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Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1975, 4 December 1874, Page 2

j We are getting sick of the negligence of the Press Telegraph Agency at Wellington. If by any accident some news of importance crops up Greymouth somehow is left out in the cold, whilst all sorts of trivial items are forwarded Religiously: As an example, the Hokitika papers on Wednesday received the information that owing to some bungle on »the part of the. Colonial Executive Sir James Fergusson waa allowed to leave New Zealand without extending the prorogation o£ ParliameDt, and that in consequence Parliament had to be^ formally opened on Wednesday, and adjourned de die in diem until the arrival :of the hew Govp-rnor. Not a word of this !was sent to us. .... I A concert is to be given this eveniDg sa s, coznp)ii»fe»kayy beußlit to Mr W. H. Leecb, who, as 19 well-known, has given all his-efforts to make many concerts recently held in this town a financial success. The programme is a very attractive one, and we hope to see a crowded house upon the occasion. " - The Rev. T. Flavell delivered^ ajecture (ttfeison. Creek, on Wednesday evening. The '' The fotde and influeuce 0! persoaal' jhabit," was as usual made extremely ivJterestina: and instructive by the lecturer, ', who was attentively listened to during the j delivery of His: address! . Mr Elavell was ac- ! corded a unanimous vote of thanks at the ; conclusion of the lecture. • At a meetiug of the subscribers to the Grey River Hospital, which was held at Half-Ounce on Saturday evening, the report of the outgoing. Committee was read and ' received. Sub-committees and collectors to act in the outlying districts for the next twelve months were appointed, and Mr Jas. Cunningham was elected flon. Treasurer, and Mr Colin F. 0. Algie was re-elected Hon. Secretary, of the Central Committee for the Half-Ounce district for the ensuing year.. . ■ • The HalfrOunce Christmas Sports Committee have decided to offer good prizes for wrestling, running, jumping, and other athletic sports and games during the ensuing holidays. -Recent explorers among the hills situated at the.head waters of the Moonlight, Blackball, and Canoe Creeks report the existence of a large lake on top of the ranges. It was not generally known that such an extensive; sheet of water was to be found in that particular locality. The first of Mr Wilckens's new line of coache^ between Greymouth rod Reef ton, left town yesterday under the pilotage of that celebrated whip " Sprightly." A meeting was held at Marsden on Wed-: nesday evening last, to nominate a member for the Paroa Road Board. Mr Leach occupied the chair. Mr Thomas Hunter was proposed, and afterwards addressed the meeting. He said if he was returned he would most assuredly move that the sittings of the Board should take place at Marsden, and he would do his best to get the Board out of the slough of despond in which it had fallen. He would inquire into the financial position of the Board, and do his best for the ■whole district of Paroa^ We learn from Stokes and Co.'s Monthly Circular that the price of Coal at Newcastle, N.S.W., last month was 14s a ton, and that during the year 1874, up to the 23rd Oct., the export of coal from that port amour ted. to the large total of 923,000 tons. His Honor the Superintendent and the Ohiei Surveyor returned overland irom Oheir southern trip early on Wednesday morning. The quarterly meeting of the Licensing Bench will be held at noon fcb-day at the Resident Magistrate's Court. We are glad to learn that nearly all the total amount owing for the piano recently purchased for the use of the patients at Sea View Asylum, Hokitika, has been liquidated. Thekeeper, Mr Gribben, is entitled to much ptaisefor the energy he displayed in. can. vassing for" subscriptions for so worthy an object. Marriage certificates are to be disposed of at a bazaar at Ballarat, these certificates entitling the winner, to the privilege of being joined in holy bands of wedlock gratuitously at any time within twelve months, and there are no less than six now to be won, comprisiug Church of Presbyterian, and Wesleyan services. The " West Coast Times" states that the gas-cooking stoves which have recently been imported into Hokitika are highly spoken of by those who are using them, both as regards cleanliness and economy, and we venture to say that they will shortly be found to be more generally used throughout the town. A. gentleman who has had one in constaut use for the past month or two has estimated the cost for. cooking daily for his household at the small expense of sixpence per week. That, combined with the un-

doubted conveniences attending their use, should cause them to be much sought after aa a valuable addition to the furnishing of every family dwelling. A prolonged shock of earthquake was felt at Blenheim at 9.5 p.m. on November 26. The aale of the gates, . booths, &c, for the coming Wellington races realised the large sum of L5lO. Mr H. A. Levestam left Relson on the 30th for Wellington, where he will be examined as to his knowledge of mining machinery. It is generally believed that he will be appointed Sub-Inspector of Mining Machinery. ( News from Poverty Bay states that the prospects of the Petroleum Company are yery encouraging. The manager sunk a shaft for 'water to a depth of 17ft from the surface, and opened a spring yielding from eight to ten gallons of oil per day; j Land is eagerly sought after in Wellington at the present time. On November 24, a number of acres were sold which realised L 2855. [ At Auckland* six imported rams from Mr Kirkland's English flock: have been sold respectively for 42, 34, 23, 65, 24,. and 80 guineas ; a total of 268 guineas for the six Lincoln rams. j The Armed Constabulary have given a complimentary dinner at Auckland to Mr Robert Ternahan, on his retiring from, the police force '•afteir-'a service of' thirteen years.- •'■■ ' ■'■'■ ':' ■■' ■ ■ '■ "■'■ ' ■"'■ ■ : : From October 28 to November 21, 7133. tons of quartz.were" crushed at' the Thames, giving. 82700Z of gold. ; ' . : . ' ; During ; the fortnight '■■, ending November 23, the Queen of Beauty claim, at the Thames,;.; yielded 704|0z-of gold. The shareholders have just received a dividend of. .one hundred and seventy-five pounds sterling each. .. ; • ... -.. : ! A publican,.at Coromandelj: has been fined L4O for selling a bottle of rum anl one of beer to two Maoris.' .'<■' '■':"'' : T-^-.^ &i' ChristchurcE, some o.oys have Jbeea 1 fined ten sliil\ltlgs 'eMii' fo'v tm-tetitiiug,' a newly-married couple. The Resident Magis-^ trate strongly condemned such conduct. I Mr Fi^QOTb^fc,y-B;A^^b^sMr^ law V of the Middle Temple, ' wais" 'admitted last Friday.at Wellingtoa .to practice at the New .Zealand bar! Mi Fitzherbert, who is a nephew of the Superintendent of Wellington, intends practising in Wanganui. ." ■"-' ", -.- An Old Colonists' Association is being started in Southland. 'Twelve years vdsidenGeconsbibukes an'olA cdlon'ißb. , , . Some curiosity is expressed in Wellington as to wEat is likely to be done with the un- . fortunate Lowry Bay; property now that Sir' James JFergussbn has departed. It will be remembered, that a sum of, we think, L2OOO was advanced for expenditure on this pro? perty. His Excellency undertaking to pay interest on it while in the Colony, aud the understanding was that on his departure the property should be told if his successor objected to continue the arrangement. It is considered very unlikely that the Marquis of Normanby will do this. It ia, however, considered very doubtful -whether the interest on this r advauce has ever really been, .charged. : Lurline, instead of being last but one in the race for the Melbourne Cup,' as reported, by telegraph, came in fifth.to the winningpost. " She ran admirably throughout, but when it was found her chance was gone she was not pressed." _ At Mackay's coalpit at Akatore (Otago) coals are sold at 8s per ton at the pit's inoutk and 20s per ton delivered at Tokomairiro. Mr Mackay intends to store 2000 tons at the latter place for whiter use. ■■-.:.. A woman and her three children have been -■tax-aiiy. Tra ;.io~ail at Mackay, Queensland. ; The father found a bottle containing, what . ha believed to b& Epsom, salts, aud some titae after, the mother and daughters (needing medicine) partook of the contents of the bottle. The four of them died almost immediately, for the dose .tney had taken was strychnine . and not salts. . It is reported that the culverts and via- : ducts on the Timaru and Temuka (Canterbury) line, which are made of wood, will be pretty well decayed, and twill almost require \ to be rebuilt, before the railway is opened i for traffic. "Yankee Grab," says the Auckland! Echo," has roceived its death blow. TheOnehunga Magistrate fined a publican for' allowing the " rattling of bones " in his • house — holding that it was gambling within ; the meaning of the Act. Nothing is now; left bub the oIS-fashloned IC odd man out," or the still more antiquated "shake in the hat." - --. ; The " Taranaki News " : thus writes of Maoridom on the West Coast: — "In Maori; districts everything as usual is all behind.' Trap driving, drinking, and T c Whitism ! seems to be the chief occupation of these: people. The " Southern Mercury " thus writes of the gold-fields of Otago :— " The desertion' of our gold-fieldsj which' has been : going on during the past twelve months, and is still proceeding, is a matter of the most serious importance,' demanding the immediate and earnest attention of our statesmen. From our oldest and best-established, as well as our most recent gold districts, the alarming intelligence comes that gold-mining is being 'abandoned by numbers of the trained men who have long pursued it as their occupation, and that a serious and permanent diminution of production must inevitably follow." Turkish. Baths will be opened in Dunedin on. or about the 20th instant, as also a tepid swimming bath attached to the establishment. For the first time in this Colony invalids and others will be able to take advantage of the reviving influence of a Turkish bath. The last monthly parcel of gold sent to Westport from Charleston by the Bank of New Zealand was 1200oz. It is reported in Charleston that a lead of black sand four feet thick, and carrying a good prospect, has been struck at the back of the range running from . the Four- Mile river to Fox's, but the " Charleston. Herald " j Bays the news yet needs confirmation. There is (says the " Westport Times ") a chance of more direct and regular ~. postal communication between Westport and Greymouth being soon an accomplished 'fact. It is understood .that Mr Shrimpton, postmaster, is endeavoring to arrange for a through/inland service via Reefton, and that the Greymouth postmaster is co-operating with him. The tender for through mail service from Wesbporb bo Reef ton . has been accepted, upon condition that it will be performed in one^day, and similar arrangements are being made for the Greymoutb and Reefton service.. T,hus, under ordinary circumntances of passable roads and good weather, the two services should connect, and communication between Reefton and Grey- . mouth be rendered independent of the present uncertain service by steamers. The convenience, to be thus accorded will be veiy manifest. Concrete, as a building. . material, is becoming quite the rage. We are informed, says the " Otago Times,"- that two fine private houses, to cost about LIOOO each, and to be built of concrete, are shortly to be erected in Dunedin, and a private residence also of concrete, for one of our city tradesmen is to be erected during the summer at a cost of upwards of L3OOO. This building will have isorae twenty rooms. Mr Hardy, who is the arohiteot for the foregoing, has <

also in hand plans for the gas works buildings at Mosgiel. which are to be built of concrete, and has jusfc completed a house of the same material for Mr Sinai], of Mosgiel. The house is proof against wind, rain, damp, and rats. We also learn that stone-breaking machines are being energetically fitted up, and others are being imported to supply metal for concrete. As to the cost of building in this way. we find that ' professional men differ. We may say, however, that we know of good three-roomed cottages being put up in this material for slightly over L9O each. It is intended to plant in the Domain at Auckland, every possible representative of the New Zealand forest tree and shrub.