THE The Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1572.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1331, 4 November 1872, Page 2

THE The Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1572.

We regret to learn that on Saturday night or early on Sunday morniDg, a pair of the "Bramah" fowls recently imported by Mr Charles Prince, wai stolen or lost from the back of Mr Johnston's private hotel. "A reward is offered for their restoration. A man who disappeared on Tuesday last from tho Seventeen-Mile, North Beach, was yesterday found in a state of nudity, sitting on the rocks at Point Elizabeth. He was gaken to Cobden gaol, where he will receive ; medical treatment, and he will probably be brought before the Magistrate this morning. The funeral of William Reid, the miner who was smothered in his claim near Razor'back by a landslip on Thursday lost, took place yesterday. As the deceased was wellknown and highly respected, the funeral was one of the largest that has taken place for S >me time in Greytnouth — all classes of the community, and miners from all the surrounding districts being present. The funeral Bervice was conducted by the Rev G. T. N. Watkins, of Trinity Church. Thoplayof "The Marble Heart," which was performed a few nights ago at the Volunteer Hall, and which would have been performed for several nights bat for the intervention of Mr Bromley's entertainment, is to bo rapeated this evening. It 13 to be repeated because those who have seen it desire to sco it again,'an<l because those who have not seen it desire to see and enjoy what, accord' ag to repute and fact, others nave seen and enjoyed. Although inferior to the play which the . company performed on Friday evening, it is so satisfactorily put upon tho stage, and so wholesome in its moral, that it can scarcely fail to attract a large attendance. The evening's entertainment, according to the playbill, is to "conclude" with a musical "interlude," and we believe that there will be found much more music in the entertainment tban there is grammar in the announcement. His Honor Judge Harvey has appointed Mr James Edwards, the Bailiff of the Warden's and Resident Magistrate's Courts in the Grey Valley to the post of Bailiff and Crier to the District Court at Ahaura. As \/ill be seen in another column the Greymouth Jockey Club Committee have announced the programme of their intended handicaps for the ensuing March meeting. The itake3 of each event are not only handsome, but contrast most favorably with those of any meeting in the Colony, the Metropolitan excepted. A divergence from their hitherto chief event has also been made this year by making it a sweepstakes of 7 soys each, with 175 soys added money. This is most decidedly a step in the right direction, and should bring together a very large field of horses. That such will be the cas« we have not the slightest doubt, as the stake promises to be one of the largest, if not actually the largest, that has yet been contested for on our course. Othercircumstances also conjoin to the success of the 1873 meet, {fad chiefly of these is the abolition of the Easter Duuedin meeting, which has hitherto been a great drawback to the Greymouth one. That meeting is, we learn, to be held in December, and following upon it at stated litervals all the up country and Southland gatherings will be held also, all finishing about a month before Greymouth, and thus leaving plenty of time to the disengaged horses to arrive upon the coast, and participate in the events run for here and in the neighborhood. The road to the course will also be finished, and our visitors mil have the opportunity of engaging the services of cabby, or listening to the call of the omnibus conductor.

Tjhe dead body of a man, apparently between thirty and forty years of age, was found on Tuesday morning last, about a quarter of ;i mile below hign-water-mark on the Shortland. beach. It had evidently been in the water a considerable time, there being much decomposition. Tho man was darkcomplexioned, shaved on the cheeks, with a goatee on chin. There were no marks of violenco on tho body, which was dressed in dark-striped Crimean shirt, moleskin trousers, and Wellington boot 3. 'i he features of the face were eaten by fish. T»vo knives, a box of matches, and a bottle of salad oil were found in the pockets of the clothes. Tb.3 body has not yet been identified. The adjourned meeting in the matter of the projected Exhibition at Hokitika was held on Friday evening in the no ns of the Literary tociety, Mr Macfarlane was in the chair. 'I he minutes of the previous meeting having been confirmed, a letter was read from Mr Warden Broad express<ng his willingness to assist in promoting the object in view, and suggesting the appointment of a committee for the Reefton district. A telegram was received while the business was proceeding from Mr Warden Revell, stating that the people in the Grey district were indifferent in the matter, but that he .thought some few would be inclined to cooperate with Hokitika. The programme for the Exhibition, prepared by the sub-com-mittee, appointed for that purpose, was brought up and considered. The title "Westlancl Exhibition" was approved. It was resolved that the Governor should be communicated with by telegram, to obtain his Excellency' 3 sanction to set his name down as patron. The appointment of the Venerable Archdeacon Harper as president wa? approved, tho vice-presidents to be his Honor judge Harvey, the Hon. J. A. Bonar, and W. Todd, Esq., Mayor. The effects of the late flood at Westport is thus described by the Tim&s of Friday last :— Thirty-six hours rain has brought about the^snal consequence ; a flooded river, crumbling bank, and dismantled buildings. Up to twelve o'clock on Wednesday night there had not been any very perceptible damage done, except that the . last remaining piles of the old Kennedy street wharf bad been swept away, and the river bank upward to Kennedy street kept gradually loosening and falling away. About two o'clock yesterday morning the flood was at the highest, and it was discovered that the river had cut deeply into the bank above Kennedy street, and was clearing a straight 0 rarse through to the beach. It was neces--8 try at once to remove goods and begin pulling down buildings. Dr Bruen's surgery, Mr Powell's old store, Mr Carne's resideno ; and back workshops were all pulled dow-i piecemeal, and the materials stacked in the Btreet for removal. At the end of Wallab street also a lot of building material had t, be shifted, and at Bright street the transit

■•lied was seen to be so . endangere 1 thai; its instant removal was necetsary., It was now olaced on ways, and is being shifted to a more safe location. Yesterday the flood abated considerably, rid the damage for the -time is stayed ; but from present indications'there is very little doubt -that the river. is shaping for a straight course right through tho block bounded by Molesworth, Bright, and Kennedy streets, and that it is only a question of time before the buildings thereon will be wiped out of sight. Where Gladstone street once was the sea comes in with steady encroachment, and mine host at the Post Office Hotel will be enabled soon to build a suite of sea baths oper'ng out from his bar-room. The match for the r.'fle given by the local Volunteer Company took place on Saturday at tho range, when it was won for the third time by Volunteer H. S. Paul, to whom it now belongs. This was a handicap match, Mr Paul receiving twenty-two points, but he mude some excellent shooting, scoring 19 out of a possiblo 20 points at 400 yards. In Otago tho observance of tho Prince of Wales' birthday has been fixed for the 11th, instead of Saturday, the 9th instant, as it is considered that the anniversary can be celebrated more conveniently on the Monday. News has come from Port Louis that the Australian horse Detective, owned by Messrs Joshua Brothers, has won all the races at Mauritius. Unexpected blessings are not often received with unreserved thankfulness, but an incident occurred at Westport on Thursday last which should prove the exception. The inroad of flood and tide necessitated the pull- ' ing down of Dr Bruen's tenement in Kennedy street, among others, and the removal of the roof led to the discovery, by the carpenters, of a roll of notes, in value L3l ; which, (or a long time past, had escaped the doctor's closest search. They had been placed some months ago somewhere about the roof lining, and had apparently slipped not only out of sight but out of reach, and but for the acci dental pulling down of the building might have laid long undiscovered. Now in losing his house standing on a treacherous foundation, the treasure trove provides the wherewithal to rebuild it in a more safe abiding place, thanks to the honesty of the finders. The manager of the Ngakawhau Coal Mining Company reports that an air drive has been put through to the rise of the seam, thoroughly ventilating the prespnt workings, and allowing more faces to bs opened wheu required. The coal has also been found on the east side of Mine Creek, at a height sufficient to allow of its being worked by a selfacting incline. This discovery is of great importance to the company, as it will allow thtm to extend their operations to any required limit without the erection of pumping and winding machinery. 'As soon as a suitable steamer is obtained, the company will be prepared to deliver first-class coal at Westport and the adjoining ports at a reasonable rate. In a private letter to a friend in Christchurch, Mr Morton Tavares says that he is unable to get a theatrical company together, all the available talent of any note being engaged.

The prospectus of the new National Bank of New Zealand gives the following list of names as the directory :— Mr Chas. Magniac, M.P., of Messrs Matheson and Co., 3 Lombard street, London (Chairman) ; Mr Dudley Smith, of Messrs Samuel Smith, Bros,, and Co.. bankers, Hull (Deputy-Chairman) ; Colonel Sir Thomas Gore Browne, X.C.M G., formerly Governor of New Zealaud; Sir Charles Clifford, formerly Speaker of the House of 1 Representatives of New Zealand ; Mr Alexander Grant Dallas, late Governor of Rupert's Land, and late Director of the Hudson's Bay Company ; Dr I. E. Featherston, "late of New Zealand j" Mr William Smellie Grahaw.e, late of Auckland ; Mr Elward Brodie Hcare, of Messrs Barnett, Hoares, Hanburys, and Lloyd, Lombard tsreet, London, bankers ; Mr John Morrison, late Colonial . Auent for the Government of New Zealand ; Mr William Wbitbread, of Messrs Whitbread and Co, Chiswell street, London. Tho prospectus states that " the directors are preEared to commence business forthwith, and elieve that the capital to be called up can be safely and profitably employed without encroaching on the field already occupied by similar institutions."

The remains of some poor unfortunate were accidentally discovered recently in a gully about a quarter of a mile from the old flagstaff station at Mount Albert, Wellington, fn reporting the circumstance the Independent says :— lt is difficult to conjecture how long the. body had been lying there. The garments were almost utterly rotted away, and yet some portions of the skeleton retained a ghastly covering of flesh. The skull was as bare as if taken from an ancient sepulchre ; the ribs were also bare and bleached. The young man who found the remains (Mr Samuel Howard) had his attention attracted by the sound of a small waterfall, and on looking at the spot his eyes were rivettcd by the white skull. There were the remains of a blue guernsey on the body, a leather belt round the waist, aud portions of what once were braces over the shoulders ; while the feet were still encased in lace-up boots. As nobody has been missed, speculation is at fault as to whom the deceased was, or whether he has been a victim of foul play. As a bottle (very much like'tho ordinary P. B. bottle) was found between the legs of the skeleton when discovered, many will naturally put this death down as one more to the long list ajrjady recorded by the "demon drink."