The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1865.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1504, 7 October 1865, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1865.

The news from the West Coaßt must equal the expectations of the most sanguine believer in the great future of that district. Though the present mail brings no reliable information of the actual yield of gold in the Bruce district, the description given by " our correspondent" leads to the conclusion that parties of diggers, more or less numerous are located along the banks | of every creek between Hokitika and Bruce Bay, a distance of at least seventy miles by the coast line. To the north and east of Hokitika the various diggings are described as improving in their yield the more they are opened out, and it is now evident that, from Greymouth to Bruce Bay, a distance of about ninety miles, the whole of the district between the mountains and the sea i» highly auriferous, and only requires a sufficient population to develop its treasures. Even the sea beach itself teems with wealth, the lucky finders of the 1161bs. of gold having been traced to a spot on the sea shore, a few miles south of the river Grey, where some two hundred diggers are now located, and said to be earning at least £20 a-week per man.

Valuable as these diggings are sure to become, it by no means follows that the Government of the province will be anything but a direct loner by them. Already enormous expenses have been incurred in organising every department of Government to meet the emergencies caused by a large influx of population, and these expenses are increasing every day. Large as the ordinary revenue of the district is likely to become, that share of it which belongs to the Canterbury Government will be totally inadequate to the requirements of the case. The administration of justice and the maintenance of order on the goldfields will alone absorb every penny of the revenue raised on the goldfields. In the meantime the settlers on the West Coast are clamouring for roads from the mining districts to the port, and abusing the Government and the public on this side in no measured terms because they choose to push on the road between Christchurch and Hokitika.

It would be a very mild way of expressing a general opinion if we were to say that the people of Hokitika are somewhat prejudiced in favour of the capabilities of their port. With the bones of unnumbered wrecks bleaching at their doors, and with an ominously increasing list of casualties being scored up jigainst them week by week, the apologists of the harbour continue to publish their declaration of faith in its capabilities with persmter.t courage. Not till this last week have we observed any signs of wavering; but the loss ot two powerful steam tugs in two days seems at last to have produced a fueling of despondency,and to have shaken the faith of the staunchest believer To those who are able to take an unprejudiced view of the merits o: the case, it appears wonderful that men can be found to shut their eyes so long and so persistently to what is evident to all the rest of the world. The simple fact is, that Hokitika has no pretence to be called a port; even under the most favourable circumstances, the entry is ouly to be attempted with risk, and sometimes for mouthsat atime it has been

: nown to be closed altogether. At this time of" the year, while . the snows are continually melting and rain in falling, the river is subject to heavy freshes, which clear tho channel as fast as the ocean siltH it up with sand; but later on, when there is no snow to melt or

rain to be expected, th*> harbour may be closed, a» it has been in previous years. Under these circumstances, it might be supposed that the people on the West Uoiwt would look favourably on the efforts of the Government to nrovide a road, which, at any rate, will be the means of cheapening food to a great extent, and may, at any time, stand between them and starvation. We on this side do not pretend to be too virtuous about the matter; we are no* making the road for the sole benefit of the miners ; we have cattle and sheep by the thousand which we want to sell, but in helping ourselves we know that we are benefiting our neighbours in at least an equal degree, and we really fail to understand the rabid feeling that appears to exist at Hokitika about this road. The West Coast already has all its own revenue expended upon its wauts and we dare say a great deal more too; surely it might cease to grudge the expenditure of our own means on a road which will be of equal importance to both parts of the province. One chief cause of jealousy seems to be the neglect of the Government in not having opened up tracks to the mining townships. We presume that the excuse of tne Government would be the want of funds. Now that a bill is passing through the Assembly to facilitate the sale of rural lands on the West Coast, and to ensure the Government getting the best price for them, we should think there would be no great difficulty in forestalling part of the funds that may be expected to be raised from this source. Such moneys might be appropriately expended in the manner desired by our "disgusted" fellow settlers in the west. By doing this the Government would have the satisfaction of forwarding very necessary works, and at the ssme time, allaying a feeling of bitterness which appears to be greater than there is any real foundation for.