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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 530, 15 July 1869, Page 2

We understand that the contract recently entered upon for the formation of the Hawk's Crag track is not likely to he completed to the satisfaction of the District Surveyor without a considerable additional outlay. It would appear that the cutting of three and a half chains, the extent of the contract, has boon completed, but not in the place intended or required, and the consequence is that there will have to be an extension of the contract, entailing probably more outlay for the additional work than the whole of the original cost. The prices tendered for the Hawk's Crag contract were so much lower in Nelson (where the tenderers could not possibly form any idea of the work required to be done) than were those sent in from the Coast from contractors who had visited the ground, that one of the members of the Provincial Council for the City of Nelson last session commented upon the circums'rancj of this contract as a proof of the difference of the cost of labor employed and contracts granted by the Government on the goldfields, compared with the prices in Nelson. The result in this instance, as might have been expected, is the work half finished and the Government obliged to do the "extras,"

the signification of which is well known to contractors. The practice must be kept up at Westport, as well as at Nelson, of purchasing the smallest quantity of red tape, needles, thread, and thimbles in the Nelson market only. The telegraphic summary of English and American news which we received on Tuesday evening, ami partially publishe d in an extra edition, is greatly better collated than any of the summaries which the Government, in fulfilment of their contract, have hitherto supplied to the Press, and it is also unusually interesting. Its length prevents us from indulging at present in the comments which several of the political incidents of the period naturally suggest. We shall publish in our next number the first annual report by the Medical Officer of the Westport Hospital, Dr Thorpe. It concludes what the subscribers wall admit to be a very complete and satisfactory record of the progress of the institution during the year past. The " moral" which we have already said is pointed by the statistics of subscriptions hi the Committee's report, and by souie remarks in the report of the Medical Officer, deserves to be made a subject for special reference at another time.

We have mentioned that two separate tenders had been accepted for the formation of a road from the Orawaiti to Deadman's Creek. We understand that the cost of the first contract is .5110, and of the second £IBO. This leaves a balance of the vote of the Council which may, probably, be found sufficient for the formation of a track as far as Christmas Terrace. The work at present to be undertaken includes fourteen chains of side-cutting.

We hear of a small rush to a terrace near the Old Ferry, about two miles north of the Totara. We are yet without full particulars, but we learn that the ground is payable, though patchy. The average sinking is from five to ten feet. There are at present only from tiventy to thirty persons on the ground

The first meeting of the new Hospital Committee was held in the Court-house on Tuesday e/eniug. The members present were Di- Giles (in the chair) Messrs Harris, Tyler, Munro, Field, Sheahan, Whyte, Humphrey, Beid, and Simpson. The principal business before the meeting was the appointment of officers. Sir Harris and Mr Munro were re-elected as Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary. As auditors, Messrs Field and E. C. Eeid were appointed, and Messrs Whyte, Simpson, and Tyler were appointed as the Visiting Committee for the month. There was some discussion on the subject of the Lank at which the Hospital account should be kept. It was represented that for two years the Bank of New South Wales only had subscribed to the funds of the Hospital. The two other Banks had not done so; and it was considered that, as public institutions, it would be becoming of them to support other public institutions, especially those of a chari. table character. Westport, it was remarked, was the first place in -which a different spirit had been exhibited, aud it was argued that the Bank which supported the institution of which the Committee had charge should receive a preference in regard to their banking account. On the other side it was argued that, probably, proper application had not been made to the two Banks referred to, which, in other instances, were usually most liberal, and it wasalsoconsideredbeneaththedigniiyofthe Committee to make the choice of its Bank dependent upon the amount of individual .subscriptions. It was stated, however, that, unconditional application had been made to the different ttauks. On a division it was carried by a majority that the Hospital account should be kept at the Bank of New South Wales. The Hon. Treasurer suggested that, for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions for the Hospital in such districts as the Caledonian aud the Upper Buller, a collector should be employed and paid by per-centage; audit was left to the Treasurer to make inquiries as to the possibility of doing so, and to report to the next meeting of the Committee. Mr Simpson offered to give some assistance towards obtaining subscriptions, during an intended visit to the Upper Bullei-, and the Secretary referred to Mr Fenwick, storekeeper at the Lyell, as having interested himself in the matter. A sub-committee ■was appointed to collate the rules passed during the year, and the Committee was then adjourned until Tuesday next.