SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

Southland Times, Issue 633, 18 February 1867, Page 3

SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

A meeting of the committee appointed for the i reception of Sir George Grey was held on Thursj day, at the CouncU HaU, Kelvin-street. The.at- ! tendance was numerous. Mr Harvey in the ! chair. It was ehcited that the Government were prepared to supplement the endeavors of the committee in giving His Excellency a fitting reception. It was then proposed to nominate the foUowing gentleman to act as a committee to make aU necessary arrangements — Messrs Paterson, Pearson, Kingsland, M'CuUoch, M'Pherson, Butts, Moore, Law, Buchanan, Simpson, Harvey, MitcheU, Baker, Lumsden, John Koss, Stuart, Scandrett, Webster, Chas Koss, Pratt; and with power to add to their number, seven to form a quorum. The names of Dr Grigor and Messrs T. M. Macdonald and D. M'Arthur were afterwards added. It was decided thatthe first meeting of the Committee ;be held on Friday at 7.30 p.m. During the discussion the foUowing .resolutions were passed. Mr Stuart moved and Mr Kose seconded — "That the town be decorated. 2. That an address be presented to His ExceUency on arrival. 3. That there be a dejeuner. 4. That there he a concert and baU, or either." Mr Lumsden then moved — " That a central committee be appointed, to consist of the foUowing twenty gentlemen, to confer with the Government, and have genoral control over the arrangements for the public reception of His ExceUency the Governor. Mr Harvey was appointed permenant. Chairman j and Mr Ham, Secretary. The annual soiree of the Ladies Benevolent Society took place on Wednesday, in. the Kagged Schoolroom. About 150y partook of tea, the majority being ladies. Unfortunately for the success of the meeting a committee comprising nearly the whole of our citizens to make preparations for the reception of His ExceUency Sir Geo. Grey, held theh* first meeting at the same time. In the absence of T. Watson, Esq., the chair was taken by Mr Gr. S. Crouch, who commenced the meetmg by caUing upon the Key. A. M'Donald to engage ih prayer. The Secretary's reDort, and Treasurer's balance sheet, were then read by the Key. J. T. Shaw, and then* adoption moved by the Key. A. H. Stobo, seconded by Dr Deck, and carried. The Key. A. M'Donald moved the next resolution— "That this meeting recognising the principle of caring- for the poor and needy resolve, to sustain the Committee; in then* endeavors to reUeve.the sufferings of those who may be brought under their notice, by conaued and increased liberality. It was seconded

by the Rev. A-. Bethune, and canned. Mr T. Perkins then moved the third resolution— " That the thanks of this meeting be given to the Committee who have devoted their time and attention to this Society, to the medical gentlemen, for their attendance, to the Amateur Dramatic Club, and to aU subscribers and donors for their support, and to those friends who have provided the tea on this occasion." Seconded by ..Mr C. Rout and carried. Several ladies favored, the meeting with some music and singing. It was stated that six or seven gentlemen had promised to aeliver lectures on belialf of the funds of the Society, and it was expected that others would assist when a programme for a series of winter lectures would be pubhshed. The meeting closed by singing the Doxology, and the Rev. J. T. Shaw pronouncing the benediction. The concluding portion of the evidence in the case of Rodgers v. KingsweU and others, for assault at the late race meeting, was heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday last. Mr McCuUoch, after animadverting in strong terms on the conduct of defendants, fined" the first in the sum of £5, the others* £2 each with costs. £2 7s 6d to go to plaintiff by way of expenses. We notice the issue of a writ of election for the return of one member for InvercargUl in the Provincial CouncU, to supply the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr J*. R. Davies. The nomination of candidates is fixed to take place at the Courthouse on Tuesday, the 26th inst., at noon, and the poU (if necessary) at the same place on Wednesday, 27th inst- We may state that a requisition to Mr John Ross is in course of signature, and that numerous citizens have already subscribed to it. Another addition to our elegant Retail Establishments in Dee-street, has iust been made, by the removal of Messrs Mair, and Garven from Tay-street, to those extensive premises next the Southland Club, formerly occupied by Buttner, and HaUenstien. The warehouse has been fitted up in a style worthy of its central position, and of the business which the enterprising firm named haye transferred to it. A fresh rush upon an extensive scale has taken place near the Haast River, Westland. The Dailp Times has published the foUowing account. It says : — From private telegrams receiyed in town we learn, that a very extensive, rush has set in towards the Haast river, and that hundreds are leaving Hokitika for that neighborhood. The Alhambra, it is said, had left with about four hundred passengers, and the Stormbird and aU the steamers in the port were expected to fiU up for the same destination. A rush to the Haast has fer some time been expected by the residents of Okarita and Bruce Bay, who were acquainted with prospects obtained there ; but the present movement seems to be caused by no very new or definate information. ,'. The steamer Bruce has already been in the Haast, but unless accompanied by some smaU steamer as a tender, the Alhambra would most probably land her passengers in surf boats-or at Jackson's Bay, twenty-five rinles distant. A correspondent ofthe Westland Observer, who visited the Haast as a passenger by the steamer Bruce, writes : — " Viewed from seaward, the Haast has the appearance of a fine river. At the rear of the north beach, wbich is bright, and stated to be as hard as that at Bruce Bay, is a low wooded terrace, and between it and the Mils, other low terraces are said to be, but are not noticeable from seaward. Along the beach a few tents can be seen ; the miners being at work in , that direction as weU as inland. The Haast is said to be a tidal harbor, but appearances would lead to the behef that the influx of t'de must at any time be inconsiderable. So close to the bar as the Bruce lay, the water was perfectly fresh, and, although two-thirds flood, the current was strong out. The appearances of the river seem to indicate extensive freshes j and, indeed, it was stated that they overflowed aU the low land. The channel is wider than Okarita 5 but from the current out, I should expect a heavy bar whenever there was any sea, and it would only be saf for saUing vessels to attempt it with a good breeze at any time. From a telegram under date 13th Febuary, wo learn that the news is unfavorable. - John WiUiams was charged before the Resident Magistrate on 9th inst., with steaUng the sum of £21 5s lOd from the person of WiUiam Harrison. It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutor, on his way into town from the station on which he had been working, met the prisoner, who was hard up, and treated him on the road. They started from Winton together, and after going some distance the prosecutor felt faint, and prisoner gave him some water in his hat. - The prosecutor immediately became insensible, and remained so for three hours, and on regaining consciousness he found the prisoner had left him and his money was gone. Four £l-notes which prosecutor had in his pocket were marked with his name on ths back, and were traced by the police to the possession of the prisoner, he having changed them at various places in town the same evening. On the completion of the evidence, the prisoner made a statement in which he admitted being with the prosecutor, who, he stated, went back a short distance on the road and went to sleep in a paddock. On leaving him, prisoner picked up twelve -jSI-notes, which he had no idea belonged to prosecutor. The depositions having been read over, the prisoner was • committed for trial at the next criminal sittings pf the Supreme Court. A very splended lot of rams haye^ been consigned to Mr P. M'KeUar, from Tasmania; the stock is' of a very superior description, pure bred, and was originaUy imported to Tasmania from Q-ermany. They are reaUy beautiful animals, and well worthy of inspection ; they wiU arrive n town in a few days. By the arrival of the Witch of the Tees, we perceive that Mr Bastion, of Riverton, has made, a present to the Province of five kangaros, together with a number of tench fish. We hope that some' smtable.place wUT be. found for their reception, and that the G-overnment wiU. entrust their keeping to some person acquainted with their habits. ■*-••• Prospecting parties still seem to be vigorously prosecuting the search for gold, in the neighborhood of the present Riyerfon diggings, and along the shore of the strait to the westward. From a private letter from Orepuki, we quote : — " H left here three weeks ago in a boat, bound for Price's boat harbor, thiirfy or forty mUes west of this place. There were seventeen of them,; and theh' object was to prospect the beaches about there. They ,are expected; back daUy, as they had only.three weeks 'tucker' with them. There -is another party over the 'Waiau, at a place called Mussel Beach. They have been out six weeks.. It is beheved they 'have struck payable ' gold, and some of the ' knowing ones ' assert they are sure they have, haymg arranged,a* system of< ■ • smoke signals with them before they left ; however, we shaU know all about it in a few days more. We learn that the lawyers of WeUington have had a meeting: ; at- the instigation" of the 1 --Banks,, to prepare an appeal to the Supreme Court on the Stamp Act. > The point is; whether BiUs drawn out of the Colony before the first day of January, , and accepted: in- the. Colony rafter- that date, require to be stamped. .

li appears that another, and, as lar as a 8 distance ia concerned, a better *oute from the Pacific to the Atlantio than- that of Panama; has heen set ont, and that the completion of the Imperial Mexican Ra lway wiU render this muoh the best traok from Sydney, China, San Franoisoo to New York or Europe. The comparative distances are set down by the China Mail at the following figures: — Sydney to Liverpool via Otaheite, Sihuatanejo, Mexico, Vera Cruz, Cuba, and Azores, 13,500 mUes j Sydney to Liverpool via Otaheite, Panama, and Azores, 14,000 mUes ; Hong Kong to Liverpool, via Sandwich Islands, Sihuatanejo, Vera Cruz, Cuba, and Azores, 13,650; Hong Kong to Liverpool, Panama rmte, 14,500 ; San Francisco to New York, via Sihtfatanejo and Vera Cruz, fifteen days, 4260 ; San Francisco to New York, via Panama, twentytwo days, 5260. It is considered probable that the raUway, of whioh tho portion between Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico' is already completed, wiU be finished to the Pacific seaboard by 1870. The Saltwater Diggings (says the Grey Hiver Argus of the 19th ult.,) have again grown into importance, recent discoveries of a very valuable character having been made. The most important rush in this neighborhood appears to be to that known as the " cement lead," a continuation of which has been found on this* side the Saltwater Creek in a direct line. Regarding the latter rußh, it appears that some Welshmen have been working on the quiet there for some time, and preferred to remain incognito rather than apply for a prospecting claim. However, their secret became known, and they then came into town to obtain a prospecting claim, and application for which was made by one Evan Owen on Thursday. By tfhfa time» Ko-rt-oTor-,-tl»» g«>-a^a had been rushed, and the Warden could not, in the face of the disputes it woidd occasion, grant an extended claim to the prospectors. We learn that the population has increased largely during the last 24 hours. The police estimate the population on. the various leads at 6000. The New York Tiwes informs us that Mr Peabody passed through that city on his way td Baltimore for the inauguration of his institute, to which he has made a further gift of 500,000 dois. He has also just presented 150,000 dois.' to Haryard University for the foundation and maintenance of a museum and professorship of American archseology and ethnology. The field is most interesting, and has been little explored. Fortyfive thousand doUars are to be invested in a. fund, the income to be apphed to the t coUection of antiquities relating to the early races on the American continent. The income of a Uke sum is set apart for the support of a professor of American archaeology and ethnology in the University ; and the remaining sum of 60,000 dois. is to be invested as a buUding fund for the erection of a ; suitable fire-proof museum buUding. Nearly half the. time which Mr Peabody took from his duties in England has expired. It has been largely, devoted to the working out of his plans for the disposal of an estate which he seems to regard as a providential trust for the improvement and elevation of his race. His example has, in at least one instance, proved beneficial. Mr Alex. T. Stewart, one of our own milhonaires, and one who, like Mr Peabody, is the sole architect of his immense and accumulating fortune, is preparing to give a million" of doUars for the benefit of the poor of this city.