THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 242, 18 July 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. THURSDAY , JULY 18, 1872.

Yesterday morning's rain lias again drawn our attention to that bug-bear, the Waiotahi culvert. The Moauataiari was formerly the great offender, and its bursting was looked on as the natural consequence of a heavy freshet, but of late it lias behaved well and carried all the water off admirably. Now whenever one of those heavy rain storms, to which our district secerns so subject, comes on the inhabitants of the houses facing the Caledonian Battery run the risk of having their houses Hooded, and their goods and chattels destroyed. A great deal has been said and written with respect to the formation of a proper culvert to carry off the water of the Waiotahi Creek, and his Honor the Superintendent did once actually go so far as to walk over the ground, and consult with Captain Richards and the Engineer of the Highway Board as to the best method to be pursued to get rid of the heavy flow of water which always comes down during a heavy tall of rain, but after this inspection, during which, we believe, sundry promises were made, the subject seems to have been allowed to drop quietly, and the evil is still as great as ever. The so-called culvert at present in existence is simply useless, and badly constructed ; and, as was the ease yesterday, the advent of a heavy rain storm forced the Golden Crown Battery to stop operations, the whole building being Hooded, there being at one time as much as nine inches of water in the office of the company, which is in the highest part of the building. It is utterly ridiculous to think that this sort of thing can be allowed to exist much longer. Pressure must be brought to bear on the Government, and they must be forced, if they will not do it of their own free will, to remedy the evil. That the work must be done by the Government is but a natural conclusion to arrive at, for it cannot for a moment be expected that the Highway Board should be at any expense in the matter, even though numbers of the ratepayers suffer considerably in consequence of the wretched manner in which the present culvert lias been made. The idea of a channel the shape of a Z being expected to carry off a heavy rush of water is absurd, as the very shape of it is sufficient to show anyone that it must become choked in a very short time. And not only do those in the immediate neighbourhood suffer in consequence, but all down Owen and Brown-streets there is a stream of water running actually over the footpaths, which, even when it abates, renders them hardly passable. As we have said before, something must be done, and the sooner it is done the better. A culvert could surely be laid down in such a position that it would carry off the water without Hooding the town, or if such cannot he done, why not make an aqueduct similar to that now being built at the Moanataiari Creek ?

The following cases are set down for lioarat the Warden’s Court to-day : —Hicks v. Minnie and Day, and Hicks v. Minnie. Joel Henry Asher, late of Brown-street, Grahamstown, auctioneer, has been adjudged a bankrupt. The first meeting of his creditors will be held on the 23rd iust. We desire to call attention to the advertisement relating to the adjourned meeting on the Education Bill, which takes place this evening at the Academy of Music at 7.30.

A meeting of the committee appoiutedjon Monday in aid of the sufferers by the late lire was held last evening. A good deal of business was done, of which a report will be found in another place.

The extraordinary meeting of the Calypso G.M.C. was adjourned yesterday to Thursday (this day), tlm 18th iust., at the Courthouse Hotel, at 2 p.m. sharp, at which hour shareholders are requested to attend. We are requested by Mr Mackie, Superintendent of the Grahamstown Eire Brigade,to acknowledge the receipt of £5, from Mr D. Stewart, Shortland, as a slight recognition of the exertious of the Eire Brigade in extinguishing the late fire.

The lit st case of divorce under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, 1870, was brought ou last eyening (Wednesday) before the Chief Justice. The particulars deposed to were of a very painful character, and will be found in another column. —Herald Kauaeranga Highway Board. A special meeting of the Kauaeranga Highway District Board was to have been held last eveniug at the Bendigo Hotel, to discuss the desirability of joining the proposed Waiotahi Municipality, but in cousequeuce of the smallness of the attendance of members no business was done.

A Provincial Gazette was] published ou Tuesday, containing a notification of the resignation of the office of Goldfields Secretary by Mr Jonu Sheehan, and the appointment of Mr H. H. Lusk in Ins stead. Also a number of highway and goldmiug notifications, lists of Crown grants ready for issue, and claims to be heard before the Native Lauds Court, Shortland.

At the Wardeu’s Court, yesterday, in the case of C. S. Brown v. Britt aud others, the Court, gave judgment, decreeing protection void and the ground forfeited, but remitiiug the forfeiture ou payment of £2S within 7 days. In the case of Family v. Grant aud others, the Warden granted plaintiff mi oilier to take pt ssc-siun of the D sraeli claim, subject tii certain tun. el rights beiug given to the Shamrock G.M.C. We very much regret that it was not in our power to give a full report of the very excellent speeches made by the various ministers anil other gentlemen at the soiree licit! on the evening of the llith iustaut, at the Baptist Church, Shorthand, ou the occasion of the recognition of the Rev. Mr Jotics. The want of space alone prevented us reporting the speeches of the Revs. Butlaud aud Williams, and also of Messrs Kcruick, Masou, Mauuers, Turner, aud Reusliaw. We have 10 express our pleasure that the soiree was such -a success. There was a fair muster of the Thames Scottish Volunteers last, evening, for their monthly inspection. The men were put through company movements by an officer of the corps, l'lio result of the match in Auckland was auuounced to the men, and three cheers were giveu for* those members of the corps who have acquitted themselves so creditably at this match, three of whom have made the highest scores. A meeting of the preliminary Building Committee of the Thames 11 ilie Rangers took piece yesterday evening to arrange affairs towards erecting a large hall in Grahamstowu. We are glad that this company have followed the example of the Naval Brigade, as it tends to keep companies more together, aud infuses into their rank esprit do corps.

As usual, when it rains heavily, the inhabitants of Owen and Brown-streets had the pleasure of seeing a creek runuiug down the north-east side of the street. We are happy to state that no serious damage was doue to any property, as the water fell very quickly when the rain ceased. The whole of the ground between the upper bai t of Owenstreet and the timber yard of Messrs Briton and Co. was a regular lake, and the street was for some time perfectly impassable beiug a foot under water.

The further hearing of the iuquiry into the wreck of the brigantine Harriet King was resumed yesterday. The captain, re-called : After the tirst bump ou the reef, the vessel began to leak.—John Taylor, A. 8., lately employed on the Harriet King, being sworn, said : I was attending the lead on the day of the wreck. I heard the captain’s statements read ; I cannot say all is correct. Some of the cargo was put on board the Southern Cross before the sale —two boat-loads of hams and bacon, aud a little flour. We were then working for the underwriters. The boat carried about two tons. There was no drink on board. If the anchor had been let go when in ten fathoms it would have been of use.—C. Laird, A. 8., on board the Harriet King, deposed : I was at the wheel. The captain’s statement, is not altogether correct. In my opinion we were too close in shore. If thu anchor had been let go in time 1 believe she would tmt have got ou shore. — D. W. Hilton, steward ou board the Harriet King, gave corroborative evidence to the last witness. —The Court reserved their decision until noon to-.iay.— Cross.