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Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1902, 21 September 1874, Page 2

Mr J. D. Robb, of No Town, one of the members of the Ahaura Local Eeveuues Board, has resigned his seat at the Board. The usual monthly practice of the Fire Brigade takes place this evening, at eight o'clock. His Honor Mr Justice Richmond did not leave Hokitika, as was expected, by the Charles Edward on Friday, but will wait for the Tararua, expected from Melbourne on Tuesday. The Murray arrived here yesterday, but sbe. brought no English mail owing to the contract having been suspended for a time 1 pending negotiations between the Government and the Company. The Luna left Auckland with, the mai( but did not call at ivelson, so that the Westland portion of the San Francisco mail must have gone to Weli Ungton, and will, most probably be brought | down by the s.s Otago. On dit, a case will come on for hearing at i the next sitting of the Supreme Court, of great interest to that large class of persons who prefer to conduct their own cases in Magistrates' Courts, and who being their own lawyers, generally have for the reverse of wise men for their clients. The action is one to recover damages for alleged slander arising out of .a case recently heard before the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ahaura. Pamages are laid by the plaintiff at LSOO. ■ We desire to draw the attention ro the announcement made elsewhere, that the farewell entertainment of Miss Aitken will positively take place at the Volunteer Hall this evening. A glance at the programme will give an idea of the varied and highclass quality of the amusement to be enjoyed. The recent unfavorable weather has been the cause of the delay iv giving the entertainment, but we trust, now it is finally arranged to come off, that it will be successful in every respect. The "Courier," of the loth inst., stales that Mr M. Levy, of Greymouth, is confined to bed by rheumatic gout. We (" Herald") understand that a branch of the National Bank will shortly be established in Westport. The Provincial Government of Nelson invite tenders far the construction of a dray road from the Devil's Grip to the River Owen. The " Otago Daily Times " views with great apprehension the number of unemployed who are now to be seen daily "loafing " about the streets of Dunedin. The "Post" learns that his Excellency Sir James Ferguson is not likely to leave this Coiony until about December. His successor in the Government will also arrive about the same time. The Reef ton Road Board received a letter on Thursday, from the Provincial Secretary, stating that the Executive had agieed to allow the salary of the secretary of the Board to be charged for the remainder of the year against the vote passed by the Council for thß maintenance of district roads. The Wellington Acclimatisation Society was compelled to decline the offer from the Christchurch Society of two thousand trout ova, having no ponds or any piscatorial appliances. The ova, therefore, were forwarded to Auckland. The Oamaru correspondent of the "B-uee Herald" sajs that the confusion, scandal and expense arising out of the Ward-Chap-man case may partly be ascribed to the want of room in the telegraph office, and consequent risk of telegrams being seen by strangers. It is currently reported, says the " Reefton Courier," that a change is pending in the habitat of some of the Resident Magistrates on the vv e st Coast. Reporc says that a vacancy will shortly occur in the Magistrateship of Hokitika, and in that case the position will be offered to Dr Giles, of Westport. The Auckland " Star " says :— The American astronomers could not agree about the con.et for while Professor Parkhurst says it will be nearly 25,000,000 miles long, and reach within a million and a half miles of the earth, Professor Stafford, of Chicago says it won't measure over 5.000,000 miles, nor come nearer than 21,000,000 miles. At the late general meeting of the shareholders of the Just-in-Time Company, Inangahua, a sum of ten guineas was unanimously voted as a donation to the local | hospital, as the Company's half-yearly subKcri tion to that institution. We ("Courier ") chronicle this piece of liberality with pleasure, and trust that the other productive Companies will see something in it worthy of emulation. From a paragraph in the " San Francisco Monitor," copied from the "Cork Examiner," the " New Zealand Herald " learns that the Right Rev. Dr Oroke,' the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, has accepted the Diocese of Cloyne, in Ireland. This will be a source of disappointment to the people of his late diocese. Tilts Auckland Roman Uatholic clersy have, it is said, received no advice to this effect. There is every probability, of the report being correct, however. The "Herald" says that the Just-in-Timo GoM-mining Company are now cleaning-up, and their gold will be brought to town on Monday. It' cannot be ascertained what the precise yield will be, but it is confidently expected to exceed 500oz of melted gold. After thirteen days' crushing 7500z of amalgam v/as obtained from the top plates, and a considerable quantity was supposed to be in the stamper boxes, since then they have crushed for six days longer. We are informed by the legal manager that the company have voted a half-yearly donation of ten guineas to the Reeffcon Hospital.

Without the lcusfc wish to unduly inflime the minds of the shareholders i.i the Caledonia Company, Larry's, we (" Courier") can say without exaggeration that the stone now being knocked out of the claim is the richest by very loug odds that this district has ever seen. We have bee a shown a piece of stone which was taken from the Company's paddock yesterday, aid though not more than an ounce in weight it is estimated to contain a pennyweight of gold. The mining reporter of the " Cromwell Ar«us " reports that the past winter is said to have been the most severe experienced on the 1 'ardroua gold-field for the last eight or nine year?. The frost and sno»v has caused great damage to the water-races, and it will be some time before work can be "fairly recommenced in many of the claims, as the damage done will have to be repaired, both as regards head and tailraces. All the sluicing claims in the creek are at a standstill, but the deep-sinking claims are working away steadily. It is probable that amended mining regulations for the Nelson South-west and Westland Gold-fields will soon be issued. Mr Beetham, the Commissioner appointed by the General Government to make award in claims for compensation by owners of water-races and rights, has pointed out many anomalies in the mining regulations, unduly hampering mining operations, especially those in connection with the Hochstetter and Waimea water-races, and, -at the request of the Super--1 tendents of Nelsou and Westland, we understand, has drafted the basis of a more suitable and liberal code of bye-laws. lv reporting the arrival of 6000 trout ova by the steamer Rangatira, at Hawke's Bay, the "Herald" says :— They were stripped by Mr Young's own hands, from the flesh of a fine fish, weighing sixteen and a-half pounds. After seeing them placed in the bleeding - boxes, and put on board the steamer, Mr Young himself came up with them, saw them landed here, and remains for a time, in order to see that they are properly treated. Of the whole, all but about 2 per cent have been landed alive and in good condition. It is needless for us to enlarge upon the value and importance of the undertaking, but the fact that it has been so far successful is a matter of congratulation, end that this has been done without its costing the Province one penny beyond, perhaps, the actual travelling expenses of Mr Young, should not be forgotten. Of the Ashantee gold country Sir John ' Glover, in an address before the Royal Geographical Society,jjsaid :— " The men had j greab diffieufcy aa they proceeded, on their march to prevent themselves falling down the gold-pits, which thickly studded each aide of the narrow path along which, they were advancing. The natives sunk the pits ] to a certain extent and then abandoned them ; they had no idea of working subterranean galleries. At Akrapong the mountainous country commenced. The mountains are entirely composed of quartz and granite, and the streams along the route were everywhere dammed up for the purpose of washing gold. He was certain, if the country were explored by geologists, it would be found to be extremely rich in gold, but where the richest auriferous regions were had yet to be discovered." The humorous writer in the ' " Press " who styles himself "Loafer in the Street," thus refers to the member for Hokitika. " There was a pretty brisk debate in the Assembly on the honorarium to members. Did you read it? There is little doubt that hon. members would have voted themselves their allowance, but there's no pleasing everyone. The member for EJokitika objected to having to undergo ' the turmoil of three months' celibacy,' and wanted ihe House to vote a sum sufficient to enable > members to bring up their wives and children with them. The House couldn't see it. Is it possible that some members may prefer the ' turmoil of celi-bracy ' to the harmony of home. I have me 1 : men of his sort. Mr White ought to go down to posterity as the massive intellect who took the first step towards initiating a hen convention." " Chiffonnier" is of opinion in the " Westland Register," that "the best thing the Parliament of itfew Zealand ever did, was to abolish imprisonment for debt On the Ist of October next, the prisons of New Zealand will have to cast forth the debtors. lam hapDv to say that I am a debtor, and feel considerably relieved by the passing of this excellent law. The only drawback 1 can see — from my point of view — is, that many ignorant persons may be shy of giving credit in future, and trusting to the honor of their debtors. Hitherto, some of the traders of Hokitika have been in the habit of rushing any man with their wares who occupied a billet of any constancy. After swamping in debt some poor devil, and driving him into the arms of Judge Harvey, they change from hand-rubbing, smirking, obliging servants, into remorseless Shylocks, •demanding their pound of flesh with blood too. I have frequently, but vainly, tried to run a small score with various obscure merchants here, but unsuccessfully They are willing to roll their goods on to a fellow with a permanency, but they all decline to trust me." "I should like to read a little of New Zealand forestry by some one that has studied it." In this form a correspondent of the kelson "Colonist" expresses a wish which is probably shared by many. If he is sincere and industrious in his search for information, he will, no doubt, be able to gratify his desire to some extent by perusing the papers which, during the past session, were presented to Par iament ; and, proceeding farther, he might gain much knowledge, though not without some trouble, by acquainting himself with the contents of several able and elaboreports which have been made on the subject to the Provincial Government of Obago. His meaning, however, probably is, that he should like to have, in small and concentrated form, as much available information on the subject as he can possibly procure ; and his suggestion is one which might well be acted upon. It is questionable if any one person can, from his own experience and observation, , produce a satisfactory book on New Zealand j forestry ; but some experience, associated with the collation of particulars from aucho ! rifcies in the several timber-carrying parts of the Colony, might be made the basis of a work on forestry such as would be acceptable to many readers It is worthy of the consideration of the authorities whether it might not be well to encourage the publication of such a work by affording special assistance and information to anyone who may be able and willing to become its author. As a rule, the public are at preseut illinformed as to the nature and qualities of many of our native woods ; they are equallj so as to the description of timber which may be most successfully cultivated, and on both information becomes the more desirable the more that settlement extends. It has been frequently mentioned of lats, and on good authority, that Sir George Arney has officially resigned the Chief Justiceship of the colony, intending to avail himself of the retiring pension provided by Parliament during the late session. With regard to this the Wellington "Post" remarks : — ln losing Sir George Arney the judicial Bench loses au upright and. able Judge, who has well maintained the dignity of his high position, and ever held the scales of justice with an even hand. It i 3 also understood that he will be succeeded as Chief Justice by the present AttorneyGeneral, Mr James P/endergast. Although the position of a permanent non-political Attorney-General is rathor au anomalous

one, still the office has always been invested with the same pdvile»es as attach to it in countries where th« holder is not a mere subordinate officer of the Government, and Mr Prendergast is, therefore, fully entitled to the vacancy caused by Sir George Arney's retirement, and will, we doubt not, worthily fill it. His legal attainments are beyond question, and he will probably make an excellent Judge. It would have establishad a very bad precedent, and one entirely opposed to the English practice, had the Government passed over his claims, and promoted any of the present Puisne Judges to the Chief Justiceship. As we have before pointed out,, Judges once on the Bench should be regarded as fixtures, and have nothing to hope or fear from the favor or disfavor of the Government of the day. Mr Prendergast will, it is understood, be succeeded as Attorney-General by Mr V 7. T. L. Travers. Of the propriety of such a choice there can, we think, be little doubt, and it will probably be satisfactory to both the bar and the public of the Colony that the vacancies caused by Sir George Arney's |retirement are likely to be so well supplied. The new Chief Justice will, it is understood, reside here, and probably arrangements will be made by which two of the Judges will also have their head -quarters in Wellington. The changes will not bs effected until early next year. Holloway's Pills. — Strong and hearty. — Strong and Hearty. — Every wise man aims attaining health at any price, but, unfortunately, rarely think about it till it is going or gone. Holloway's Pills now stand so very high in public estimation for purifying the blood and promoting the appetite and digestion, that it is unnecessary to do more than name them as the surest aud safesu means of retaining or regaining robust heaith aud corresponding strength. They act as purifiers, tonics, alternatives, and aperients ; and they exercise over every organ the most "wholesome influence, by supping it with the purest blood, and regulating the quality and quantity of every secretion . The most timid and delicate invalid will drive from Holloway's Pills vigour and comfort.