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Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2251, 26 October 1875, Page 2

It is reported that Messrs Cameron Brothers' tender for the conveyance of the mails between Greymouth and Hokitika for the next two years has been accepted, and Messrs Cassidy and Clarke are said to be again the contractors for mail conveyance between Hokitika and Christchurch. The mail coach made a start from Reef ton to Greymouth on Monday morning, but it was impossible to pursue the journey, in consequence of the heavy rains during the. previous night. The coach returned to Reef • ton, but at half -past two in the afternoon a second start was made. The Westland portion of the Suez mail is expected to arrive by Wednesday's coach from Christchurch. Mr Greenwood, as Chairman of the Local School Committee, advertises for applications for three appointments in the Greymouth School— the office of head master at a salary of L3OO per year, that of second master at a salary of Ll5O, and of mistress at a salary of LIOO. Mr Ben Osborne's sweep on the Melbourne Cup will be drawn this (Tuesday) evening at nine o'clock. The tickets are all disposed of, and twenty per cent, premium can now be readily obtained for them. Of course every ticket-holder expects to draw a horse, notwithstanding that the chances are over twenty to one against his doing so. Not a, few are making certain that they are to win the first prize, and have been building "castles in the air" respecting the best mode of investing the L9OO. The most generously disposed ticket-holder we (West Coast Times) have heard of, is one who has promised to add to the present empty chest of the District Hospital the sum of LSO out of the first prize. The San Francisco mail closed at Grey mouth on Monday evening, and it was expected that the Charles Edward would sail at five o'clock, but there was a sudden and unfavorable change in the weather, and her departure was postponed until this morning. There is still time for her reaching Nelson to tranßbip the mail to the steamer which proceeds to Manukau, should she suffer no unusual detention at Westport. A meeting of the Committee of the Greymouth Literary Society was held last evening, preparatory to the general meeting of the subscribers to be held to-night, at eight o'clock, when the annual balance-sheet and report will be presented. Among the large and varied cargo brought to this port by the schooner St. Kilda, there is a quantity of quartz-crushing machinery for the Fiery Cross and Energetic Goldmining Companies, Inangahua. St. Patrick's new school was opened on Monday under the mastership of Mr Ahearn, by whom the school has been successfully conducted for several years past. The situation of the school is an admirable one — healthy and convenient, and it is surrounded by a spacious play-ground. The building has one great advantage for the purposes of a school-room in being high-walled and well ventilated. It is altogether creditable to the community who have mainly contributed to its cost, and is a considerable ornament to the architecture of the town. Since the .departure of the Rev. Mr M'lntosh for Canterbury, the pulpit of the Presbyterian Church in Greymouth has occasionally been occupied by the Rev. Mr Hogg, by the Rev. Mr M'Nichol, of the Wesleyan Church, and by Mr Short. It is understood that for the next three Sundays the Rev. Mr Hogg will officiate, and the Rev. Mr Douglass, of. Christchurch, is expected to succeed him for a few months. . The Duvalli Sisters gave another entertainment at the Volunteer Hall last evening, and to a full house. The promised dancing of what is called the "Can-can" was probably the particular circumstance which drew such a large attendance, but more on account of its novelty in these remote parts than of any presumption as to its impropriety. It was introduced as the conclusion to the petite comedy of "Magic Toys," and on a stage which is rather petite and patched up for a full exhibition of theDuvallis' powers as dancers, but even under the disadvantages of limited space and proximity to the spectators, the dance was danced with such extraordinary skill and elegance of posturing that it was vociferously applauded, and there was nothing discoverable in the '. dance, or in the description of applause, to warrant either being pronounced question- ' able in the matter of propriety— nothing ' nearly so questionable as some .portions of the dialogue in the same entertainments. Both performers were brilliantly ( attired, and danced the dance as it is commonly done on the stage— not, of ! course, in the style of the casino. Both, '' but_ especially the elder, effected some extra- I ordinary acrobatic feats for which the feminine frame is usually supposed to be too deli- ] cately organised, but the Duvallis have been J too long and skilfully exercised in their art 1 to effect what with others might be feared c - compound fractures, or dislocation of the 1 limbs The company purpose proceeding 1 this week to Ahaura and JKeefton, previous t to which they give one more performance in a Greymouth. „ • 1

The Juvenile Good Templars of Greytnouth have formed themselves into a Cricket Olub, and have secured subscriptions sufficient to enable them to purchase the necessary implements. The local paper says it is rumored that Mr H. Smythies will woo the Mount Ida constituency at the ensuing general elections. Mr White, M.H.R., returned to flokitika, from Wellington, on Saturday. It is Btated by the West Coast Times that Mr White has not yet decided whether he will seek reelection for one of the two seats which the district now possesses. ; It is contemplated forming, at Kanieri, a contingent company of the First Westland Rifles. Corporal punishment of school children is apparently not appreciated by some parents in the . Arahura district. At the last meeting of the Local Committee, tho following letters were read and received :— From Mr Williams, complaining against Mr Moore, late teacher, at whose hands the writer alleged that his child had received an unmerciful beating, aDd praying that the Committee would put a stop to such nigger driving. From John Henderson and H. Newrick, protesting against the use of the cane in Mr Dawson's school, Stafford, Mr Newrick stating that his girl was too big to be beaten. Hokitika is now to have its Spelling Bee, the object being to aid the funds of the local Rifle Company. It is appended to the advertisement that Messrs Johnson and Webster will attend — " under cover. " In the civil case of the Municipal Corporation of Hokitika v. Chesney— a claim for wharfage— Mr FitzGerald. R.M., has given judgment for the defendant without costs, and with an appeal allowed. Okarito has still some hopes of its future being better than its dull past. The local correspondent of the West Coast Times says: — "Some little excitement was caused in Okarito "lagt. week through M'Kew and party applying for an extended claim at the forks of , the Okarito river. M'Kew and party have for some time past been driving into a terrace at this place, and last week came across some richer dirt than usual; and they at once applied for an extended claim. A few more miners have gone to this place within the past week, and from what I hear there is no doubt that a lead of payable gold is running into the terrace at the forks of the Okarito river." Is it possible? Lately, in the Resident Mogistrate's Court, Oamaru, Mr O'Meagher said he did not believe there was a town in New Zealand in which the women had more slanderous tongues, One of the oldest residents and most promising public men in Auckland, Mr A. Clark, died suddenly on Sunday week. He was a member of the first Municipal (Jouncil of Auckland, and the first Mayor of the city ; also at one time a member of the Provincial Council and of the General Assembly. In a case of sheep-stealing in Christchurch the first instance occurred of the animals themselves being brought into Court. His Honor felt that the Jury could not understand the evidence of a witness giving a description of the brands without an actual inspection, Messrs R. Cowan and Co., of Dunedin, have started % new industry in the manufacture of electric bells. At home these bells are in general use in all the large hotels and public offices, and are found to be an improvement on the old-fashioned arrangements. Independent of their advantages in drawing the attention of. attendants, they can also be used as fire indicators, and signals to notify the entrance of burglars into a house either by the door or window. A comic monthly, to be called the Canterbury Judy, is shortly to be published in Christchurch. Some first-rate caricaturists have promised their support. It is stated by the Wellington Tribune that through representation from various quarters, the General Government have consented to expend a sum of LBOOO upon protective works on the Bluff at the mouth of the Wanganui river. The charge of this important improvement will be assumed by the Public Works Department, whose officers will see it carried out. The Disqualification Act clearly defines that in future any member of either branch of the Legislature concerned, directly or indirectly, in any contract under Government, whether the House is sitting or not during the subsidence of the contract, shall be disqualified. Indemnity is extended to the present members of both Houses. It ia declared that the fifth section of the- Act of 1870 shall not apply to Superintendents and Provincial Executives. Miss Clara Stephenson, the favorite of Auckland theatre-goers, has lately been gratifying her audiences in burlesque. Her acting is said to be more refined than once was it wont, while losing none of its spirit, and the dressing of her characters is really very fine. A discovery was made last week that a valuable case of drapery and. jewelry, consigned to Mr Miller, draper, Nelson, per ship Chile, had been opened, and some of the contents, to the value of Ll7O, abstracted. The ship was searched, and a quantity of jewelry fouDd behind the bulkhead. The chief officer, having been selling jewelry of that description, was arrested. During the quarter ended September 30, there were exported from the Colony ! 99,0640zs of gold, valued at L 391.425, as against 76,7830z5, valued at L 349.494, during- she corresponding quarter of 1874. The total amount exported from New Zealand from April 1, 1857, to September 30, 1875, was 7,875,6760z5, and its total value L3d.875.676. The Primate of the Anglican Church, in his address at the opening of the Canterbury Diocesan Synod, made the following reference to the Westland portion of the diocese: — "Westland, though not formally divided into separate cures, practically consists of three, for two of which clergymen in priest's orders have been provided ; and the efforts which are being made in the third" will, I trust, ere long result in the appointment of its clergyman. The church, indeed, in this Western part of the diocese is fast losing, if it has not already lost, its missionary character. Its organisation, in its chief centre of population, is as settled and complete as any of the best ordered cures on the Eastern side, and the interest of the people in the general welfare of the church has been shown by their liberal contributions to that fund which is available for church purposes throughout all parts of the diocese." A child belonging to Sergeant Deane, of the North Dunedin police, was burned to death last week. The child was standing at the fire when its clothes caught, and was 90 severely burned that it died before any assistance could ba rendered. She was six years old. Dr Hector, who has been appointed to represent New Zealand at the Philadelphia Exhibition of 1876, has been now* some little time in England, and has been made much if by the savans at home. Nor is it in England alone that he has (been lionised. The Emperor William has conferred upon him ;he Order of the Grand Cross of the Crown, md otherwise complimented and noticed lim, . I 1

The Avonhead flour mill, Canterbury, was destroyed by fire about one o'clock on Tuesday last. The building was owned by Mr Walter Blake, Riccarton, and was rented by Mr Moffat. The mill and plant were worth about LIOOO, and were insured in the National Office for L 750. Mr Moffatt was uninsured, but wheat being high he had not laid in a very large stock. Within the last week or two several old Rossites who had gone away in search of green fields and pastures new, have (says the Guardian) returned, not having met in their travels anything more lucrative or encouraging than they had left. : It is not generally known that there Exists in South Canterbury an unlimited quantity of the finest marble. The attention of the Timaru Herald has been drawn to:. two splendid samples procured from the Kakahu, and polished by Mr George Munro, sculptor, of Dunedin. One specimen is green, and the other of a dove color, a handsome grain running through eaoh. The marble, of which there are several shades, is equal to the' best Sicilian and French sorts, and it is by far tho best discovered in the Southern Hemisphere. „..:..-. There, was a marked difference between the number of deaths in the Colony from diseases of the respiratory system in the lasb two months, the number having jbeen 33 in August and 22 in September. The mortality last month compared favorably with that in September, 1874, when, with a less population, the number of deaths wa3 only 5 less than in September, 1875. There was a larger mortality in September, 1874, from zymotic diseases (33) than in September, 1875 (25). Influenza caused 12 deaths in the former period, but does not appear among the causes of death in September, 1875. i Referring to the present pedestrian craze, the Auckland correspondent of the Otago Guardian moralises thus :— -We grumble; about a stray eye-glass polisher being sent out amongst the immigrants at the cost of the Colony, and fear his being a future burden upon our charitable institutions, while we encourage a set of pedestrians and horsey chaps by giving them prominence in the daily prints, and providing them with sufficient cash to put up at the best pubs., flash diamond rings, and keep fast horses and faster women. Complaints are made regarding the leniency of Colonel Baker's punishment. He has two rooms furnished at . Horsemonger Gaol, books, papers, and plenty of liquor, and any food he likes. Since the trial it has been disclosed that this is not Colonel Baker's first punishment. Whilst serving in the Ceylon liifles he hid himself in a servant's bedroom,, and was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, but was pardoned by the Governor. Baker's character has never been good. Many years ago he ,engaged himself to a country gentleman's daughter, and the day before the wedding he told her father that the marriage could not proceed unless he got LIO, OOO to pay his debts. He received the money, but failed to pay his creditors. He afterwards obtained money from his father-in-law and squandered it in gambling. A banquet is to be given to Mr Donald Reid, M.U.R, on his return to Otago from Wellington. * •