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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1345, 20 November 1872, Page 2

The gold obtained from the last crushing at the Ajax claim, Inangahua, said to be 600oz, was brought into Greymoutk last evening. We received by the Tararua, last night, a proof -slip from the Nelson Colonist office containing a full account of the wreck of the barque City of Newcastle. The principal particulars, previously printed, will be found in our shipping column. The Japanese Troupe repeated their entertainment; at the Volunteer Hall last evening, The hall ,was again crowded, and the tricks of the various members of the troupe were much appreciated, judging by the amount of applause which followed each effort. The company is well .worthy of a yisit, and we have no doubt that so long as +Koj- nu«i> here they will be extensively patronised. Westport, Nelson, and Marlborough mails brought by the Wallace were forwarded to Greymonth by last evening's coach. On Saturday a set of prizes (given by the Company), was competed for at the Kiile Range, by members of the Greymouth Rangers. The shooting on the whole was good. There wore four prizes offered, and we give the scores of the winners in detail —

200 yds. 500 yds. 600 yds. Dr. Morice - 4333434 4343345 4320333-66 Vol. Hogg ■ 4232222 4243333 44*3324-61 „ Shepherd 3333323 0423443 4043333-60 „ F. Paul - 3333302 3324343 4024332-57 The other scores are as follows : — Vols. J. Thomas, 56 ; Revell, 54 ; Smith, 49 ; Broadbent, 48 j R. Heaphy, 45 ; Moss, 44 ; Capt. Hamilton, 43 ; Ensign Hall, 42 ; Segt. Smith, 41; Vol. H. St. Paul, 40. These prizes and the rifle won by Vol. H. Sb. Paul, will be presented to the winner at the next monthly inspection of the Company, which will be held on Thursdays 28th inst. The next match will be a Handicap,, in which five prizes will be offered. Ranges i 200, 400. and 500 yards. The shooting for this set will probably take place in about three weeks. The Resident Magistrate's Court was yesterday occupied considering a number of small debt cases, none of which possessed any features of public interest. The following is a summary of them ;— P. Maxwell v. George Green— Llo 3s; judgment by default. Thomas and M'Beath v ,Miss Kennedy- Ll4 5s ; judgment by default. Magoffin v. Chase — L 4 9s ; judgment confessed. • Same v. Tomes— L7 18s 8d ; judgment by default. Spoore v. Turner— .This was an action to obtain possession of a tenement from the defendant, Evidence was taken, and an order nw 7 e for possession of the Brjemisejji to be given to plaintiff within 24 hours, and judgment was given for two weeks', rent. B. Williams v. J. Martin— L4 l2s 7d ; judgmeti confessed ; defendant was examined, and an order made for the payment of 30s per week or in default a month's imprisonment. H. Giesking v. Rose Douglas— L7 12s"; judgment confessed ; defendant was examined, and an order made for the payment of 7s Gel per week, or in defanib a mouth's imprisonment. Levy v. Stanlay— Order of payment suspended for two months, on the applica- \ tion of defendant. There were a few defended j cases. ■ Tenders are invited for widening the track between the Christchurch road and Fox's, " Letters from Okarito state that there have been great floods in that district, but that no damage has been done to property. It will be remembered that the Borough Council of Hokitika noi long since decided to erect a toll-gate in Stafford street, near the town boundary. It appears that it was necessary to obtain the consent of the County Chairman before the tolls could be enforced, and the Sfor says that such consent has been, refused. ' It was the intention of several gentlemen to meet at the London Tavern, iioss, last; evening, for the purpose of discussing the desirability of forming a company in conjunction with Mr Cassius, to work Guardian PJat. The scheme, says the Neiov, would no doubt be a good one if Mr Cassius could be induced to unite with a company for tho I purpose named, and it shotfd claim the support of all townsmen who have the means to enter into a speculation of the kind. Conspicuous among the many house morings in Westport, says the Times oi the 15th, is the success achieved by Mr Arney, the contractor, who has been plucky enough to essay the removal of Gilmer's Post (Jffice Hotel, en bloc, in spite of tho warnings aad prognostications that it could never be done, that the building was too large, that it would topple over, and generally play the mischief and break things. Scarce ten days ago operations were commeuced, timber specially

cut in the bush, and brought across the river for forming a framework for the building, and rollers and ways prepared whereon to remove it. The foundations were dug around, the whole building meanwhile resting on movenble blocks, and being raised by means of screws some three feet above the level of the original piles, and a framework ■if timbers resting on rollers built underneath, then, when all was ready, the twostory edifice, with furniture aad fittings standing within, was impelled by the allpowerful screw-jacks, to move inch by inch on to the street, up which it will now progress until it reaches in line with the Clarendon corner, whereit will remain for a season. The removal so far, has been effected without mishap of any kind, and the work has been accomplished in a manner that indicates a more than ordinary display of skill and foresight. If any proof at this time of day were required as to the advantages conferred upon a young country by railway communication, the Southland lines fnrnish sufficient illustration. From the traffic returns, it appears that the goods carried during last month amounted to 2470 tons, against 549 tons during the same period last year. The passengers were 1246, against The total earnings for the month were LB4O 14s 9d, against L 366 10s 5d in 1871. It should be borne in mind that the tariff of charges has been reduced by about 60 per cent, since the time stated. Tho working expenses amount on an average to about LSOO per month, inclusive of coal and repairs to permanent way and rolling stock. The returns for this month do not include preserved meats or, wool, which, for many months in the year, form a large item in the receipts. ... . A son of Mr Arthur Baigent, of Wakefield, two years of age, was drowned on Monday week in a mill-lead,' into which the child fell unobserved. The little fellow had been playing with other children near his father's house, and left his company, it is supposed, with the intention of going home to dinner. . . The Hokitika Star expects to hear before long that a rush has taken place in the neighborhood of the Eight-Mile. A few weeks since several claims were taken up at a terrace within two miles of the place named, and in one of the tunnels payable gold has now been struck. We believe that the prospects are about a quarter of a penny-, weight to the dish, with six feet of washdirt. Several parties of miners are now tunnelling from the face of the terrace, and expect to strike gold in a few days. The Aelson Colonist learns that the specifications for the Fox Hill Railway plant will be iucluded in the next order despatched to . England, and that Mr Carruthers will be in x-Telson in a few days to go over the line. Nelson has been definitely fixed upon as the place where the next Colonial prize firing will take place." Something in this direction, says the Colonist, is wanted to remove an appearance of stagnation amongst us, and as we shall only be enjoying in turn what the other provinces have already experienced, let us hope that the visit will prove mutually agreeeble to our coniing visitors and the residents of this province. The reef lately dis/jovered by. Messrs Greenlaw and Co., abqut six mjles from Picton, continues to give good prospects, and two parties of men are now about to start to thoroughly prospect the adjacent country. Some rich stone was obtained on Saturday last from the Port Gore Company's claim on Turner's line. Tiiougn uuue of the votes .passed by- ike Nelson Council for roads in the Grey Valley have yet beea expended, the Government is not unmindful of the disbricb next to Nelson. We notice that the time for receiving tenders for falling twelve miles of bush on the North Buller road has been extended from 26th instant to 2nd December, the reason for the alteration being to allow residents in. the district to forward their tenders to Nelsgn. The telegram from Sydney^ recently published, concerning an extraordinary rich yield at Tambaroora is apparently inaccurate in some respects. The gold obtained for two. months' work amounted to 15,6000z, or about LOO, 000, equal to 75 per cent, on the paid up capital. Yet a dividend of only 15s pershare has been declared. Unless the scrip is sub-divided in some unusual manner, or the amount of the capital is something enormous, the figures must be in some respect erroneous. • The Rob Roy and its owner, who so firmly believes in " paddling his own canoe," are again becoming famous, and some excellent descriptions of recent journeys in and around Scotland have lately been published. Mr Birch, who. has done so much in the way of procuring emigrants for New Zealand, had an interview with Mi* M'Gregor not long ago. In the course of conversation the New Zealand lakes were brought upon the tapis. Of course Mr Birch was enthusiastic on tho subject, and made Mr jM'Grefor almost as enthusiastic as himself. The (£■ estion of canoes followed, as a .matter of course ; and the Home- News throws out the notion of canoeing on the New Zealand lakes and rivers as being well worthy of considera-" tion.

It appears that the last flood was. succeeded by some public excitement in Cobden, the first information of which comes to 'us through the columns of the Nelson Colonist. A correspondent of that paper writes thus :— "The flood at the end ot October was not so high as 'that oj February b.y about 54ft, but notwithstanding the assertions of Mrßlackett and Dr Hector, that the river could not change its channel, it is doing so, and the north bank of the river was swept away to a considerable exient. A public meeting was held at Cobden, and it was ie« solved to telegraph the Superintendent at Nelson, requesting him to protect tho township, and the answer to this was that there was no fund for the purpose. On Monday, the 4th," there was a crowded meeting held, at which it was resolved, n&rs. go)}, to consign the Superintendent of Nelson to the winds, and to make an application for the assistance of the General Government. A committee was formed to draw up' a letter, and to carry out the wishes of the inhabitants, if possible." ' - Mr Claranoe Holt is giving a new "Dickens Entertainment " with prologue and epilogue written by Mr George Fawcett Rowe. Miss Eate Putnam is negotiating with Mr BT L. Farjeou for a dramatic version of "Grif." Madame Celeste opens at the Adelphi shortly with the evergreou " Green Bashes." Mr Hawy Jackson and Mr J. B. Howe are both performing in the grand spectacle "Babil and Bijou," at Co vent Garden. Mr Johu Hall and Mrs Hall, and Miss Wise- , man, have arrived in England in company with Dave Garson, It is their purpose to proceed to India with an entertainment. Professor Anderson took out an auctioneer's license for one day— September 9 — when he disposed of the whole of his apparatus. . The sale took place at the Star Music Hall, Liverpool. _..■-■ ■ During the year 1870-71 there were imported into New Zealand 666,9641 bof manufactured tobacco, valued at L 49.437, and on which L 83,370 duty was collected ; cigars, 36,52<J1b, value i.13,343, duty, L 9132 j snuff, 5361 b, value L.386, duty L 13 4; and sheep-wash, LSO, 9411 b, value L 333, duty LlOll. It will -feajseen by this that tobacpo, to the value of nearly "£ls6, ooo duty paid, is disposed of by the different importers, and that after passing through their hands ifc nearly doubles its prioe before passing into

tho hands of the consumer. At this rate, not less than L 300.000 a. year is, spent by' the people of New Zealand on tobacqo, which is mainly imported from elsewhere; and for which L 70.000 a year in hard cash is 'drained out of the country,

Mr Simpson, C.E., reports that an average supply of water, amounting to forty-five Government heads, arid a miniumum supply of not les3 than twenty-five Government heads in extremely dry seasons, can be brought in from the Manuherikia to Naseby, without prejudice to existing rights, for the sum of L 20,000, traversing a line of riot moie than fifty-five miles in length, presenting no engineering difficulty. The Colonial Government will immediately call for tenders for the work. •■■ - : - ;•' •■ ; - : . ".

A novel kind. of street • car is now in operation on the New Orleans and Carrollton street railway. On a four-wheel truck, about h?.lf the length of an ordinary "passenger car, are a boiler, a tank, and a doublecylinder engine of seven inches stroke. The tank is filled with about 300 gallons of water. This water is heated at the depot in a stationary boiler, and discharged into the tank at the beginning of eauh trip. J In this manner enough steam is provided* to propel the car nine miles, and have a surplus of power left at the end of the trip. One man performs the duties of engineer, breaksman, and conductor. There is no escape of steam nor any noise beyond that ordinarily caused in running a passenger car, and a trial of nearly three months has shown this new motion to be not only practicable, but much cheaper than horse-power. The actual running expenses have been one dollar 48 cents per day.

The testimonial nuisance was appropriately condemned the other day by a noble earl. It bad been suggested to present the Earl of Essex with a testimonial in consideration of his kindness in allowing the people of Watford and the ■ neighborhood to enjoy the range of Cassiobury Park. In declining the propossl his lordship writes:— "ln my opinion the practice so common of late years (to the extent of becoming a positive niuV sance) of yetting up a testimonial to anyone simply because he has conducted himself decently — not always the case — and done his duty— is strongly to be deprecated, as leading to the inference that doing one's duty is 6f such rare occurrence that it requires a reward. If a man doesjiis duty so far as he can to the public, and is kind and friendly to his neighbors, he will assuredly possess their esteem, without requiring a testimonial to prove it ; and if not, he has no right to it."