West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1878.

West Coast Times, Issue 2742, 15 January 1878, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1878.

The spectacle which Victoria now presents politically, is not reassuring to those who advocate so pertinaciously the system of paying members of Parliament. The public affairs there are drifting into a chaotic state, and no one can tell what the result of MiBerry's ill-advised and hasty proceeding will be. It is quite certain, in the meantime, that discredit and damage to the Colony must ensue. The miserable deadlock has arisen through the desire of the majority of the Assembly to be repaid for their legislative services, coupled with the impossibility of retention of power by Mr Berry, unless he complies with the wishes of his hungry adherents. It seems now that the deadlock must end in a dissolution. Sir George Bo wen hns thrown all responsibility on the Ministry, his advisers, and on them alone rests the disgrace of disorganising public affairs because members of Parliament cannot get £300 a-year each. Although at present the outcome of the crisis or deadlock, as this difficulty is variously called, cannot be clearly foretold, it is evidently Mr Berry'sintention to escape from putting the payment of members question definitely to ihe country. The Victorian Parliament will meet on sth February, wheu a Bill is to be proseuted «o the Lower House, for the reforming of the Council. No doubt this reform means the curtailment to a greater or lesser extent of the powers of the Council, and no doubt Mr Berry's majority will gladly pass any Bill to cut off the powers of the body which dared to dispute their dearly loved privilege of drawing £300 a year each. It is also certain that the Council will decline to be reformed by Mr Berry, so that the question for the country to decide will not be, shall members receive payment, but, is the Upper House to be reformed. Mr Berry thus ingeniously shifts his ground, and tries to throw the onus on the Council of causing the trouble which is only due to the venality of his own followers. Mr Berry clearly perceives his position. He knows that the country has never affirmed decidedly the principle of payment of members, and he knows also that it is very doubtful if it ever would affirm it. If members be not paid, Mr Berry loses power, and hence the side issue he wishes to piit to the people. In -whatever form the issue is put, it is unlikely that the people of Victoria will lose sight of the true course of the disgraceful state into which public business has lapsed. His Worship the Mayor and the County Chairman telegraphed to the Premier, Sir George Grey, yesterday, inviting him to visit Hokitika and the Weßtland County during his proposed trip to the Middle Island. As yet no reply has been received intimating when Sir George may be expected, but it is generally understood that it will not be later than February, or early in March. There was a meeting of the Hospital Committee at eight o'clock last evening. Present — Messrs Fowler (President), Cross, Walker, Skene, Heinz, Fisher, Liston, South, Upjohn, and Stonebridge. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was received from the Secretary of the German Gully Committee

to the effect that money would be remitted in March. From the Secretary of the Kurnara Committee, stating that money would be remitted next meeting. From the DeputyCommissioner of Stamps, enquiring if any property had been left by persons in the hospital. Received; and information ordered to be sent. From the Union Fire Insurance Compnny, forwarding policies of insurance on the new Hospital Building. Received. From the County Chairman, requesting that certain items should be withdrawn from the account furnished to the Council. Received. From Dr Fetlierstonhatigh, stating that on paying his usual evening visit to the hospital n Sunday there was uo one in charge of the Female Ward. Referred to the House Committee to report. The Surgeon-Supcrinten- ■ leiit's report, and the usual lists of admissions and discharges of patients were read and received. A report of the House Committee was read and received. The report spoke in general terms of the progress made in perfecting the arrangements in the new building; and also stated that the night nurse had been appointed a general servant, the sole charge of the feaiale ward being left iv the hands of Mrs George. The report was adopted without much discussion. Mr Walker moved that patients of Hokitika and countiy districts, except in cases of emergency, be admitted on Mondays and Thursdays only in every week, and that the members of the Admission Committee be requested to I attend the hospital on those days. Mr Cross seconded pro forma, but opposed the motion. Members of the Admission Committee would not be able to attend the hospital twice a week. Mr Upjohn thought it ought to be left to the doctor's discretion as to what patients should be admitted to the hospital. The President also opposed the resolution. In reply, Mr Walker said if his motion were carried, it would materially lessen the expenditure of the hospital. The motion was lost on the voices. Mr Cross presented a donation of £1 from Mr John Clarke, of Kumara. Mr Cross moved that ever* subscriber of £1 or upwards annually to the hospital, be entitled to a ticket ot admission in case of accident or sickness, providing it was taken out one month at least before the date of admission. Mr Upjohn seconded the motion. Mr Walker opposed the motion while district committees were in existence. Mr South moved, and Mr lleinz seconded, an amendment to refer the matter to a committee, consisting of Messrs Walker, Cross, and Heinz, to report by next meeting. After considerable discussion, the amendment was carried on a division by 8 to 2, Messrs Cross and Upjohn voting in the minority. The meeting then terminated. There will be a meeting of the Harbor Board, at the new Tranßit Shed, at eight o'clock this evening, for the despatch of general business. The race horse Pluto,' which ran fourth iv the Victoriau Chaaipiou Race, has died. The following return shows the yield of gold,and the number of tons crushed from quartz in the Inangahua district, for the year ended 31st December last: —

The dividends declared during the past year by Inangahua quartz companies, amount in all to £60,583 6s Bd, made up as follows :— Wealth of Nations, £10,075 ; Energetic, £8400; Keep it-Dark, £3833 6s 8d; Golden Fleece, £16,800 ; Hopeful, £15,675 ; Just in-Time, £2800 ; Fiery Cross, £1500 ; Caledonian, £1500. Tenders are invited by the County Engineer for lengthening the Arahura Bridge. Uokitika and Stafford Town road, the same | to be sent iv on or before January 28th. An amusing scene was witnessed on the platform of a railway station a few days ago (says the Maryborough Advertiser). On the arrival of the Ballarat train, porter Christie discovered that one out of a dozon Chinese had travelled from Ballarat to Maryborough with a ticket for Talbot. Seizing one of the Chinese, he hauled him up before the station-master. John was indignant, and protested he was not the man — " What for you takee me: how, how you tell 'em me: all Chinaman welly much like: no good." Christie was confident he had the right man, and between the cross fire of words the station-master was puzzled, whilst the spectators were heartily amused. The climax of the fun was reached, however, when John scowling and solemn, pulled from his pocket a match, and offering it to Christie excitedly exclaimed, tapping himself on the chest — " You blow 'em out: you swear 'em me: you •no speak 'em true you go down to hell.' The idea of a European being sworn Chinese fashion proved irresistibly comic to the byi standers. The Cairo correspondent of the Cologne Gazette writes .- — " Captain Richard Burton, British Consul at Trieste, has again arrived at Cairo in order to pursue, by order of the Khedive, the discoveries of abandoned gold and silver mines which he made last spring in the old land of Midian. The initial point of his present enterprise will be the Egyptian port of Moilah on the Arabian coast, to the south of the entry of the bay of Akabidi. Captain Burton intends to embark in a few dayß via Suez with the expeditionary corps placed at his disposal by the Khedive, and composed of miners and a considerable number of soldiers. The duration of this enterprise till the complete exploration of the whole unknown territory in north-western Arabia, and the acquisition of accurate j knowledge of all the ancient mines there, has been calculated for the present at six months. Captivin Burton is also already occupied with a plan relative to Central Africa, and the Khedive has offered to him the post of governor of Darfur. [Incontrovertible, incontestible, indisputable, ungainsayable, incomparative, superlatively supreme, stand the unparalleled remedies, " Ghollah's Great Indian Cukes." No such extraordinary cures havo been effected as by these marvellous Indian Medicines. Ask the Chemists for copies of the numerous testimonials given by respectable old ColonistH.

I In accordance with the notice given rcj lativc to the late drawing of Evans and Hansen's sweep on the Champion Race, the committee met last evening, to consider the complaints made in connection with it. The whole question was thoroughly opened up and several letters addressed by ticket-holders read. One of them represented some eighty subscribers, and all requested a third and final drawing. After great consideration the committee resolved on drawing aconrdingly, and notification to that effect appearß in another column. A steady increase in the out-turn of gold iv the Reefton district during the past years is shown by the following retuiLfl published .by the Herald: —

Mr W. 11. Ingram notifies elsewhere that he intends relinquishing business at the end of the present month, when he will dispose of the balance of his stock by public auction. His customers are therefore reminded that it is only during the next fortnight that they will have an opportunity of getting their watches repaired or other jobs done by him. We learn that Mr Gisborne intends visiting the southern part of the Coast in company with Mr Macandrew in a month or so. Mr Gisborne, in reply to a communication from the inhabitants of Jackson's Bay, conveyiug the resolutions passed at a recent public meeting there, an account of which has already appeared in these columns, has signified his intention of giving the various matters his direct attention, when he will be accompanied by a member of the Government. He points out at the same time that £3000 has been voted for public works in the south, and that possibly a large portion of that amount might be judiciously expended iv completing the track from the Paringa to the Ilaast. A correspondent m Reefton sends us the following news by telegram yesterday: — The Fiery Cross claim is looking very well, there being good stone in the lower level, Venus also looks well; they ought to be worth the price quoted here, £80 per quarter. Nil Desperaudum are on the rise; at present they are worth 4s 6d and are likely to go up a shilling. Hopeful have some rich stone in the lower level, the reef is smaller yet, but they are good property at or under four pounds. Will visit Flueee this week. A large vessel is anuouueed to suil from London in February on an expedition to the New Guinea goldfields. The Exhibition Commissioners in Sydney have accepted an offer from Paris of 630 square feet of space in the grand tower, to be covered by trophies illustrating the mineral wealth of New South Wales. 1440 feet has been allotted in the main building, but the Commissioners have applied for a further 720 ft. We hear that a meeting of ' Scotia's bairns ' is iv tended to be held at Grey mouth in the evening of the 21at inst., to celebrate the Burns' aaniversary. It is possible that a contigent of leather heels may make a stampede from this quarter to be present on the occasion. The Grey River Argus of yesterday says: — " We mentioned a few days ago that the Public Works Department contemplated employing a steam dredge for the purpose of deepening the channel in the Grey river. We now learu that this has been decided upon, and that in accordance wiLh a resolutiou passed last session of the Assembly, the construction of the dredge is to be offered locally, which, in this case, means the Dispatch Foundry Company. The dredge is to be of an American pattern, specially adapted for scooping out shingle. The Chief Secretary of South Australia informed the Victorian Government, that owing to the outbreak of phylloxera vastcatrix, the importation of vines, grapes, and cuttings, is strictly prohibited. The Roman correspondent of the Cologne Gazette writes that the Order of Jesuits which, about twenty-five years ago, when Father Becks, the present general, commenced his rule, numbered some 4000 members, has since increased to 9600. Two further remarks made by the correspondent are of some interest — first, that the Order has secured the entire dependence on it of the Papal See, financially by the Peter's pence, and morally by the clerical presß, which it controls, and which thunders down every anti- Jesuitical movement; secondly, that notwithstanding the imposing power of the Order, it may be foreseen that its relaxed interior discipline will lead to a catastrophe within it. A gentleman lately returned from Japan Mr Christie, C.E., gives some interesting statistics of and general information about that peculiar country. Inter alia, he Btates that during the period between the 20th January and 17th October he experienced no less than 28 shocks of earthquake, some being only single coups, whilst others repeated twice, thrice, or even a greater number of times. This constant and ever-recurring sensational excitement may accouut for the impassable immobility which is characteristic of the Japanese. The cost of the three last general elections in Victoria was mentioned lately by Mr Berry, in reply to a question in the Legislative Assembly. In 1871 the total coßt was £5414 19s 8d; in 1874, £5798 11s 6d; in 1877 £8921 Os 9d. The larger cost of the last general election was caused by the greater nnmber of electoral districts and subdivisions under the new law, aud by the fact of holding all elections on the one day. Some surprise (says. the Dunedin Herald) prevailed on Tuesday in consequence of no mention having been of what was intended to be done in the case of George Proudfoot, who standß remanded on a charge of rape. It was rumored that there ia a hesitancy on the part of the Crown to undertake the responsibility of bringing the case to an end without a third trial, aud that it would gladly transfer the onus to Messra Stewart and Denniaton, who. however, are not likely to } accept unleßs specifically instructed by the Crown. A subsequent telegram states that the prosecution waited instructions from Wellington.

The following twenty-two Dunedin Cricketers arc playing against the Auslraliau cricketers on the 12th, 14th, and 15th insts;— Millington, Nicholls, (Oamaru), I Everest, Spencer (Palmerston), Moore (Balclutlia), Dowries (Lawrence), Crawshaw, j Austin, Cargill, Dixon, Fulton, MgNgUI, j Rose, Clark, Glen, Hiskell, Macfarlane, j Morrison, Paramor, Rhodes, Spring, Sutcliffc (Dunedin) ; emergency men, Dougltis, Fawcett, Niven, Jones, and Slieltou (Dunedin)' [ The Otago twenty-two have unanimously elected Spring tlieir captain. The following challenge appears in a recent issue of the Otago Daily Times:—" I, j William Mathieson, iunior, of Tokomairro, I hereby challenge any man in New Zealand j to throw the 161 b hammer, according to the Dunedin Caledonian Society's rules, for any sura from £10 up to £50. " For some years past the " old hands" have beeu fast disappearing from the ranks of the prisoners at the Pcndridge Stockade, and in a few years more, says the Argus, theie will be but few left to represent the early convicts from Norfolk Ibland and the adjacent colonies. It is stated that iv the year 1862 there were at Peutridge between 400 and 500 pii* soners who had been transported from Home. At the present time the number is reduced to a mere fraction. At the Supreme Court Wellington, the other day before their Honors the Chief Justice and Mr Justice Richmond, the case of Wylde v. the Bank of New Zealand, which was partly heard the previous day, was resumed, and the Court ordered the rule to be made absolute, with cost 3 against the plaintiff. The matter arose out of an appeal against a decision of the Resident Magiatvuc at Reefton on the ground of want of jurisdiction. Mr Izard appeared in support of the application, and Mr Gordon Allan, for Mr Hart, on the other side. An Auckland telegram reports the appearance in that city of Stephen Mat-dctt, elocutionist, reader, humorist. " Tahite," of the Australasian, has the following reference to the gentleman alluded to :— I havo received a letter informing me that Mr Stephen Massett, whose norn de -plume and norn de j theatre— for he iB both actor and author— is ' "Jeema Jipes, of Pipesville." has renewed j his intention of coming again to Australia. ! With the letter has come also a photograph ) which tells me that thia pleasant entertainer is not now the dapper young" man he was when he was heie twenty years ago, but that he has grown grey and furrowed . But if the I picture tells the truth, he has lost none of j the cheery brightness he had at that time t ! He was truly a merry companiou, aud I remember most agreeably how well able he was to amuse an audience during a couple of hours without any aid to his own efforts . i If he has not lost his cunning he will bo welcome, aud if he has lie will be welcome still, for old acquaintance sake, to these who knew him when he was here before. A gentleman who arrived at Ballarat f rora New South Wales recently gives a most deplorable account of the condition of the interior of that colony from the protracted drought. It ia said by many to be the worst j visitation of the kind ever known, while others say as bad a season occurred nearly twenty years ago. The whole air is foul for many miles with the putrid taint of the dead sheep, cattle, and horses, and in many portions of the colony the earth is cracking j in all directions, many of these fissures being wide and deep enough to engulph a horse aud his rider. On Mr Learmonth's station, where 170,000 sheep should have j been shorn, only 70,000 underwent that ' operation and two' gangs of men are now employed as follows -^-seventy are cuttiDg \ down trees to supply the famishing sheep with their leaves, and thirty are scouring the country pulling the wool off the dead carcases that encumber the ground. It would bo well if the Borough Couucil would follow the course taken by the Christchurch City Council in dealing with the subject of water supply, that is if they once find they are in a position to float the lull amount of the loan. In Caristchurch a committee was appointed to consider the conditions to be attached to the premiums for the best scheme for a water supply, and the following conditions were agreed to: — 1 Water to be suitable for drinking and domestic purposes, as well as for fire prevention. 2. The supply to be not less than one million gallons daily. 3. The pressure to be equal to throwing water 100 ft from the pipe of one inch diameter. The cost not to exceed £100,000. 5. Economy to be considered a point of merit. 6. If the plans are not of sufficient merit no premiums to be awarded.

Date. 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 Crushings. Dividends. tons ozs. £. s. d. 3,862 3,795 5,118 10 0 15,280 14,179 14,575 0 0 18,882 14,692 11,125 0 0 33,22fi 25,928 28,510 1 8 33,891 29,356 42,504 10 0 41.067 35,853 60,583 6 8 Total 146,208 123,803 £162,416 8 4

Company. Wealth o£ Nations Energetic Keep-it-Dark Golden Fleece Hopeful Jttnt-in-Timo ... Fiery Cross Italian Gully Inkerman Caledonian No. 2. South Larry's ... Nil Desperandum Dauntless Extended ... Auderson's Extended... Tons. 9711 11,600 654!) 5040 3187 1747 808 354 787 120 244 50 420 450 Ozs. 5608 6622 3604 7805 7044 2757 913 363 165 771 52 40 48 61 41,067 35,853