West Coast times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1876.

The importance of the recent discorery of silver at Mount Rangitoto is only now commencing to dawn on the people of this district. Shares in the Silver Mining Company lately floated with much difficulty, are eagerly sought after, and many who were dubious as to the success of the enterprise when first mooted are now satisfied that the discovery is one of immense, indeed incalculable value. Too much cannot be said in its favor. The discovery, beyond all question, stamps the future of the district. That there is untold wealth in our midst, iv a form hitherto unknown and consequently unappreciated and unrealised, which will in the course of a few months be brought to light, there is no need to further doubt. The report on the Rangitoto Silver Mine published in our issue of Saturday places the matter on such a footing that the most sceptical must be ready to admit, that nothing has yet been discovered in this district which may be calculated upon so much to ensure its permanent stability as a rich mining locality, as the opening of the silver lodes now in course ol development. Several months ago when the first assay was received from Melbourne, we took the opportunity of making a special visit to and report upon the mine. The vein of galena visible at that time was only ten inches thick as it dipped iuto the mountain. It was traceable for a distance of about forty feet, embedded in a layer of ferruginous quartz in clay slate. Below and above the vein the reef was soft, and appeared to offer little or, no resistance to the extraction of the metal. Being satisfied then, as we are yet, with the assays of Mr Kirkland as against any of the others made, our first report concluded with the opinion that " the great question to determine with

regard to this now discovery, is ' whether these several veins thicken still further in tho dip, and whether they will become concentrated in one enormous lode." On this point what does the special reporter say who visited the mine last week ; a gentleman entirely uninterested in the welfare of the Coast, a stranger to it. He writes — " Having got down, and crossed the bed of the creek, the effect is startling, simply marvellous. Leaving sombre bush and frowning hill the visitor finds himself shut in between precipitous walls of trap rock slate | and surface drift, at the loot of a leaping waterfall, a sketch of which would gladden the heart of many au artist, and staudiug on countless wealth." As to the value of the ore, the gentleman reporting professes to know nothing, but to this part of the subject we will make reference as we proceed. The quantity more than the quality is what he has made himself conversant with. Referring to the abundance of the ore, he says :—": — " All I know is that round me, on each side of me, and beneath me, is an inexhaustible mine of this ore which lam told is so rich. Of its quality and value I am no judge beyond what I learn from those who have assayed it. Of its quantity lam the best judge,j udge, for that I am independent and see it for myself. More than that, I take no picked specimens, am offered none in fact, but with a pick, I knock off a few bits for myself how and where I choose. The lode which crosses the mine creek at the bottom of the valley consists of a bed of crystalline lead and silver ore with patches of black galena running through it. It runs downward from north-east to south-west dipping north-west at 30 degrees, and varying at the spot where it is open, from 3ft to sft in thickness. The top of the lode is fairly rich, but lower down, at about 4ft depth, and especially further up where it has been covered by a land slip, there are manses of almost pure galena." Further on, in the report, he describes the mine as cousisting of an average lode of from 4to 5 feet thick, when he left the tunnel. Then it is to be rumembered, the lode has gradually improved in thickness as the tunnel has progressed, and it is only reasonable to expect that it will con'inue to do so still further. As to the quantity therefore, we may venture to say that hundreds, aye thousauds of tons will be shipped from this port, within twelve months from the present date. Now with regard to the quality of the ore. Has there been anything shown to shake confidence in Mr Kirkland's assays ? We maintain that the tests made l»y him are more reliable than any of tho subsequent assays made in this colony. He has the appliances, the experience and the knowledge which should better fit him to give a correct analysis aud opiniou than probably any other analyst or assayist in the colonies. But even accepting tho average of the whole of the assays made of the ore, or reducing Mr Kirkland's to ouo quarter of what was given, then there is nothing short of a princely fortune in store in the mine. To some, such predictions may probably appear exaggerated. But these are the convictions of practical silver miners who have, within the past few days, examined the ore and the mine. The rush to Kumara has brought three miners who have had long experience in silver mines, to this part of the Coast. Two of them have reached the mine, and another, a miner who was employed for ten years on the great Comstock Lode, on inspecting the ore, unhesitatingly affirms that the discovery is the prelude to a new era for this district. We have no iuteres-t beyond the general welfare iv saying this much in favor of the new industry which has so recently cropped up in our immediate vicinity. We wish only to repeal what we have already urged upon the Provincial Government to do, to construct the road at once. There is surely sufficient data to warrant tins, and why there should be so much hesitation we cannot for one instant conceive. The Government, in its procrastiuation, is standing in tho way of the best interests of the Province. It is unreasonable to expect the newly formed Company to undertake the work. A pack for a tew miles is all that is required to enable tons of ore to be tnken to grass, and certainly the evidence of the most practical men, the reports of the most disinterested, and ihe action of the prospectors aud the promoters, all fully warrant the Government iv incurring such au expenditure.

It must be in general recollection that an Act called tho Stato Forests Acr, was passed by Parliament two sessions 1 ago. Sir Julius Yogel was the paront, of the Bill aud ultimately carried it through the House, but not until it had been severely criticised jiud considerably mangled. The sturdiest and most successful opponent of the measure was Mr Fitzlierbeit, the present Speaker, and at his instance several provisions of the Bill were rejected, and clauses added which materially reduced the powers which Sir Julius Yogel originally asked the House to grant to the Government. It is known that Sir Julius Yogel was annoyed at the unkindly reception his Bill received, and still mure at the modifications which were introduced. It was the general opinion at the time that this scheme was a favorite of the late Premier's. It was broadly stated in moro than one quarter, that the irritation produced by his partial defeat ou this question, impelled Sir Julius to move his now famous resolutions abolishing provincialism iv the North Island, thereby inflicting an unexpected blow on Mr Fitzherbeir. That gentleman was then Superintendent of Wellington, aud had undoubtedly — iv the expressive words of one legislator — " disembowelled" Sir Julius Vogel's little Bill.

However, tho Act was passed in its \ modified form. Its principal object was to conserve and protect Stato Forests, but among the clauses was one which rendered it necessury for the Government to set aside £10,000 every year for the purposes ot the Act. A Bill has recently passed repealing this aud other clauses of the Act, so that in all probability the Government will not expend any money on the State Forest Department for years to come ; indeed, it is not likely there will be such a department in existence, after Captain Campbell Walker's term of engagement has expired, and until then it may be presumed that Captain Walker will be the department. During the discussion on the repealing Bill, introduced by Mr Maofartane, several members Bpoke, aud opinions were generally expressed in favor of Mr Macfarlane's Bill. The Government did not object to the second reading, being only too happy to avoid the necessity of expending, at leasv, £10,000 per annum. Sir George Grey agreed, for once, with the Government, on the ground that the original Bill authorised a custom of giving the Governor power to make appointments wiihout consulting the Assembly. Several members expressed an opinion that forest planting should be left to private enterprise, and that Government should subsidize those who undertook it. The Superintendent of Canterbury said that forest planting had been going on in his Province, independent of the Act, and that 1000 acres a-year of forest trees were being planted, besides blue gum plautations. It was rightly held, however, by some, that there are parts of New Zealaud which are suffering severely from the waste of timber going on. It is really "a serious thing" said the Hon. Mr Bo wen "to see in a new country the enormous waste iv si few years of what had taken centuries to grow." Mr Barff was t'.m only Westland representative who took part in the discussion, and he is reported by Hansard to have spoken jus follows : —

He would support the second reading of the Bill, which he hoped would be passed through all its stages. He, like the honorable gentlemau who spoke last, had always looked upon the New Zealand Forest Bill as a sham ami delusion ; but lie did uot agree with the honorable gentleman when he said that the Act was originally intended to he passed for the sake of creating a department. c believed that the intention of the framurs of the Act really was to take away from the provinces ihe land they possessed. As far as he could remember, the Government, wheu they brought down the Am, meant this: that if tho Act weie brought into operation, it would enable them to take something like 90,000 acres of laml from Wcsilaud, for the purpose of conserving trees, which the people of that province wMied to destroy. If that Act was to be of any use at all, it oufjht io have a local application. There certainly might he parts of New Zealand in which the timber should lie conserved : for instance, he believed that, as had h<-eu pointed out hy an honorable member, it was necessary to conserve the kauri forests ; but, at the same time, there were millions of acres of land on the west coast of the Middle Island which were prevented from being settled by the presence of the timber. In such a case as that, it was very hard that the people of West-land should have 90,000 acres of their hnd. taken from them, in order that this objectionable timber might be conserved, lie would support the second reading of the Bill, and hoped that the House would pass it.

Mr Barff is certainly justified iv pronouncing the West Coast to be incutnbered with timber, for it would be ridiculous to contend that the timber here is not, to some extent, an incumbrauce Its presence is, at all events, a serious obstacle to the agriculturist, although on the other hand, the immense forests of the Coast must; become more valuable every year. However, there is no doubt that in a few years the Government will fiud it necessary to again revert to this question. At present it is practically shelved, and perhaps fo«the best, as Sir Julius Vogel's Act was passed hurriedly, and prematurely.

A rush is reported to have set in to Woodstock, a mile or two south of Kanicri. A number of miners left town for the spot yesterday afternoon, and others were seen wending their way in that direction last evening. We have despatched a reporter to the locality this morning, and hope to furnish our readers with any particulars which can be obtained, in to-morrow's issue.

The San Francisco mail arrived by the Murray yesterday morning.

The Waste Lauds Board will sit sit noon to day.

The School Committee are requested to meet at the Board Koom to-day, at three o'clock iv the afternoon.

We are obliged to hold over our correspondent's letter from Kuuiara until next issue.

The attention of the Kinieri Local Bomd of Health might appropriately be directed towards effecting the removal of a dead cow, which is lying iv a ditch close to the Tramway near the Half-Way House. The stench from the carcase is most offensive to passersby and those living in tho neighborhood.

There was a meeting of the Hospital Committee last evening. Present — The President, Messrs Linstrom, Meyer, Walker, M'Donald, Upjohn, Purkiss, Skene, and Slonebridge. Some unimportaut correspondence was read and received. The lißt of admissions for the past fortnight was read and received. Mr Purkis3 reported vei bally the result of his and the Secretary's interview with the Kumarn Hospital Committee This report was received, approved, and adopted. The Secretary stated that some out-door patients had been gotting cod liver oil from the chemist for some months past. A long and irregular discussion took place, and flnally it was resolved on the motion of Mr Purkiss that all medicines for out-door patients should be obtained through the dispenjer, also that the Secretary should make inquiries in every case, in order to ascertain if out-door patients obtaining advice gratis, were able to . pay for their medicines. Mr

Upjohn recited a string of charges which had been brought against two of the Hospital servants by a fellow servant. The matter wnß referred to the Hospital Committee to report. The appointment of a laundress was then proceeded with. Mr Meyer dissented from the appointment being made, as there were servants enough in the institution. He moved a resolution to that effect, but was not seconded. There were three candidates, and the choice of the Committee fell upon Mrs Watson, who was elected by the casting vote of the President. The meeting then terminated.

There are many persons to whom the truth is unpalatable, and who are so thin-skinned that upon any reference being made to them in public print, though the subject may affect only public interests, and be referred to solely in such interest, that they instantly rush to a solicitor to institute an action for libel. Innumerable instances of this kind have occurred of late iv this Colony. We reportt d one in yesterday's issue as having been ueaid before the Supreme Court, in Dunedin. A few weeks ago a similar threat was held out to our Grey mouth morning contemporary, by a Mr M'Guire, who imagined himself aggrieved because some person of the same name had been reported in the list of inebriates before the R.M. The latest farce in this way is a letter addressed to the proprietors an<l publishers of this journal by Mr Perkins, Solicitor, Greymouth, on behalf of Mr Kitchingham, master of the steam -tug Dispatch. The Solicitor, on behalf of his client, takes exceptiou to some remarks made by us respecting a conversation which took place between Mr Kitchingham and a passenger on the steamer Albion. He further asks us to apologise for having inserted tho paragraph in question, or in the event of our declining to comply with that request, to forward the name of our Solicitor, who will accept service of a writ on our behalf. Out of respect for the Solicitor who has been iv structed to write the letter wo will acknowledge receipt of it, but beyond this we have not the slightest intention of complying with iuiyoueof the demands of his client. What was said by us we can prove.

The following is the return of the cold exported from Wcstlaud, during the quarter ended 30th September, 1876:— Grey mouth, 54170z, value £21,671 ; Hokitika, 91560z, value, £36,626.

The following is the return of traffic on the Bruuner railway during the four weeks ending 23rd September, 1876.— 1246 passengers, £120 143 6d; season tickets, £s; parcels, &c, £6 Is 6d; freight on goods, timber, £52 8s 3d; total £184 4s 9d.

The whole of the crushing plant of the Anderson's Creek Quartz Mining Company was sold on Saturday at Reef tou to the Macedonian and Dauntless Gold Mining Companies, for the sum of £620. It is the intention of the new proprietary to leave the machinery on the old site, and to construct a tramway down Murray Creek from their respective goldmining leases to the battery.

The New Zealand Tablet says:— "The Lord Bishop of Ossory has raised a voice of warning against the Society of the Ancient Order of Foresters which he stigmatises as a new form of Freemasonry, and as having entailed the greatest misery on its unhappy dupes. His Lordship issued a pamphlet on the subject to prevent a branch being established in Kilkenny, and authorised the clergy to announce the withholding of the sacrum ents from the members of the Society. "

Captain Machell, one of Governor Bowen's aides de camp, the other day assaulted Captain St:mdish, Chief Commissioner of Police, in the breakfast room of the Melbourne Club with a riding whip, leaving some ugly marks The affair, which arose over some simple cause, has created no little sensation in certain quarters.

The following clause has been added to the Municipal Corporations Bill:—" If in any proceedings by information at the suit of the Attorney or Solicitor-General it is decided that the Council of any Borough has wrongfully or illegally disposed of any real or personal property of the Borough, or as applied the same to any purposes to which it was i:ot lawfully applicable, or that the Council has permitted any of the reserves, the management of which is vested in the Borough, to be used for purposes not authorised by law, or if by any such proceedings the Council is restrained from doiug any such things, then it shall not be lawful for the Council to pay out of the Borough funds any costs or other expenses arising out of such proceedings, or incurred in doing the things to which such proceedings relate; but the Court shall order that the members of the Council who by voting or otherwise assented to the illegal acts complaimed of, shall pay all such costs and expenses."

A subscription in aid of the widow of the lute skipper of tho Flying Cloud, which foundered shortly after leaving Westport in ballast, is now in circulation in Charleston. The poor woman is in a most destitute condition. Mr Charles Craddock will receive subscriptions.

Who the deuce, inquires the Marlborough Express is Colemau Phillips, to whom £300 has been awarded ? And now we learn that he is the man whose fertile brain blew the latest South Sea bubble, wliieh Sir J. "Yogel tried to float as his own, under the title of the Polynesian Trading Company with a capital of £1,000,000. I read in a paper this week, " that Sir Julius Yogel, while pretending to be the originator of the scheme, was not so at all. He had stolen it from Mr Coleman Phillips, and adopted it as his owu. Mr Phillips objected to this trading on false pretences, and petitioned Parliament for compensation. It seems that Sir Julius not only appropriated Mr Coleman Phillips' grand conception, but got him to come to VVelliuglon, and in some measure work out the scheme on paper. The Public Petitions Committee, to which bo ly the matter was referred, evidently thought Mr Coleman Phillips an ill-used man. They have there fore awarded him £150 for his expenses in coming to Wellington, and £150 besides as | general solatium and compensation." — And the total cost of the .whole affair to the

Colony is calculated at £1050.

The Treasury officials at Wellington have been getting up a statement us to the fininuial effects of Abolition in Oiago. L'Uey make out that that :J?rowuCe will gain eighteen thousand pouud3(.£ 18,000) v year.

The action for libel, about to be brought by Mr Webb, proprietor uf tlWjPoverty Bay Standard, against Captain Read; is one of slander and defamation . of character, which appears to cause no small sensation in Gisborne. It is stated that Captain Read placarded that town in the most offensive manner towards Mr Webb, the insinuations which the posters conveyed to the public, being such as were evidently intended as a most unwarrantable attack on the latter gentleman's private character.

The proposed testimonial to Sir J. Yogel and the public demonstration on the occasion of his departure from Wellington are likely to be successful . Sir J. Yogel leaves, via San Francisco, on October 19.

Ex-Mayor Eastman, of Poughkeepsie, has given 500 of Tihe street boys of that city a, straw hat each, with this advice pasted inside the crown:— "Don't drink, don't swear, don't smoke. Be industrious, work hard, study hard, play hard, and you will never be ' hatlesa.' With the best wishes for your future welfare."