The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 289, 4 July 1868, Page 4

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1868.

To-day tbe committee to whose hands the destinies of the Westport Hospital are to be entrusted, for twelve months at least, will be elected. For the honor there are no less than twentyeight candidates, and out of the list an excellent committee, in every respect, can without difficulty be selected. Indeed the difficulty will be who to ■ choose, for in all sincerity we believe there is not an objectionable name in the whole number. Some of these are sure of election, as they are deservedly popular with all parties, but on the whole the content will be, v/ithout doubt, a close one. "We have already stated our belief that there is no possible exception to be taken to any of those who have consented to stand; and it is certain, therefore, that in any remarks : we may make on the subject that we ' are not actuated by any desire to recommend one more than another, provided all are prepared to fully fulfil i the duties that will devolve on them, if 1 elected. The trust that they under- ! take is no light one, and their conduct, ; whether as to the measures they propose, I or the time they devote will be sorupu- ; lously and jealously watched and cri- | ticised. It is no use persons pushing themselves into positions that they are _ not able from any cause whatever to efficiently fill; and should the subscribers to-day place such men in power they will be blighting the very institution that all so earnestly desire to flourish. On the efficiency of this—the first committee—almost everything , hangs. On them will fall the entire development, of the institution, and on their judgment will depend chiefly its t future prosperity or the contrary. They take possession of almost nothing, 1 they have everything to build up, everything to organise. They have a stable to start with on the dry ground, and an uncleared swamp in the bush, as a hospital reserve, to go on with. They will find nearly everything wanting that a hospital should have, and they have an abundance of hard work which will keep them fully occupied for some time to get things into even ordinary ship-shape condition. Their successors will have a far easier task before them. Before the year has run round the hospital will no doubt be in good working order, a decent habitation will be provided for the patients, a regular system of management will have been inaugurated, and if the incoming committee succeed as well as we have every hope they will, hospital affairs will then go on like clock work. Alterations, amendments and improvements can of course be made from time to time, but the rough work will have been done and the remainder is easy. The incoming committee in the fifth place have to provide necessary accomodation for the patients, make rules for their care andcomfort, provide for the most economical supply of all necessaries, and see that whilst all that is needful is supplied with no niggard hand, waste or extravagance of any description whatever is not permitted to the value of a shilling. They will have to frame rules and regulations tor the government of the hospital, for the conduct of their own business, for election of members and a lot of other things, and these will be will be found no light work. The rules that would apply to settled places will not suit goldfield requirements in many respects, and the committee would do well to secure copies of some of the up-country hospital regulations of Victoria, to obtain suggestions from, before completing their own code. Apropos of this we may say that one rule, and one very stringently insistedon, is, that no member of committee whall take any contract or supply any goods to the institution that have control over. How this" may affect the candidature of any of the Westportians, in case of its introduction, remains to be seen. It must be clear to any one who will reflect for a moment, that with such a mass of work before them, the Committee cannot afford idlers, and we trust that this

will be borne in mind by the subscribers when they record their votes. As we have repeatedly urged, in thi3 matter there is not or should not be a party or sectarian feeling of any description. All meet on the broad platform of humanity to our fellow men, and the only emulation should be to return such men as are most likely to effectively carry out the objects for which they are required. To return a large proportion of country members would be to defeat many of the objects aimed at in the formation of the Committee, as for instance direct and constant supervision of the Hospital. At the same time it is only right that the out districts should be adequately represented, and we shall be glad to see both the Caledonian and Addison's send local members. These would not of course be expected to be as regular in their attendance, as others on the spot, and on that ground their preponderance would be an actual disaster to the Hospital. In making any remarks on the subject we are influence by no motive other than the purest good feeling towards the welfare of the Hospital, and the deepest anxiety that the local Committee of Westport may make our Hospital a model one in all respects. Unless the best men are selected it will not have a fair chance, and we earnestly entreat all those who vote to-day to consider carefully before they make their • selection. We have however, every confidence that the subscribers will well weigh the matter, before they decide into whose hands they will entrust the welfare of the sick and afflicted, and if they do this, there can be no doubt that the choice of the public will be a judicious one.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, the business was of the most trifling importance. The same authority that informed us of the alleged stoppage of the Celt referred to elsewhere, states that Mr Sale has withdrawn from the Observer newspaper. We can hardly think this is correct, for as a commercial man he has not had time to test it, and any private reasons that would induce him to resign his post a3 editor of it now existed prior to its issue. Whether the open hostility of one of the members of the County Council has compelled the step or not we do not know, we give the rumor as it reaches us, for what it is worth. We are informed that Detective Lambert has proceeded to Hokitika en route for Australia, the object of his journey being the arrest of a publican formerly residing on the Esplanade, but who has found it convenient to make tracks for new fields. What the charge is, or any further particulars we are unaware of, but if it is sufficient to send a detective after the departed individual, it must surely be of a grave nature.

A large number of passengers left for the Manakau yesterday by the John Penn, to which place she proceeds from Nelson. Forty-five came from the south and about thirty were booked here. Apropos of the Thames gold fields, we may say that no fresh news is to hand.

There was a rush to Dirty Mary's Flat yesterday, on the upper side of the main road from Addison's to Carolina, or Kynnersley Terrace. A party put in a tunnel and struck.payable gold. It is reported they came in to Westport and sold 4 lbs. weight of the precious metal, thefirstfr uits of their successful labors. Some four or five hundred men were on the ground early yesterday morning. The Provisional Hospital Committee deserve every credit for the liberal manner in which they have carried out the arrangements for the election of the Committee, aswell asforthe energy they have displayed since they have been in office. In order to suit the convenience of the miners and other subscribers at Addison's Flat and the Caledonian, the poll at these places will not be closed till eight p.m., and one of the members of the Committee will attend at each Mr 6'Conor a the former and Mr Munson at the latter place. We are requested to state for general information, that any one can qualify to vote by subscribing ten, shillings up to the last moment the poll is open at the different places, and subscription cards will be provided at each.. As a considerable amount,of misunderstanding seems to exist as to the actual position of the funds, we may state them approximately. In the first place there is in the bank as shown by pass-book, £306 12s 6d. To this may be added £24 lis paid in yesterday by Mr Braithwaite. That gentleman had paid in £2O previously, but we are not certain whether or not it is included in the £306 12s 6d, and we therefore leave it out of the present calculation. Dr Cotterell has collected nearly £3O not included in the above, the Amateur

performance has £IQ 17s to give; at' Addison's Flat there is quite £2O more to come, and good uncollected subscriptions at the very lowest estimate amount to £6O. This brings the total up to £452 without counting Mr Braithwaite's £2O, and only reckoning on £6O, out of more than £IOO promised, being realised. -The public have responded nobly to the Committee's appeal, and it is wi i h considerable pride we say so. Manuel and party have jus!; completed their cement crushing machine at Addison's Flat. The plant was christened the Enterprise, by Miss Cochrane, in the usual way, on Thursday last. After the wheel was set in motion, the party adjourned to a marquee erected for the purpose, where there was an abundance of " creature comforts." Several toasts were drunk, among the rest, " Success to the parties engaged in the Enterprise," also, "The Ladies," of which there were a good number present. The water wheel is eighteen feet in diameter, and has sufficient power to drive two sets of stampers. At present there is only one set of six, each stamper weighing one hundred and twenty pounds, and capable of crushing one hundred and thirty tons per week. The claim is situated at the south end of the lead, and promises to be one of the richest cement claims on the whole Pakihi, the wash dirt averaging from five to eight feet in thickness, and prospects well throughout. The whole plant has been erected in a short time, reflects the greatest credit on the tradesmen, Manuel and Haase, who erected the works. The same party are erecting a similar machine forworking in the claim adjoining, which promises to be equally rich.