THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY APRIL 6,1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1761, 6 April 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY APRIL 6, 1874.

The Woodstock Rowing Club, which represented the Province of Westland at the recent Interprorimrial Ke'gatta' at 'Kaiapoi, deserves praise (or the performances .ofa its. crew at .the late contest. Looking at the predictions .of, the sporting tips of the looal papers, and of the ponsapoDcfenta of the

Wellington and Dunedin papers, by the light of subsequent events they appear very ridiculous. In all the prophetic torecastings of the race? Westland was kindly put do wu as "nowhere"— or, as one {■porting prophet said, "quite out of the betting." But the Woodstock crew pulled off the big stakes, and came out Hie champion crew of the regatta. The betting on the champion fouroared race, for LI 50. distance 3 miles, the betting was 2 to 1 against Dolly Varden, a Wellington boat, and 3. to 1 against the Stella, also from the Empire City ; all the others were at 4 to 1 ; but the Ilyssus, the Westland boat, won amidst some excitement for the second place, which is thus described: —The tussle betweeu the Kaiapoi boat and Dolly Varden, and the efforts of the two to overtake the Stella son after commencing the second mile, elicited loud exhortations from the friends of the respective crews, on on the river banks, to "put it on," "lift her," and "keep it up;" hut the Ilyssus, being so far ahead, the excitement was comparatively speaking of a very mild character. The Kaiapoi crew deserves very great credit fur the position they occupied at the finish of the race, but the Christchurch crews did even worse than anticipated, and though it must be said they did their best, it will take some time to wipe off the disgrace of such a defeat. The Westland crew were greeted with an immense burst of cheering as they passed the po3t, and they honestly deserved it. The Wellington boats had been backed very heavily to win, and the result was that a great many lost considerably on the race. The winners ia the Ilyssus were -P. Bradley (bow). lOst ; W. Hearn, 12st Gib ; J. Walton, list; H. Bradley (stroke), lOst ; coxswain, C. Wright, 6st 31b. The Woodstock crew subsequently came in second in the champion four-oar inrigged race ; second also in the champion pair-oared race ; first in the champion scullers' race; and first in the Rob Hoy canoe race. More power to the plucky Woodstock club— and how is it that Greymouth, with such facilities for boating, cannot get up a rowing club ? The traffic returns of the Canterbury railways for the month of February show a total of L 9650, as agains) LG249 for thecorreponding month in 1573. The expenditure during the period is not stated in the paper f.-om which we take these figures. Partridges are increasing in Canterbury. The other day a flock of sixteen was seen in a field at Gniendale, near Christchurch. The bells for the German Church at Christchurch it appears were not presented by the Emperor of Germany. The Imperial gift was confined to the metal, the cost of casting having been defrayed by the congregation of the church. Recently, Mr Holloway, the coadjutor of Mr Arch, the champion of the English agricultural laborers, who is on a visit to this Colony, met the settlers at Roxburgh, Otago. These poor people, who have all flocks aud herds, live upon the fat of the land, and are altogether well-to do, fancy they have a grievance, because the Otago Government will not sell the adjoining sheep runs on deferred payments, and they brought this grievance under the notice of Mr Holloway. 1 hat gentleman said : •-•" He had no doubt the peo- le of Roxburgh had their giievance. He himself was a laboring man, and therefore took a great interest in all that concerned the laboring classes, and was glad to do what he could for them. After all he had heard, be did not think they had so much to complain of, especially if they considered the class at home he was endeavoring to benefit. Seven shillings a week was all the laboi er obtained in Dorsetshire for six long days' worn to support his wife anrt family, and he thought even at Roxburgh they bad not been reduced to that." We should think not indeed ! At the ensuing sittings of the District Court, Hokitika, commencing on Wednesday next, Oixon, late ferryman at Okarito, and formerly spoken of in connection with the dpath of Morrah in that district, will be tried for an indecent assault upon a child The other case is a renewed prosecution, if such a term is proper, against the wellknown Isaac L°vy, of Levy anid Chamberlain fame. Though he escaped the meshes of the law at the lato Supreme Conrt sittings by a fluke, he will be broughj; up again and charged with a lessej ofjence, the gravest that the District Cottrt-tTas jurisdiction over, in connection with the assault on Warder Fergnsson. We take the following mining news from the West Coast Times of Saturday :— " Good news continue to come from the Kanieri district. Gold has been struck in what is known as the tunnel terrace, and a flab adjoining the Lake Water-race there, and the prospect is such as to raise groat hopes when the water, is once brought in. The manager states that for a length of six miles v ater will be available in two months, as that length of race will be then completed. Very favorable hews has been received in town from the Kokotahi, the main reef having been struck beyond" doubt, and the stone shows gold throughout. The perseverance of the 'prospectors appears likely to be richly rewarded, and a new and profitable branch of mining in this district will, by their enterprise, be shortly opened up." j About sixty gentlemen assembled at the Empire Hotel, ' Hokitika, on Thursday eveninc, for the purpose of presenting Mr C. S. Allen, of the Bank of New Zealand, and j formerly of Greymouth, with a very handsome testimonial, consisting of a silver te* I and coffee service, on his departure from j Hokitika, showing the high estimation in I which he was held during his long residence * on the West Coast. The cbair was taken by^ his Honor Judge Harvey, on his ri?.ht being the guest of the evening and hiu Honor the Superintendent, while the vice-cbair was ably filled by the Mayor (77 Todd, Esq.). After the usual loyal toasts had be?n drunk, Mr Bonar. in a short speech, presented Mr Allen with the testimonial, and his health was drunk with musical honors. Mr Duncan took the opportunity to present a very handsome illuminated address on behalf of the Committee of the Literary Society, which expressed the deep loss of the Committee in losing his valuable services to the Institute, which had in a great measure tended to raise it to its present prosperons condition. Mr Allen suitably replied. The Register, of Saturday, says :— " Many of our readers will remembei Mr Alfred Blancbard, one of the oldest residents on the West Coast, and be sorry to learn that he is now an inmate of the Hokitika Hospital, suffering from paralysis. About three weeks, blanchard, who was residing with Mr King, storekeeper in the Okarito district, complained of a violent cold, and every attention was paid to him by his hospitable friend ; but, unfortunately, the remedies applied had no beneficial effects, and the invalid gradually became worse, until he entirely lost the use of his legs. We may take it for granted that there will be no racing at Hokitika to-day, on account of the heavy rain, and the stewards will, no doubt postpone the events for a few days. The horses already at Hokitika are, says the Time*, Nero, Lacenfeed, Boy in Blue, Tommy Dodd, in addition to the local horsea Vandal and Septimus. North Star, Sandy, and others were expected on Saturday. The best day's racing will be for the Hurdle Eace and Westland Kacing Club Handicap, the entries for which are sure to include all the animals, suited to the respective contest*, that are in town. We have not. heard of any Christhorses being on the road, but there is just tbe ghost Of a hope that such is the case."

Mr O'Donovan, of Okarito, who has been e xerting himself in ootaining registrations upon the electoral roll, arrived at Hokitika with the forms a day too late, owing to ihe bad state of the bluffs. We cannot see any process by which the registration officer can accept these claims, although it is clear that the delay was beyond the control of the messenger. Let alone the bad weather, it is doubtful on another point if the Waipara excursionists will have a pleasant trip, as we notice by the Ross News that a miner who arrived there on Thursday reported the Okarito bar to be closed up. A woman named Clarke, who has pursued the occupation of a washerwoman for the few diggers at the Haasfc, was- found by the census enumerator to be in great penury and distress, most of the men having lefb the district, and she had not the means to take her away. The Register informs us that at the hearing of a case at the Warden's Court, Stafford, on Wed nesday last, in which some Chinese were defendants, one of the witnesses, on being asked his name, gave it as "Dam You." The order was therefore given, " Dam You, get into the box," to the no small astonishment of some of those present in Court. We may mention that another of the Celestials present rejoiced in the euphonious appellation of "Bjots on." A lady corespondent of the Melbourne Argus 'gives the following description of novelties in domestic industry : — The last novelties in the way of women's handiwork I have seen of late have been three-cornered brackets and " five o'clock" tea tables, made of empty reels of cotton strung together. For the tables you procure a round of deal of the necessary size, then string the reels on a piece of iron jusfc laree enough to go through the centre hole, making them firm with an iron nut. At one end you will want three of these for the legs, which must be inserted into the round of deal ; then paint the legs black, gilding at intervals, viz., where the edge of the reel comes, and they will have all the appearance of turned wood. Cover the table itself with velvet, surrounded by lace, and you cant think how pretty it will be. For the brackets ,for the corner of a room, have three-cornered pieces of wood, which you must cover with velvet and place one above auother, with three sets of three reels strung together, one at each side, and one in the middle, between each shelf ; treat them as you did the legs of the table, and they will be Very ornamental receptae'es for china, especially if you edge each shelf with lace. The Bruce Herald reports that Mr Dunn, who has for some time past been sinking a new shaft tor coal, has now, at a depth of 97ft, succeeded in finding a seam 21ft thick. The quality has not yet bnen thoroughly tested, but appearances, we . believe, are favorable. The Tuapelca Times, speaking of the scarcity of labor in that district, mentions that on the Tnapeka railways works, several portions of the line have, of necessity, been abandoned, as numbers of workmen are at present engaged at harvesting. At Waipnri recently, 2CO pick and shovel men were advertised for in connection with the Drainage Channel, and on the morning decided upon by the contractor for meeting those dpsirous of being employed, only one solitary miner appeared on the ground. The Waste Lands Boards of Otago has the following area of forests under its administration :— Upper Clntba and Waitaki districts, 26,240 acres ; North-eastern districts, 59,840; South-eastern districts, 392,960; West Coasts and Waiau districts — Wakatipu, unsurveyed and nece sarilj merely approximate, 1,107,840 : total, 1,586,550 acres. The area of forests under the administration of the Southland Waste Lands Eoard extends to about 1070 square miles, or 688,500 acres. Recently the Queen attended the Communion Services at Crathie, to the scandal of the Church Herald. "We deeply regret," says that journal, •* to observe that our most religious and gracious Majesty the Queen has thought it consistent with her duty to Almighty God, and to the faithful of the ancient CLurch of England, to partake of bread and wine at the so-called Communion of the Scotch Presbyterians, an event unyaral'eled in the history of the National Church." The population of Qu<senstown, Otago, is said to be 712 persons, including, of course, children, which latter may be put down, upoa a rough calculation, at nearly one half. The bronze medallion of the JRoyal Humane Sccisty has been awarded to John M'K. Geddes, for diving into 14ft of water, and • supporting Mrs M. Edgar, who was in danger of drowning at Auckland, in November last. The immigrants appear to be arriving much quicker at Dunedin than employment can be found for them. The Guardian of a recent date says :— "The single men and women at present in the barracks do not appear to meet with engagements very readily. There has been but one engagement effected during the last two days, and that was of a married couple, at the rate of L 55 per year." Consequent on the much-felt want of house accommodation in Dunedin the Provincial Government of Otaso have called for tenders for the erection of 10 double dwelling-houses, to be built near the Anderson's Bay road, at Kensington. The instinct of the betting mon in Dunedin appears to have been remarkably accurate with regard to the Dunedin Cup running. ( Four days before the race the three highest favorites were— Lurline, 3to 2 ; Templeton, sto 2; _ Atlas, 3 to 1. The order of the betting, it need hardly be said, forecast the places of the horses. Mr William M'Cann Neilson, who it will be remembered visited Auckland some two years back in connection with the establishment of a steam service between New Zealand and .A raerica, has commenced an action for libel against the San Francisco Post, the paper having stated in one of its issues that Mr Neil on was '• convicted in Melbourne of forgery, and sent to the hulks, and afterwards released on the promise of leaving the country." "These very precise charges made," says Mr Neilson, "it is to be assumed, with the caution that should precede the publication of allegations so serious, 1 meet with a denial as emphatic as can be given. They are also false, wicked, and malicious, and I undertake to give the proprietors of the Pest the earliest opportunity to prove their assertion in a court of law — if they can." Mr G. D. Carter has been lecturing in Melbourne in defence of the use of intoxicating liquors. The lecturer declared that among the old Jewish nation wine was a thing of everyday use, and was regarded not as a curse bat a blessiug ; and that in the more recent date of the Christian era, it was wine, not water, that the Good Samaritan poured into the wounded traveller, and it was not to an "inn," and not to a •• Rechabite tent," that he was conveyed. One of Christ's miracles, also, was to turn water into wine, an-l not wine into water. The Timam Herald says :— 4I While laughing over the custom which prevails in New Zealand, of Ministers giving their friends and relatives, the means of travelling on their private business or pleasure, at the public expense, we were. forgetting on what ancient authority the abuse— for we contend that it is an abuse— is based. We have just dropped across a letter from Pliny the Consul, to the t mperor Trajan, which, though not dated, i

could not have been written much less than eighteen hundred years ago. The Gbve r nor (if Bythinia, as Pliny then was, writes 'I have hitherto never, sir, granted an order for post chaises to any person, or upon any occasion, but iv affairs that relate to your administration. I find myself, however, at present under a sort of necessity to break through' this fixed rule. My wife having received an account of her grand* father's death, and being desirous to wait upon her aunt with all possible expedition, I thought it would be uukind to deny her the use of this privilege ; as the grace of so tender ap office consists in the early dissharge of it, and as I well knew a journey which was fo mded in filial piety, could not fail of your approbation.' The kind Emperor in reply, approved of the step, and added, ' you did me justice my dear Pliny, by confiding in my affection towards you.' The Consul evidently thought he was doing a very queer thing in letting his wife make use of the Government conveyance, even to visit her bereaved aunt, or he would not have considered the matter worth writing a separate despatch to the E-nperor about ; nor were there any other coaveyances by which Mrs Pliny might have' travelled on her errand of affection ; Trajan's Luna, in fact, was not taking the money out of the pockets of any Bythinian Steam Shipping Companies."