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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 234, 1 May 1868, Page 2

Yesterday, Dr Bruen took charge of the Westport Hospital, as actingsurgeon in lieu of Dr Rockstrow, who leaves here for Europe immediately. The appointment has yet to be confirmed, but from Dr Bruen's well known professional experience in the army and elsewhere, there cannot be much doubt that this will be done. At the police-court there was again a blank day. The morality of Westport is really becoming remarkable. We are informed by the agents of the s.s. Waipara, that the ketch Young America did not take more than a small portion of the cargo that could not be landed on the Waipara's last trip. The cargo in question was put on board the Nelson, but the weather again delayed its deliveiy. It is stored quite safe and . ound however, and will be forwarded at the first opportunity. In several of the leading towns of New Zealand, the Wellington time has bsen adopted as the standard time, and though, critically speaking, this may be objected to in point of accuracy, still it has its advantages. In Westport we have no standard whatever, aud we do not believe that there are two clocks, whether in the possession of the Government or private individuals, at any given hour alike.

From a late number of the Melbourne Argus, we learn that " The fund subscribed for the benefit of the ship General Grant has been disposed of. Though small, it enabled the committee to pay for the board of all the party since they have been in Melbourne, and to divide a balance amongst them. Messrs Foos and Oates of the Globe Hotel, where the party lodged, declined to charge Mr and Mrs Jewell for their board, and they consequently received their portion without deduction, and have since proceeded to Inglewood. Mr Ashworth, one of the passengers, declined to accept anything, and very soon after his arrival went up country to work." The Melbourne Leader has the following ; —"With reference to the suspension of the Odd Fellows' Lodge at Talbot for expending £I3OO out of the sick and funeral fund on the erectof a new hall, it is understood that at a meeting of the Grand Lodge held last week the suspension was removed upon the lodge pedging itself to return the money in payments extending over fifteen years- The Grand Lodge expressed a hope that lodges would see the propriety of adhering to the rules of the order, and not attempt to build halls out of their sick and funeral funds. It is intended to establish an Oddfellow's Lodge at Menindie. A few years ago, before the lamented Burke and Wills started on their ill-fated expedition, a white man at Menindie weuld have an " odd-fellow indeed."

It appears from the Wanganui papers that within the last two or three months several Canadian families have arrived, and are quietly settling down in the Patea and Waitotara districts. Some of these have already commenced at a place called Fortescue, on the Wairoa ; others have purchased land in the Patea district, and elsewhere near the Patea. They are to be joined by other Canadians, some of whom are now on the way out to join them.

We have heard (says the Kyneton Observer ) of many arguments in favor of total abstinence, but one brought forward by Mr J. G. Burtt, M.L.A., at the opening of the Kyneton Temperence Hall, on Wednesday, was the most extraordinary that has ever come under our notice. Mr Burtt during his speech, selected the theme that " temperance is physically right," and the following was one of his illustrations in favor of that theme. He said ; —" Did you ever see a crow with the gout ? Did you ever see a kangaroo with the dyspepsia ? Did you ever see an opossum with the blues ? No. And why? Because they never usealcoholic drinks ! If the brute creation can keep sound in wind and limb on water, humanity can do the same!" We must say after this, that Mr Burtt is fully entitled to his sobriquet " eccentric Burtt."

A Northern paper suggests the following to the consideration of the Stafford Ministry as " a new way to pay old debts:"—The anti-liquor licence movement, which is creating such a stir in the United States, has spread into Canada. The Hon. Malcom Cameron has proposed, sarcastically, that the Legislature should abolish all licenses, or adopt the alternative of licensing the drinker, instead of the sellers, of spirituous liquors—no youth under seventeen to obtain a licence to drink anything stronger than ale or cider, and the licence to be five dollars ; those over that age to be permitted to drink all kinds of intoxicating liquors ad libieum, and to pay a license of fifteen." They could thus raise a large revenue for themselves without actually taking fromthe;Province the publicans' licenses. The effects of the Crisis in Victoria may be guessed at by the fact that on the 10th instant, according to the Argus, " Petitions v. the Queen were filed on Thursday by the Patent Earth-Closefc Company, for the supply of earth and cleaning closets at various public offices, £137 19s 9d ; Ho A Mei, £7S 5s Bd, for rent of Wood's Point telegraph and post office; S. Samuel, fees for defending prisoners, £22 18s; Hood and Co., for chemicals supplied to various departments, £424 3s 8d ; —Preston, £4B 19s 6d and £27105, on contract; Heath and Cordell, £Bll9s, on contract, and judgment same day ; W. K. Thomson and another, £5087 17s, for goods sold; Charles Widdes, £415 16s, for firewood supplied to the industrial school; John M'Phee, £257 lis lOd, for conveyance of mails; Alexander Robertson and others, £129, for conveyance of lunatics to Beechworth ; William Deakin, £lB7 18s 6d, for conveyance of police constables to to Ghin-Ghin and back. Judgment was signed in favor of William Wright v. the Queen for £146 16s 4d, and £4 Is 3d costs, There were also 238 petitions by civil servants for arrears of salaries."