CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 296, 13 July 1868, Page 3

CHARLESTON NEWS.

PUBLIC MEETING-. A Public Meeting was held at the Melbourne Hotel on Thursday evening to take into consideration the subject of forming a Progress Committee. There were about sixty or seventy persons, present. Mr Lightband on being called to the chair said he was only partially informed as to the objects of the meeting from seeing the advertisement which had appeared, but the term "Progress" in itself suggested what was desirable, and he was happy to preside over any meeting which had that object in view, in connection with the welfare of the district. No doubt the meeting would be addressed by some of the gentlemen who had convened the meeting, but one matter which suggested itself to him, was the improvement of the mail service, the present postal arrangements being in his opinion inadequate to the importance of Charleston.

Mr Neale said he had taken a part in the promotion of that meeting, and generally concurred in the remarks of the Chairman. In speaking of the usefulness of having some recognised "body such as a Progress Committee, he instanced the Education Grant of £250 recently voted by the Council, all of which had been appropriated at Westport. When there was an elaborate system of public education instituted which any parent might avail himself of, and thus get his children educated free of expense. Had there been anything like a progress committee in Charleston, a portion at least of that grant might have been ob-> tained for this district. Referring to the election of such a committee, he said he hoped that due care would be taken to elect only such men as would be likely to take a decided interest in their work.

Mr Kennedy in endorsing the remarks of the iousprev speakers,, remarked that during his travels and sojourninge on many goldfields, he always found that those towns got on best that possessed a committee, a body such as that under discussion, who if any thing went wrong could step in and remedy it, and who, as the mouth piece of the community, had as much, or more, weight with the government than any number of petitions, memorials, ajpublic meetings He coincided "*in the Chairman's remarks as to the deficiencies of the Mail service; considering that the facilities offered by Cobb's coaches should be taked advantage of, and a daily mail established. With regard to the streets he had heard the Commissioner remark that being now in a good state the Government would look to the community to keep them in proper repair. If that were so and no body existed to see to such matters, they all knew very well what the result would be. Everybody's business being nobody's business, nothing would be done until the streets got axle deep with mud. Mr Dwan said that though the proposed Progress Committee might be looked upon as the forerunner of a municipal council, there was this great difference between them, that the one could enforce a system of taxation, the other could not. He differed with the last speaker so far that he thought they eould compel the government to keep their streets in repair, but at all events he coincided with the spirit of j the movement. He begged to move " that a day be fixed upon by this meeting a polling take place for the election of nine gentlemen to form a Progress Committee."

Mr Casqoine asked how it was proposed to nominated. Mr Dwan replied, the nomination might be made on any named day and perhaps the Chairman would consent to act as returning officer and receive the nominations. Mr Gasqoino seconded the motion. Mr Drury enquired the qualification of votera and Committee-men, a

question which led to considerable discussion and several aborti.vo motions and amendments. The first by MiKennedy was to the effect that any holder of a business licence or miners right should be qualified, but this he afterwards- Avithdrew in favor qf an amendment by Mr Cull en that thoug such holders be entitled to vote, only possessors of a business license be qualified as members of committee. Another amendment by Mr Dwan, which Mr Kennedy seconded, limited the qualification for voting and membership to the holding of a business license. Mr Drury, Mr Cullen and Mr Dwan spoke repeatedly on the points touched upon, the former being in favor of ad mitting miners to a say in the business, and the latter two for excluding them. Mr Macdonnell would like to know whether the gentlemen who convened the meeting contemplated the collection of funds, and on receiving a reply in the affirmative, he asked whether it was their intention to ask contributions from miners. Several said no.

Mr Jackson wanted to know whether ' it was a town board or a general progress committee for the whole district which was proposed. The Chairman said, as there appeared to be some doubt on the subject, perhaps one of the promoters would state definitely the object proposed. Mr Kennedy explained that the object of the gentlemen who convened the meeting was to get a Progress Committee formed for the town only. Mr M'Donnell deprecated such a restriction being put on the movement, and declared he would not have attended the meeting had he not been under the impression it was an open public meeting for general purposes. After some further talk, Mr Dwan's motion was put to the meeting but was negatived, and notwithstanding a motion of a more general character by Mr Bain being afterwards carried, the meeting ended in general confusion, without any specific business being transacted, the general impression apparently being in favor of the movement.

Though nothing was done at the meeting on Thursday night, for forming a Progress Committee, reported elsewhere, it will not likely prove barren of results. The subject appeared to engage a good deal of attention, and the show of public spirit evoked during the discussion, will we hope prevent the matter being dropped. But for the introduction of vexatious distinctions concerning matters of secondary importance, there is reason to believe the meeting would have resulted in success instead of failure, as most of those who attended seemed impressed with the conviction of the urgent necessity of something being done. We are glad to see by an advertisement which appears in another column, that another meeting for the same purpose is called for Wednesday next. The Hospital Committee had their weekly meeting in Thursday. The visiting committee made their report, and recommended that an addition be made to the main building, at the south end, for the purposes of a dispensary and bath-room. This recommendation was adopted, and it was determined to call fortenders. The deputation appointedat the last meeting to wait on Mr Bowman and Mr Bowen reported that both those gentlemen had expressed their willingness to act as honorary joint secretaries. On the motion of Mr Bain, the two gentlemen first named were then elected, with an expression of thanks for their kindness. A special vote of thanks was conveyed by the chairman, from the committee, to Mr Bain, for the zealous and benevolent attention to the interests of the hospital displayed by him throughout the period of his holding the office of secretary of the institution