NOTES ON HOKITIKA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1165, 26 September 1865, Page 6

NOTES ON HOKITIKA.

(From the A'ckon Exunxitier ) By a Traveller. The principal street in Hokitika is Revell btrect, nearly lmlf-a-mile long, containing 2-16 buildings—not miserable shanties, but substantial and commodious business j>ls\ce3, where merchants and tradesmen of all classes follow thtir daily avocations ;in fact, I consider it a surprising place for it-) age. Hotels, fifty-five; the principal ones being the Empire, by 15. Osborne ; the Shamrock, by Wagner and Hughes, late of the Bluff, who keep an excellent table; the Quccnstown Hot-;], by Bracken, or the gallant mojor, as he is termed, stands next —indeed, I think I might gi% fe the tnnjor the preference, he being to my fancy the most popular man in the hotel trade, in Hokitika, consequently his bar trade is second to none in the town. Harding's Corinthian Hall is a large building, capable of holding between 600 and 700 people ; there the inimitable Thatcher, with Madame Vitelli, «nd Swall, performed nightly for more than three months to excellent audiences. As a proof of the popularity of the Inimitable and his company, 1 may state that during the whole of the time he wai there, excepting select nights, the audience were compelled to stand on the damp cold ground to listen to his entertainment —a thing I do not believe they would have done for any other professional man in the colonies; and although Thatcher was nightly Dep'oaip, The wait rf seats, acd boards to do tbe flooring, the spirited proprietor did not seem to see the poetry of providing the patrons of his hall wish such luxuries. But since the local satirist has discontinued his performances, mine host has evidently come to Lia senses; he is, I believe, to have a new company shortly, and fearing that they would not prove as attractive as Thatcher and company, he is now laying the floor in the hall, and intends also to provide seats for the audience. There are two dancing saloons in Hoki(ika—the London and the Lord Nelson, but owing to a want of the fair sex as partners, they are not extensively patronised. There are fifty-five stores, consisting of wholesale merchants, drapers, ironmongers, commission and shipping agento, grocers, fruiterer?, &c, each and all apparently doing a thriving business —so much so, that owing to the late rashes to

,the Grey, and., the r Tatara,-many., of j.the 'whaj,esalfe <menl are Completely cl&nTCu^btft of stock. The butchers in tbis-srreet are , eight in number; as a general rule they keep good meat, and the shops look particularly clean; but I must decidedly give old Tom Betts the palm for neatness. There are nine shoemakers, six blacksmiths, four reftaurants, three chemists, one portrait gallery, seven bakers, two tinsmiths, four hair-dressers, two sale yards, five tobacconists, three banks—the New South Wales, Bauk of New Zealand, and the Union— neither of them looking like banks at all. However, I suppose in course of time when things are settled down, they will erect sightable buildings. The New South Wales will doubtless lead the way, possessing as it doss the only really good site. Iv the same street there are two saddlers, two doctors, two barristers, (Messrs. Oakes and O'Loughlin), four stationers, three jewellers, two paperhangers, two auctioneers, two tentmakers, two millinery establishments, one printing office (the Advertiser), and these, together with about sixty tents, and shanties of various description?, comprise the whole of the buildings in this street, with the exception of those situated in the cntnp reserve.

The condition of a portion of this, the principal street, is anything but good in wet weather. From the river up to the camp is passable, the " Clever Improvement Committee," as Thatcher styled them, having made a footpath on cither side of the road, and also laid guttering ; but from thence until you get to Messrs Jones and Co.'s sale yard is one sheet of water, through which pedestrians arc compelled to wade in order to reach the upper part of the street. Now and then a well-dressed individual ventures to trespass on the Government reserve, iv order lo avoid the camp lagoon, which is a perfect eye sore to the place; and strange to say, a motion by one of the members of the Improvement Committee to set aside a sum of money for the purpose of filling this up, was only carried after a severe struggle.

The Post Office has had some considerable improvements made to it of late, and, compared to what it was some few mouths a<jo, lias quite an imposing appenrance. The Custom House and Telegraph Offices are both on the same block of ground. The trcclioit of the telegraph posts and wires between Ilckitika and Christchurch, is progressing rapidly. The a' ove are the only buildings, with the exception of a private residence (occupied, I believe, by one of the Government official*-), on this block, which extends from Gibson's quay back to Weld street—the whole being a Government reserve.

On the other side, opposite the Post Office, stands the Universal Bond, a fine building belonging to Mr Reeves, the auctioneer, and adjoining which is the neat private residence of the same gentleman. From tiicuce tip to Weld street there are ten substantial private houses, while several others are in course of erection. Bjyond the Custom House only a few rstray buildings, or rather shanties, have been run. up. There seems to be a decided aversion either to occupy sections or erect dweling-hoiises on this part of the town, the gtneral opinion being that, v.'lk-u the spruiq sets in, the whole of it will he either swept away, or considerably damaged by the overflowing of the river, the banks of which, in this particular locality, are very low—indeed with a high spring tide, and a slight freshet, I have seen the water extend half way across the road. The Post Office, Telegraph Office, and Custom House, being so far away from the business part of the town is a great nuisance, for in bad weather you must literally wade up to your knees in mud to get to them. The quay, for about 200 yards from the upper part of the Government reserve, has just been finished, and vessels can moor there with safety. When the shingle, which is now being laid on becomes imbedded, the qtiay will make an excellent promenade <"or the inhabitants of the town, who have hitherto been compelled to take their " constitutionals" along the sei beach. Distributed over other portions of the town, arc twelve hotels, making in all sixtyses'en in Hokitika, against eighty-four iv the whole of Duuediu and its suburbs, a3 per returns last licensing day. There are also some thirty other stores scattered over different parts of the town, whilst many large buildings are in course of erection, but for what purpose they may be intended is at present hard to tell; but they will most likely be converted into either stores or public-houses. Speaking of the hotels in Ilokitika, I must observe that not one of them hns anything like good accommodation for families or travellers. They depend solely upon their bar trade, and only five are doing anything like a good busin- ss, viz., the Empire, the Shamrock (Wagner and Hughes), the Quecnstown, the Corinthian Hall, and the Hibernian.' In Weld street there are at present but few buildings. There is rather an extensive brewery just completed, which -will no doubt shortly be in full working order. Besides this, there are about 20 private dwellings, one tailoring establishment, one cooperage, and one printing office, the West Coast Times —the Lading journal of Hokitika, there being two others. Add to these about thirty stray tents, the occupants of which are for the most part employed shepherding sections, and you have the whole of the buildings in tnis street, which is in a most deplorable condition in wet weather. Say, in round numbers, 500 habitations in the whole of Ilokitika proper, from the stately Hotel to the " Hatters' " shanty. There nre five medical men in Hokitika — namely Drs. Hosking, Beswiclc, Berndt, Acheson, and Ryley. The Hospital is the only public building in Hokitika, and is at present an insignificant, unsuitable establishment. There are three different cliques contending for the management of the affairs of the Hospital; to wit, the Government, the j Improvement Committee, and the Hcs- ( pital Committee, each party having considerable funds in hand, and instead of uniting for the public good, they are fighting against each other for the mastery. While this state of things is going on, men are dying for want of attention. I knew an instance where a party, while chopping wood in the bush, found a poor fellow eick with fever, without a friend in the world or a soul to attend on him, destitute of money, without food, and with no blankets to cover him. The good Samaritan attended to him three times a day for a week, brought a doctor to visit him (Dr Hosking), who kindly prescribed and sent the sick man medicine, and when requested by

ahe person who discovered the poor fellow to charge the medicine to his account, very generously refused to 3d so. At length" Mr Marks, of the firm of L. E. Nathan and Co., represented the matter to "King Sale," who sent word to have the man's tent removed into the Hospital enclosure, not having room lor, him in the Hospital, as there were at' that time sixteen patients huddled up in a miserable building only capable of accommodating ten. Fancy such a state of things, with a population like that of Hokitika. With the funds already in hand, which are something consideraole, and the united efforts of the now contending parties, a building to suit all the requirements of the place might be at once erected. The public have done all they can in the way of subscriptions. Thatcher gave a benefit, which brought in nearly LBO ; a gift auction realised nearly LIOO. Notwithstanding the substantial character of the buildings in Hokitika, and "the i wonderful growth of the place, it is a wretched spot to live in, nothing around it but sand, swamp, mud, and impenetrable bush. The only things wanted to complete the misery of those who are compelled to reside there, are a heavy fluod, and on earthquake. '

The rush to the Grey continues attractive. The majority of ne.v arrivals immediately on landing shoulder their swags, and are away. As may be imagined, Hokitika is wonderfully dull and quiet, only four policemen being left to guard the place, the remainder of the force having gone over to Christchurch with prisoners for trial at the forthcoming sessions there. A new township has been marked out at Totara, where Warden FitzGerald is in hot water. There is great dissatisfaction at the conduct of the whole gold fields' wardens, who are evidently men of no experience in mining matters. An indignation meeting was held last week, at which many wrathy speeches were made—one in particular by a half-beery digger, being very severe. He spoke at great length of the ''wrongs of the moincrs," alternately frying to do the satirical and funny ; but, failing in both, was at length politely requested by the majority of those present to "dry up." Many resolutions were passed, which will doubtless end in smoke. The meeting was anything but an orderly one.