THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1763, 30 March 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. MON DAY, MARCH 30, 1874.

With reference to a paragraph in the West Coast Times a few days ago, which, although rather obscurely worded, tended to cast a reflection upon the professional character of a member of the Bar, we have received private information which entirely removes the unfavorable complexion of the matter. Without mentioning names it is sufficient to state that a client of a legal practitioner in Greymouth fancied that he had grounds of action against the solicitor, on account of the alleged retention by him of certain fees for witnesses ;— that he had sought the assistance of other lawyers in the matter, all of whom upon enquiry expressed the opinion that there was no case to go upon The pa>ty who fancied himself aggrieTed then took the extraordinary course of mentioning the matter in open Court to his Honor Judge Hichmond, and it will be remembered that upon that occasion Mr Pitt volunteered to take up the case, if caie there was It has transpired that Mr Pitt, like his fellow members of the bar, advised his client that hia accusation had no valid grounds, and declined to take any further steps. There does not appear to have been any proper grounds for the step taken, and the attempted slur upon tho bar has been most completely defeated .

Owing to the extreme price demanded by tenderers the National Bank premises a'l Lyell will not be commnnced at present. The lowest tender was L2OO above the architects' estimate.

We are informed that the crushing of the last_ week at the Wealth of Nations c'aim realised 2560z of amalgam from the scraping of the plates during five days. At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, two men named Douglas Henry Kersting and Isaac Robert Leonard, were brought up on remand from Hokitika, charged with larceny from a dwelling between Saltwater and the Teremakau. The facts of the case have been already published, and the evidence was in accordance with them. The prisoners declined to say anything and were committed for trial. Bail was allowed but it was not forthcoming. There was a very good attendance at Batchelder's Great Pantascope on Saturday evening, and the various views were warmly applauded, as was also Mr Illingworth's solo on the trombone. To-night is the last night but one of the exhibition, and should attract a large audience. A man named David Wallace, who had been missing since the 17th, was found dead on a snag in the Tnanguhna River last week. Evidence was taken at the inquest to show that the deceased reached the Boatman's crossing from Reefton on St. Patrick's Day. The river was swollen considerably, but he considered it safe to ford, and entered the stream at the usual crossing place, but on reaching mid-stream he was swept out of his depth and drowned. The body was greatly bruised and lacerated when found., and in an advanced stage of decomposition.

We take the following items from the Inangahua Herald of Saturday: — "The population of the Inangahua district, with Christy's as the northern boundary, is 1360, being 1032 males. 307 females, and 19 Chinese. — A man named James Hunter, whilst engaged getting timber for Anderson's mine, was seriously hurt on Thursday by a branch knocked off by a falling tree. His arm was broken in two places, and his head and shoulder were severely contused. — The Tnvincible Company completed their crushing on Tuesday last, with the result of 2040z of melted gold from 160 tons of stone, giviug the encouraging return of loz sdwfc 12gr to the ton." The HeralcVs mining correspondent, speaking of the Wealth of Nations and Energetic claims, pays :— "The contractors for the Wealth of Nations appear to be carrying on their work in a niot.t satisfactory manner, and during last week over 190 tons of stone were sent to the battery. Having been repeatedly informed that by passing through this company's mine to the adjoining claim a considerable distance iv my journey wonld be saved, I accordingly accepted the kindly suggestion, and was therefore afforded an opportunity of viewing the interior workings. The face that the men were working in at the time was about 85ft wide, with an immense body of stone at th eir command ; the truckman seem to be perpetually going, and from the general appearance of the mim there is no fear of the batter}' standing from the want of stone. As the manager was not present, I sought no information from others; but, in passing through the mine, 1. could perceive the ground was excellently timbered, and every care taken for its security. At the babtery everything is going on very smoothly. The coppers were as usual scraped on Saturday last, after the week's crushing, and the yield of amalgam was very eood ; the plates for this week are looking equally well. On entering the Ene»getic mine from the adjoining claim, the need of obtaining large crushing power is at once obvious. The enormous body of stone contained in in this claim, could, with a very few hands, constantly employ a 20-head battery. The r».ef on the upper level will average about 14ft in thickness This splendid quantity of stone has already been proved in the low level tunnel, which is situated 260 ft from the surface. The stone that has at present been taken from the mine is merely that obtained in the construction of the various tunnels, and upon blocking out upon those respective levels, scarcely any stoping has as yet been done, and therefore the mine may be considered only now ready for opening up. although a large quantity of stone ha-<be(n taken out in constructing the works above alluded to. The reef in the upper level, at the time of my visit, was about 16ft wide ; and, I think, it may be readily seen how many picks could find scope in a face of stone of such dimensions. Ad immense quantity can therefore be sent to the mill daily, and with even a yield of only half an ounce to the ton and an efficient battery there is nothing whatever to prevent this mine from becoming one of the best dividend-paying properties in this district."

A free school for poor children being opened in Liverpool, the first thing which the teacher did was to subject the pupils to a thorough washing. In one respect this gsnerally desirable process prov-d to be un.fortunate, for the boys and girls were so metamorphosed by the scrubbing that their own parents didn't know them, and great domestic confusion ensued. The imports of Australasian gold into the United Kingdom in 1873 exhibited a large increase as compared with 1872, having amounted to L 9,471,601,, 471, 601, as compared with L 0.014,621 in 1872, and LG,919,450 in 187 f. The increase in the imports was still continuing at the close of last year, the receipts of December having been L 1.341,672,. 341, 672, as compared with L 618.996 iv 1572, and L 433.647 in 1871. Mr Holloway, the associate of Mr Arch, in the great emigration movement amongst the agricultural laborers in England, and who is now on a visit to New Zealand, recently visined the works of the New Zealand Meat Preserving Company, at Southland. The local paper says that Mr Holloway appeared te be fully satisfied that the meat utilised was of the very priinest quality, and that the most scrupulous cleanliness was a characteristic feature of each i>rocese. Mr Holloway's fancy was much tickled when he saw a pile of aheeps' 1 c d? lying in front of the furnace do r. ready to be used as fuel for the fire. "Our men," said he, "will be rather astonished m hen I tell them that out here sheeps' heads are made use of to get up steam. In my part of the c mntry, with the heart, &c. attached, they fetch Is 3d apiece." Mr Holloway made several entri/33 in his notebook, in connection with his inspection of these admirablyrconducted works, and it may therefore be confidently expected that when he returns to the old country he will be able to remove a good deal of the pre j udice which exists with regard to the use of preserved meats, one very popular idea being, as he informed those who accompanied him, that a large number of old horses were submitted to the preserving process ! Mr Holloway seems favorably impressed with what he has seen of Southland, and feels convinced that if large blocks of land were net aside for settlement on the principle of deferred payments, he could induce af.reat number of his people to come to this part of the Colony.

A telegram from Wellington states that a combination is reported amongst the members of the Provincial Council to bring about the resignation of Mr Bunny, the Provincial Secretary, on account of the recent complications with the General Government. The Corporation of Dunedirf?have passed a bye-law against the sale of unwholesome meat. A valuable seam of coal has been discovered at Shakespeare Bay, Pioton, whilst digging holes for telegraph poßts.

A road-sweeping machine of the most approved English make is now on its way to Diuiedin for the use of the City Corporation. The Australian Medical Journal for February enntains an account of a very successful and unusual operation performed by Mr T. M. Oirdlestone, viz , excision of the entire tongue for epithelial cancer, without cutting through either the jaw or the cheek. The patient rapidly regained the powers of deglutition. He is now cured, and can speak so as to be understood perfectly. The case is considered a remarkably successful one, and we understand that this is the first time this particular operation has been performed in the colony. The immense vaults of the National Safe Deposit Company, situated opposite the Mansion-house, London, are now completed. These vaults, the object of which is to provide merchants and others with a building for the deposit of their valuables, being both fire and burglar proof, are sunk to a depth of 50ft below the surface of the street, form four stories connected by a hydraulic lift, and rest on a concrete bed 15ft in thickness.

At the Warden's Court, Reef ton, on Friday last, the following applications for mining leases were heard and disposed of : — Richard Reeves and others— Bright Smile Company; adjourned till Tuesday next. W. G. Archer — 16i acres, Rock of Ages Company ; recommended. H. G. Hankin — Wealth of Reefton Company, south of Anderson's ; recommended. Daniel Buntin — Known as "Duigan's lease;" opposed by Williams and party; refused. T. S Barry — 13 acres, Golden Era Company ; recommended. Nichol Ramsay — 15 acres, Rainy Creek ; recommended. H. G. Hankin— Golden Hope Company ; recommended, j. M. Bentley— Adjoining the Golden Hope Company ; recommended. J. H. Aiken — Lease, Rainy Oree£ ; recommended. Matthew Byrne— Right Aeain Company ; adjourned. Matthew Byrne— Gold mining lease ; recommended. William Morris — Gold mining lease ; recommended. James Clinton Gold mining lease ; recommended. D. Carreras — Gold mining lease, Rainy Creek ; recommended. M. R. Gessinge — Gold mining lease, Eoatman's ; opposed by Arthur Breen ; adjourned.

In the Resident Magistrate Court, at Dunedin, a few days ago, a slight passage at arms occurred betweou Mr Branson, a solicitor, and the Magistrate. Mr Branson, counsel, made some remarks on the insufficiency of the evidence in a case. The Magistrate: " Counsel will please allow Justices to say whether there 13 a sufficient case or not." Mr ' ' Branson : Counsel is perfectly willing to allow the Justice to do whatever he pleases." To understand the last sentence it should be stated the new Resident Magistrate at Dunedin has done some rather funny things since his appointment. A stock-rider, named Roderick Stronacb, was reported missing from near Switzers since Friday, 10th ir.st. On that day he had been out with his brother William, and both started to return home to Switzers by different routes. RodericV chose the road over the Umbrella ranges, and not being heard of, a strict search was made for him, and his body was found in a cave, where he bad taken shelter for the night. His horse and dogs were alive near him. It is supposed he died of starvation, A few days ago Mrs O. H. Bensemaun, a lady residing at Upper Moutere, Nelson, was riding home from Motueka, when her horse was frightened by som.e pigs, and, becoming restive, threw the unfortunate lady. No one observed the accident ; but a settler seeing the riderless horse coming aleng the road, immediately went to see what had happened, and then found Mrs Be'nseinann lying in the road suffering great pain. It we.s found that besides severe bruises her collar bone bad been broken. Dr Squires was immediately sent for, but the sufferer died from the injuries she had received. The Inspector of Police at Invercargill recently seized five tins (of 271 b) uncustomed opium, value L 77, from Melbourne, by Omeo. in possession of Ah Hop, a chinaman, at Diptqa. The culprit was fined LIOO, or six months' imprisonment.

A sample of the Para ' Para iron was sub? jected tq, a very severe practical test the other day at the hands of Messrs Morgan and M'Gregor, ship and blacksmiths, Port Chalmers. A piece of the bar was handed to Mr Morgan, who pronounced very favorably upon its appearance, and then proceeded t"> test it in a variety of ways. He first bent the iron whilst cold and straightened it again, and only one small crack in the iron resulted ; then the iron was cut and broken, and showed what was pronounced to be a magnificent fracture. Next heated to red heat and bent and hammered, it discovered rather too much friability, aud again when welded iv piece of the iron commonly used, it seemed inclined to fracture when bent at red heat, but for all that, worked well, and is fit for all practical purposes. The slight faults observed in it were attiibnted to its imperfect preparation from the ore. Mr Morgan compares the iron to tUe best Swedish.