The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 262, 3 June 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1868.

From a recent report of the Greymouth Hospital Committee's proceedings, it is by no means certain that the £ISOO set down on the Nelson estimates as maintenance money to that institution is depended upon, and the amount proposed by the Westland County seems also to have scarcely given satisfaction. A meeting held last week was adjourned till to-day, and it was intended to communicate with the authorities in question during the interval. Now if such is the case — if no absolute breach of faith is committed by the Nelson Q-overnment withholding that amount of money, and expending it in our own province, why should it in preference be spent in G-reymouth whilst it might be laid out to so much greater advantage amongst ourselves. In a former issue we showed very clearly that it was impossible that a limited population like that on the north bank of the Grey, limited we mean in proportion to the numbers located in the northward goldfields, could possibly require such an amount of money to supply their hospital necessities. Since that time we have been taken to task on that head, and told that the Nelson province proportion of patients has been for months past as large as that of Westland; that consequently our premises were incorrect, and our conclusions false. Now, in the first place, notwithstanding being thus set right,

we must confess ourselves incredulous on this point, and cannot imagine that diggers in the neighbourhood of the Grey are so much more liable to disease than other* in this district. The reply may be that patients on the coast cannot meet with the necessary treatment here, at Charleston, or at Brighton, on account of the required conveniencies of one kind and another not being at hand. If such is the case why are they not ? and is it not better to bring all that is necessary to the patient instead of taking the patient fifty miles by sea to what is necessary ? Granted a proper hospital is needed ! Why not have it built where the occasion for it arises ? Surgical skill of a high order is required! Can the Grey boast of greater skill, and if they can, cannot equal skill be secured for here ? Appliances of various kinds, instruments, &c, are needed! Why not supply this hospital with what the Grey has in excess of our own. Why in short confess our own weakness, that under any circumstances is so clearly reparable, by supporting the hospital of another province in lieu of distributing the same amount amongst our own? Undoubtedly patients coming from the province of Nelson must and do find hospitable refuge in Greymouth, and let those be amply paid for when it can be clearly shown that they are fairly chargeable to the province, but we do trust that the system of giving so large a sum as £ISOO to that institution in a lump, will soon be discontinued. Either let the Nelson province reimburse the Grey hospital at such a scale as may be agreed on as equitable, or let them establish a small hospital on the Cobden side, similar to the one at Brighton. The miners and others would gladly assist it if such was done, and it would fully provide for the necessities of the population. Erom there, as from here, special cases could be Bent to Nelson, and by adopting some such course, a large proportion of the £ISOO now wasted, could be applied to purely Nelson purposes.

We previously intimated that the surplus might be advantageously devoted to a branch hospital at Addison's, and why should this not be carried out ? The amount that could be apportioned wpuld fully maintain a hospital on a small scale, liberally supplemented, as we feel sure it would be, by local contributions. "We most respectfully submit this question to the authorities, and at the same time point out the utter absurdity of subsidising the hospital of another province because certain necessities easily supplied, are not to hand. If the Government are so far committed that they cannot honorably draw back, there is an end of the the matter for this year at least, but if such is not the case, let us hope the grant will be appropriared for the residents in the province that votes it. Westland is quite able and willing to bear its own hospital burdens, and we need not officiously run to relieve her of them. Apropos of hospital affairs in Westport, a meeting is announced to be held to-morrow evening at the Court House, for the purpose of con. sidering the best means of placing this hospital " under some system of management likely to induce the sympathy, and co-operation of the public." We need not say how heartily we endorse this intention, and how glad we are to find that the subject has at length been taken up. That some change is necessary, and may be made with advantage, cannot be questioned ; it is to be hoped that those who have taken the matter in hand will go into it heart and soul. We shall have more to say on the subject shortly.

The weather yesterday continued boisterous in the extreme. Bitterly cold, and strong breezes from the southward with showers of rain, and occasionally hail prevailed, and altogether things generally were miserable enough. A pretty strong fresh ran down the river and rose a very nasty sea on the bar, the westerly swell meeting it. Not a trace of a vessel could be seen, and till we have a change it is not likely that any can come. If, as is possible, the John Penn or Nelson have started from Nelson, they will either have run back to that place or be sheltering at Bushend, as nothing could have got round the spit yesterday or the night previous. It is quite probable that the Bruce and Charles Edward are bar-bound in Hokitika, either through the channel having silted up in the southwest gale of the last day or so, or through the sea on it being too formidable to face. As soon as we have a warm northerly wind, with either sun or rain, we may look out for one of the heaviest freshes that has poured down the Buller for many a day, [for the quantity of snow that lodged on the ranges on Mondaynight, was immense. Even Mount Rochfort had a white night cap on when first visible, and lower ranges, that usually in the severest weather are completely free from snow, were yesterday covered. When a thaw takes place, snow and ice will of course melt and it is by no means improbable that if this is rapid, something very nearly approaching a flood will result, and the strength of the newly erected wharves put to the test.

The District Court, that should have sat yesterday, was necessarily post poned till 11 o'clock this day in consequence of the non-arrival of Judge Clarke. It is by no means improbable that he will not turn up to-day either, and the business will have to be again postponed. This delay, however, is attributable to no other cause than the late bad weather, and as this cannot be remedied, we must make the best of it. Jurymen and others were warned to be in attendance this morning at 11 o'clock.

As will be seen by advertisement, Mr Eynnersley, at the request of several gentlemen who signed a requisition to that effect, has called a public meeting to consider hospital affairs, to be held to-morrow evening at the Court House. We have no doubt that a great many persons will be present, for all are deeply interested in such a matter.

As we stated yesterday, tenders for the Caledonian track were opened yesterday and determined upon. The following notice in reference to them was posted at the Commissioner's Office yesterday: tenders for the Caledonian track will be accepted provided that the tenderers, with two approved sureties, sign the contract before 12 o'clock tomorrow. No. 1, Wm. Courtney, £3 ss. 7d. per chain ; 2, Wm. Courtney, £3 ss. 7d. per chain; 3, Alexander M'lntosh. £3 per chain ; 4, William Courtney, £2 ss. 9d. per chain. If the above do not sign, the following are the next in order—No. 1, J. Coleman, £3 19s. 6d. per chain; 2, P. Barry and Co., £3 19s. 6d. per chain; P. Barry and Co., £3 9s. 6d, per

chain; 3, Thomas Easton, £3 4s. Gd. , per chain; 4, J. Braithwaite, £3 per chain. We copy the following from the Argus : —" Mr Otto Berliner has succeeded in obtaining an important piece of evidence in favor of the claimant to the Tichbourne estates. It is an affidavit by Mr A. S. C. Trevor Hill, of Dungannon, a resident of Queensland, and now in Melbourne, who has sworn before Mr Sturt, P.M., that in the year 1853 he was residing in England, aud at a ball in Cheltenham—a bachelors' ball, in the Assembly-rooms—he danced in a set of quadrilles vis-a-vis to a gentleman who was pointed out to him as Mr Tichbourne, of the Carbineers. They were dancing with two sisters. After the dance they went to supper, where they were in conversation (Mr Hill aud Mr Tichbourne) for some time. On the following day, whilst walking with the ladies, Mr Hill's attention was called to Cornet Tichbourne, by the ladies, as he was riding down the street on a bay pony. Mr Hill did not again see Mr Tichbourne in England. In 1864, Mr Hill was in New South Wales, and about the month of August rode to Wagga Wagga, in company with some friends. They dismounted at the Australian Hotel, (known as Higgins's). On coming out, and while they were standing speaking in front of the hotel, a man in ordinary bush dress who had been standing there also, accosted him by saying, ' Hill, don't you recollect me ; it is many years since we met ? I said (proceeds the affidavit), ' I have no recollection of you.' He said, ' Don't you remember the bachelors' ball at Cheltenham ? My name is Tichbourne; they call me here De Castro.' I then looked at him closely; and, after an examination of his features, felt satisfied that he was identical with the Mr Tichbourne 1 had met in Cheltenham many years previously. That, from conversation held with the so-called ' De Castro' at the time, there is no doubt in my mind that the Mr Tichbourne, of the Carbineers, of the year 1853, and the ' De Castro,' of Wagga Wagga, in 1864, are identical.' Mr Hill also identified the photograph of Mr Tichbourne as that of the 'De Castro,' of Wagga Wagga."