Greymouth has been proclaimed a Municipality, under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867. The Governor's proclamation, which came to hand last night, is published iv the New Zealand Gazette, of the lGth inst. The boundaries of the new Municipality, as stated in the sohedule, are as follows: — "All that piece or parcel of land situate and being in the County of Westland, bounded on tho west by a line of 160 chains and 80 links, extending from the South Spit along the beach ; thence along the South Town Belt 115 chains and 50 links; thence along the East Town Belt 120 chains and 90 links : thenca along the Native Reserve, number 31, 41 chains 30 links to the Grey River ; aud thence along the River Grey to the point of commencement. " By the courtesy of J. Roger Dntton, Esq.. Warden of the Grey District, who ar lived yesterday from a visit to the new rush up the Ahaura River, we are placed in posse 1 . sion of the following letter on the subject : — " Knowing that miners are anx'ous to obtain some authentic iufoiaiation as to the ground lately discovered in the Ahaura district, I have no hesitation in adopting the somewhat unofficial course of sending you a few ] arti" culars as to the prospecting claim I yosterday granted. The claim is situate iibout a quarter of a mile up Topsy Gully, Avhich runs into Dewell Creek, a small stream flowing into the Ahaura River about four miles from its junction with the Grey. The mouth of the gully is about eight miles up Dewell Creek. The distance of tho prospecting claim from Aliiiura is twelve and a half miles, by tho road past Reed's station and over Pike's run. Tho last two and a half miles are very bad, there being no cut track, but tho rest of tho road is good. Tho stripping on the prospector's claim is from two to four feet, with eighteen inches of washdirt, and a bottom of blue cement. Four small dishes, taken iv different parts of the claim, from the bottom, gave an average of nine grains to the dish. The washdirt all through would give about two and a-half grains to tho dish. Gold had been found, up to last night, in four different gullies. 1 consider there are now 150 men on the ground, aud though I fear anything in tho shape of caution will be useless, I would advise miners not to leave any payable claim, but wait until some further information has been obtained ; as, at present, the most that can bo said of the localuvr is that payable gold on new ground has been discovered. — J. Roger Duttok, Warden." Tho new regulations for mining on private property in Westlaud, a reßumo of which we published a short time since, has boeu gazetted. The telegraph line will shortly be completed to Westport, A station has recently been erected there. The Governmont has received telegraphic intelligence from Napier that the whole of the Maori prisoners of war had escaped from the Chatham Islands, and had landed at Poverty Bay. Captain Biggs with a party of Volunteers had proceeded towards Poverty Bay for the purpose of re-capturing them. Colonel Wliitmoro, who was raising Vohr . teers at Napier, would follow Captain Biggs when he had obtained a sufficient force. Tho Maori prisoners escaped in a whaler. In tho House of Representatives on the 18th inst., Mr Travers asked tho Defence Minister if there was any truth in the rumor that a number of prisoners had escaped from tho Chatham Islands carrying arms, ammunition, &c. Colonel Haultain said that a telegraphic niessago had been received stating that the escaped prisoners had landed to the north of Poverty Bay. It was doubtful whothor they had escaped fully armed, as ! there were only thirty-one stand of arms on I the island. The proceedings in the Assembly on t' c 14th inst. are thus summarised in telegrams from Wellington :—" Tho Government stated they had no intention of nominating Maoris to the Legislative Council until tho result of tho present experiment in the Houso of Representatives had been ascertained. A bill to enablo tho Governor to make regulations for charging a smaller duty on gold from the Auckland goldfiolds will probably bo introduced. An ad interim supply of LI OO, OOO will bo considerod in committee to-morrow. The first division occurred on the repi rt of tho Houso Committee, which recommend the cancelling of Osgood's appointment as caterer at Bellamy's in favour of Donnockor of the Club. The report was carried by a majority of 14 to 8. In introducing the Distillation Bill Mr Richmond said the Government desired to prevent smuggling, by considerably reducing the duty on spirits, and were anxiously considering a substitute on which to make up the revenue. After leave had been given for tho introduction of several law bills, the Houso adjourned. Thero have been no fresh arrivals of members. thirty an absent. '