THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1883.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 4495, 18 January 1883, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1883.

Yesterday afternoon a telegram from Beefton conveyed the pleasing information that a. vein of stone 2£ft thick, and showing gold, had been struck in the Energetic, south-west drive, battery level. For some time back the company have been prospecting, and the news will therefore be very agreeable to shareholders. A fire which narrowly escaped becoming exceedingly dangerous broke out at Ahaura yesterday afternoon. It originated in an uninsured empty buildina belonging to Mr M'Longhlin, and Messrs Banks and Russell's propel ty were totally destroyed. Hamilton's and all the adjoining premises were in great danger for a time ; but owing to the exer» tions of the inhabitants the danger was averted. The women even worked with extraordinary willingness and energy and largely contributed to the success in overcoming the devouring element. Father M'Guinness request? by advertisement information regarding a certain James Mitchell, once of Okarito district. It has been said that Mitchell was drowned off the Australian Coast some years ago. The usual Volunteer monthly inspection parade will be held at eight thi3 eveniDg, at the Volunteer Hall, Mails for the Australian Colonies, United Kingdom, and Continent of Europe, via Hobart, close <tt the Rluff per Ringarooma on Friday, 10 ih mat, at 11 am. At the half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Gladstone Extended Company held at Eepfton lately, some discussion arose upon the question of tho propriety of abolishing directors' fees, Mr J Trennery and others favoring the discontinuance of the payment. The matter was eventually put to the vote, when it was decided, by a small majority, that the fees should be paid. The Austrian War Ministry has purchased a newly-invented land torpedo, by wWch a mountain pass one mile long can be secured by eighty men. Relative to the report that the United States Government contemplates making claims against Franco in regard to tho murd3rof two American citizens at Madagascar, the Moniteur Universelle publishes an insulting article, declaring that the American navy is so l educed by peculation that the United States was recently obliged to baok down to Chili, France, it cays, could ruin every American port, The following notices have been placed upon the paper by Mr l abouchere :— "That it is desir»ble that no pe»son be a member of the Upper House of Parliament by hereditary descent " " That in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that members be paid in order that it may be possible for poor men to represent constituencies. Professor Leone Levi estimates the incoms of the working classes at L 436,000 0 0 a year, and that of the middle aud higher classes at 1564.000.000, the expenditure being L 423.000.000 and 1454,000,000, respectively. The working classes are credited with spending 80 per cent on necessaries and | 20 per cent on luxuries, the middle and higher classes 86 and 14 per cent respectively, These luxuries include fruit, beer, [ spirts, wine, silk, silver plate and jewellery, tobacco, theatres, and amusements. Said Mr M'Elhono in the New South Wales Assembly the other night, " I wonder whether the House would adjourn if I slipped my cable." The eminent phonographists on Hansard have reported this as fo'lowa : — " It is pnßsible that when some insignificant member of the House like myaelf quits this life the House may be asked to adjourn." In reply to a remonstrance for a severe critique on an actor, a New York journalist publishes the following ;—" Bonhomie goea for nothing with us when the drama is in question and there i 3 the truth to tell. We may like you, personally ; but we decline to lie for you." A London correspondent wdtes as follows under date November 17th : — " There ia at present no Australian frozen meat on tho market, but a shipment of Sydney mutton ex Cuzco is expected to be ofiered at Smlthfield on the 20th inst. As an instates of the difficulties which the promoters of fie trade have to encounter, I may mention that the Pall Mall Gazette recently asserted that ' all attempts to bring Australian sheep to London, except cooked and in tins, have proved financial fai ures.' How such a usually wellinformed journal could be ignorant of the Eact that tens of thousands of carcases of Australian sheep are annually sold at Smithfield at remunerative rates paase3 comprehension." Among the Bpecial features of the Munich Electrical JCxhib:tion, Nature says is a telephone transmitting thither pieces of or usio performed at Oberatnmergau, which is about 63 miles distant ; also a giant telephone, which transmits concert pieces pert formed in the English Cafe, so as to be audible to the whole of an audience in a large hall ab the Palace. I

A MarseiPea priesb has basn bamiEoned and fined 10£ for cnLloiaiag, in a sermon to his parishioners, the provisions of the new {secular Education Act. At its laat sitting, the Geographical So« ciefcy of Hamburg resolved to despatch a new expedition into the centre of East Africa. Its chief will be Dr Fischer, who was one of Denhavdt's companions in 1879, and remained behind at Zanzibarwhen his leader returned home,