THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1880, 14 August 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1874.

We have frequently called the attention of the public and also of the Government to ihe prevailance of the truck system as practised in connection with railway and road contracts in Westland, and we are glad to find that the matter has been brought before the Assembly in a very prominent manner by Mr J. White, who put a series of questions on the order paper. He stated that he did so because he had received numerous telegrams stating that public meetings had been held in the townships of Stafford and Goldsborough, at which resolutions had been passed affirming the fact of the existence of the truck system on public works then in progress, condemning it, and requesting him to bring the matter under the notice of the General Government. The quißs tions so placed on the paper referred more particularly to the Waimea Waterrace,'but ihey opened up the whole question of the truck system by Nos. 1 and 2, which read as follows :--" 1. Whether any complaints Have reached him -to the effect that the truck system is in operation on the public works now in progress in Westland? 2. If such complaints have been made, whether the Government believe them to be well founded ; and if so, what steps, if any, have been taken to remedy the evil ?" Tn reply to these questions, the Minister for Public Works stated, as briefly reported by telegraph, that if the General Government could only get any tangible proof that the system was carried on, they would endeavor to put an end to it, but., as yet they had not done bo, although ihey had taken every care. He thought he ought to state that no complaints aa to the existence of the

truck system had reached the Government from the workmen themselves ; but complaints had been made by other parties, amongst whom were two honorable members, who hadj communicated with him on the subject.' The -"District .-Engineer had reported to the Government that he was convinced that this system was in force, and was carried on to a very considerable extent ; that on several occasions he had put himself in communication with the workmen themselves, but had never succeeded in getting sufficiently definite information to enable him to take decided steps in the matter. The Government instructed the District Engineer to insert advertisements in the local papers, setting out the clause which was inserted in all agreements entered into by the Government with contractors for public works, and which prohibited such a system. That clause was as follows : — " The workmen, tradesmen, and laborers of every class employed on the works to which these conditions refer, shall be paid their wages in full in money current coin of the Colony, at least once in every fortnight', and no ticket or other system of payment by provisions, liquors, or goods will on any pretence be allowed, nor shall the contractor, or any person or persons employed by him, or in any way connected with him, establish any shop for the supply of liquors, provisions, or goods ; nor shall the contractor oblige his workmen to take provisions, liquors, or goods of any kind from any person in particular. The workmen of every class shall be paid on the works if it be possible, or in some building adjoining, and in no case shall they be paid at a public-house or other place where liquors or refreshments are sold." In addition to advertising in the papers, the Government had caused a number of hand -bills, containing this clause, to be printed in large type, and posted up in all directions wherevec they had public works going on. The Government could do no more, and it remained for those interested to take action in the matter. Of course, if the Government got any tangible proof that the system was being carried on, they would at once take steps to put a stop to it. Notwithstanding all this, the truck system is still being carried on in Westland under the very noses of the Government officers who ought to take action in the matter. The complaints of the men employed on public works here are becoming every day more numerous, and we believe the system will not be put an end to except by the inquiry of a Commission, with full power to act in the matter on the spot.

The scandalous condition of the main Grey Valley road at places between the Arnold bridge and Gough's punt at Ahaura is now the subject of frequent complaint. The driver of the mail coach and other travellers inform us that ab certain spots the road is positively dangerous to the traffic. Some time ago the Grey Valley Road Board called for tenders for keeping this road in repair from the Arnold to the Little Grey Junction. Tenders were called for, on the good faith of the repeatedly made promises of the Nelson Government that the Board would be placed in possession of funds, and when the tenders were opened the lowest was accepted. Previous to opening these tenders a resolution was carried by the Board, but how, or wherefore, has not yet been clearly explained. In the advertised notice calling for tenders, intending contractors were informed that a preliminary deposit would be required with each tender as a guarantee that the person whose tender was accepted would take up the contract, thus preventing delay in getting badly required repairs" made. It was also notified that the successful tenderer would be required to find two sureties in ,£IOO each that he would faithfully perform his contract. When the Board met to decide upon the tenders, Mr Alcorn moved that the clause in the specifications requiring the lowest tenderers to find security should be struck out. The motion was seconded by Mr Robb. On referring to our report of the meeting we find with reference to this resolution that " after a warm discussion the motion was carried, some of the members protesting strongly against doing away with the only means of securing the carrying out of the contract in its integrity." We believe the reason of the unprecedented action on the part of the Board in waiving the security was, because it was considered the guarantee deposit made with the tender was sufficient precaution that the work would be done satisfactorily. At all events such was the excuse given by the supporters of the motion, although it is very doubtful if any member of the Board, in his capacity as a man of business, would have acted so in dealing with his own affairs. The contract for maintaining the sections of the road now complained of as being in parts dangerous to traffic was let for £808 10s for twelve months, and all the guarantee required from the contractor was a deposit of about ,£4O, which we understand was given in the shape of a crossed cheque. At this stage complications arose, and the consequence is the road has become unsafe for traffic. The Nelson Government did not, of course, keep its promise — promise breaking seems to be a chronic infirmity with the Nelson Government, no matter who is in power — by placing the Board in funds, and the contractor, not seeing an immediate prospect of getting payment, fought shy of doing any work on the road except such as was absolutely necessary to fulfil the terms of his bargain, and the Board had no power to compel him to do otherwise, for the contract was not signed for some time after the tender was accepted, and may not be signed yet. The Government sent down the Provincial Engineer to examine the road, and any payments made on account of work done would be regulated by Mr Dobson's report as to what had actually been performed. He saw very little repairs effected, arid therefore could only recommend that a very small amount of money should be paid, and the contractor will just do as he likes, well knowing that the Board has voluntarily relinquished all control over him, and that he has that astute body "by the wool." It is < reported, but we do not state the fact authoritively, that the contractor has received £150 on account ; but, even should that be the case, the money will only pay for. the work already done, and the road will remain as it is. This is how it oomes that the road is in ouch a state, and the moral

is that the Road Board blocks the wny, for, as we have before remarked, the Nelson Government, as at present constituted, will not do anything to further the progress or interests of the Grey Valley, so long as the onus can be shifted in any other direction. If the Government had not a Local Revenues Board for a scapegoat, the road would never have been allowed to fall into its present disgraceful condition.

An amendment to the Bankruptcy laws has been introduced into the Assembly by the Government which is intended to amend the Bankruptcy Act of 1867, of which it repeals section 22. Clause 2 says the Registrar or Duputy-Registrar of the Supreme Court shall be Provisional Trustee of every estate brought under this Act at that office, and that the Clerk of each District Court shall be Provisional Trustee of every estate brought under the Act at that Court, provided that whenever it shall be made to appear to the Governor that it is expedient that some one should be appointed to act as Provisional Trustee. With respect to estates brought under the Act at any office of the Supreme Court other than that of the Registrar or Deputy-Registrar thereat, or with respect to estates brought under this Act at the office of any District Court, other than that of the clerk of such Court, it shall be lawful for the Governor to appoint such person or persons as ha may deem fit to beProvisional Trustee. The third clause gSyes the Clerk of the District Court all the power and authority in respect to calling meetings of creditors that are given to the Registrar of the Supreme Count. The fourth clause provides that no Registrar or Clerk of a District Court is to have power to hear the last examination of bankrupts, er suspend, or grant an order of discharge.

Tt will be noticed with regret that our telegrams to-day announce another breakdown in the Californian mail service, the I present contractors being, it appears, unable to fulfil the conditions of their contract. Endeavors were being made at Home to effect other arrangements, with regard to which Mr Yogel spoke very hopefully in the House last night. The contractor for the maintenance of the I road from Greymouth to the Omotumotu Creek, is certainly neglecting his work in a most shameful manner, and as the road in question is at all times dangerous, the Governmeno officers ought to look sharp after the maintenance contract. The successful tenderer for conveying the Orwell Creek Flat Gold-miuing Company's machinery from Greymouth to the company's leasehold at Orwell Creek, is Mr H. (Vfagill. The price is given to us at L 6 10s per ton. The adjourned sitting of the District Court took place yesterday before his Honor Judge Harvey. In the postponed case, Fairhall v. Hanney, a claim of L 23 damages, for trespass of pigs on defendant's property a verdict was given for L 6 and costs. The adjourned application in bankruptcy of Charles Bonar for final order of discharge was grauted. The Court adjourned till the 31st August. A share in a water-race at Duffer Creek, lately held by James Davey, and about which there has been a good deal of litigation recently in the Ahaura District and Warden Courts, was sold by the bailiff of the latter on Monday, for Ll2O. A house and garden, the property of the same person, was sold at the same time for L 23 103. Mr W. C. Roberts left Hokitika by cnach for Christchurch on Tuesday, thence to Dunedin to take over his %ew charge as manager of the branch of the same service there. The ceremony of installing the officers for the ensuing twelve months of the Greymouth Royal Arch Chapter, No. 1233, EC, took place yesterday at the Masonic Hall, Mackay street. Companion John Lazar, P.Z., Dis--1 trict Grand Master of Westland, who came specially from Hokitika for the purpose, officiated at the installation in that peculiarly efficient and impressive manner which Free Masons of every degree who have had the Masonic privilege of hearing him have admired and wondered at. The Deputy District Grand Master, Companion G. W. Harvey, was also present, but did not take part officially in the proceedings. After four Master Masons, who were candidates for exaltation, had been raised, and the usual observances complied with, the following were invested with the insigna of their respective offices by the P.Z., who delivered to each a solemn charge according to ancient custsm. Companions J. Kerr, Z.; J. J. Blackmore, H.; W. Hindmarsh. I.; C. Holder, Treasurer; W. H. Resell, Principal S. ; C feuisted. Assistant S.; J. J. May, Assistant S.; E. B. Fox, Janitor. Companions G. C. Bowman and n. T. N. Watkins, the elected S E. and S.N. respectively were not in attendance, and the P.Z. empowered the last P.Z. of the Chapter to invest them with their new dignities at the proper time and place. A solemn invocation delivered by the P.Z. terminated the ceremony. Before the business of the Chapter was finally concluded, a unanimous vote of thanks of the Convocation was passed in the orthodox manner to Companion Lazar, for Bis invaluable services to Royal Arch Masonry and the Greymouth Chapter especially. The P.Z returned thanks briefly and suitably. A similar vote was then carried in favor of Companion Ancher, the late M E.Z. of the Chapter, and after an appropriate acknowledgment, the Chapter was declared closed. In the evening a banquet took place at Waters's Hotel in honor of the occasion A aoodly array of masons of all ranks were present, and the proceedings passed off in a highly creditable manner to all connerned in promoting and providing the entertainment. The following, which may be useful to quartz-miners, is given as the best plan of hardening steel :— lt is not generally known that steel can be made so hard that it will pierce any known substance but a diamond. Many jewellers and lapidaries have great trouble in getting the poinfs of their drills hard enough to : pierce an amethyst. For the benefit of miners and others using drills that require- a hard point we' recommend the following manner of manipulation. The drill should be held, if small, by hot pincers or tongs, while tempering. First heat the tool to a white heat, and then press it into a stick ef sealing wax ; leave it but a second there, and then stick it in the wax in another place. This operation is rapidly repeated until the graver is too cool to enter the wax In turning or drilling, the tool is moistened with oil of turpentine. The following are the particulars of the fatal accident mentioned in our last, as given by the, "■ Register ":— We have to rer cord a fatal accident, which occurred yester-day-to a man named Christian Lawson, in the bush near -tewart's Hotel, -at the junction of the Greenstone road and,, the Lamplough track. It appears that Lawson and: a mate, whose name we have not been able to ascertain, left Stewart's Hotel about nine o'clock yesterday morning, for the purpose of pigeon-shooting, both men carrying guns. When in the bush they separated, and Lawson's mate missing his companion for some littlo tinie, looked for him, and

found him lying on the ground, the charge from his gun having gone in under his ear, blowing the back part of his head away. Assistance was got, but the unfortunate man, who was alive when found, but insensible, died about 12 o'clock, three hours after he had left Stewart's. The police were at once informed of the accident, and the body was taken by them to the Waimea Hotel, where an inquest will be held to-day at 2 p.m. Deceased was a native of Sweden, about 42 years of age, and was on the point of leaving for Wellington, to join his brother in working a farm. A peculiarly distressing; fact is, that the deceased's wife i and family have only just arrived at Wellington from Europe, and were no doubt anxiously looking for the deceased to join them. A tender was taken lately for the construction: of the new Beechworth Lunatic Asylum, the contract being for L 2612. A woman, name unknown, supposed to be an escaped lnnatic from the Kew Asylum, Victoria, was recently found drowned' at Boroondara. There are at present in full working order in the Colony of Victoria, 1071 State schools, viz., 539 schools with an average attendance of under 50 scholars, 364 with an attendance ranging from 50 but under 150, 146 schools with from 150 to 500, and 22 with from 500 to 1000. In is not often that a man permits himself to be sued for the price of his wedding breakfast, for advertising his marriage, and the pi ice of the bridecake. These items, however, were in a bill of particulars in a case at the County Court, Gympie, in Allman v. Jakemann, the former being described as a licensed victualler, and the latter as a gentleman. "■' ; ■'■'.■ The chairman of a vigilance committee, who was instructed to duck an obnoxious citizen, thus reported to his constitutents : " We took the thief down to the river, made a hole in the ice, and proceeded to duck him; but he slipped through our hands, and hid under the ice. All our efforts to entice him to come out failed, and he has now attained his point of advantage some hours." An accident happened a few days ago to a man named Thomas Carmichael, a lumper, employed on board the ship Wennington, at Lyttelton. It appears that he ; was employed in carrying sacks of flour, when his ■ foot got between some sacks, and the result •was that his ankle was dislocated— in fact, the foot was turned completely round. Fortunately, there was some one on board who knew how to act in this matter, and the foot was at once turned and the ankle bone put into its socket. The sufferer was removed to his own house. The man appears to be unfortunate lately. A short time since, he was struck with a bar of railway iron, and was a patient for some time in the Hospital. A case of considerable importance to brewers ("says the West Coast Times") was heard on Monday at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ross, Mr Kortegast, brewer of this town, being charged, on the information of Mr Cornish, brewer of Ross, with having sold and delivered a certain quantity of beer contrary to the new Licensing Act. In November last, or there-: abouts, Mr Kortegast took out a license as required under the Distillation Act, the only Act at that time in force, which authorised him to sell, in not less quantities than two gallons, beer of his own or other manufacture. This license extended from the date of payment to a similar date in the present year. Tt seems, however, that under Fox's obnoxious Act, payment of the kind above referred to, in which the credit of the Province is pledged to certain licenses is a dead letter, and that brewers, though having complied with all requirements and paid alb fees, must come under the operation of the new Licensing Bill. ■ Under this they have I to give certain notice of intention of app'ica- ; tion for a license, and have to go through a series of vexatious forms, ending, as a matter of coni-se, in their licenses ;being granted. I *s, however, in Mr Kqrtegast's case he had received a license to sell for a year under; the act above quoted, he did not apply for a ! second license, and Mr Cornish accordingly, I who had taken out the second license, turned! informer because some of Mr Kortegast's, beer had been disposed of in .Ross. The case! was dismissed. At the same time the dis-l missal was 1 based on purely technical! grounds, and it is to be hoped that the at- \ ten tion of the Legislature, before' proroga- 1 tion, will be drawn to such an anomalous ; state of things. A brewer pays his license • for a year, and conducts his business as j usual, but is suddenly pounced on by an j envious .fellow-tradesman, and is virtually i shut up, though he complied with all the re- ! quirements of the Acts in force at the time he took out his license. A new measure is in progress through the Assembly, and it cannot be too soon passed, for if unjust legislation can exist it certainly obtains, as far as brewers, circumstanced like Mr Kortegast, are concerned. There are now two comets in the southern sky, and referring to them and others, the " Argus " says :— " It is not many years ago that the predictions of a French astronomer, that the world was about to be destroyed by contact with a comet, excited general consternation, and there are doubtless now many persons who regard with dread the possibility of such a contingency. The absurdity of the idea has, however, been pointed out by modern astronomers, who show by conclusive evidence that insteai of comets exercising any influence on the motious of the planets, the converse is the case. The most remarkable comets of recent years have been Donati's comet, which appeared in 1858, and the great comet of 1861. Thecomeoof 1858 was discovered on Tune 2, at Florence, by Dr G. B. Donati, who was then only able to descry a faint nebulosity slowly advancing towards the north. Its distance from the earth was then estimated at 240,000,000 miles. Its first became perceptible to the unaided eye on August 29, and its progress, was watched with intense interest; by astronomers; For a few weeks the comet was visible both in the morning and evening. The comet was one of intense brilliancy, the head equalling in brightness a star of the 2nd magnitude. The diameter of the nucleus on July 19 was estimated at 5600 miles, and the length of the tail on October 10 was estimated at 51,000,000 miles. This comet moved in an elliptic orbit with a period of about 2000 years. The great comet of 1861= was discovered by Mr J. Tebbutt, in New South Wales, on May 13. Sir Jbha Herschel states that he observed it on - June 30 in Kent, .and that it then far exceeded id brightness any comet he had before observed, those of 1811 and the recent splendid one of 1858 not excepted. On the 2nd July its appearance was magnificent, the tail of the comet extending, about 72deg. It was supposed that on June 30 the earth passed through the tail of the comet at a distance of perhaps two-thirds of its length from the nucleus. In 1843 a very brilliant comet appeared, which, it wassurmiseH,; was identical with those of 1668 and 1689, and a splendid periodical comet, with a period of over 3000 years, appeared in 181 l In 1862 and 1864 comets also appeared, but not of marked brilliancy, and in 1865 Encke's comets was discoverd-by Mr Tebbut!;, at Windsor, New South Wales, on June 24. It was very faint and was seen only on that occasion, and ou June 29." An American contemporary thus describes the state to a brother of the quill who •• went before :" —"Are we not also glad that such an editor is in heaven? TUorc

the cry of more copy shall never fall again upon his distracted ear 3. There he shall never be abused any more by his political antagonists, with lies and detractions that shall shame a demon to promulgate. There he shall no more be used as a ladder for the aspiring to kick down as soon as they reach the desired height and need him no more. There he shall be able to see the immense masses of mind he has moved, all unknowing aud unknown as he has been, during his weary pilgrimage on earth. There he will find all articles credited— not a clap of thunder stolen— and there shall be no horrid typographical errors 'to set him in a fever." • The want of sufficient house accommodation in Dunedin has of late given rise to consequencss • unpleasant in . themselves "and highly inconvenient to those immediately concerned. The subject was taken notice of a few days ago' in the Eesident Magistrate's Court, in connection with a claim preferred by a landlord for double the amount of the' stipulated rent, in consequence of the tenant having failed to remove from the premises when desired to do so. The "Times" re-' ports that the defendant pleaded that he had done his utmost to secure another house, and had even offered to take shelter in an empty shed, but had not succeeded in his endeavors, With the present rush of incoming population, matters are likely to become worse instead of better, and this of itself should be enough to attract, serious attention to the subject. The cottages lately erected by the Government at Kensington have been sub-divided so as to mike one cottage. serve two familieSj and yet the demand is far from being satisfied. Of these, 20 four-roomed cottages have been erected and let in two apartments. , They 8s each, making a net rental of 16s per week. The cost of construction was L 2200, so that, we have here a rental which will, in less than three v years, coyer the cost price of the buildinge. If that is' riol a good investment of capital we are at a loss to know what it can be called. „ It is, we believe, proposed to increase the number ; but for some reason or another, the, inten- ' tion is not carried out with, that degree of energy which the circumstances .demand. Mr Hooper, house agent, under whose'eharge the cottages have been placed^informs us that he has literally hundreds of applications on hand which, as things stand, cannot be entertained. We cannot urge the matter to strongly on the immediate: attention of ' the Government. ' ' "V,. ; '''i, v ■'[. '■ ''."'- " .', \