HOSPITAL COMMITTEE MEETING.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 338, 31 August 1868, Page 2

HOSPITAL COMMITTEE MEETING.

The Westport Hospital Committee met on Saturday at five o'clock, when there were present, Dr Giles, Chairman, Messrs M'Farland, Smyth, Harris, Munro, O'Conor, Tyler, and Munson, The hon. sec, Mr Munro, read the minutes of the last meeting, which were confirmed. The secretary stated that he had received two tenders that evening at five o'clock, for building the new hospital, and that the parties informed him that they had seen a notice in the " Evening Star," that tenders would be received up to that hour, and as it was a mistake of the paper it rested with the Committee whether they received them or not, as the parties stated they had not seen the "Westport Times with the advertisement calling for tenders. M'O'Conor stated that those who had tendered last would see their way clearer now, as some timber had arrived since the first tenders were given in and previous to that timber was very scarce in Westport, and he thought the time should be extended. A long discussion ensued whether or not the tenders should be admitted. Mr Harris stated that a " local" was no authority, and that the time for receiving tenders was advertised in the Westpokt Times, in which Mr O'Conor concurred. Mr M'Farland asked why the meeting was not called on the day that the tenders were received. Mr Munro said it would have been inconvenient for him to have attended on Friday. Mr Harris consideredlit manifestly unfairfor the sake of two tenders to throw the whole thing over. He moved, and Mr Smyth seconded :—That those tenders which were not sent in at the regular time be rejected Mr Tyler thought that the tune should be further extended, and he agreed with Mr O'Conor in his view of the matter. He moved as an amendment which Mr M'Farland seconded : —That all the tenders be returned, and the time extended to Wednesday next, which was carried.

Mr O'Conor explained the progress of the local sub-committees, after which a long discussion took place, in which Messrs Tyler, Harris, Munro, and Dr Giles took part. The question being that the secretary did not wish to act in that capacity to the sub-com-mittee, as his actions as secretary were confined to the Committee. Mr Munro read a report of the last meeting of the sub-committee-Mr Tyler moved and Mr Munro seconded':—That the report be referred back to the committee, with intimation that it does not form part of the 'secretary's duty to conduct the correspondence of sub-committees.

Mr Harris said the question was whether the secretarywastoconductthecorrespondence of sub-committees. He considered the secretary was only to conduct the correspondence of the Committee.

Mr Tyler's motion was then carried. The Treasurer reported that he h*d received 10s additional subscription* from Messrs Alcorn and Fleming and also £9 3s from German Terrace. Mr O'Conor stated that he declined to act as chairman of sub-committee in future, Mr Smyth proposed and Mr O'Conor seconded Mr Harris as chairman of subcommittees. Carried. Messrs Baillie and Powell were elected as auditors for the coming month.

Messrs Powell, Smyth, and Munson were elected as a visiting committee. After this the Committee adjourned till Wednesday evening next, when tenders are to be in at 4 o'clock. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Saturday, August 29. (Before J, Giles, Esq, R.M.) FIGHTING IN" THE STREETS. John Braithwaite and James Mali one charged with this offence were fined 20s. each LTEALING GOLD. James Malone was charged with felononsly stealing gold of the value of £9 12s. 7d. Mr Pitt, who appeared for the prosecution asked for a remand till Monday, for the purpose of procuring the

evidence of Laurence Moffat, who had been subpoenaed, buthad not put in an appearance. The prisoner had been in custody since the day previous on another charge, so it was virtually no remand. •'

At the request of the Bench one witness was examined. Detective Lambert said, —I know ths prisoner, James Muhone. I saw him in the lock-up yesterday evening in the presence of a man named Urpuhart. Prisoner was iu the lockup, on a charge of being drunk and disorderly, and fig.iting in the street. I asked Urpuhart if he (prisoner) was the man he charged with stealing gold and he said he was, I then said the prisoner would be detained till he was tried. I then went to subpoena Laurence Moffat, and brought him down to the prisouer in the lock-up. I asked him iu prisoner's pre sence whose gold it was that he (Moffat) had sold on the previous day at the Bank of New South Wales. He said he would not answer that, he knew nothing at all about it, but prisoner said it was his gold. I then asked prisoner if Moffat had any money belonging to him. He said at first that he had not, and then he said he might have a few shillings on my repeating the question. Cn being a-ked if he had any question to put to the witness, prisoner said that he had told all the truth.

Prisoner was remanded till Monday morning, bail to be taken, himself in £SO, and two sureties of £25 each. William Mackenzie charged with drunkeness, forfeitedjiis bail of 20s. by non-appearance.