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Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1410, 6 February 1873, Page 2

It is notified by the contractor for the erection of the new Arney street bridge that the existing bridge will be closed for all traffic on and after this day. Some remarks which have recently been made regarding the construction of the Greymouth and Omotumotu road might be construed, as reflecting in some degree on the inspector of the works, Mr Wylde. From correspondence which we have seen we have reason to be satisfied that Mr Wylde did his utmost not only to urge on the work, but to insist upon its execution according to the specifications. Frequently he reported the state of the work to the District Engineer, and seems otherwise to have exerted himself in seeing that it was carried out as faithfully as possible. . A case which deserves, and, indeed, demands the attention of the charitable among the inhabitants of Greymouth was brought under the notice of the Hospital Committee at their meeting last evening. From correspondence read and statements made at the -meeting, it appeared that a woman named Tiggart had given birth to a child in a house in Mackay street under circumstances of extreme destitution, and that neither the police nor the Hospital Committee were in a position to afford her ary relicf — the police being prevented from doing so by the absence of any available funds for the purpose, aud the Committee being unable to do anything in consequence of the regulation of the institution that lying-in cases could not be accommodated. The circumstances were first brought under notice by a report from Cotstable M'Kenna to Inspector Hickson. In that report, which was read to the Committee last evening, it was stated by the constable that at 12.30 a.m. on the 3rd mat., Dr Morice informed him that he had been

called to attend a Mrs Tiggart, "who was lying bad in her confinement in a house iv Mackay street," but that he would not do so without an order from the police. Between one and two in the morning, the woman gave birth to a child without any person in attendance except a. young married woman named Happhard, and she wasnow lying in a house in Mackay street, without bed. or bedding, aud with only a few articles of clothing fciven to her by Mrs Happhard. It was further reported that the woman was the wife of a man named John Tiggart, who was working for Mr Ashton on the road near the Coal-mine ; that he had taken his children from her and left her, on the plea that she had been drinking heavily ; that he was informed by the constable that she was ill, but that he stated "he would not go near her if she was dead." Prom the statemenis made at the meeting it appeared further that the Mayor had visited the woman, with the view of relieving her necessities, and had communicated with the police, informing Inspector Hickson that, as the case could not be dealt with by the Hospital Committee, it was a case for the interference of the police authorities or for the exercise of private benevolence ; and to these representations Inspector Hickson replied— "l beg to inform you that there is no fund at my disposal to relieve cases of destitution," According to the resolution of the Committee last eveniug, the Secretary was instructed to write to Inspector Hickson, stating that the rules of the Hospital prevented them from dealing with the case, and that the police were the proper parties to do so. With that statement the community will probably coincide, it being presumed to be the duty of the police to deal with such a case either as a case of wife desertion or of destitution, but meantime the circumstances seem to warrant the exercise of voluntary benevolence, and those who are benevolently disposed wilJ, no doubt, be able to obtain sufficient information from the Mayor or from the police to guide them as to the mode of exercising their charity. In the Province of JSelson the Inspector of Police is also entrusted with the duty of relieving destitute persons, and it would be well that some similar arrangement should exist between the County authorities and the police. In the absence of such an arrangement, and to provide for such cases as the present one, it might be well to institute a Benevolent Society, and it is with that object, as well as for the purpose of some relief being afforded in this caso, that we have detailed the circumstances brought under the notice of the Hospital Committee. Westport and Charleston are soon to enjoy the advaantage of a season of dramatic entertainments by Miss Stepheuson, Mr Burford, and members of iheir company. They leave to-day by the steamer Wallace, and are on an early evening to give a performance in the new Masonic Hall at We3tport, erected by Messrs Tonks and Hughes. They are to be accompanied by Mr Simmonds and Miss Tilly A ndrews. ' ' Should sufficient inducement offer," Miss Stephensou will, no doubt, revisit Greymouth at the time of the racemeeting in March next. The inhabitants of Cobden are to be favored to-morrow evening with a rare form of entertainment in that locality— a public lecture. Mr Thomson, who lectured in Greymouth on Tuesday on the subject of Life Assurance, announces his intention of visiting Cobden on Friday, and delivering a lecture in the school-house. The usual meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee was held at Gilmer's Hotel last evening ; Mr Masters in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the inward and outward correspondence was read and received. A complaint from. Margaret O'Romke, Clifton district, was laid before the meeting, and referred to Jhe Visiting Committee for the ported, the Hospital to be in a satisfactory condition, the number of patients at present being 24 ; discharged during the month, 21 ; died, 2. The accounts for the month, amounting to L 217 2s lid, were laid on the table and passed for payment. The Treasurer reported having received the following amounts —subsidies from the County of Westland : June, L 77 lls lid ; July, L 93 4s Id ; August,.Lß3 5s lOd ; September, L 69 3s 6d ; payments by patients, L 8 3s 6d ; sale of vegetables, L 5 2s. A meeting of the Grey Poultry Society was held last night, at Waters's Union Hotel, Mr Prince in the chair. A code of rules for the exhibition was adopted, and the prizes were fixed, varying from 20s to ss. The entrance fees, as will be seen in our advertising columns, are fixed at 2s 6d per pen, and Is per cage. The show will take place in conjunction will the projected Flower Show, to be held at the Volunteer Hall. The honorary treasurer, Mr Prince, reported the further receipt of subscriptions, and was appointed to receive entrances. A meeting of the Waste Lands Board was held at Hokitika on Tuesday. The following letters were read : — From the Chief Surveyor, stating that the miners living on the pasturage lease of Messrs Hill and Hampden are complaining of the renewal of the lease to those gentlemen, as very seriously interfering with mining operations. A telegram from Mr Warden llevell to a similar effect was read. From James Payne, Secretary to the Greymouth Jockey Club, requesting the Board to set apart a road reserve to the racecourse bridge. Mr P. Dungan presented a petition from miners and others at the South Beach, Greymouth, praying the Board to cause the pasturage lease of 600 acres granted to Hill and Hampden to be cancelled, and to make it a commonage reserve. The Board ordered that Messrs Hill and Hampden be requested to attend at the next sitting of the Board, when the matter will be inquired into and determined. The B u ard agreed to make a road reserve in Greymouth as applied for by the Jockey, Club, and one also at the Kanieri, aa applied for by the Kanieri Road Board. The Board ordered four blocks of suburban land in the Grey district, and one block of rural land in the Totara district to be gazetted and thrown open for sale on Monday, the 17th of March. A telegram from Yam Creek, dated 20th ultimo, reports fresh gold discoveries at Pino Creek with good prospects, but no alluvial. The wet season at the Far JMorth has not yet set in. A Queensland telegram states that flour at Ravens wood is L9O a ton, LIOO at Charters Towers, aud Ll5O a ton at the Seven-Mile diggingsA man named Antonio Silvester, who committed a capital crime 10 years ago at Castleraaine, has poisoned himself at Port Lincoln. At the last meeting of the Hokitika Hospital Committee, a letter was read from Dr Maunsell, tendering his resignation as Sur-geon-Superintendent of the Hospital, and requesting the committee to appoint his successor as soon as possible. Mr Sheppard moved, seconded by Mr Gawne— "That a letter be forwarded to Dr Maunsell, accepting his resignation in accordance with the rules of the institution as to notice," which was carried. Mr Sheppard moved, seconded by Mr Hine— "That a letter be forwarded to the Melbourne Hospittil Committee, requesting them to insert advertisements in the Victorian papers for a gentleman willing to undertake the office of Surgeon-Superin-tendent to the institution," which was carried. Mr Pollock moved, seconded by Mr Sheppard— "That the salary of the SurgeonSuperintendent be L 450 per annum, inclusive of residence and firing." Mr Gawuo moved

as an amendment, seconded by Mr Benning — "That the salary be LSOO per annum," but the amendment was negatived, and the original motion passed. Mr Pollock moved, seconded by Mr Hudson— "That the Sxir-gebn-Superintendent be allowed consultation fees;": which was carried; The Nelson Examiner has on several occasions noticed the invention of Mr Handyside, of tha-t city, by which, without any increased locomotive power, railway trains may be made to ascend a gradient of one in six. An offer was made to the Colonial Government to give the Colony the benefit of the invention by supplying Mr Handyside with the means to proceed to England to take out patents; and although the Minister o£ Tublic Works, Mr Richardson, was shown thewbrking of the invention, and expressed a favorable opinion of it, Government declined to make the moderate advance the inventor needed. Mr Handyside has not been slow, however, in finding private gentlemen to subscribe the money he wants. They have an interest in the invention, and he will proceed to England by the next mail steamer. Some time ago a description was given in the Lyttelton Times of an American wind pump, which was constructed with a view to decreasing the risk of breakage of the machinery when a gale occurred. The pump as then stated only occupies a space of four feet square, and the sails consist of sheet iron, which are fixed perpendicularly on iron rod 3in such a manner that as the wind increases in violence, so do the plates turn on the rods and offer a decreased surface to its action. Any increased force in the wind therefore expends itself on the spring fixed at the back of each s,ail instead of upon the machinery, aud the pump cannot be worked above a certain speed, no matter how strong a gale may blow. Tbe machine, which had been purchased by Mr J. E. Brown, at the Sydney Exhibition, was erected on bis run at Swannanoa, and has ever since worked in a most admirable manner, supplying alone the water for stock running on 900 acres of land. The saving to the machinery so long desired in this kind of pumps is complete, and Mr Brown has ordered a second pump, which isfo be manufactured for him by Mr T. Williams, Christchurch. Mr J. T. Peacock has also procured one, and is equally pleased with its performances.