THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1574.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1829, 16 June 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1574.

Some time ago we stated very plainly that it was the intention of the 'retrenchment" party in the Nelson Provincial Council to do away with the office of Warden of the Grey Valley. The idea was then scouted, as being beyond belief ; but now the residents within the district are waking up to the reality, and the reports of deputations in other columns will show that they are in earnest — that there must be a Warden and Resident Magistrate in the district. " Needs must, when the devil drives," says Mr O'Conor, but it is no reason, because, when he was suddenly called into office and found a comparatively small debit balance against such a Conservative Province as Nelson, that he should give his first undivided attention, as far as the matter of retrenchment is concerned, to the Grey Valley. It is quite evidentthatitis the intention of the present Nelson Government, from all the sayings and doings of their members during their recent peregrinations, that " the Grey Valley must be reduced," in every respect; it must not be allowed to have the prominence it has hitherto held in the mining and agricultural districts of the Nelson Province ; " retrenchment," if it means anything, from Mr O'Conor's point of view means the abandonment of the Grey district, except so far as the collection of taxes is concerned, by taking away its Warden and leaving it to the tender mercies of the Warden of the Inangahua district. Now, it is no use shirking the matter. No one knows better than Mr O'Conor that the Inangahua and Grey Valley districts cannot be properly worked by one Warden and Resident Magistrate, and at the same time he has the courage to proceed through these districts aud talk loudly of "retrenchment," although he dared Hot play suob v. card aa that trlicn he was stumping the Province against Mr Curtis, with whom he is now associated. It is impossible that the Grey Valley district can for a single day be without a Warden. Occasional visits of a Warden from the other side of the range will not either meet or satisfy the requirements of the inhabitants. It is the" most important mining and agricultural district in the Nelson Province, and instead of being abandoned, ought to be nursed into prosperity under the beneficent reign of Mr O'Conor, But there are serious doubts abroad that the result of the recent election for Superintendent of Nelson has something to do with the proposal to remove the Grey Valley Warden. Mr O'Conor is now Provincial Secretary. If he has the true interests of the Province at heart he will certainly never endeavor to deprive its most important district, namely, the Grey Valley, of its Warden and Resident Magistrate. Certainly, in answer to th 9 Ahaura deputation, when the question was put to him as to the intention to remove the Warden, his reply was that the matter was not settled ; but in such a manner, and in such terms, as to inferentially lead the deputation to the belief that the "retrenchment" openly stated was to be effected by the removal of the Warden of the Grey Valley. Such a thing may be done, and done with impunity in the face of facts known to those who do it ; but the agitation which is already on foot throughout the whole district, the meetings which have already been held and to-day reported, ought to be sufficient evidence that the attempted removal of the Warden of the Grey Valley would not only be an act of supreme folly on the part of the Government, but one to which the inhabitants would not quietly submit

The Government of South Australia, we observe, are following the example of New Zealand and Victoria, in making provision for extensive public works. The Neio Zealand Times points out that the Treasurer of that Colony has submitted to Parliament a Bill to enable the Governvcrnment to borrow a sum of L 600,000, which is employed as follows :— L86,000 for railway accommodation, L 56,000 for the Port Wakefield Railway extension, L 147,000 for the Port Pirie and Gladstone Railway, L 115,000 for the Port Wakefield and Kadina Railway, L 46,000 for the Broughton and Barunga Railway, L 65,000 for the completion of the Adelaide Waterworks extension, and L 85,000 for the overland telegraph, including L 25,000 for iron poles. The Treasurer stated, we also notice, that he had found on inquiry in Melbourne that the system of inscribed stock is not suited to the Colony, and he proposed to proceed with a consolidation loan scheme. The Ministry at Adelaide, we may also observe, had added a sixth member to their number, to be known as the Minister for the Northern Territory.

Opinions appear to differ with regard to the selection of Mr O'Conor as Provincial Secretary for Nelson. Commenting upon one of his first official speeches, the Mail says : — " Mr O'Conor's forte appears to be opposition. A more ill-advised, irritating, and injudicious speech than that made by him last night in reply, on the motion that the Council go into committee on the Estimates, we do no]b remember ever

to have heard. His criticism of Mr Donne's remarks was unnecessarily severe — his attack upon Mr Adams altogether uncalled for. If his object be to convert a friendly camp in a hostile army, he will, if he continues to pursue the course he adopted last night, very soon achieve a maiked success. The tread-on-the-tail-of-my-coat style of speaking may be very effective in a pugnacious leader of an Opposition, but is altogether unbecoming in the head of a Government ; and if his colleagues do not induce him to temper his fortiter in re, for which he is famous, with a little more of the sauviterin viodo, they will very soon find a perceptible diminution in the majority by whom they are at present supported in the Council." Whateverelse we may blame him for, we certainly cannot blame him for want of energy and activity, seeing that since the dissolution of the Council he has visited nearly all the centres of the Province, and arrived at Cobden yesterday, after receiving numerous deputations in the upcountry districts, reports of which we publish to-day.

The Fire Brigade held their usual monthly practice last night, at which the captain and 17 members were present. The hose was fixed to the stand-pipe opposite Boundary street, and the pipe was found to be efficient and in excellent order. There was afterwards a practice in the drill-shed, which was deemed highly satisfactory. The inclemency of the weather last night again told its tale in keeping away visitors from Mr Beda's entertainment, but those who have not yet seen him will have an opportunity of doing so to-night, when he will be assisted by Monsieur Bonnifond, and several gentleman amateurs. As there will be new songs, new dauces, aud new tricks, we hope to see a full house, and one well befitting the excellence of the entertainment. We (Register) regret that the male ward of the Sea View Lunatic Asylum is becoming very crowded, there being now thirty-nine male patients confined under the charge of Mr Gribben and his four assistants. It will be necessary to make immediate additions to the Asylum, in order to ensure the comfort of its unfortunate occupants, and tht» Government would not be deemed guilty of extravagance if they added another assistant to the meagre and over-worked staff of the Asylum. We are requested to state that, owing to the want of information, the Chairman of the Ahaura Road Board was unable to attend the public meeting reported in another column Arthur Fiven was drowned on 12th June while carrying the mail from Picton, at Mudford's Flat in the swamps, owing to a flood in the Koromiko stream. He was found with tbe mail strapped on his back. A subscription is started for his family. He leaves a wife and four children. The Register says the conduct of two of Hokitika Borough Councillors on Friday night was simply disgraceful, and showed in glaring colors their lamentable want of common decency. These gentlemen are, apparently, ignorant of the duties they owe to the ratepayers who elected them, and their resignation would be a "consummation most devoutly to be wished." Their "speeches" showed only petty spite aud low personalities, and they used every effort to obstruct the real business of the Council — and for what? Simply to prevent the Council passing a resolution in favor of the Waterworks Empowering Bill now before the Provincial Council, and which, rightly or wrongly, meets with the approval of the majority of the Borough Councillors. One of the Maoris living on the native reserve at Woodstock met with a capsize out of his canoe while crossing the Hokitika river ou Saturday. He was under the ivfluence of liquor, and quite unfit to manage the canoe ; but, fortunately, the spill took place at a shallow part, or it is probable something more serious than a thorough ducking would have been the r. suit. We mention this in consequence of haviug seen several natives the worse for liquor on recent occasions, and we were under the impression that the sale of intoxicating drink to natives was prohibited by a heavy penalty. If this be the cas<s the law in this respect appears to be more honored in the breach than the observance. A retiring allowance of L2OO has been voted to Mr Greenfield, the late Secrebary Nelson Provincial Council. The non-official member of the Executive, Mr Rout, receives LIOO a year. A proposal was made in the Nelson Provincial Council by Mr Sharp, to spend L7OO in fencing off the Arauri district from Marlborough, but it was negatived. The Nelson Provincial Council hasresolved on the motion of Mr Donne, to render assistance out of the loan to the construction of the Four-mile Water-race at Charleston, ft has also been resolved that the Nile Bridge shall be one of the first works executed. | Kaiapoi is in the singular position of having an evenly-balanced population— sol males and 501 females. A serious accident has happened to a poor old man named Thomas Taylor. Ho went on board the barque P. C.E , lying alongside the Auckland wharf, for the purpose of begging some victuals, when he missed his footing in the dusk, and fell headlong down the main hatch into the hold. The poor fellow still lingered, but was not expected to survive. We notice that the Bank of New Zealand and the National Bank of New Zealand have between them shipped to London, per the kaw, barque, from Auckland, no less than 12,2330z 9dwt Cgr of gold, the produce of the Thames, Nelson, and Westland Goldfields. The value of the same is estimated at L 45,729. Some strange fatality, says the Otago Daily Times appears to "be prevalent in the ranks of the members of the medical profession in New Zealand, as within the last two months three surgeons or pretended surgeons have graduated inside the walls of Dunedin Gaol for various offences. A man, who was known by the name of Hawthorne, has been hanged at Goulburn for an attempted murder near that town. He was suspected of at least half-a-doz j n murders, and on the scaffold confessed to four of the crimes of which he was suspected. The Sydney papers described the wretched criminal as " one of the most heartless and blood-thirsty of the human tigers who have ever infested the Australian wilds." Henry Cape Williamson, a surgeon, was charged at the Resident Magistrate^ Court, Nelson, with having passed a valueless cheque to Mrs Atkinson, of the Custom House Hotel, at the port, in April, 1873. The amount was 13s. On Thursday of last week the prisoner returned to the hotel, aud stayed till Saturday, when he left suddenly in the morning. For the defence, Mr Acton Adams stated that the prisoner was a gentleman. In April last he was passing from Dunedin to Hokitika, and stayed at the Custom House Hotel a day or two. "While in Dunedin he had an account with the Bank of New South Wales there, and on leaving gave instructions to have it transferred to the Hokitika branch. In signing the cheque in Nelson he had merely omitted to strike out the word "NelBon" and insert "Hokitika," There was no intention to defraud.

On arriving at Hokitika lio remerabnred the error, and seeing Mr Atkinson there, he paid him the 133, nob knowing that Mrs Atkinson had a protection order, Recently, he had travelled overland from the West Coast, and on Thursday last came into town from Motueka Valley, and at once went to the Custom House Hotel. The waiter brought him in the cheque, and he told him that he had paid it; in Hokitika to Mr Atkinson. With regard to his - leaving the hotel suddenly, he had an engagement, and fully intended to return to dinner. The whole matter had been an unfortunate mistake. Ultimately the case was remanded for a week, to obtain evidence from the West Coast in support of Mr Adams' statement ; bail being accepted. A death is reported by the Wanganui Herald to have occurred in that district under suspicious circumstances. The deceased was buried on Friday without an inquest, though the facts are patent to the eye of the authorities. Mary Healy was cruelly assaulted in the beginning^ May, her brutal assailant receiving seven days' imprisonment with hard labor for the assault. The victim was removed to the Hospital suffering from the effects of her beating, and gradually succumbed until death relieved her from her sufferings. She was buried without an inquest. Messrs Mackay and Connor lately imported to Western Australia, a fine thoroughbred horse, and thence shipped him to Canterbury, where he was sold last week to Mr DodsoD, of Port Chalmers. Noticing the purchase, the Daily Times says:— "Mr G. Dodson's costly purchase, the handsome entire thoroughbred horse Cassibelaunus, arrived yesterday in the steamer Tararua, and was safely disembarked at the Railway Pier. He is a truly magnificent animal, showing splendid points and great power, with superb action. He appeared to be perfectly docile, aud was walked off the pier to the Provincial Hotel in the midst of an admiring crowd. At the hotel Mr Dodson stripped him an«l revealed Ms beautiful proportions. Loud were the expressions of admiration on all sides. Cassibelaunus is a bright bay with black points. He is ' indeed an acquisition to the racing stock of ' this Province. The recent anti-education tax agitation in Auckland provokes the following decidedly severe remarks from the Thames Advertise!' : " The mob of Auckland, a disreputable mass of rowdyism of which New York would be ashamed— appear to be the only persons in that city "who take much interest or part in thing 3 political. Otherwise, the merchant princes of that city, and the merchants who are not princes, nor even gentlemen, confine their energies to plots and counter-plots as to the graving dock and the water supply, leave any political demonstration to be worked by a crew not existing in any other city of New Zealand, and to whose doings and sayings therefore too much weight is likely to be attached." The charter authorising the establishment of a second conclave of the Red Cross Knight Older of Freemasons in Wellington, was received by the English mail recently to hand. The conclave was inaugurated by Brother Lord, of H.M.S. Dido, during ths visit of that vessel' to that port, and has therefore been in actual existence for more than twelve months, but the official ratification of the proceedings taken was only received a day or two ago, as announced above. The conclave at present numbers fifteen membe s. The boatswain of the Golden Sea met with an accident on the 11th at Wellington, on board the ship, which is likety to lead to fatal results. The unfortunate man was assisting to unload railway iron, when he missed his footing and was precipitated down the hold, falling on a heap of railway iron. His right side was completely smashed in the arm broken, and other injuries inflicted which rendered him insensible. He was at once removed to the hospital, but had not recovered consciousness some hours afterwards. His recovery seems impossible. A Curling Club has been formed in Dunedin, and applied to be affiliated to the Royal Caledonian Club. It is stated by those who have had opportunities during lafce years of observing the effect of the winter frosts upon water in the neighborhood of Duuedin, that there can be no doubt that several weeks curling will easily be obtained. The intention of the club is to form a rink of about teu yards, the bottom to be levelled and covered with asphalte or cement,, so as to allow about half an inch or an inch of water to cover the rink during the frost. Curling stones are now on their way out from Scotlaud. From the Neio Zealand Times of the 11th inst. we extract the following item as a matter of local interest •. — " The Waimea pipe trade, which has proved such a harvest to the coasting craft, is connected with benefits of another sort which should lead to a permanent trade between Grreymou*ih and this port. Two of the Greymouth coasters brought cargoes of coal which have gone into consumption so rapidly as to cause many inquiries why the Greymouth people do not send cargoes more frequently. No doubt the return pipe freight to Hokitika is the great iuducement, but with coal at 45s a ton ib would surely pay to make regular shipments with the chance of return freight, particularly as a certain market offers. The Grey coal is little inferior to the Newcastle coal for household purposes, while its heating powers are so great that the two cargoes which arrived last week were immediately taken up by the foundrymen and blacksmiths of the City, vs a matter of fact, the coal merchants complain, that their stocks of blacksmiths' coal have been left on hand, and are not likely to be drawn upon till the Greymouth stock is exhausted." A graceful acknowledgement has been made by H. K.U. the Duke of Genoa of the hospitalities he received during his brief visit to Victoria and Tasmania. On his return to Italj he ordered two handsome lockets to be made for presentation to Lady Bowen and Mrs Dv Cane respectively. Each contains the donor's portrait, and the face of the locket exhibits his monogram, T.S., Tommaso di Savoia, in brilliants and pearls, surmounted by the Crown of Italy, similarly enriched. The Duke has also sent a magnificeut breast pin, composed of brilliauts, arranged according to the foregoing design, to Mr Robertson, of Echuca, as a souvenir of his visit to that gentleman's residences. The presentations have been made through the Consul-General for Italy, and the value of the gifts has been greatly enhanced by the good taste and kindly feeling exhibited by the young prince in his mode of transmitting them to their recipients. A petition has been got up in Adelaide by the bankers, merchants, shipowners, and underwriters of that city, praying the Government to extend the telegraph as early as possible to Cape Borda, on the western extremity of Kangaroo Island. Cape Borda is the landfall usually made by the outward bound mail steamers, and by ships coming from the westward bound for Adelaide. It i 3 eight or ten houra steaming from Glenelg, and it is urged that, as the Suez mail steamers now call at Glenelg, it would be of great service if the approach, of the mail vessels were telegraphed from Cape Borda. It would also be of interest to merchants to have early intelligence of the arrival there of English ships, as days are lost iv beating up the Strait to St. Vincent's Gulf. It is without doubt that the suggestion will be speedily acted upon. The other colonies will, of course, share the advantages of the early news.