Gilmer's Hotel, where ho was attended by Dr Morice. It is hoped that the injury will only extend to the loss of the eye, but at present it is impossible to say how serious it may prove to be. A coirespondent in Wellington who, we trust, will not be confounded with the Press Association, with the Independent, or with candidates for the Nelson Superintendency,' informs us that the proposed division of the Nelson Province, and the creation of a new county, are exceedingly improbable contingencies. There is, we believe, very little expectation or chance of the Bill being carried. Should the Ministry be able to retain their seats, and Mr Curtis remain a member, there is, therefore, every probability of an early election of Superintendent becoming necessary. Miss Lucy Ashton, who has several times contributed materially to the success of dramatic performances in Greymouth by her careful, intelligent, and graceful acting, is to receive a benefit on Wednesday evening, when it is to be hoped the public will be as ready to attend as the amateur actors and vocalists have been to proffer their services. Professor Haselmayer, on Saturday evening, brought to a close his series of entertaxuments in Greymouch, and his public appearances in New Zealand, it being his intention to proceed to the Australian Colonies by the first steamer for Melbourne. As ju Greymouth, Mr Haselmayer has been successful in drawing crowded houses throughout New Zealand, and lie will, no doubt, prove an equal source of attraction to sightseers in the cities and towns of the other polonies. On Saturday evening, to a tolerably numerous audience, Mr Haselmayer repeated selections from his performance, and explained a few of his simpler tricks iv legerdemaiu. The explanation of "The GobUn Drum" was given by tha Professor with apparently loud voice, much earnestness of manner, and a considerable waste of chalk, but the wider he opened his mouth, and the more wildly he gesticulated, the louder the drum beat, and the audience separated "sold," but not dissatisfied with the concluding exhibition of dumb and drum showy. During the year 3036 money order telegrams, representing L 13,936 0s lid, have been transmitted ; the joint revenue to the Postal and Telegraph Departments being Lsoi 10s Od. Of this amount, Llsl 16s was collected bj r the Post Office for the Telegraph Department, the balance, L 353 0s Cd, being for commission. This shows a profit of over 2J per cent, to the Post Office on the year's transactions. Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, including their respective suboffices, issued and paid the largest number of orders. ■ Not one mistake/ has occurred in the transmission 0f these telegrams —a fact which evidences the care and attention bestowed on this branch of tbe service. The Ahaura Musical and Literary Society gave an entertainment at Ahaura on Friday evening. The performance opened with a selection from the "Fisherman of Naples " on the cabinet organ by Mr Pownall, followed by a reading by Mr Whitefoord. Mr Greenwood sang a comic song, and Mr F. Guinness gave the trial scene,. Bardwell v. Pickwick, from Dickens, and did full justice to the eloquence of the immortal Serjeant Buzfuz; Mr Webb sang "Little Nell" in hi a I i

usual finished Btyle. A recitation by Mr W. Atkin, "The death of the collier's child," was siuguiarly well rendered. Mr Miller sang the '• Four-leaved Shamrock," and the same gentleman sang the -*'' English Emigrant/ in the second part, both of which aougs wore well received. Mr/Juinness read a humorous Irish article, a class of performance in which this gentleman excels. There were several other songs, readings, and recitations, all of which were thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by the audience. It having been decided by the members of the Society to present Mr Pcwnall with some mark of recognition of his valuable services, the entertainment was given in accordance with that objeot. The presentation is to take tho shape of a gift of a. selection of music from the works of the most eminent composers. Mr Pownall has had the vocal* and instrumental direction of the concerts during the winter, and he has beeu moss assiduous in the fulfilment of his selfimposed duties. The hall was crowded and the performance passed off very creditably to all concerned. The unavoidable absence of the lady amateurs whose talents contributed so largely to make the previous performances successful was the only drawback to the complete success of the entertainment. "Joshua Marvel,'' Mr Farjeon's latest novel, the three-volume edition having been exhausted, is announced for publication in a cheap form shortly. Mr Farjeon's current story, " London's Heart," is being prepared for publication by a German publishing house. The number of telegrams of all codes trans* mitted in New Zealand during the year wa 8 411,797, which exceed those of the' previou year by 98,893, Or an increase of nearly 32 par cent. Aftor making all deductions for salaries, maintenance of line, &c, there remains to tbe credit of the department for the year, L 6614 10s 21 Although the length of line maintained during the year has been in excess of that during the previous year, the cost of maintenance has been reduced by L 2485 4slld. According to the decision of the Judge at Auckland, in the case of Manners v. the Caledonian Company, the legal managers of gold-mining companies will in future be debarred from accepting transfers and erasing shareholders' names from their books until they have assured themselves that transfers are legally and legitimately effected. The ruling of his Honor will, we are informed, result in a number of actions being brought i ito Court of a similar kind to that of Manners v. Caledonian Company, unless claims against companies are settled without legal resort. At the third annual meeting of the Caledonian Company, Thames, held a few days ago, the Secretary stated that the quantity of quartz raised and crushed during the year had been 15,777 tons, which yielded 73,7320z of gold, or at the rate of 4oz 14dwt ldgr per ton. The amount paid in dividends during the year was L 154.440, or at the rate of L 54 per share, thus Completing a payment to shareholders of LIDS 10s per Ll2 share, or a total distributed in dividends during the last two years of L 569.710. v ; A Eavenswood telegram says :— " The alluvial lead at Charters Towers appears to run out at the length of a mile and a half ; the width is 12ft. ; Crushings average about 3oz per ton for 500 tons, lliere is nothing to encourage the rush of wages-men. Wages L 3 per week The St. Leger reef went 7oz to the ton for nearly 90 tons." ' ; A new industry appears likely to be initiated iv Southland, in the shape of the collectiou for export of rabbit skins. Mr F. F. Butler offers 2d a piece for 20,000 skins . ! A correspondent of the Southland Times says :— " I hear of a good many fresh arrivals in Orepuki, and am informed that ere long there will be a still further influx. It is a self-evident fact that should the proposed tramway go a-head, Orepuki will be rivalled by few gold fields in the country." The first freight carried by the Port Chalmers Railway, consisted of three hogsheads of beer, which were conveyed on the 17th instant from Burkes brewery to Port Chalmers. A shot fired in the face of Bell Hill, Dunedin, a few days since, is stated to have bvought down 2000 tons of debris, The charge of powder was 2251h; deposited ia a hole fifty-two feet deep and four inches in diameter. A prospecting party is being organised at' Waugamu for the purpose of prospecting the Tuhua country. : At the northern extension of the Aylmer lead the claims (says the Ross News ) are fait beiug brought into working order, aud the prospects obtained have made many of the diggers very sanguine as to results when their tail and head races are completed. Were the wash not so heavy, this would be really a rich field, but the large boulders take up so much space that the actual quantity of wash is comparatively small. : A spirited attempt is about to be made in Auckland to revive the old Jockey Club. It is intended to inaugurate a two days' races, to be run some time in the month of the New Year, and to advertise such prizes as will bring some of the best blood to the Province from all parts of the Colony. L 505, it is said, is to be raised for a Town Plate race, and L2OO for a Handicap. An interesting challenge to Volunteers is published at the Thames. It emanates from a team of fifteen colonials (New Zealanders), who challenge an equal number of any other countrymen, notably English, Irish, or Scotch, to a match for Lls a side, at 400, 500, and 600 yard ranges.' ; Mr F. R. Caffrey, solicitor in Wanganui, was recently appointed by the Borough Council its solicitor. After thanking the Board for having elected him, he wrote as follows :— " The doubt, the misapprehension, thp misreporting, the misrepresentation, the paltry party, or personal, or rxther miserably persistent spite and dodgery connected with the matter, together with strong grounds for expecting much discomfort and little 'peace in the proper discharge 'of the duties of a very important position, must prevent my acceptance." To-day is the last opportunity upon which tenders can be sent in for the conveyance of the Inan^ahua Quartz-Crushing Company's machinery. A whale has recently been captured in Port Phillip Bay, aud brought to Sandridge, concerning which a cetaceous authority thus speaks :— " Just been to Sandridge to see that whale. Not of much account. There aint 30 barrels in him. Looks as though he were ashamed pf beipg so lean for his length— 7sft sir, and not Bft deep, Nevex met a more dissipated specimen of the cetaceous family. No banker would give a whale like that an overdaft for 1.50. The loosest fish 1 ever saw." ■• . . ; In classifying the various speeches during the recent debate, the Wellington co: respondent of the Southern Cross does it in the following epigrammatic manner : — Forty members have spoken ; the most lengthy aud wearisome,' Mr lasting < exactly eight hours 'twenty-five minutes ; s the briefest, Mr Carrington ; the most 1 statesmanlike, Mr Yogel ; the vainest, Sir < John Cracroft Wilson; the coarsest, Mr f John White, for he was four times checked ( by the Speaker, and did not recall an offen- ( sive word j the most dramatic in voice and t gesture, Mr Reader Wood j.the most polished ] in style, Mr Gisborne ; th.9 jauntiest, Mr c Fox ; the gravest, Mr Reeves ; the most a unadorned and plainest common sense, Mr I

M'Lean ; one'of the most Dotfoand practical, Mr Bathgate ; the most tedious, Mr Wakefield; the most sphinx-like, facing ,neithei way, Mr Swanson, for no one knows how he is going to vote, notwithstanding his having spoken ;• the most imploring, for Donald M'Lean to desert his colleagues and go round to the tender Stafford, Mr Creighton ; the snarliest, Mr Gillies ; the most Mephistophilean, Mr Stafford ; the loudest, Mr Bunny ; the darkest,, the Maoris ; the' most rotund, Sir David Monro •, the neatest, Mr Walter Johnston ; the most consecutive in argument, Mr M'Gillivray; the matter-of-facteßt. Mr T. Henderson. j ;.■-.:-..■• Mrs Colclough, newspaperially known as " Polly Plum;" has been appealed to by a resident of Auckland to procure him a wife. Writing to her as "Miss " Colclough, he says — "Dear Miss— Having heard of your disinterested efforts to make tho unfortunates of Auckland abandon their course of life, and seek a more creditable course of life, and also of your having succeeded in many cases in bringing them to a sense of their folly, and trying to become respectable members of society, and good and honorable wives for working men, you will, lam sure, not think me presumptuous or foolish, for writing a few lines to you with regard to myself. The case is this — I am a working man, earning good wages, and quite able , to keep a wife ; am a bachelor, age 26, have not been long in the colony, have no friends* or relations, have a comfortable home, in which myself and two more single men reside. I am working for good employers, well known in the province, can give a good reference, and lastly want a wife that will make me comfortable, and not squander or waste what I most certainly work hard for. If you. can aid me in my endeavors to get such a one, I shall not look to what her former life may have been, but trust that her future "fife may. be. better ; and if it is, she will never have any cause to com•plain. Please, Miss, excuse my writing to you, and if you reply to thia I will give you more' particulars next time. — I am, with thanks, your obedient servant, A.D.— P.S. I should prefer one who can milk, as we have some cows." - Judging from trade advertisements in the Fiji I'imes quoted by a Melbourne paper, it seems high time that some civilised power stepped in and annexed the islands. A large number of these advertisements, offering wares for sale, contains the notification, . "No Fiji Government notes taken." One, advertising an estate for sale, gives, "the suicidal policy of the Fiji Government "as the owner's reason for selling. Another person, wanting to sell a public-house, says, "The sole reason of the owner leaving Fiji is the excessive and exorbitant taxation." Then, a lot of freehold properties aret'o be disposed of, "on account of the unsettled state of Fiji, through the action of the present Government " Another gives, as his reason for wishing to leave the island, " the maladministration of the laws and excessive taxation." In moving, on the 20th inst., and for the second time, the postponement of the second reading r.f the County of Westland Bill, Mr Stafford said he had not yet seen the'-Bill brought before the House by the honorable member for Collirigwood, which had a similar object in view, and he thought it advisable the present Bill should be postponed, so that the two Bills should come on together. Mr Fox said he would consent to the postpone ment of the second reading for the reason already referred to by the Premier. He would take the opportunity to remind the honorable me*nber for Nelson City (Mr Curtis) that he had threatened to produce some statements with reference to himself (Mr Fox) which were to surprise the House. He desired to give the honorable member timely intimation that he; did not intend to speak on either of these Bills till the honorable member had spoken, or if the honorable member did not speak on the subject he would avail himself of the forms of the House to induce him to make these statements, and would give him every opportunity to substantiate the facts which were to surprise the House, if he could do so. Fioin tho Otago Daily Times we learn that only 70 yards of the Caversbam tunnel have now to be pierced, and it is expected that the workmen will' complete a 'through passage by the end of the month. When the tunnel is opsned through, .-the railway will be finished as fae as Green Island, with the exception of the permanent way, wh?ch will be proceeded with as quickly as possible. M r Brogden has now about 200 men at work along the Taieri Plain and Waihola. 1100 tons of rails, for the Clutha Hue, have up to the present bee,n landed here. Further contracts hare been entered into in London for the supply of 3500 tons more of rails for this line. Three locomotives and a quantity of plant for the line were to have left England in July. . . . ; Authentic intelligence has been received in Ghristchurch respecting the development of a portion of the coalfields at the Malvern Kills, from a person who has just returned from visiting them. The preparations for working the seam of coal, seven feet in thickness, which was discovered some time since on the land of Mr J. P. Hill, are nearly completed. The necessary machinery for pumping out the water and lifting the coal has been erected, and is worked by a water wheel. Driving has already commenced, and the informant says—" On descending the shaft, which is 110 ft in depth, I found myself in a small cavern of coal." It is expected that regular work will be begun at this pit in about a week. Mr James M'llraith, of the flomebush Station, Surveyor's Gully, has a large quantity of coal ready for delivery, at the pit's mouth. Thereare two seams of j coal at Mr M'Hraith's, one 3ft and the other 6ffc in thickness. .