CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 313, 1 August 1868, Page 7

CHARLESTON NEWS.

It is curious to observe the improvements made from time to time in the mining machinery of this district, as experience is gained from practical working. Nothing shows this more than the increased table surface now given to the machiues of latest construction, and we noticed this particularly when looking at the new battery and tables of Evans and party at Darkie's Terrace. The additional battery consists of 10 iron stampers, of a weight somewhat lighter than those of the older battery, and the spread of tables is the largest in the district. This claim is now of considerable extent in fact the whole of Darkie's Terrace is now in the hands of three or four large companies, namely, Evans and party, Hunter and party, Davis and party, (the Nile Company), and another party, who have an iron battery coming to hand ex Nightingale. The steamengine on Evans' claim is very powerful and will be abletodrivethetwo batteries with ease. The new work will probably be finished about Wednesday, and then it is expected the amount put through will amount to 350 loads per week. Hunter and party, who have the next claim are, understand doing well; they have the advantage of a less costly motive power in the form of a plentiful supply of water, brought in by their own race. Davis and party likewise enjoy the same advantage, only on a larger scale, their wheel and battery being of great power, the stampers being the heaviest on the Pakihis. This company has the first to initiate heavy machinery but they they have had to wait a long time before reaping the reward of their labors. It is considerably more than a year since they set in to bring in their big race from the Nile river, and from thetime they commenced to crush their operations have been a good deal retarded by accidents of one kind and another, the most serious being the fracture of the stamper lifters owing to their being manufactured of cast iron. It appeared doubtful whether others could be got here to supply their places, but Mr Pow took the matter in hand and turned out the job in first-rate style, the new lifters being made of malleable iron and consequently much stronger than the ones they replace. Though only lately working with six stampers this machine gets through a vast quantity of dirt, and we noticed the plates (a week old) were looking very well indeed. All the parties just named have a long time of work before them but the hundreds of tons weekly removed will get into the Darkies terrace aud ultimately reduce its level by about ten feet. There are some patches of rich ground but the average yield of the cement may be said to run about 5-dwts.

Charleston ought to be prettywell supplied with vegetables this coming season if one may form an opinion from the extent of ground brought under cultivation during the past six or eight months. A good deal of ground has been taken up for agricultural and garden purposes, coastwise, northward of the Nile, the soil there being very good. Even the swampy, and apparently profitless land on the Charleston flats is being made something of by indefatigable industry and the aid of manure.

The fine schooner "Wild Wave, Captain O'Brien, arrived safely in the bay on Saturday, from Canterbury, having been a fortnight out. She brings a cargo of produce, chiefly oats, consigned to Mr G-asgoine. A gentleman well known as a merchant both here and in Westport, attempted to commit suicide on Thursday evening, by strangling himself. The person referred to is Mr Robert Millen, of the late firm of Hennelly and Millen, who has been staying iu Charleston for the past few weeks. On Thursday he was seen wandering about town with a bible in his hand, preaching and exhorting to any one he met, and his conduct and language were so extraordinary and incoherent that it was evident he was laboring under mental disease, and for safety's sake, he was arrested and placed in the lock up. The cell in which he was confined, immediately adjoined another in which were several prisoners, and in consequence of some strange noises they heard, Daly, the gaoler, opened the door of Mr Milieu's cell, and discovered the unfortunate gentleman, stark naked, endeavoring to strangle himself by means of his braces, which he had passed round his neck, and was hauling on the ends. Blood was oozing from his mouth, and it took two constables to overmaster the maniac's strength, and confine him in handcuffs. Even when thus restricted, he subsequently made repeated attempts to choke himself by grasping his throat with his manacled hands, and he now requires constant watching. It appears he is suffering

from <i severe attack of delirium tremens. The usual weekly meeting of the Hospital Committee was held on Thurs day evening, Mr Broad, 11.M , taking his seat as chairman in lieu of Mr Lightband, resigned. The visiting Committee presented a favorable report of the condition of the Hospital, and stated that the contractor was to commence next day to put up the addition determined upon at last meeting. There were eijjht patients in ward at the beginning of the week, of whom four had since been discharged. The Chairman said, he had paid a visit to the hospital, iind remarked there was no property book. He suggested that the regulations on this point be carried out, and the warder furnished with a book in which. should be entered a list of all property found on patients on entering the hospital. A motion by Mr Neale to that effect was agreed to. A letter was received from Mr Gasquoine, tendering his resignation as a member of the committee and honorary treasurer, in consequence of pressure of business and other matters. Resignation accepted and Mr P. G\ M'Carthy was appointed honorary treasurer, Mr Bain offering to give him some preliminary assistance in some work that had to be done.

The application of A. Somcrville, for permission to use the hospital road was granted conditionally on his assisting to keep the same in repair, and the permission to be revokabie at the pleasure of the committee. The chairman said it was not necessary to make formal application to the Government for the required subsidy, as he had authority to pay at any time the proportionate amount due by the Government. He should wish, however, to be furnished with a statement showing the amount of money subscribed by the public, and the sums received from Government. In the absence of Mr Gasquoine, Mr Bain offered to render the statement required made up from the treasurer's books. Mr Kennedy mentioned that the benefit had been postponed for a week, and Messrs Neale, M'Coy, and Alexander, were appointed a sub-committee to assist the Histrionic Club in the management of the affair. The visiting members for the ensuing week having been named, the committee adjourned to next Thursday, at 4 p.m.

A very heavy sea has been rolling into the bay during the last day or two, but the little Constant has ridden it out without sustaining damage, having been well secured with strong mooring lines. The only other vessel in the bay is the Harry Bluff, hauled up, and undergoing extensive repairs, necessitated by her being badly bilged during similar weather about a fortnight ago.

The only business before the Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday consisted of a tolerably long drunkards list and a number of small debt cases of no particular public interest. At a meeting of the Church of England Committee on Monday evening a favorable report was received from the Sub-Committee appointed to make arrangements for a Gift Auction, and it was decided that Tuesday week, the 6th August, be the day for the auction to take place. Large promises of support have been given by most of the townspeople, and already the list of gifts is a very large one and comprises a wonderful variety of articles ranging from a pig and pair of boots to a cask of beer and a crinoline. Almost every one has something by him which he does not actually want, and though perhaps of little va ue would be sure to realise money at the auction. In such a case every little helps, and we fully believe there will be no lack of material for the various auctioneers to try their skill on, and hammer out into hard cash. Indeed we fancy the difficulty will be to find a suitable room to hold all the articles, and the crowd which is sure to muster on the occasion, for the novelty of the thing will be a great attraction.

Our old friends Mr T. J. Peel and Mr D. Coghlen took a joint benefit at the Casino on Monday night, and had a good attendance. The performances consisted of songs, dances, and a dramatic piece played by members of the Histrionic Club. The novelties of the evening however, consisted of Professor Sampson, in a Chinese dance, unexpectedly disappearing through a trap which happened to be loose in the floor of the stage, and what is called the " manax warder," a three legged monstrosity which goes through several absurd dances. This latter affair is managed by Messrs Peel and Coghlen, and the effect is ridiculous enough. We are glad to say Mr Millen is so far recovered as to be released from confinement, and he is now at lar^e. Though business people complain ol the slackness of trade, and the population here is manifestly not so lar^e

as it was; the yield of gold has we believe never been so great as within the last few weeks. The parcels that came in from the big machines, weregenerally very large. Mace's engine on the Buller road has just finished crushing a quantity of boulder stones for a parcy ou the township lead, the out-turn being over GOO ounces of amalgam, yielding about a third in gold, and showing a return of about two ounces to the load. The charge for crushing this stone was 15s. a load.