THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 934, 25 July 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1871.

Yesterday's coach brought us a large arrear of exchanges from the various parts of the Colony, which had accumulated through the suspension of communication. The arrival of the Melbourne and San Francisco mails furnished us with the latest Intercolonial, European, and American news, tho principal portion of which was issued by us as an extra yesteiday afternoon. Under the pressure of matter we omit our usual leader. One of the survey party on the Marsden road, named Guy Wilson, has been admitted to the Hospital, having had several of his fingers accidentally chopped off while at work. The resolution to voluntarily wind up the Grey Valley Tramway Company, recently passed, was confirmed at a meeting of the company held yesterday. A notice in the Gazette changes the name of the building in Mackay street, used as a bonded store, from "Davis's Bond" to "Coates's Bond." We understand that by the recent arbitration in re the Grey and Arnold Ferries, Mr Montgomery has received permisson to swing his punt at Bock Island ; but, unfortunately, his punt went to sea during the last flood, and was smashed up on the beach. We believe he will set to work to build a new punt at once, and have it properly swung at the island. We believe the captain and crew of the Waterman have lost everything belonging to them with the exception of what they stand upright in, and it is to be hoped a subscription will be raised on their behalf, so that they can purchase a few articles of clothing and . the necessaries of_ life, until they find employment again. It is expected that the official inquiry will take place today before the Collector of H.M. Customs, at Hokitika. A skeleton has been found in the bush near Akaroa, supposed to be that of Mr Joseph Dicken, one of the Canterbury pilgrims, and a settler at Akaroa, who was lost in the bash at the back of his property in French Farm, about fourteen years ago, aud

though many of the inhabitants of Akaroa hunted and explored the bush for days and weeks, near and around the spot, no trace was ever discovered of the missing gentleman, and all hopes were given up.

Recently the members of the Greymouth Literary Asssciation resolved upon giving a series of public entertainments, somewhat after the style of what have been known both at home and in the colonies, as "Penny Readings," for the double purpose of relieving the monotony of these long -winter evenings, and assisting the funds of the Society. We notice that the committee have lost no time in the matter, and that the first of the series of entertainments will be given in Gilmer's Hall, on Friday evening next, the 28th inst, at eight o'clock. It will consist of readings, recitations, and music, and will, no doubt, be so attractive as to enable all present to spend a pleasant evening. If they are disappointed, very little harm will be done, as the charge for admission will only be one shilling, and children half-price. An orangery in full bearing can be seen at Mr Lucas's garden, Nelson. Tenders are called for iv the Westport Times for the erection of police quarters at Reefton, Inangahua. The Charleston Fire Brigade has received from the Nelson Government a subsidy of L5O. Mr M. Sinclair, who accidentally shot himself at Nelson a few days ago, is slowly recovering, the ball having been extracted. The settlers in the Patea district are meditating the advisability of asking for the separation of their district from the Province of Taranaki. The blast furnace erected at Wellington by order of the General Government for the purpose of smelting the New Zealand steel sand is now completed. The Hon. Mr Fox, while delivering a temperance lecture at Carterton, Wairarapa, a few days ago, stated that if the Permissive Bill was introduced into the Assembly during the coming session, it would not be a Government measure. The quantity of preserved mutton turned out at the establishment at Kakanui, is stated by the Oamaru Times to be one million pounds, besides a large quantity of tallow. In November next, operations on a still more extensive scale will be commenced. , Considerable damage has been done at Charleston bj the recent bad weather, the heavy surf having found its way into the gardens there situated, besides destroying some of the fencing and fluming, and smashing in one of the Surf Company's boats. The well-known stables of Mr Dodson, at Port Chalmers, have been removed some 40 feet to the front on the reclaimed land, in order to allow the railway contractors to commence the tunnel at the back of their stable. The work was expected to begin on the 17th inst. The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times says :— " A gentleman who has recently been making a tour in the North Island, and has seen a good deal of the muchvaunted road works being carried on in native districts by native labor, assures me that, despite all the glowing official reports, most of the money spent in this way is actually thrown away, while the roads themselves are a mockery, a delusion, and a snare. My authority is a gentleman fully competent to judge." A man named Pc Graves, in working hia beach, claim, near Charleston, on Monday, came across a coffin containing a body, information of which he brought into the Camp. The remains are those of a sailor belonging >.- n l-.ooor Nile, which was uiscnarging in the river Nile some four or five years since, where the unfortunate man was drowned. His remains were subsequently buried where De Graves found them, but the sea has made such encroachments during the lapse of time that the coffin was almost ' exposed, only a few inches of sand covering it. |The remains will be interred in the Charleston Cemetery. On the night of the 12th instant a fire broke out in the stables of M 'ln tosh's New Zealander Hotel, Wellington, by which they were nearly destroyed, and a man named William Andrews, but known generally as '•Dirty Dick," was burned to death while asleep in a loft in the stable. Fortunately there was no wind at the time, otherwise the hotel might have been burnt down also. Mr M'Tntosh, however, is a severe loser by the occurrence. Although he is paying a heavy insurance upon the hotel, neither the stables nor the furniture was insured ; and owing to thfi usual state of wild excitement which prevails at fires, the furniture of the hotel was thrown and knocked about in the most wreckless minner. Dnring the latter end of the past week a miner named Shines, working on the Back Lead, at Charleston, had a miraculous escape from iv jury and probably death. Shines had put in a blast in the claim, which having allowed to remain the usual length of time without exploding, he commenced to extract. He was in the act of boring for the charge, when turning round to speak to his mates, the charge exploded, but fortunately for himself doing no further damage than occasioning him a good fright. This is another warning to miners to use the utmost care with charges that have not effected an explosion. A lamentable accident occurred at Mount Pleasant, Charleston, on Wednesday, to a man named Edwin Goodall. He and one of his mates, named Pratt, were working underneath a high face, putting in a set of rails for a tramway which ran from a shoot to convey the cement from the claim to the machine. Pratt left to cook dinner, and in a few minutes a quantity of earth fell down, covering Goodall. His mates obtained assistance to dig him out, and upon doing so found him smashed and mutilated in a frightful manner. His body was carried into town, and laid in Mrs Webber's Post Office Hotel, where Mr Broad held an inquest on Thursday at four o'clock. Deceased was a native of Gloucestershire, and had been married a few months previously. His funeral took place at two o'clock on Friday. A day's ploughing was given at North Taieri, recently, by the neighbors of Mr John Aitken, late settler at Blueskin, to his family. Mr Aitken had bought a farm in the North Taieri district, and being in very bad health, the neighbors, both in North and East Taieri, determined to give him the assistance mentioned. The number of ploughs on the field amounted to 57, which, we believe, is the largest on record in this Province. What rendered the case^nore touching was the fact that when the neighbors with their ploughs met to do the work, Mr Aitken had just died. However, the ploughing went on with great earnestness, and the whole farm was turned up. The neighbors have also determined in the course of a few days to sow and harrow the land, so that the widow and her five fatherless children may have a fair start in life. Such facts as these speak highly for the district. It has been known for some time that a coal seam of considerable thickness, but the value of which as a steam or household fuel has been hitherto untested, exists at Coal Creek, up the Buller River. The Westport Times is happy to state that discovery is now likely to be turned to account. Mr O'Conor, while up the Buller last week, visited the seam, distant about 22 miles from Westport, and describes it as being half a mile from the river, and of easy access. The

seam is exposed to a depth of five feet above water, and is visible below the creek to a depth of about seven feet ; the seam apparently tending towards the Buller River, favoring the assumption that coal will be discovered much nearer to the river bank, thus enabling cargo boats to bring down coal at a very moderate price as return freight. Mr O'Conor has applied for a lease on behalf of the Ruller Towing Track Company, and, if obtained, Westport will shortly rank this mineral as a valuable item of export. Two shares in the Erin-go-Bragh Race, Argus Terrace, Greenstone, changed hands last week, at a very fair figure. There is some talk of those race owners, holding the three first rights out of the Greenstone Creek, intend to amalgamate and construct a new race to carry water as far as Blue Bluff Terrace, near the Teremakau. There is not the least doubt, if they manage to do that, their efforts will be crowned with success, as there is proof enough of the Blue Bluff being an extensive and payable terrace, on which the constructors could either work with the water, or sell water to those who work there, and who would only be too glad to buy. A petition against the selling of land fronting the main road, and in a line with the Bluff Terrace, was taken round for signatures, aud which is to be forwarded to Mr Dungan, the member of the County Council for this district. Speaking of one of the heavy floods which took place in the Buller River last week, the Westport Times says :— " A very heavy flood came down the Bnller River, the volume of water discharged being greater than of any previous flood experienced since 1868. As the tide fell there was a difference of fully six feet in the altitude of the river and sea, and but that the mouth of the Buller is fully one-third wider than on the occasion of the flood of '68, the probability is that the river would have overflowed its banks. The immediate effect of the flood appears to have been the scouring out of the north channel, and during the whole of the day immense stacks of timber were deposited along the beach from the extremity of the spit to the Orawaiti, favoring the supposition that the sea encroachments are at last likely to cease, giving place to deposits of sand that may ultimately restore the beach to its normal condition. At daylight numbers were on the beach bußily collecting the driftwood, but were, later in the day, ordered to desist. Although admitted that the presence of timber is not likely to stay the inroad of the sea, it has a beneficial effect in arresting the violence of the overflow, and for a brief interval may be thus instrumental in preserving the threatened properties." It is pretty certain that the General Government will insist upon taking an equivalent for the road works in land. The Otago Daily Times, writing upon the circular issued by the Minister for Public Works, says : "No one can read the carefully weighed sentences of the Colonial Secretary's letter without acquiring the conviction that what the Provincial Legislature refuses to consider, the Assembly will, during the coming session, be called upon to decide. Its neglect of duty will be quoted against the Otago Council, and will be used to strengthen arguments against thePrbvincial system. The Assembly will not long trifle with questions, the ultimate settlement of which is so plainly to be foreseen. The sham of consulting the Provincial authorities will very soon be dispensed with. The Provincial Council of Otago has sunk voluntarily into the position of a debating club, and the days are numbered which intervene before it is reduced by will of the Parliament to the status of a vestry. Mr Gisborne's circular contains other matter of even more importance than t.hof. «C "Ul-l^ ma U~,, n U nnn cjpoolri"«a T?o femng to the 17th and 20th sections of the Immigration and Public Works Act, it very plainly intimates that if the General Government constructs railways in Otago it requires a security for their cost, or rather an absolute payment for them in the shape of land, absolutely set aside for the purpose, and handed over in such a manner that it will belong to and be sold for the benefit of the Colony, not the Province, and be adniiniptered by the General, not the Provincial Government. He points out explicitly that this is the way in which we are called upon to secure ' the completion of the great works now in progress.'" The Auckland correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, writing on the sth inst., says : —"A very exciting day has cultimated in something very near a panic at Scrip Corner. For several days past the market has been unsettled and what the brokers call drooping, with a cessation of the startling surprises which people had learnt to look for as a matter of course from the Caledonian. Today a sudden selling furore seemed to have seized all the smaller holders, and Caledonians have oscillated between 180 and 170, while for a few hours they could have been bought at 150. Ihis evening they are to be again had ab 150. What they will be tomorrow no one can venture to say. All depends on the telegrams cooling in hourly, but considering the quantity of gold in hand, towards the next dividend, it will not be surprising to find another rally. The Thames Company's shares follow the Caledonian, but are more sensitive, as from the smaller rate they fall into more needy and more timid hands. The most curious feature of the present derangement is its following so quick on the arrival of the Ballarat passengers by the Hero, of whom a considerable number have come over to prospect our market. The Star attributes it to a 'bearing' process instituted by these shrewd gentlemen, in order that they may buy in at low prices. It would probably be nearer the mark to say that many have been holding vigorously to their scrip in hopes of the expected inundation of Victorian buyers, and are proportionately cast down at finding these buyers not so ready to invest as they expected. Nor should it be forgotten that yesterday was the fourth of the month, and settling day for many a small trader who might be compelled to realise his shares in order to meet acceptances. Be the cause what it may, the Corner offered a strange spectacle this evening, the pathway being once more densely packed, though with dealers of face and manner less jocund than on similar busy days heretofore. Few outside the circle will be sorry to see the scrip mania at an end, as it seriously deranges all regular business, while genuine undertakings will be better advanced when some of the money now passing into scrip I dealers' pockets goes in calls to work the mines, among which there are many of hi»h piomise thoroughly well organised.