Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 310, 9 January 1868, Page 2

A second steam winch has been put to w.wk on Mawhera Quay. The pile-driving will now proceed rapidly, and should the General Government lend a favorable ear to the request of the inhabitants, the whole sweep of the river bauk could be protected in two or three months. The recent floods have done great damage to the diggers on Addison's Flat.' The correspondent of the Westport Times says : — " In my last I did not exaggerate the amount of damage done by the last heavy flood. The water in the flat, better known as behind the Omeo Store, and where the leads are widest, and if not the richest, as payable as the deep ground, is level with the surface, nearly every hole full to the top. In the deep ground, where before the water was not increased by the floods, the shafts are half full, and a day or two more will allow the water to find its level, which would be nearly to the suiface even here." Miss Juno is one of those actresses whom it is necessary to see more than once before one can form a full conception of their abilities. Those who have had the pleasure of listening to her, and witnessing her acting during the few days she has been here, must coufess that on the last occasion Miss Juno pleased them better .than the first. We have not for a long time had any actress in New Zealand who could play some of Miss Juno's parts as well as she does. In light comedy, or mild farce, Miss Juno is not approached by any lady in the colony. She possesses those attributes which are so invaluable— and nevertheless so often found wanting — in female actors-elegant deportment, good taste in dves.s, cleai; intonation, mobility of featurej and propriety of speech. And we. may further say- that she evidently has the true artistic conception of the characters she, has to assume, and; thus it is that in her. hands her assumed part becomes invested wi,tl) all the interest of reality.. Addcd^to

these qualifications, Miss Juno has the not i mean one of a very pleasing personal appearance. Mr Stuart O'Brien is undoubtedly an p.cfor of great merit. He is always exceedingly painstaking — not in the sense of making the aiidience-ieel that he isstaking pains, but j a3 is shown by his unfaltering delivery, coi-' rectness of action, and his never.-failing to seize the points of the drama. We haye known Mr O'Brieu as 'Sin actor for several years, and we have always remarked his uniform good acting. And so long as Mr : O'Brien keeps to the class of pieces most suited to his talents, he will continue to be a valuable acquisition to any dramatic com" puny. On Tuesday evening, there were not s.O many persons present as there might have T-and even ou<j/t( to havp been. The programme contained a new — at least new to the West Coast — comic drama entitled " The Reign of Terror ; or, Liberty, Equality, and fraternity," one which is evidently drawn from French sources. The drama is full of capital situations, and Miss Juno, who . ap? peared to be acting con amore, never missed an opportunity of showing her talents to advantage. Mr O'Brien did full justice to his part and so did Mr Woolfe. The other pieces were satisfactorily played. Last night, Miss Juno took a benefit, and we went to the theatre expecting to find no standing room, and we found our expectations realised. The opening piece was a drama founded on the history of the secret police of Paris under the subtle Fouche, Miss Juno and Mr O'Brien sustaining the principal characters, viz., Madame de Fontagnes, one of the numerous spies under the nhief of the police, and Fouche himself. Miss Juno suits the part of Madame de Fontagnes well, but she wanted verve, and was not so impulsive as : the character demands. Mr O'Brien personated the wily Minister of Police well, and Mr Woolf played to advantage as De Neu- . ville. The " Bonnie Fishwife" was played with her accustomed excellence by Miss Juno. On Saturday the engagement of the company ceases, and Miss Juno will appear , iv one of her great parts — Camille. The Westport Tunes says:— "We have i been favored with the sight of a letter from a digger who went from this place to the Auckland diggings, and he states that whon , he got there he found hundreds walking about without anything to eat, and not able to get anything to do. Those who had got the ; reefs were doing very well, but the others were starving • The Commissioner would not allow the diggers to prospect on the Maor 1 land. The wages paid is Gs per week and tucker ; or 3s per day and find yourself." A little diversion was caused yesterday morning during the landing of the cattle from the Hilander. One vicious bullock showed a strong disposition to knock down a well-known auctioneer ; but being foiled in that attempt, it made a msh at and very nearly caught a sharebroker, aud of course created a panic amongst the crowd. The ; animal was afterwards secured. We notice that a special performance for the benefit of the Engine Fund of the Fire Brigade will be given at the "Union Theatre to-morrow evening. We may inform the public that about LBO remains to be raised to pay off the debt on the new engine. The ? fund received Ll3O from the refreshment mom at the Christmas Sports. Apart from the genuine attractions of the performance, we are sure the object in view will induce a • crowded house. We hear that news was brought to the ' camp at Charleston a few days ago that two children had been found starving in a solitary hut on the road to Waite's Pakihi. The Magistrate at once despatched a mounted ' constable to ascertain the facts of the case, > and take steps, if necessary, to bring the i children to Charleston. P We are glad to find that the Greymouth subscribers to Proctor's Art Union have been fi.rtunate. Many of the prizes are exceedingly valuable. '<■ The following mining news is published by i the Brighton Times : — "The late heavy fall . of rain has, as usual, been very disastrous to the claimholders on the Dublin Terrace. Payne and party lost a large quantity of rich 1 washdirt, which was carried by the flood out of their paddock; and O'Brien and party have had a similai mishap, and I understand , that the loss is more thau L3O to each party. On the flcit at St. Kilda, where ltogers and party have lately set in to wash tailings, much damage has been done, and they esti- . mate that upwards of L2OO worth of gold was carried into the ocean in one night. Their leviathan box was lifted from its position and nearly buried in sand. Up to the presan t they have been to much expense, aud were getting fairly started, the indications in the boxes giviug them strong encouragement. On the Dubliu Terrace, Cameron and party have beeu doing well, their usual returns being from forty to sixty pounds per man a week. Shares have changed hands in this claim for L3OO and L 350. It will take six months to exhaust the claim. Hanlon and party, on the same terrace, have most encouraging prospects before them. Fourteen to sixteen feet of payable sand is something to look at. We are informed that they are making Ll6 per man a week." We learn from tHe West Coad Times* that the inquest on the body of Hugh Carmichael, who was lately found at the Waimea with deep wounds' in his head inflicted by an axe, terminated in an open verdict, viz., "That deceased had been murdered by some person or persons unknown." Ihe Westport Evening Star, of the 30th ultimo, says: — "The unfortunate woman Charlotte Dawsoi:, who attempted suicide a short time ago, is again under arrest on the charge of drunkenness. She says that if she were sent away to another place she would reform, and we understand that it is the intention of the Government to give her a chance by sending her to Otago by first steamer." — The same journal of the following day relates the following: — "The woman, Charlotte Dawson, referred to in a paragraph in yesterday's issue, put an end to her miserable existence last night. It seems, that about nine o'clock last night Mr. EiuaßUcl hear.d a moaning sound insid.e her

cottage, and on forcing an entrance he found the miserable woman in the agony of death m She was lying on a bed saturated frith blood, and her throat cut almost from ear t« ear, Beside her a small dessert knife was found» and it is supposed that it was with this instrument she accomplished the horrible deed. The police were at once called in, and i a medical gentleman sent for. Dr Cotterell was quickly in attendance, but . life was extinct before he arrived. This afternoon an inquest was Jield on the body, by the District Coroner, J. Giles, Esq. ' The jury returned j a verdict to the effect, " That the 'deceased I committed suicide while suffering fror» temporary insanity." * Captain Sonter reports that the Thames gold field, so far as the reefs are concerned, is turning out well. Four thousand ounces of gold were shipped by the last mail steamer, for Sydney, and it is estimated that the next shipment will reach 6000 03. There are about 6QOQ persons in the Thames district, but no alluvial diggings have been discovered. Considerable scandal, has been occasioned by a fracas, that has occurred at Westport between Mr Commissioner Kynnersley and the editor of the Wedport Times. It appears that a letter bearing the signature of "Bohemian" appeared in the WestyQrt Times, containing allusions of a very offensive kind to Mr Kynnersley, accusing him in short of having exhibited himself at the rftoes in the company of two females of donbtf»l reputation. Mr Kynnersley called at the office of the paper to demand the name of the writer, which being refused by the editor, Mr Kynnersley inflicted personal chastisement upon him. From a knowledge of the facts communicated by a gentleman whp was present at the races, >v§ are inclined tc think that however indiscreet Mr Kynnersl.ay may have been in taking the course he did, the editor — who is well known to be "Bohemian" himself, richly deserved all he got. The impertinent allusions to Mr Kyuuersley were not justified by fact, as we understand that he was simply and accidentally seated or standing near the females who appear to he so objectionable. The columns of the We*tport Times, and previously those of the Charleston Argus, with whick «' Bohemian" was formerly connected, have frequently been disgraced by anonymous attacks on the private character of individuals, and we are only surprised that the good sense of the proprietorsof the Westport Times has not sooner induced them to terminate their connection with the miserable scribbler "Bohemian," whoever he may be. We understand that Air Kynnersley's superiors are about to institute an inquiry into the whole facts, of the case. The value of sodium amalgam has been thoroughly tested in the Pacific States of America, and better results have been obtained, according to the Mining Journal, with it there than in any other mining district, yet it is now found that it can be entirely dispensed -with by the substitution of a well-known and much cheaper chemical compound — cyanide of potassium, \t has always been considered that sodium amalgam owed its value to its power to attack and decompose the oxides of many of the metals, and it is now found that cyanide of potassium possesses the same property. It has been successfully used both in copper plates and in pans. The plates are first cleaned with sand and nitric acid and well washed in cold water. The surface is then swabbed over with the cyanide solution and the mercury applied immediately and rubbed ou well ; the plates will thus get a highly sensitive coating of mercury, which will seize upon the gold as it passes over them. In the pans the cyanide solution is applied with each chance of mercury, the proportion being varied to suit the ore operated upon. There seems to be some difference of opinion respecting the results of the recent Otago West Coast Expedition. The Dunedin Evening Star says :— " Let us suppose that a gold field does exist at Martin's Bay. Will iv advantage Duuedin, or the agricultural settlements, or the pastoral districts, or the pr-jscnt gold fields of Otago, to divert our population — scanty as it now is — to the West Coast? Will it not rather strike another blow at every existing interest in the province? There can be hut one answer. The worst foe to Otago could not have conceived any me^ns more fatally calculated to injure its welfare. What was gained (or lost) by the discovery of a gold field on the West Coast of Canterbury, that will again he suffered by new discoveries on the West Coast of Otago. Either way, then, the expedition is a mistake, begotten of ignorance, adopted without thought, and prosecuted in defiance of common sense." We take from the West Coast Times the following report of the Coroner's inquest on the bodies of four of the persons drowned a few days ago in tho lagoon at the Arahura : — An inquest was held on Saturday, at the Lagoon Hotel, Arahura, before Dr Beswick, Coroner, on view of the bodies of Frances Mescilia Lopdall, Louis Pugh, John Bechart, and William Brown. Andrew Morgan deposed : I am a bootmaker, residing at Piper's Flat. On Thursday last, the 2nd inst, about noon, I went up the Arahura Lagoon in a boat ; it was an ordinary boat, such as is used in ferrying. We sailed up ; the sail was partly set a few moments after starting ; it was a very windy day, and the surface of the lagoon was rougher than I have ever seen it before. Ido not know the number of passengers in the boat, but there were more than ten or twelve. I have been accustomed to boats, but was never in one with so many passengers before. I was sitting on the seat before the mast ; the sail was fully set. We were sitting in the boat very comfortably, ' laughing and joking. The sheet was passed aft ; I don't know where. The boy who was in charge of the boat was standing near the mast ; I had noticed a man sitting on th c bow of the boat, and he got wet. I thought it was reckless sailu.g, but I said, nothing The next thing 1 saw was the water coining in at the. bow., and then Brearly jumped overboard. I then heard the boatman call out tp. \g\ go the §hcet t and dropping the

sprit as quickly as possible I jumped over, board on the port side. I passed Brearly, and taking hold of Fanny Lopdall I placed her on the bottom of the boat, which wag then floating bottom upwards. I kept hold of the boat, wnen five or six came up and taking hold of the boat threw Fanny into the water. I then caught hold of her again and placed her on the side of the boat, as neither of us had strength to get her on the top f After that a wave came and washed her off, I caught hold of her and ptruck out lor the ! shore, but I had not strength to reach it. I ! kept hold of her as long as I could, but could not reach the shore, and the last time I saw her she was two feet under water. There was ten feet of water at that spot at least, for 1 tried to touch the bottom twice, but could not reach it, No person came to my assistance during the time I had hold of Fanny. I did not make any remark on get' ting into too hoitt that it was overcrowded. Several other witnesses were examined, but their evidence in the main was corroborative, of that given by the first witness. It came out, however, that there were sixteen persons in the boat at the time of the accident ; that none of them were then the worse for liquor, aud that assistance was rendered by other - boatmen on the lagoon as. soon as the boat was submerged and turned over. The bodies were identified a? those of persons who were in the boat at the time of the accident. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental drowning, " but added a rider to the effect . that they were of opinion that all boats should bo restricted to carry a certain number of passengers, according to the size or tonnage of the boat.