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Grey River Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 3933, 6 April 1881, Page 2

The only civil case at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday .morning was P. White v P. Curran. Judgment was given for tbe amount paid into Court, Lll 6s 63, each party paying bis own costs. A rather curious case cropped up ia the R.M. Cours yesterday morning before Mb Worship the Mayor and the Hon. Mr Lahinan. John Lodge laid an information against Mary Ann 'vV iokham, ft girl of 13, for using towards him offensive and insulting language, and which, in the language of the information, was calculated to " provoke a breach of the peace." He therefore asked that the said Mary Jane Wiokham be bound over to find securities to keep the peace towards her Majesty and all her liege subject;?, and especially towards the said John Lodge. The caao was rendered ail the more droll when it was discovered that it was not the little girl who mad 9 use of the bad language complained of, but her mother. Prosecutor, ia lodging the charge, gave in the wrong name. Tbe case was consequently dismissed, and Mr Lodge, for his oversight, was obliged to pay costs, including counsel's fee, and half a day's wages to the girl's father, who attended as a witness. The friends, of Mr James M'Laren, chief engineer of the tn?boat Dispatch, wiH be gJad to learn that he has recovered from his accident on that boat sufficiently to walk about, though of course it will take some little time before he will be thoroughly recovered from the effects of hi- fall. It appears that the accident was not caused through his boots being greasy, but through the condition of the staging. A curious Chinese ceremony regarding the dead was observed yesterday, a number of Celestials from Maori GuJly. as well as the Chinese resident in town taking part in it. The custom consists in ornamenting the graves of their deceased countrymen with strips of bright colored papers and other Chinese nicknacks. A varied supply of food, and sometimes clothes, are deposited on the graves of their deceased friends or relatives, Having gone through these mysterious rites yesterday, the gathering returned to town, apparently much relieved in comcience. One feature in connection with the straogs custom is that the luxuries ia the way of edibles and potables, or any other commodities are seldom allowed to go to waste, But it ia cosimonly supposed tbat these moituary offerings afford more comfort to the living than the dead. Professor Haselmayer, after leaving here, will proceed to Nelson Creek, where he will give a performance on Thursday, 7th inst ; and open at Ueefton : or a short season on tho Saturday following. He will jetum here to perform during the Easter holidays. A meeting of the committee of the Benevolent Society will be held this afternoon, at the offices of Messrs Nanearrow and Co. A slight misfortune (says the Kumara Times of the 4sl-) happened to the passengers by Cameron's coach on Sunday morning. Finding tbat the fresh had cut away a portion of the embankment on th : s side of the Kapitea Creek ford, Mr Cameron, for cafe- ty's sake returned to Stafford Town the previous night, and came on next morning. In folding the creek, however, one of the leading horses stumbled and fell, but managed to regain his feet. But the pass ingeis, two ladua and three gentleman, became alarmed and jumped out, up to their waists in water. This was the extent of their misfortune, riding hither three miles in wet clothes. Mr'W, C- Roberts, well known on tha Coast as manager of the Bank of New Zealand, has commenced business as a financial, estate, and general commission agent, at Duuedin. Inspectsr Emojarsou has been appointed a Fire Inspector for the Borough of fJokitika. At a meeting of the Hokitika Hospital Committee on Monday last;, a telegram was received from the Col.nial Secretary WelUogtoD, intimating that the Government had no power to compel the County Couccil to pay a tuosiby, if they repudiated their engagements ; a'so asking the Committee to continue tbe management of the hospital, pending legislation, from Ist April instant, the Government undertaking to arrange for. payment of accounts. A curious accident is reported by the Kumara Times. A little boy, son of Mr Mnnyard, obtained possession of a lot of pin-fire cartridges, among which, although unknown to anyone, was one charged with powder and ehot. Strangely enough the cbild took the only dangerous ooe to him* self, and striking the pin vith a hammer, it exploded, the powder burning his face and hands severely and"; scorching his hair and eyebrows, Fortunately the shot the cartridge contained was driven in a different direction, or the accident might have been a far more serious one. The following extract from the Melbourne Advocate of ;he 19th March, shows that our ■^evv Zealand youth are weJI able to hold their own against the young Victorians i& their contests, for literary honors :—" We are glad to see that fcha pupils of St Francis Xwier's Collage, Kew, were very successful ia the recent matriculation examination. The only candidate from all the Colleges in Victoria who passed l( wiih credit" at thai; examination was Denis Francis Gerity v of Timaru, New Zealand, a pupil of this Collego. _Three_ students went up from the College. Of these, Denis Francis Gefity passed in Latin,: Greek, French, history, English, arithmetic, algebra, and euclid, and got credit in five subjects, viz, Latin, Greek, history, algebra, and euclid. Augustus Leo Kennv passed in Latin, Greek, French, English, arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, and got ciedit in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. James Patrick Kelly paseed in Latin, Greek, French, history, geography, arithmetic, English, algebra, and got credit in French. The special correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph at Mount Browne cautions ' the inexperienced and ill provided from coming there. About 500 are already on the ground and more are arriving. Few are working, as they are waiting for rain, to bave conveniences for cirting and washing. Washdirt averages nearly 2ozs per load. On tbe surface the gold color is to be seen almost anywhere.^ Water is plentiful ten miles from the diggings, The prospectors have obtained 3oz to the load, and several small nuggets. If water is obtained, it will probably be a rich goldfield. Twenty miles on the Wilcannia road the ground is sandy and generally level, water being procurable only from long distances. One place 25 miles off ia without water. There is heavy sand nearly all the distance, and in some places the road is bad. It ia generally believed that 140.000 ,i tH ■•'•■ -fif '■ "f cho w 010 nunber m 1o a <i, ar« bantu upt. Ma y fa;ms, in consequence, are worse cultivated and stocked than formerly.

1 There are Indications that amongst the measures to bo introduced by the Government next session will be a Bankruptcy A.ct Amendment Bill. That it ia very much needed no one who has had any experienca of the working of the existing law will deny. The deliverance of the jury at the trial cf Irish pol'tical prison ra was the chief joke when the mail left. The foreman, addressing his honor, aald, "We are all agreed your Honor, that we cannot come to any agreement " They are, I hear (writes JEgles"), someth'"g given to over-insurr uc > in New Zealand. An agent the other day was negotiating with a cottager for an insurance aga'nat fire on hla household goods. The proponent wanted what the other considered too much insurance on his belongings, considering the modest dimensions of the dwelling which contained them. Upon this being hinted to him be explained that ho had "a fine natural history collec'iion, accumulated durthe last 10 years, aod for which he wouldn't takeLlOO." Inquiries amongst the neighbors resulted in tbe agent ascertaining that it wa3 ten years since the proposer married, and that the only natural history colic cbion on the premises was a wife with six fine j children. j The fol'owing from a Melbourne paper will I be new to most of our readers :— " Whilst coicbing in New Zealand, the Australian Eleven had a narrow escape ot being burled over a precipice of ]50ft. Boyle seized the leaders and tv ned their heads just in time to escape." The Ferro-Pboto Company w'll remain opeu for one week longer. — Advt.