WEST COAST TIMES. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 57, 14 October 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1865.

Osn of tho chief reasons urged against Hie public management of tho Hokitika hospital, when the affairs of that institution came so prominently before us some, two or three months ago, was that the officers elected to superintend its affairs would after the first novelty had worn off, become laX in their attention to their duties ; and as a consequence, its affairs would becomo involved in inextricable confusion, and after all, the Government, ns in the case of the Christchurch hospital, would havo to step forward, nnd rescue such'an important public institution from annihilation. However such n theory was unsupported by former goldficlds experience, tho authorities stuck to their text, and would not admit for a moment that tho practical denial afforded by the numerous hospitals in Olago aud Australia was worthy or the slightest consideration at their hands. When, therefore, the public learnt that tho Government intended to adhere to their resolution notw ithslamling tho many excellent reasons urged ngaiust it, they wisely succumbed to constitutionial tyranny, and abandoned their claim to have a voice in tho expenditure of tho funds that they had thomselvos raised, rather than allow that an institution so greatly needed and of such vital importance to the welfare of such a largo section of tho community should becomo damaged or weakened by an opposition that might by others bo doomed factious. The money collected from the public is at the disposal of tho representative of the Government here, if not absolutely paid over to him, and everyone expected that as our rulers had deprecated so strongly tho mismanagement of the hospital, and appeared to entertain so high an opinion of its efficient conduct, that they would by their promptitude- nnd energy show a praiseworthy exnmplonow that nil obstacles wore removed, and thero appeared every prospect of unnnimity nnd concord between the public and tho Government.

But after the Inpso of two months, what in reality has been dono by thoso who aro responsible to tho West Const community for the management of the hospital P Our population has in tho mean timo boon nt lenst doubled, and of course tho proportion of sick and indigent has increased in a corresponding ratio. Hns a single stop been taken towards providing a more suitable building than the prosentcalico shanty? Has any eH'orfc boon wide towards tho purification of tho solitary but c ow.led ward? Doe 5 tho same collection of miscrnblo tents ornament, tho enclosure P Arc cases of mechanical injury nnd others not of an infectious nature, lying cheek-by-jowl, with but an inch of space botweeu them, by pntients in tho last stngo of fever P Has any step boon taken, or does nny siqfn oxist that such will bo taken, townrds remedying one of the lrrni}' nbusos so bitterly complained of two months n^o? L>H the Government who wns so watchful over our welfare as to deny us the rights of Englishmen lost we should abuse them, answer theso questions — the practical comment on tho official opinion of the propor management of n ho.°j>itnl, nnd certainly as complete a refutation of tho

boasted ability of tho Government to conduct such an institution, as tho oft-told tnlo of that "frightful oxamplo," the Christchurch hospital was, regarding the udvisabilily of public management. Two cases haver lately como under our notico which pvovo how efficiently tho Government ha^o managed tho Hokitika Hospitnl. Tho first has rofcrenco to aMr Kenneth M'Lcod, aniinoronthoKnniori, who has for four months boon laid up with acute rheumatism. Ho had applied soveral times to tho hospital for tho assistance nnd relief ho had a right to demand, nnd for somo days was omploycd dragging his weary and failing limbs from the enmp to tho hospital, and from tho hospital to the camp ; bxit all without avail ; and to cap tho climax of his misery, Mr Sale, our model Commissioner, in his last interview with him, added insult to injury by coolly informing the suffering wretch that ho considered him a loafer ! Talk about gentlemanly conduct after that I That was tlio onfy epithet that could bo vouchsafed to an honest man in distress and sickness, and that was tho only consolation nnd relief that could bo given by our highest official to a man imploring- his assistance, in tho oxtremo of physical suffering! — a blow not tho less violent, a|stab not the less keen, an infliction not tho less cowardly, becauso it was struck with the tonguo instead of by tho hand ; — and not tho less humiliating becauso it was aimed at tho moral and not the physical man ! The sufferer, with an o'orllowing heart — which thoso who have experienced such treatment may imagine, but which cannot bo described — turned away from his unmanly insultcr, and dragged himself to his wretched tont on the Kaniori, whore he would havo rotted, unknown and \mcarcd for, had it not boon for tho kindness of the rough Samaritans ot the bush, who have till the present timo maintained him from then 1 own scanty resources, and have now subscribed sufficient towards sending him awaj r from tho West Coast, " where bread's so dear and flesh aud blood so cheap," to a place whore a proper valuo is set on human lifo and suffering meets with propor sympathy. But if this example, where official misconduct led to no fatal result, is sufficient tc cause a feeling of indignation and disgust to thrill through every honest, manly heart, what shall wo say to tho second, whero the fell Destroyer was triumphant and tho poor abandoned and suffering wretch paid tho penalty of official carolcssncss and incompetence with his life, and his spirit, released from its earthly thrall, abandoned tho shattered remains of humanity to tho tardy care of mou, whoso charity is hero limited to tho fow feet of ground necessary to form a nameless pauper gravo P Tho report of tho inquest held on Wednesday last, on tho bodj r of a man found dead in his tont, proves that wo arc guilty of no exaggeration in tho matter. Two witnesses proved to the deplorable condition of tho deceased— " his tent just wido enough- for him to Ho in, and about two foot high 5 with only ono thin blanket over him, and another under him ;" and thus, exposed to tho bitter and inclement weather, drenched by repeated deluges of rain, with no food but a little dry bread, without medicine or attention, lay a fellow creature in an advanced slago of disease of the lungs ! Of course ho nnd applied to the hospital, " but could not got in, as ho was not able to pay, and ho had received no medicine" Dr. lvyloy, surgeon to tho hospital, had boon npnlicd to while tho man was lying almost in tho throes of dissolution 5 but the Dr. " could not mako it convenient just then." Can ono bo surprised, then, that tlio man thus loft to die liko a mangy cm", should inhisunpiticd solitude " howl like a native dog" — to uso tho expressive and touching phrase of a witness, and pray for a knife to end his wretched existence, which, indeed camo to a close long before Dr. Uyloy could find it " convenient " to go to him. The mcdicnl gentleman who made tho post-mortem examination on tho body expressed his opinion that the deceased had taken nothing for days, and tho stomach was devoid of any kind of sustenance. Tho poor fellow had asked for broad and received a stone, and the jury returned a verdict " Died by tho visitation of God." That is tho convenient phrase adopted to cover tho heartlossnoss of those who are morally, if not legally responsible for tho death of a fellow-creature This is not the first instance we have seen of "man's inhumanity to man," but it certainly is the first — and wo trust it will be the last — whci'O the namo of the Almighty — the God of mercy and love — will bo lightly introduced to shield cruelty, neglect, and selfishness.

For more than a week Hokitika has Buffeied from a total absence of postage st imps. The post-oflicc has been cleared out with the exception of a few fourpenny and shilling portraits of her Majesty, and the agents havo been in the like uncomfortable position, Tho annoyance and damage to individuals has been considerable, and wo trust that such a disagreeable state of things will not again occur, though wo do not iniagino that we shall enjoy tho full bonofit of an cllicicnt postal service till the oliicc here is rendered independent of that in Christchutch.

A practical comment on tho oflicicuoy of the present local postal regulations, which prohibits the despatch of letters by Other than tho absurd overland route, is afforded by the establishment of Rowloy's Express in this town, tho proprietors of which not only convoy letters to every part of tho West Coast distriot with a punctuality, frequency, and despatch far superior to that of tho Post-ouico, but also inuko up parcels of letters for transmission on tho first opportunity by steamer direct to their destination, whethor Melbourne, Sydney, or other ports. Not bjing obliged by oflioinl routine to send them oisb when they should go west, we havo no doubt that shortly tho bnsinoss of this firm in tho despatch of mails will rival that of tho Post-office itself, jwhile in tho meantime tho name of Rowley is a snllicionf, gunranteo to all from tho goldficMs of Victoria and Otago of tho duo parformaiKO of his promises.

Wo boliove there is not ono resident in Hokitika but is willing to bear testimony to the attention and courtesy displayed by our present postmaster, Mr Kcogh, for the time ho has filled Mint ofliuo liuro ; and wo feel suro tliore is not ono who will hear with other feelings than that of regrot of his dismissal by the Chief Postmristor no Christchurch. It was with considerable surpriso that wo hc-ird tho rumor, and on our questioning Mr Kcogh himself, Hint fooling merged in*o Hjinelhiujj like indignation as wo learned that rumor confirmed, None know belt r than ouiselvo3 the difficulties Mr Koogli has liicl to contend against during his stay I) ore ; mid wo consider it a pieco of rank injustice, now that— chiefly by his exertions— tlio Potilollico Iris attained to some degree of ollicioncy, he should besummnrlly dismissed without rliymo or reason, nnd as appearances go, chiefly (o satisfy tho petty nnliijni'y or privuto spite of his "superior" officer ab Cluistohurch. Voltuiro remarked, when Admir.il Byng »vas bhot, that it was " pour encourage)' les attires," aud

this must Riirely bo tho cause of Mr Kcogh's dismissal — to encourage othois in tho duo fulfilment of their onerous duties, at what expeuso soever to privato comfort and convenience. A meeting is announced to tako place this evening at 8 o'clock nt llraoken's Hotel, for tho purpose, we beliovo, of adopting a memorial to tho Postmnstor-Gcnoral with reference to tho better management of tho Tost-oll'ico iv Ilokitika. Wo ti ust that llioro will bo a largo attendance, ns the subject is ono which seriously concerns cveiy person in the distriot. In tho " Loader" of yesterdny, wo repoited that the s.s Maid of the Ynrrahad succeeded on Thursday night in getting off tho spit, nfter discharging tho wholo of her cargo. Sho is nojv lying aground in tho river abreast tho Spit Hotel, and it is the intention ot her captain ns soon ns sho enn bo got nfloat to beach her on tho south bank of tho river, for tho purposo of careening her, in 'order to get at somo of tho bilgo plates thnthnvo started. It is fortunate that no greater dnmago has resulted through her rough handling on Wednesday night.

From tho position of tho Jnno Looklmrt when sho was lying on the spit wo certainly thought wo woro justified in expecting her speedy dolivornnco from this perilous position, ns deep water wns closo to her, providing her anchors could find holding ground suflicienfc to withstand tho strain of heaving her off. Wo wore, howcvor, rather surpriseiUo sco her nfloat on Thursday evening, sho having tnken advantago of tho tide nnd favorable weather to hcavo off into tho channel. This promptitudo roflects tho greatest credit on Captain 'A'illing and bis crew. Most thankful nro wo that this fine craft hns succeeded in thus getting out of a very serious difficulty, nnd that sho has dono so quito uninjured not having suffered tho slightest strnin or making an extra pint of water. Wo very heartily congratulate her captain and owners on this event.

Yesterday, reports wero rife in Ilokitika concorning a rush that had set in near tho cemetery, and no small excitement has been caused thereby amongst tho many minors who nro at present waiting in Ilokitika for intelligence, anxious enough, no doubt, to hear something definito thnt would enable thorn at onco to leave town aud an idlo lifo. A*s usunl in such cases, rumor has much cxaggeratoil tho real facts of tho case, wo having heard that as much as 2 dwts. the dish had been obtained. As far wo can learn, tho highest prospect washed was 3 grs. the dish ; and on our applying at tho Camp for information, wo wore given to understand that no application {for a prospecting claim had been made. We wcio nlfo informed that tho sinking wns shallow, tho prospectors' holo being only tlneo feet deep ; but that lower down, on tho sido of tho terrace, tho ground was much deeper, nnd not yet bottomed. Wo shall report specially on this rush in our next issue.

In tho Wardens' court yesterday, soveral publican's at tho Kanicri, wero fined £1 for keeping their houses open on Sunday, nnd sundry disputes in connection with town sections were decided, detailed •reports of which our want of space compels us to withhold.

Wo are glad to see the work of extending tho wharf down to tho corner of Wharf street, has at last been begun, a gang of men nro working tho monkey in rain and sunshine driving down tho heavy piles. No pains seem to Lave been spared in selecting fust- nil*) timber for tho purpose, the river sido being covered with heavy spars that must have cost no small amount of strength to drag out of the bush. Mr. Jidgnr informs us that he is sanguino of having tho work comploted in a fortnight or three weeks at the outside.

It is expected thnt the p.s. Yarra will, in the courso of a Week, bo again ready for sea. She is now within twenty yards of tho river, and is in tho lmmls ( of tho shipwrights, who aro hard nt work putting somo new planks nnd frames on her starboaul bilge, a hole having been knocked through her whon sho wont on shoro. We nro glad to see this vessel in such a forward state of repair, as just now her services aro much required to at end on tho numerous steamers now in the oiling and hourly expestul.

Tho schooner Dolphin has received a thorough overhaul at tho bands of tho carpenters. Her sheathing has been stripped off and slio hns been caulked from stem to stern. Wo aro rather surprised to hear that her sheathing is not to bo lcpl.iccd, nnd tliiuk it will tend to weaken her considerably. In a fow days wo hopo to sco her once moro afloat.

Tlio s.B. South Australian arrived in tho roadstead yesterday morning, but in consequonco of tho heavy gale blowing from the S.W. all day no communication could be had with her save by signals. Sho brings 470 pnssongors to our shores This is tho first time the South Australian has visited us, her usual line heretoforo having boon between Adelaido nnd Melbourne Morison, Law and Co. aro lier agents.