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Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2110, 14 May 1875, Page 2

The hon; secretary of the Grey Eiver Hospital begs to acknowledge receipt of L 7 7s from the Red Jack's Benefit Society, per Mr S. Frankpitti

In yesterday's issue we stated that the lowest tenderers for the erection of washhouse, draiuage, &c, at the Grey River Hospital, were Messrs M'Lean and Gunn ; this waa a mistake on our part, the lowest j tenderer being F. J. Gleeson. Professors Jacobs and Airec announce that they will give their first entertainment in the Volunteer Hall to-night. The entertainment includes magic, illusions, ventriloquism, sketches of character, &c, by Professor Jacobs, and those wonderful feats on the trapeze, by the " King of the Air," which were so much appreciated when last performed here. The entertainment is highly spoken of by our contemporaries. Mr Sub-Inspector Keily has been appointed Chief Inspector of Police for the Province of Nelson. A miner named John Brown has reported to the Nelson Colonist that he and his mate have discovered a new quartz reef on the Wakamarina river ; that the reef has been traced 100 yards, that it is well defined, about 18ia thick, with gold plainly visible in the stone. Mr John Smith, the recently-elected Inspector of Schools in Westland, is says the Colonist, " well-known to be a painstaking and most successful teacher." At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Henry Davis, on a charge of lunacy, was discharged, the medical evidence going to show that in his present state there was nothing to warrant his detention, but he must keep from drinking. He was ordered to pay the cost of his maintenance while in custody and medical fees, in all L 4 4s, at the rate of 10s per week. Commenting upon the remarks make by the Superintendent of Nelson regarding the Brunner Railway, the West Coast Times says : — "Cobden— the cynosure of the eyes of thorough Nelsonians— comes to the front again as the place to which the railway should have been constructed, and the Superintendent's reference to the matter, we are told, " caused considerable excitement." It is satisfactory to know that, in Nelson, excitement can be created, especially by a speech from the Superintendent ; but it is painful to know that, in the face of facts, a Superintendent of any Province should say that the Brunner and Greymouth railway is a "political railway." It may be a great, as it is an unjust, attribute to the political influence of the members for Westland, but it is the fact that, without any political influence whatever, the line of railway on the south side of the river Grey was chosen because it was likely to contribute to the opening of other mines than the Bnnmer mine, to connection between the coal-pits and a port, and to the construction of a line of railway from the West to the East Coast of New Zealand. Great as the difficulties undoubtedly are, that railway was undertaken for the purposes of the Colony— not of Cobden ; and it is much less a political railway than Mr Curtis's remarks are political rubbish." Peter Boyer, a miner from Candlelight Gully, who rprrive'l serious injuries from & falling tree, was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday. He is suffering from internal injury caused by a limb of the tree striking him across the loins. F. B. Fynmore, late Acting-Receiver of Gold Revenue at the Lyell has been found guilty of embezzling L3l 15s, the property of the General Government, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labor. The Colonist states that it is rumored that Alfred Hibble, the defaulting rate collector of Nelson, has been arrested in Sydney. At a meeting of the Nelson Central Board of Education, held on the 6th inst, an application from the Rev. Father Cummins was received for a subsidy to a school at Reefton. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Broad, " That the consideration of this question be adjourned until next meeting and that the item 'second subsidy to Reef ton, ' be added to the estimate of the Board's requirements for the ensuing year." . Government works for the supply of water to the gold-fields appear to be no better managed in Victoria than they have been in New Zealand so far. The Argus of a recent date says' :-r- v Another blunder has been made in connection with the Coliban Water Supply scheme, and it is thus described: — 'The main from the Expedition Pass Reservoir is only 7in in diameter, so that although there is an ample supply of water it cannot pass out of the reservoir quickly enough to keep the sluicing claims in the district going. The companies now using the water only get it intermittently, and in many other claims work is at a standstill, simply because the discharge-pipe of the reservoir is too small. We learn from the West Coast Times of Wednesday, that at an interview between a deputation from the Hokitika Hospital Committee and the Provincial Treasurer, the latter took the opportunity of pointing out to the sub-committee, among whom were the President and Treasurer of the institution, that, while the Greymouth Hospital had admitted during the yaar 715 patients as against 822 patients admitted in Hokitika, the expense at the former establishment was Ll5OO less than that of Hokitika. The Provincial Treasurer went further, and showed by an estimate, making allowances for the additional number of patients, and likewise taking into consideration the larger number of incurable cases in the Hokitika Hospital as compared with that of the Grey, that the larger institution was too extravagantly conducted by several hundred of pounds per annum. As further illustrating this, he specially pointed out the anomalous difference in the grocery accounts as paid by these two institutions, the Hokitika Hospital having expended under that head alone the sum of L 450 in excess of the Greymouth Hospital during the same term, or at the rate of L 9 per week for the additional patients it maintained. We learn, from the Waitangi Tribune, that a few days ago an old settler in the district, named Thomas Davis, was apprehended on a charge of having attempted to poison his wife. He was taken to Timaru on Thursday for examination. Davis, who has always borne a high character in the district for sobriety and integrity, has passed 60 summers, and lately married a new arrival from London, said to be 22 years of age. It appears that the marriage state has not been one of enjoyment to this ill-matched couple. MrW. C. Wright, surveyor, met with a severe accident while surveying on the City of London claim at the Thames on the 23rd ult. He had taken certain bearings and levels in the mine, and was finishing up the surface work. For this purpose he fixed his instrument near the mouth of the quartz hopper for the purpose of taking a sight. The carter who had been last at the quartz hopper left the iron trap door raised, and a lump of rock about 501 b weight fell oat and struck Mr Wright on the hand, breaking one of his fingers and destroying the theodolite which he was using, valued at L3O. The glasses of the instrument were completely shattered, At a banquet given to Sir J. L. C. Richardson at the Molyneux by a number of his old friends in the Clutha district, " the Major," when replying to the toast in Mb honor, caused much satisfaction when be said that he hoped no difference of station would ever estrange him ; to them — he was "the Major" still. For the information that he was a . knight, he was indebted to the Press and his friends. He had not been offi-, cially apprised of the fact himself. His knighthood might possibly be a mistake in a

telegram. If so, he would receive the intelligence with the utmost resignation. For himself he did not covet the honor. It was not a personal one, but conferred upon him in his position of Speaker of the Legislative Council. As such, he highly valued the distinction bestowed upon him by his Sovereign. When proposing the toast of " Prosperity to the Clutha district," he explained with considerable emotion his reasons for leaving it, and said that "In his case all the young birds bad flown, and the old bird was left with nothing, and how could it remain sitting in the nest pining for those that were gone." It will be remembered that at its last session the Provincial Council of Otago passed an Ordinance providing for a rebate upon the export duty on all gold the produce of Otago. This Ordinance was disallowed by the Governor, but we notice that in his address to the Provincial Council, the other day, Mr Macandrew stated that the Colonial Government has lately intimated to the Otago Miners' Association that it has now no objection to the duty being reduced. Jle had written to the Colonial Government to the effect that if this be so, the Provincial Government was prepared to relinquish either a portion or the whole, if the former would indicate the proper modus operandi of accomplishing this, which will meet its concurrence. We learn from the Inangahua Herald that the cause of Mr Jackson's resignation as Provincial Auditor of Nelson was physical incapacity, owing to acute rheumatism. His illness having been a lengthened one, the work in connection with his office had unavoidably fallen into arrear, and it ia doubtful whether Mr Greenfield, who now fills the appointment, will be able to present his report to the Council at so early a stage of the proceedings as usual. Eef erring to the recent news of the illness of H.R.H. Prince Leopold, an exchange states that he suffers from a congenital defect, his skin being so thin that from his birth any extraordinary exertion causes him to per spire blood. This accounts for what was termed hemorrhage in recent telegrams, as the ailment from which he was suffering. There is still a feeling of incredulity, says the Napier Telegraph, lingering in the minds of many that our Premier purposes making not our Colony his abiding place, but will enter for stakes of a higher value, among more doughty competitors in the land of his birth. Whether the Premier's talents or his capacity for work have engendered and kept alive this suspicion we wi'l not venture to say, but it ever and anon crops up in the form of hpyoth'esis or. positive statements. How rumors of % political nature get bruited about we know not, but that the revival of the assertion that the Premier's contemplated desertion of South Britain is again in men's mouth's is certain. Mrs Vogel's intended lengthened stay in Oreat Britain favors this presumption Political prophets say the Premier will return, make his financial statement, point to the surplus he has in hand, paint in glowing colors the prosperity of the Colony, make a touching allusion to his failing health, induced by too continuous application, and in tones tremulous with emotion lament the necessity of retirement from public life, bestowing his benediction on the Colony generally, and in the concluding paragraph of his budget insert his annual modicum of piety in the shape of a fervent prayer for our future welf ire, when we have passed beyond his supervision. This from one class of prophets, we hear, is the ""re--mier's political programme. We take the following from the Auckland Echo: — "It is not" often that Esculapians are to get such a fee as was lately sent to an. English doctor. One of the squattocracy of Canterbury, who enjoys a reputation for possessing large sums in hard cash, in addition to extensive landed estates, recently fell sick. He is a man comparatively in the prime of life, and he thought it rather hard to die just yet and leave so much wealth behind him. Some time ago he visited England, and there made the acquaintance of a medical man of great celebrity, who had afforded him temporary relief from the ailment which recently returned. In his extremity he determined to consult the same doctor a second time. But the physicians of Canterbury assured him that his health was too precaurious to risk a voyage to England.' The complaint baffled the skill of the Canterbury doctors. Time passed, and death was waiting to snatch him away from his gold and all the luxuries that accompany its possession. Happy thought ! The cable was resorted to. A draft was arranged through a local bank, a lengthy cablegram was sent to the great doctor, describing the diagnosis of the disease, accompanied with an order upon a London bank for LlOOO, and a lengthy telegram was received in reply, prescribing for the proper treatment of the disease. Thanks to the cable, modern science, and ample means, the rich man's life is saved. Verbum sap. In addition to recent telegrams on the subject, we publish the following from the Lyttelton Times of the 6th inst. :— "At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, an interesting point came before the Bench for decision. It was in a case where the Christchurch Horticultural Society sued the Curator of Intestate Estates, who was represented by Mr Garrick, for L 6 10s, which had been promised by the late Mr J. M. Smith for special prizes at the Society's exhibitions, but not paid prior to his death. Mr Garrick contended that the Society, not being a corporate body has no legal standing, and the Curator, though having funds in hand, dare not therefore pay the money. Mr Wilson, President of the Society, said there was (correspondence to show that Mr Smith had promised the money, and that the Curator had acknowledged the claim of the Society. Mr Garrick said this was quite true, and Mr De Bourbel was prepared to pay the amount if he was justified by law in doing so, but he was not. His Worship held with Iwr Garrick, that the Society, not being a Corporate body, had no legal status, and gave judgment for the defendant." As a proof of the stability of Greypouth and the growing importance of the district, we mention that Messrs Smith and Barkley are large direct importers from English manufacturers. Tn addition to a very large stock of winter drapery, we notice that Messrs S. and B. have received a shipment of carpets, floorcloths and house furnishings of elegant design and first-class quality, Brussels carpets from Crosley and Sons, tapestry carpets from Stoddart and Co, Kidderminster carpets from Thomas Tapling and Co, floor and passage cloths from Shepherd and Beveridge. As the above are well worthy of inspection, we are sure that Messrs Smith and Barkley will always be pleased to shew them to our numerous readers. — Advt, We notice that Mr Duncan M'Lean, Boundary street, has imported a very superior quality of Rum, called Red Heart Jttani. As there is a great deal of sickness and colds about, we quote some remarks from the London. Morning Post : — •' Red Heart Bum, the oldest, purest, and finest stimulant of the age, especially selected for hospital purposes by the Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in the late French and German War. Rum varies in quality as much as port wine or claret, and it is only the finest and oldest descriptions that have the beneficial effects so justly ascribed to the Red Heart Rum Ly the medical profession, so that when Red Heart Rum is recommended in cases of consumption, cholera, dysentery, low fevers, colds, overworked brains, &c, unlike other, Rums, the Red Heart Rum is totally free from any bilious properties."— ' ADVT.