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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1409, 5 February 1873, Page 2

Notwithstanding the published threat of the contractor for the Omotumotu road that it would be closed for traffic yesterday, no such disagreeable incident occurred, owing to the prompt measures taken by the General Government Engineer. No doubt some amicable arrangement will shortly be come to between the parties, whereby the road will be much, improved and finally taken over by the Government. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, Andrew Morrison was charged with obtaining 25s from.Edward Ancher by false pretences, and was committed for trial at the next sitting of the District Court. Mr Perkins appeared for the defendant, and cross-examined the witnesses called, but reserved the defence to be made until the time of tiial. A meeting of the Committee of the Horticultural Society took ploce last night, at Johnston's Melbourne Hotel, Mr W. M. Cooper in the chair. A letter was received from the Hon. Sec. of the Poultry Society, suggesting that a joint exhibition should take place, which was agreed to. Sub-Com-mittees were appointed to make arrange* i

menfcs for the forthcoming show, which was agreed should be open for two nights, 13th and 14th inst., and some other busiuess of a / routine nature was transacted. Although rather late in the season, we believe that there is every likelihood pf the exhibition being a success. " : t : John Adam Eissenhardt,' the recentlyelected Captain of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, has been gazetted a Fire Inspector, under the 332 clause of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1867." Very good accounts have- been brought in lately from the Belfast Terrace, Hau Hau, says the West Coast Times. The rush is assuming large proportions,' there being quite a thousand people on the ground. It is confidently expected that the lead extends into the Chrischurch road, a distance of five miles. We understand that those who are on gold are getting half a pennyweight to the dish. According to Auckland papers, the working of the newly-discovered, coal field at Awitu— oa the shores of the Manukau — is likely to be attended with the most unqualified success, and to add. another rich industry to those already exisMng in that Province. At one place there is a seam six feet thick, only thirty feet below the surface of the ground. Tenders have been called for the construction of the first thirteen miles of the Nelson and Foxhill railway. The firiug for the Colonial Government prizes commences at Nelson on Tuesday next, March 4. The competing Volunteers will be under the command of Major' Gordon. A large number of both North and South riflemen have qualified, and no doubt a good few more than those whose expenses will be paid as representatives of their respective districts, will come to Nelson to compete for the prizes. The following are the names of the Nelson men that have qualified : — Guy, Nelson Rifles, 78 points ; Fowler and Tomlinson, Waimea JRifles, 75 and 73. Mr Guy fired at Wanganui. The Nelson Examiner says after years of patient labor bestowed by Mr Ross, of Collingwood, in constructing a water-race, making a dam, and erecting machinery, all at his own cost, to work a quartz reef of which he is the lessee, %t Richmond Hill, in the Aorere Valley, some scoundrel destroyed the dam just as the works were complete, and crushing about to Gommonce. A late Nelson Provincial Gazette with-? draws from sale two blocks of land in the duller Valley for special settlement, viz.— the Hampden block, of 14,000 acres ; and the Matiri block, of 25,000 acres. His Honor the Superintendent will immediately apply to the General Government to gi/e effect to the scheme of settling this district, in accordance with the resolution of the Provincial Council last session. The Boss Guardian says that at Parnell's new shaft, Clearwater Creek, the poppet-legs are up and nearly finished. Tenders have been called for the erection of a whim. Another fortnight will enable this company to finish up on the present layer, when putting in the chamber and opening out the new shaft will be commenced The repairs to Wisharfc and party's shaft, as well as the chamber, are now all but complete, and the full number of men are expected to be put on at once. A cablegram, dated January 10, says that the ex-Emperor, in his last moments, made an affecting appeal to the French nation on behalf of his son, the Prince Imperial. He alsg directed that an application should be made to the French Government to allow the interment of his remains in French soil. The Rev. Mr Porter- who visited Auckland for the purpose of laying before the public the difficulties and hardships expe- i rienced by the Af artin's Bay settlers in their attempts to occupy that locality, and who is making a tour through New Zealand with the object of obtaining assistance towards relieving the sufferings of his fellow-settlers —gave a repetition at the City Hall, Auckland, the other night, of the able lecture delivered by him on the 14th ult. at the Pitt street Wesleyan Church. There were about 200 persons present, and the rev. lecturer succeeded in engaging the earnest attention of his audience by his graphic and touching story of the hardships undergone by himself and the settlers of Martin's Bay, and his description of the place was listened, to with great interest. At the conclusion of the lecture a collection was made, which, we believe, realised about L 7. A correspondent of the Canterbury Press states that a number of hot springs are situate near to Jack's Pa&s, one of the bridle paths to Nelson. They are fjve or six in num : ber, being round pools of sulphurous water in the shape of a basin, about 25ft in avera2e width. The water from the springs bubbles up to the surface, and contains" a gas, which on a lighted lupifer match being applied to it, emits a bluish flame.. The basin which seems the best to bathe in is nearest to Mr Blake's Hotel, has a line sandy bottom, and in the deepest part will take a man 6ft high to the chin. The water of these springs, it is said, are a Gure for lumbago, rheumatism, and "other ills that flesh is heir to." It is in general comfortably warm, varying in intensity of heat according to the state of the weather. We found the surface of it about 90deg, increasing to near lOOdeg at the bottom, where ifc welled up from beneath. Visitors usually remain in it from 20min to three-quarters of an hour, half an "hour being a very common length, of time. The springs are situate upon land reserved by the Nelson Government, and it would be a considerable boon if a lease could be obtained of it, and an ac-commodation-house built close by for the convenience of invalids and visitors, for we understand they may be used in the depth of winter, even when snow is on the ground, with impunity, if proper shelter were afforded for dressing. '