OUR WEST COAST LETTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2106, 5 July 1894, Page 13

OUR WEST COAST LETTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Ross, June 27. BILLOWY WAVES IN AN EGO-CUP.

The Ross flock are somewhat upset over the sudden departure of the district's only doctor. Medicos, Hke ordinary mortals, are always on the outlook to better themselves, and ifc seems Ross's late "doc" was no exception to the general rule, for hearing of a, more lucrative post elsewhere, thither went lie with all speed possible to locomotioa. But that is not tbe grievance When he took office here under the Westland District Charitable Aid Board as surgeon superintendent of the Totata District Hospital be "signed a-ticles'" to either give or take three months' notice, yet in face of that tbe board allowed him to break the agreement aud go a1;a 1 ; once on condition that he found a substitute until a fresh medico arrived. The substitute visits Ross twice a week, but the arrangement is found to be unsatisfactory, as the hospital is full of patients, and there is much outside sickness that requires immediate attention, and wbich cannot be given by flying visits from a medical man resident 2 4 miles distant and handicapped by bad roads Last woe't the difficulty was thought to ba at an end by a Dr Adams accepting the vacant post, but after applying for and getting the appointment this gentleman wired last Saturday that in consequence of receiving certain information respecting the place he regretted be could not accept, Sec. Now, who sent tbe information ? That is where most of the grievance lies. The living is worth £200 a year fixed salary and an outside practise worth about £200 more I might add that the Ross people usually make a goorl deal of their doctor, and mark his depai ture by the presentation of handsome testimonials, banquets, &c. Forfome reason, however, they omitted these "courtesies" to Dr Craig, who was indiscreet enough to complain of tbe treatment, more especially as he was most attentive to all of his professional duties and got the usual foolscap certificate from the local hospital committee to that effect Ross is now likely to continue some weeks without any medical man, and for being placed in this unenviable position people are not slow to anathema ise the board. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Last Monday some miscreant broke into the Charleston Herald Office and played "old Harry " with all the ' ' formes " of that journal, smashing them all to pie and cutting up the ink rollers into mincemeat. The proprietor i-ifers a reward of £5 for information which will lead to the discovery of the perpetrator of this malicious act. It is to bj hoped the vagabond will he caught.

The prospectors of Oallaghan's rush (Kumara) washed last week fiom a patch 4dwt 18gr of gold from one dish of drift. The wash averages sd*t to the load. Greymouth ig up in arms against the ridiculous action of the Public Trustee in inviting seiled tenders for leasing portions of the native reserve on which the town of Grey ia built, and at a public meeting the system was loudly condemned, as it was jeopardising present lessees who bad created business goodwil's on these sites during the past 20 years. At tbe conclusion of the meeting, and after everybody had had his say, the following resolution was cirried : — "That this meeting of lessees on Greymouth native reserve protest against the proposed system of lotting sec' ions by tender, and respectfully ask that the former system of public auction be resorted to " The foregoing was, of course, ordered to be sent to the member for •he district. But the Pub ie Trustee wires Grey's mayor that the sale must proceed; consequently, there will vow be some " rousting " operations.

Some mischievous " cu°s '' entered the billiard room of tbe Gilmer Hotel lasb FmUy and smashed all tie cuetip a , in consequence of wbich the lessee is offering a reward of £10 for thf discovery of the offender.

A number of special claimho'ders in the Greymouth district are summoned to appear before the beak there to-morrow to show cause w) y their different holdings should not be forfeited for non-payment of rent and non-fufil-ment of the 1 iboiu- conditions. Last week's Mar.borougb Express ftole, holus bolus, a pnr from "Your Own's " column respecting Mr O'Regan driving Westport mad on singe tax, and the Grey Star clips it ugain from the M.E., acknowledging that journal as the origin Such is fame ! The Auditor-general has caused the perspiration to come from every pore and to stand out in cold beads on the noble brows cf We tport city fathers by sending down the fo'lowing ominous attachment to their annual balance sheet:— "An overdraft has been incurred exceeding that authorised by law by £243 18s Bd, whereby tbe councillors have rendered themselves liable to a penalty of £100 each."

Mr Coady and Mr Sanclle, both good men and true of that noted mining village with the somewhat distinguish' d name Stafford, have fallen out, and all the world with Westlani has already heard of their grievance through the papers It seems that Mr Maurice Coady has the inest mable privilege of being one of Stafford's respectable licensed victuallers and, a* the same time, father of Miss Mary Coady, who in hr turn had earned the right to be an " elegible " for the somewhat important post of pupil teacher at tho Stafford State School, and went for the same ; tut there was one other elegible, an"! Miss M, C, did not draw the luoky number, tho other getting the post Now, Mr Sandle, bo ides being a business man of importance, also bears amongst bis other blush'ng honours that of the chairmanship of fie Stafford School Committee, and in the latter capacity hu " exercised his judgment " along with four benighted committeenviij in the way of recommending for the appointmout Miss Griffin, the other "elcgible," who succeedod; whereat all tbe blood of the Coady rose up, and, dipping his pen into tbe g^lliest of inkhorns handy, he ' wrote to tbe papers." This awful citastrophc caused -conception in the Sandle mind, and be brought forth a letter in next day's paper, giving his fiMe views on Mr Coady, whom he accused of prosen ing his (Samlle's) eldest boy with a goose — wisest of the domestic barndoor feathered tribe — on his birthday. How it will all end nobody knows, but apprehensions for the future safety of both belligerents are being felt Owing to the existence of the differences between the Wes port and Mohikinui Coal Companies there are 150 married men with families in a state of semi-starvation. The differences are, however, fortunately nearly adjusted.

The West Coast Times is very angry with the Nelson Evening Mail for takipg its West Coast ne*s from the Otago Witness, and advises that astute journal to clip from local paper? jn futur-. If the N.E.M. do s cull from the W O.T , let me strongly advise it tq carefully acknowledge the source ', Our genial friend, J M Morris, noinatlio Bohemian for tho Brunner News, amongst his latest non-imp irtiblo gems to that journal describes at some length, and in hisown unique phraseology, Miss M'Naughton and Mr C. Seaton's wedding cake, as exhibited in the window of Mr Goodwin's Blackball store, After

wishing " the youth and maiden every success during the continuation of tLis contract wbich they nre about to sign," the Grey Valley Bedouin expresses the hope that "we shall come in for a little snack of cake for this par, at w cannot judge of the quantity (sic) otherwise than by trying how the thiug eats."

The Grey H«rbour Board has a credit balance, at bank of £3082 3s 6d.

Brunnerton has elected to send up a deputation of two to Wellington to urge on Government the desirability "of agreeing to the bil l permitting a portion of the royalty upon coal to be devoted to prospec ing, but the Grey Harbour Board refused to join them until something more definite should be known.

Blackball, Nghere, and other centres are taking steps (according to the Brunner News) to asV Government to intervene and effect a i econstruct'on of county management Exactly ; sweep away the county councils, charitable aid boards, and education boards, and allow each district to manage its own affairs, subject only to the supervision of the departments, and everybody will be satisfied and the continual cry of empty treasury chests will rease

One feels sm 11— smaller even than his wonted humility aPows —on reading that the Masor of Hokitika convened, at the instance of a number of leading ratepayer-", as indeed he was bound to do, v public meeting of burgesses to consider the advisabi ity of asking the General Government to purchase a rich squatter's l«nd, all of which is situated in the Kokatahi district (upper waters of the Hokitika river). All the town's leading lights were present, and, like a large minority of the great British nation, showed their slavish adulation to wealth by unanimously carrying resolutions urging the Government to purchase Dedereich's 5000 acres of lmul at £3 per acre. The chief arguments in favour of this course being adopted were that a dair, f .nn settlement might be the upshot, and th'it a lot of poor people might settle on the block. The Inspector of Fisheries is scaring sawmillers, he having received instructions to prosecute a'l found allowing sawdust to flow away into any watercourse. The ltcv. J. Edwards, of Rcefton, who, it may be remembered, caused some slight diversion at the last general elections, is now lecturing on "The End of tho World Dated and Near at Hand." Tho Reefton Guardian, an evening paper, after a run of six yeirs has ceased publication, Mrs Potts, proprietress of the Inangahua Times, having purchased the goodwill and amalgamated the concern in the Inangahua Times.