THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED. DAILY SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1803, 23 May 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED. DAILY SA TURDA Y, MAY 23, 1874.

From Nelson papers just to hand; we are, able: to glean a few. more particulars of; the proceedings in the Provincial Council, than have been supplied by telegraph. ; On the 14th a motion by Mr Ivessfor the appointment of an additional constable at Reefton was negatived. A resolution, tabled by Mr Boase, for the appointment, of a Select Committee to inquire into the amount paid by the Government to the late Ballarat Company for mining plant: and material when that Company relinquished its lease of the Brunner Mine, and what amount had. been paid for the same by the present lessees ; and also the amount' paid for valuating the plant. Mr Boase, who appears; to feel strongly upon the subject, said that in 1868 the Government paid £1629 for the plant of the Brunner Mine ; since then they had expended ! considerable sums— he knew (if £1000 having been spent in two years — in permanent plant and gear, which was now perfectly good, and yet the whole plant had lately been sold to the new lessees for £1400. The. sum of £30 was paid for the valuation of the plant, while the person wha was employed to make the valuation was no more fit t© do it tiion he (Mr Boase) was to be Governor of th< Colony. After the Provincial Treasurei

had remarked that the'Govemment were bound by the decision of their arbitrator, Mr Adams concurred with what had fallen from " Mr Boase, 1 and read a letter which showed that, the Government had. aus tamed a loss of \£26ooi in the sale of the plant, and that the mining manager had not been instructed to make an inventory of the tools, \&c., inside the mine. A motion was carried, calling for a return

of the expense Tncurred r by the members of the Executive during their recent tour. Mr Donne, in his speech in support of his motion, that the Estimates be sent back to the Superintendent for amendment, hoped that if it was carried tho Executive would not consider it in the light of a no-confidence motion, to which the Provincial Secretary, replied that the I Executive would certainly hot take that view of it. This is one of the advantages of a non-responsible Government— that it can afford to allow: hostile motions to glide like water off a duck's back, or rather like a pellet from the scales of an alligator. In support of his allegation that the Estimates were not framed in accordance with the requirements of the Province, and that the departmental expenditure was too high, Mr Donne said :— . The ordinanr revenue, ampunta 1 to £63,750; and out of this 3 the 'cost' 'of administration generally amounts to 76" per cent, of the whole amount, after deducting about 1| per cent, for Council expenses, the sum of £43,257 was set down for Executive and general Departmental expenses. There was an item of £5200 for surveys under Public Works r and Purposes; which should have b^en left in the, position it occupied before under Departmental Expenditure." It was calculatedj t to. mislead . the public,, as it seemed" to increase the expehditure for Public Works, .and - Purposes, and reduce that from the Departments! The 'Estimates proposed to release £25,000 for Public Works; but it, would be well to inquire what amount ot this would be actually -available. The, £2500 before mentioned'musc be dci* ucted, as 1 ' well as £6JOO for the* Lunatic Asylum, of which £300 C wns'frM provided for by loan which could cot be raised without the sanction of the General Assembly j and if that sanction were withheld, the Government would bo able to spend the- whole' amount out of the revenue; as it had been appropriated by che Council. He doubted whether the sum of £7000 would be received from liqaor licenses, £2000 only having come in last year. J his was the only item in Ihe estimated revenue which was fairlj. assailable, andj he would only be too glad to find that he was mistaken. The .total sum really payable for Public Works was £19,995. But out of this sum the cost cf the Koad Boards, £171$, should b^, deducted, aa it really represented tha cost of administrating parts of the affairs of the Provihlce! The iGoyernmenfc had thrust the Gold-fields Local : Revenue 'Bill upon the West/ Coast,! thai they might' perform part of 7the, 'factions of "the^Exeoutive, ' and, ifc; was just that thje. item "should appear as part ot the Depa^mentel expenditure. ,.' The sum of £15,780 was all that was available for Public Works. No reference had been ma^de to toe sum of £20,000, which had been advanced ;to the fiupeiintendfint, by tha Government; for certain .Public Worka, and though the revenue. was, in the event. of, not obtaining the loan, pledged for. the repayment of a certain portion of it, no appropriation'war now aakectfbK IV was clear to him that the Province could not, go on with^ 'and' the Council should liot tpleriite, so small a sum as was' this year released for Public Works, Tho Province was rapidly dying of

consumption — dying for want of roads and bridges, which were /v reaUy the I,ungß- : of a new country j an'dstjie Pjiovfrcia^Trrta^rer asked the Council no^io vote, Suppje}nqr( tar y , Estimates, But werfij^he Estimates safcjktactory ? Were the waKts of j^e dwpricfet pro- . vided for? Were <.|he- repfe^en tan v^conX suited on these wants? The revenue was all absoibed before the Council met, and a margin of only £490 to operate upon. It could not be said that the Estimates had be^n^"preparea7Th " accordance l witE-tHe - circumstances of the Province. He might cite his own district, that of Charleston— a distrjftt,, whj(ch. had , hitherto , yielded a larger revenue than that of !any other upon the olu-fieldß— simplv as lan illustration. It was a fact, that owing to the want of the expenditure of some two ! or three thousand pounds upon certain urgent works, itsiadustry and commerce was actually being paralysed and the people driven' out of the place This was the more inexcusable, inasmuch as these matters had' been pressed upon the Government prior to the preparation of the Estimates lc was no use preparing for special settlements and introducing immigrants at one end of the Province and; driving "ont the best industry at the other. He would appeal to members aa to whether this was a solitary instance or\ not. (Hear, hear.) fie hoped the Council would, send the Estimates back to his Honor, who would be compelled to listen to their representations.

The Provincial Treasurer- made a labored and somewhat weak. defence of the Estimates, and .other .speakers expressed the opinion that the departmental expendiwas not to [high., As was reported by telegraph the. other day, the motion was carried, with the exception of the only operative part of it— that the Estimates be returned for re-construction.

On the 18th moved a resolution affirming the desirability of causing the powers , . of . the . Goyernment .that are usually delegated to the Superintendent alone, should be delegated to the Superintendent and his Executive Council. He pointed out that,., this was the ease in .Otogo, but he^ent^ut of his way, we think, to comment' as he did upon the circumstances, of this exceptional:.treatment. The Executive were divided . in opinion, the Provincial Secretary considering the motion unnecessary, because in all importaat matters the Superintendent Hid consult the Executive ; and Mr Shapter holding the opinion that when such large powers were exercised, the Executive should have the right of being consulted. ' The debate was adjourned until next day, but we have not got a re* port of it. The other items are of no particular interest.,

Monday, the 25 th instant, will be observed as a general holiday in honor of the Queen's birthday.: All Governmeit. l offices,, banks, and places of business., will. be closed, so that should the weather prove fay- rable to outdoor amusements mere will be much merrymaking.

Our report of the proceedings of the Provincial Council, to-day, mentions that a petition for a road "at Paroa" was favorably reported upon We suppose this refers to the proposed road from Paroa to Marsden

Louis Weinburg, musician, late leader of the Hokitika Town Band, died lately at Melbourne.

As previously announced, a special service has been . arranged to be held: at the Volunteer Hall to-morrow (Sunday), at 3 p.m., to He conducted by. the Key, Mr MlNicbol, of the Wesleyan Church. The choirs of the several churches in town have combined for tho mraisinn, and tho ontiro oolleCtiOll Trill he handed over to the Grey River Hospital. On the following Sunday service will be conducted, at the same place and time, by the Rev. J. M'lntosh, M.A., of the Presbyterian Church. :

The question of an Executive has again been mooted in the Council. On Thursday night, Mr (•uinness gave notice of his intention to move en Wednesday next—" That an Executive is absolutely necessary, and that hiß Honor the Superintendent be requested to bring in a Bi 1 for the purpose."

At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, the Inspector of Nuisances brought a charge against James Burns for allowing one horse, his property, to wander at large within the precincts of the Borough of Greymouth. The defendant in the action state-i positively that the horse was not his, but the property of 1 one Mr M'Guirk, of Hokitika, and the case was dismissed. James Burns, a dairy farmer of the South Beach, sued Messrs Suisted Brothers, butchers, for LI 2s 6d, the value of a calf alleged to have been sold to defendants on Friday last. The defendants stated that the agreement to purchase was conditional only. The calf having been represented as a first class article, upon its arrival by tram it was found to be an inferior beast, and it was therefore returned to the vendor as soon as possible. His Worship dismissed the .case, each party to pay their own costs, Some additional evidence was then taken in the case Orman v. Hughes, In re the sale of the fire-clay crushing machine. Tho depositions bad to be forwarded to Nelson.

Beda, the celebrated:. one-legged gymnast, makes his first appearance at the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre, Hokitika, to-night.

The annual general meeting of the shareholders in the Hokitika Gas Company, was held (says the Times) on Thursday evening, at the Cafede Paris. The report of the Directors and that of the Engineer of the Company were read and received, likewise a statement of the affairs of the Company, which was approved of. Messrs Beit and i'uncie were appointed Auditors ; and a new Board of Directors for the ensuing year was likewise elected by ballot, consisting of Messrs Johnstone, Crerar, Roberts, Mulligan, Chesney, Bonar, and Dr Dermott. Votes of thanks were recorded to the Oiwctorg, the Engineer, and the Secretary, and the present and future prospects of the Company appeared to give every satisfaction!

At. the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ahaura, on Friday, the Magistrate gave judgment in the case of Reid v. M 'Donald, in which the decision was reserved from last Court; day. The ac/jon was to recover 1,99 19s lid, for cattle supplied to the defendant;, a butcher at Half-Ounce, His Worship held that, allowing for the peculiar style of bookkeeping practised by the defendant, the weight of evidence was in his favor. The accountant who h*d examined the books of the plaintiff had adjusted the principal items which were before apparently irreconcilable, and the accountant's report did not show that the accounts of the plaintiff were intentionally incorrect, * reduction of L§ waa made in the price charged for the now famous bull; the other items were allowed, ant a verdict was given for the plaintiff for L 94 19s lid, the lamtiff to pay the accountant's fee. Mr Staite, for the defendant, gave notice of appeal.

The West Coast Time* of Thursday says : — " We understand that a resolution is intended to be tabled in the Council for Monday evening, affirming the desirability of appointing a t-'rovincUl Executive, and that there is a fair prospect, of the same being carried. We hear likewise on good authority, that the present Provincial Secretary is not likely to retain, his present appointment for any great length of time, and indeed that otther arrangements are partly made for

MipplyipgLbis ijifece. If such be the case, t*nd ther,e is little.doubt that a change is contemniaj^d, ;wpuld it not be well to defer ( the apjj^ijjfcment, t of a successor until the .question, ,of (Executive or no Executive be ;hna^y,;dqter^ninedVor to submit the matter 1 , The Wentport Times) states that a letter fr"m Captain <iwen, j>f the Mary Banuatyne, gives a favorable account of the experiment of shipping coal to Melbourne. At first, so the skipper says,' no one would look at it, as it was an unknown commodity in the market. Then a sample was sent to some blacksmiths to . try, .and also a largersample to Fultonjs Foundry. The blacksmiths soon wanted more, and the foundry people bought the lot of 17 tons at 27s per ton, decladng it to be the best coal ever brought into Melbourne. The broker who made the sale asserts that Captain Owen de serves a handsome present for introducing the article, and has no doubt that future consignments will readily command 30s per ton.

The entrance to. the Ngakawhau : river has again shoaled up, and it is doubtful if even the steamer luo could at present cross the bar in safety.

An action for false imprisonment has been commenced against Mr Warden Fraser, of the 1 names, under the following circumstances : — A married woman was conyictsd before Mr Fraser, sitting as K. M , and sentenced to pay a fine or be imprisoned in default of payment. A distress was made nn the husband's property, and there being tyulla bona— nothing to satisfy th« judgment— the R.M. signed a warrant for the husband's committal to gaol for fourteen days' with hard labor. The man has " done " his sentence, and now sues the Magistrate, with every probability, of getting damages.

A child, the daughter of Mr Thomson, blacksmith, at Lyttel^qn, fell down a deep well. TEe mother besought a man to rescue it, bqthe, not resppnding.qmckly!,, she seized the well-rope and went down and was draw, n up safe. The mother and child had a narrow escape from.drqwning. , The t Otago Jj)aily Times says that .a few more of the Asia's immigrants have, found employment, although it is difficult to get rid of them. It is feared there will be a large number remaining at the Barracks when the next consignment arrives. We learn from the Register that on Tuesday night Jast,. a man named John Hall, who lives at the. Arahura,. was. crossing the Arahura bridge, and, being partly overtaken ] with liquor, he clung clos»ly to ,the .breastwork of the bridge, and wile so doing, tumbled through the. breastwork into the river. Singularly enough, though unable 10 swim a stroke, he managed to get out of the river unhurt, but very damp and quite sobered. Six thousand men, with brooms and shovels, we estatioued on the 400 miles of railway between St. Petersburg and Mosco,w to keep the line clear of snow for the train containing the Czar, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and other notables.

It is rumored that a formal offer has been made to the Provincial Government of Otago by a well known firm of Dunedin contractors to lease the Port Chalmers Railway for a term of years at an annual rental of 1120,000, and that the offer is under consideration.

The largest pig ever killed in New Zealand was exhibited in the shop of Mr George Wilson, butcher, George street, Dunedin, a few days ago. Though his size may not be euual to that of the Derby ram, which stood 10ft high, yet his proportions are of the most ample kind. He weighed 625, is, of the Berkshire breed, and was reared by Mr Sinclair of Timaru, where he took three first prizes, including the Timaru Agricultural Society's prize medal. He was aboutjwo T oor< yr~»ge~»<« Hie v^o-OT Troix»g. killed, and owing to the. rapidity with which he put up flesh he was blind during the last eighteen months of his existence.

A fourth share in a now well known claim in the Upper Waikaia district, Otago, was last winter sold for L 5, and was reported speedily to have returned the purchaser over L6OO for bis share of the returns, above 80oz having been obtained in one week out of a 15ft paddock.

The Reefton Courier says that the machinery of the Westland Company, Murray Creek, has fallen into the hands of. Gilmer Brothers, Greymouth, that firm having purchased the entire plant for 1.1,4 10 cash. The destination of the machinery is not known, but report has it that the purchase 13 in the interest of the Inglewood Company.

A remarkable coincidence occurred in connection with the late Sydney Gup race. It appears that the lad who rode Speculation (Uusgan) had also a "mount" f>r the first race on the Cup day. The horse was very fractious previous to starting, and, rearing up in front of the stand, fell on its rider, who it was thought could not possibly have escaped without being seriously injured. Such, however, was not the case, as, in addition to riding in this race, he afterwards w<>n the Cup on Speculation. In this there would be nothing remarkable but for the fact that exactly the same thing occurred last year, when, after bpmg hurt in a previous race, he rodo Vixen and won the Cup.

The Chairman of the Licensing Bench at Blenheim has dpcjded that dealers in spirituous liquors from Wellington, Nelson, or elsewhere, would be precluded from selling their wares in tho Province of Marlborough without they had taken out a wholesale license in that C urt. And lie gave, directions to the police to take proceedings againßt any offenders. Is not this absurd ? Marlborough is chiefly supplied with its consumable goods from Wellington, and yet the wholesale merchant at the latter place is prohibited from taking orders in Marlborough unless he takes out a wholesale license in that Province !

A Melbourne correspondent writes:— A state of great depression has. for some time existed in mining affairs. Speculation is wholly stagnant, and whatever money is seeking investment seeks it in ether directions. It doex not appear that there is any noticeable falling, off uj, the yield of the mines, and some very, satisfactory results are obtained from depths greater than any worked before. But the state, of the case is that mining is under a cloud, and that the interest is now paying the penalty, and will perhaps continue to do so for some time, of the rash and regkless speculation which reached such a wild climax in the Sandhurst fever at the end of Js7l.

The following is the text of a portion of a letter from Mr Gladstone to Earl Granville in explanation of his relations to the Liberal party :— "For a variety of reasons personal to myself, 1 could not contemplate any unlimited extension of active political service. A d I am anxious that it should be clearly understood by those fri§nds with whom I have acted in the direction of affairs, that at my age I must reserve my entire freedom to divest myself of the responsibilities of leader* Bhip at no distant time, The need of rest will prevent me from giving more than occasional attendance in the House of Commons during the present session. I should be desirous shortly before the commencement of the session of 1875 to consider whether there would be advantage in my placing my services for a time at the disposal of the Liberal party, or whether I should then claim exemption from the duties I have hitherto discharged. If, however, there should be, reasonable ground for believing that: instead of the course which 1 have sketched it|wbuld

be preferable in tho view of trie, party generally for me to assume at on c the place; of an independent member, I should willingly j adopt jibe' latter alternative. Bub I should, retain all that desire which I have hitherto felt for {the welfare of the party. And if the gentlemen composing -, it "should think fit either to choose a leader or to make provision ad interim, with a view to the convenience of the present year, tho person design ted would, of course, command fr_m_me any assistance which he might 'find occasion to seek and which it might be in my power to render."

After the lapse of some eight or ten years since the opening; of the first section of the Queensland Southern and Western- Railway, it was,determuied last year to bring the line from the present .terminus at Ipswinh into the metropolis, a distance of 24 miles. The estimate for. the \yort was LBoooamile, or a total cost . of ,L 192.'000 j , but,; in the! Budget ■peech of tDe',TTOias l ure!r,;the^^9sV.inb!,ly'.were somewhat Btartled by the statement that LIOO,OOO will hardly finish fit. Since then, the Engineer- in-chief— a /y v r >g and someinexperienced man, who was at one time Provincial Goyernment H'hgiheer at Marlborough, in this Colony — has beeu suspended for incompetency.

A Mr John Rea thus addresses the electors of Belfast, for the, representation of which in Parliament he, is (or was) a caudidate :— " Personally, as, [have often proved, I care very little for what is called the honor of a seat in Parliament, and will therefore not canvass any elector. . '..Neither , will I do more . at any. time, hereafter than, attend any public meeting . you may call, and lodge for you with, the Mayor whatever sum; he may require for election .expenses. All else— if you wish my gra i uitqu's.sei;viceß in the .House of . Ooramoiis . , you, must! .do, fqr,. yp^r^lyes, and on a distinct underatandipg.alflOrTrtbat unless at the end of each sessinn you indemnify me for . travelling charges and loas of professional time at the rate of ,five guineas per day, I will consider the compliment, if any there be in a matter of .simple and very severe public duty, one conferred hot by you on me, but by me on you."

An order was received a few days ago by Mr Laid well, Governor of the Dunedin Gaol, from Hia Excellency Sir James Fergusson, for the release of Dr Honey.well,,found. guilty at the s last Criminal Sessions at D.unedin, of manslaughter, and senteuced to. siy 'months' imprisonment. It may be remembered that the prisoner was a medical man at Roxburgh, and was convicted of causing the death of a woman through malpractice, but prior to being sentenced stated that had certain medical evidence been called, the charge could not have been sustained. Subsequently a petition was forwarded, to the Governor, through Judge Ohapman, setting, forth this fact, accompanied by statements from Drs. Hulme, Hocken, and Bakewell, controverting the evidence given at the trial by medical experts. The petition and statements were, favorably entertained by His .Excellency, and Dr Honeywell ordered to be discharged.