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Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1927, 9 October 1874, Page 2

There was a very fair attendance at the Volunteer Hall last evening, considering tbn state of the weather, to witness the production of " Plot and Passion," which was well played by all the members of the company, and was warmly appreciated by the audience. To-night, the play will be the " Lidy of Lyons," and on Saturday night " Streets of London." " Still higher prices were obtained for meat ' at the Arahura sale yards, on Tuesday, and at what figure the increase will stop it is hard to say. The lowest prices obtained were 55s per 1001 b, whilst some that was sold fet hed, we ("Times") are told, what will amount to 70s for the same quantity. This enormous rise must very natnrally affect all classes in the community. It is a great pity fish, which might at least help to lide over the difficulty, is not more plentiful at this juncture. As far as we can learn, there is little chance of a decline in meat for two or three months at least, whilst on the other hand there is a great likelihood of it advancing <m the present ruinous rates. His Excellency's yacht' Blanche returned late on Tuesday night last to her anchorage in the harbor, Wellington. Sir James Fergusson, however, was not on board. The severity of the weather lately has been so great, that His Excellency determined to send the yacht back from Nelson, and to proceed by H.M.S. Blanche to carry out his intention of visiting the fine scenery of the West Coast. The yacht has had a most severe time of it, both in Blind Bay and the Strait, where she experienced the full violence of the late gales: She lay to throughout Monday night, and had both her boats stoved. With regard to a short telegram and paragraph we published yesterday, the " West Coasb limes " says :— " Mr Win. Todd has resigned his seat in the Executive, and likewise the office of Provincial Treasurer which ha has held for the past five months, and Mr E. T. Robinson, M.P.C. for the Kanieri has been appointed by the Executive as his successor. We understand that Mr Todd's reason for resigning, is that he found the duties appertaining to the office of Treasurer, to be performed satisfactorily, were occupying too much of his time, and having a large business otherwise to attend to, besides other public offices, he has decided wisely, we think, in ridding himself of one of his many callings when he found that the same interfered with bis ordinary avocations to a greater extent than he at first anticipated, when accepting a seat in the Provincial Executive. Mr Robinson is as yet an untried politician, having been representative in the Provincial Council, only since the formation of the Province, yet during his brief career in public life, he has shown himself to be possessed of many qualifications which should assist him in carrying ont the duties of Treasurer with efficiency." An amusing story comes from Dunedin. It appears that there are two lawyers there who cultivate the custom of the Chinese population considerably. One had a sign placed over his door, on which was an inscription in Chinese, which rendered into English became "Very good' barrister— very." His opponent also had a sign placed over his door, but it would appear that on some occasion or other he had displeased the Chinese artist who did the work for him, for when it was put up the Chinese read it as " Him no good." The artist was, perhaps 1 , something of a rogue as well as a wit. The Master of the Masonic Lodge Southern Cross, in Invercargill, said, on laying the , foundation stone of an Athenaum in that town: — "Regarding Freemasonry, to which much ignorant ill-feeling seemed to be entertained in some quarters, it certainly had secrets of its own, but it contained absolutely nothing which was calculated to subvert the good order of society, or anything which was in the remotest degree repugnant to the laws of God or man. Freemasonry had no dark designs — all its designs were for increasing brotherly love, peace ani humane feelings, and for advancing the physical, the moral, and the religious welfare of all mankind." On Tuesday night last, says the " Inangahua Herald," an extensive landslip occurred north of the machine house of the Wealth of Nations claim ; two chains of the head-race were carried away ; the battery was. stopped in consequence, and will hardly be started again before Tuesday next. Mr T. Watson had a narrow escape from losing his life when the slip came down. Being at the machine house late at night, when the wheel visibly slackened speed, indicating the lessening of the water supply, provided with a> lantern he ascended the spur behind the machine house and proceeded along until he ' reached the point where the boxes had 1 settled down, and the water was pouring over the sides — at this time the water had ceased to run down the race ( In order to learn the extent of the damage, and to shut off the water above, Mr Watson, nothing daunted, though certainly not comprehend*

ing the magnitude of the danger, started to ' cross over the break, and when in the act of doing so felt the' ground cracking and crumbling beneath. The situation was one of imminent danger ; he thought to turn, but the south side of the slip, over which he had already passed, had disappeared, and was tearing down the hill with tremeudous volicity, carrying everything before it, so that to turn back was impossible. The ground above, as well as below, was also giving way, and to remain therefore was out of the question. There was no course but to proceed and that quickly, and with great self-posses-sion Mr Watson continued along the line of race, and so reached firm ground. He maybe congratulated upon a very narrow escape from a terrible death, as from the extensive character of the slip had he been carried away he must have been suffocated, or have received fatal injuries. With regard to the continuation of the Californiaa mail service, the " New Zealand Times " says :— " Mr Eussell will probably find more work in Sydney than he expected to have to do in connection with the Californiau mail service. Victoria has not failed to observe the difficulties of the line, and Mr George Coppin did not miss the opportunity to ask, in the Assembly in Melbourne, ■whether ifc was the intention of the Victorian Government "to communicate with the Government of New Zealand with a view to make Melbourne the terminus of any line of steamers to be established by the Caliform'au route." In reply, Mr Kerferd stated that " as New Zealand, was the Colony mostly interested in the line, it would be for that Colony to take the initiative in any proposal that might be made, when, if it were found that Victoria would be benefited,' the i-'ovcrn-inent Avould be glad to meet the views of I New Zealand." Very kind, perhaps, but somewhat selfish on the part of the leader of the Ministry in the Assembly ! He will have an opportunity shortly of consulting the Post-master-General of New Zealand in Melbourne on the subject. What may be done by inexperienced strangers to better their condition, under very adverse circumstances, in this Colony, is very well illustrated by the following, which we take from the correspondence of the "Southern Cross": — "Some French vine-dressers arrived in Auckland lately as Government immigrants. They leased a farm at Stokes' Point from Mr Lusk, and are now engaged in the cultivation of it. These vine-dressers started farming with a capital of L 5, aud during the last three months they have planted SOO vines and one acre a half of strawberries, besides bringing under cultivation half an acre as a vegetable garden. This shows that these people are v*ry industrious, and it would be a boon to the Province ot Auckland if it had some 2000 of this class scattered over our waste lands." We clip the following from the "Lyell Argus" : — " The leader at the Central Bailer, though still rather thin, contains some very rich stone. Some specimens which were crushed on the 22nd ult. , gave a most favorable result. One hundred ounces of stone, when crushed at a bank at Lyell, yielded no less than sdwt of gold. — Stone is being gradually procured from both the Lyell Creek and Oriental claims. The directors of the latter are now confident of being ready for their first crushing by Christmas.—Remarkably rich stone was procured in the United Excelsior and Alpine claim from a reef three feet thick on Wednesday . morning. The stone is quite equal to the specimens which were procured by Mr Zala some months bank, and we are informed that the new discovery is from the same part of the mine. More will be known as to the extent of the discovery iv a few days. — Very good stone is being procured from No. 4 level at the Break o'Day Company's mine. The same may also be said of the Maruia claim, where there are three leaders in active work, stone being procured from each. We i were favored w.ith the inspection of sons good-looking stone from the leader known ai the ' Smithy ' — The Little Wonder machine is still crushing stone belonging to Messn Carroll and Cairns." His Excellency the Governor left Welling ton yesterday afternoon (says the " Nev Zealand Times" of 19th September), in hi yacht the Blanche, intending ts> run acros the Strait to Nelson, where H.M.S. thi Blanche is now at anchor. Thence he wil prccsed on the West Coast as far as Milforc Sound, the war steamer accompanying him. His Excellency's cruise, it is anticipated, will extend about three whekp. The friend? of Lady Fergusson will be glad to learn that her health has improved to such an exteni during the past few days, that £ir James could leave her without the slightest fueling of anxiety. The younger branches of his Excellency's family will sail for England ie the Halcione, now lying at the anchorage which vessel has very superior passenge accommodation. His Excellency will no' leave until on or about the time that th< Marquis of Norroanby is relieved by M Cairns of tne charge of governing Queens land. This, it is expected, will take placi early in December. During the recent Police Court case ii Auckland over mails, Mr Brookfield, wh appeared for the Government, stated that s far as New Zealand wa3 concerned, ever farthing of the subsidy had been paid, am with respect to the penalties, not on farthing had been exacted. This informatio is extremely refreshing after the experienc of the Webb case. Mr Hall is even a wors mark than Mr Webb, and really the Govern ment should be held responsible for allo"n ing itself to be thus repeatedly done. Pena' ties are an absurdity in a contract unde such management. As an example of " a well-placed family, the "New York Herald "gives the follow ing:— "There is a rumor that the Crow Prince of Holland will marry the Princes Thyra, a sister of the Princess of Walei This will in the course of nature make th Princess Queen of Holland. The King ( Denmark, her father, is one of the poorei monarchs in Europe, and bas perhaps tl smallest kingdom. He has done remarkabi well with his large family. One daughti will probably be Empress of Russia, tl other Queen of England. One son is Kit of Greece, another will be King of Denmar; and now another crown comes into h family. To have children reigning ov England, Russia, Greece, Denmark, ai Holland, is a great achievement in the vy of honor and power." The following informatian with respecio the mines at Walhalla is furnished byie "Gippsland Times":— "Cohen's ieef,at Walhalla, embracing the Long Tunnel, \3lesley, Walhalla, North Gippsland, Gosn Fleece, Empress, Alpine, and South Gi|Sland companies, is scarcely more thanen years in existence, yet in that time itas turned out upwards of nine tons of ire gold. This has realised L 1,032,15 1; vidends and reserve fund amount to L 59432, and the value of the machinery now ofhe ground is probably not under LIOOO. Some idea of the richness of the minon Cohen's Reef may be formed from the i@\vfigures, which may be relied upon asisolutejy authentic. We will' take theiree principal companies, namely, the long Tunnel, Walhalla, and North Gipjand. The present market value of fcheir sfes — in number 5400-is L378,6<10; theyiave paid in dividends to shareholders L 55298; showing a grand total of L9sß,B9S.rhis magnificent result has been attained! ten , years; at an outlay iv capital actual invested of only L 15,000 ; leaving a neirofifc •' ef L 943,898." ;