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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1509, 5 June 1873, Page 2

The telegrams of English and Australian mails, brought by the Rangitoto, ought to have been published in to-day's issue, but they were not received, owing to our agent at Hokitika expecting that the steamer would be tendered here last night, and that our files of Melbourne papers would have been brought ashore at an early hour. The Rangitoto was tendered here at an early hour, but the tug. did not return to the wharf till an early hour this morning, and our endeavours to obtain the news by wire were fruitless. A meeting of the Railway Demonstration Committee was held at Gilmer's Hotel, on Wednesday evening. There was a very full attendance. The Canvassing Sub-Com-mittee handed in LB3, with sn intimation that a considerable sum was promised in addition to the cash collected. Mr Wickes was appointed Treasurer. The Hon. Secretary, Mr J. Wylde, was requested to write to the Borough Council to ascertain what amount that body would contribute towards the expenses. A sub-committee was selected by ballot to arrange the order of procession. The ballot resulted in the elecaion of Messrs Hamilton, Wickes, and SJieedy as members of the committee. Refreshment committees were appoinued, and authorised to fspend a sum of money for the entertainment of adults and children. The committee to attend to the adults consists of Messrs G. Glenn, W, S. Smith, M. Kennedy, W. Hill, and Blackmore. The committee to attend to the arrangements for the children is composed of Messrs Masters, Savage, Honan, Hardy, and Newton. It was decided that Messrs H. Kenrick, M. Kennedy, J. Kerr, and J. S. M. Thompson, be appointed a committee to make arrangements for a banquet. It was also decided that a oall and supper should be held, and Messrs Wickes and Hamilton ware empowered to make the necessary preliminary arrangements. It was finally decided that the General |Committee and. all the Sub-committees should receive notice, to meet this evening at Gilmer's Hotel. After transacting othor business the meeting adjourned. From the hearty and energetic manner In which this movement is taken up, arid' 'the success the canvassers for subscriptions have met with, there is every proba-

bility of the ceremony and the festivities in connection with it being completely succesful. At the Resident Magistrate Court on Wednesday, an old offender named Patrick Walsh was charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct on the previous day. The defendant had only just served a term of imprisonment for a similar offence. The Magistrate administered a severe lecture to tbe defendant, -and cautioned him that a heavy penalty awaited him if he persisted in his present course of conduct. On the present occasion his Worship said he was personally a witness to the provocation the defendant received when he was guilty of the disorderly conduct laid against him. In consideration of this circumstance the charge would be dismissed, A "collier" writing to the Grey Valley Times about the management of the Brunner Coal-mine, makes the following suggestion : " In such an undertaking, carried on by Government, there must be a great deal of expenditure that is superfluous, and I think that it would be a great deal [more profitable to the Province if tenders were annually called for breaking down the coal at per ton. Labor is abundant here, and plenty of experienced colliers and coal miners are ready and willing to tender for such work. At all events the people of the Province have a right to know more about the management of the mine than is annually furnished in the item : — "Brunner Coal-mine, LSOOO." At the present time, when there is so much fear of diphtheria spreading throughout the Colony, the following remarks may prove instructive :— •' Whatever may be the nature of the virus which produces diphtheria," writes the Ballarat Star, "it appears to be communicable by inoculation. In the recent outbreak of the disease at Alfredton, two persons were seriously affected by handling clothes upon which some of the diseased children had expectorated. One, the eldest daughter, washed some of the clothes used by a deceased child, and while doing so the virus was to her blood through a wound in the hand. In a short time a pustule arose, and a red mark spread up her arm, and afterwards symptoms of diphtheria developed themselves. Happily, she was not virulently attacked, and has recovered. A neighbor who visited the sick family was attacked in a similar manner, although the diphtheria symptoms were not fully developed. These facts may, possibly, have some useful bearing upon the nature and treatment of this mysterious and fatal disease." Some ill-disposed person cast adrift the painter of the harbor life-boat at Hokitika on Monday evening, and, as a matter of course, the boat drifted over the bar. It was thrown up on the beach near the North Spit on Tuesday evening. We understand that about LlO worth of damage has been done to the boat. A meeting of the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons took place at the Masonic Hall, Hokitika, on Monday evening last, for the purpose of installing the newly-elected Principals in their respective offices. Companion John Lazar, as First Principal, performed the ceremony of installation in a most impressive manner. The newly elected officers are Com. o. Bevan, 2nd Principal; Com. Hudson, 3rd Principal; Com. E. Bowen, Scribe E^ ; Com. T. Eramwell, Scribe N. ; Com. F. Eisfelder, Principal Sojourner ; Companions Hill and Upham, Assistant Sojourners. Eight candidates for exaltation were nominated for the next meeting. A well-known Cobden correspondent of the Examiner, who has long been notorious for the attempts he has made to injure everything connected with Greymouth, thus writes regarding the Greymouth Coal Company :— " An attempt is being made to float a bubble company to work the supposed coal seam on the south side of the river, but the prospects are not over bright. Dr Hector, on his last visit, suggested boring for the seam, he had grave doubts on the subfect, and expressed the opinion that if the coal was there, there were • three faults and a roll ' to contend with. 1 have called this a bubble company, for it has been got up with the sole object of influencing the Government to make the railway on the south side of the river. And to me it seems the reverse of reputable that a • false plan ' of the Brunner Coal-mine should be sent to the General Government, likewise to influence them."