Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1439, 12 March 1873, Page 2

The first ordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the Energetic Quartz-mining Company, Registered, was held at the Albion Hotel, Greymouth, on Monday. The Diiectors' report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following Directors were elected for the ensuing year : — Messrs J. Hamilton, R. J. Tonks, E. Ashton, M. Kennedy. M. Levy, J. S. M. Thompson, and G. Perotti. Messrs Hindraarsh and W. Lahman were appointed auditors for the year. The Carandini Troupe are expected to return here this morning by the p.s. Charles Edward, and to-night they will give their last farewell concert in the Volunteer Hall. As this entertainment is given at the special request of a large number of residents, it is sure to be a bumper house. We have received from the publishers, Messrs M'Carron, Bird and Co., Melbourne, a neatly got up little book, entitled "A Glass of Ale," by John Barleycorn. The introductory chapter is rather amusing, and sets forth the opinion of several eminent men on "a drop of good beer." The book is issued on behalf of the Carlton Brewery, and gives a full description of that establishment. There were only a few small debt cases disposed of at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. Brown v. Selvin, L 5 10s for rent ; judgment by default. Thomas and M'Beath v. J. Smith, Larry's Creek \ in this case the Clerk stated that the summons had been returned from Reefton, the bailiff, there refusing to serve it unless 2ns for mileage accompanied it, aLhough 8s had been sent, and that was the correct amount allov.ed. No order was made. A correspondent writes us from the Arnold stating that in looking over the specifications for the Arnold and Ahaura road, no provision is made for the bridging of the principal creeks, namely, No Town Creek, Red Jack's Creek, and Nelson Creek. Unless some provision is made for these works up-country traffic is sure to be stopped whenever the wet weather sets in. The Greymouth portion of the San Francisco mail vyas carried past this port yesterday morning by the Charles Edward, and landed at Hokitika, from whence it was forwarded by coach, arriving here at 5 p.m. There will be an opportunity to answer correspondence by the supplementary mail to be despatched 'Trom here by the Charles Edward, for Nelson, to-night. A local event, which created some interest, took place yesterday on the South Beach, in tke shape of a trotting match betweeu Mr Levy's mare Polly, and Mr Harris's gelding Pumpkins, owners up ; the course being from the Saltwater to the Australasian. The event was won by Mr Levy's mare ; and throughout the race caiised great amusement to the crowd of equestrians who followed the competitors. During the race the cavalcade of horsemen attendant upon the contestants numbered at least fifty, while the foot passengers were twice as numerous. Pumpkin was made a hot favorite from his well-known ability. The friends of Polly, however, relied upon his uncertainty of temper and disinclination to whip and spur, and as his jock was mounted with both, and unknowingly to himself, but too much knowing to Pumpkin, their surmises prove! correct. Pumpkin broke five times, and wa3 soon nowhere, and Polly with, her riler, whose legs and arms worked harder than she did, came in one hand down (the other being extended towards the terrace) an easy winner by 120 yards The stakes were paid over to the owner of Polly last evening, when he generously invited all his friends to help disposing of them by way of imbibition. Miss Stephenson, with Miss Tilly Andrews, Mrs Thornton, and other members of her strengthened dramatic company, returned to Greymouth yesterday, af ber a short and successful season in Hokitika. Under Mr Burford's management, the company purpose reoccupying the Volunteer Hall during the week of the races. We notice by the Hokitika papers that the Bijou Theatre is to be the new designation of the building lately known as the Varieties, and formerly as the City Theatre. The place has been taken by Messrs Burford, Thornton, and a good compaDy for the purpose of producing legitimate drama and burlesque, and is being thoroughly refitted and re-decorated. _In the County Council, Mr Kennedy has given notice of his intention to move— "That the County Chairman during the recess ascertain the amouut the proprietors of the Arnold bridge would be prepared to sell their right and title to the said bridge for, and if thought fair and reasonable, he be requested to recommend it to the General Government for purchase ; the cost to be charged equally against the amount coming to this County and the Province of Nelson under Payments to Provinces Act, 1872." The We.it Coast Times records the death of Mr Thomas Pringle, at Donoghue's, in thfi Ross district, on Friday afternoon. He was one of the early business men located at Hokitika, where he carried on trade for some time before he removed to the Tolara. I Iv Hokitika he was always ready to assist iv any movement for the good of his Mlowmen, and being a Freemason he took an active interest in the formation of a Masonic lodge there in the early days. He was one of the founders of the Paoifio Lodge, and remained

a member to the last. More lately, when a Royal Arch Chapter was formed in Hokitika he became a Companion His funeral was therefore conducted with Masonic ceremonial. The body was removed from Donoghue's in funeral procession early in the morning, and being brought to the Masonic Hall was placed there for the usual exhortations at the death of a brother. The Lodge having been opened in due form, the brethren were called off to assist in the ceremony for which they had assembled. The funeral cortege was headed by a band playing the " Dead March in Saul." The members of the Pacific Lodge (of which the deceased was a member) followed, the entered apprentices first, then the fellow-crafts, and then tlie Waster Masons. The Kilwinning Lodge joined with the Pacific Lodge, and the officers of the two Lodges followed after the 'members. These were succeeded by the officers of the District Grand Lodge, the Royal Arch Masons, and the three principals of the Chapter ; Companion Lazar, D.G.M., and Past Z, acting as Chief Principal. The hearse followed with four brothers as pallhearers, then the chief mourners, and after them the general public on foot, on horseWack, and in carriages. Companion Osborne marshalled the Masonic portion of the procession, which was one of the largest of the kind that has taken place in Hokitika. At the grave, after the church service was performed by the Rev. .vlr Kirkland, Mr Lazar read the beautiful Masonic srvice. The brethren then returned in procession to the lodge. The master of the p.s. Result, trading between Westport and Karamea, reports that while at t?.te latter place the other day some half dozen miners came in for provisions, who report several others prospecting up the river, and at Fenian Creek. They seemed satisfied with their prospects, and were spending money freely. They expect their mates from the Anatori shortly, per the ketch Mary, or ovetland. The owner of the latter vessel has opened a store at the Karamea, where he intends settling after leaving the Anatori. The Westland representative at the Colonial Prize Firing at Nelson was Private Ross, of the Ist Westland Rifles. The extra representatives were Sergeaut Chamberlain, Greymouth Rifles, representative in 1871 and 1872 ; Lieutenant Forsytn and Corporal Stonebridge, No. 1 Westland Rifles, the latter being a representative in 1871- We notice that in the second mateh — the Judging Distance Mateh — Chamberlain made a score of 16, Forsyth 15, Ross 15, and Stonebridge 13, out of a possible 20, five men scored 19 each, six IS, fourteen 17, the remainder being lower numbers down to 10. The ship Forfarshire had on board a splendid lot of birds for Hawkes Bay, including rooks, partridges, and several descriptions of insectivorous birds, under the charge of Mr Bills, jun., whose father has been so successful with his shipments to Canterbury and Otago. The valuation of property in Christchurcli for this year amounts to L 102.232, being an advance on that of 1872 of L 5402. A Wellington correspondent of the Canterbury Press states that Sir George Bowen has recommended Mr Yogel to the Home Government for Knighthood. The prospectus of a mining company to work the oft-tried Arrow Flat, Otago, is about to issue. The proposed capital is L9OOO ; 6000 shares to pay calls. The Graphic News of Australasia, is the name of a new illustrated weekly papor, published at Melbourne, under tk-e editorship, we believe, of Mr R. P. Whitworth, a gentleman well known in this colony for his lively sketches of New Zealand life and travel. The disparity in the rates of wages throughout the Colony may be gathered from the faCC Chub kaivc»l liauvta gob 200 a day in Canterbury, and 5s a day in Taranaki. In the former Province, the laborer called in the aid of a cab to carry him to the " field of operations." The proprietor of the Princess Theatre, Dunediu, contemplates making extensive alterations in that building. It is proposed to raise the roof, renovate and redecorate the interior, and make such additional accommodation as will establish it the most comfortable playhouse in .New Zealand. The barque India, from Launceston, Tasmania, has brought to Lyttelton forty splendid heavy draught mares, which have been landed in fine condition. The Wakatip Mail suggests the formation of a Land League for the purpose of protecting the interests of bona fide, agricultural settlers. The Superintendent of Otago states that a vessel will leave the Bluff at the beginning of the month, when it will take round provisions, and, probably, some men to commencs the Martin's Bay track at the Hollyford end. If so, the whole may be expected to be finished in less thau two months. A correspondent of an Auckland papar says that farming in the north of that Province is a " life of awful struggling, lfc is common to hear of settlers living on mkau and sow-thistle." The new Mining Companies' Act. according to the Thames Advert'w, is causing very general inconvenience, and there appears to l>e s-me doubt as to whether the Act is really workable. In the case of two companies recently, it was desired to make a call at a short notice, but it was found that no call would be legally due until March. The consequence was that the directors, in one instance, had to advance the funds to carry on work. The gentleman who drafted the Act has simply taken the Victorian model, and made a few alterations with a view to adapt it to the circumstances of New Zealand, and he has made a complete muddle of the entire enactment. It is said that the bill was passed through committee in the Assembly in about two hours, and that very few members, if any, took the trouble to read it, Mr G. G. Allan, of Green Island, Otago, has lately been lecturing on immigration from the Highlands of Scotland, and on kindred subjects. He considers New Zealand especially suitable for such immigrants, and gives the following as some of his reasons :— " The enervating influence of the Australian climate has a tendency for persons to lose their nationality. You have only to compare New South Wales cornstalks and Victorian gumsuckers to the sturdy, manly youths reared in this colony, or the stalwart, intellectual Maori to the besotted, degraded aboriginal of Australia, aud you will at once perceive the influenes of climate and soil. How many of the sallow, jaundiced old identities of Australia came down into this invigorating climate and became renewed like the eagle. Go to Queensland, the northern part, and you will find matters worse. Roasted with heat, or tortured with ague, either death or de? parture is the order of the day. Some months . ago a stout Highlander from this Province went there, and returned after a sojourn so emaciated that his own mother could scarcely have kno .vn him. How many, also, of the Australian Sarahs, despairing of a progeny, came down here, and became happy mothers of a ruddy family. Judging from analogy, there is every reason to believe that within two ceuturws the posterity of New Zealand settlers will be as superior, morally, intellectually, and physically, to the descendants of Australian settleis, as educated English and Scotchmen are now to the inhabitants of f i Africa ; therefore, to us Australia is to be no > 1 criterion in any respeofc." t