DUNGANVILLE.

Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 9493, 14 July 1896, Page 4

DUNGANVILLE.

(a. ooeeespowdent.) Daring the past few months afew items of Interest have occurred here that may engage the attention of your readers outulde the radius of our dietrior. On the 27bb of last month a meeting was convened in Mr M'Keohnle's billiard room for the purpose of electing an hospital committee, and the following gentlemen were appointed to canvass the district: — Messrs Oodyre, Patterson, Hugh, Jackson, Oilberson Bros, Blanohfield, Theyers, Hogan and Powell Up to date they collected L 32. This falls very far short) of last year's ticket subscription, which was LSO. We may get LlO more, Dot I ana rather doubtful or it. Maori Creek has always been to the fore with its contributions to the hospital, but when men have not the money bhey cannot anbsoribe. We had an evidence of the impoverished conditions of the district exemplified here the other week by the fact of Mr James Ilton having to dose up his public house. Some people may attribute the oause to the temperance movement, but I think it Is the want of money, or In ether words the scarcity of gold. When tha public houses are doing a good business It is generally a good lndtcatlon|of the pro sperity of the inhabitants. A party of six nun have taken up an extended olaim of six acres on the terraoe between the right and left; hand branches of the New River. Should thia deep ran of ground prove payable, ■ which is 8 continuation of the old New River lead, and is about a mile and a half in -sxtont, It will make things boom again. The party that have undertaken to prove the ground go under the name of the Maori land Company. ' Noournal thieves have become rather versatile in their depredations of late, varying from gold robblng'to beef robbing. Mallinaon Bros., bulohers, have beea bwlca victim? to thieving raids, c <oh time the depredators taking away 601ba I of beef with them besides spoiling about half a bnllook in the way they hacked the beef about. Mr M'Keohnle was the last person to be victimised In that line. The morning Hanrahan f(Mr Jl'Kechoie's butcher) missed the beef he Informed I Constable Henderick, and they at once proceeded to some Ohinamen'B hots about three mile distant whom they knew did vary little work. On going into ons of these hnts they found a piece of fresh beef on the table and another small pleci lin a pot boiling on the fire. The Chinaman, who by the way ia commonly known by the name of "Cry bal'y." deriving the. name from the peculiar crying expression of his features, ia answer to all questions, responded with the usual " No savee." Finding no further trice in the hat, they searched, outalcU in the bashes, whan the dogs eoentad it out in a tunnel in close proximity. There was 74lbs of beef In two bags. Constable Henderlck arrested the Chinaman there aud then, brought him to the Crack and imprisoned him in i the "lockup" for the nlghr. On thef following morning he was taken to the Grey and bronght before two JP's, where, pleading guilty, he was nentenced to one month's imprisonment. This is exemplary punishment I The general opinion here Is that if the gold thieves happen to get caught, and they get no severer punishment meted out to them than the beef robber got they will not have much to ba afraid of. • ... ...■ W.;-.., On Friday night (the 10 nit) Mallinson,

Caohrane, Sheyers and Tibbies had their boxes washod up for about LlO worthy of gold. This robbery waa indeed a daring one. It was done in an open p'aca within view of the township and- not more than 200 yards from taree cottages wherein the occupants were soundly sleeping. The .depredators turned the. water into the boxes, sluiced tne dirt that was in the paddock, lifted the false bottoms, rippled the remaining dirt down to a smaller quantity, pob it into a receptacle and marched off with their booty, not Uaving as many grains behind them as ounces they took away with them. No trace of the raaoala can be found. Dunganvilie, July 12th.