THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1873.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1681, 23 December 1873, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1873.

The great scarcity of agricultura. laborers in Canterbury appears to be causing very serious apprehension to the farmers of that Province with regard to the coming harvest, which promises to be unusually abundant As an instance of the inconvenience which this dearth is causing we quote the following from a Christchurch contemporary : — " Another proof of the scarcity of labor in this Province is the fact that Mr E. G. Wright, railway contractor has been ompeHed to again advertise in other Provinces for men. At the lime that his laborers on the North line struck, Mr Wright inserted advertisements in the Auckland and other papers, by which means he succeeded in bringing something like two hundred into the Province, and he is now so shorthanded and unable to obtain a proper supply here, that he has resorted to his former expedient in the hope of similar success." The same paper suggests that we should, in New Zealand, follow the example of France and other Continental countries, which utilize the unemployed brawn to be found in the' standing army in all such emergencies as that now expected, and that by a mutual understanding between the Colonial Government, and the Superintendents of Provinces, it would be possible with the concurrence of the contractors to suspend all public works during harvest time, and employ the hands in the field. At first sight such a suggestion appears depidedly startling, and ia apt to provoke a smile at the exaggerated idea which the good folks of Canterbury must entertain of the importance of their harvest to those parts of the Colony which have no grain to gather in. Imagine the whole of the hands on our few miles of railway deported, by arrangement between Mr Rolleston, Mr Huugerford, and his Honor the Superintendent that-is-to-be, to Christchurch for the harvest. Would not the people of these parts have just cause to complain of the way in which their interests were subordinated, to those of the sister Province ? Possibly, however, our contemporary means only that the works in the several grain-producing Provinces where labor is required should be suspended, and not throughout the Colony. If so, it would have been better if the article had been a little more explicit upon the subject. In any case the suggestion affords an excellent instance of the difference of opinion which may be entertained upon a matter according as it is one's self or one's neighbor wno is affected. It is only a short time since complaints against the Government scheme on the ground that it would greatly disturb the labor market, and retard the operations of the farmer, were loud and general. The unsound political economy, the immorality, the desperate and unheard-of wickedness of the thing were all duly pointed out and commented upon by the astute Boeotians 1 of the Eastern Provinces in their own peculiar manner. Yet now we see fcheni deliberately proposing to return , evil for evil, to carry the war into the enemy's territory, and, let the Colony suffer what loss it may, so only the farmers' breeches pocket be unaffected, and he be not compelled to pay the same rate of wages which other employments 'offer. It is not enough that a duty haa been imposed upon imported grain and flour, to the encouragement, no doubt, of

those who are erga^ed in their production, though, to the heavy loss of all who follow other pursuits, but {he enlightened growers would now carry the war still further, and appropriate, if. possible, the laborers employed in other lielcls of industry than theirs. For, although, as it happens, the suggestion, is narrowed -in -this case :.to what may be termed a Government industry and those therein engaged, there is no such radical distinction between the laborers of a Government and those of a private pei'son, as would render a proposal that all shoemakers] or tailors, should suspend their trade frir a few weeks, and turn out their workmen to gather grain, any less extraordinary than the project now mooted. . i The fact is, disguise it as they may, that the farmers are unwilling to offer a rate of wages equal to that which! is offered by other employments,, consequently they do not get laborers ;' much, therefore, as we should regret seeing, the harvest ruined from thi3 dearth, [we cannot say that the. farmers are ; entitled to much commiseration in the mattJer. Let them only render it worth their while, and laborers will come from 'all quarters ; indeed, we should, not be surprised if some miners from' the Coast were found toiling in the harvest— provided they got their price. But as long as mien can obtain higher remuneration elsewhere, it is' asking rather, too much of a Government— andiLWoijld scarcely be asked, except by Canterbury — when it is requested that all public works should be suspended to the great loss of the contractors and the Colony, in order to assist the farmers, by compelling the laborers upon those works to become for the nonce, harvestmen. • |

The sale of the booths for the Christmas sports was held yesterday, in the Albion Hotel, by Messrs D. Maclean and Co., when the following prices were realised— No. 1 booth, Mr Carroll, L 26 ; No. 2, Mr Carroll, LlB ; No. 3, Mr Carroll, LB. The fruit; stands were sold to Mr Collins, who purchased both fov the sum of L 2 each. The total amount realised was L 56. Immediately following, the auctioneer disposed of four booths and one fruit stand for the races to be held on tbe G-revmouth Race Conrse, on New Year's Day, Mr Carroll purchased the stewards' booth for Ll7 ; and Mr Bradley the remaining three for Ll2, !■{?, and L 9 respectively. The fruit stand was sold to Mr Collins for L 5, and Mr f Payne purchased the right to sell cards for L 2, The total sum amounted to L 54. As yesterday was the day appointed by tlie Jockey Club for receiving nominations f<ir their handicap ia March next, a number of entries were received by. the Secretary. This number will, however, in all likelihood — indeed it is almost a certainty -be augmented by subsequent nominations to be received by [ the ordinary postal delivery, which allows for owners of horses to nominate them anywhere, provide-1 such nomination be made on the 22nd and bear that day's postal date. Owing to the late measures and improvements made upon the ground by the Club, the Greymoutb Race-conrse never was before in such eood order, and owners of horses will have very little cause to grumble at tbe amount of accommodation, or means for training their animals this season. The inner or training course has all been made since last meeting, and the Club has been most careful in keeping off horses and cattle for some time past. Resides, a thoroughly strong and substantial fence has been erected round this course, which runs alongside the main one for the entire distance rouud. From these and other improvements wo may fully expect a sporting treat of a first-class nature, one which will be worthy of the very liberal p.-ogramme issued '-y the Committee. The programme issued for tbe summer meeting on New Year's Day is in itself a most excellent one, comprising as it does four handicaps, a weight for ago race, a hack rac, and a hurry scurry for a saddle and bridle. The total amount to be run for on this day is upwards of Ll5O, a fair sum for what i? little more thau a scratch meeting, or what was only intended afc first to be one. Circumstances have, however, so transpired that there is a more than strong probability of au excellent field, of good horses being present;. In all likelihood the contestants from Totara Flat, Ahaura, and Hokitika will put in an appearance in addition to some of those who may not have been present afc any of these places, should the weather prove favorable. The deepest shaft in the colony of Victoria is that upon the Magdala Company's mine at Pleasant Creek, which ia now down 1251 ft. The deepest level is S7ofb, in the claim of the North Cross Company, at Pleasant Creek. The annual examination of the pupils of gfc. \f avy's and St. Joseph's schools took place on Friday, A concert and soivde amimnte, in which the pupils will take part, will be given afc St. Mary's school, Ahaura, on the evening of St. Stephen's Day, December 26.

The Committee of the Grey Valley Annual Race Meeting, to be held at Ahaura, in the middle of February, intend to announce at an early date in the Westland, Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago newspapers that the Grey Valley Handicap this year will be of one hundred sqvs., with a sweep added, to be open to all horses. From tne Wealth of Nations claim we hear that on Wednesday the manager intends to have a cleaning up. Progress in the lower tunnel during the week has been as great as formerly. On Monday last the workmen discovered certain indications which lead to the belief that the main reef is near at hand; some large blocks of slate and " pug," intermixed with gold-bearing quartz, were cut out. These indications have had the effect of still further increasing the value of the company's property, as also all the claims on this line of reef. The scraping of the plates took | lace on Saturday, with the result of 3150z of amalgam from five days?' crusting-— one day having been lost through the breaking of the stamper shaft. Although this time was lost, the return was fully up to the average of previous weeks. We were informed by telegraph last night that the result of the crushing of tlie Fiery Cross Company was 7910z of gold from 445 tons of stone. The last of the stone intended to be put through the boxes at the present crushing afc Anderson's claiinj was to be sent down to the machine-house pn Saturday last, and on that day a final clearing up of three weeks' crushing was to take place. The reef in the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd faces, on the high levels, looks quite as well to-day as it has at any time since the claim was opened, and there is every reason to believe that there are | thousands of tons of stone stiE lying north of the present workings, and yet to be taken out. There are stil! between 500 and 600 feet of ground intervening between the present -wordings and the Dorthern boundary of the claim. Should tfye reef be proved to carry on to the north —and there is nq reason to doubt but that it does— sufficient stone can be got out to pay all expenses of the company until such time as the shaft and tunnel, now being, sunk and driven, .shall have been cbmoleteii, when a largo fiiipply of rich stone will be available and good dividends be paid.

At a meeting of the Abaura Christmas Sports (Joinraittee, held on Saturday evening Mr Pinkerton was elected Treasu-er, and final arrangements were readefor bringing off the several events successfully.

At tbe Resident Magistrate's Court, Ahaura, on Friday,, before C. Whitefoord, .. Esq , R. M., John Grandjean wa9 charged with assaulting Michael Cassidy at Half-. Ounce on the 13th December, by knocking him dowu -with his fist. The. version. oL the affair as ,f,iven by the complainant was foggy in the extreme. It seemed that something was in danger of being burned by a bush fire which he endeavored to extinguish by turn-' ing the water from the defendant's race on to it. Tt was impossible to make bead or. tail of the complainant's story from the manner in which he tolrl ih. The defendant's account of the transaction was equally unintelligible from his imperfect knowledge of English, but the whole affair was of the most' trifling nature. The Magistrate dismissed tbe case. Among the civil cases, in Cameron v. Pinkerton, a claim of L 4 for wages, the plaintiff did not appear. The clerk to tne Bench said he understood t^e case was settled. Mr htaite appeared for the defen dantj who was present, and said that his client had not made any settlement and was now prepared to defend the action. The plaintiff was again called ; on his non-appear-ance, the case was dismissed with full costs and expenses, with professional costs, against him In Alcorn v. Washington, Reefton, the Magistrate said a letter had been received from the defendant confessing judgment, but asking for terms, and offering to pay L 2 a month, enclosing the first payment of L 2. On the plaintiff entering, the box to., make a formal proof of the debt, it was found that the usual affidavit of service of summons had not been made, and the Magistrate refused to allow it to be made then. His Worship said that if parties undertook to do the work of the bailiff, they should complete it before coming into Court, and then wasting the time of the Bench and the public. Tne case was consequently adjourned, as well as another case in which the plaintiff was en- , gaged, and in which the same omission had been made. With regard to the Inangahua Quartzcrushing Company, the Herald of Saturday says it may now be said to be floated, and that too under the most auspicious circumstances, and judging from the prospectus and our knowledge of the locality of the inteuded operations, the company has a firm basis. The interests proposed to . be obtained by the company are, even afc the present time, of considerable market value, and must be greatly enhanced by the erection of machinery. The public have come forward in a most liberal spirit, and shown their willingness to find the means of placing machinery for the use of the several claims, and it now only remains for tbe shareholders to say whether . they will accept the terirs offered and make their property valuable, or allow the ground to lie idle, as it has dove for the past three years. That they will come forward, and accept the offer in tbe spirit in which it is made, we do not for a moment doubt. The prospectus contains the names of gentlemen ia this district and in Greyraouth, whose countenance to the project is in itself a guarantee of success. No inconsiderable portion of the liquor which is vended in Melbourne is literally " mortally" bad, and to this cause are attributed the large number of suicides which occur in Victoria, and the high rate of insanity prevailing there. No doubt also a large proportion of the crime for which that Colony has earned so unenviable a reputation is to be accounted for in the same manner. On this subject; the Age has the following i observations : — " The alarming increase lately of suicides, violent and sudden deaths, and. cases of lunacy— to what are they mainly attributable? We have little hesitation in ascribing the cause to the vile trash, sold in public-houses and shanties, the pernicious effects of which are aggravated by hob weather. And of this we seem to be just ia the commencement, all tlie indications being in favor of a long, "dry, blazing summer. The Colony will soon get as bad a name for its piisiiiious liquor as France has already for its abominable absinthe. Half the cheap beer consumed is largely adulterated, sometimes by the brewers, sometimes by tihe retailers, and frequently by both, with eocculus iudicus, tobacco, and other thirst . provoking and noxious compounds. The inferior spirits vended are mostly new and ilUrefiued. Hence a large proportion is impregnated with fasel oil."

At the Hon, 'Si Campbell's sale near Utica, New York, unexampled prices were realised for some fine lots of Bates' shorthorns. The agent of Lord Bective purchased a cow, a heifer, and a calf, for the collective price of 55,000d01, . or LI 1,000. A number of Bates' cattle have been imported to the Auckland Province.