fflkd €mi toes. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 18GG.

West Coast Times, Issue 109, 23 January 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1866.

Ai; the meeting to bo held tonight to discuss the subject of the Hospital management, it is to bo hoped ti.afc a very important question will be dispassionately debated. In a memorandum communicated to us on Sunday, and in a. letter which we publish in our issue of to-day, Dr llyley states his case in reply to the accusations that have been made against him. The meeting may bo fairly asked to consider whether that statement is not a sufficient vindication. The points for the defence are well put, and they, no doubt, establish a show of reason. It is by testing one by one the allegations of Dr Hyley, and discussing the general principles on which hospital management should bo conducted under the special circumstances of a community like Ilokitikn, that the merits will bo best elucidated and substantial justice secured alike to groat public interests and to the professional reputation of the gentleman who has been assailed. We think Dr. ltyley has at last adopted his only judicious course, in confronting the accusations made against him. They have for a long time past been public enough and tangible enough. No doubt tho practice is inconvenient of perpetually rushing into print, in reply to every stray charge or inuendo. Hut in the case of the Hospital, tho statements promulgated were so precise, and a.tthe same time so damaging, that tho medical officer could not afford to ignore them. Such Avas the .strong impression inuler which we wrote a few days back, and wo are glad that this gentleman has come to tho same conclusion, and felt the necessity of appealing as against his accusers to the tribunal of public opinion. In demanding a full explanation at Dr. Ilylcy's hands, we assured him that our columns were open to such representations as he might have Jo make, and we have printed his memorandum, and now publish his letter, accordingly. It is not our purpose to attempt to influence tho proceedings of the meeting called for to night, beyond tho expression of a hope that they will be calm and judicial. Tho questions at stake are of tho utmost importance, ami wo are bound to say tho mode of action taken is exceptional. That it is so, may indeed be justified by circumstances. Tho whelo of tho Government arrangements of the district are exceptional. To what authority have the public the opportunity of appealing ? To send memorials and petitions to Christchurch — and wait an indefinite time for a reply— -is felt to be a farce: not lest 1 so is it to attend upon tho Commissioner, and make a personal presentment of grievances. Whilst the public suffer under this disadvantage, it must be admitted the public officers lie under a di' ability of their own. They have no opportunity of answering charges of howsoever offensive a character, unless they resort to the columns of the press — a course tri which" they may feel a notunnatural repugnance, as a departure from a recognised official rule. It results from the" absence of a responsible local authority, that both parties are obliged 'to resort to measures, which under other circumstances might bo considered irregular. The conduct of public servants has to be discussed at monster meetings, and the incriminated officials have to address tl\eir vindication directly to' popular opinion, instead of adopting tho more customary mode of explaining to their official superiors. It is most desirable that tho present controversy should be closed, and the prevailing most unhappy differences healed. The now hospital, when the plans arc properly carried out, will be a noble institution, destined to work a large amount of good. It is unseemly that from such a root bitter heartburning should* grow. If Dr. llyley has proved himself an incompetent or an inhuman man, it is fitting that he should cease to hold the office to which ho has just been gazetted. But amongst tho gieat bulk of the community there can bo no desire to hunt down a public servant. Wo repeat tho hope, therefore, that the very serious charges made will |)e seriously and impartially considered, and that what Dr. llyley himself has said, now that he has at last broken silence, will be calmly weighed.

Fully alive to the necessity of at once securing the wharf, the Government have determined upon prompt measures for its preservation . We nro glad to see no timo is to bo lost, Mr. Edgar bavin" received instructions to proceed at ottco with tlw lefacing it, Tg-day tjje woik

will be commenced, and we trust that this time it will bo secured so as to bid defiance to any ftil tiro flood that may I. cat against it. It is proposed to drivo a fresh low of piles on tho outside, somewhat closer together than the old ones, and instead of the longitudinal sheathing which has proved such a failure, uhenlh piles, 12 inches by 0 inches, will bo used, lo bo driven into the river bed, iicnrly us far as Iho main supports. Tho utter usolessncss of driving piles only eight or ten loot is so apparent lhat it is considered advisable to uso liuibcr from thirty to forty feet in length, tho points lo bo shod with iron, us without this precaution it will bo quilo impossible lo got (he piles homo Iho required distance, from lift con lo twenty feel. The sheath piles aro also lo bo shod. Wo only hopo the undertaking will provo a success, and, onco out of hand, tho question of (ho stability of this part of tho wharf will bo set at rest, and that vessels, v/Jion fhey aro last to i(, will bo quite secure for * tho limo being. 13ut whilst this Work is being completed wo wonder what nrrangomonls will bo mado lo save tho lower part of Gibson's Quay, for it is \ory evident that a few moro floods will niako quch havoo as to necessitate tho removal of a great many of tho buildings thereon erected. To comploto a wharf the desired distance- in so short a time, half a dozen contracts Bhouldbo issued, nnd work commenced from ono end lo tho other, tho contractors moreover tied down to time, so that no possiblo excuse for procrastination could arioo, and the whole of the proceedings should bo subjected to the strictest supervision by an authorised agent of the Government, a man of undoubted probity aud trust. As wo havo before stated, we have nothing to complain of in tho manner in which (he lii'ht contract was fulfilled, for the work wns done accoiding to tho specifications, aud if there was any depaituie from the vile laid down the enor committed was on tho right side. At the s.ime time the wharf question has becomo of such importance, involving interests so extensive, nllccliiig as they do (ho well-being of tho whole community, that wo consider the most stringent mcasuics jshonlil bo adopted to prevent the remotest possibility of the ricuriciico of another failure. In the meantime, can nothing be done to break the force of the stream upon the north bank ? Is thure such a scarcity of enginceiing fckill amongst us that no plan can be hit upon to induce (he liver to "hpend a little of its simeilluoiis force upon the south instead of the north side i Wo certainly think thcro could, and that if diagonal breakwaters woro constructed, they would provo a protection to iho shipping,' as well as a diverting power to tho river. Why not try tho experiment by running ono out a short distance above tho commencement of tlio wharf; it might bo constructed in a week or ten days, and, perhaps, bo tho menus of saving thousands of pounds hereafter.

Tho clmrgo shoot yostordny wns iv very light one, only two cases coining before his Worship to bo decided upon. Ono. chargeagainst Joseph Wood, drunk and disorderly, for which ho was fined JCI or tho usual alternative, whilst Iho other was a clmrgo preferred by Mr Keniick against ono Win, Cjuinlnn for a violent and unprovoked assault 'made upon him by Iho accused, during" his jouvnoy from Grey town to Hokitika. Tho accusation being fully proved, Quinlnn, who it appears is an old offender, was fined £2, his Worship at tlio snmo limo cautioning him that should ho bo brought up again for Iho sanio oH'eneo ho should inflict Iho heaviest penalty tho law permitted.

In fho Supromo Court yesterday only two trials woro got through. Ono was a case of alleged larceny against Patrick Kerrigan, but tho accused was acquitted. Tho other was rather a singular case, and tho jury were somo fimo in arriving at n verdict. Two rosnect able-looking inon nnmod George Dell ami iTohn Trncoy, (ho former a storekeeper, nnd tho' latter n minor, woro charged with robbery in company. Tt appears that Iho prosecutor, Hdwnrd Welsh, who confessed to tho soft impeachment of having served n sentence, for cattle stealing in Olngo, and whoso mate was proved to havo also had his liberty curtailed for nearly killing apolieoman, sold (o Doll a cask of butler, for which (ho latter paid cCIO. On opening it, however, it turned out nil but worthless, and Dell sold it fo a baker for ,C 2 10s. Mooting tho prosecutor ono nighty Doll domanded some compensation, and was promised by prosecutor L 2. After agreeing, howovor. lip failed to keep his word, and according to his own nccount Dell then caught hold of him, nnd took not only tho 1.2, but L.l which he sworo ho had iv a purso in his trouscisj' leg. On tho othor hand, evidence to prove that he could not have had such an amount of money, was brought, nnd moreover Dell alleged, that by prosooutor's own wish (hey searched him, iv order to verify his statement that ho had no money, nnd only found an empty purse. Traccy, by tho piosecutor's account, assisted in the alleged robbery, but Doll declared he had nothing whatever to do with tho matter. Tho jury eventually acquitted both prisoners. In reference lo tho case of Stewart, chnrged with the murder of his wifo, the Crown Prosecutor said that ho would wish this trial put oil' till Thursday, and bin Honor acquiesced in tho al oration of date. The first cases this morning will bo that of Clarence Borthwick, for stealing in a dwelling, nnd Thomas Hull, for larceny, and John Smith, for stubbing, will ho noxt on tho .list

Our Groy River contemporary of fho 20th instant lias tlio following: — "Our Hokifika contemporary, tho West Coast Tiim's, npponrs to bo a constant victim to fabricators of false reports concerning this place. On three ov four occasions lately publicity has beon given to unfounded rumours respecting tho shipping. Wo would certainly recommend our 'contemporary to oxorciso a little moro caution in accepting information." So far, from the nbovo insinuation having nny foundation in fact, avo may stnto that tho nmnorous items of shipping intelligence roccived by us from (ho Groy havo been invariably neccptod with oxtrcmo caution, nnd a desire not unnecessarily to damage tho reputation of a port which has of lato boon far too noted for shipping disastors.

A soizuyo of grog was made last night on tho promises of Mr Hart, storekeeper Revell street north. It was occasioned through his not possessing a wholesale spirit licence, and caused no small excitement amongst the residents in tho locality, A large crowd assembled to witness tho removal of tho confiscated property by tho police, and some rather strong remarks wore indulgod in. We bolievo the authorities are on tho qul vine, so would advise storekeepers who do not possess tho necessary licence to provide themselves with it without delay. The advantages to bo derived from extended sluicing operations aro apparently well tinders'ood by tho Waimea minors, as several largo races have boon completed, nnd more nro in couiso of construction, One of these is especially worthy of notice foi its extent, and the immense advantages tho district h likely to derive from it when finished. The undertaking waa pi ejected by M 'Bride and paity, who intend blinking in twenty-eight, heads of water from tho A rah m a river, which ah.-ill command all tho pi incipal gullies in that district, bosides innumerable minoi dues running l'rxmi tho ranges, nnd which havo never been tested. It is oxpeeled I hat the water will bo in Fox's Gully in hix months, but that Mcvenil moro will clap.se ere Maori, Cullagau's, and Italian gullies arc reached. Thus some idea may be formed of tho magnitude of tho work to be accomplished. The race will bo many miles in length, and will require much Ihuning. , We take the following from our Grey River contemporaiy :— Another cafe of Rticking-up has occurred botween tho Twelvo-Milo nnd No Town, nnd strange to say again within n fow hundred yards of wlieietho BanK robbery took place. On

'Jhuisdaynflcrnooii,as threo packets wcro coming lownids (lie Twelvo-Milo they were stopped by two men, masked nnd mined, nnd poli'oly asked to give up their valuables. Fortunately tlie whole three could only number thirty shillings and an old gun, both of which, however, tho thieves appropriated. .On information being given, tho police hastened fothe spot, and f-eaichcd the bush in every dircotion. There was no doubt, from several wcll-woin tracks and marks on the trees, that more than two had been engaged in tho ail'air, and that they had been in tho vicinity for at least two or tlueo days, one would imagine on the look-out for some particular individual ; but he failing to make his appearance, they'had grown impatient, and stuck up tho first likely-looking persons who chanced to pass.— Grey ltivi'r /Ivy as, Jan 20, it is staled by tho Grey /liver sJrgus of tho 20lh insfaiil, thai, Captain Tumbull, tho lfiU'bov-Musloi' for Wcsllnnd, accompanied by lUV. Bulfour, C'.Jfi., arrived in Groymoulh by tho Thuuo from llokitikti on Thursday. Among tho results of this visit, wo may stale that Captain Turnbull is instructed to nrmngo with tho Nelson iiuthovities for tho removal of tlio snags, and for tho establishment of a well found wlmlcboal and crow at tho entrance of (ho river, for tho assistance of shipping nnd tho preservation of lifo. Captain Turnbull has also issued instructions for tho licensing of overy boatman plying on tho river. Mr. Balfour'a visit is not in this special instanco an ofllcinl ono, but ho will probably avail himself of it to report (o tho Government concerning tho cxloiibion of tho wharf' nnd (ho measures necessary to protect tho bunk of ihe river. — Grey River Anna, January 20th.