Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 182, 14 March 1867, Page 2

A. public meeting ;Will take place this evening at the Religious Institution Rooms, for the purpose of electing a member of the Improvement Committee, in the room of Mr James Fisher, resigned. '.':■ The election, by ballot, of thirteen members of the Hospital Committee for the ensuing year will take place to-morrow, at Kilgour's Hotel. The poll Syill commence at 2 o'clock, and will close at 5 p.m. „. We are requested to mention that all the entries for the' forthcoming races must be made at Kilgour's Hotel, ti • norrow evening at nine o'clock.: . ' The annual meeting for the purpose of receiving the report of the Hospital Committee for the past year and. electing a new Comlnittee was held at Kilgour ? s Hotel last evening, "We are compelled to withold ? our report of the proceedings until our next issue. We are sorry that the amateur dramatic performance by the members of the G. V. Brooke Dramatic Club at the'Theatrc Royal on Tuesday night was only^thinly attended. This was the more to b 3 regretted seeing tllPithe acting was, really cxceilfcut, several of the players evincing great proficiency.^ We understand it is the intention to give a special peiiormance on Saturday evening, 16th inst., for the benefit of tho widows and orphans of those lost in the Star of the Evening. We trust this chiritable object will secure a large attendance. .. . The following the copy of a letter, ad dressed to his Honor the Superintendent, by the Chairman of the Imprbyeinent Gommittee :;—-': Greymouth '.:■' 13th March, 1887/ Siri— The Improveaiant Comuiittee; for this township, hearing that your Honor has been | J uvited to the (ptitirgof the Oi'eyinouth and

Saltwater Creek Tramway on Saturday next, the 10th inst., beg most respectfully to draw your Honor's attention to the great boon that would be conferred to the public aud tho town, if arrangements could be made by your Honor, for the free passing over the bridge in Arney street, before the races, to be held during the followiug week. Trusting this will meet with your Honor's favorable consideration, I Lave the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant (signed) John Arthur Whall, Chaii man of the Improvement C'lmmittoe. To h,i§ Honor the Superintend;ent for the Proviiice of Canterbury, Hokitika." As an instance of the set of the current on this coast the West-port Times states that a few days ago, a. man named Paddy Hughes picked up a bottle tea miles of north of the i Karamea, which was thrown overboard from the Claud Hamilton on the 9th March, 1866, just about a year ago, when that vessel was off the Grey. The person putting it into the water requested information as to its recovery and our contemporaries will possibly republish this item in order to afford it. We are glad to notice that the brethren of the Mystic Craft Contemplate the formation of a Masonic Lodge in Greymouth. A meet' ing of the brethren is announced to be hold this evening at Johnston's Melbourne Hotel, at which a full attendance is desired; We, understand that two lodges have been formed* in Hokitika, The Superintendent of Auokland lately paid a, visit to Waikato to make arrangements relative to the confiscated land about to be offered for sale in the district. The Jlerala] says the arrangement made is, "that ablock of some 20,000 acres in extent has been set apart for any possible contingencies which may arise in the way of compensation to le hereafter awarded— the remainder as advertised for sale . aud selection, will be open to the public, and any person selecting will be entitled to receive the usual Crown Grant, free of any reservation whatever." A notice of which the following is a copj', appeared in a Gazette, signed by the Superintendent :— '" Statements having' been made to the effect that the Land 3in the Waikato District to be offered for sale on the 12th and 13th March next, will be sold, ' subject to native claims,' I give notice that the said lands will be sold free from all claims whatever, and that Crown Grants in fee. simple, free from incuuibrauces, will be issued to the purchasers. The plan of the district, exhibited in the-Survey-office, shows as accurately as can be without complete surveys, and the published litho. graphic sketch map shows approximately, the lands for sale. " The usual weekly meeting of the Improve mftnt Committee took place on Tuesdayevening, at the the tramway offices. There were present- -Messrs Whall (chair), s*Moore5 * Moore sic. ), Kennedy, Kenrick, strike, Hughes, and Comiskey. No important business was i transacted, as several of the members had to attend other meetings. A resolution was carried, instructing the secretary to communicate with his Honor the Superintendent, | and ask him, if possible, to throw the Arney street bridge open on the occasion of his i Honor inaugurating the opening of tho Grcy-mbut-h and Saltwater Tramway on Saturday next. It was also resolved that the members of the Improvement Committee should attend the meeting at the Court-house on Friday, for the purpose of choosing a delegate for this district in the proposed Mining Commissioner. The West Coast Times publishes the latest news from the. Haasfc River : —"The Haast ' still continues to wear the same sombre aspect, and the steamer that forwards this letter will also carry several of the late Haast storekeepers. As is usually the case in all rushes, accounts and rumors are constantly being circulated to the effect that 'new and favorable ground lias been found,' but when the expectant and anxious miner wends his way to the supposed wealthy claim?, it too often happens that his patience and trouble are rewarded by the intelligence— 'This is another duffer.' At the; Four-mile diggings things ara somewhat more cheering, as most of the claimhoklers are now ; b\\sy washing up, and in seme cases the ground ha 3 been worked with great advantage, two claims yielding .as much as from L 25 to L3O. per week each. It is greatly to be hoped that the diggings of ; the Haast district are not exclusively confined to that locality. The establishment of a postoffice has given universal satisfaction. I regret to relate that two poor fellows were crossing the river the other day, aud the cursent carried one off his feet and out to sea. It is believed that he was seized with an epileptic fit. Diligent search has been made for his body, but, up to the present, without success." . ... '■ . ■ We learn from ourlatest Melbourne papers that Scott, the murderer, is to'be hanged at Sydney on the ISth instant. Comiell, ;the murderer of the constable has been respited, , and is to be imprisoned for life, the. first three in irons. The new Victoria Tariff Bill has. been passed; • ? ■■: We learn from the Went Coast Times . of Tuesday, that a case of highway robbery has occurred on the track to the Ho ho diggings. It appears that a man named Alexander King, was engaged by Mr Welby, a storf keeper at the Three-mile Creek township i to drive his team of pack-horses to and from Hokitika, and commenced Jiis duties yesterday^the work having been before that time performed by Mr Welby himself^ who was also in the habit of bringiug down, every Monday, cash and gold for banking. His health failing compelled him to forego the excessive labor of making several journeys a week along such a track, and he accordingly hired King, whom he yesterday, for the first time, despatched to town, with the unladen horses, and shortly afterwards Btarted in the same direction with: his weekly accumulation. King travelled the track unmolested until within a mile of the beach, when he was met; by two men; one having in hand a gun, the other; either, a loaded whip or heavy stick. The latter abruptly accosted him by exclaiming, pL Q}1 1 ? r^ ® 3Lts -.ihau I want; this r is the grey %^, * and iramsdiately knocked the poor ferar^ovvii Ly 'a blow with the

whip that quite smashed his nose, and laid ] the cheek open nearly to the ear. He was, v . of course, rendered insensible, -and on recovering found that the scoundrels had rifled his pockets, which fortunately oontained only halfia-crpwn, a meerschaum pipe, and a knife. Being still Bemi-unconscious he remained upon the ground, and in that position was discovered by Mr Welby, who, becoming aware of the circumstances, mounted one of the horses and hastened to communicate with the police iv town, ha\nng first placed on horseback his unfortunate employes, who ! followed afea more leisurely pace. Mr In- | spector Brollm at once took the most active measures tb^^est the highwaj'men, a strong body of police being despatched to scour the country, preceded by mounted Sergeant Beatty, who made for the Three-mile track, and on foot pushed into the bush -on either side hoping to find some traces of the fugi tives. They, however, had decamped, leaving no trace behind, but as we understand their appearance has been accurately described by King and other persons who saw them, there is every likelihood they will be speedily cap turned and brought to. justice. When King arrived in town he was placed under the care of Dr Dermott, who pronounces his wound to be severe, but not dangerous, and anticipates his entire recovery in the course of ten days or a fortnight. . >T At a meeting of the Church of England .Committee, held on Monday evening, there were present, Messrs ReveH(chair), 'AVorth, Bowen, Coates, Wiekes, ° Tyler, Bain Kcnrick^ahman, Payne, F. Fisher, Rathe (sec.) The Building Committee, haying reported, that upwaids of L3OO had been subscribed, resigned, Mr Tj'ler move that all monies collected, or to be collected, towards building a church in Greymouth, and vested in the trustee?, Messrs Bain and Revell, be appro-;. j>riated in such amount as may bethought tit for that purpose by the General Committee of the Church of England, with power to appropriate a small sum to improve the reserve. Mr F. Fisher seconded the resolution, \yliich was, however, lost, Mr Kenrick prtposed, and Mr Worth seconded, "That this meeting do delegate to the Church Committee all the necessary power for the disposal of the funds already collected or that may hereafter be collected for the building and establishing of* the Church of England in Greymouth." The building is to be commenced as speedily as possible. •: ... ■ ■ ■'--.'.'■■.■ i The Wettporl Times of Saturday last supplies the following mining information :-— Our mining news during the week is, of a very scanty character, and is worthy of no lengthened notice. At the Karame;v the population is steadily and profitably at work, but the numbers have only very slightly increasjd. A t little Wanganui the same tucker ground holds well out, but there are not more thnn from sixty to seventy at work. The Wai'.nans.'i.roa difficulties seem to have , frightened many from attacking them, but those at work are quite contented aad in high spirits. They are getting gold in small i quantities all the way down, and have every I confidence that they will yet.be fully rewarded for their labor. Up the river many arc doing excellently, and some very good parcels of very heavy gold 'have come ddwii recently. It will, we venture to predict, be proved that up tho Buller the best gold-field in the Nelson district will yet be found, and as is already known, the heaviest gold' has been got from there. The Pahiki i 3 doing very well, and parties arc now partially testing the intervening ground, but we have, not as yet heard with any success. The Charleston Argm says :— Mr Commissioner Kyiuiersley has gone to Nelson for the purpose of making arrangements respecting the forthcoming ejection of members for the West Coast, and on his return we may expect to know hnw the membsrs are to be apportioned. In the Electoral Act two members are-- provided for the Cobden and one for the Bailer district, for at the time the amendment was passed neither • Charleston nor Brighton were in existence,; and of course it was impossible to fforcsee that such centres of population would be so soon founded. As to Cobdcn itselfj it would be ridiculous to send two members from it, and a readjustment of the Act must necessaril3 r take place. We. do not know what power th c Executive possess in this matter exactly! but if they are pernitted to vary it as seems most equitable, this, to our 1b inking, would be : to give to Cobdcn and Fox's one member, and to Charleston and Buller'didtricts one each. Speaking of the withdrawal of the trpop3 from New Zealand, the well-informed Wellington correspondent of the Daily Timex says : — The 18th Regimen t^ "with some odds aud ends, will remairi'in the ; Colony. This .regiment's time is up in a couple of year 3, but a3 it is essentially au Irish regiment, isuppose it is considered desirable that it should: be as far removed from Fehianvtemptation as possible. I often hear sad accounts 6f*\vb (at sometimes goes on among the nieri'of this regiment. What ha\>pened the other day on the West Coast may be taken as a sample. A man was ordered to receive fifty lashes, and while- being tied up to receive themj swore at his ofiicers withov t intermission. When twenty-five had been given, the swearing was transferred (not unnaturally) to the doctoi s orderly, who cleansed his back with salt and water, preparatory to the infliction of the second moiety. When the same briny process had been .gone through at ihe^ cbnclji-: sion, and theanan was ordered iritb.thehospital, he'dbubled up his fists to thj officer in command, oifering -to take ; fifty lashes more for two bottles of rum ; aiid refusing assistance, put on his coat and walked off. During the uterview between the Superintendent and the Hokitika, Corporation the following conversation is reported to ■-.'; have ■.occurred ;_ — Thje Mayor said the next question was with reference to an increased number of representatives for Hok4-: tika in^ ;tho Provincial ' Council .; His Honour thought a Reform^ Bill was required. could not say anything, without consulting his Executive, but his: own, opinion- was cer-; tainly not in favor of increasing the uuinber of representatives ; they alraady had a House of forty-three; The right plan to adopt would be to reduce the number Ksprcscatativcs hi

Bomoof the Eastern constituencies, and in: crease them here. He;- would ioertainly not sanction any increased number of the Provincial Council dxuing, his tcrpi of- olh'ce. THe expenses were very great indeed'; aiid besides there was no guarantee that this population would remain. Mr Cassius— True; and you are doing little to ...-induce, them to remain. His Honor— What do you wish us to do ? Mr Cassms— Let them h;;vc i land- to settle on : lsase them land. His j Honor would not do that, but would be williug to assent to any proposal to sell it. He would be *ad viscid by the Commission, but would not be bound by it. Tho land here should, he thought, be divided into three classes. The first, sold at a fixed 'price, subject to 110 conditions whatever ; the second sold, allowing diggers the right to mine on paying for whatever damage they might effect ; and the other division should not be sold at all, bufc might be leased partly. He wished to see the land settled ; for certainly so long as they only trusted to mining alone by an unsettled population, their town would collapse. Mr Cassius urged that a larger amount of revenue would be raised by leasing land than by selling it. .His Honor expressed' his dislike to that course, and thought a large area of land could be safely sold, after an examination by some person, in whose judgment the public would feel satisfied, that it did not contain gold. .' ; . We. take the following from our Hokitika contemporary's issue of Tuesday :-—^ To Grey mouth will be assigned the honor if the inauguration of the District Court of Westland, Mr Judge Clarke will bold his first .sitting there for the trial of civil cases, on Tuesday, the 2nd proximo. The following— so f?ir as we understand— are the judicial arrarigewents. >-=.A Court will be held monthly at Greymouth,. for trial of civil cases only, opening on the first Tnesday iv each mouth. A Court will also beheld monthly iv Hokitika (in the Supreme Court buildings) for civil issues. Every two months his Honor will hold a gaol delivery in Hokitika; to which place all orime cases will have.tobe sant down. The times of sitting are fixed as follows :--Hokitika, the third Tuesday in every month, commencing with crhniual and ending with civil cases set downfor hearing ; Greymouth, the first Tuesday in each month, for the hearing of civil suits only. His Honor's jurisdiction, we believe, extends to /8200 civil cases, and to criminal cases -in which the penalty awarded by law doe 3 not exceed a sentence of four years. We assume that his Honor lias 'full. 'jurisdiction in Insolvency cases, subject only to an appeal to the , Supreme Court. How far the tipp.dntmejjt of Mr Clarke will effect the extended jurisdiction of the Resident Magis^ tratu's Courts, is a question still open to discussion." Tho skeleton of a man ..has been found northward of the Karamea, and is supposed to-be that of the late. J. P. Robinson, Esq., Superintendent of Nelson, who was drowned in the Buller about two years ago. The following accbiint- is from the Wedpovt Tfiiies ; - " Some diggers from the Karamea started on a prospecting tour to the Heaphy, and from there cross-.-d.to the Big River, about 30 milesfrom the Karamea; They thcrecame to a sort : ni bight where were some large rocks, undar a high cliff or bluff. They there found the skeleton of a man lying, and iv the vicinity two pistols, very rusty, and a tin billy. Close lo the skeleton was a bundlevof letters and papers. which ;! 'hail .evidently been saturated for a length of lime in water, and which had a'3o been torn to pieces by rats. The wati^r had reudered the writing whully ! or quite 'illegible; but on oue piece the words; William liobinsou could be distinctly made out. The clothes were all gouo with the exception of part of the trousers and the boots. The trousers were of dark tweed and ; the boots were napoleons, but both were of a superior kind, and not like those usually worn by miners or prospectors. After carefully exainining everything that could lead to ideutification, they buried the remains Avith the papers aud other articles, and oil their return to the Karamea, sent down : information to the>police here.. Sergeant Eranklyn : at once despatched two constables to tlie spot, M'ith instructions to disiuter the bonesi^ carefully.measure the height ;as; far as they, could judge, aad note particulars of any other kind that could lead to identifying the deceased. They were also instructed to bring the papers of every description^ as though present illegible possibly by the aid of the microscope some further clue could, be got' After doing this they were to again btir^ the; remainsaud mark the ; spot. Tiiey xday>be expected back : to-day or : to^oxrow^ SvHen the sadv mystery niay be possil)^ xleireA^p! It is thought that they are the remains of the uufortuuate gentleman above mentioned, and that they, have been washed up at some extraordiuariiy ;high tidei>witli probably a heavy westerly o gale of wirid [blowing, for theywere but; very; Jifctle above present high water mark: The pistols and billy are not supposed by Sergeant Franklyu to hava be. longed to the deceased, but to have been dropped by other parties. - The relics of the clothes. are those, usually Vworu by those in the higher vyralks of life, and it is very improthat a miner wpHld have worn them . In addition to this, no mining tools of any description: were near, and if it had been a prospector this would have been the case. It is hardly probable that the deceased, whoever he was, could have lost his way, as there is no track near, aud it is quite possible for the bpdy to have been carried by the strong northerly current that sets on this coast, and after being in^ the water some time, eventually cast up under the circumstances above named. '..: 6rie thing is certain, that the deceased, whoever he was, belouged to the higher' class, and the supposition that the skeleton is that'of Mr Robiusou is at least a iJvery; probable one." . : ; ; - A most serious assault was, committed on Monday by a black cook -at tlie^Pro-; vincial Hotel, Hokitika, upon Annie i&eian, housekeeper at the sauie establishments It appears from the account givon^by tlue-; West Coaft :' r^^^u : at''th.c:.' housekeeper sion ta scold the cock for riegfect wuen he Avitbout more ado closed; and locked both ■;. ■:;■;: :: :/: n/^'^,-^.1^

doors,, and swore he would murder her if i^^H made any complaint, and then advanced /t^^M wards her iv; so threatening a manner tbafl^H being naturally alarmed, the brave girl stod^H upon the defensive, and when the villain caml^M within reach knocied him dowh. He imme-^M dutely regaiued his feet, aud seizing '•'*' meiii^H knife rushed upon his victim and inflicted tv'w ghastly- wound upon her right breast, ani - throwing her down attempted to accomplish* \\ hi 3 murderous intent. She^ greyer, fought i desperately, meanwhile scre|^fealQud iosMk assistance, and her cries beiig^^t^y- at '"^ butcher named Skeen (vrhos«^^^|j^i^3: ..."' the kitoheri), he hastened t(^ '^' of such au outcry; audfin^i^pelUoop '„,-'• locked, b\irst it open. The^woulo^be jiat^ derer, knife in hand, imniediaj^y|^MJHw^ the new coiner, and made a him, but the Utter avo '^ip^^Hn door, which received the Mw^^^^^Hn! being driven half through t&||^^^^^Hg'' advantage of this di version |||^^^^^|m(> : poor girl regaineel her feet^^^^^^^^^p door rushed into the passag^^^^^^^^Be^ ; • diutely followed and oaugU^^^^^^^H^ j| who agaio threw her dowir|a^^^^^Brar j\ twice in the back. By thji|||^^^^^HjraL > ' was thoroughly alarmod,|^^^^^^^EKu -: persona hastci.ed in the '^^^^^X)' ■; the.scoundiel left his victlm^^^^^^^Epje : 'sea-beach, casting knif Jj^^^^^H^ie : sons, and being hardly pressl^fpmngll^pto the surf, and absolutely s^^^jatside the break aud there remained a^ajreiitl y (juitc at home in. tlxe .Avater. Infonnat^?^ what had taken place having been eon^y^l|toitKrcamp f seyeial constables were dje^J!p^e<i|ita r tha .'"'; sscqc, who, keeping Vin^p^ih view, fol* : lowed him as he swam.^and. was carried ;.? northwards by the current. Arriving abreast % the Monteßuma (a distance of nearly a mile) ? he showed signs of exhaustion, and made for the shore, -but seeing the beach covered with ;.;• people, a.ll eager for his capture, he hesitated,^ iv his approach, and appeared inclined to pufe^M to sea again. At this juncture of affairs, g r S r constable Kice (the Police Court Order|||j||^ volunteered to swim after him, and a l^fe?^ line being fortuuatelyathand, it M'asat^cn^^ to the ' constable's waist, who ; dashed into the surf, and being a J|fj|Bf swimmer, soon reached Vincent. -^-J^^^P? ate 3trugglc ensued, Rice clinging t° ;^^B|[ \rith bull-.dojii tenacity, the ot ' iera^H| ately stru<rgling to free himself, b^^^^B being several times covered by rolled in. Seeing that the c°u3m|^^^B secured the n\an, tho^pn shore C^^^^K hauling in the line, wmch. beings^^^^tt rotten, broke, but, fortunately, a^^^^M tnnce only from fclie first man hold^^^^HE young fellow named Morgan °^^^^^^B mishap, made a dash at the f n fj^^^H| caught just as it was disappearinj|^^^^Hj| aud being aided by a score of wSj^^^^Ki succeeded iv hauling the two "ll^^^Hbj until tli^wnn^ wjvinan could a J^^^^^K dence agaiiisfel«ira^^fShl;h<iving b^^^^^B upon hy'tifil^^^'m^^voM^^^m (lin«erously|bßt^^M^h'iapj|^^^K fat.illy wound^Vf^ajM^^n^fe^^^^Pp' J observed Vincent t^\lr;.iiisM^^^B| formidable weapon, iitcins in length, and i^'B^M^^H^ six inches from the point. "^jaH^Hfj 1 1 net of Constable lucc,is.fl^^^^^n highest praise, as h e plac(J^^^^^^j the most innnineut j^Qpai^^^^HK