CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 283, 27 June 1868, Page 6

CHARLESTON NEWS.

About twenty children were formally baptised by the Lord Bishop of Nelson on Monday Sth inst. There was a large concourse of ladies to witness and take part in the interesting ceremony, which took place in Mr White's church. The evening previous, his Lordship, in the same building, preached a very eloquent discourse, which was attentively listened to by a congregation more than sufficient to fill the church in every part. The collection, amounting to £lO, has been handed over by the Bishop to the committee appointed to raise funds for budding a church and parsonage. This committee had their first meeting on Tuesday evening, there being present Messrs K. P. Bain (in the chair), Gr. W. Lightbaud, Kennedy, Neale, M'Coy, A. B. Bain, Allen, Gasqoine, and Steele. Two gentlemen, Messrs Gasqoine and Allen, consented to act as joint treasurers, and Mr A. B. Bain as honorary secretary, and to the former was handed over the subscription list of the previous evening, amounting to £9l. To allow of the outlying members of committee being present, it was resolved to adjourn the meeting until Saturday evening, the same to be notified by advertising, and in the meantime certain forms of subscriptions were ordered to be prepared. The names of the following miners were added to the committee :—Messrs Penny (Candlelight), Kyle and Harris (Brown's Terrace) ; and Mr Lightband was requested to communicate with the Commissioner respecting getting a portion of the Camp Reserve as a site, in order to save time in case of the committee selecting such a position. Some degree of alarm seems to have been created in Brighton last week, by a man who arrived from the Grey, and reported at the Camp that he had been stuck up in the track by four men who were armed. Sergeant Walsh and Constable Irvine started off at once towards the Eazorback, and returned next day with three men in irons. When the matter came to be investigated by Mr Broad 011 his return from Brighton, it appeared that two of the men in custody were Messrs Bromley and M £ Milieu, proprietors of the 12 mile bridge and hotel, who were accused of resisting the police in the discharge of their duty, and a man in their employ charged with drunkenness. On examination the man who professed to have been the victim of attempted robbery related a long story about his being stuck up on the track by two men and escaping to the Twelve Mile hotel, and afterwards during the night hearing the proprietors, Bromley and M'Miilen conspiring with the same two men to kill him, upon which he ran into the bush and was lost for two days. He also said he had just been discharged from the Greymouth hospital. The charge brought by the police against Bromley and M'Miilen was dismissed by the Magistrate, who severely reprimanded the officers, as it

appeared they themselves kept the men up drinking and playing cards all night, until a disturbance took place, when tho police clapped handcuffs on the proprietors, and after locking them up iu a room tlicy turned into the proprietors' beds, leaving the servant to help himself to the liquors. According to tho Nelson Provincial Gazette of the Bth instant, the new Gold-fields Regulations which are therein set forth, will come into force on the Ist proximo. The present fine weather seems to be well appreciated by all classes, but the miners generally grumblo if rain does not fall at least every week. Tho carpentering trade is pretty brisk just now, there being several new buildings in course of erection filling up the gaps in Camp Street, in addition to a number of houses &c. being pulled down and put up again in other parts of tho town and suburbs. The whole population of the district may havo somewhat diminished during the last six months, but wo think the population of this town itself has if anything increased, a good many buildings of one sort and another having during that period being added to Charleston. Mr Foyn, one of the proprietors of the Casino, took a benefit on Thursday evening, on which occasion his numerous friends and supporters were entertained by a dramatic performance and concert by a mixed company of professionals and amateurs. The acting on the whole was very fair indeed, the chief fault being one which they had a pretty broad hint to correct from one of the " unreserves," who more than once cried out " Speak up, matter!" " Betsy Baker," the afterpiece, was excellently played, Monsieur being well done by Mr Chas. Howard, and the dear little washerwoman admirably represented by Miss Fanny Thomas, whose apparently natural unsophisticated manner and sly humour seemed fitted to the character, and drew great applause, which was only increased by her occasional mistakes. In the piece of " Used up " up" the principal characters were sustained by the brothers Bain.

The cutter Lizzie sailed on Thursday night for the Auckland diggings taking away some 8 or 10 miners as passengers. Other,s are leaving or thinking of leaving for the same ground but we are informed by a gentleman who recently received a letter from an old and respected resident of Charleston who is at present mining at the Thames, that his correspondent though speaking well of the ultimate richness of the country, wriiesto dissuade Ilia mates at present from thinking of going north until the winter at least is over, as it will take some time to get rnachineiy, &c., requisite for extracting the gold. The usual weekly meeting of the Hospital Committee was held on Friday evening. The Yisitors reported having found the hospital clean and orderly, and the new warder attentive and the patients, of whom there were seven, satisfied with their treatment. A letter was read from Dr Dakers, suggesting that a screen be placed round the door-way of the ward, and it was decided that a lobby should be put up inside the ward, and the same be furnished with a money box and door mat. A report was received from Dr Dakers on the case of J. Henry, and it was resolved that the patient be forwarded to Nelson, according to the Doctor's recommendation. The claim on Darkie's Terrace originally taken up by Evans, Clarke, and party, and concerning which there was recently a lawsuit between the parties named, the Bank of New South Wales and Mr Henry Mace, is now in full working, a large plant, comprising steam engine, batteries &c., having been erected on the ground at the expense of MrW- L. Eees. The whole nas been resolved' into a registered company with a capital of £3OOO, and the prospects offered by the quality of the ground and facilities for crushing are, Ave believe, first rate. We regret to report an accident which happened on Saturday to a miner named Hugh Horner, whereby his leg was fractured. He was engaged moving some timber for the Cosmopolitan Company, on the Back Lead, when a heavy log fell and crushed his leg. He was removed the same day to the Hospital where the limb was set by Dr Dakers. The Church of England Committee's appointed meeting [took place on Saturday evening, and the following arrangenii n'; was made as to districts and canvassers —South side of Princes street, Messrs Gasquoine and M'Coy ; north side of Princes street, Allen and Neale ; Camp street and Darkie's Terrace Road, Kennedy and Bain ; Darkie's Terrace, the Flat, Back Lead, Sardine Terrace, Ballarat, See., Connolly and Jenkins ; Candlelight, Deep Lead, A rgyle Terrace, Whiskey Terrace, Middle Flat, &g,,

Wy Steele and Penny ; Four Mile, Jones, y 'Greenwood, fox ; Brown's Terrace, R. P. Bain, Harris, Kyle. The canvass for subscriptions to be made this week, and the Committee to meet again 011 Thursday evening next to receive the various lists and report progress. A conversation ensued as to the site, and it appeared to be the general opinion that the one proposed in a corner of the Camp Reserve, facing the Darkie's Terrace road, was the most suitable in every respect, but the question was left to be decided at a future meeting. There is a report here that notwith--8 standing the resolution recently passed by the Nelson Provincial Council, the Government do not intend to constitute Charleston a Port-of Entry. But this seems hardly to agree with the fact of a notification having been issued, that Brighton is to be closed as a ■Customs Port after the end of thi month. A seizure of an illicit still, was made •on Saturday by the Brighton police, in •a garden belonging to Mr Green, storekeeper, situated alongside of the tramway, running between the township and St. Kilda. In addition to the still, two small casks of whiskey were secured, but theowner succeeded in making a hurried escape into the bush, leaving his waistcoat containing a watch &c. and coat hanging to a tree. These also were taken charge of by the police, and as the track north and south was well guarded, Mr Green had probably but a cojl night of it. The fine for illicit distilling, was by the Amendment Act increased from £IOO to £SOO. Some of the knowing ones say they have tasted poteen in Charleston, and affect to speak in highly appreciative terms of its excellent quality. Some excitement was cause 1 in town late on Saturday evening, owing to the arrest of a well-known and respected resident, Mr Phil. Kooney and his partner assistant, Mr Christopher Brown, on a charge of having obstruct- ; ing Custom-house officers in the exe-I-cution of their dnty. It will be seen by our police report that the hearing of the case was adjourned until 10 oclock 011 Wednesday. We are sorry to have to report -another mining accident which happened on Monday morning to a man named George Hall. He was engaged in driving in a tunnel for the Pakiki Cement Crushing Company under the the Buller road, when a fall of cement •struck him, inflicting some rather serious injuries. He was immediately toiken to the hospital and attended to bv Dr Dakers.

The Brighton people, who have on Many occasions shown a very liberal public spirit, have recently set an example which might be well followed in other localities, by subscribing a fund for defraying the e st of prospecting soin.- new ground to the southward of ■the township. This naturally suggests the query of whether it would not be feasible to set on foot a similar movement here, in order to determine the vexed question of a second or true bottom to "the diggings surrounding 'Charleston, We recommend the idea to the attention «f our businessmen, and others interested in continuing the progress and development of this goldfield, and maintaining-and improving Its present position. "We think much good would result if miners and business people were to meet and discuss the matter in all its bearings. Such a discussion would probably elicit many practical suggestionsof a useful character, and if any work was determined on the requisite funds would, there is very little doubt, be soon forthcoming from the general public. There is another subject also, which might be well handled by such a meeting, namely the subject of how a portion of the money recently voted by the Provincial Council for cutting exploring tracks into the bush, could be obtained for this district, and how it could be best spent to promote the object in view, that of opening up fresh country. The miners naturally look to the business people to initiate movements of this nature, and we hope the matter we have referred to will not be allowed to pass out of sight. The Church of England Committee have arranged to canvass the town and suburbs, this week for subscriptions for building the Church and Parsonage. A sum of between £4OO and £SOO will be required to carry out the project, a hundred of which was subscribed at the first general meeting, and there is little doubt the numerous canvassers will succeed in collecting the remainder.