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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1310, 10 October 1872, Page 2

A memorial numerously signed by residents of Keefton and Grey Valley districts, has been transmitted to Mr Ashton, of Greymouth, with the request that it should be forwarded to the Po3tmaster-General. The memorial refers to the subject of improved postal facilities, and specifically to the necessity and desire which exists in the district for the establisment of coach communication. It describes the present difficulties of the road between the Arnold and the Ahaura, and suggests the propriety of any offer calculated to remove these difficulties, in connection with the establishment of a mail service, receiving favorable considera? tion. The memorial has already been forwarded to its destination, and its suggestions and signatures will, no doubt, recommend it to tne attention of the Postal Department, The monthly meeting of the Greymouth Volunteer Fire Brigade took place on Monday evening ; present— Captain Amos and 22 members. The Secretary reported he had received a donation of L<s 5s from the Imperial and Victorian Insurance offices. He also reported that he had received advices from Messrs M'Ewan and Co., of Melbourne, ' that the 500 ft of canvas hose and couplings would arrive by the next steamer. Messrs J. F. Andrews and C. Broadbent were ballotted for, and declared duly elected members of the brigade. The dramatic company made, last evening, their, second appearance .it the Theatre since their return from what, in a theatrical point of view, and in connection with this company, we may call "the provinces"—whereby we mean Ross. They appeared in the play of "Plot and Passion," and played it as they played it previously, with some variation in the direction of improvement, where such variation was possible. The performance concluded with a fast-going farco. The audience was comparatively small, but superlatively satisfied. Hokitika is being gratified by something " stupe ndous, prodigious, and unparalleled - a " great artiste" forsooth, whose "professional" name is Clara Selby, and whose " professional " exertions are devoted to 'realistic and life-like" representations of

Eve, Venus. Diana, and other ladies understood to have been accustomed to scant wardrobes. A "gentleman amateur" appears also as "Samson"— no doubt with two jawbones of an ass, as a slight variety from the original. According to the advertisement, the "effect is vivid and magnificent," the exhibition of unadorned nature being " the greatest sensation on the Coast." Describing the exhibition, the West Coast Times _ of yesterday says :— A novelty which promises to be highly attractive, was introduced last night, at the Varieties, Weld street. The said novelty consisted of soino poses platilques, or, m other words, the representations of classic statuary." The figures were— "Eve reclining," "Eve tempting Adam," and "Cupid and Psyche." The hall, we need scarcely say, was crowded, and though many probably only went from curiosity, none could but admire the graceful attitudes and shapely figure of the young lady who represented Eve and also Psyche. This evening there will be a change in the figures, an additional impersonator having been engaged. The Queen has approved the appointment of Mr Robert Richard Torrens, M.P., to be a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, in recognition of his colonial services, and more especially in connexion with the Registration of Titles to Land Act. The correspondent of the Hawke's Bay Herald, writing of Mr John White's speech during tho no-confidence debate, says : — "He spoke with that tremendous vehemence which created the impression not only that he was much in earnest in what he was saying, but that he was worked up into a state of furious passion. His speech was an amusing one, and not without genuine epigrammatic and comic power." The annual meeting of the Totara Lodge of Free Masons, No. 1241, E.C., was held on Monday evening at Ross, when the following officers were duly installed :— Bro. H. F. Budge, W.M. ; Bro. E. Lockington, S.W. ; Bro. B. G. Pitcher, J.W. ; Bro. J. P. Harris, Secretary ; Bro. D. Barnett, S.D. ; Bro. P. Norman. J.W. ; Bro. L. Gufirin, 1.G. ; Bro. John Young, Tylsr. The ceremony was conducted by D.G.M. Lazar, assisted by D.L.W. Rice, and D.J. W. Hudson. There were also present several past officers and brethren from Hokitika, and the Lodge was well attended. A banquet was held after, and a. very pleasant evening was spent. Several of the visitors went from Hokitika by way of. Lake Mahinapua and the new road, and expressed themselves exceedingly gratified by the beautiful scenery passed through. That intelligent member for one of the Otago constituencies, Mr Mervyn, recently said : — "There ought to be no difficulty in obtaining a suitable gentleman on the Government beaches to act in the capacity of Minister of Mines. He thought the Hon. Mr Curtis was admirably adapted, from his knowledge of the gold fields, to fill that office." And Mr Mervyn, so far as the context enables us to judge, said this in all seriousness. A Bill was lately introduced in Parliament, the object of which is to supply a want very frequently felt and complained of, namely, to enable notices and other documents to be served with legal effect by means of the telegraph, under such conditions and requirements as might be prescribed by the Governor in Council. The Bill provides that the certificate of the proper officer of the Telegraph department should be received as legal evidence by any Court of law. At the Thames, a pumping engine is to erected at or below low-water mark, and the water will be by this means raised to a sufficient height, and carried by flumes to those batteries which require it. We mentioned on Monday that Father Latkia had arrived in Gokitika. The local paper says :— " We have learned since that his principal object in visiting the Coast is to endeavor to obtain means for the liquidation of sundry liabilities which remained unsettled when he left the district. It will be remembered that for some time prior to Father L/arkin leaving he was deprived of his benefice, and was, therefore, without the means of discharging debts which pressed upon him. He has, nowever, always felt a deep anxiety to satisfy all claims that were outstanding, but he did not consider it would be just to ask his present parishioners to assist him in the matter. He has, therefore, placed himself in communication with some of his old parishioners in Hokitika, and a meeting was in consequence held at Barrett's Hotel, to consider the best means of achieving the object in view. Mr johp Barrett having lieeri voted to the chair, a resolution was passed appointing the following gentlemen as a committee to collect subscriptions :— Messrs Barrett, M'Gurk, Cassidy, and Horrigan ; Mr Cassidy to act as treasurer, and Mr Barrett as secretary. It was also resolved that an appeal be made to country districts for assistance." In the House of Eepresentatives, \Mr Creighton recently moved— " That there be laid upon the table a return, in detail, showing how the sum of L 15.077 'new duties,' referred to in the financial statement (B. No. 2, page 6), is made up, specifying the amounts received under each head of revenue, and tho port at which such revenue was colleoted." He thought it would bp very satisfactory to the Houae to kriqw exactly the various ports where these duties were collected, and for that purpose he moved this resolution. He might state that the return which he had just asked for was a continuation of a return laid on the table last year, and which proved that the import of grain was almost exclusively by the County of Westland and the Province of Auckland. During the first six months of the year 1871 the value of the grain and flour imported into Auckland was not less than L 40,633, and into the ports of Westland L2o,9tiS. An honorable gentleman sa?d, " More shame to Auckland ;" but perhaps he would be satisfied on learning that during the eighteen months ending the 30th June, 1871, Auckland consumed L 112.300 worth of Canterbury grain and flour. Mr Curtis said the return would be furnished as speedily as possible.