THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1834, 22 June 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1874.

JLJL • Although the Provincial Council was r quite right in taking the course it did, in i objecting to the terms upon which the late Executive through one of its members endeavored to retain office, it is not by any means certain that the new Executive is fully acceptable to the "people. Both the Secretary and the Treasurer are men entirely inexperienced in public affairs, are unacquainted with legislative work, and are ignorant of the many Acts of the Assembly which have to be consulted in relation to Provincial legislation. Nor can it be said that either is likely to exercise that weight in regulating the proceedings of the Council, which is a necessity for any Executive, if it hopes to carry its measures. There is the further objection that they must for some time be maicly dependent for their knowledge of administration upon the subordinate officers, the chief of whom, although competent enough to afford the necessary information, was recently,, suspended for misconduct. But notwithstanding these objections it is not likely that any further change in the Executive will be attempted. Had a compromise been effected, and what may be called a Coalition Executive been formed, the business of the Council, for the present session at least, might have been disposed of without further interruption, and without the danger of any more motions of "no confidence." The present Executive is not entirely satisfactory but it commands a majority in the Council, and the malcontents would simply be ' beating the wind in endeavoring to unseat it. The existing state of things has been forced on the Council by the acts of the previous Executive, and we do not for a moment believe that the late motion of "no confidence" was tabled upon any personal desire for office by any of those who voted for it. Had Mr White accepted the evident wish of the Council he would have remained Provincial Secretary for as long a time as he proved himself fit for the office, and had Mr Guinness agreed to a reconstruction, an Executive might have been formed that would have had no danger to fear of factious opposition. But as neither of these things came about, and it was necessary that a new Executive should be formed, the Council is bound to afford the gentlemen who have undertaken the responsibilities of office an opportunity of showing what they can do. High expectations are not formed regarding them, but they will have ample time during the recess to acquire the knowledge they do not possess in matters political, and to display the business qualities with which they are credited. It is Mr Woolcock's intention, we understand, to reside permanently in Hokitika, so long as he retainsjoffice ; Mr Todd is already a resident, so that, as far as personal supervision of the departments i« concerned, no objections can be urge..! uu that question.

About the only business now remaining for the Provincial Council to dispose of is the consideration of the schedule of works to be constructed out of the proposed loan. Mr Woolcock has already intimated that the Executive accept the schedule proposed by the late Government, but intend to propose some addition — that addition being, we believe, a sum of £1 0,000 for harbor works at Greymouth. The schedule as it now stands is as follows :•— Mikonui Water-race, estimated cost £35,000 Completion of road between Bowen and Okarito (15 miles horae track 2i between Wanganui and \7ateroha; six miles— Mapouril" io w»iUuj j efltimnfod COSt 10,000 Reservoirs in New Kiver district, estimated cost ... 9,000 Hokitika River Protection, estimated cost 10,000 Hokioika Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, estimated cost 4.500 Road to Taipio reefs, estimated cost 2,000 School Buildings, estimated cost .. 3,0n0 Provincial Government Buildings, estimated cost , 4,000 Total £77,000 As we on a former occasion pointed out, the only special work north of the Teremakau is the item for reservoirs in the New River district/and it is a question for the representatives of the district whether or not it would not be fair to press for a sum .£IO, OOO for the Grey Protective Works. But the question arises whether upon the terms proposed — the security of the wharfage rates, &c. — the Borough Council should agree to this amount being borrowed through the Province, or wait the action of the General Government. But.as we intend to discuss this subject lully in a future issue, we defer our remarks upon it at present.

What may be truly termed a narrow escape from a fatal accident happosed to Mr H. Castle, of Maori Gully, on last Friday evening. He was proceeding homewards at a somewhat late boar, riding a borrowed horse, and when beyond French's store and within a few hundred yards of the coalpits, the vicious brute became restive and bolted with the bit between his teeth. Immediately following this, Mr Castle Mas thrown down the embankment, a distance of about 20ft., and rendered insensible. He must have remained so for nearly four hours, as it was close upon 2am.. before he arrived at Alabaster's, a distance of 200 yards only .from where he found himself. Mr Castle complains of his back and ribs as being injured, and he has likewise seme severe scalp wounds. He is, however, rapidly getting better, and is able to walk about. The fire-bell rang out a lusty peal at about six o'clock last evening. The fire was in a cottage, at the back of Middleton's Hotel, in the occupation of Mr Sauders. The Brigade turned ont, and had the engines set up in a very few minutes after the alarm, but fortunately their services were not required, as ajl danger was past before their arrival. The result of the Bpraping of the plates of the Wealth of Nations claim, for the week ending the 20th inst., was- 3Uoz 9,d»vfc of amalgam. 1 The appeal Against the decision of the Jtasident Magistrate, Abaura, in the case Ham#l<on v, Etyiotfc, wjth rpapeot to the

division of the chief prize money in the Derby sweepstake drawn at Ahaura in March, was argued before Judge Richmond, sitting in banco at Njelson, on Prid'a'-^.-'lO'bn inst. The arguments on either side occupied the greater part of the day, and at th<s close his Honor reserved judgment. Mr Albert Pitt, the Provincial Solicitor, appeared for Mr Wil'iam Pitt, of Reefton, on behalf of the appellant Elliott, and Mr Acton Adams, of Adams and (Lingdon, appeared for Mr W. S. Staite, on the part of the respondent Hamilton.

A meeting of the members of the Church of England resident in the district was held at Ahaura on Friday evening, to make arrangements for the location of the Rev. T. Flavell, who has been appointed by the Bishop of Nelson to take permanent charge of the Grey Valley portion of the diocese.

At a meeting of the provisional direccorj of the Orwell Creek Gold-mining Onmpany, held at Ahaura last week, it was stated that a sufficient number of shares had been applied for to warrant the registration of the association under the Limited Liability Act. No time will how be lost in resuming operations on the company's leasehold, which consists of twenty acres of the supposbd riches b alluvial ground on the Grey gold, fields.

We regret to learn from the Register that a serious accident occurred to Mr VV". Kortegast, brewer, Hokitika, on Thursday night, by which he received severe contusions and fractured jaw. 'I he unfortunate gentleman was returning from Stafford on horseback, and it is supposed, owing to the slipperiness of the road from frost, the horse fell, and of course threw his rider He was picked up some time after the accident, laying on the road insensible, in which state he remained several hours. Mr Zeigler and Mr Schulties, who picked him up, rendered every assistance in their power, and obtained medical attendance. He was brought into Hokitika oh Friday forenoon by the former gentleman, and, Dr Maunsell being called iv, received the most careful attention.

Amongst other notices of motion on the order paper for the next meeting of the Borough Council of Hokitika, is one by Mr Cross, to the effect that it is flesirable that in future elections the Mayor shall be chosen by the ratepayers, and not by the Council as hitherto has been the case.

The Register thus comments on the new Executive :— " We fully anticipate that the gentlemen who have taken office will need to make large demands upon the forbearance of the Council. Neither or them can be accused of being a brilliant speaker, and they are both quite new to the duties which they have undertaken, and will, therefore, doubtless, for a time, feel similar uncomfortable sensations to those which are vulgarly supposed to be experienced by a fish out of water. It is not unreasonable, however, to expect that their diffidence will very shortly pass away, and then, perhaps, their business qualities will enable them to prove that though weak in speech, they are powerful in action. Meanwhde, it would be very rash to bind ourselves to support them in any line of policy they may be disposed to adopt. The most that can be expected is, that, since they have taken office in an exceedingly unpropitious season, when the Council is in a ferment, the public dissatisfied, and the time for deliberation very brief, all persons who are really anxious for the common weal, and all who disgusted with Thurdays performance will, as far as in them lies, endeavor to give this toddlekin Government some little chance of a happy, though, it may be, brief existence, and, at all events, not let it be assassinated by poisonous insinuations, to gratify the contemptible malice of its enemies."

The following items are suppllied by the Reefton papers : — Mr F. Giles, of Charleston, has been engaged to prepare plans and superintend the erection of the Inangahua Crushing Co.'s plant. — An extraordinary meeting of this Company is to be held on the 13th July, to consider the question of mortgaging the Company's property for advances to continue the work, in lieu of making large calls immediately. — A miner named Wm. Kennedy received severe injuries to the spine on Wednesday, by a heavy log which fell against him. He is considered to b9in a precarious state. — Another man named Jas M'Connell, employed on the Energetic Co.'s coal tramway, met with a similar accident, a heavy root having fallen on him from the side of a cutting. His injuries are not serious.— The Courier supports the abolishment of the Inangahua Road Board, and recommends that Reefton be made a Munisipality. — The frost at Reefton has, during the last fo«v cUya, been very severp, stagnant pools being frozen over to a depth of 3in. Some skating was indulged in on some ponds near the town. — Persons travelling from Black's Point to Reefton after sunset should (says the Courier ) be very cautious this frosty weather, as in places where the water drops from the hill side and crosses the road it makes it very slippery for travellers. If a person happened to slip, in one place, nothing could save him from going headlong into the river, and he would be fortunate if he escaped without suffering a more severe injury than a cold bath.

The Tuapeka (Otago) Times says :—Sixpence a pound weight is offered by some Chinese for the resin which is so abundant in the lignite deposits of the Lawrence coal-pit. The Chinese doctors convert it into some kind of medicine.