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Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1790, 1 May 1874, Page 2

A meeting ef the shareholders in the Greymouth Gas Company was held last night, at their office, Mackay street, for the purpose of considering the advisability of declaring a dividend. From a statement of accounts it was shown that the company had funds available to the amount of L 966, and that if a dividend of 10 per cent was declared on L 7500, there would be a balance of L 216 to carry forward to the next half-year. It was therefore proposed, seconded, and duly carried " That a dividend of 10 per cent be declared, payable at the office of the company, on and after Monday next, 4th May."

Miss Aitken will appear to-night at the Volunteer Hall in ore of her great characters — Jessie Brown — in the drama "The Relief of Luckuow," the other parts being sustained by amateurs. A lthough the story of " dinna ye hear them" is somewhat apocryphal, still its incidents afford ample room for the display of that dramatic power which Miss Aitken possesses.

Twelve merchants in Christchurch failed to obtain wholesale licenses owing to being too late with their applications. A license was refused to Mr C. E. Bird for the house known as Tattersall's, until satisfactory accommodation was provided.

Kersting and Morton, the two men who recently committed a robber}, at Paroa, turn out to be old crimin *ls, the inquiries of the police at Auckland having resulted in information of several previous convictions.

A miner named Peter M'Millan died suddenly at Hokitika on Wednesday. He was under medical treatment, and it is suspected he drunk some liniment by mistake. An inquest was to be held yesterday.

The recess Public V- orks Committee appointed by the Provincial Council at its recent sitting, met at Hokitika yesterday. We have not been informed of the business transacted.

Wednesday being the second anniversary of the foundation of S. S. Mary and Josephs Schools, Ahaura, waa a fete day among the pupils. Tha little ones to the number of between forty and fifty were treated to a picnic in the grounds attached to the school. The school children were permitted to invite all thp little waifs in the district who do not or cannot attend the schools, and a gteat gathering was the consequence. The children enjoyed themselves right merrily during the day at games and pastimes suitable to thoir age, and amidst all the fun anduproar the youngsters were kept on their good behavior under the direction of Mr T. Harrison, the head master, and Miss Easton, one of the teachers. At lunch time the little revellers did "substantial justice" of course to the good things provided for them by Mesdames Whitefoord, Unkerton, Brooks, Kennedy, Pothan, M 'Ivor, and other ladies of Ahaura, whose contributions went to make up the feast. Father Pertius was visited during the day by a number of the parents and relatives of the pupils, and the founder of the schools was complimented on all aides on the successful result which was apparent all round of his disinterested labors in the cause of education. The fete closed with a bonfire on the grounds, got up by the boys, and a display of the wonders of the magic lantern by Father Pertius, to the delight of all the audience assembled in the school room.

The following is taken from the Tipnemry Advocate of 7th February; 1874 : — " Yesterday 2UO young females embarked on board the clipper ship Asia, at Queenstown, to sail for New Zealand. They are receiving free passages from the New Zealand Government, and 100 of them came from the Cork workhouse. This system of emigration may se^m to the guardians a very simple and effective manner of relieving the rates, but they ought to consider whether it is judicious to hold out so strong an inducement to idle people to enter the workhouse as the prospect of being sent out to a prosperous Colony."

'•Tiraon " in the Southern Mercury writes: — " John (Jhinaman is a w >ndertul fellov.- for adapting himself to the situation. The newlyfledged Corporation of Arrowtown lately announced that they required a Town Clerk, and amongst the applications there was one from a Chinaman. Truly the pay is modest — Lls per aannm and ' extras,' whatever these may be. But a Mongolian Town Clei k was rather too much for the dignity of Mr Mayor, and John's offer was declined with thanks."

An accident occurred at the Waikakamumu diggings, Takaka, on April 16, to a young and powerful man named John Graham, of the north of Ireland, while working in a tunnel tail-race. His two mates, Samuel Carson ■end Henry New, had left some ten minutes to gut timber to secure a portion of the roof ; during their absence it " caved in," and partly buried him. New and Carson, on their return, quickly dug him out, and conveyed him with all speed to Mr O'Reill'y's Shamrock Hotel at the Waitapu, where J>r Tilby was in attendance, when he found the collar bone was dislocated, several ribs fractured, and internal bruises sustained. The patient is doing well.

A serious accident happened to Mr Thos. Blanch-tt, of Happy Valley, Nelson, on Wednesday week, His son-in-law, , Mr J, Close, was in the bush squaring timber, when the old gentleman (one of the survivors of the Expedition men who arrived here in the Will Watch in 1841), now seventy years of age, went to see him, and finding the log iust finished, advised some little additional trim? ming and himself essayed a finishing touch. The axe in its downward course caught a tree close by ; and was diverted from its intended direction, and descended upon Mr Blanchett's right foot cutting off his big toe and severing the bone of the second. Dr Scaly performed the necessary surgical operations, and the patient is progressing favorably.

It is wonderful to see the immense alteration the regular running of the railway trains has effected in Onehunga already. Just before this line was opened the town was in a sleepy condition, and empty houses were scattered thickly in every street. Now the place tpresents a business-like aspect,, and

houses are not to be got for love or money. a good many have recently been erected, .and many have been occupied as soon as finished. Others are going up and are already being treated for

Little more than a third of the Auckland city loan was found to have been tendered for wben all the offers were examined on Ihursday, 23rd ult Tenders will again be required for the LIBOO debentures remaining.

A patient at the Wellington Lunatic ABylutn, named Henry Preston, was, on the 21st ulc, killed by a fall of earth in an excavation contiguous .to the Asylum. The unfortunate man was only partially covered by the earth, but upon being extricated it was found that he had sustained fatal injuries, and shortly afterwards he expired. At the inquest, Henry Hardy, an attendant, deposed that he went out in charge of seven patients, of whom the deceased was one, to excavate a bank near the Asylum. He saw at once that in consequence of the heavy rain of the previous day there was danger of a landslip, and he removed the men on that account to work at another portion of the bank. The deceased scouted the idea that there was any danger, and having made an excuse for leaving the rest of the patients went back and commenced to use the pick in the dangerous part of the bank The whole thing was done in about ten minutes. The witness hearing a rumbling noise went to the spot, aud found the deceased coveted with earth, the dirt having fallen suddenly in the exact spot from which he had removed the men a couple of minutes before, other evidence adduced proved that the deceased was generally very headstrong in his opinions, and was so upon this occasion. The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and expressed the opinion that no blame attached to the attendant on account of the accident.

The official returns show that the number of marriages in New Zealand for the ten years ended 1872, was 18,963. The proportion to the respective years beginning with 1863, was as follows :— 1485 -1878-1908—2038-2050---2085 — 1931 — 1851 — 1864 — 1873. These figures appears to verify what statisticians have long asserted — that the marriage rate is influenced by national prosperity. From '63 to '6S, there was a steady increase ; and in '69 and '70, a falling off. In '71, a slight improvement was perceptible — continued in 1872. If the theory holds good, the returns for 1873 should show a marked accession to the ranks of the Benedicts.

A trial was made lately of a new description of blasting oowder, manufactured and patented by Mr Woolf, Melbourne. The experiments were conducted in a quarry in Dight's paddock, situated on the bank of the Yarra near the Johnston street bridge. There were five holes drilled, o£ different depths, from 6ft to 3£ft, and charged with quantities of the powder varying from 141 bto 12oz. The blasts were theu fired and a large quantity of stone was dislodged, some pieces being thrown by the force of the explosion into the centre of the river. Although the trial was conducted under some difficulties, the results were considered very satisfactory. The explosive force of the material was fully shown. It was estimated that one pound of this powder was equal to three or four pounds of the ordinary blasting powder. This powdar also possesses the advantage of being free from danger, as it does not explode except confined. If a match is applied in the open air the powder merely fizzes harmlessly away. It is also claimed that the powder can be manufactured at a much less cost than the other descriptions, and it is considered specially suitable for mining operations, as but little smoke is emitted, and the compound is not dangerous to handle.

" Atticus" in the Leader writes :—"Justices of the peace who are out lato at night, and, ' owing to domestic differences, do nob wish to enter thsir houses by the front door,' should take warning by the awful example of Mr Hughes, of VVhittlesea, and not endeavor to effect burglarious entry to their own premises through the servant girl's bedroom. I wouldn't have stood in Mr Hughes's stockings— his boots were off at the time — when the screams of the offended mailen brought his wife to the door, for a good round sum of money. 'He gave her no cause of alarm beyond saying in a mild whisper — Hu«h, as he passed her bed ;' but of course all that could'nt be explained in a moment, and when Mrs Hughes appeared at the girl's door, appearances must have been strong against the bootless J.P. 'Fitness,' said Philosopher Squares, 'is governed by the nature of things, and not by customs, forms, or municipal'laws. Nothing is indeed unlit which is not unnatural.' The domestic differences in which Mr Hughes' household made it not unnatural that he should be found in this auspicious predicament, but I cannot, in spite of Mr Squares, help thinking that there was a certain unfitness it it ; and the moral to be drawn from the discovery is, that gentlemen should aroid late hours and domestic differencjs. lam happy to see that his brother magistrates were so fully satisfied with his explanation that they dismissed the charge the girl brought against him for an attempted assault. We have to see now if Mr Kerferd will take the same charitable and Christian view of the matter."

We (Oiago Times) hear from our Auckland correspondent that the share market has shown a wonderful revival lately, aud that tne hall is nearly as much crowded and a? lively as in former dayi. Everyone is on the gui vive owing to the excellent finds in many of the mines at the Thames, and all shares in the neighborhood have risen 50 to 100 per cent, during the week in which he wrote. The Whau paid a dividend of L 3 for the month on each share, and its prospects are to be good as ever. The Manukau is the favorite, but is owned by only three persons, who have expended a large sum upon it, and who 'are not sellers, so that in its shares there is no speculation. Two out of the three lucky holders are Mr Whitaker of Auckland, and Mr Jones of the Thames. The third our correspondent did not know. Both Mr Whitaker and Mr Jouts have been engaged in opening up the mine for several years, and their patience and enterprise are at last meeting a well-earned reward The yield of gold at the Thames was more than 3000oz for March in exceas of February, and that for April is looked upon as likely to exceed it still more.

Mr Adam Black, the oldest bookseller and publisher in Great Britain is dead, having nearly completed his 90bh yea>\ The firm of Adam and Charles Black was a much younger one than that of Constable and Co. and many others, but the head of it bad outlived not only all of his contemporaries in the trade, but a great- many who have been born since he opened his first shop on the Bridge, Edinburgh. A ninth edition of the " Encyclopaedia Britannica," the copyright of which he bought on the failure of Constable in 1827, was in preparation for the press at the time of his death. When Constable failed he'became the Scotch agent for Messrs Longman's publication, including the " Edinburgh Review j" and in 1851 his firm purchased the remainder of the copyright of Sir Walter Scott's works for more than L 20.000. He has left three sons who succeed him inhis business. His nephew, Mr Charles Black, died some years ago.

A statistican has discovered that in this colony we have a parson to every 1000 persons, and a medical practitioner to about every 3000, from which he argues that we are a very godly people, seeing that so much greater provision is made for the care of cvr eouls than there is for oar bodies.