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Grey River Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 2932, 7 January 1878, Page 2

Richard Nancarrow, Esq., Mayor of Grey* mouth, has been gazetted a Justice of the Peace, under the Municipal Corporations Act. We are informed that it is in contemplation by ths Public Works department to employ a dredge for the purpose of reducing the shingle bank at the upper end of the quay, and depositing the shingle by means of barges constructed for the purpose, behind the breakwater. We are requested by the Superintendent of the Grey River Hospital to gratefully acknowledge the following contributions towards the Hospital bill of fare : — From Messrs Jordan and Busbridge, 11 d"z fresh herrings ; from Meßsrs Antonio and King, 11 do do; and from Mr J. Stalker, 6 dodo. These gifts afford a very welcome variation in the diet of the patients, and reflect great credit upon the fishermen. The usual meeting of the Fire Brigade takes place this evening at 8 o'clock. His Honor Judge Fellows of Victoria was a passenger by the -*lbion on Friday. The next sitting of the Wesbland Waste Lands Board will take place on Wednesday, tha 16th January, in the Land office at flokitika, at 2 p.m, presumably upon the Governor sanctioning the same, in accordance with the Act. The death iB announced of Mr John Cunningham, butcher and stock dealer, formerly of the Grey Valley. His death, which occurred on the Ist instant, resulted from an attack of typhoii fever. The Grey County Council will meet at 7.30 this evening for the transaction of business. ■ Messrs Nancarrow and Co. will sell, on the premises adjoining the Cosmopolitan Hotel, at 12 o'clock to-day, stationery, books, &c. Attention is drawn to the sale of cattle &c by Messrs Girdwood, Lahman, and Co, at their yards, Preston road, at 11 o'clock this day. Messrs Mark Sprot and Co,|hold a Bale of cattle and sheep at their yards, at Omotumotu, at noon today. A miner named John Jack met with an accident at the Blackwater, Little Grey, on Christmas Day, which terminated fatally on the following Thursday. It appears that while crossing over a log his foot slipped, and he fell a distance of about eight feet into a paddock, dislocating his neck. He was conveyed to the Reefton Koßpital, where he died a few hours after arrival, the body below the neck was entirely paralysed. The Eumara Times of Friday publishes the following account of a wonderful escape furnished by a correspondent at Stafford : — " About 10 o'clock last night (Wednesday). I received a message from the fourth Terrace to the effect that a little boy. five years of age. son of Mr Neil Grey, had fallen down a shaft more than 50ft in depth, Making the best of my way to the bedside of the little sufferer, I found that he was not suffering at all just then, but was fast asleep, with a face as calm and happy as that of a sleeping suckling. Strange to say he seemed very little the worse for this terrific tumble ; no bones were broken, neitber were there any symptoms of concussion. A few bruise* about the body and limbs and some slight scalp wcunds were the full extent of the mischief done. When rescued the little fellow had taken off his boots to climb up the sides of the shaft."

The Hokitika Harbor Board is to be congratulated on the promptitude that they have recently shown in connection with the proposed harbor works, and in conservation of the river generally, so aa to keep it within required bounds. Already the first step in the commencement of the new works—according to the accepted plan, with the amendments of Mr Carruthers added— 'has been taken, Mr Frew having been appointed to prepare the detailed plans and specifications, on the approval of which by the Government, tenders will be immediately called for, and the accepted contracts put in hand forthwith.

Although persistent search has been mads for it, np trace of the body of the late Mr Boult, recently droyraed in the Arahura river, has been found. " "

One of these public nuisances who purloin newspapers from hotels was lately sentenced to 48 hours' imprisonment with hard labor for having stolen two London Illustrated News from the Albion Hotel at Lyttelton. Served him right,

Truth, of October 25, contains the following paragraph :—" Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G, will return home from Sydney early next year, and names Lord Norman by, at present in New ZeaUnd, as his probable successor in the Governorship of lew South Wales. The appointment would meet with tmnh approval, for Lord Normanby haa fully earned the confidence of the Colonial Office,

and his popularity in New Zealand is beyond question."

A Queenstowu letter of the 20th December says :— " Mr Manders, M.H.R, arrived here last evening, and was met at the jetty with groanß from a large number of persons, besides receiving the cold shouMer from his old friends. His effigy was burnt after being paraded through the town.

A special cablegram dated December 27th, appears in the Wellington Argus to the following effect :— The determined resistance which Turks announce themselves as prepared to make is only believed to be a threat to procure the mediation which has been refused. — In view of her recent successes, Russia will, have no. difficulty in procuring money for a decisive campaign next; spring. — The despatch of the Czarewitch to St. Petersburgh is an unofficial kind of disgraoe.— The absurd rumor that England was about to buy the Turkish fleet arose from the intention of the British Government to buy the ironclads on the Thames which were being built for the Turks, and for which they could not pay.— Sulieman Pasha and Mehemeb Ali are jealous of each other, and the latter is supposed to be thwarting the efforts of the former.

The sum of L 6541 (says the Melbourne Argus) was voted by the Victorian Assembly on accounts of sharks caught and paid for since March, last. Mr Berry says that he does not propose to continue this expenditure, which he describes as absolutely illegal in the past. Mr Mackay, who is the nautical authority of the House, said the money had been simply wasted in paying for "Bweet Williams"— a phrase which fairly puzzled hon members. A " Bweet William " is a dog- fish ; a perfectly harmless creature, says Mr Mackay, and the department has been paying thousands for its capture, while all the money required is a few hundred pounds to reimburse fishermen for catching the great blue and white sharks when they find them about their boats.

It is stated that the work of retrenchment which Sir George Grey and his colleagues have expressed their intention of carrying out is to be begun aB soon as possible after the Premier returns to Wellington, namely, early ia January. It is further stated (saya the Argus) that the reduction will be made chiefly in the Public Works Department. As far as we can ascertain no changes are to be made in the Treasury or Telegraph Departments, but it is probable that several of the other offices will suffer.

A Mr W. H. Le^is writes to the Times as follows :— " The sad account in the Times of the death of Mr Felix Munster, &t the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, and the terrible taleof^his being driven back, with his wife, to his room by the blinding, stifling smoke, reminds me that I omitted in my former letter to you on this subject to give any suggestion for the prevention of suffocation by smoke. A pillow-case, well saturated with water, and having a small hole torn in it to look through, placed loosely over the head, will be found an admirable impromptu respirator in the densest smoke. lam indebted to Vice-Admiral Jerningham, who has told me how, when he commanded the Cambridge gunnery training ship at Plymouth, he made his first experiment with the pillow-case respirator. He had 121 bof loose powder exploded in a confined part of the ship, which, although screened oif with fearnought, emitted so dense a smoke that those outside had to lie down on the deck. A common pillow-case, with a small eyehole, was p aced over the head of a man, who, with the hose in his hand, went inside and remained ten minutes, when, to assure his friends outside of his safety, he sang a comic song. Barton's patent respirators should always be ready for the use of hotel firemen, but, in the absence of these, it is as well to remember that there is always within reach in a hotel a simple and effective smoke-respirator— a wet pillowcase."

The following additional railway by-law has been issued by the Governor-in-Council : No person will be allowed to alight from or enter any railway carriage or vehicle at any station, except at the platform side thereof, unless with the sanction of the officer in charge of such station, or of guards at stations or platforms where there are no officers in charge, under a penalty not exceeding ten pounds.

The Ross Guardian, of the 3rd inst, says : — " It will no doubt cause satisfaction to many to know that Ross has been proclaimed a Borough. Mr Lopas received a telegram to this effect, from the Under- Secretary, on Monday last, and also stating that he had been appointed Returning Officer and Clerk. The election of the Mayor and Councillors will likely take plac6 this month,"

His Excellency the Governor opened the extension of the Wellington and Masterton Railway to Kaitoko a few days ago. A special train was put on and started from the Wellington terminus about midday, conveying Lord Normanby and his suit \ It was under the charge of Mr Hailes, the District Engineer, and Mr Stone, the Traffic Manager. A pleasant and satisfactory journey was made out to Kaitoke, which was reached in about an hour and a half, the distance being a little under 28 miles.