THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1884.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 4783, 21 January 1884, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1884.

The Gveymouth State School will be opened this morning at the usual hour. Shipped by the Isabella Anderson yesterday for the Duuedin Gas Works was a number of gas retorts from the Brunner works, and their quality and excellent finish were the theme of admiration. Some professing to have experience in such things said they surpassed anything of the kind they had seen anywhere. Mr Greenfield left Reef ton on Saturday for Nelson. The Rev. Father Carew arrived here yesterday from Feilding, where he has been stationed for some rime. He will relieve the Rev. Father M'Guinness, who is expected to leave about Thursday next for Timaru, his new parish. The Welcome Company commenced crushing last Friday at 9 a.m., and will continue crushing uninterruptedly during the year. The Greymouth cricketers returned from Nelson yesterday in the Charles Edward. The Greymouth Debating Club has closed during the summer months, but will in all probability re-open in May next. Mr W. H. Revell, formerly Warden and Resident Magistrate here, arrived on Saturday by coach from Reefton on a visit. It is understood he will remain here for a few days. It is said that Ministers have grappled in the most determined way the problem for the reorganisation of the Civil Service, and that it is likely to be one of the cardinal points of their policy in the coming coming session. A correspondent at Wellington says : — " Strenuous efforts will be n-ade to have it quite ready by the opening of the session, and to include within its scope sufficient retrenchment, at least, to go against the deficit expected in the year's revenue, so that it may prove practicable to avoid increased taxation for the next year, unless it be, perhaps, another farthing in the property tax. This would bring it to its old figure of 1880, viz. — one penny in the £." Snow fell at Murimotu on Christmas Day, and we learn from the Chronicle that the settlers at the Kairoi station were gathering strawberries at the time the snow fell — a combination of events which is unprecedented. Mr Acton Adams has entered into partnership with Mr T. J. Joint, Christchurch, in the practice of barristers and soliciters. Messrs Briscoe and Co. are advised by cable of the death in London, on the 12th inst. , of their resident Sydney partner, Mr Andrew Drysdale. A Nelson Creek correspondent writes as follows : — " One of the most miraculous escapes from drowning that has ever been on Nelson Creek was witnessed on Monday last. The Fisher Company left the Ahaura with the intention of playing at Nelson Creek the same night. The creek being flooded, they had to leave their traps on Try-again and walk to Hatters. In crossing Mr Potts's suspension-bridge, a perfectly safe one, through the folly of a young gentleman from Ahaura, Mr Cram, one of the company, was swept off the bridge into the current, and but for the timely assistance of Mr Robert Potts, Mr Hicks, and others, he must have perished. As it was, it was some time before life was restored, blood flowing from his mouth and nostrils. He was conveyed to Mr Potts's hotel and kindly attended to. He is now progressing favorably. Mr Cram is a heavy loser by the accident, as lie lost two coats, a vest, a watch and chain, and his wardrobe. It is to be hoped before this Ahaura gentleman visits Nelson Creek again that he will learn how to conduct himself. Messrs Nancarrow and Co. , will sell a quantity of Nelson apples and other produce at their rooms at eleven this morning. The Fire Brigade meet this evening at eight o'clock sharp. The following facts respecting the MoJviJiiuui rush arc gleaned from the \Vest- | port papers: — The gold procured by Carson and party was found running alongside of the creek on a low terrace and about three feet above low water mark. The terrace reef, dipping inwards, plainly shows it to be an old water course. Gold lias also been found in small quantities in another claim. At present there is nothing to induce a rush of people to tlie place, as the country is unapproachable unless by balloon, or other jerial means of transit. We have only an excuse of a road from the township, 10 miles 20 chains — and for the remainder of the distance you have to make the best of your way, in one case over a mountain 2500 ft. high. There seems to be a large extent of flat country interspersed with low terraces, and everyone on the ground believes in the prospects of tlie place, if a road were made to it, but very few will remain without ono, as the difficulty of getting tools and provisions is almost insurmountable. The river fords to be crossed are now very dangerous, and in winter they would be 1 impassaVle. A very great assistance could be given to the pioneers by blazing

a track, cutting a few trees, and making a cutting here and there, until a good road could be made. A Wellington coraespondent furnishes the following information respecting; our | railway traffic : — "The railway accounts are not yet finally completed for the three quarters, but a rough approximate balance has been struck, with the result that the actual gross receipts for the period have been just about £700,000. As, however, January, February, March, are always good months, they may reduce this large deficiency somewhat, but 1 fear there will inevitably be a heavy deficit. The net profit for the nine months is approximately £180,000, which is £40,000 less than for the corresponding period of the previous year. This falling-off is not due to diminished traffic, for the returns for the thirty-six weeks, which are complete, show a large increase in the goods and live stock and an increase (though smaller) in the passengers. The respective increases- are as follow •__ Gnods, 106,260 tons, o• 10 per cent. ; ii ye stock (numbers), 110,862 or 35 per cent. But receipts for the thirty-six wee ks (£635,4.11) were only £1,500 mor c than the previous year, although thirty.f our miles of railv/ay were open, while the expenditure showed an increase of £43,800. On the Hurunui-Bluff line the receipts showed a decrease of -£5,500 (or £22 per mile), while expenditure showed an increase of £23, 000 (or £40 per mil c ). With regard to the oilier lines, Wellington, Nap-er and Greymout] x \ lac \ \ av . gely increased receipts) an t d Nelson a small in crease: but WhanS are^ Wanganui, Taranaki. Westport and Picto n ij ueg i iac j a considerable decrease. r^ ne grain traffic showed an increase of over4o or cent, in quantity, bat a large reduction in revenue derived therefrom.

Greenwood and Son, Dentists, Wanganui, next visit to Greymouth in April.— Advt. The achievement that gave to the world Wolfe's Schnapps will live in the history of curative science as long as thq. human frame is subject to natural diseases. — [Advt.]