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Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1701, 16 January 1874, Page 2

Yesterday mornine; several gentlemen, headed by his Worship the Mayor, waited upon bis Honor the Superintendent for the purpose of asking him to use his official influence with the General Government in order to induce them to proceed without delay with the protective works here. His Honor requested that he might be addressed in writing on the subject, and promised to forward their wishes in every possible way. The deputation acceded to this proposal, and we believe a letter was drawn up and forwarded to the Superintendent. His Honor the Superintendent left Greymouth for Hokitika yesterday afternoon. One of the Reef ton papers says that application will be made shortly to the 'irand Lodge of Ireland or Scotland, for a Charter to open a second Masonic Lodge in Reef ton. It was announced in Reefton a few days ago that a gentleman from Donohogues (Ross) hart purchased an interest in the Just-in-Time Company, Reefton, for L 250. In congratulating the people of Westland upon the election of the Hon. Mr Bonar as their Superintendent, the Canterbury Press says:— "Mr Bonar is a gentleman wellknown and respected beyond the limits of Westland, and should the electors show equal judgment in the selection of members of the Provincial Council, the new form of government which Westland has received 'has every chance of being a success." It is understood (says the Christchurch Press) that his Excellency Mr Weld, the Governor of Western Australia, will arrive, on a visit to Canterbnry, by the next Suez mail, about the middle of next month, upon private' business, and our contemporary urges that as Mr Wsld has been for so long a time intimately connected with the colony, and has taken so prominent position in it almost aince tb c earlißt days of European settlement, a fitting welcome should be given him, Mr Weld

was several years a member of the New Zealand Government, and at one time Premier. It was reported in Reefton on Saturday last that a new reef has been discovered by Mr George Welsh. The locality is said to be north of Painkiller. - A brick manufactory i 3 to be started in Reefton upon the site of the former undertaking of that nature. The chief obstruction to their manufacture there has hitherto been the prevalence of gravel in the clay, but experiments are now being made to overcome this difficulty, upon which the industry will be definitely established. The Melbourne Argus says : — " The new Roman Catholic coadjutor archbishop of S}'dney has lost no time in announcing his special mission to this part of the world. Only a few days have elapsed since he landed on our shores, and already on three several occasions he has publicly declared his design of marshalling all the spiritual forces at his command to contend against the modern idea of national education, and to prevent what has been designated the • secular current ' from the northern ocean flowing in upon and poisoning the- comparatively pure waters of Port Jackson." The Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes:— " A great number of blocks of land have passed and are passing the Native. Lands Courts at Opotiki, tne Thames, and other places; Ohinemuri, as you are aware, is temporarily withdrawn. In this particular case delay seems to be advisable fpr many reasons, chiefly connected with claims and counter claims cf speculators, who have paid considerable sums of money. Some people have no faith in Ohinemuri, but it appears that a large majority of Thames miners, do believe in it greatly, and ifc is certain that not a few well exuerienced diggers have satisfied themselves that it is a good gold-field, and have held on for years in the hope that the Native title would be extinguished, or that the owners would be able to lease the much coveted land of promise. To my knowledge, several steady, hardworking miners stay at the Thamos barely earning 'tucker, 'but confident that Ohinemuri will yet recompense their selfdenial." Private advices received at Auckland per last mail state that the Imperial Go ernment were considering the propriety of stationing in New Zealand, for short terms, regiments leaving India for other climes, except that of England. It is thought that such an arrangement would result in a great saving , of army expenditure The late races at Auckland were a failure as far as the public were concerned, and (says a correspondent) it is not too much to say that they were ' a complete "sell." After the first day there were comparatively few spectators, as faith in the bona fides of the running had been sadly shaken. Telegraphic intelligence from Sydney informs us that Dr Puddicombe, surgeon of the steamship Grsat Britain died shortly after the arrival of the vessel at Brisbane. Dr Puddicombe had been identified with the Great Britain for some time after the death of Dr Alexander, but had left her, and rejoiued on her last voyage from Melbourne. The Launceston Examiner notices an abominable instance of adulteration : "A few days since a cooper residing in Welling ton street purchased a couple of kegs, which had been used in a public-house in Launceston, one to contain rum, the other brandy. On knocking off the head of the brandy cask, to clean it out, it was found to contain the remains of about half-a-pound of tobacco ! Curiosity tempted him to take the head out of the rum keg, when, to his surprise, the remains of about two pounds of tobacco was found ! We have often heard of adulterations in the liquor trade, but were not aware that it was carried on to this extent. As the cooper very truly remarked, there is no knowing how many poor fellows had bad heads after drinking of the contents of these kegs." The London correspondent of the Argus says: — "It is probable that the return of Mr Arch from America will be followed by an exodus of agricultural laborers to that country. He has made the tour of Canada, where the Government received him with a hospitality he has never known from English officials. He warns his brethren that they may have to work harder, and endure as great privation for a while in Canada as here, buc he points them forward to independence as the end of their labor. If the State Government of the Union will do as well for settlers as Canada, Mr Arch says that within nineteen months there will be 100,000 English emigrants making homes in America ! Probably to every 1000 persons who settle in the Dominion, 5000 will go to the United States.'"