The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1886.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1707, 21 May 1886, Page 2

The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1886.

The Government are playing awfully low down on Mr Seddon. The latter, as is well known, has up till recently been a staunch supporter of the Government, and durir.g last session acted as one of the whips for the party. Since then, however, a number of little circumstances have arisen to influence the relationship exisistincr, and it is no secret now that the member for Kumarahas broken away from the Government, and mounted Ilie rail. In bis i*ecent pre-sessional address to his constituents Mr Seddon indicated pretty plainly that he no longer regarded Ministers as the curly-headed boys of yore. His mnin charge against them was that instead of reducing, they had enormoußly increased the taxation upon the mining industry. We must confess that without baring given the subject any particular consideration, we were not aware until reading Mr Seddon 's address that we had been so Shamefully wronged by the Government. We felt like the British workman returning from a Socialistic lecture- -never till then knew*h6w badly we had been put upon. But the Government know it, or if they don't they are determined evidently that Mr shall not have even a color of excuse for repeating the charge in the House. We accordingly have the announcement from Wellington, almost before the recalcitrant member for Kumara has time to reach Wellington, that " The Minister of Mines has submitted to tho Cabinet the following proposals for the relief of the mining industries of tho ' South Island,' leaving the local bodies the option of adopting them or otherwise :— Miners' rights to be reduced to 5s per annum. Rent of leases for gold mining purposes : first three years of occupation, 10s per acre ; the next two years, 15s per acre, and thence forward at the rate of LI per acre per annum. It is also proposed to reduce the gold duty throughout the Colony at the rate of 6d per ounce per annum, until it is wiped out altogether. The proposals are favorably entertained by the Ministry." — Ra-r-r-r-r-ther. We should like* to have seen Richard John's face when his eyes • first met the paragraph just quoted. '•Crushed Again, "| wo ;ild probably have been his first exclamation, and then he would likely 'have regretted that he did not keep his thunderbolt for the debate on the Address in Reply. It was mean of the Government to in this manner prick the bladder he had blown out so carefully. But the member for Kumara is fertile of resource, and the Government may have forestalled him in this matter, but he is bound to set himself to find other leaks which they may not ao readily stop. Of course there h not much in the proposals of the Minister of Mines after all, because the fact of the remissions being left to the option of the County Councils is something like allowing thjit Bharks may no longer swallow men. However, the Government will bo credited with a good, intention in the matter, and local pressure might do the rest. The up Westport coach was unable to cross the Buller yesterday morning. The down coach will therefore not leave here until to-morrow morning, when the regular running will be taken up. On Easter Monday (Monday next) a football match will 4ie played on the race-course, between the following memhen of the Reef ton Club :— Messrs Blakley, Campbell, Durbridge, Hall, Butler, Jone», Ballantyne, Brennau, Boylan, Lecher, Lawn, and Lee. The opposing team will comprise Messrs North, St. George, N»«h, M'Dowall, Ross, M'Kny, White Mirfin, M'Farlane, Smith, M'Mynn, Tourette, and Shepherd. The match will start immediately after the Volunteer review, at 3 p.m. Mr Wm. Thnrogood, of Totara Flat, has purchased from Mr Alexander two well-bred horses, namely, Duchess of Albany and Cranmer. Mr Thurogood intends Cranmer for stud purposes in the Grey Valley. He is a four-year-old, and a very fashionably bred horse, being by King of Clubs (imported), dara Martyr (imported), full sister to Mater. This horse should have a good season. Heavy and continuous rain fell daring Wednesday night last, and on the following morning on the Nelson coiich reaching the Left-hand Branch the river was found to be ton high for crossing and the coach had to return to t*wn. The Grey coach managed to get over Stony Creek before the full force of the Hood came down. Once again in the history of the Colonies the minds of men are filled with dreams of a new Eldorado. The northern and western portion of the great Australian continent has Ween long predicted as the probable seat of the next great gold discovery of our ciine, and the events of re.ent times gives point to the prophecy. A fuw months ago came the news of gold fiiiiis in the country about* the Gulf of Carpentnria, and now some hundreds of miles along the coast fresh discoveries have been made, the news of which has passed like an electrical current through the Colonies, and raised extraordinary excitement. Kimberley is the new Mecca to whose shrine thousands of eager pilgrims are now convevgiug from all parts. Of course it is the old cry of distance, hardship, danger, and the other incidental horrors of wanderings in an unknown land. But Gold, bright, glittering gold, auri sacra fames. A tig for the dangeis, if there is but gold. Steamers filled with "rusfiiatm" leaving Melbourne. Sydney no doubt up and doing. Steam-boat companies in for a big harvest. Westport and (jreymouth sending skirmishers, Reeftoti alsosendarepresentatives.—Kimberley, beat, thir3t, black-fellows, alligators—Gold. At the hv*t meeting of the Bnller County Council it was resolved on the motion of (he Chairman, seconded by Cr O 'Sullivan — That tli.e managers of the hanks at llecfton, Westport, and Charleston, be leqtießted to send in immediately returns of »old purchased for the last two years, otherwise tho penalties under clause 6 of the Gold Duty Act, 1882, will be enforced for each offence. The Chairman was instructed to arrange for the Katißfactory settlement of Mr Moynihau's account. — Licensing expenses accounts were passed auii it was resolv^l that no mileage be allowed under three miles and over that ' 1» per wile one way.

Thfe Westport Timis says :— The medal awarded to Mr Haaeldeu as tirat piizetaker in the Industrial Essay Competition, may be seen at Mr T. H. Dickenson's by those interested in this mark of credit to the community. The medaJ is a pretty jewel; it is made of gold,* is 17dwts. in weight, and is affixed to a pin, so that it can be worn on the breast. On one side of the medal are the words ' Prize Essay Competition, New Zealand Industrial Exhibition, 1885,' and on the other ' Awar dedto William Reeve Haselden— Preßs Onward,' The medal will no doubt be highly prized by Mr Haseldeu, as it should be. Weakness and sickness changed to health and strength with Hop Bitters always if those made by American Co. See