West Coast Time. MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1878.

West Coast Times, Issue 2807, 1 April 1878, Page 2

West Coast Time. MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1878.

T^bbb is jpp.[(Joiib<i YtVitiXever that some definite arrangement jm^ust be made by the Legislature -Jar- the support of Hospitals I and t Ohui'itable Aid. A i gr l qaljer ( ! i m i u I d.dlG. fcb.au, exists vow cau l!fK%n«lja«i™liSJW-..ii trough and Lounty Councils, are entirely in the dark as to'vVlial. ih'ey ought to receive or pCay^urider this 'head. ' Our local Hospital has been exceptionally lucky. The/'MauigTag CJobJiriifcteo have received i a; ( gseat deal more money than they expected, and now they are in the hope/ which will, we think, bo shortly fulfilled, '6f 'getting' fIICO. Should this 'e'xfceptißri'a'i state '"'of things contiuue, wh'icn is^'very] unlikely, and, indeed; almost imp'tJs^ible, the Borough Council would 'outer iuto no rash speculation, jif, (hey, , topje ovor the control of the Ho,spi,tal., , .Such a course is open to themj- according to a recent Government circula'iv But, in the event of the source from ! ivhich the Hospital j has derived its funds' 'bel rig dried up, matters 'would n'6t look so well for the Council. Tho Corporation is by no means on tho rights. jde of its banker's book, and their chronic overdraft would be much iucreased'if thoy took over coutrol) of 'the' Hosplfcnl. Provision must be made for chaVitablo aid during vext T '6es ! sio'h; ! so.t'ha}; die present uucertainty, .and disorganisation may bo reuaoveij} In tho, words of a contemporary, the Duuedin Morning Herald : " The subject requires to bo treated in a comprehensive why by Act of the Assembly. A definite pecuniary provision, df'a permanVut uature, must be made for the support of, Uio hospitals. Nothing should be left to chance. It would be folly to lean, upon voluntary subscriptions as tho principal support of the hospitals audi charitable institutions.'. 'They are always uncertain in amount; they are smallest in dull times, when the need for relief is the greatest; aud they form a heavy tax upon the purses of the benevolent, while the niggardly escape scot-free. Tho Hospital finances ought to stand on a surer footing; and it must be arranged, too, that the various districts shall contribute towards the expenditure as nearly as possible in the ratio of the benefit which they receive. Legislative compulsion is the only means by which this can be effected."

The question so long debated, whether there is to be poace or war with Russia, appears still far from solution. The suspense must be irritating to the people of both hatrbtts| and tbe long delay in arriving at any conclusion irust tend to lead the mind, to the belief that force will < soon take the place of diplomacy. , The cablegrams are so meagre and" contradictory that it is diriicult to gather anything definite from them. Changes of the probabilities of the situation have taken place so frequently, that a forecast is out of the question. With regard to the attitude of England, it is difficult to know what to say. Undoubtedly the feeling is gaining ground at Home that if the Turk ,be driven out of Europe, Europe js well rid of him. But there is a large party who would view tho occupation of Constantinople by the Russians a3 a blow from which England would recover with difficulty. ; The Cabinet itself is at issue on the questiou. The Foreign Minister, Earl Derby, has resigned, ostensibly on some question connected with the calling out of reserves, but iv reality, no doubt because he cannot agree with the warlike aad defiant position which his, chief, Earl Beaconsfield, has all along assumed. The secession of Earl Derby at such a critical time, proves indubitably that there is a prospect of war being declared. The Congress is abandoned, 'the Russians stay near Constantinople, England and Austria are rapidly arming. It may be as we have often seen suggested, that Russia is tryinghow much England will endure, and how far she can presume without drawing ing upon herself the hostility of two great nations. It may be that efforts are being made to withdraw Austria from tho English alliance, and so leave the western Power alone to confront the gigantic northern Power. It is certain lhat old assoeia-

tions are becoming things of the past.

Germany used to be considered the natural ally of England. Now, as the ablest Home papers pointed out, she h more of an enemy than n friend, aud, iii consequence, France and Englaud lirjb dniwu into closer alliance. The Pad Mull Gazette on the stuno subject says :— Sir Garnet WoK'ley re'uiiiids us that in i,iie changes and chances of European politics the day may come when an alliaucu of the Western Powers would be the only barrier against an aggression sis ibnnidahlo as. that of the Croat Napoleon. ''Germany," he says, "is our natural nlly as long as she remains simply a mighly military Power ; should she, however,- take possession of Holland and its colonies her only object cau be to rival us on the seas." Sir darnel Wdlseloy further says, " Holland, Belgium, England, and Prance allied togetiior. would form a league that even proud Germany would feel was too powerful for her to face!"

Telegraphic mails for the United Kingdom, etc, via San Prancisco, per City of Sydney, close at Auckland at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2nd. Also, mails for Sydney, per RotorUa, • close at noon, at Auckland, same date. Messages will be received at tho Hokitika office up till 12 noon for United Kingdom, and 11 a.m. for Sydney.

At the Supreme Court on Saturday, William Clarke, convicted ot embezzling Government money, was senteuced to four mouths' imprisonment. William Morris, iudicted for horse stealiug, pleaded guilty, aud was sentenced to a term of imprisonment concurrent with that which he is already suffering.

The trial of Ryan for murder, will be commenced at ten o'clock this morning at the Supreme Court. Messrs youth, Button, and Guinness are the -prosecuting counsel. The prisoner will be defended by Mr Pur kiss.

Mr Dclamain, tho stage name of a «cutlcman very well known iv Holutika, has joined Mr and Mrs Morton Tavarcs. The company has been recently playing at Westport. and a.ra to appear here at Easter.

Dr Somen.'lle, the revivalisl, has engaged the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre for six uights for his lectures. He is su'd to be a most eloquent speaker.

The pigeon shooting season cominoucus this day.

Messrs Pollock and Lewan, request us to notice tb.it t icy will, under instructions from the b.iiliff, bell at Stafford Towa ,this aftefaoon, at 2 o'clock, Mr Houlalian's stoc--in-tiade ) &c.

We received a short note from our correspondent bt the Taipo on Saturday. It was dated f:om tuo reef on Friday last, and sent down by b;md. It says — " There are two more leases taken up ou this line of reef, ariu splendid gold has been gi<t on one of tiieru. Expect a full report of the Taipo reefs iVoui me next mail, as I uannut got all the info .M\:il ion put together tu-d;iy. The Taipo will bo a j^teut district in a .short time.".

TundorH an; invited for le.vel!i:i» and gravelling the school reserves at Woodstock aud A /ahum road. Farilcuhns can bu seen in our advertising tviuuius rctVrriog to the works required.

We are requested by the auctioneers, Messes If. A. Learmonth and Co., to draw particular attention to their two sales tomorrow by auction, the first by order of the bailiff at Stafford Town, (see bailiff's advertisement), commencing at 11 o'clock punctually, and the other at 2 o'clock on the premises of the White- House Hotel 3 Wold street, by order of the trustees in the estate of Hermann Meyer, of the whole of his freehold properties, gas shares, &c .

The Westport Times t»lls us that the old firm of n. Davis and Co., of Nelson, has suspended payment, and consequent thereon, and also by reason of the general dullness of trade in Nelson, some smaller local houses have been compelled to seek arrangements with their creditors.

The following important telegram re the Mikonui Water Race, from the lion W. Gisborne, has been handed lo the lioss Guardian for publication:—" Wellington, 27th March, 1878. — J. Grimmoud Esq., Chairman of the Mikonui Kace Committee, Ross. — On return here I wrote a memorandum to the Government respecting the proposal of the Race Committee and Ro"SS Couucil re the Mikonui Race, and have just received a reply from the Hon. Mr Maeandrcw, stating that the Government will accede to the proposals of the Ross Municipality and the Race Committee, as embodied in my memo namely, Government to contribute twenty thousand pounds, (£20,000) to construction of the first two sections, including tunnel, provided ,a Company with a capital of twenty thousand pounds, (£20,000) be formed to construct the first section between Ross aud the Ross mouth of tunnel, and provided the County Council and Ross Municipality give undertaking that the third section, connecting tho tunnel with the Mikonui river will be constructed without aid from the Colony, and undertaking that interest on construction shall be a first charge on subsidies to County or Municipality which is suggested as sufficient. Should the necessary undertaking be forthwith given, Mr Macaudrew adds that the works can be commenced duriug the present season, as arrangements so entirely conform with the spirit of tho Act, as to render delay unnecessary. I will send you copies of my memorandum and of reply by post. Please show this to bis Worship the Mayor W. GISUOENK."

The Westport Times of a recent date suys: — " We are enabled to state that the District Engineer, C. Y. O'Connor, Esq., has, since his arrival in Westport, made definite arrangements with Mr W. Saith, contractor for the present protective vwrks, to make the extension of such work^as laid down iv the original plans, from jttenley street, round the corner of what was formerly known as Kennedy street, until reaching the beach end of Palmerston street. The work will comprise an extension of the present atone wall facing the river and an inner reclamation of a broad slip of ground which will form an open esplanade along the river bunk. In perfecting this work a line of rails must nccw-arily be l;i id down, and it ims bom decided thai tho line slinll not be of a mere temporary nature, but per-

manently laid, so that it may be of use when a Parliamentary vote is granted for further extension of the works in the form of a training wall, which will still further deepen the river 'channel, sufficiently to allowing ovctt tbe large ocean-going steamers to cuter and coal iv the river, and thus develop the full resources of the port. The works at present sanctioned will do much lo improve the river as a port 'of entry, while materially eulmucing the value of propei Ly in the lower portion of the town. Tito security of sections against further sea <jr river encroachment will be assured, and owners of buildings there may, without fear ol' loss, improve their properties."

At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, before Mr Price, U.M., Edward Murphy was fined ten shillings for being drunk and incapable, lon shillings for being drunk and disorderly, and £1 and costs for us ; ng obscene language iv a jmblic place. The two first-named offences were committed ou differout dates. L. Kirton pleaded guilty to a charge of resisting a bailiff in the execution of his duty, fid was fined £10 and costs. There was no other business.

The Lytteltou limes Wellington correspondent says :— A meeting of UuderSecretanes was held on the 27th met-, to couaider the OJago Daily Times's Civil Service articles. The meeting was strictly private, and nothing about them has been allowed to transpire.

Professor ITennicke and Madame Stella performed to a fail 1 house at the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre, on Saturday evening. The magical i.lusions of the Professor were excellent and much applauded. Several prizes were distributed, among others, one for the best conundrum. The choice of the judges fell in the following effort, but the perpetrator of it did not show up on the stage as requested. "Why is Hokilika the most pious town in New Zealand ? — Because the bailiff is v Chustian ; there is Virtue among the merchants ; and Churches in the hotels."

The County Clerk left by fie steamer Murray yesterday for Greymouth, to take over the salmon fry intended ior the southei n rivers, lie intended to be in time tor the steamer VVaipara, bat passed that boat on her way to Hokitika, and will therefore be unable to take them down until Tuesday or Wednesday next, uules-J he ventures to bring them overkud. It is essential that they .should be deposited iv the various rivers at once, and itnuiei Il atcly it is deiinately ascertained that they are on the way to this port, we would urge upou Messrs Paterson, Dale, Clapcott, Ilarcourt, aud Thoinpsou, who have volunteeved their assistance iv the distribution to be iv waiting, iv order that measures may be taken for their safe delivery aud caniago to their respective destinations.

The following paragraph appears iv the lioßs Guardian, which Jeuoles that Mr Curie, ouo of the most energetic newspaper publishers on the Coast, has fully determined upon seeking some more populous locality wheruiu to continue his labors. The notice is to the effect that tenders for the purchase oi' the Guardian, pluut, aud office will be lueoived up till next Saturday, Iho^propuctor having purchased a larger busiuess in au another part of the colony.

App'f utions for the office of Inspector of Schools for the Hawke's Bixy Educational district ere invited up to 30th April. It i 3 stated that .bailey and Cooper's Claws takings during their week's stay iv Duuedin was considerably over £10,000. Mr Nitmol, of Taronaki, I- as iaveuted a novel shutter, consisting snnply of a sheet of corrugated galvanised iron with bolts aud catches. It is reported that at tho preaeut time üboufc 300 men are employed in rnpioviug the city ol Dunedin either d : recfcly by tbe Corporation oc by its contractors.

According to a Ch- htchufch contemporary the Customs revenue collected at the Port of Lyttelton last month was £23,4j6 15s, showing an increase over the corresponding month of 1877 of £9000.

The Lyttelton Harbor Board have unanimously decided not to pay a pro rala share of Sir John Coode's expenses in visiting New Zealaud, as they do not consider there is any necessity for obtaining an expression of opinion from him re the Lyttelton harbor works.

A little boy was received into the Dunedin Hospital for treatment, having pnrtly swallowed a marble which stuck ia his throat. Dr Tighe succeeded in forcing the marble down, but the laJI is in a very weak condition.

The suspension of the Co-operative Society of Canterbury discloses a novel feature iv trading. The society, with a nominal capital extending into five figrrcs, had actually only £430 paid up, and the liability of shareholders is limited to the amount of their payments. The society has incurred liabilities for shares to the extent of £2300, while the assets are valued at aISOO, showing a deficiency of XSOO, or a total loss in working of £1200.

The following very extraordinary advertisement appeared recently in one of the Cbristchurch papers :—" If this should meet the eye of the clean and respectable woman of curls who left her children, she will find one iv No. 1 ward, and the other in the deadhouse. Time of funeral, find out at the hospital. Alfred Wheeler."

The attempt by co-operation to provide a cheaper breakfast table has broken down ay completely in Otago as iv Canterbury. The "grocers, bakers, and others" arc now invited to tender for the stock aud divert* incumbraneesof the Canterbury Co-operative Company, and in IJuuedin the stock-in-trade of the Otago Association is iv the market, with the difference that it is to be sold by auction.

An American paper tlms indulges in the use of P's :—": — " Persous who patronise papers should pay promptly, for the pecuniary prospects of the press have peculiar power in pushing forward public prosperity. If the printer is paid promptly and his pocketbook kept plethoric by prompt paying natrons, he puts his pen to paper in peace ; he paints his pictures of pasa)ng events in more pleasure colors, and the perusal of bis paper is more pleasure to the people. Paste this piece of proverbial philosophy iv some place where all persons can perceive it, Be pleased also to ponder upon it thyself patiently, and pevseverincjly and profitably, aivl peisiatently practise ifcs precepts perpetually."

Tho Christchurch Press says:— The progress of Port Lyttelton is shown by the imineuse increase in the shipping frequenting the port. During the past week the English vessels in port have represented a combined registered tonnage of over 10,000 tons, whilst the whole available space at the wharves has been occupied by intercolonial and coasting vessels. Two vessels cleared the Customs for England, the combined value of whose cargoes was nearly £170,000, and the large list of expected arrivals shows that there will be no diminution in the trade for months to come, the present being the busiest time with produce exporters. Including steamers the tonnage of all vessels in port duriug the last week exceeded 1(5,000 tons.

The New Zealaud Herald says that an eloquent lecturer, Mrs Emma IlardingoBrittoo, an English lady, is about to make a tour in the coioniep.

A man named Antony Bardmau, who has lately been driving a scissors grinding machine at the corner of the Arcade, Dunedin, was received into the hospital for treatment of one of his eyes. While he was passing the Scandinavian Hotel a magpie darted at him, and struck his eye, which it is now feared has been totally destroyed.

The Hon. E. W. Stafford, who is leaving for Europe, a few days since bad a sale of cattle and sheep at his estate {Landsdowne, Canterbury), when there was a very large attendance, and good prices were realised. The horses fetched from 17 to 150 guineas ; the cattle, from KG 12s 8d to £9 10s ; the stud sheep (190), from 15s to £5 10s each ; the general flock (4000 Rornncy Marsh breed), from 7s 9d to 1 Is each.

The Birmingham' Post says it may not be generally known that an experiment, first tried at Birmingham, in the way of employing women for some parts of the bookkeeping connected with the railway goods traffic is being extensively carried out all over the London and North Western Railway Company's system. A little over three years ago Mr Nicholas, the traffic manager of the Curzou street Station, commeuced to employ women to make abstracts from invoices for the ledger accounts of credit customers, aud for forwarding to the railway clearing-house. The work is not difficult, but it requires to be performed with care aud accuracy. There is at the present time at the station a comfortable office, in which some 15 women, most of them young persons, are engaged in this work. Their hours are from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m., with aa interval for lunch, aud they receive from 10s to 17s a week for their services. It has been found that the work is done much more accurately thau by male clerks, to say nothing of tho greater neatness which is also displayed. The work , affords excellent employment for fairly educated girls whose parents do not wi&h to send them iuto shops and factories, ;md the success attending it promises to lead to further developments iv the same direction.

Except Queen Victoria, the baroness Burdett-Coutts is the richest woman iv England. She is the sole owner and proprietor of the banking house of Coutts and Co. In the early part of her life she Was worried nearly to death by suitors for her hand, and oiice had to apply to the law for relief from a pestiferous lover of the name of Duun. She is now 60 years old, tall anil thin, aud the most popular wornnu in London. She does so much good by her just and enlightened charities that her death would be regarded as a real public calamity. She gives larger dinner parties than anybody else iv London, to which she does not ask people because they are " ton," but bucaude she likes them. She is an intimate friend of Mr Gladstone, by whose advice Queen Victoria raised her to the peerage.

The Newcastle Pilot records the following singular turn of Fortune's wheel :— " It is seldom that one. hears of such a splendid freak of fortune as we are informed of in this city, and which came to light during the past four clays. Mr Henry Thomas, who has been about fifty years in the colony, has lived for some years with Mr Ferguson, the engineer of the steam-tug Goolwa. The sons of both Messrs Ferguson and Thomas married sisters. His parents owned the Glenmorgan estate, in Wales, and he had little idea that he would be heir to the estate. But it happened that his elder brother died without leaving any direct heir. Then the next of kin also died in a similar manner. Inquiries were set on foot in England for Mr Thomas, but without avail. The estate was thereupon claimed by a fourth party but it has not been yielded to anyone. Curiously, Mr Thomas was recognised the other day by a man who had been employed on the estate, aud was at once informed of the future in store for him. The property, after the accumulations that have taken phco, is estimated to we worth two and a half millions of money, and Mr Thomas goes home at once to establish his right to it."

The last thing in the ladies' fashions rejoices in the name of " Plevna cloth," and is presumably so called from its powers of resistance." To the inexperienced male eye it looks vastly like corduroy, a muchneglected fabric, which is at once rich in appearance, cheap in price, and lasting in wear. It appears that this is to be favorite stuff for walking dresses during the forthcoming winter. I hear, too, that the very becoming ruffles first introduced by the Princess of Wales are now to be finally condemned, and that they are to be replaced by the gigantic collars of a bygone period. — Vanity Fair.

The Christchurch Press says .-—The wonderf al caves alleged to hare been recently discovered in Napier, and which were so graphically described by a correspondent of the Ilawke's Bay Ilerald turns out to have been only a wonderful work of the imagination of a cauardmouger. All those amazing sights, those rock paintings, those pre-M»ori natives, that " miuiature lake," and those " pale green shrubs" are pure nothingness. It is sad to think what ability in lying New Zealauders are developing. Such hoaxes were «not heard of till the colony entered upon an era of liberalism.

Speaking of the depression on the Thames goldfields, the New Zealand Herald says: — " There is no more lack of capital at present than there was on the opening of the Thames goldfields, but there is less willinguess to invest in mining speculation, and the reason is obvious. Persons havo been so often rictimised by their own servants, that nearly every business man has registered a vow in

liia heart never to look at "mining shares again. There arc good grounds for this distrust, and ifc is lhatfer of great regret that sueii grounds should exist. Obvious facts, and no less obvious deductions, however, cannot be put aside. We honestly believe th'ut 'there have been, and are at present, ruaungers of mines on the Thames on whose judgment and honesty the most implicit reliance can be placed, so also are there boards ol directors who would scorn to use their positions for their own advantage, to the detriment of the shareholders who placed them in office to watch over the general interests. But if this is the rule, there arc notable exceptions to it." In Napier there lives a lapidary, who is almost entirely supported by the natives. They find greenstone, and take it to him to cut and polish, and manufacture iuto native ornaments. So large is his trade that he has to employ steam to do the work. New discovery of gold, a discovery which promises to eclipse and outdo all previous discoveries, is that which has lately been made in the great restorer of sick people to sound health. " Gholla'h's Gruat Indian Cokes " is beyond all questioning the most marvellous discovery t for health is more than gold, and by the use of these meritorious medicines not only can health be maintained, but persons laid aside by sickness of many years duration are restored to health, and snatched from the jawa of death.