REPORT ON THE WEST COAST DISTRICT.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 796, 18 May 1865, Page 3

REPORT ON THE WEST COAST DISTRICT.

The following Eeport by W. Seed, Esq., to the Colonial Secretary, in reference to the West Coast District, is published in a General Government Gazette issued on the 11th inst: — Custom House, Wellington, 15th April, 1865. Sir, —In compliance with Iheinstrnctions contained in Mr. Gisborne's letter to mc of the 10th ultimo, wherein I was requested " on behalf of the General Government to enquire into and report for their information generally as to all the circumstances material to be considered in reference to the future management of the West Coast district," I have now the honor to furnish the following etatement '• — Before remarking on the several points to which my attention was specially directed, I should perhaps give a brief description, based upon what I gathered from reliable sources, and what I saw myself, of the character of the country on the West Coast. Viewed from on board a vessel the coast from Cape Farewell to the River Grey presents a very rugged and broken appearance; but immediately to the south of the Grey the land near the sea becomes level, and continues more or less so, almost without interruption, for upwards of one hundred and fifty miles down the coast. It is covered throughout with a dense forest, which comes close down to the beach. In some places the flat land extends back from twenty-five to thirty miles, whilst in others it narrow to four or five miles. The average width of it from the Grey to Abut Head, is about 15 miles, including the low hills; and from Abut Head to Jackson's Bay, where the low land terminates, it is perhaps not more than seven miles in width. From a little dietance off shore, the lovr terrace land near the sea between the Grey and the Hokitika (or rather the top of the forest, for nothing else can be seen) looks singularly level. On approaching nearer, however, slight irregularities are observed, and when you land and penetrate into the bush, you perceive that the eronnd gradually rises towards the first low range of hills, which run generally parallel to the coast j between the level land and the chain of Southern Alps, three separate ranges of bills are distinctly seen. The soil on the flat land appears to be well adapted for agriculture, if I may judge from what I saw on the banks of the Waimea Creek, about eight miles inland, where the excavations made by the diggers show about eight to 12 inches of surface soil composed of a rich vegetable deposit, then two or three &et of flight colored yellow

clay. Below this the gold is found in what is termed the "wash-dirt," which is of an arernge thickness of four feet, and is composed of sand and gravel mixed more or less with clay, in which are embedded boulders varying in size from a few inches to two feet or more in diameter, the whole resting on a bed of stiff blue clay. In some places where what is called the terrtces abut on the streams, this clay lies exposed to a depth of more than one hundred feet. The forest is composed principally of red and white pine, matai, mero'and birch, with here and there some totara. On the low land the pines predominate, but further biick, I am told the hills are covered almost exclusively with birch. Ferns and mosses exist in great variety and abundance, — the ground everywhere, and the trunks of the trees up to the lower branches, being thickly coven d with them, furnishing, I think, conclusive evidence that the climate must be very moist. Indeed, it is generally stated that there is a deal of rain on the West Coast ; but persons who have been resident there some time, ■ay that there is not more than falls in Otago, and that there is much less wind than on the plaiiw of Canterbury ; that there is very little frost, and that the climate is altogether much milder than that of the eastern side of the Island. The Maoris who have lived for years about the Teramakau and the Grey, corroborate this testimony as to the mildness of the climate, but admit that there is a good deal of rain.

The level land may be said to commence at the northern and end at the southern boundary of the Canterbury Province, where the high mountains approach close to the sea. Along its whole extent there are unfortunately no good harbors, or at least none have as yet been discovered. Many people are sanguine that the South Wanganui will prove to be a better harbor than either the Grey or the Hokitika, and that good anchorage and safe landing-places will be found at Jackson's Bay. This point will no doubt very soon be settled, as Captain Gibson, an experienced and efficient officer, who has already surveyed the harbor at Hokitika for the Canterbury Government, and erected signal-staffs there and at the Grey, is about to examine and report upon the whole coast-line of the province. As I understand that a copy of his report will be sent to the General Government, it will be unnecetsary for mc to make any lengthened remarks on this subject; but as I visited both the Grey and the Hokitika, I think I may briefly state that neither of them can be called good harbors ; that they are unfit for vessels drawing over six feet of water, —and that the bar of each, by the action either of the surf outside or of the freshes from within, is constantly shifting. The prevailing winds are said to be from south-west round to the north of west. The description of the weather given by Captain Drury in " The New Zealand Pilot," for the northern portion of the West Coast, I was told, has proved to be very accurate. Although the wind seldom blows for long at a time direct on shore, yet even in the stillest weather there seems to be always a heavy surf rolling in all along the coast, which keeps up a constant break on the bars at the entrance of the rivers. The Grey, I understand, is at times more accessible than the Hokitika. It is a rain river; but the Hokitifra is said to be fed from the melting of the enow on the high ranges inland, and in the winter, therefore, when the snow is frozen, it may possibly fell very low.

Gold in paying quantities has been found on all the rivers from the B idler to the Totara—viz., on the Buller, the Grey, Saltwater or Paroa, Teramakan, Kapitea, Waimea, Arahaura, Hokitika, and the Totara. Fair prospects have also been found as far down the coast as Mount Cook, so that, as far as at present ascertained, the northern half of the West Coast of the Middle Island appears to be auriferoue; Mount Cook being situated about midway between Cape Farewell and the southern end of the West Coast. I spoke to numbere of men on the Waimea, where the principal diggings are, and they all said that gold in small quantities could be found almost everywhere it wae duy for. I saw eeven different parties wash out prospects at various places along the banks of the creek, and in each instance they got gold to the extent of half a grain to a grain to the dish. Many experienced diggers, who had been on the Waimea diggings for several months, expressed it as their opinion that the Weet Coast Goldfields would last for many years, and that any one who worked industriously on them would be sure of a certain amount of success. They all described them as " a good poor man's diggings;" meaning thereby, that anybody could be pretty sure of earning a living from them, but that few would realise large sums, as the gold was very fine, and was scattered over a wide extent of country. The want of roads by which supplies could be furnished at a cheaper rate than at present, is the greatest impediment that the diggers have to contend with. The tracks through the bush used hitherto have been made by the d ggers themselves, assisted by the storekeepers; but arrangements have now been made by the Provincial Government to gram for the formation of roads an amount of money equal to that raised by the population of any district for such purposes. This will probably get over the difficulty for the present; and when it has been fully ascertained in what direction the greatest digging population will be located, steps will no doubt be taken to form permanent roads. Just now this would be premature, as there may be 2000 diggers in one place to-day, and on hearing of some new rush, they might be all away to some distant point in less than a week. Timber being everywhere so abundant, and the land being level, it will be found, I should think, when,- the place becomes more settled, that wooden tramways will be the cheapest and most suitable roads that could be constructed.

At the end of last month I estimate that there must have been about 7000 people in the district. Of these abont 3000 were at the Waimea or Six-mile diggings; 2000 digging and prospecting in other places ; and about the same number congregated at the township at Port Hokitika. Among the latter would be included the people who are constantly coming to and leaving the diggings, the packers, storekeepers, and a considerable number belonging to a class having no particular occupation, but which seems always to be inseparable from the various rushes to new diggings. I found it very difficult to gee any reliable information as to the yield of gold, for the diggers, as a class, are not communicative on this point. I saw, however, on the Waimea, two parties of four men each wash out between them, for their day's work, about five ounces of gold; this would yield about £2 7e. per man. Very few were getting more than this, and many, no doubt, very much less. The amount of gold purchased by the various Banks during the fortnight I was at Hokitika was about 5600 ounces. Estimating that there were 8000 people constantly at work, —and this is perhaps rather above than below the actual number, —the amount of gold I have named would give on an average £3 10s. per week for each man. Owing to the nature of the country, it is a most laborious undertaking for men to have to prospect ground at any distance from the banks of the rivers and streams, on account of the difficulty of carrying their food and tools through the bush; it will therefore take a long time to ascertain fully the extent of ground that can be worked with advantage. It is quite impossible to account for the present rush of people to the West Coast, except by ascribing it to the characteristic restlessness of the diggers, which appears to impel them to join in every great rush to new goldfields. Many disappointed diggere will no doubt soon letve, but large numbers who hare good claims will remain for a long time m the district. The only way in which these people can be supplied with stores and provisions at tie various diggings until permanent roads are made, is by means of packhorses or bullocks; and as there is no natural pasture whatever for these animals, a large quantity of jforage of different kinds will constantly be required ; the heavy expense of getting this round by sea will be the means of inducing people to cultivate green crops; and once that settlers have gone to the trouble of clearing and cropping the land, titer will become attached to the place, and will not readily abandon it; other local industries will soon spring up, and the occupation of the country by permanent settlen will thus be very much promoted*

The chief drawback to the settlement of the district is the want of good harbors ; but thr presenco of gold will stimulate people to use every exertion to remedy this defect as far as possible, by obtaining vessels of light draught suitable for the rivers, such as those which are used for some of the bar harbors of Australia. A practicable track from the eastern side of the Island to the West Coast, through the Teramakau Pass, has, I believe, just been found. The value of this for travellers, and for driving stock overland, ns well as for postal purposes, can hardly be over-esti-mated ; but I imagine that merchandise of all kinds, even though a good road should bo made by this route, will still be conveyed by sea as the cheapest means of transit. The people on the West Coast, beyond the single question of the road across from Christchurch, will have very little concern in the affairs of the other side of the province ; and as most of them come from Otago, Invercargill, Nelson, the Northern Provinces, and from Australia direct, it is scarcely to be expected that they will ever feel more interest in the affairs of Canterbury than in those of any other province of New Zealand. It is pretty certain, therefore, if the settlers about Hokitika increase afc all rapidly, or even maintain their present numbers, that they will soon declare themselves in favor of having a separate province ; they will require every farthing of the revenue raised in their district to lay out on roads to open up the country ; and immediately any land-fund accrues, they will be jealous of seeing any part of it spent on the eastern side of Canterbury province. It is impossible yet to say with absolute certainty where the chief town will be. If South Wanganui is found to be a better harbor than the Hokitika, and the ground in its vicinity yields a larger quantity of gold than that does which is now being worked near the Hokitika, it will naturally become the chief centre of trade and population ; but without some such decided advantage in its f ivor, I do not think it is likely to rival the present township, whore already a great many people have settled down and constructed substantial buildings. The Hokitika has silso the advantage of having a greater breadth of flat land in its victnity than there appears to be at any other point on the coast, and is only fourteen miles from the Teramakau, where the road from Christchurch most likely will reach the coast; and twentythree miles from the Grey, which river, it is said, can be entered by vessels at times when it is difficult to cross the bar at the Hokitika. The place where the first storee and other buildiigs were erected at the Hokitika was evidently selected only to meet the emergency of the moment, as it is nothing more than a sandbank which has been thrown up by the sea near the entrance of the rirer, towards which it dips, rendering it liable to be flooded in that part, whilst a portion of the other side is exposed to danger from the sea. The permanent township is being laid off a up the river, where the ground is higher, is not exposed to floods, and is quite as accessible to vessels as the point lower down where they now lay to discharge their cargoes. I pointed out to the Government Surveyor a suitable site for the Custom House, and the Provincial Secretary has been good enough to give directions for an acre of land to be reserved there for this purpose. This allotment will be sufficiently large for sites for most of the buildings required by the General Government for a long time to come, and will, I think, be found to be so situated as to be equally convenient for them all. Full reports have no doubt since been made to the Government relative to the coal found at the Grey, but as I went up that river and saw the mine, I may here furnish one or two particulars respecting the working of the coal which may not have been previously noticed. The seam lies exposed in a cliff on the north side of the river, several feet above the water. It is also seen on the Canterbury side, but there it is only just above the surface of the river, and appears to dip downwards.,. .The mine is on the north, or Nelson side of the river, and consists of a simple tunnel driven into the coal seam at right angles to the river bank. Only a few men are working at it, and they turn out about 40 tons per week, which is all they are able to take down the river with the single boat they have for this purpose. They have penetrated into the swim hundred and «leverr feet, and at that distance in it has been measured, and found to be sixteen feet two inches in thiskness. The coal has to be conveyed down the river in flat-bottomed punts, on account of some shallows there are about half way up to the mine. There is at present a demand for more coal than can be supplied for the use of the small steamers trading on the coast. The mine is distant from the entrance of the river about six and a-halt miles. The several particulars furnished above will supply information on most of the points to which my attention was directed; and I will now briefly reply to the questions which still remain unanswered, in the order in which they stand in- my letter of instructions. The West Coast district, I think, is not " yet ripe for'being formed into a separate province ;" but as the opportunities for communication between ie and the Seat of Government are,at present less frequent than those enjoyed by most other settled parts of the colony, I am of opinion that it would be found advisable to allow some officer on the spot to act as a kind of agent for the General Government, as, in addition to carrying out their instructions, he would always be prepared to advise them whenever it might be found necessary to adopt any fresh arrangements i to meet the varying necessities of the district. In the event of being formed into a separate province, its natural and proper limits, I think, would be the portion of the province of Canterbury west of the great dividing range of mountains. Communication overland from Nelson, I am told, is even more difficult than from Christchurch, as the only really practicable pass yet discovered is the one at the head of the Teramakau ; any one travelling i from Nelson overland must therefore go almost to the southern boundary of the province before a practicable track to the westward can be reached. The only present practicable means of intercom- ! munication overland between the different ports of I the district is by the eea-boach. . ' 1 For the reasons stated in a previous part of this letter, I think that the proper capital of the district , would be at the town at Port Hokitika. It is impossible yet to give any estimate of the revenue which may be expected from the district, as the Customs duties on most of the goods consumed there are at present paid at the porta from whence 1 they are shipped. The Hokitika will, however, no doubt, soon be declared a warehousing port, when all the articles liable to the higher rates of doty wul be chipped under bond, and pay duty there. Aβ soon as that is the case, and the number of people is ascertained more accurately, a tolerably correct estimate of the revenue can be furnished. "**; Most of the officers required just now for the West Coast, who hold their -offices under the Provincial Government, have already been appointed. A gentleman enjoying the confidence of the Canterbury Government has been sent there as Resident Magis* trate, with ample, discretionary powee in all Provincial mattere; a Warden for the goldfield is also stationed there, as well as a body of police. Pilot* for the Hokitika and the Grey hare ako been nominated. A Custom House has been established at the first-named port, as I have already reported in a letter addressed, to the Hon. the Comisaioner of Customs, referring to matters especially connected with his Department. In that letter I recommended that an experienced officer should be appointed SubCollector for the West Coast; and he might also, I thmk, act as Sub-Treasurer and Begutrar of Birth*, Deaths, and Marriage*;. the. Coroner's duties, for the present, might be undertaken by the Magistrate or the Warden of the Goldfield. A Postmaster is urgently required; but this I hare already pointed out in a- separate communication to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, who."at once, I believe, gave directions for an officer to be sent from Nelson without delay. I Ac, . . fmux §m>, Collector.