THE CANTERBURY TIMES THIS DAY. The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1865.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1451, 5 August 1865, Page 2

THE CANTERBURY TIMES THIS DAY. The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1865.

Mobe gold and more wrecks is still the cry from Hokitika. From the northern boundary of Canterbury to some undetermined spot Bouth of Hokitika it is now an ascertained fact beyond all dispute that gold is plentifully scattered about —to use a digger's phrase—in payable quantities. Now, it is a rush to the Gf-rey, where a few weeks' prospecting suffices to determine the fact that gold extends from the mouth of that river to Lake Brunner, a distance of jiot less than twenty miles ; then, we hear of a rush somewhere to the south of Hokitika, the locality being kept a profound secret, but the rumour being accompanied with hints of extreme richness. And with all this we are assured that the ground first discovered remains as rich as ever, and that diggers, when tempted to leave their claims by the glittering accounts of newly found fields, invariably leave a mate to occupy their places, in case of the new rush proving a failure. Taking a broad view of the past and present condition: of the, Canterbury goldfields, and comparing the yield of the last few months with the number of diggers at work, after making allowance for the extraordinary difficulties of the country, we may safely assert that the field is large and rich enough to maintain a population two, or three times as is now located upon it. Accompanying these reports, by each mail, we haive the same sad story of vessel after vessel being wrecked, and of lives and property being lost. By the mail, which reached Christchurcn yesterday morning, further wrecks are reported, two being accompanied with loss of life, under the most distressing circumstances. Whether it blows a gale, or is perfectly calm, seems a matter of little importance t6 the shipping lying off this dangerous coast. In the one Case vessel's have to slip and run to sea, pr,el#e be.drifCMUon shore ; ii* the other' they are compelled to wait till they either sail Straight on to the beach, from sheerTnripatjence, or else have to run to Nelson for fresh water and From the experience of the last four months, we may safely say that the bar rivers of the West Coast are not practicable for ordinary traffic. What then ougKl this continued cry of more gold and noyore wrecks to suggest to Canterbury but more roads? And what are we 4oing towards this most desirable «ndP A contemporary, with an assumption of authority which was no doubt well-founded, informed its readers the other day, that in about two months, we might expect to have a road to 1 Hokitikaljy way of the.Otira. Supposing this to be correct, as far as the distance between. Arthur's pass and the junction of the.Teremakau and the Bealey is concerned, we very much doubt the conclusion as regards the remainder of the route. Up to the prej sent time, the public knows nothing whatever about thfi lower portion of the track between ;the Taipo and -the Hokitika, except tlfrt it is exceedingly difficult; and that'{ill very fecently iid contracts had beeii letr by Mir. Blake for its construction. Our correspondent, who is on the spot, recently stated, that to the best of his belief, no through road would be opened under a twelvemonth. Though we may doubt the correctness of fyis opinion on this point, yet in the absence of any more definite we consider it aa reliable as the opinions tha,t are hazarded about the opening of the road in two months. For a long time past, we have beeavpromised a bridle track in a few weep,'and a dray road in as many taonthSj ; aiid as weeks and months pass away, ,an 4 expectations are continually aeferredi and we are still left in d state of complete ignorance as to the exact time when the road will really be open for traffic. i

While we desire to avoid the imputation of being unduly impatient and exacting, we consider ourselves per- t fectly justified in stating that the present Government has, from the first, showh itself quite incapable of realizing the importance of the crisis in which the province is now placed. More than twelve months ago the Government was in possession of information which would liave clearly pointed out to men capable of understanding and ; foreseeing events the opening out of a large goldfield on the west Coast. Had the Government displayed an ordinary amount , 6f prescience and activity we should not now be complaining of the wanfcof a road, nor would the public be loft in ignorance of the date when the opening of a single route to the Wflst Coast might be really relied upon. when we consider the interests at stake, we are at a loss which most to wonder at, the supineness of the public of Canterbury or the comparative inactivity of the Government. On all sides we hear of cdmplaints from our stockowners thtffc fhere is no sale for cattle or sheep, and yet within a few miles are fifteen thousand men who can hardly get a joint of meat for their

dinners. At the loweat computation the stockowners of., Canterbury ought now to be receiving, five thousand pounds a week frdtathg.sale of stock, and yet they are cdnteiited to be put off, from month to month, with promises which may not be realised till summer is far advanced. And what in true of the stockowcers is equally true of the merchants It is now months ago since a meeting was held, urging upon the Government to establish an escort. An effort was mode, in obedience to this demand, and, it is needless to aay, ended in a miserable failure; and now, again, we are promised an eseorfc in the course of another month or so, some weeks after it has been proved that the road is available for the carriage of mails, and after it is known that private persons have coma through with pack horses. It is generally believed that the glowing accounts received from the diggings during the last month will inevitably lead to a large immigration from Australia and the neighbouring colonies during the present spring Had the road vitl Christchurch been open the whole of the passenger traffic would certainly have passed through the Province. Diggers as a rule prefer travelling overland to encountering the risks and uncertainties of an ocean passage, and had Cobb and Co. been able to announce that the road was open for the escort and for travellers, there is no doubt that we should have reaped the full benefit of the influx of population which is certain to set in. As it is we are without a market for our stock, we are without an escort, and we are compelled to look on and see the passenger traffic diverted, and our markets Occupied by Dunedin and Nelson merchants, simply from the fact that our Government is totally incapable of realising the importance of the occasion, and our people are too lethargic to rouse themselves and compel attention to their wants.