CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 225, 21 April 1868, Page 3

CHARLESTON NEWS.

It would appear there is a probability of the Brighton Hospital being given up as soon as the funds at present in hand are exhausted. At last an intimation has been received, that the Government will not furnish any more money, than that already granted, in which case of course the hospital will have to be shut up in about another six months, for public subscriptions alone, especially in a failing district like Brighton,would be inadequate to its maintenance. As no proper hospital has yet been built at Westport, it may be worth while to consider whether, economy would not be promoted by having one efficient central hospital in Charleston for the whole district, extending from Brighton to Westport. The greater part of the expense of maintenance is due to keeping up the necessary staff, amounting in the case of the Charleston Hospital, to one half and in that of the Brighton Hospital, to two-thirds of the total cost of maintenance. Were all three hospitals rolled into one, there would be a money saving of about one half the present expenditure. Of course there are other matters to be considered, as well as the mere question of cost, but the subjest is well worthy of attention, and may be one which will be brought under the notice of the Council, now about to sit.

The Charleston Hospital Committee are making arrangements for lining the main ward, in order to render it warm and comfortable, before the winter sets in. The summer's sun having opened many of the weather-boards, the building at present, is very cold and draughty, and it is proposed to line them with three-quarter inch boards. As nothing however can be done without money, and the funds are at a low ebb, a few gentlemen have volunteered their services for an Amateur Performance, to come off" at an early date. The people of Charleston may be said to be distinguished by their love of law. A surprising amount of litigation goes in continually, often times embraces cases of the most trivial character. For example a suit, involving the large sum of £3 9s 6d, was set a,-going in our courts a few weeks back, and after two or three hearings, was taken on appeal to Westport, and (for the time being) decided, but as the costs have not as yet much exceeded £IOO, the parties concerned we believe, are going in for a little more law.

Mr Donne M.P.C., and Mr Home M.P.C., left Charleston on Monday to proceed to Nelson by the steamer JohnPenn, to bepresentat the opening of the Provincial Council.

We should imagine the John Pen'n will be pretty full of passengers during the next month or so, for the fame 'of her superior accommodation and speed, coupled with the great reductions in passage rates just advertised, are subjects of general remark.