CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 301, 18 July 1868, Page 3

CHARLESTON NEWS.

PUBLIC MEETING. A Public Meeting was held at the Melbourne Hotel on Thursday evening to take into consideration the subject of forming a Progress Committee. There were about sixty or seventy persons present. Mr Lightband on being called to the chair said he was only partially informed as to the objects of the meeting from seeing the advertisement which had appeared, but the term •■ Progress " in itself suggested what was desirable, and he was happy to preside over any meeting which had that object in view, in connection with the welfare of the district. No doubt the meeting would be addressed by some of the gentlemen who had convened the meeting, but one matter which suggested itself to him, was the improvement of the mail service, the present postal arrangements being in his opinion inadequate to the importance of Charleston.

Mr Neale said he had taken a part in the promotion of that meeting, and generally concurred in the remarks of the Chairman. In speaking of the usefulness of having some recognised body such as a Progress Committee, he instanced the Education Grant of £250 recently voted by the Council, all of which had been appropriated at Westport. When there was an elaborate system of public education instituted which any parent might avail himself of, and thus get his children educated free of expense. Had there been anything like a progress committee in Charleston, a portion at least of that grant might have been obtained for this district. Referring to the election of such a committee, he said he hoped that due care would be taken to elect only such men as would be likely to take a decided interest in their work. Mr Kennedy in endorsing the remarks of the iousprev speakers, remarked, that during his travels and 'sojournings on many goldfields, he always found that those towns got on beat that possessed a committee, a body such as that under discussion, who if any thing weniwrong could step in and remedy it, and who, as the mouth piece of the community, had as much, or more, weight with the government than any number of petitions, memorials, a public meetings He coincided in the Chairman's remarks as to the deficiencies of the Mail service; considering that the facilities offered by Cobb's coaches should be taked advantage ©f, and a daily mail established. With regard to the streets he had heard the Com-missioner remark that being now in a good state the Government would look to the community to keep them in proper repair. If that were so and no body existed to see to such matters, they all knew very well what the result would be. Everybody's business being nobody's business, nothing would be done until the streets got axle deep with mud.

Mr Dwan said that though the proposed Progress Committee might be looked upon as the forerunner of a municipal council, there was this great difference between them, that the one could enforce a system of taxation, the other could not. He differed with the last speaker so far that he thought they could compel the government to keep their streets in repair, but at all events he coinci- j ded with the spirit of the movement, j He begged to move " that a day be' fixed upon by this meeting a polling take place for the election of nine gentlemen to form a Progress Committee."

Mr G-asqoine asked how it was proposed to nominated. Mr Dwan replied, the nomination might be made on any named day and perhaps the Chairman would consent to act as returning officer and receive the nominations.

Mr Gasqoine seconded the motion. Mr Drury enquired the qualification of voters and Committee-men, a question which led to considerable discussion and several abortive motions and amendments. The first by Mr Kennedy was to the effect that any holder of a business licence or miners right should be qualified, but this he afterwards withdrew in favor of an

amendment by Mr Cullen that thoug such holders be entitled to vote, only possessors of a business license be qualified .as members of committee. Another amendment toy Mr Dwan, which Mr Kennedy seoonded, limited the qualification for voting and membership to the holding of a business license.

Mr Drury, Mr Cullen and Mr Dwan spoke repeatedly on the points touched upon, the former being in favor of admitting miners to a say in the business, and the latter two for excluding them. Mr Macdonnell would like to know whether the gentlemen who convened ■the meeting contemplated the collection •of funds, arid on receiving a reply in the affirmative, he asked whether it was their intention to ask contributions from miners. Several said no.

Mr Jackson wanted to know whether it was a .town board or a general progress committee for the whole district which was proposed. The Chairman said, as there appeared to be some doubt on the subject, perhaps one of the promoters would state definitely the object proposed. Mr Kennedy explained that the object of the gentlemen who convened the meeting was to get a Progress Committee formed for the town only. Mr M'Donnell deprecated such a restriction being put on the movement, and declared he would not have attended the meeting had he not been under the impression it was an open public meeting for general purposes. After some further talk, Mr Dwan's motion was put to the meeting but was negatived, and notwithstanding a motion of a more general character by Mr Bain being afterwards carried, the meeting ended in general confusion, without any specific business being transacted, the general impression apparently being in favor of the movement.

Any visitor who has not been up to the Back Lead lately will be surprised at the changed scene presented on looking over the edge of the terrace. In the valley below, no fewer than three large water wheels are now at work, with two others in course of construction, all being within a few yards of each other, and adding the charm of cheerful activity to the beauty of the natural forest landscape. AH the wheels derive their power from the same race, that of the Cosmopolitan Company, who have at a very large expenditure of time and labor succeeded in bringing in an abundant supply of water from the Nile River, at a point distant some four or five miles from the lead. The first wheel as you come down the race is that of the Dublin City Company. It is the largest in point of diameter, measuring twenty-eight feet, and drives a battery of twelve stampers with the greatest ease, and power to spare. The machine, which has only been at work about five weeks, crushes at the rate of forty yards a day, but it is only within the last day or two that the outer stuff has been got through and payable dirt entered upon, yet the plates were looking very well. Adjoining is the battery, and other works being erected by the Cosmopolitan Company. The Paddock machine and water wheel now almost completed, are the work of Messrs Graham, Mitchell, and Lowrie, reputed to be about the best tradesmen in the district, and certainly the workmanship does them credit. " The wheel is a foot less in diameter than Kirwin's (the Dublin City), but is of greater breadth, 3 ft. 6 in., and much stronger built. The present battery consists of' 12 stampers, but provision is made for six additional head, should such be required. It has a back delivery as well as froni,, and the spread of the tables will be something like 18feet, while the machine will be self-feeding. Next in order, and situated not more than 10 yards from the wheel last mentioned, is that belonging to Keenan and party, which is smaller than the other two, being only 22 feet in diameter, the battery worked by it being considerably lighter. A little beyond a battery, and wheel are being erected for Heron and party, the latter being of 26 feet diameter. Ail these machines employ a great many hands. The Dublin City has 14 men at work, whose wages are £4 10s per week, working from daylight till dark. In consequence of the accumulation of tailings it will soon be necessary for the various companies to join together and cut a tail race towards the river, which passes by not more than a quarter of a mile from the terrace.

Mr Johnston, the barrister, who was remanded a few days ago on a charge of lunacy, has snce been committed to the Nelson Asylum by Mr Broad, Eesident Magistrate, acting on a report of his condition presented by Doctors Dakers and Morton.

The strength of the last gale of wind was manifested in a peculiar manner down at the heads, the house of the harbor master, a good sized substantial structure having been shifted bodily a distance of about six feet, another yard ©r so and it would have toppled ever the roeks into the channel. Captain Beveridge was not> in the house at time theof its involuntary journey. The cutter Dart and ketch Constant took advantage of the fine bar on Sunday, to enter the harbour, the latter being from Westport, and the former from southward. The cutter Harry Bluff came to grief in the recent heavy weather, having no ballast on board, and her mooring lines parting, she got broadside on to the heavy swell rolling into the bay, and was turned completely over badly bilged, and afterwards buried to her deck in the sand. Her owners Charles Craddock and party, however have since raised her and intend going in for repairs. On Friday a Mrs Anderson, who recently figured at "Westport in an insolvent case, was fined £5 by the Resident Magistrate, for committing a violent assault on Mr Roper at the Four Mile. It appears that the complainant who was rather weak in the legs, owing to a recent attack of paralysis, having offended the good lady in some way, she knocked him down and hammered his face with a piece of cement. She herself did not escape quite scathless, her nose showing marks of the man's nails, inflicted, to use his own words, when endeavoring to keep the tigress at bay as he lay on his back, on the ground, with his fair antagonist over him.