Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1708, 24 January 1874, Page 2

The usual weekly meeting of the Borough Couucil was held last night. There were present, the Mayor, Councillors Acheson, Kerr, Hamilton, Dupre, Moore, and Coates. A letter was read from the Survey Office, Hokitika, ace >mpanying twelve copies of a map of Greymouth aud suburbs, which were received. An application from Mr Leath wood, for a lease of the piece of ground formerly occupied by the circus, iv order to make it a recreation ground, containing swing-boats, &c. , was referred to the Public Works Committee. The Town Surveyor requested the assistance of a man for a few days to help him to find the pegs while making the valuation of the suburban sections. This was granted. — The Mayor reported that he had been compelled to place the LISOO in the Bank on a deposit of thiee months instead of two as arranged with the Council, but on the understanding that should it be required it could be withdrawn on, the same terms as if deposited for two months.— The following tenders were then opened for the construction of Arney, Gresson, and Johnston streets :— Thos. Wright, Aruey street, LI 19 ; Gresson street, L 229 ; Johnston street, L 18 2; total for the work, L 530. For the whole work, F. Simpson, L 43 6; O'Malley and party, L 595. The tender of Mr Simpson was accepted. — Tenders were opened for painting the Town Hall. Amos, L 49 10s, or L 39 15s, without graining the offices >, Hjlljer, [.52 for all the work. The tender of Mr Amos for the lower sum was accepted. — Mr H. Newton wrote declining to tender for the work of Borough Solicitor, as it would be a breach of professional etiquette. — The Mayor mentioned the question of the collection of wharfage dues, which was now being done by a man at a cost of L 3 per veek, but who had offered to do it foj L 2 if he had the whole of Saturday and a portion of Monday to himself. A long discussion ensued as to the duties of the Borough Council officers, and the occasional assistance required. It was stated that the most of the time of the Town Clerk would be occupied in collecting the general and special rates, and an opinion was expressed that the rates should bemade payable at the office, as in other towns, and if not so paid, that summonses should be issued for their rec very. Ultimately, it was resolved " that temporary assistance be granted to the Town Clerk until the Town Surveyor had completed the valuation of the town." — It was referred to the Public Works Committee to arrange for the lighting of the street lamps, and for the removal of the one opposite Mr Revell'a house to the front of the Telegraph Office. Notwithstanding the extremely inclement weather last evening there was a very fair house at the Volunteer Hall to witness the first performance of the Lynch family of bellringers, and judging from what we saw and heard they will continue to draw full attendances during thuirstay. The progratnwe was a varied one, the campagnalogian performances being relieved by songs, dances, and comic interludes. Both on the hand bells and the stand bells the Lynch family proved themselves great proficients, the various air melodies and walzes being excellently played. The celerity with which the performers picked up and changed the numerous bells employed was wonderful. Mr Frank Verten sang two or three sentimental songs with 'considerable taste and ability, and his dancing was loudly applau-led. The performances wound up with an amusing farce. We can heartily recommend this entertainment to the public of Greymoufch. To-night a new farce entitled " Dr Brown's Dispensary" will be produced. Messrs ■Guinness, Ivess, Boase, and Corbett, M.P.O.'s, leave by the p.s. Wallace, to attend to their legislative duties in the approaching 1\ elson Provincial Council. A party of miners arrived in Hokitika, from the Haast, on Thursday, having been ten days on the journey. They report that no fresh provisions' are' procurable, ' and that they had not for fourteen weeks tasted fresh meat. Provisions generally were scarce, fish and rancid bacon being the principal food of the miners. About twenty men were' left oh the 1 diggings, and these were not supposed to be getting much gold. A few parties had commenced working at fresh paddocks, in the hopes of getting better return??

The only civil case heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday was a claim by P. (Jrogan against E. B. Garven for LI Is, the amount of tolls alleged to have been illegally collected on the Arnold Bridge, on " returns" from v on the 27 th December and the 2nd January. The facts of the case appeared to be that on the first day named, Mr Whitefoord, Resident Magistrate and Warden for the Ahaura, hired a buggy of plaintiff, and took Dr Hector and two ladies in it to Ahaura. No toll was asked on the up journey, but on being brought back by a servant of plaintiff's at night, toll was demanded and paid. It was urged by Mr Guinness, for the plaintiff, that the horses and vehicle were iv the possession of Mr Whitefoord, though driven, by another person, till they were returned to their stable, and that that being the case were exempt as being used by a Government officer on duty. Mr Newton, in reply, argued that as the horses and vehicle were in the charge of and driven by another person than Mr Whitefoord, though they did return the same day, defendant was entitled to charge toll on the return journey. The facts as to the second item in the account were stated as follows : - Nine hones were hired out by the plaintiff on the 2nd January to go to Nelson Creek, one of them being ridden by a boy, who was sent to bring them back. The tolls on them upwards were paid, but as the horses did not return till between 11 and 12 o'clock at night, defendant demanded 275, 3s per horse, but obtained 18s only, all the money the ;boy had with him. It was now contended that the tolls paid in the early part of the day cleared the night, and it was sought to recover the 18s paid. For the defence it was shown that by the terms of • the protection granted to Mr«Garveh/hewas entitled to charge double rates between the hours of 10 pirn, arid 5 a.m., and Mr Newton therefore submitted that though tol's on the horses had been paid in the morning the conditions permitted a second charge of 3s each, being double the single fare, Is 6d. The Magistrate held that, in accordance with the defendant's protection, in both Cases the horses were entitled to return free of charge, and he gave a verdict for the plaintiff for the amount claimed and cost 3. The West Coast Times understands that in all probability Hokitika will be supplied with gas within, three months, and but for the delay which has occurred in forwarding a portion of the plant from Melbourne, gas would have been tamed into the mains within six weeks of the present time. The company have erected an extensive range of offices, which are well fitted up. Information was received yesterday that a man had been missing from the Teremakau since the 10th instant It appears that a man named William Aitkun, who had been working on the farm of Mr D. Hughe?, received a letter from Scotland on the date above mentioned, and immediately announced his intention of going to Hokitika, on his way to the old country. He started somewhat late the same afternoon, saying that he was going on an old track, but as nothing has since been heard of him search parties are now out, as it is feared he ha 3 met with some accident. Reports from the Lyell speak in high terms of the prospect of the Monte Christo claim. The present crushing of 150 tons of stone from the flat leader recently opened up, and now being crushed at Carroll and Cairn's battery, is. expected to yield at least soz to the ton. The reef in the Marina claim is now reported as tending in a direct line for the Monte Christo, and shares in the latter are now quoted at Cs 6d to 7a Gd per scrip. ■ '. • Two government townships were marked out during the past week in the Inangahua district. Ona named Capleston, at the junction of Boatman's and Little Boatman's Creek ; and another named Colinton, at Larry's Creek. The inducements held out to immigrants under the latest regulations have already had an effect. A telegram lately published states that the demand for passages by emigrants from the old country has increased so much of late that the New Zealand Shipping Company has been compelled to charter vessels from Shaw, Savill, and Co. and the Albion Company, in order to meet requirements. This increase, it is stated, has been caused in consequence of the adoption o£ th^ free nomination system. So soon as the resolution to adopt that system had been announced in ihe Colony, predictions as to its success were plentiful, and it is plain these predio. tions are about to be ful6lled. The. free nomination system has an element above that contained in nnrely offering a free passage to intending immigrants. Under it, each colonist having friends or relations, or other connections, whom he may desire to bring, out, becomes at once an immigration agent of the best kind, for his nomination is a kind of guarantee to the person or persons nominated of the good reception immigrants may expect in New Zealand. The impetus which has been so quickly acquired in this direction will be seen from the fact that, during December alone, the New Zealand Shipping Company despatched eight ships, amongst them the Mongol, capable herself of carrying 700 passengers. ; Mr Mouuray, of Nelson, has just:completed another order for the Lyell district, consisting of six additional stampers with boxes, shaft, and everything oomplete for the battery already at work at the Little Wonder mine. . The site on which they are to be erected being difficult of access, the stamper boxes are being made in sections for convenience of carriage. The castings, &c, ; display first-rate workmanship, and the whole order has been executed in a manner Jiighly creditable to the establi3hmont from which it has been turned out. The claims which were draiued at the Thames by the Bright Smile pumping machinery having refused to contribute anything to the cost, and the Drainage Act being a legislative bungle which failed to carry out the intention of Parliament, the directors of the Bright Smile have stopped working, and the non-contributing claims are flooded out. The Herald states that hundreds of men will be thrown out of employ- ; menfc in consequence. From our telegrams in this day's issue, it is plain that the Bright Smile directors have renewed work. . At Picton, on January 8, three railway compensation cases were heard. Inthe first case, James Speed obtained LSOO for 19 acres. Speed claimed LGSO, and the Government offered him L 125. In the second case, the same claimant asked Ll2O for a sectiou on London Quay, Picton, for which Government L3O. Speed obtained the full amount he claimed. In the third case, Mr M'Cormick, butcher, obtained LIOO (the full sum claimed) for a site at the corner of Auckland ' street and Broadway, Picton. The Government offered LSO as compensation. > ■ The receipts from the Uunedin and Port Chalmers railway for the last month; (De- . cember) amounted t0L2143; and from, the' Invercargill railway for the same mb'rithi' L 1224. The Ross Guardian says : — That on Jones's Flat, the Old Whim-wheel Company have opened a face about 10ft below the surface. No great returns have been obtained as yet, but they are expected when this drive is carried out near the terrace. Evans's party, f who have the adjoing claim, are fitting up their whim on a new site. Malfroy'\and Mortensen have a face opened about' 25ft, ' but do not expect the claim to pay them for al-.out another month, when the face will be about 50ft deep. Andrews and party, who '

recently took up a lease, have resolved .to erect a water-wheel, and have bought the wheel lately used by the Company, at Sailor's Gully, which they will remove shortly. There are a good many parties working with the primitive windlass, and who are meeting with fair success. The Excelsoir party are still working away, but are not meeting .with such results as their pluck and enterprise deserve. The several sluicing 'c)auns~are~yielding average wages,The framework . of .the- ne tv Immigration Barracks at Blenheim 13 erected, and the work is progressing fast. „'.,'.. j After five months work, two of Brogden's Hawke's Bay immigrants paid off their passage money in full. • v ■'■■■''■ '■''■'■'{ i Two thousand tons of tailings from the Bright Smile mine were recently purchased at 4s a ton. . In reference to the late assault case at Charleston", arising out of ; election excite--ment, the Charleston Herald reports that on Wednesday ; last the case, came on for.hearing, and res' allied' in the dismissal of Joseph Drumgool, and the sentencing of Edward Guynan to six weeks' imprisonment in Westport gaol. His Worship, Dr Giles, R.M., in his summing up, delivered a good sound lecture, strongly condeming the brutal conduct that had been exhibited. In a former issue it will be remembered we (Tuapeka (Times) referred, to the failure of the 9in piping laid at the Blue Spur to carry more than 400 in of water. This, piping, we are glad to say, has been feplacedby 13in pipes, which .werft tested, yesterday, and found to carry over lOOOiii! We must, therefore, congratulate Messrs Kincaid, M 'Queen, and Co. on' their complete' success 'on thjs occasion in overcoming the flumlng difficulty. This happens- very timely, f as: the" boxes which these pipes -are meant to supplant are supported by a ridge; which- must ; sqpn give way to the inrbads of' weather and Workings. The following is from the tfiiapeka Times : — "The great necessity'of ''importing eligible young women has. been .forcibly illustrated.! by the landing of the immigrants at an out : of-the-way place like Catlin's River. We learn that five of the single women have got married to men who were at work at the r sawmills there." «