Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 309, 7 January 1868, Page 2

We are informed that a miner, whose name we have not heard, was killed at Duffer's Gully, by a fall of earth, whilst working in his claim. In consequence of the floods preventing communication with the authorities the man was buricdiSL Telegraphic communication between this town and Hokitika was reopened on Saturday, the necessary instrument to replace that injured by lightning having been sent up from Hokitika. The few days suspension caused serious inconvenience to the mercantile community of Grey mouth, to whom now the telegraph has become as necessary as the post. It was rumored in tcwn yesterday that four men were drowned at Red Jack's Creek, on Sunday, whilst attempting to prevent their water wheel being carried away by the flood. We hear also that a boat accident has occurred at the Ahaura, but we have no particulars of it. Our Hokitika contemporary reports that a smart rush has taken place within the last few days between Stafford Town and Scandinavian Hill. Gold -was struck on a terrace f and some of the miners imagine that a continuation of the Scandinavian Lead has been hit upon. An inquest was held on Saturday before W. H. Eevell, Esq., acting coroner, upon the body of a man unknown, which had been found ou the beach near the Saltwater Creek. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased had been seen going about the Saltwater township iv a state of destitution, and on one occasion had been found standing in the river, and when asked what he was about said that he was looking for some letters of importance. He was thought to be in a cranky state. An open verdict of found drowned was returned. Deceased was a man sft. 7in. high, fair complexion, and dark brown hair and whiskers, and was clad in a shepherd's plaid shirt and dark trousers. It is stated that the police authorities are in possession of what appears to be damning evidence against the man Douglass now in oustoily at Hokitika, on the charge of murdering a miner at the Waimea* Some few links in the evidence are wanting, which, however, are expected to be completed before the prisoner's appearance before the Magistrate. In another column we re-print from the W&sl Coast Times a statement, furnished by the Provincial Auditor of Canterbury, showing the expenditure incurred against the revenues of Westland over the period extending from June, ISG3, to December 31, 1867. One item in that statement must be specially noticed — viz., that of the West Coast Eoad. The enormous sum of L 122.883 13s lOd has been expended on the formation and main, tenance of the road from Arthur's Pass to Hokitika ! The reworking of the tailings and other debris from the old claims on the Darkies' Terrace, North Beach, is being pursued with surprising success. One party, who have brought in a race two miles long, have been able to realise from Lls to L2O per week per man. One of the party assures us that all the debris contains gold in quantity sufficient to pay good wages wherever a good supply of water can be obtained. The coach to Hokitika, which was unable to proceed yesterday, will proceed down today. An extra mail, closing at 9.30 a.m., will be made up at the Post-office for Hokilika. On Sunday evening, Mr Bonar, Gold Fields Secretary, accompanied by Mr Rochfort, District Engineer, arrived from Hokitika for the purpose of inspecting the damage dove by the late floods. Both gentlemen returned to Hokitika early yesterday morning. An inquest was held, on Wednesday, before W. H. Revell, Esq., coroner, at the Australasian Hotel, South Beach, upon the body of Henry Broham Wright. William B. Wright, brother of the deceased, stated, that having heard of the death of his brother at the Wairuea, he proceeded thither, and with the help of his mates searched for the body, which had been carried out to sea along with his boat. He found the body lying on the sea beach about a quarter of a mile north of the Teremakau. After proceeding to Greymouthto inform the police, he brought the body to the Australasian Hotel. Herbert Targett, partner of the deceased in a public house and store at the mouth of the Waimea Greek, known as the Waimea Hotel, stated that on Saturday evening, the 28th December, the deceased left the house about 9 o'clock p.m., to fasten up the ferry boat, the boatman being unwell. Deceased took a small lantern with him. There was a heavy fresh in the creek at the time. Shortly after deceased left the house, witness was called out by a neighbor named O'Donnell to come to the assistance of deceased, who was being carried out to sea in the boat. When witness got down to the creek, O'Dounell said that deceased was all right, and witness saw deceased at this time in the boat in still water alongside the bank. Witness then returned to the house, but was again called by 1 O'Donnell in three or four minutes. Wituesß went down to the mouth of the crook and saw the boat being carried

out into the surf. Could see the lantern in the stern of the boat, which was pitching up and down. Deceased was quite sober so far as witness knew. It was his opinion that . the current had caught the boat and carried carried it out. Deceased would have to get into the boat to pull it up to the mooring post. Duncan Clarke, a baker, living at the mouth of the Waimea Creek, said that afc about nine o'clock on the night in question he heard a voice call out to the deceased that "he was going out to Bea, " Witness got out of bed, and went down to the creek, and called to the deceased by name to try and make the side where witness was. Deceased called out that he was coming, and witness saw him attempt to coss, but the current was too strong, and caught the boat and carried it out, Witness could not have rendered any assistance. Deceased might have pulled the boat up at first without getting into into it. Deceased was perfectly sober at the thne. A verdict of accidental drowning was returned by the jury. It is very doubtful if the census enumerators will be in a position to furnish accurate returns of the population on the diggings. The arrangements for ascertaining the number of miners axroear to have been of the most incomplete and inefficient character — so much | bo, indeed, as to make the census, as regards the population on the diggings, practically valuelesß. For the whole of the scattered digginge on the Grey district only one subenumerator was appointed, find although he may have, and doubtless has, used all due diligence, it is simply impossible that he could have visited all the diggings. Even on the Nelson side of the boundary, where several Bub-enumerafcors were appointed, omissions have been made. A correspondent informs us that in the immediate vicinity of the old township, Nelson Creek, where there are thirty or forty men at work, not a single printed form was distributed. A Wellington telegram in the Christchurch papers states that the prospector Grove reports that the result of his latest prospecting at Terawiti gives from half to two grains per dish ; that there is plenty of water and plenty of washdirt. He is now cutting a tail race to drain the ground intended to be worked. This will be ready in about ten clays. The river Grey has been in a state of flood since Saturday, but did not overflow the bank until Sunday evening, when it commenced to pour into the channel cut by the last great flood along Boundary street. Yesterday although there was not much rain in town, the volume of the river increased, and by ten o'clock in the morning communication between the two township was impracticable except by boat. This continued until evening, , the water however gradually receded, and we expect that to-day the river will have fallen considerably. The following telegram from Wellington appears in the Press of the 2Sth ult : — "Mr and Mrs Fox, and Mr Morrison (the Colonial Agent) had a miraculous escape at St Thomas. In consequence of the danger to which they were exposed they determined to go on board their steamer, and being late for the tug, they put off in a rowing boat. A huge tidal wave foundered the tug and all on board perished. The same wave broke over and swamped the boat, but eventually all who were in it were rescued." We notice by a paragraph in the West Coast Time* that at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Hokitika, Mr Fitzgerald made reference to the new Magistrate's Act, which came into force on the lstiust., in connection with a question of costs which was raised. He stated that he would in future allow onej guinea for solicitors' costs in cases above LI 1 * and under L2O, and three guineas in case above L2O. He added, that undei certain circumstances, but not as a rule, he would allow a guinea costs in cases under LlO. We understand that the contemplated changes in the police force of Westland wi'j consist merely in the reduction of the force. We are glad to learn that Mr Inspector James is to be retained at Greymouth, and we have no doubt the public will share in the satisfaction. On Saturday afternoon, Mr Rochfort, District Engineer, had a very narrow escape from drowning, whilst he Avas riding to Gre2, ■ mouth in company with Mr Eonar, Gold Fields Secretary. Having arrived at the Waimea Creek, he put his horse towards the ford ; but no sooner had the animal left the bank than it commenced to swim, and suddenly rolled over backwards, and of course plunged Mr Rochfort into the water. The stream was running strong, and Mr Rochfort was being rapidly earned out towards the surf, but being a good swimmer, he struck out boldly and managed to reach the tail of the spit a few feet from the breakers— a minute later aud he would have been irr<» trievably lost in the surf. A meeting of the committee appointed by the late public meeting with regard to the protection of the river bank, was held yesterday afternoon, Mr Lahman in the chair. Mr Whall, on behalf of the deputation appointed to proceed to Hokitika and confer with the authorities, reported that after explaining to Mr Bonar and Mr Sale the critical position of the town, Mr Bonar communicated by telegraph with the Hon. John Hall, who replied that he was on the evo of departure for Wellington, and would represent the matter to the Ministry there. He however said there was a difficulty about the funds, and before the Government could be expected to do anything it would be necessary for the inhabitants to show what they were disposed to pay. He instructed Mr Bonar to proceed to Greymouth and to report to him the exact state of affairs. He (Mr Hall) would then see what could be • done. Mr Whall urged upon the meeting the prompt necessity of the inhabitants helping themselves, and after Borne discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Davies, that a sub-committee should be formed to canvass the town for signatures to an agreement to pay at the rate of 4s per foot frontage in the main streets and 2s per foot in the back streets. The canvassers went through the town during the afternoon, and at a meeting of the committee, held at the Albion Hotel in the evening, they

reported that signatures of owners and occupiers of buildings had been obtained to the extent of L 412. It was stated that there were several persons who would doubtless sign if they were in town, and there were others .who had not yet been called upon, so that the<^§oJnniittee might fairly conclude that the sum of LSOO would be subscribed. It was resolved on the motion of Mr Whall that the result of the canvass be telegraphed to Mr Bonar, and requesting him to ascertain and communicate to the committee the intentions of the Government as speedily as possible ; and desiring him also to ihform the committee of the readiest means of forming the town into a municipality. On the motion of Mr Maclean, seconded by Mr Wickes, the following gentlemen were chosen as a committee to take steps for forming the town into a municipality : — Messrs Harrison, Davies, Whall, and Kilgour. A gentleman who arrived in town yesterday from Westport via Hokitika, informs us that last Thursday there was a tremendous flood in the Buller, which caused a great amount of damage. Immense snags came down the stream, anct coming in contact with the wharf carried it entirely away, not a pile of the new wharf being left. The old — or Dreyer's— was also carried away, as also a portion of Beauchamp's wharf. The river encroached several feet on the bank, so much so as to endanger the safety of the bonded warehouses, which it is expected will have to be removed. Fortunately the shipping • all managed to escape into the lagoon, and no damage was sustained by any vessel. All along the coast the creeks and rivers are all swollen above their banks and travelling is. rendered highly dangerous. In the New Zealand Gazette, published on December 21, the following scale of allowances for prosecutors and witnesses is published : — Laborers, per diem, 6s ; journeymen, &c. , per diem, 10s ; master tradesmen, farmers, yeomen, and auctioneers, per diem, 15s ; professional men, per diem, LI Is. Female witnesses At the rate of two-thirds the allowance to male witnesses of similar rank. Travelling expenses : Witnesses residing at a distance exceeding one mile from the place of trial, expenses not exceeding Is 6d per mile one way. If there is a steamer or coach or other public com eyance, either the whole or part of the way, the actual cost of such conveyance in lieu of mileage. Where they travel by water, fore-cabin fare will be allowed to the first and second class of witnesses, and chief-cabin fare to the latter classes. Witnesses in the pay of the Genera^ or Provincial Governments will not be paid for their time, but only for extra costs occasioned by their attendance. The Star Company achieved another legitimate success at the Union Theatre on Saturday evening. The house was full in every part by a most attentive and appreciative audience . The opening piece was a comedy, by Tom Taylor, entitled "Nine Points of the Law" — one of the best which that clever dramatist has written. The plot runs smoothly and connectedly, whilst the interest is maintained throughout. The plot may be briefly told :— Mrs Smylie (Miss Juno) is the cc2upant of a charming cottage orne'e, which had been devised to her by a female relative. But another will, revoking the bequest, was found; and under this the heir-at-law —a stout, rough, money-grubbing, but withal goodhearted Lancashire cotton - spinner, Joseph Ironsides (Mr Stuart O'Brien)— claims possession. But the fair widow — who is possessed of more than an ordinary share of woman's wii <and woman's pertinacity- is determined not to leave, well knowing that possession is nine points of the law. Out of this the main incidents of the drama arise, although another minur plot runs through the piece. Mrs Smylie contrives l»y pathetic pleadings to obtain Ironsides' consent to her remaining in the cottage for a few weeks longer, and the old cotton-spinner takes a violent fancy for her. She has a lover, one Rollingstone — a calculating mercenary fellow, whom Ironsides knows to be a rogue. He has his eye on the charming cottage of course, which he believes "to be the widow's. When he finds out that Ironsides is the rightful owner, he cools down his professions of love and absents himself. Old Ironsides, whose fancy has.grown into affection, scuds to Mrs Smylie by her neice a deed of gift of the cottage and farm ; and Rollingstone accidentally overhearing it, again urges his suit to the widow, wishing her to believe that he thinks her penniless. She, to test him, tears up the deed of gift in "his presence, greatly to his discomfiture ; and as «he is doing this, Ironsides is a silent witness, he having entered the room unknown to them. Boilingstone discovers his true character and withdraws his hand, and old Ironsides offers to many the widow and is accepted. Miss Juno acts the part of Mrs Smylie exceedingly naturally and well, as as she was Well played up to, the comedy never flagged, each performer filling his or her place satisfactorily. Old Ironsides was well pourtrayed by Mr O'Brien, whose Lancashire dialect, however, was a curioiis mixture of Scotch and Irish, and would hardly pass muster in " Ratchdel. '> Miss Ryder is a pleasing young actress, and shows much future promise. Mr Woolfe acted carefully, and Mr Hogan's Irish Attorney was quite in his line. Scenes in "The School for School for Scandal," and the farce of "The Rough Diamond" concluded the evening's performances. There was an excellent house last night and a new programme. To-morrow evening, Miss Juno takes her farewell benefit, when we doubt not there will be a large muster.