THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1873.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1642, 8 November 1873, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, NO VEMBER 8, 1873.

Cobden and Ahaura ha^ve nominated what it is tp be hoped will npt prove to be their political poison, but in the one case a limited, and in the other, case an extensive, selection of men from whom they may chepse three members pf Provincial Council. In Ccbden there are twp candidates — cne, Mr Fpwler— npt the retired marine, and manager of the Eetreat, but a cultivator pf the, soil at Opal Creek, and the other a representative pf the ancient family pf Elimelech, with spme difference in the spelling of the name, including the fashionable final c— Mr Bease. The firßtnamed candidate, when ., first solicited, declined compliance with the friendly overtures pf the censtituency, but, having been nominated, it is possible he may yet, with the professional skill pf a fowler, ensnare' the sympathies and the votes of the electors. . Mr Boase .appeared at the nomination, and in the few remarks which he uttered, gave a brief and melancholy sketch cf the past of an illused locality, and a perfectly safe but, np dottbt, sincere promise as to his own exertions for the promotion of its welfare in the future. With an aptitude fpr local allusion and metaphorical quotation, he described himself as npt being (one pf those things

which might be fouud in Cobden's deserted, streets) "a mushroom," or (what a Cobden member. might be suspected of being in the hands of a Nelson Government) "a mere puppet to; be \ pulled by strings," : and, drawing , his imagery from the coal-mine, he promised his hearers that, though "the props of their hopes had been knocked, from under their feet," he would follow Cromwell's advice, 'and Cobden's practice in relation to political demonstrations, by " keeping his ypowder dry," whatever that may ; exactly mean. The present impresßibn ia that, unless Mr Fpwler and his friends set their snares with some activity, Mr Bease will become, like his ancient biblical namesake, the master of the political barley-field. Should such be the .case, we .,cannot wish the Boase of Cobden a better wish than the wish of Naomi towards the Boaz of Judah— <( Blessed be he that taketh knowledge of thee/" And; if we may be permitted to pursue the simile, we would hope that Mr Boase, while making the promise of his great prototype, " I will do to thee all that thou requirest," will not only fulfil his promise, but prove to Cobden what the other proved to Naomi, to whom it was said "He shall be unto thee a, restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age," fpr truly Cobden requires restoration and nourishment much.

Ahaura musters five candidates, with qualifications equal in variety to their number. Primarily, there is the senior Mr/ Guinness, aged two years as a Provincial Cpuricillbr, inpre years in pplitical experience, and many years in colonial life. His return as a mere Previncial Cpuncillpr will be but the bare reward ef his exertions for the district in the past. Mr : Pirikerton is also, as a Councillor, aged one, 'but he cut a large eye-tooth' in that one year, and figuratively, bo far as personal experience goes, he underwent that process of teething many years befcre. With the other candidates we are less acquainted, save Mr M'Kenna, whp is an old settler, enjoying the reputation of shrewdness, and possessing pplitical sympathies, if new to political action. Another . is Mr Oorbett, and the fifth Mr Gray, a resident of No Town, who; though yet not the author of an elegy,' : has -peetical, arid prpbably pplitical affinities^ : At Charleston, the father of West Cpast membOTs pf the; Council, Mr Geo. Donne, is again a candidate, baaing his claim to a renewal of confidence upon the length, faithfulness, and validity of services rendered in a representative capacity during a pericd pf eight years — a fair descriptien of the facts ; but other pioneers of the Pakihish— Messrs . J. E. Gillespie, Mr Thomas Dwan, and Mr Parker— are mentioned, and the seat for Charleston will be as difficult of attainment as is entry into its difficult harbor, and there the older the craft the less chance there is, of making the port.

The contest fpr the . Superin tendency, which is now being most keenly carried on in Nelson city and its surroundings, is, if we] are informed correctly, likely to undergo, on the day of nomination, a considerable change of complexion. Mr Joseph Shephard, the late Provincial Treasurer, it is said, will be nominated. Should this be the case, and with his consent, Mr Shephard must have ; altered what was believed to be his fixed determination, and he has ' done so all too late for any great prospect of success. Hadp he . come forward at firsj;, or cotitempbranebUßly with the others, he would have deserved tp be welcomed pni the Coast,, for he is a man pf much ability- and large ; but the ground on which he might have sown may be said to have been already reaped, and his candidature could only contribute to a result which it has always been understood he wbiild deprecate and deplorei

! Keeftbri at length enjoys the advantages of the presence of bank agencies. .At.ten o'clock yesterday morning offices were opened there both by .the National Bank and by the Bank of New ' Zealand. Representatives of the National Bank have also this week, visited Greymouth anft'lbttier West Coast towne. i

We learn that the. Result of th?;:qleaning up at the Energetic .Ijattery,' lnangahua, on Wednesday, was 105ojjjof gowfrorti|l42tonß of stone from reef lSfb wide.'-'/'

There has lately been a large development of the cattle trade between Wanganui and Greymouth, Messrs Seaton and Davidson being the importers. Within the last twentyfour hours, two lots, seventy head in all, were received by the steamers Go-ahead and Charles. Edward The. stock, which, are of superior quality, are for sale and consumption here and thro aghout the Grey Valley. By_ the Amuri road also supplies are now .being received, the traffic in that direction Having hitherto, for some time, been interrupted by the impassable state of the tracks ; and there is-the usual regular supply at the Arahura sale-yards. . . .

A Calcutta sweep oh the Melbourne Cup race was drawn at the Albion Hotel last night. It was originally 75 members at LI each; Mr Maclean acted as auctioneer, and the bidding was ■ very spirited. . , Horatio brought Lid; Fifczyafctendon, L 9 10s; MVallum Mohr, L 5 ; Steeltrap, L 3 10s ; Wollomai, L 3 2s 6d ; King of Clubs, L 3 ss ; and the others smaller sums. The first horse will now take LBS 7s ; second, LlB 19s 4d ; and third, L 9 9a Bd.

There was no Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, owing to its being impossible to obtain the services of two Justices of the Peace, and Mr. Price being absent at Hokitika. There were two charges of breaches of the Harbor Regulations,, which were adjourned until this morning. If gentlemen wear the title of J.P. they should also do something to earn the honor, for i's is rather a hardship that the public who have cases in Court should be put off from day to day in this manner. On the other hand ie is said that sufficient notice was not given to the gentlemen in question that their services would be required, and that they cannot be expected to leave their offices at a moment's notice.

Amongst the passengers by the Helen Denny, which sailed from London on the 9th August for Wellington, are the following for Greymouth : — Kate Fitzgerald, Mary Cassey, Catherine Fitzgerald, and Margaret O'Connor.

The Hokitika regatta is to be held on December 31 and January 1.

The Westlahd Freight Company have decided to purchase two more vessels for the West Coast and Melbourne trade.

A cricket match was lately played in Nelson between the cabmen and blacksmiths, in which the latter gained an easy victory.

What purports to have been a private telegram, dated October 31, and published in the "West Coast Times," the following are given as the final entries for the Cud : — The Ace, Dagworth, Hamlet, Priam, The Arrow, Lancer, Contessa, Exile (late Lapdog), Dolphin, King of Clubs, M'Callum Mohr, Early Morn, Horatio, Calabar, Protos, Index, Newboid, Ace of Trumps, Don Juan, Bengiroo, Steel Trap, King Tom, Lapidist, Victorian, Lothair, ; Fearnaught, Lady Athol, Dawn of Day, Rose d' Amour, Woollamai, Bismarck, Triton, Speculation, Fitzyattendon, Sea Spray.

The spring tides are encroaching bit by bit on the beach facing Kennedy street, Westport, and some heavy logs have been washed in several feet. If a fresh should prevail in the river during the present week the encroachment will be greater.

Some very excellent stone is reported by the "Westport Times " to have been brought down from the Halcyon claim, Mokihinui, giving another among the many gratifying proofs of the richness of the reefs in that locality. The stone, which is extremely close and hard, is well studded with gold. A portion was taken from the shaft 24ffc froxi the surface, and the remainder was got by a shot in the tVo. 1 drive south, put m about 2J>ftfrom the mouth. MrD. M'Leod, who brings down the stone, reports that owing to the fine weather, he found very little difficulty in making the reefs in one day from the Mokihinui township, following the old track and avoiding the newly-blazed line, which is as yet scarcely practicable. He came down from the reefs to Westport by boat, on foot, and on horseback, in ten hours.

Mr John Aiken, for ihany years managing clerk to the firm of N. Edwards and Co., being about to leave Nelson for Christchurch, where he will enter into partnership with a new firm, was, on Wednesday last, presented with a handsome diamond ring, and a very friendly address. Monday will be observed as a general holiday in honor of the anniversary of the birthday of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.

On Thursday, Mr Fitzgerald, Hokitika, received a communication from the Colonial Sscretary requesting him to undertake the forming of the rolls for the forthcoming Provincial elections, and urging that the work be completed with all possible despatch.

Some disappointment, says the Nelson " Examiner," seems to be felt in Greymouth that the lease of the Brunner Coal-mine should have been obtained from the Government by a Melbourne firm, and the disappointment of those local capitalists who exhibited no desire to take the works in hand until the opportunity of obtaining it bad passed away, has vented ., itself in some illnatured sneers at the lessees, indicative both of bad temper and bad taste! They ; have alluded particularly to Mr Macarthy, the representative here of the firm to whom the mine has beea assigned, representing him merely as an agent for the purpose of taking up mineral property for others* There would be no harm in it if he were merely an agent, because large and wealthy companies must, in the first instance, be represented by some spirit more active than the rest. 1 For the satisfaction of the discontented, speculators of the West; however, we mayJ3tate that Mr Macarthy holds a third share in the business he and his partners have undertaken, and is well able to perform his part so far as capital is concerned.

The following particulars of the recent fatal accident to Michael Enwright, in the Orey river, near Mackley's station, are furnished by the "Grey Valley Times" :— '♦ It appears that the deceased forded the river on Sunday morning, on his, way to the Little Grey Junction, where he remained till late in the afternoon, "when he started back in company with a man named, Flick. On arriving at the crossing the river was flooded and rising fast. Deceased, however, considered it safe to cross, sp having removed a portion of their clothing, the two men entered the stream at the usual ford. On. reaching the middle of the stream Flick got frightened, and in attempting to turn back was carried off his feet, and at once struct out for the shore, which he reached in safety, and on turning for his comrade, saw him struggling in.an eddy, under a steep bluff. The unfortunate man then appeared in a drowning condition, and after rolling over once or twice, finally threw np His arms and disappeared. Flick at once reported the occurrence, and search was made for the body, when it was found, on the following day by Mr Charles Mori, about a mile below the scene of the accident. The body was removed above high, watermark, and the party then returned to Noble's for assistance, which arrived on Tuesday morning, but the river had risen in the interval, and it was impossible to get over to where' the bodj was lying. An effort was again to made, .'when ; the body will be brought to AKauratoawait an inquest. * The deceased leaves a wife and family.