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Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 71, 31 January 1877, Page 2

The next European mail via San Franclaco aud Suez will close at this office, Reefton, on or about the sth February, 1877Wo have received intelligence from tho Ahaura that the rainfall throughout the uppor portion of the Grey Valley has during the past week been yery heavy. As a consequence extensive floods have prevailed there, the Grey and Ahaura rivers attaining a great height. The Little Grey has also been greatly flooded, and considerable damage has been done to the Keefton'road, which in places has been washed away altogether. We have been requested to remind intend ■> ing contractors that tenders for the erection of premises at Eeefton for the Bank of New South Wales, close on the 3rd proximo. Tenders to be forwarded to Mr J. A. Eissenhardt, architect, Greytnouth. Owing to the flooded state of the rivers, the Rev. Mr Douglas has been compelled to postpone his visit to Eeefton until next weet. He will, however, arrive here in time to hold service and preach, on Thursday and Friday, the Bth and 9th February. Two thousand shares in the Anderson's Extended Company, were yesterday sold by auction by order of the Bailiff. The lot were knocked down to Mr Bayfeild at the rate of £2 10s per quarter. Commenting upon the lutß enquiry into the matter of the Antonio's election, and upon the finding of the Court thereon, the Westport Times says :— " Intending future candidates for County honors should take warning. Sins of omission and commission by Eeturning officers will be visited upon them. It would be interesting to know by what equitable interpretation of the Local Elections Act this decision was arrived at, but on that point our Eeefton contemporary is silent. Clause 55 of the Act provides :— " That the Resident Magistrate may direct the expenses attending any such enquiry to be pnid by the parties petitioning or petitioned ngainst, or in such proportions as he thinks fair, or wholly by one or other of 9uch pa-ties ; and clause 44 of the same A ct also provides that if any Returning Officer or substitute for a Returning Officer is guilty of any wilful or negligent acts of omission or commission contrary to the provisions of the Act, he shall be liable to a penalty of not moie than fifty pounds. It is certainly open to argument that in exculpating the Returning Officer the presiding Magistrate has failed to show that the mere face of the validity of the election being questioned is a sufficient reason for saddling the opposed candidate with costs . Probably he found himself on the horns of a dilemma, the Act making no provision for the payment of coats when neither the " parties petitioned, or petitioned against," are ac* countable for informalities arising in the operation of the Act. It is expected that the Just-in-Time Com* pany will finish crushing to.«d.ay, when a general clearing up will take place. It is believed the product will enable the company to declare a handsome dividend. We learn that ihe patient M Grillicuddy, who was injured in the Alexandra mine on Saturday last, is gradually recovering. In referring to the subject in our last issue, we erroneously stated that the accident occurred :n the Hopeful mine, whereas we shpuld have said the Alexandra mine, for it was in the workings of the latter company that the unfortunate event happened. The County Council will sit tomorrow, when implications will be considered for the appointment of County Olork. Wo bclievo that a large number of applications have been received for the office. In answer to a telogram forwarded yesters clay frum Keefton to the Lyell, it waa stated that the bodies of Eodden and Persini have not yet been found, and it is now feared that all hopes of their recovery are gone. There was s, considerable flood in the Buller Eiver on Sunday last, and it is the belief that both bodies have been swept down to tho sea. It is elsewhere notified that the sittings of the Local Court have been further adjourned until Friday next. The next sitting of the Licensing Bench, at Reefton, will be held in the Court-house, Reefton, on the 6th March next. All applications for licenses must be lodged with the Clerk of the Court at least twenty«one daya prior to the date of sitting. The West Coast Times of a recent date remarks :— The Reefton mines still keep improving as regards gold yield. The dividends declared by three companies during the past week amounted to £7768,. This beats the Bendigo weekly dividends at the present time. It must also bo borne in mind that the above mentioned aum does not represent the value of the gold obtained, for all the working expenses, which are heavy, av3 deducted from the yield. The Christcburch Pits.? wn*e3 as follows regarding the firgfc meeting of tho Selwyu

County Council, of which Mr Rolleston, tho late Superintendent, haß been elected chairman : — The opening was not attended by any rush of enthusiastic spectators. The Speaker's and Strangers' galleries were alike untenanted. The Council met and transacted business under the gaze of an exceedingly select section of the public, numbering, in all, when the excitement readied its highest point, just three persons. We must admit, however, that there was nothing to repay a visit. The three citizens whose interest in things political drew them to the Council room must have found themselves rather bored. The Council had nothing to say or to do that was in the slightest degree worth hearing or seeing, The members refused to go beyond such formal proceedings as electing a chairman or the like, and put off everything of interest or importance for consideration at the next meeting. Perhaps on this fir3t occasion the genius loci was too much for them. To geveral, at all events, the place of meeting ' mast have suggested reminiscences that must have jarred harshly with their present occupation. We can fancy Mr Kolleston, for instance, mournfully calling to mind his past appearance in thafe chamber, sighing over the contrast between this picture and that, and oppressed with a vague conscious- 1 ness that ho was assisting in an act of sacri* legc, as he sat in the very sanctum sanctorum j of provincialism to do the business of a ' county. Mr Tancred, again doubtless cast many wistful glances at the Speaker's chair, I and felt that there was really something rotten in the state of Denmark when that old familiar seat was to be his no more. And Dr Turnbull, whose first speech in the Chamber revived in every sentence memories of bygone Superintendencies, must have been too keenly reminded, as he looked round the deserted Chamber, that " Ichabod," the glory was departed. Such sentiments were natural. That they had any eifect in shortening the proceedings we will not venture to affirm. But whatever tho causes, the Council was not in the humor for serious work. It confined itself to matters of form, and postponed all graver business till tho adjourned meeting. Here (saya the Auckland Star) ia a specimen of telegraphic blunders : — An Auckland message in an Otago contemporary says : — " The trial trip of the Eotomahana, tho first ' entire ' ship of any size built in the colony, came off to«day. A very satisfactory speed was made under easy steam. The engines worked smoothly." We are aware that now-a-daya oteara boats are built in compartments, but it is scarcely likely that part would be turned out of builder's hands in vaiious towns ; besides Auckland has built entire ships for years pas'. Upwards of thirteen years ago Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane had their ' Novelty ' turned off the stocks at Mr Niccol'a building yards, North Shore, and she was an entire vessel, barque rigged, of which any firm, or any builder, or any town might justly feel proudHer carrying capacity and cabin accommodation, her excellent fittings, and her fine lines, made her the admiration of all nautical men in whatever port she visited, whether London, San iVancisco, or tho colonies. She was the pioneer of the trade no.w enjoyed by the owners of the ' Hero.' Her regular trips to Sydney — once or twice within the same time now taken by her steatn successor— and her superior accommodation fov passengers, rendered her a grent favourite, and thoroughly 1 opened up the trade now carried on by the 'Hero.' Of course the requirements of ' Auckland have been considerably augmented ; since then, and she has given way to the march 1 of progress. But our intention is merely to 1 point out and to illustrate tho erroneous idea 1 conveyed in the telegraphic blunder above ' quoted. No doubt the word entire should k read iron.