THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 4, 1873.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1612, 4 October 1873, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 4, 1873.

The Local Revenufes Act which was passed • by " : the "Nelson Council 1 ; during ' its last session, and which comes into force, on the 6th instant, though itrcah.be of little practical service 1 till the inbnth. of March next, has been made considerably more ;the riubject. of 'debate in theßnUer and contigiio'us , f districts .'than it' ? has been 1 in any" part of ihe Grey "Y^ley. , .^hile Cobderi, for instance,'! has been strangely 1 silent, there i.;Kas' been a meeting' at West; ; port j ..'att»n'ded. % about two : hundred persbnß^ a fairly attended meeting at Charleston, and others in the, Inangahua and Lyell districts, held occasioris and in situations where the surrounding circumstances were not calculated to arouse the ardor of the yot where sufficiently reasonable interest was exhibited in the'cappoinfed^bbject of meeting. Considering the indifference or oppp--sition which was shown to :; the measure in the C,puncil,ithV present Prbviricial^authorities may, :indeedj,rcoi|igratulate themselves that there has not been perfect listlessneßS pn'the^art'bf the population generally, and if their ambition is not merely -to ! serve a political purpose, biit to jßffecijj.Bome ,pYactical good^ in' the of inaugurating local self -government/on ithe poasiiy they certainly cannot .excuse themselves^^by^tfie plea" that tfrere has < b l een i 'bn[ the n piairt of -'thfe people any Sisposition to ignore that honorable desire! Ilaking. the^.pWestport;: njeeting as an example, . at . , ■ i must ; be , ■ .. s^id, , ; • consider: ing the .'fact t^that"/a^]!^unidpality"..|i"aß only recently Been a established there, that '' ' th ere' was every' inclination to accept" the' measHre^aa a step iriithe right .direction, '<■ however i brief orhaltihg that step. might be, ! and, , as at. Charleston^ the ,, meeting . bad the ; advantage p£ a: very fu 11, .explanation of the features of the. Act from' the : Warden ;! of °'tiie r district, 'l)r 'Giles. With'that explanation' before them^ iti.Was finif.each'icasel the .decisionHofthe ■ meetings r that; ad vantage should ; be : taken ,o^'the. Act, , Bpards.shpuld be 'eiectedj 1 and c that such, further ' ! steps should! be taken 1 as .wb r uld' prevent' the Act from claahirig i: with^ the Municipality Act, ! and as 1 would- 'promote; ■its i improvement ' in 'particulars' in! which: it is .-(palpably i /faulty! Of jisjfauit?; son!©; which , were. .poiated,oai werOj the b^.rainipg.prpperfcyi the. absepce ; of appeal from' rating, and jbho excli|Bibn of. mining leasenplcl'ers.'iyho migb:tf'%bt J "be K p(is^esse'd' 6f ! miners'^ 'or electoral rights,; but there was scarcely thatCattentiorii given . to I the most valid objection, to the Act— the objection which; jwaßlllel^i ia_the caseof the Road .Boards of/_i7eß^andTrtna.fcithe ;.a4iT»inißtration:of the Act may, by election, fall exclusively into the hands of miners, while they are; the ■body-which ,is least^directly laffectecf as ratepayers.. Ijfc is that anomaly which ; mgde'some of the 1 members of "the Obuncii 'mostf-hesitarit to-adbpt the-Acfcas it Btoodj but).iagainst it, atihas to be remembered .arejacluallyj Revenue, to, which "miners" and" "others '.', "are . cbntribiitprs^ whereas in Westland r there is no aiib c ! atiijn of revenuef.to 7l the extent which is now' proposed iii Nelson', though that amount iffligh*.bjß:materiany .increased with advanr 'tage to the.districts and with the greater certainty* ; 6f } the i! B6'Srds« ( a'chieving the purpose .for, which'^they are, , in a very speculative ' : and y experimental fashion \ being .now created." Taken as, a, whole, though ! "'tti(B"'4ct !! ls' far^'fiom 'perfect, it has, : In] ' the cfiiiracte'r j bf r; the spirit shown by. the ? Goia-fields community, a .fair <; field f.jand.7 favpr.i-for., being brought successfully into operation, aud, buted to ite inherent we ; akness as an enactment, br lwthe strength of purpose on the part of the Government to proceed in a direction different from that which publicly they pretend to take. , '■

'. '■ '•'> '■' '■ V'-A«.ii: ui.^.-i... . ■..■■:■■:;■ r > <'/ ■ I To resid^njta ojf the JValley who may have leisure and money' to make holiday in -due ; seafion> Hokitika and Nelson promise early and, special attractions— entertainment combined with instruction, id; ; } tlp& : -pi^'poiytechnic exhibitions ■Bii ; oh ait', was .^iicjre^r^y'lieldM Hokitika 'last year." Th^^^seipJcigKar^jof'^ second year's ' e^ib^tibn "in the sister townßhip'has not Jyfct 1 beien'published, but Nelson has-been-demonstrative in advertising, though! within a' somewhat limited circle, all that it desires to attain, arid fall the; atfanggments which : it is making and te^make^ with: thjtt end;; and certainly, whlatever 'may be ithe i ultimate value bf th'eir'Jettbrmahceß; jb^r^ I be cbmpUmen^du^ excellence" of ih'eir intentions.' ln horticulture, : industries innumerable, fine artßi yaripuß, and, in, mineralogy,, geology, and o i|atufa3l; History .exhibits are.invited, an4/iX9.^4li.'iihes.Q,/ l 'depaj^ments.'.^special. prizes for : excellence.: or. t peculiarities : ' are j^ered^. r by_.gej^omen who ...sL,usfc _ be " upon . the possession of mearis^-a? il liberal- disposition^ and eccentric -varieties of tasted «The industribus)^^ fbr/ ! in I stance, r; wi[lTfind -SJipf eciaiorsi of i their skill iii the productiou of Nelson leather, tweed; flax; sPap, •

tobacco, wines, and bottled fruits, or of engraving, or stereotyping, or deaighs.for a verandah, or models \of a,4i(husip' jhajl [or theatre, et cetera, dpwri toavpair of%dy's "tlegs.. And ladies themselves may compete, among a variety of other things, in the manufacture of hats of native mate.rial,_or:itt: <{ .specimens::of:darning,". which must be done by spinsters, or, in a halfdozen gentleman's shiria} on whieh-^base insinuation }.—" the buttons must be 'securely^Se wri." Crtrioifs 'collectofd* are also invited to r present specimens of coal or other minerals, ot timber or medicinal plants; of beehives and bees, and pf many other things too numerous to mention, while those of a literary turn may compete in the composition of the best tale, or, in caligraphy, in ! the - i illuminated writing of a stanza of , " God save the Queen"— J;he loyaL p'rize-oflferer for the latteribeingtheißev.:F.ather;Garin.i I Then some.raay win a^weddingrcake, though it miglit. s p'roye,.,tp them,^. white i elephaiat, ,and ,'ail ,may F L wiri "''the', '.approval" of bthefs' ' oi ! bf ' : a J cbnscibiis to itself df' 'right- 'by aiding a work which' is calculated >to inform, to instruct, and to improve. Where its pro- , raoters have , fallen , short of .their , duty is in .the breyifry 'jOf ..the, ajinpuncement which ijhas been made, |arid its'limitatiori the ' Nelßoh district^ instead bf ijiroiighotit the Provwce, . although 'the, scbiie of ' the.exhibUiPn'iß sbmethiiJg' mbre f than Provincial. With Hokitika on the ; brie' side encouraged to renew its, experiment pf last' year, and w^tli.Nelßon.'thbs imitating its .example, f&oujjd >. c : ; - n !?peßßary ""to agaijijadyise some ; exercisei of } the spirit of imitation^ in ; tiiei depot of sucji; ari .extensive: district- as the ; Grey Valley, ? ; Might itiriotibey evejaat ithe : closeipf the Nelson and Hokitika exhibitions, a fitting- oppOF- ? tUnity to congregate _af resh; much; of : .what may there be exhibited, with the many thingsi which I ' would i have the merit of noveltyas exhibits if the district were only diligently searched and its inhabitants excited into interest similar to that .which has been sh'own : ty their, neighbors north and south'? \

The inhabitant^ ;pf Oamaru are at. present giving attention ,to a question. wliich,, if it indirectly affects the interests of any other place,! in the Colony, surely affects the interests of Greymouth. A meeting has been held there for the purpose of considering the best means of securing and maintaining a Tegular supply -of )coala f or 4he increasing demands of the ; town, and district— demands wKich ! Ha've' always been considerable for ' domestic purposes alone, inconsequence : of the absence' of native timber, and which are -extending as manufactures! are created' or "enlarged, of T as' ri the'' 'surrounding' couiitry ' beeonies settled. At the meeting so held, it was Suggested = that a steam collier should be procured, but a definite decision was. hot 'arrived 1 ' 7 at; and the resolution was to appoint a committee of twelve: to report upbii.the whole question iof a local coal Bupply. One of that committee, was Captain Stewart, of theschooneriPunedin, arid he Has, at least, 'had opportunities of appreciating 1 the' 'extent and quality of ,theT^coal-supply on the , "West ; Coast,-and the ease with which.pripfitable co-operatjion between. $he, trade of ithe two Coasts might be achieved.. • "Notwithstanding the intimacy betwefenj the .,, trade of ports as Oamaru and'Greymouthj .itiis astonishing to find how considerable is the ignorance on theiEast Coast either >as r to the quanr tity or 'value of the coal-deposits of the r West, but, if Oamaru is in earnest, arid is determined to provide 1 facilities for the procuring of a coal supply, it cannot have far to' seek for ' itiforih'ation' bf a" market which is, for its 'purposes, superior to Newcastle. One source of supply still nearer to Greymouth is 1 , no doubt,' Shag 'Point, and in that' direction Oamaru' is to some extent ; tiirning its' attention, but until the railway period it: is questionable if the supply procurable there can be renf dered' readily 'available/ and the samd reason intimately-affeete fche-realis»ation of the hopes of those who contemplate pro; specting for true coal in the other wise pro[ mining, country in.- the ...Shag Valley i 1 ra'diatinglfroiii' the' 'risjng , tbwriship . of PaTmerstbn. "\''' : }'/ ' "' v/ '' l ' ; -' ;; ";" : ' •'• ■•' - ; -. I

Ou the; o &ibiqn/s return . ironr ifokjtibaj where she was unable to tie tendered, the supplementary; Englißh, and, other mails were forwarded by special 'coach to Greymoutbj "and" reached, in^ "aufficient ,. time .to. be r 'sb ! ipp&L"' 'j'lSeveral ' ba'sjienjgers : for 'Melbourne also rode '-'tip - atid ::: secured * their paßsaael The passengers from Greympuijh included Madame Cora and the members of her company. Among' We-^aSserigeri^l'ati'ded here w,as the^Hbn; ; Ji^Bbnar. Mr White, M. H. R. j was ; expected to return to the Coast by .the Albion, but, owing to indisposition, he is not expected 'to* leave. Wellington until Saturday^' '■■ "-"'■ -'.'" ' •'•■■•; :( '- : - ; '■■'<■■"■'■■>■ - : ' : '- :: '< j |'rom i ,the,]saa^thßriß;iß/.still J no.n'ews, nor ; is 'there; probability, of any untU the 1 return of the Wa'ipara'W Titan to Hpkitika. ;; Unless .accident, has. ( happened, ttiey,,<?annot now be 'long;delayed, ; "as |he 'weather, seemis settled; and/the surf alpng thijih'qre'is gouig down. „ : The. latest accounts ;,frp,m Anderson's state that the ; reef ,ip , the- shaft, jbas , jihickened , to .4ft ': 6in, : showing , excellent, stone.. If the present; indjcatipns,, continue , to a , depth pf , lODft ithe diyidendß ultimately pbtained f must :be very-.; h ! andspme,\ i'pr, a; distance of , 205 ft north of; the shaf t the reef .. was. followed, jand then broke, ,away, but so Jong as ii.continued the stone was of .yejcy; good quality. . , { '■■ '■ Houses in Hokitika are advertised as suitable for immediate occupation, or for to'the Haast rush. > ■ ' - •■' ; ;■ • ! ; The Bank of Australasia shipped a box of gold. Ky We Albion; 1 !By tW K<inaedy; two bpxes| * equal 1 200f)()2, } w6re WpMight-frpm -Westporfc to for the Bank 6f New ■^Zealancl.-'' ' :n: '"[ ■""'' '"" ! ; -' !| . '''•• - ; ' : '- 1 ; •' J .j jTb <?^iver "V^atspri, engaged by. Mr ' Cassius ,fpr n^Jß'p:^rpps'e. blrecpVering ;th« pipes' iti; tie ;, Ross f Extended , (Aaim^ial^yf, i^°own J as ; the ,pas Bins blaixu,' is said to- haye BucceeSed'in 'h,is ':'effpr^^ and all.the piles' weire Jb'rbji|hVt6 the.' surface, lasfc^'.Tu .now^p^panng^tojjdescjen'd' thß'/shaft pf the Drainage Company, which has, alsP passed ; ib4»^hi-hm^l < Mr : t!aMur^ VA *" y * ;•* It is stated that Mrs Farrell, the lady who acquired such unenviable "notoriety in connection wjth the ■' Dunedin .shooting 'base, is, under .an assumed and- high-sounding name, officiatingaa a priestess '6f Bacchus, in Christchurch. •" " < k '"• ' The Rey, j. Menzies, Tuapeka, has found a fosßil-fish-in apiece ; o£ lignite. ', -■„. .,.,..., Mr Steward's unfortunate, Marriage with a . Deceased Wife's : Sister Biil'bas for the third time been rejected by tbe JJegislatiye Council, ; i C&pj&w 11 Praser eppoaie^ ;the ,?ill , because he said that if jit passed, the moral susceptibilities -..of,. Scotchmen Wfluld-be ( shocked. One of the Maori "members sup- ] plied a very practical proof of the usefulness i of the Bill, WjiTako said that he had married the sister of his deceased wife, and she had made an excellent mother to/ her dead ' sister's children. Despite this testimony, 1 the ' Bill was thrown out by 15 to 8. £

It is propose I to abolish the Dunedin City Police Court, ' . The cricket match between Auckland and Otagbwillin all probability take place at Dunediid during the last week of November. The Provincial Government of Otago purpose spending LiC.OOO in providing increased school accommodation. The Bruce Herald is informed that it is likely j Major Croker : will receive aa appoint-" ment in the Civil Service. .calls the attention of -.theMayor of Cromwell to the fact that there is about Lsn worth 'of corporation revenue running wild about, the "streets.m the ."shape, of unregistered dogs. ' ' ' '' A ■ ■'■'■ .■[■ ;• A new brewery for Mr J: Copeland, anew brick hotel in the Octagon for Mr Carroll, and a large new; hotel in Port Chalmers for Mr James JFinch, areindticed ! in the-Dunediri papers an projected local imprbveraents.' ; A gentleman who wasrecently a passenger by the coach wMch ;r i uns r .bet l weeri : Balciutha and Hopptunoa, speaks W a contemporary of the journey as bite varied' in its characi ter : than anything of the kind he has seen or iheard of before." The coach, Which is well horsed well driven ,,travels over, a stretch of about two milM of m;etal Pii' leaving ?Balclutha. . Over ,tb^ .di^t^ace'the busineßß may be called coaching j.tlie^ce tP thetiext metal, the term coaching must give way to ploughing ; and , on | several ' parts of the journey, before the Royal Mail Ho.tel, Clinton, Us reached, .boating is ttte'nearest t^ing ."to' it 'that'our iuformant can .bring to' 1 inihdV ; ' _ Ah Amalgam and Quartz Stealing Protection Association has been formed on, the Auckland Gold-fields. Its name sufficiently explains, its objects, and the Herald says that there wiU be such a well arranged system' of 'espionage ramifying throughout the whole of > /the*. -Thames] ahd Gorpmandel Gold-jSelds thati escape :lwillrbe .next r to impossible. The Association [intend isparingl no expense.iri lattaim'ng their object. As showing the need, thft lexistsifor auob an organi,Batipn il the;£rem^says(thatit'has' beeh ascertained,:; rbeyondiisiail • ;doubt, : •; by . vthose thoroughly competent itofinform thernselvea, that, one month with another, quite 20'00oz of gold? are- surreptitiously abstracted from the Thames mines, and -crushing machines in excess of the returns sent in from the various .batteries. ; , . ; •■:• Amongst the papers published by the New Zealand Institute is" one by Captain Fraser, giving a description of the Earnscleugh Moa Cave, from which it may be remembered the neck of a moa with- the skin intact upon it was sometime ago rescued. Hisiviaitito this curious u cave, . and Octhe; cave - itself, i ; tare pleasantly-describedby^Captain Eraser. .The floor of the cave,;hejteUs us, is covered^with an impalpable dust, ; groping among Which he found several^ bones and rolls of what he imagined to be tbe inner bark of a tree, but Whicl«,:proyed ; to be "reddish brown ,Moa skin." ' When he and his companion were on the bottom ; : of tne' cavei^^^^ thelatter, 1 " wh'P was fossicking about -with a> piece iof totara," which he picked up in the cave, suddenly exclaimed, " 1 have found a nest," and from under a ledge he drew out grass and the .remains of the eggs and birds. ,