THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1879.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 3359, 24 May 1879, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1879.

At Mr Reeves's meeting the other night, a practical miner (Mr M'Laren) inveigled rather strongly on the absurdity of appointing a man like the Hon Mr Stout, a lawyer and Attorney-General, Minister of Mines ; and Mr M'Laren was right, for what real practical knowledge can he be expected to possess on a subject so eminently practical as mining. We had an example of this recently in the case of Armstrong and Party v. the Government in the recent arbitration case tried at Kumara. The principal counsel for the Crown, who is no doubt a very good lawyer and thoroughly acquainted with mining in its legal aspect, was all at sea and floundered about most helplessly ■when he came to the real practical part of his case, and nobody, we are sure, would feel more the absurdity of his position than Mr South. Mr South might just as well be appointed SurveyorGeneral, and sent, like Mr Blair, to decide on a line of route for a railway, as to decide upon matters requiring not only a thorough knowledge of the tLeory but the practical working of mines ; and if a Minister has not this, how can it be expected that he will know whether his subordinates do their duty, or how will he know how to deal with the question of "prospecting." We, here on the West Coast, know how necessary it is for people connected with mining to have a thorough knowledge of what we undertake, and in connection with this we would strongly urge on the Government the necessity of appointing thoroughly competent Inspectors of Mines— men who know their business, and who will insist on mines being rendered as far as possible — safe. There is scarcely a week, or at all events, a month, passing but what we have to record some disaster, more often fatal than otherwise, from accidents that might have been, with a little precaution, prevented. Miners as a rale — gold miners especially — do not care about being meddled with. They say, we go where no Government official would venture, and we prospect in out-of *the-way places ; let us do our work after our own fashion. This is rough and ready logic, but it is built upon false premises, and in reality miners would not object to Government taking measures to ensure their safety if they were certain that any alterations were suggested by men who knew what they were talking about. In this district we meet with examples that require supervision, and it should be the duty of the Mine Inspector to visit not only every quartz, reef and coal, working, but, also every alluvial district. In Kumara, there were, in the early days, shafts sunk and drives made that ought never to have been allowed to exist, as they were veritable man-traps, executed by men who had not the slightest knowledge of what they were doing, or that the timber they were puttirg in would stand twenfcyfonr hours. It should be the duty of the Mines Inspector uot only to see things properly done but to instruct. He should also have full authority to examine into the fitneßs of mining managers for the position they occupy, and in this respect the Regulation of Mines Act requires amendment. As the Act at present stands, anybody, providing he haaa little influence with the directors can be a mining manager, even if he had never seen a mine in his life, and the first time he makes his acquaintance with mining might be the first time he hesitatingly ventures down a shaft to assume the position of manager of the mine to which he had been appointed. These things have happened before and might happen again, and valuable lives are sacrificed to others incompetency. The Kaitangata disaster ocurred through the " eccentricty" of one of the mining managers and the same thing might happen at our coal mines or at Reef ton. A mining manager should be a thoroughly competent man and directors should not be allowed to appoint whom they please — (not only in the interest of those under the manager but also of the

shareholders)— simply because they are friends, and considered good enough for mining managers. To surperviso all this, to bring forward measures that will deal with all branches of mining, requires % man thoroughly conversant with the subject, therefore all the more necessary that the Minister of Mines should have a thorough knowledge of mining practice as well as theory.

The complimentary concert last night to Mrs Mark was a success in every respect, but we withhold a full report till our next issue. An inquest was held yesterday morning at Sheedy's Brian Boru Hotel, on the body of Thomas Hannon, who w is killed by a fall of earth on Wednesday afternoon at Kiverton Gully, near Maori Gully. It appeared from the evidence that the rivceassd and his mate (John Boland) were to Icing out washdlrt from an old working on the side of a hill when the water from tho race loosening the earth above them, caused it to slip, burying both Hannon and Bolant l The latter, however, managed to extri ate himself, but on looking round could see no signs of Hannon. He proceeded as quickly as possible to turn off the water in the race, as the earth was slipping faster, crying out for help at the same time, A man named Hinnigan came to the rescue, and both he and Boland proceeded to search for Hannon, but could find no trace of him. Further assistance was procured, and after some delay, the body was found covered up with only about six inches of earth. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death." The body was buried in the Greymouth Cemetery close to that of his cousiD, Dennis Hurley, who was killed in the same claim a few months ago. This day (Saturday) will be observed as a close holiday by the banks, Post Office, and the various drapery establishments in the town, The Telegraph Office will «nly open on Sunday hours. The Greymouth Volunteers will assemble at 9 o'clock this morning at the Volunteer Hall, to fire a JeucV jois in honor of her Majesty's Birthday. Between 4_ and 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon the residents of Mawhera Quay were startled by hearing a rumbling noise in the direction of Cobden. and observing an excited crowd evidently cheering and shaking hands with other. It was thought that nothing short of news having been received that the Cobden bridge was to be commenced forthwith could have so stirred the usually undemonstrative inhabitants of this suburb to such manifestations, and acoordingly a boat was quickly despatched from Greymouth to ascertain " why thia rejoicing." Immediately on the boat reaching Cobden it was seen that the messenger was dragged fantically into Gilmer's Hotel, from the door of which he made pantomimic sign? which could not be interpreted by those anxiously waiting on the Greymouth eide. However, after a short interval, the messenger was seen to leave the hotel and make towards the boat, escorted by the crowd. On his arrival at Greymouth he shotted out "He's returned," and then appeared quite exhausted, A reviver being administered to him, it was then elicited that the messenger had returned from Canoe Creek bearing the news that Boase had polled 10 votes to Mr Glennon's 22 ; consequently Mr Boase was returned as member for Cobden in the Grey County Council by a majority of 6 votes. Hence the rejoicing. The total number of votes polled were— Cobden— Boase, 39; Glennon, 23. TenMile— Boase, 7 ; Glennon, 5. Canoe Creek —Boase, 10 ; Glennon, 22. The total number of votes being' — Boase, 56 ; Glennon, 50 ; thus giving Mr Boase a majority of 6 votes. As a specimen of the language used by gentlemen in the Parliament of New South Wales, we cull tho following from the Sydney Morning Herald's report of the Parliamentary proceedings in that Colony on a recent date : —Mr Hoskins : Haw, haw ! Mr M'Elhone : I'll make you "haw, haw" on the other side of you mouth before I have done with you. Mr Hoskins :Is that right ? Mr hpeaker (in a sickly voice) : I really think the hon. member is out of order. Mr ME hone : I'll not submit to the jackass laugh of the hon. member. The Speaker : The bon. gentleman is not in order in alluding to any hon. member as a jackass— [Mr M'Elhone : I said a jackass laugh] — or in saying any hon. gentleman is laughing like a jackass. Ihe hon. gentleman should apologise to the house and withdraw the expression. Mr Weldon, Commissioner of Police for the Middle Island, has arrived at Hokitika on a visit of inspection. A boy named Reuben Steers, residing at FTokitika, had a narrow escape from drowning on Wednesday. He was engaged getting 1 firewood out of the surf. While doing so, a wave knocked him down, and before he had tim 9to recover himself it carried him out a considerable distance ; a man happening to be on the spot at the time rushed in and dragged him oub. Another quarter of a minute and it would have been a case. A number of aliens, objected to as aliens, residing in Kumara and Dillman's Town, were, on the application of Mr R. Rae, at the Revision Court, Hokitika, on Wednesday, retained on the Electoral Roll. The following team have been selected from the local Rifles to represent Kumara in the match wi h the Greymouth Rifle Rangers this day. Lieutenant Munyard, Hon. Surgeon Huxtable, Sergfc. Falvey, Corporals Palamontain, and Smith, Privates Marshall, Sampson, Brennan, Barnetfc, Caldwell, and Hopkins (register-keeper), The team will arrive from Kumara by the first tram, and will be met at the I'ecreation Hotel, at 10.30, by the Greymouth team, and escorted to the butts. Several claims for compensation for land taken for railway puvposes at Hokitika for the Greymouth and Hokitika line have already been brought before the Government.