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Grey River Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 2363, 7 March 1876, Page 2

Information was received in town yesterday of the following crushings :— Golden Ledge, 40oz of amalgam from 46tons ; and Keep-it-Dark, Gloz of amalgam from 87 tons. Mr Woolcock, the Provincial Secretary arrived in Hokitika on Saturday by the Christchurch coach, having made the trip to the East Coast by the steamer Maori from Jackson's Bay, where he had an enforced stay for upwards of a week. While Mr Woolcock was at the Settlement, Mr Macfarlane, the Resident Agent, was disabled by an accident which he met with in the bush, so that Mr Woolcock had free and uninfluenced intercourse with the settlers. Doubtless, from his opportunities and his experience, he will be able to give a fair statement of the Settlement's condition, progress, and prospects^ Nero and Diok Turpin, who are to take part in the forthcoming West Coast races, have arrived in Hokitika, as also two hurdle jumpers— Moose and Sultan, who are entered for the Greymouth races. A meeting of the Licensing Court for the granting of licenses, transfers, &c, for the districts of Greymouth, Paroa, and Coaldale will take place at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, at noon, to-day. Mr J. Smith, the Inspector of Schools, paid his first visit of inspection to the Greymouth Government School on Friday and yesterday— the number of children present on the second day of inspection being 355 ; on Friday, a wet day, the number was only 300. The school, judging from the abstract of the inspector's register, must be in a very satisfactory state indeed, He reports—" The general condition of this school is highly satisfactory, especially when it is considered that only four weeks have elapsed since the opening. The organisation is excellent ; the teaching of the upper class, and also of the lower classes (especially the first and infants) all that could be desired. The discipline is perfect. The 'time table' is judiciously drawn up, and the work is carried on in strict accordance therewith." The report, we should imagine, must be highly satisfactory to those whose children are attending the institution in question. We understand that the head master, Mr Thompson, has received a telegram from Miss Stanley, the newly-appointed teacher from Victoria, that she will come as early as possible, and she will probably commence her duties some time next month. On Sunday last the new Catholic Chapel, at Marsden, was opened by the Rev. Father Roland, an event that had been looked forward to with no small amount of interest for soine considerable time by the Catholics of the district. The day was a most auspicious one for the column and religious occasion. The weather was all that could be desired, being beautifully fine, affording the people of the outlying districts the rare opportunity of coming in to the town with satisfaction to themselves j and they came in large numbers too, travelling many a mile, showing by their presence that their hearts were in the work so well carried on. There were also a good few visitors from Greymouth. The chapel is prettily situated, being built upon a rising ground by the main road, and sits upon a terrace over-looking the town, which is only about 3,00 yards distant. The building is neatly finished, and cost something over Ll7O, a small balance of this amount was all that was due, but the collection on Sunday will enable the Committee to clear the debt, with a little in hand for further improvements. The handsome sum ,of L3l odd was liberally contributed by the congregation at Mass, Father Roland, in expressing his heartfelt pleasure for all that

had been done, said it gave him delight to speak of one matter ; to specially thank those persons outside his own congregation for their generosity, materially assisting his own flock in their endeavors to have a church built. It was his sincere prayer that no matter where he might be he might always meet the same good feeling amongst different denominations. Great pra ; se is due to Miss Sims, Mrs Marks, Mr Smyth and Mr Brown, who kindly came from Greymouth to sing on the occasion. The music was tastefully and well sung, especially by the ladies. Great disappointment was felt at the absence of the Rev. Father Cummins,, of Raefton, ifc being well understood he was to preach the open* ing sermon. There can be little doubt but that the heavy rain up-counlry of the last few days prevented him from travelling. The Church Committee, it cannot be forgotten deserve great credit ; for a long time these gentlemen have worked with untiring energy to overcome all difficulties, and at last have brought about a success they may well be proud of. An advertisement in another column announces that Mr Willoway, dyer and cleaner, of Hokitika, will visit Greymouth on or about to-morrow. We are requested to draw attention to the alteration in an advertisement calling for tenders for leasing the water-race of the Greenstone and Eastern- Hohonu Water-race and Gold-mining Company. The tenders are for " two or three" years, and not for three years only as previously advertised. The amount realised by the sale' of the booths and other rights upon the Hokitika Race-course for the forthcoming races was LBS 15s. The handicaps were expected to be declared yesterday. Five hundred shildren, and some of the inmates of the A sylum, were present at the performance of the Hibernicon Company, at Hokitika, on Saturday. The Rev. Mr M'Donough, a Roman Catholic clergyman, formerly of Hoki'ika, on leaving Warwick, in the Northern Territory, : Queensland, has been presented with a purse of 200 sovereigns and other private presents, from members of his congregation. The Victorian Mining Department have issued regulations in the Chinese language for the prevention of accidents upon goldfields where Celestials congregate. The following direct telegrams from Australia appear in the Christchurch Press of the 28th February :— Mr Stephen, formerly chief clerk of the Supreme Court, Maitland, shot himself at the rifle butts. — By a great fire at Gulgong racecourse the grand stand and booths were detroyed. — The schooner Jessie Kelly from the Pacific Islands, with 118 islanders on board was dismasted ten miles off Keppel Island. The West Coast Times states that the Superintendent received, last week, a tele-" gram signed by James Craig, Grahamstown, stating that it was reported there that his Honor was willing to receive applications for settlement at Jackson's Bay, and reporting that many families were prepared to come if a free passage were provided. His Honor, we understand, replied to the effect that he would be willing to give any persons within the Colony who chose to go to the Settlement the same privileges as those accorded to immigrants from Europe, but that he had no authority to incur any expenditure in passages. Mr R. Wilkin purchased the race-horsa Castaway the other day, at Tattersall's yards, Christchurch, for 500 guineas. The City Council of Wellington propose to use flags or blocks of concrete for paving the footpaths, instead of the asphalte at present used. The business is so great on the Queen's Wharf at Wellington that there was a dead lock of over thirty vehicles for some time upon it a few days ago. Mr A. F. Merlet, who now holds the position of French and English master at the Corporate High School, Sandhurst, has been appointed French master at the Wellington College. A few days ago a Maori wedding in high circles took place at Wellington, the bride being a very handsome lady, the daughter of the Hon . Wi Tako, and the bridegroom a chief of good ancestry from the Middle Island, named Taniora Tanerau. Everything was conducted in European style, bridesmaids, and so on, followed by a sumptuous breakfast. The Westport Times understands that the contractors for No. 3 section of the railway will, in a day or two, advertise for 200 men for the railway works. This number can be almost made up among men waiting for employment in the district, and there is also a number of miners who have been starved out, or near akin thereto, at Collingwood, who have been besieging the Immigration department at Nelson for employ, and who are likely to be forwarded down to the Coast by an early steamer, During the hearing of a case arising out of a judgment summons in the Resident Magistrate's Court, at Dunedin, the other day, it transpired that the debtor had asked the creditor to have a drink. Hereon the debtor was called back into tke witness-box and addressed b> his Worship as follows :— " Is it true he had the impudence to ask a creditor to drink, instead of paying his debt ?" Witness: "It may be, your Worship." The Resident Magistrate : •• You had better have paid him for a loaf (the amount was for bread); the shilling was not yours." Witness - "It was not mine a moment before." The Resident Magistrate : " I do not care where it came from. If you have any money in your pockets it is not youia so long as this debt is not paid." The debtor was then." warned that he would be dealt with severely if he had the means to pay but would not, and the case was adjourned-to enable the plaintiff to bring additional evidence as to his means. A worthy employee in a coach manufactory at Wellington thinks he was born under an unlucky star, and is quite sure that misfortunes never come alone. And this, says the New Zealand Mail, is why he has the opinion. He is a working man, and like many other working men, planted himself on the wharf to assist in doing honor to Sir Julius Yogel on his arrival. Just as he was giving his loudest cbeer a rocket was fired from one of the ships in harbor. It was intended io send" the rp,cket up hi the air, but the intention was not carried cut, and owing to a mishap the rocket went down the wharf, and the stick stuck in his leg. Remembering Casabianca's fortitude, he merely looked pleasant, and tried to persuade everyone he was still happy and enjoying himself. But he did not move out for two or three days afterwards. To the banquet ha must go, and here he made himself conspicuous by his hilarity, but in the midst of his mirth a bottle of •• fig" burst near him, and his hand was rather severely cut. The, two, accidents have convinced him that he is but of place on these festive occasions, but he consoles himself by remembering that such welcomes and banquets are seldom given. Speculating upon the possibility of Mr Reynolds being a candidate for the Speakership of the Bouse of Representatives, the Lyttelton Times says :— lt is rumored that in retiring now from the Ministry, Mr Rey nolds believes ilfaut reculerpour mieux sauter, and that hia leap is intended to be into the Speaker's chair. Should this rumor be corrfict, we earnestly trust j;hat"he wijil not be successful, even if the Government are so foolish a3 to nominate him for that high office. Whatever may- be our respect for the personal character of Mr Reynolds, we believe him to be utterly unfitted for such a ',

post. A good Speaker of the House of Re- ! presentatives requires a rare combination of high qualities,— constitutional learning. Parliamentary knowledge, intellectual foree 1 * logical power, judicial ability,, good address, delicate tact and personal dignity. Mr Reynolds has none of these qualities in combination, or even singly. His good nature, uncompensated by adequate knowledge and by higher mental faculties, would be constantly imposed "upon," and would lead both the House and himself into conflict and confusion. He is not adapted either by nature or by education to be a ruler of men. His chief recommendation, we hear, is that he has been Speaker of the Otago Provincial Council.' We are not disposed in this case to attach much importance to this ab inferiori argument! It' would not be difficult to point out the essential distinction between the Speakership of a local body— the members of which generally are mutual friends and acquaintances, and the functions of which are comparatively routine — and the Speaker- ■: ship of the House of Representatives assembled from all parts of the Colony, charged with momentous duties, and often subject to intense political excitement. Intelligence has been received by the latest papers from the Palmer of an attack of blacks upon the Cooktown mail. Mr Hogsnesh, who was in company with Mr Byrnes, says they reached Battle Camp, the scene oE so many black outrages, in safety. There they camped, and turned the horses out; bat during the night the sleepers were awakened by signs of uneasiness from the horses. Early in the morning Hogsflesh went to round them up while Byrne got the breakfast ready, when shortly after Byrnes was attacked by a mob of blacks, and a deluge of spears thrown at him, fortunately without hitting him, but spearing one of his valuable horses so severely that it is feared it will die. Byrnes, being taken so unawares, ran away. The savages then ransacked the camp, carrying off everything they could lay their hands on, including the mail bags, which were conveyed a hundred yards away, but were afterwards recovered. An American paper sarcastically says as follows : — " Advertising is a great bother. It only brings a lot of folks to your place of business. If they want you let them hunt you up. Then if you get your name in the paper you will be bored with drummers, and people will call on you and you will have to show them goods. Your stock will be exhausted so much that you will be obliged to buy more goods, which is a great trouble. If you advertise, too, it gives your place a reputation abroad ; folks will go there and crowd, and make it too lively. . If you don't want to do anything, keep as still as you can." The sober settlers of the Cape Colony are about to enter largely on a Policy of Public Works and Immigration. They propose to borrow, says the New Zealand Herald, five millions for the extension of their railways, which have been spreading gradually over the Colony during the last twenty years. Their credit in London is as high as that of any otheV Colony— higher than most of them —and their debentures are negotiable readily to any reasonable amount. They are bent on not straining their credit nor perilling the high position they hold; and have spent the last two years in investigating the claims to railway communication from different parts Of the Colony, and deciding by careful estimates and traffic returns, in what direction their railways shall run. Thus, when borrowing money, they will do bo for specific purposes, and avoid the scramble which has done so much towards wasting our loans and demoralising our Legislature. Their policy in immigration is also very unlike ours. They have neverknownwhat it is to introduce great bodies of people at the expense of the Colony, and apparently do not intend making the experiment. Jn the past they have managed to make immigration and settlement go hand in hand and become entirely self-supporting, and so apparently they propose doing in the future. We are not quite sure that a leaf might not with advantage be taken out of the book of these Cape people in dealing with our own immigration and- special settlements in the future. The following, from a recent issue of the Melbourne Leader, is well worthy of reproduction : persons who have effected insurances on their lives would do well to insist that their ages should be admitted by the directors and endorsed on their policies, otherwise their representatives may find it very hard to get the insuranoe money j for there are many persons, especially in this country, whose friends would find it difficult to bring forward evidence of the exact date of their birth which would satisfy an insurance office which did not want to be satisfied. A very unpleasant case has recently been brought under, my notice. A gentleman, aged SO^died very suddenly. The newspapers erroneously stated that his age was 82. For no other reason whatever, the office in which deceased had insured hi 3 l>f e for more than fifteen years resisted payment, and threatened to compel his. widow to force them into a court of law. Of course, the poor lady hesitated to take so extreme a step, and eventually the company compromised. I cannot well conceive anything meaner than thus to take advantage of families at the very time they are plunged into the deepest distress. It is, perhaps, only fair to mention that the company to which I refer is a foreign one, and has not even a local directory." The above will apply with equal force to insurers in this Colony, for unless their ages be proved before their death it will lead to a great deal of difficulty afterwards. We would, therefore, stroogly recommend all persons whose lives are insured, either in the Government office or otherwise, to obtain proofs of their ages, and lodge the same with the offices as soon as possible,.