THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1881.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 15 July 1881, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1881.

Intelligence was conveyed to Eeefton yes* terday of the death by drowning of Mr John M'Gill, storekeeper, Moonlight Greek, in the Grey Valley. From what we learn Mr M'GHll was in the'act of fording the river when he was swept away and drowned. The deceased was an old settler in the locality, and was for many years in business partnership with Mr J. I. Aiken, of this town. In the recent match between Halfcaste and Septimu?, the latter received a stone and a-half, the distance being two miles* It was reported at Boatman's on Wendess day last that the reef had been met with in the Welcome intermediate level. We understand that the Golden Fleece Extended Company have in contemplation the purchase of a diamond drill for use in their mine. MrJ. Trennery, during his recent visit to Victoria obtained a ' thorough knowledge of tbe woiking of the machine, ■ as well as of the details of its construction, and erection, so that it pan be worked by the company without the aid of expert assistance. Mr Trennery estimates that a drill capable of boring a distance of 500ft can be placed on the company's ibine, with air-compresser and all attachments complete, for about £800. For the work of crossucutting, such a machine would be of incalculable benefit, as with its aide country can be prospected in as many days as it now takea months. The amount of money sjpent annually in the Inangahua upon useless cross and * main driving would over-stock the place with the machines. The banquet to Mr S. Barr at Boatman's has been fixed to take place this evening, and a large number of Reefton friends have arranged to proceed to Boatman's this eveuin? for the purpose of being present at the gathering. The annual meeting of tbe parishoners of St. Stephen's Church, Eeefton, was held on Wesday evening, $rhen the following gentlemen were appointed to tbe various offices : — Minister's Church Warden, Mr W. Brown; Parishoners' Church Warden, Mr A. Broad*; Vestry, Messrs J. I. Aikon, I. Lewis. R. Roulston, I)r. r lhorpe, J. M'Eenney, Gr. W. Sampßon, R. Chattock, John Ching, J. S. Smith, 'A. Pickering, W. H. Jones, and W. Dunn. The Rev. Mr Sedgwkk occupied the chair. We remind intending contractors that tenders for 200ft of driving for the Low Level Tuunel Company will close at Mr Wise's office at 7 o'clock to-morrow evening. Applications are invited b> the Hopefnl Company, Boatman's," from parties willing to take the mine on tribute. A good opportunity is here presented to an cn'erprieing party of miners. Although the Colonial Treasurer has delivered his promised Statement upon the pnbjoct oflooal ,TOT?rnmcut, -we are. una'olo to

former budget, but we learn from Wellington that the scheme propounded has satisRod no one. imd in the prespnt temper of the Hou'p the Government will hardly be rash enough to pin their existence to it. But small confidence is fait in Sir George Grey's ability to cut the knot, and it is whispered that a move will be mmlo to turn the whole iniit.ipr ovor to a Royal Commission. Th<- officers aud men who have proceeded on the Arctic Expedition, are for the most, part rom of fair complexion. The crew were selected tbu9: — A large cube of ice was placed in a tub, and as each man presentrd hiir.beK, he was directed to stand with bare feet on the ice whilst particulars were taken of his age and experience. The time when distress was clearly evinced was carefully noted, and the most enduring men were tea lected. Inference was made to the death in the Auck!and Hoepittil, from typhoid fever, of a gumdigger named John .Ryan. It has since transpired that the deceased, although only a digger for gum, had in his time played many parts ; and that not more than five or six years ago he enjoyed considerable repute throughout the Colonies as a bareback circus equestrian. He was one of the acknowledged stars of Barlow's Circus, and his feat of riding six horses barpback at the same time used to cqmmaud the enthusiastic applause of crowded I audiences. Unfortunately, he led a somewhat irregular life, and the result was that at length he lost his situation. After trying various means of earning a livelihood, he gravitated hitherward, and as a denier r39eort, betook himself to Jgumdigging. On his latest visit to town he contracted typhoid fever, and died in the Hospital after a fortnight's illness. The only friend who made any in. quiry after him was » married woman who had formerly been a performer at the same circus, and for whose child • poor Jack ' had acted as godfather. Such is life. .' The Alta California says that Secretary Blaine has brought \o a successful issue the negotiations with the British Minister at Washington, in regard to damages for the Fortune Bay outrages. The British Government concedes a sum amounting to three-quarters of that claimed by our fishermen. While this will be very gratifying to the good people of Gloucester and other fishing towns, the chief value of the decision lies in the avowal of the justice of our position, and the indefensibility of the course of Newfoundland authorities. It is an admission that the United States are not to be cheated out of the fishing privileges for which they paid so large a price. This question of damages being now disposed of, tlo-e remains the necessity of further discussion and stipulation, so that what has been left obscrue by the clause of Treaty of Washington may be cleared up, the rights of both parties in the fishing grounds may be distinctly defined, and the probability of future minunderstandings greetly lessoned. There is but little dancer that England and the United States will ever again be at 'war with each other ; but these frequently recurring disputes are unprofitable and unpleasant, and the people of both countries would be well pleased to see them come to an end. The Eagle and the Lion should be tho best of friends.' Another American journal, referring to the same matter, expresses as its opinion that ( the time is not far distant when Great Britain and the United States will join issue and compel other nations to settle their differences by word and by pen, and not by the sword.' It isasignificent fact that out of hundred lads who were picked out of the public schools of New York as the best scholars of the year, thirty were the sons of German Jews. In the New York Colleges, one prize in three is carried off by Jewish students who on ly form numerically two per, cent of the students. The number of publicans licenses taken out for Wellington city and country district was ninety-eight. The fees amounted to £4,200. The Kumara Times contains the following : — We understand that a serious charge is likely soon to be prefered against a person in matters pertaining to the borough and to the district generally. The police have been communicated with,' iahd icguiries have been made relative to a statement made, which, ii true the miscreant should be severely' dealt with by the law. That young girls should be enticed from the streets of the town, allured into a den of infamy, is a crime upon whiub we cannot too strongly animadvert. ' The all-absorbing topic at present is the Pensions Question. The statement that the colony was paying something like £20,000 per annum for pensions, took a good many members by surprise. Regarding the cases of Mr Gisborne, member for Roas, Mr FitzGerald. the Comptroller-General, and Dr Pollen, member of the Legislative Council, a feeling prevails that something wrong and illegal has been committed. The question has now been fairly started and will probably be the means of doing much good, the whole matter of pensions being considered. Until the Committee have reported, further payments will be stopped. The police have prepaivd a list of the bodies with the money and other articles recovered from the wreck of the Tararua, which should help to identify a number of those who now occupy a nameless graye. A few of the bodies which very recently came ashore are not included, but of the 68 on the list the names of 40 males and two female bodies are unknown, only 26 having been identified. On the unrecognised bodies very litttle money was found ; on found ; on four were sums of £35, £10 19.9 £20 15s 6d and £30 7$ respectively , the total cash found on the bodies being over £111. A list of the articles found on the beach is 'also given, amongst which is £35 in notes, and deposit receipts for £227 from the Mutal Benefit Society; Wanganui, deposited by Thomas Lewis. The Wellington correspondent of the Christchurch Press says :— On the House assembling at 7.30 p.m., thorp svos a Tory full ! ' ! !!.;;0-i; il :.: ■.•.;' .;-•; ■.■■■!.- r-, ■„■■<>"< :M the glories ■;...> .•. :.. -i •■-.•.-. '•• ;:-.ltttive Conn* ;■;.' .'.■•■■ • ■ • ■■ •'■ ••■ ''-;v-'l-, as a'so had ' ■ : 7 ■■ ■■' public ami .■•.- ■:-■ , ■■ - ■■■■■■■■-> ■:■:.: '■ - I! , .... .. .. • •-;. :,,:.,,- i:]A:v^:h,

The U'Ual preliminary proceedings were watched with obvious impatience. Theee, however, occupied but a few minutes, and at 7.35 llijjr Atkinson rose amid hearty applause, and moved that the House go into committee of supply. He then proceeded to deliver h'ta financial statement, which was li<-ten«d to throughout with the closest attention. Borne surprise was felt at the statement being delivered without the Speaker leaving tin chair, it being almost invariably the Parliamentary practice for the House to go into committee before the budget is brought down. It was evident that the Treasurer hod originally intended to follow the ordinary practice, as he several times addressed 'Mr Seymcuv, 1 instead of 'Mr Speaker,' and spoke of • this committee ' instead of this House, each verbal s'ip creating irrepressible merriment, in which Maj r At - kinson himself joined heartly. It was thought at first that he ha'd a special object in taking this unusual course, and intended to conclude by moving the introduction of a Bill, but it turned out afterwards that his not waiting -for the House to go into committee was a piece of pure inadvertence. The House was very quiet during the early part of the statement, the first indication of applause being at the announcement that the railways bad paid 34 per cent, net profit on their cost. This but when the Treasurer stated that over a . million was availablejfor public works the ap* plause was quite vociferous. When Mujor Atkinson alluded to local finance there was some derisive laughter at Jthe proposal to give bodies rating power up to two shillings, and one voice called out ' make it three ' eliciting renewed laughter. The proposal to relieve local bodies of their annual valuation by utilising the property tax valuation was a good deal applauded, but the greatest outbreak of cheering arose when the Treasurer said that the estimates were reduced £334,000 below last year's, and when he announced the various reductions in taxation. He concluded at 8.55 amid hearty cheering, haying spoken an hour and twenty minutes.