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Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1961, 18 November 1874, Page 2

The nomination of a member to fill the seat in the Borough Council for the East Ward, vacated by Mr Donald Maclean, takes place on Thursday, the 19th instant, and the election, if necessary, on Monday, the 30th instant. Mr G- W. Moss was nominated yesterday, and from what we can learn there is not likely to be any opposition. Dr Dermott has been appointed medical officer ab Hokitika under the Immigration Act. The appeal case, the Greymouth and Hokitika Tramway Company v. the County of Westland, commenced on Monday, and was likely to last three days. An infant child of one of the newly-arrived immigrants at Hokitika died of diarrhoea on Monday. This makes between thirty and forty deaths by the same cause amongst the Douglas immigrants' children since she left England. Mr Frank Bird, of Okarito, is announced as a probable candidate for the seat in the Provincial Council, vacated by Mr Canavan. We take the following from the "West Coast Times," of yesterday : — "Some weeks ago we hinted that oui Greymouth friends would be doing well in the way of charity were they to contribute a mite to old Mrs Johnstone, formerly of the Melbourne Hotel, and we. are since gratified to learn, by the Grey River Argus, that several amounts I have already been received towarda the

benevolent object. As confirmatory of the remarks then made by us, we quote from, a telegram received last evening from a commercial traveller, who is well known on the Coast, and who is at present in Invercargill. where Mrs Johnstone resides. He says :— ' The poor old soul is living on the remnants of jewelry she has left. She wants to join her sister in Victoria, but has not the means to get there. Here she is almo3t unknown." We again refer to the matter, knowing that there are many in Greymouth who will readily do something oa the old lady's behalf, she having, in her palmier days frequently been among the foremost in many good works. We hear that the contractors for the carriage of the Hokitika mail were, on Monday, fined LlO for irregularities in its delivery at the Post Office, Greymouth. We hope this will act as a caution for better time being kept in future at this end of the line. The death is announced of a son of Mr. W. Grant, a settler at Waikiwi (Southland District) under peculiar circumstances. The deceased was a pupil attending the district school at Waikiwi, and on the 16fch October he complained when he came home of a pain in his head. He said that Mr Macdonald, the teacher, had taken him. and another boy named M llwriek bad knocked their heads together, for misbehaviour at school that day. He continued to complain of his head, and on Saturday, the 24th, Dr. Cofcterell attended him, andDrs. Grigor and M'Clure were subsequently called, but without avail, the boy dying at 1 a. m. yesterday, after having beeu ill nearly three weeks. In the " Southland Times "the following (letter appears :— " One of the teachers of tbe Grammar School has a most improper habit of bumbing the children's heads together as a punishment. One of my children hss been treated in this way several times. Now I know that boys especially are very annoying, and deserve thrashing, and if they would cane or strap them about the back or legs I would not nare because they muat be made to be obedient and civil. But this knocking of heads together is very dangerous ; and as far as I am concerned if possibility offers, I shall appeal to the Resident Magistrate's Court. There is another cruel practice in vogue too — to me, at least -of the junior teachers, that of hitting the children under the chins, causing them to bite their tongues. I apporve of punishment, bnt I object to cruelty. The Westland Education Board or Local Committee, should, amongst other things, prescribe the nature and amount of corporal punishment, it any, is to be fallowed, so as to prevent such abuses as that above selected. There will be a Government sale of a considerable number of suburban and rural sections of land at the Court House, Cobden, on the 2 1st of December next. An Irish newspaper that came by the last mail contained this : — " We have been requested by the Rev. T. D. Gregg to state that, oa Tuesday, 23rd July, 1874, in the House of Lords, Lord O'Neill presented a petition from the Rev. Tresham ftregg, of Dublin, praying that steps might be taken to have an inquiry made into the arguments by which he supports his alleged discovery that immunity from death and disease, and all their concomitant evils, have been available to Christians since 1866, if they would only recognise ifc, and use certain forms of devotion, amounting to a restoration of the •'continual sacrifice" spoken of by the prophet Daniel, a copy of which form he presents to the House along with his petition." Palmerston (Wellington Province) will shortly be in telegraphic communication with the remainder of the Colony. The necessary wire, insulators, &c, were shipped on board the steamer Napier recently. The Registrar of Births aud Deaths at Wellington took out twenty summonses a few days ago against persons who had neglected to comply with the provisions of the Public Health Act, which requires that every child shall be vaccinated within six months after birth.. It should be understood that the registrar has no option in the matter, as the terms of ihe Act are imperative, not only that the vaccination shall be performed, but that the certificate of the vaccinating officer shall be returned to the registrar within the time specified. A well-known and respected resident at Addison's, Mr Fahey, has (says the " Westport Times") disposed of his share — one of four — in the claim known as Fahey's for L6OO, and has left for Otago. The price realised is a satisfactory assurance that mining property at Addison's is not retrograding iv value. The earth-closet system, of which so much has been heard, will be brought into force in the Wanganui Borough very shortly, the bye-law on the subject having been suspended only until the end of the present month. The closets are made in Wanganui by a workman who was employed in the manufactory of Moule and Co., London, and a local mechanic makes all the iron and wood work. ' The "Westporb Times" says :—" An opening for a man of business ability, possessing some small means, aud willing to live in pleasant retirement, is offered by the Provincial Government. A person is needed to take charge of a special settlement te be formed at the Karamea ; to act as Government agent there ; to superintend any public works, such as road-making or the opening up of the country ; and generally to act as agent between the settlers and the Govern menp. For such services some special advantages will be given him for running cattle or otherwise, and he will also he permitted , to carry on trade as a general storekeeper. ' The billet seems just suited for a man with a rising family and having some trade connection with Westport and Nelson." The " Colonist" gives Nelson retail prices for meat at— Beef, 4d to 7d per lb ; mutton, 4d to 6d ; pork, 4d to 7d ; veal, 5d to 7d j hams, la 2d ; bacon, lOd to Is. At the beginning of next year writes the Melbourne correspondent; of the New Zealand " Times " you may expect a visit from the most charming vocalist in Australia, Miss Christian, of the Royal Academy of Music. It is surprising that this lady has not visited New Zealand before this, offers having been made to her by no less than three different companies, to all of which she would have been a most valuable acquisition. Her withdrawal from the Claus-Rekel before its de? parture for New Zealand was doubtless the principal cause of the bad business done by that company. Since then Miss Christian has received an offer from the manager of the Allen Opera Company, and quite recently she has declined a very lucrative offer from another quarter. The popular vocalist, however, will soon visit New Zealand on her own account. Your new Governor and the Marchioness of Nonnanby were amongst her warmest admirers in Queensland, where the Christian Concert Company not long since completed a brilliant tour of five months' duration, and where — " to her eternal honor" —as the critic of the "Australasian" re marks, "the lady gave a charitable concert in every town save one that she visited." Miss Christian will visit Greymouth during her professional tour in New Zealand. A pearl-shelling expedition was lately organised in Auckland A ketch was pu' chased and despatched to the oyster grroun r " The first trip resulted in a gross returjj ""; L 1676 7s 6d. It enabled the manager to p ot all the expenses, but as there was no surpl- ay for a dividend the enterprise wag abandoned ■