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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 163, 7 February 1868, Page 2

Survey op the River Bank and the New Hospital.—Mr Greenwood, the Provincial-Surveyor, has at present a party of men out cutting a surveytrack for about a mile and a half up the north bank af the river, to the point at which the Hospital and Cemetry Reserves are situated. The immediate object of this is to measure the land off into sections for agricultural leases, for which it is admirably adapted from its contiguity to the town, and the first-rate character of the soil, some of which is of the richest alluvial. Two considerable sections are already taken up, and are being rapidly brought into cultivation as gardens ; one of these about a mile and a half from town, is taken up by Mr Christy. The other is a little further up, beyond the boundary of the Municipal Reserve, although not expressly intended as a road, this track will materially facilitate access to this part of the river bank, and as it is cut so as to be out of the way of any probable good, it is very likely to lie adopted as the line for the road, when, by the establishment of the Cemetery and Hospital on the sites reserved for them in the original laying out of the township, it becomes necessary to complete the road to them. These sections contain each about three acres, and a communication has been received from Mr Blackett, the Provincial Engineer, accompanying a design and plans for the building, which he proposes as suitable for the circumstances of the district. The elevation has no pretensions to architectural elegance, but its evident adaptation to the purposes for which it is designed give it a character of direct appropriateness, which according to Ruskin, is the primary elements of architecture, as of all other arts. Its total length is supposed to be 187 feet 6 in. divided into two wings of unequal length ; one of these is the male ward of 80 feet x 24, containing 22 beds, and a female ward of 41 x 24, with ten beds, Each has lavatories, bath-room, and other conveniencies at the end, and the male ward has a nurse's room of 10 feet x 8 feet 6 in. The central block of 38 feet x 30 contains two kitchens, surgery, and surgeon's room, each 16 x 12. Corridors of six feet width run the whole length and breadth of the building. The detached block has a second floor, comprising a surgeon's bed-room and three other bed-rooms of 12 feet x 18 feet 9 inches. The walls of the ward Avill be twelve feet high in the clear, with sashes opening at both top and bottom, besides ventilators in the walls

between each two windows at the ceiling and in the roof. These arrangements would give to every male patient 1222 cubic feet of space, and to each female 1377. The earth system of earth closets will be adopted, and it is considered the building will comprise all the latest sanitary improvements. The cost is estimated at from £I7OO to £IBOO, which, with the fittings, will bring the total up to about £2OOO, which is clearly more than oar present resources will allow us to disburse, so that we must rest contented with our existing accommodations which, with the recent addition, amply sufiice for the actual needs of the population.

Cricket Club fob Westpobt.— Several attempts have been made to establish a club in this town, but with little success. This fact has arisen from the difficulty experienced in finding any ground suitable for playing. The first club formed in Westport about fifteen months ago, by the exertions of Messrs Askew, Martin, Smith, Wright. Kirton, &c, was a tolerable success, and a ground was made at an outlay of about £lO, near the Cemetery Reserve ; this ground is now built on. Th.: club was broken up by the departure of most of its members; but as some incentive to the formation of a new one, we may mention that Mr Jones of the Orawaiti Ferry has a paddock admirably suited for this noble frame, and would, if any inducement offered, immediately render it still more fit, by levelling and fencing.

Boat Building on the South Bank op the Buller.—One of the largest boats ever built and launched in the Buller River is fast nearing completion, and only awaits her spars and rigging to be fit for sea. She will be ketch rigged, and will be capable of carrying 45 or 50 tons of cargo. Her name is the Young America, she is 62 feet 13 inches long. She has been built extra strong and is in every way fitted for the coasting trade, in which her owners and builders, Messrs. Bichin, Stainer and partners, intend that she should run. She now lies in the Lagoon on the banks of which she was built.

Trooper Dorris. —This officer, who it will be remembered was injured by his horse falling with him some time ago, is still an inmate of the Hospital, and, though still suffering from the

injuries, is progressing as favourably as can be expected.

Serious Accident at Addison's Flat.—On Wednesday an accident, fortunately not attended with fatal results, occurred to a miner working on Addison's Flat. The man, whose name is Callaghan, was working in the shaft of his claim sending the mullock up by the aid of two buckets, one of which struck against the staging on the top of the shaft, and becoming unhitched fell on the poor fellow working below, striking him on the arm below the elhow. He was brought to the hospital, where it was found that no fracture had taken place, though he was suffering from a deep lacerated wound. Dr. Eockstrow immediately dressed the man's arm, and he is now going on very favorably.

Resident-Magistrate's Court.— In consequence of the absence of Dr G-iles, R.M., who left for Addison's Flat, yesterday morning, there was no Court held at Westport.

Unstamped Receipts.—The General Government Gazette, of the 23rd ult., contains the following:—There being reason to suppose that persons are in the habit of giving and accepting unstamped receipts as acquittances for moneys paid by cheque under the belief that the stamp borne by the cheque exonerates the receipt from liability to stamp duty,—the public are cautioned against the adoption of this practice. Such receipts are inadmissible as evidence of the payment of money until properly stamped, and every person signing or causing the signature of such receipt is liable to a penalty of ten pounds for each offence. The Victorian Elections.—The Argus of the 23rd ult. says : —" If we may judge by their published declarations, the following may be taken as the order in which the members of the new Assembly known for certain to be elected will range themselves when ' the issue' is put to the House—namely, that the Darling grant be again sent up to the Council tacked to the Appropriation Bill: For—Messrs. M'Culloch, M'Combie, Longmore, Gr. P. Smith, Eiddell, M. L. King, J. T. Smith, Watkins, Balfour, M'Caw, Cope, Cunningham, F. L. Smyth. Against—Messrs. Macbain, Connor, Macpherson, O'G-rady, Duffy, Bayles, Macdonnell, Stutt. Neutral — Sir F. Murphy, Mr Lalor. It will be thus seen that there is already a very considerable minority against the M'Culloch test, and that Mr Higinbotham's dream of a unanimous House will be very farm fro realised."

Auction Sales.—The sale of furniture at Wittkouski Brothers,, was poorly attended yesterday, owing no doubt to the inclemency of the weather, and a great many lots were withdrawn, the sale however, will be continued today. The sale of produce nt Beauchump's Stanley Wharf, sold by Mr Robinson, was pretty well attended, and satisfactory prices were realized ; potatoes were quitted at £5 15s to £5 17s Gd per ton.

The Opinion Entertained bt Respectable Tasmanians op Each Other. —A portion of the Tasmanian press appears to be by no means satisfied with the visit of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to that colony. The Duke, it appears, was only present at the Governor's ball in Hobart Town for about an hour, and retired before supper. This, it is insinuated, arose from an apprehension that improper persons would find admittance to the ball a doubt warmly repelled by one of the Hobart Town papers. The reporter refrained from reporting the ball, not having received a card of invitation, and afterwards published an account of it by a correspondent, having been assured that the omission to send a card was an accident. At Campbell Town a curious incident, involving great disappointment, occurred, and is explained in the following letter from the landlord of the Caledonian Inn there : " Just previous to the arrival of his Royal Highness, I had placed upon the table some nuggets of Fingal gold in an ornamental stand, which I had procured for the purpose. Upon the arrival of his Royal Highness, and whilst the party were partaking of refreshment, I accosted his Excellency the Governor, and respectfully requested permission to exhibit the gold, which being kindly accorded, I proceeded to the vase, when I discovered to mv horror that the nuggets had disappeared, Shortly after the departure of the Duke a gentleman came to me and said, • Here, Smith, is your gold ; I thought it was not safe where you placed it, aud put it in my pocket.' This morning, hurried to Monavale, ten miles distant, hopes of rectifying the mistake, but his Royal Highness and suite had just taken their departure, and I have only this manner left of vindicating the honor and credit of Campbell Town." Some particulars are given in another column of an accident, that might have been more serious, which occurred on the afternoon of the Duke's departure. "We also observe that the petty officers of the Galatea repaid the hospitalities offered them here by the sergeants of the 2nd battalion of the 14th Regiment, by inviting the sergeants of the same regiment stationed in Hobart Town to a supper and ball, which took place in the new Mayor's Court at the Town Hall. The band of the Galatea was present. Breaking-down Timber on Private Property.—The offence of cutting and taking—it has not been, we believe, hitherto considered stealing—timber growing on private property is one productive of much annoyance and loss to the rightful owner. The penalties, it may not be generally known, are somewhat severe, and should be sufficient to deter offenders. Eor their information, we publish the following clause (32) of the " Act to Consolidate and Amend the Statute Law Belating to Larceny," &c., passed during the late session of the General Assembly, and in force since November last:— ' Whosoever shall steal, or shall cut, break, root up, or otherwise destroy, or damage, with intent to steal, the whole or any part of any tree, sapling, or shrub, or any underwood, wheresoever the same may be respectively growing; the stealing of such article or articles, or the injury done being to the amount of a shilling at the least, shall, on conviction thereof before a justice of the peace, forfeit and pay over and above the value of the article or articles stolen or the amount of the injury done, such sum of money not exceeding five pounds as to the justice shall seem meet; and whosoever having been convicted of any such offence, either against this, or any former Act, shall afterwards commit any of the said offences in this section before mentioned, and shall be convicted thereof in like manner, shall for such second offence be committed to any public gaol, there to be kept to hard labor for such term not exceeding twelve months, as the convicting justice shall think fit; and whosoever having been twice convicted of any such offence (whether both or either of such convictions shall have taken place before or after the coming into operation of this Act), shall afterwards commit any of the offences in this section before mentioned, shall be guilty of felony, and being convicted thereof, shall be liable to be punished in the same manner as in the case of simple larceny."