Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1709, 26 January 1874, Page 2

We notice that the, Borough Council have ab last taken up the question of their departmental expenses, and that among other economical reforms it is proposed to do away with the collection of the Borough rates by the Town Clerk, and to compel ratepayers to pay their rates at the Town Hall. This is the plan adopted in othsr towns ; a notice is served upon each ratepayer that if his rates are not paid on or before a certain day be will be sued. This saves an immense amount of time and trouble, and has the further merit of acting as a check. If adopted here the Town Clerk would be able to devote more time to his office duties, and no extra assistance would be required. The Bellringers had a good house on Saturday. To-night there will bo an entire change of programme, including top "chimes, changes, and joy bells," the new comic quar? ! tette, "The Hallelujah Band," and many other novelties, concluding with the farce of " The Shaving Saloon." A case of some interest to mail contractors and parties authorised to demand tolls, is *o come on for hearing at the next sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court, at Ahaura. Mr B. Gough, the owner of the punt on the Ahaura river, at the township, has sued Meuai'a Acbjjpn and Cassidy for L 29 odd, for tolls for crossing tha m^il coach empty, and with passengers, at various times, Thp case was to be heard at the last sitting but the defendants applied for and obtained an adjournment on payment of costs, to enable their solicitor to attend. It is said some j nice points of law will be argued on each side, but that the main question will turn on the nature of thp p-rfailiges enjoyed by the mail contractors and the pjinfc owner re.spectively. Did Mr Gough's protection authorise him to charge toll upon everything that crossed in his punt, except the mail-bags ? or did the exemption from paying tolls enjoyed by Messrs Ashton and Cassidy give them a right to pass free with I four horses and a coach full of passengers because the mails were on board ? On old resident in the Grey Valley, named William JSirkman, died at Moonlight yesterday morning from the effects of an accident lest week. * n inquest will be held to-day by Mr Warden Whitefoord. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, on Saturday morning, the only case for hearing v&o S£enhouse v. Haynes, a summons charging defendant with us<ng abusive, insulting, and threatening language. "Mr G,iu'nnesp appeared

for corn plaiu ant, Mr Perkins for the defen" dant. It seemed that a goat belonging to defendant had trespassed upon plaintiff's garden, and was secured. Defendant claimed the goat, which Mrs Stenhouse refused to give up, saying that she was not sure defendant was the owner. The latter then told her that he would make it dearer to her than the damage the goat had done if she persisted in refusal to give it up. No further language was proved, and the Magistrate (Mr Revell) dismissed the case, without hearing the defence, costs to be pail by the plaintiff. Commissioner Sbalcrass, accompanied by Sub-Inspector Goodall, visited Half-Ounce on Thursday, specially with reference to the alleged misconduct of Constable Dorris, and to receive any charges which the inhabitants might have to prefer against that officer. On arriving at the upper township Mr Goodall made peisonal inquiries among the holders of publicans' and business licenses and otheis with whom Constable Dorris is most often brought in contact in the discharge of his duties, if anyone had specific complaints to make against the constable, and if so, Mr Shalcrass was ready to receive such complaints and to hear them at any tiire that might be appointed. In reply, generally, to these inquiries, the Commissioner was informed that there was not any specific charge then ready, and on the opinion of the principal business men of the town being taken, it was stated in substance that the dissatisfaction with Constable Dorris, who, it was admitted, was a vigilant, faithful, and energetic officer, was not because he had been ' guilty of any spscific dereliction of duty, but because he exhibited a want of tact and discretion in performing his duties which made his interference sometimes irksome to those with whom he had to deal. It was also complained of that the constable held himself aloof from the inhabitants except when in the strict discharge of his duties, and it was stated that this want of sociability often led to misunderstandings which would not otherwise occur. With respect to a meeting of certain of the inhabitants which was recently held at the upper town, the professed object of wbieh was to take steps to have an official inquiry held into comulaints against Constable Dorris, Mr Goodall was informed that a committee had been appointed at that meeting to carry out the objects of it ; that the matter was still iv hand, and when the committee had concluded its labors the result would be brought under the notice of the Commissioner. It was also ' stated that, in consequence of the short intimation given of the intended coining of Mr , Shalcrass, the committee was not then prepared to bring the matteij before him during his present visit. Mr Commissioner Shalorass, the chief of the police force in the Province of Nelson, paid his periodical official visit to the Grey district of Nelson, this week. Mr Shalcrass visited No Town on Tuesday. Ahaura on Wednesday, and Granvillo on Thursday. After paying a special visit to the Upper Town, Half-Ounce, on Thursday afternooD, Mr Shalcrass proceeded to Reefton. Thursday was a fete day for the pupils attending S.S. Mary and Joseph's schools, Ahaura. The occasion was a picnic given to the children by Mrs Whitefoord and some lady acquaintances. The little ones were taken to Pothan's paddock, just out of the town, where they enjoyed themselves merrily during the day at the various sports and games, and did full justice, as they always do, to the good things provided for them. The harvest will be generally commenced throughout the Grey Valley next week. It is expected there will be a great demand for labor, but owing to r the scarcity of water, and the consequent cessation ef work in the surrounding mining localities, any ruinous dearth of muscular power need not be apprehended. Mr Warden Whitefoord has received official intimation directing him to hold Warden's Courts at Granville, for the Half* Ounce, Duffer's, Noble's, and Teviot Creek districts, at such times as he may consider suitable and convenient. The first Court, of which due notice will be given, will be held at the police camp, Granville. The following are the particulars of the accident which recently befel Mr R. Alcorn, of Totara Flat. He was riding round the bouudary of his land, adjoining the Grey River, and wishing to speak to some workmen in one of the bottom paddocks he tied his horse to a flax bush in a small clearing, where there had formerly been a hut. On his return he walked up to the horse without speaking or making a noise, and laid his hand on the animal's tail. Mr Alcorn does not know whether the horse struck and kicked him on the mouth, or whether it plunged forward dragging him along with it, and throwing him face downwards on one of the numerous small stumps with which the place is studded. He supposed the latter was the mest probable cause, for the horse is usually remarkably quiet and gentle. ! A singular circumstance in connectio > with the accident ig that Mr Alcqrn lost all char recollection of anything that occurred from the time he approached the horse until Dr Phillips was dressing his wounds. He has a i dim remembrance of circling round the clearing trying to find his way out of it, and afterwards of passing a bridge across a small creek near his house, but although he secured the horse in the stable when he reached home, and afterwards took the saddle and bridle off it, he is not conscious of doing so. The injuries received by Mr i Alcorn are very serious, but not dangerous, i as all fear of a fatal terminstion has happily passed away. We learn by telegraph that t^e scraping 1 of the plates of the Wealth of Nations claims 1 gave for the week's crushing 3770z of amal : ' gam, which is a large increase upon previous weeks. Recent negotiations between the Wealth of Nations and the Energetic claim : for amalgamation have been broken off by the directors of the foitner; the terms proposed not bejng satisfactory. Shares in the Wealth of Nations were sold by auptiqn at Reefton at Saturday for L 3.105,. 105, One of the seamen of the schooner Euphrosyne either fell overboard, or jumped into the river on Saturday, while iv a state of intoxication. Several men jumped iuto the boat alongside, caught hold of him, passed a rope round his waist, and he was soon hauled on board, only to be taken possession of by a couple of constables who marched him to the lock-up. The weather changed very suddenly iff the country districts on Friday evening. Shortly after sundown it commenced to rain heavily, and continued with scarcely an intermission during the night. The creeks and rivers had risen considerably on Saturday morn ing, and it was feared traffic would be impeded, but the mail coach arrived at Ahaura from Reefton punctually to time, although some difficulty was experienced in crossiLg the Grey River at the junction of $he Littlp Grey. Had the rain continued n?uch longer some damage would have been done in the farming districts, for there was a considerable quantitj of early, crop lying cut down and unstacked, but fortunately for the agriculturists it cleared up fine and bright at noon on Saturday. The miners were badly in in want of water, and the rain did a deal of good in the mining districts. It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere that it is the intention to get up a comparatively heavy sweepin the Grey Valley on the "big event" of the forthcoming Greymouth Jockey Club race meeting in March. There are to be 250 subscribers at LI each, ' and if the number be tilled this will, accord.

J ng to the plan of distribution, give a stake of L 145 lCs 8d to the winner, with second and third prizes of L4l 13s 4d and L2O 16s Sd respectively. A sum of L2O 16s 8d will be divided among the starters and finishers, after the third horse, and a similar amount will be left for division among the nonstarters at present nominated for the race. The drawing will take place at the Star Hotel, Ahaura, on Saturday, 14th March next, and the prizes will be paid over, less the usual deduction tor expenses, as soon as it is authoritatively known which horses are winners. Mr J. D. Pinkerton is the treasurer. The following is stated by the Timaru Herald to be the manner in which the local volunteers store their powder :— •• From what transpired in the Council on Monday night, it is evident that a great portion of the town has of late been in considerable danager of being blown up. It seems that a supply of gunpowder, nearly half a ton, has just been forwarded to the volunteers, and, there being no proper store for it, it was placed in an old wooden closet just in the rear of the old immigration barracks, and close to the Commercial Hotel, and other wooden buildings. Were a fire to occur at the gunpowder store, or in any of the adjoining buildings, it is clear that the consequences would be very serious. The Borough Council upon being informed of the matter, directly took it into consideration, and ordered the closet to be encased with sods at once." There are other railways proceeding "leisurely" besides that between Nelson and Foxhill. A Napier contemporary learns that there are about fifty men employed on the railway works between Napier and Paki Paki ; this number gives about three to themile, so no surprise need be felt at the delay in the completion of the line. There is a story told of a traveller who, riding across the Kuramu some months ago, and noticing one man using a spade in the middle of the plain, asked him what he was doing. The man replied— "Oh ! this is the railway ; I have got a contract." The traveller naturally remarked that it would be some time before the railway vould be finished, when the man, intones of injured innocence, informed him that there was another fellow working about two miles of. Holloioaijs Ointment and Pills.— "'ores, Wouuds, and Ulcers. — Every variety of sore, ulcer, eruption, boil, and carbuncle is safely stopped in its destructive course by the timely application of this healing Ointment. It arrests unhealthy and substitutes healthy action, thus curing the inflamed, irritable, aud spreading diseases affecting the skin.. Holloway's Ointment has gained an imperiaable fame for its facility in healing old inflammatory sores about the shins and ankles, and for bad legs and old wounds it cannot be equalled ; nor is it less efficacious in gathered breasts and abscesses. When the complaint has been of loner continuance, Holloway's Pills will expedite recovery if taken in those doses which act as alternatives on the stomach and tonics on the constitution.