THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1339, 13 November 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1872.

The deaths by drowning of the Rev. Father Colomb, of Greymouth, and of the Rev. Mr Gaskin, of Collingwood, are not such remarkable instances of the "disastrons chances" to which residents of these Gold Fields are exposed as to excite surprise, however much the loss to Bociety, and the melancholy manner of their deaths, may have caused regret. Both fatalities, however, by reason of the circumstances by which they were attended, point a moral so precisely similar, and a moral of such meaning, that they deserve to be prominently recorded. The remark has already been made that, in the case of the first fatality, and according to human arrangements, a life might have '.been saved had there been any precautions taken, as there ought to be taken, to warn travellers of the dangers of the road by which ihe rev. gentleman travelled, and, in several instances since, the occurrence of a similar accident has been made the occasion of urging upon the Government the duty of undertaking such precautionary measures as might be recommended to prevent, as far aB poßsible, the recurrence of such fatalities. The subject has been referred to in these columns, and also in a report by M r "Warden Whitefoord to the Government of the Province. There is contained, however, in a short memoir of the Rev. Mr G&skin, published in the Cliurch Messenger^ a single sentence whioh is more suggestive than all the severe common.

that might be written or printed ; and if the authorities are not in the habit of perusing such publications, it is to be hoped that this particular number of the. Messenger will not miss reaching their hands, and will not fail in encouraging them to do on the West Coast what has been found necessary at Collingwood, though not found necessary, be it observed, until a valuable life had been sacrificed. There was much mystery, it will be remembered, as to the circumstances under which the drowning of the Rev. Mr Gaskin had occurred. There were no exceptional features in the case ; the night was calm ; it wa3 scarcely dark ; and there was no flood in the river. A very simple, very sad, and possibly correct explanation of the causes of the accident now comes in tho single sentence of this memoir to which we have referred. It is this : — " The accident has brought to notice tho fact that the posts, beacons, or ford marks were defective, and of course they are now ordered to be replaced and painted." Yes— now, all this is done ; but all too late for the life of him who has been lost, or for the benefit of those who have been bereaved by his loss. The only satisfaction, and it is a melancholy one, is that the los 3of a prominent member oi society has been the means cf effecting that to which the disappearance of a humble rustic or of an unknown miner might never have contributed. The incident is only another illustration of the advico which has been variou&ly given, and which has now become an adage — that to prevent similar evils it is necessary occasionally to sacrifice a cliurch dignitary, a railway director, or a chief magistrate. It is to be hoped, however, that this form of humau sacrifice will not be prolonged, and that the replacing and painting of the ford marks at Collingwood are the outward and visible sign of a disposition to reform the whole arrangements of fords and ferries throughout the Province. There is no insurmountable obstaclo in the way of establishing a sufficient system of signals or beacons at fords or ferries, and the statement that they might become rather a source of danger than of safety is simply the suggestion of laziness. It is never to be supposed that such things are simply to be erected, and left in their primitive position till the end of time. Supervision would be quite as requisite as in the case of road or telegraph lines ; and in these instances human invention has positively overcome the mighty obstacles which, in this minor, but also serious matter, the authorities have been clever enough to discover with their closed eyes. As an illustration of what might be, yet what is not, done, we may quote the recent experiences of a visitor to the Grey Valley. Writing of Square Town, he says : — " Here I found I could have avoided being up to my knees in mud, and travelled by a shorter road, if I had known it or found a friendly finger-post to show me the way.'' And of another incident of hia journey he writes thas : —

/ "I came upon the Ahaura creek just at dusk, and followed the dray tracks — there being no finger-post or other mark to guide the weary foot traveller — and into the river I walked, thinking that was the road, but I soon found it was too deep to ford on foot. There was no light or anything in the shape of a ferry in sight, and nob being a smoker I forgot to put matches in my pocket, and therefore I saw a very fair show of being out all night. After a few, loud cooees, and no answer, I walked down the river" and cooeed. I was answered at last, and a boatman ferried me across. I found afterwards there are foot-roads as well as horse-tracks, whero these deep crossings in tho river can bo avoided by going round a bit ; but why do not the Government put finger-posts to show foot passengers the road 1 In coming down tho Grey I took all on a face deep or not deep, but I learnt that several fords could be avoided if the way was better known. The only sign of a finger-post that I saw was thus, igTToTHE FZftj. I could not resist the temptation of taking down the exact copy of this. The writer ought to have done as the schoolboy did, and put underneath the first part, ' This is a hand. ? "

For a week past coal-barges, skiffs, and canoes have formed a fishing fleet to the Greymouth bar at suitable times of the tide, manned by amateur and professional fishermen, and on several occasions extraordinary hauls have beeu made of flounder, cod, and i other cieaturca known to Native icthyologists. Still the market ia by no means overstocked with fish, and those who are desirous of preserving the condition of their brains by the consumption of phosphorus are chieily restricted to <i diet of whitebait. On Sunday, several of the boats' crews, tempted by the smooth bar, went outside, doing so and returning safely. Since then, however, as already reported, an accident happened, to one boat, and yesterday there was nearly being another by a young lad, who was tishing from a canoe, taking a fit. Fortunately he was seen, and was prevented from going over the bar. According to the "writing on the wall" at the Coal Creek Hotel by the last flood and the flood of February, there was a difference of 4£ft in the height of tho water above the Grey Gorge. That is to say, tho February flood was 4£ft higher than that of October. Seeing that other places on the Coast are not only inviting competitions in athletic sports at Christmas, but also offering programmes that are very attractive, it is highly desirable that Gerymouth should start from the supineness under which it seems to be laboring, and issue for information such a programme as sball at least be equal to what is given elsewhere. As a committee meeting is called for this evening to consider this matter, it is not necessary to say any more than merely to suggest that if good men are to be got together to contest here, to afford gratification to our country visitors, we must give good money. Up-country districts are giving as much as has hitberto been given here, and are doing this year much as they did last season. Greymouth has hitherto ' claimed pre-emiaence in all sporting matters, and in order to retain that, the committee which meets to-night must publish a programme liberal in its prizes and attractive in its chances. A Post Office is to be established at the Totara Flat after December Ist. The funds and the fortunes of the Literary Society require a stimulus, and to supply the "sinews of war," a number of lady and gentlemen amateurs, new to a Greymouth audience, have undertaken to give an enter--1 tainmeut at the Volunteer Hall to-morrow evening. On Friday the adjourned charge of breach of the peace, brought against Drs fiulmer and Currie, was heard at Reefton. Mr Pitt, who appeared for the defendants, said : — " I j Have to make uu application to excuse the i attendance of Dr Buhneiyas ho was engaged in a case involving life or death ; on behalf

of the defendants, I have to admit the offence, and to express their regrefc thit they should have so far forgotten themselves." His Worship fined each defendant 20s. James Currie was charged with contempt of Court. Mr Pitt appeared for the defendant, and pleaded the troubled state of mind of the defendant in consequence of the unfortunate affair out of which the_ first charge arose. The defendant was cautioned and discharged. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, five civil cases in which the amounts sued for were trifling, were settled " by confession," or "in default."— At the Cobden Court, before Messr3 Greenwood and Keid, | payment of a -wages claim of L 5 Is, for which judgment had already been given (Smith v. Hamilton), was ordered to be paid within twenty-four hours, with the alternative of a month's imprisonment. After the perfect acquaintance which the people of Greymouth have of Miss Stephenson's ability in drama of all descriptions, and of the amount of hard mental work imposed upon her by the number of plays which tho company has performed here, it ought to be unnecessary to bespeak a good attendance at her benefit to-night. The play to bo performed, "Pauvrette, or Three Months in the Snow," is now to Grey mouth play-goers, and, apart from the acting, is likely to be attractive on account; even of the peculiarities of the scenery — Alps, icicles, falling snow, and avalanches. The Banks in Christchurch can afford to take more liberties with their customers than in Greymouth. They had half-holidays on Thursday aud Friday last, and a close holiday on Monday, keeping open on Saturday until the usual hour. Here, in -the observance of holidays, traders, bankers, and Sublic servants classify themselves, as they o in a good many other things, with the result of making themselves the antithesis of aublime

The young men of Wanganui have purchased two fine boats, and started boating clv.bs. The example, not by any means too early given, is worthy of being copied by the j'oung men of Greymouth, who have a fine river and lagoon waiting for them as the scene for the exercise of those abilities which they now exhaust in conversations with the fair purveyors of " pewters," in the consumption cf "shandy," or in coloring the beloved meerschaum. The Boss Guardian learns that a letter was received by the last maii from Mr Cassius. The condenser for the drainage engine has been order from Mr Vivian, of Castlemaine, and will be shipped f roni Melbourne shortly. Mr Cassius is expected to return in about ten days. Two cases against J. W. Evison and D. B. Barclay, for falsely pretending to bo licentiates in medicine and surges, they not being registered under the Act of 1869, were gone into at Stafford Town on Monday, and the Court reserved judgment in each case till Monday, the 18th inst. In Hokitika, on Monday, all the public offices of the County were closed, as were also the Banks, and nearly every place of business. Vehicles of all kinds were largely in request, and boating parties were so numerous that not a boat could be got at any price after the early hours in the morning. There were no sports or public amusements of any kind, but the day seemed, nevertheless, to be thoroughly enjoyed. At Stafford Town, on^Friday, Dacre Bruce Barclay was brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court charged with feloniously killing and slaying one Hannah Reed, and was remanded till Monday, when the case was again remanded for a week. The coroner's jury had returned a verdict at the iuquest that death- resulted from " congestion of the brain." Mr Button is engaged for the defence. . Mr Larkworthy, the Managing Director of the Bank of New Zealand, has sent out in the Queen Bee, to Auckland, eight or ten brace of grouse. It is proposed to charge 4s 6d per ton for goods from Dunedin to Port Chalmers by railway, the charge for lighterage hitherto being 7s per ton. The fare for first-class passengers will be Is 6d, for second-class Is. Our Dunedin correspondent says goods carriage has been reduced to 3s per ton. Congratulatory messages on the completion of telegraphic communication were received at Melbourne from the Emperor of of Germany, the Governors of the Straits Settlements and Hong Kong, Lord Monck, Chairman of the Cable Company ; Mr Dutton, the Agent-General ; and the Chief Secretaries of Victoria and Queensland. Communication with Martin's Bay is to be established. The Otago Government will shortly call for tenders for the cutting of the remaiuing portion of the track between Lako Wakatip and Lake M'Kerrow. The track is to be raado passable by horses, and tho Government will also erect shelter sheds and span the Holly ford River with a wire rope. Arrangements have boon completed for the temporary supply, for a term of at least six months, for the pulpit of the First Church, Dunedin, by some of the leading Presbyterian Ministers of Victoria. Tho first gentleman to come is the Rev, Lindsay Mackie, who is settled in the neighborhood of Melbourne. The Rev. Drs Cameron and Cairns, of Melbourne, tho Rev. Mr Campbell, of Geelong, the Rev. Mr Henderson, of Ballarat, and the Rev. Mr Veitch, of Bendigo, are expected to follow him. Two fatal accidents are thus reported by the Boss News : — " We regret to leain that Mr James Holmes, formerly a carrier of this place, was drowned in the Reefton district last week. He was well-known in this district, and very much respected by all who wero acquainted with him, He leaves a wife and three children to mourn his loss. We have also the painfulinews that Mr George Hayton, an old Rossite, for a long time employed as captain of one of the underground shifts at the Cassius claim, was struck dead by lightning on tho day that he landed at Sydney, for which {place he left here some thort time since en route for Queensland. He was a member of the Foresters Lodge in this district, and well-known and respected." The member for the Totara district, Mr Tribe, has some traducers in Rosa, and their more recent attacks have sent our usually quiet contemporary, the News "into fits." Something detractory has been said about Mr Tribe in connection with the extension of the telegraph, and the News thereupon " outbursts " in the following good old-fashioned hi' falutin' style :— " We are aware that there rfre a class of nobleminded beings in this place who glory in the vilification of a man they have not the capacity to comprehend. Bred in an atmosphere of official toadyism, and accustomed to humbly Bubmit to the dictates of any being whom Dame Fortune has been pleased* to place in a position for which Nature never intended him, they cannot conceive that any honesty of purpose is possessed by those who do not aspire to the very great honor of being recognised by such a functionary, and therefore they may be excused for wallowing in the mire of their own creation. Still, when the reptile crawls too near the abode of integrity and reason, every effort (should be made to crush it. We will, however, leave the work[of dealing with those gentry to Mr Tribe, as we may; anticipate that he will shortly be here to answer for irimself. We shall then see whether the sycophants who

bask in the sunshine of the official arena will have the courage to show their harmless fangs to his face, aud repeat what their mean dispositions tempted them to utter in his absence. With reference to railways in Australia, the Sydney Herald writes :— " New South Wales, with a population of leBS than half-a-million, Ins since 1856 been making iron roads at the rate of 22 miles a year, with engineering difficulties of no common order. Journeys of weeks have been reduced to days, andplace3 that in 1850 were almost a terra incognita to Sydney people, are now as familiar to many as the Domain. If, however, we do not confine our remarks to this Colony, but look at what has been done in Australia in the matter of railway construction since the first year 1830, the progress o£ this great country is still more evident. The entira population of Australia (exclusive of aboriginals) is not two millions, and there are nearly a thousand miles of railway in the four colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia— f^fty miles of railway for every 50,000_ of the population, in a country not yet civilised a century !" The followiug advertisement appears in the Waikato Times :—" Missing. — Fifty pounds reward.— Missing from the neighborhood of Auckland, a young lady, who when last seen by her friends, on the 15th instant, was dressed in a grey barege dress, black velvet jacket, and Dolly Varden hat, trimmed with roses and blue ribbons, aged nineteen; sfb4iniu height; has blue eyes, flaxen hair, and aquiline nose. Supposed to have left with a gentleman, and to be in the Waikato district. The reward will be paid on such information being forwarded to this office as will lead to her recovery by her sorrowing parents. — Auckland, October 20, 1872." We lately recorded the death of Mr George Brodie, of Dunedin, late Accountant in Bankruptcy. The Wellington Independent makes similar reference to the incidents of Mr Brodie's life, and gives the following particulars as to his fatal illness :— Mr Brodie had for some months suffered from general constitutional debility, and latterly his complaint assumed a more determined and critical character, compelling him to retire from the work of his department and keep his couch, During the last two or three months he alternated between impending death and amendment, and a few weeks ago there was some hope that he might ultimately recover, but he suddenly grew worse and died at seven o'clock on Sunday morning. He leaves behind him a widow and four children, two of whom are infants, and we regret to learn they are very indifferently provided for. The " affair about a bridge" at Wanganui, of which information was furnished by telegrams, but which was not thoroughly comprehended here, is thus explained by the Wanganui Chronicle : — " The Government built bridges across the Kai Iwi and Okchu streams, and left them there for a considerable time without approaches, aud therefore useless, owing to the abandonment of the intended line of road on which they stood, and tho opening of a better one inland. The native owners of the land on which these bridges stand is told by a pakeha that he will have to pay taxes to maintain this road and the railway to be taken through his land, and that the white people want to open the other road for which he, the Maori, will also be taxed, and gives him iuformation and advice that will probably come before the public by-and-bye. The native writes to the Government and objects to the bridges being left on his land, and he says they are a nuisance, &c, and finally, at whose instigation we know not, sets fire to them."