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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1423, 21 February 1873, Page 2

Iv the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Inspector ifickson stated that he had communicated with the husband of the woman Taggart, whose child had been taken from her in consequence of her culpable carelessness. The father stated, in a note from the Arnold, that he was willing to provide for the infant's maintenance, but could not at once come to town. The Inspectorstated that, under care, the child had improved, and Dr Smith had some hopes of its life. The Magistrate ordered that the child should remain under some proper care, and that tbe father should contribute to the cost The Inspector undertook to carry out the instructions, stating that, if the child were given back to the mother, the results would probably be serious for both. — The only other case before the Court was that of a man of unsound mind, who was ordered to be sent to the Lunatic Asylum. Some small debt cases were disposed of, and some cross-sum-monses for insulting language postponed until to-day. At the house of MrW. Kilgour, on the terrace, there was, last evening, some risk from a fire which was discovered in one of the chimneys, bat, by thefortunatefactof Mr Andrews, of H. M. Customs, being in the neighbourhood, and by his prompt exertions, the fire was extinguished before any damage was done. A correspondent who signs himself " Lewis," writing with regard to a paraI graph which recently appeared in a contemp orary as to the misgovernment of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons, says : - "Most Masons not acquainted with the circumstances would imagine it referred to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Westland, KG., instead of that of Otago, S.C. I think this explanation is due to our R.W.D.G.M. Bro. J. Lazar, who has the respect and esteem of every Mason in the Province over which he has the honor to preside. He being so widely known in the Masonic world may be inconvenienced by the assumption of brethren at a distance that the misgovern' ment alluded to was within his jurisdiction." Tenders for the maintenance of the Cobden and Brunnerton road have been called for. This is not done a day too soon. For months past the road has been ia a dangerous and almost impassable condition, The District Engineer, Mr Geisow. is at present in Greymouth, and is employing a sufficiently strung gang of men to put the Omotumotu road in proper condition— it is presumed, at the contractor's expense. To-morrow evening, Mr Thomson, lecturer for the Mutual Provident Society, is to deliver a lecture on the subject of his mission, at Hamilton's Hotel, Marsden. Cricket is becoming tauhionable at Reefton. A challenge has been received and accepted by the Reefton Cricket Club from the players at Boatman's and Inangahua Valley to play a match on St. Patrick's Day. There has been a robbery of a watch worth L 35, and two one-pound notes, from tne hut of a miner, named T. C. Walford, situated at the Invincible Company's claim, Inangahua. From Boatman's we learn that a reef has been opened in proximity to Whelan and party's workings, which is supposed to be a continuation of the Fiery Cross lode. Bishop Moran was expected to reach Reefton last night, and to leave for Westport this morning. The contractors extending the lower level tunnel in Anderson's claim, Inangahua, reached the reef on Saturday night last, after driving about 20ft from where they first commenced operations. The work of forming the punt approaches at the Inangahua Landing has been commenced, and Mr Langdon is progressing with preparations for the erection of a new large punt. The specialty in the character of the entertainment by the Carandini family this evening is certain to attract a large attendance if the residents of Greymouth are at all as appreciative of sacred music as they are of secular, and of the latter they have proved themselves? to be fond admirers, when it is either played or sung by accomplished artistes. The first part of the programme is to consist of gems from the oratorios " The Messiah," " Creation," «• Samson," " Elijah," and Rossini's "Sfcabat Mater," and the second part includes many sparkling so-called secular selections. Furthermore, the entertainment is to bp for the benefit of Mi.as Fanny Carandini. Last evening there was again a good attendance, and great satisfaction with the entire programme, but particularly with the willing and able exertions of Miss Rosina to please the audience. The Gabriel's Gully reef, though not yielding magnificent results, returns to its fortunate proprietors satisfactory dividends. It is improbable that in an extensive area of country, presenting similar characteristics, that that reef should be the only one existing that will pay for being operated upon. Several reefs, it is supposed, exist on the i rauge dividing Gabriel's Gully from Wether- j stones. That ridge is situated between the i two richest alluvial fields ever worked in Otago, and many quartz specimens impregnated with the precious metal have been unearthed from beneath its surface. It is therefore projected to pierce a tunnel through the hill, from Gabriel's Gully to Wetherstones— a distance of 1500 ft to 2000 ft. The work is not likely to prove very difficult, and seems feasible in every way. One of the neatest instances of "raising the wind" that has come under notice for sometime occurred here lately, says the Ross Neios- About ten days ago, a young lady, dressed in most sombre habiliments, came to Ross to preside over the refreshment and killing department of a well-known hostelry. Knowing her prowess, the fair Hebe set her meshes, and was not long before she caught one of the gay butterflies that are continually bu?zing about such places of resort, indulging in weak sherry and water and soft nothings. Ross then became too dull a place to hold the gushing damsel and the gay Lothario ; the dispensing of liquors and compliments was abandoned, and the lady retired into private life for a day or two, previous to bidding adieu to the scene of her conquest. But the leisure hours were not to be wasted. Oh, dear, no ! A trousseau must be prepared. The drapers and the dressmakers must get a turn, and they did, too. That everlasting credit system did the trick again. The draper was only too glad to see a new' customer ; and his ! greatest regret was that the lady would not take any more. The dressmaker had to stir her stumps, or rather her fingers, and make a dress in twenty-four hours, and when she brought it home got- complimented on the despatch she had owed. On Saturday morning two horses were pressed into service ; to the lady's great joy an unfrequented road out of Ross was found, and she and her loving swain made traoks for Hokitika. Yesterday morning there was commotion in Aylmer street

•' Where's Miss ?" " Why, she's left." The draper remarked, "Who'd a' thought it. So young, and yet so false." The dressmaker dropped bitter tears, and sought the aid of the gentlemen in blue— but, too late, the bird had flown. A correspondent of the Westport Times thus writes of the state of things at the Lyell :— "On Saturday last I made a short visit to the Lyell, and was rather surprised at the busy aspect which pervaded the place. There were all sorts of meetings, from making calls on claims, to raffles, &c. The streets (if they may be so called) seemed alive with people, and. all the stores and public bars appeared to be well patronised. The reefing interest was evidently predomii nant. Little here was talked of but formation of companies, calls due, and how to find the needful." Under the heading, "The Longest Throw onßeoord," the Australasinn has the following :— " A wonderful throw was witnessed by the spectators at the Clermont cricket match on Boxing Day. The Telegraph says that between the innings some discussion arose amongst the players as to the distance some of them could throw, and it was decided to test the powers of those who professed to excel in this line by a match. Amongst several good throws, Billy, the aboriginal, astonished every one by sending the ball a distance of 140 yards, as measured by a tape. This throw surpasses the best we have heard of in ihe colonies or in England. It takes a good thrower to throw 100 yards, and in athletic sports in England, the man who can get; beyond 110 is almost certainly the winner. A 120 yard throw is very rarely beard of, and hitherto a throw of 130 has been quite unknown." The Age learns that the Victorian police are making inquiries with respect to the whereabouts of Captain Joseph Thomas, aged about sixty-five years ; height, Oft 3in ; fine looking appearance ; supposed to have sottied in Otago in 1848 as a farmer or stationholder. Heirship to a property is involved in the inquiry. It is not improbable that a company will be floated in Christchurch at an early date for the manufocture of sacking, &c, from phormium fibre. The Rev. Mr Niall, who some three years ago was convicted in Melbourne of a grave offence, has caused informations for perjury to be issued against three of the witnesses who gave evidence against him at his trial. Each case was dismissed. A fisherman on the Hokitika river, on drawing his seine last Tuesday morning, found three sharks in it, measuring about 3ft Gin each. Two of them, judging from their array of teeth, must have been over two years of age. This capture should serve to caution bathers from indulging in their luxury in the river. A bazaar in aid of All Saints Schools, Hokitika, continues to meet with great success. There are six stalls in the bazaar, distinguished by different colors. In the evening the bazaar is very much enlivened by instrumental music, played by Messrs Haigh, Brown, and Knox, In remarking upon the remarkable utterances of Bishop Suter upon the subject of secular education — a subject upon which Bishops have lately been so glib of tongue— the Australasian says:— "The Bishop soon found that he bad miscalculated the feeling of his hearers, and that the portentous fact of his being • not in the best of tempers' because we have successfully brought into operation a measure from which all intelligent well-wishers of the community hope the effect of broadening and deepening the beneficent influence of education, was not at all likely to,,exciie their sympathies. Dr Suter then went on to say that 'there should be "no restriction on their actions concerning religious teaching!; he maintained that it was intolerant to disallow religious teaching.' It is evident that Dr Suter does not- know what he was talking about, and the application of the proverb, •Ne Sutor ultra crepidanH to his case becomes inevitable. He knows nothing of the provisions of the educational measure which he believes ought] to have plunged the country into theatrical mourning. He can know nothing of the great current in other advanced countries in the same direction as that in which we have advanced. He must be ignorant, living down there in his little episcopal town in New Zealand, that in the nations where the interest in educational progress is strongest, the determination to rescue public instruction from the influence of the clerical class has been most manifest. It is satisfactory to see that his denunciations of the new measure, and lamentations over the backsliding spirit of the church, were received with evident, although silent, disapproval."