THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1868.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 407, 22 August 1868, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1868.

The town members of the Grey District Road Board resigned their seats yesterday. It has been wrongly imagined that they would shortly be compelled to do so by the creation of the Municipality, but this idea was dispelled yesterday by tho receipt of a letter from the County Chairman, stating that the election for the Municipal Council did not necessitate the retirement of any of the present members of the Road Board, although, on the occasion of that gentleman's recent visit, he stated that a fresh election would bo required. Messrs Whall and Wickes have retired because they felt that the Board had not received that support from the Government to which it was so justly entitled, and iv order to bring prominently under the attention of the Government the necessity which existed for the powers of the Road Board^ in Westland being properly defined. The resignations will be transmitted to the County Chairman, accompanied by the resolution passed by the Board, and it wiil no doubt receive his serious consideration. All that is wanted is the adoption and bringing into force of the recommendations of the Conference of the Eoad Board Delegates recently held at Hokitika, and these will most likely be in the amended Westland Act which the General Government has promised to intiodupe into the Assembly during the present session. We regret that the crowded state of our columns to-day pi event us from noticing this fact at greater length ; but we cannot refrain from saying that the gentlemen who have retired from the Road Board have been very useful members. Since the creation of that body they have exerted themselves with untiring energy to promote the best interests of the citizens, and have successfully parried on large public undertakings in the face of much opposition and serious financial difficulties, for ■which they have eamod, and ought to receive, the best thanks of tho inhabitants. The only one of the many candidates for Municipal Councjl houors who has yet called a pvblic meeting of the electors is Mr Oohn Harris, who addressed them last evening in the Brian Boru Hotel. Mr Magoffin was called to the chair, and the candidate explained his views on various local questions. The meeting was very noisy, and more incliued for fun than business. After a number of questions had been put and answered, the Chairman declared the meeting ad journei" ; but this was not satisfactory to the assen - blage, for they voted the Chairman back to his duties. Mr Sheedy then proposed that Mr John Harris was a fit and px-oper person to represent Greymouth in the Municipal Council. This was seconded by Dr Morrice, and carried amidst gieat noise and cheers. The eaiididate briefly returned thanks, and the meeting was again adjourned. The IF. C. Times, of Thursday, records that on Wednesday a man named John Dicks met his death by drowning, at the Eighimile, Woodstock. Deceased with his mates standing on the bank floating sluice-boxes, when he suddenly slipped into the water, and was drowned. The body was recovered shortly afterwards. A public meeting is called by the "Greymouth Union League" for this evening, at Hunt's Club Hotel, at seven p.m., wheu all candidates for tho Municipal Council are requested to attend and address the electors. The murder of a man who may be remembered in Greymouth, is thus announced by the Nanhville Timep, of the 22nd nit. : — "Mr Commissioner Clarke held a magisterial inquiry in reference to the death, or murder, of William Kirkrouse, late of tho West Coast, New Zealand, ami well kno^v a as ♦ Billy the Bellman.' The body was found on the Bonaro run by a shepherd of Messrs Jones and Co., and as there was nothing there to give rise to suspicion, the body was buiied, But from reports which reached Mr Clarke, he thought it essential that the body should be exhumed, and that a lnedical investigation should 1)3 held at once, Accordingly, Mr Commissioner Clarke and Dr Mason went out to the station, aud on their way were shot at by bushrangers. From the investigation held, no one could but-come to the eon elusion that the poor man had been murdered. Several letters and photographs were found upon him, but no money." In the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday, before W. H. Revell aud M. Keogh, Esqs., R.M.> Richard Gifford was charged with having sold liquor without a license in his house at the Greenstone. Coustablo Muller proved having seen men drinking in tho house, and two witnesses proved that they had been supplied with the drink by the defendant. A fine of LlO was inflicted. A Bimilar charge was brought against Mrs Stevenson, but the constable could net aware that he saw the liquor paid for by the parties who were drinking in the house, and the case was dismissed. On the civil side of the Court, J. M'Ecan sued N. Nancarrow for IGa, for labor done in assisting

to launch the p.s. Lyttelton off the spit. The defence was that the money had been paid cither to the plaintiff or some mail who ansyvered to his nainp when all the men employed were paid/ It was impossible to recognise the faclSof all the meu ; the names were called outj some one answered for the plaintiff, and received his money. The Magistrate said the defendant could not prove that he had paid the money, and the plaintiff was entitled to his wages. Judgment accordingly. Ryan y. Sullivan. — This was a claim of LI 3 Is (3d, being one-half of a partnership account paid by the plaintiff after their dissolution, for labor done before that period. It was proved that the plaintiff had been sued, and L2G 3s recovered against the late partnership, which had been paid by plaintiff. For the defence, the partnership was denied. Ho (defendant) was a partner with one Tiernay, and Ryan was Sweeney's mate in a stole, but he never was defendant's partner in his business. After a consultation, the Bench were of opinion that the partnership was not proved, and the case was therefore dismissed. Yesterday, Joh n Kelly was fined LI, or two days' imprjgoii - ment, for a breach of the pence on Sunday evening List ; and a drunkard was fined ss. An important mining enterprise, which has been thought by manj' to be of a very risky character, we ( IF. C. Times) allude to the Alexandra at Donoghue's, is progressing steadily. It was predicted by many that a shaft could not be sunk in the ground on account of a running drift, and that the sea would swamp it ; but these bugbears have been dispelled by the manager having sunk the shaft without any difficulty through the dreaded drift, and with so little water that ho did not use the engine fpr pumping tijl Wednesday, when the shaft being down to the gravel, it was thought better to pump with the engine iv order to expedite the sinking. In ten days the shaft should be down to tha wash, which, from indications in the adjoining claim, will be pf a very good quality. In the House pf representatives, Mr Macandrew, 'Superintendent of Otago, gave notice that he would move, on Wednesday last :— "That, in the opinion of this House, the attempt to capture the Maoris who escaped from the Chatham Islands was, in the first place, impolitic, and that it is inexpedient further to prosecute the attempt. That this House is also of opinion that experience has proyed that the Native policy hitherto pursued has been mistaken policy, destructive to theinterests of both races, and ought now to be abandoned ; with which view the Hoijse recommends— First, That Native and Colonial Defence Officers be abolished. Second — That the cost of maintenance of peace, order, ami good government among the Natives and Europeans alike, shall be locally charged and devolve upon the respective Local Governments. Th'rd — That, in consideration of the prejudicial effect upon the North Island, which has resulted from the Nativ^ policy of the Tin? perial and Colonial Governments, and in consideration of the Colonial being relieved from further indefinite liability for Native wars, the interest and sinking fund of the Three Million Loan shall be borne exclusively by the Middle Island, until such time as the Customs ltevenuc of the North Island shall exceed that of the Middle Island, whereupon the said interest, &c, shall again be charged on the Consolidated Revenue ; also, that an annual sum, not exceeding Loo,ooo, for the next tines years, bhall be charged against the Consolidated Colonial Revenue, and paid over to the Local Authorities of the Northern Island, to be expended iv the employment of the Native population on public works : such annual payment to be distributed in such proportions as the Governor shall see fit."