OURWEST COAST LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2320, 18 August 1898, Page 21

OURW EST COAST LETTER.

(Fbom Otjr Own CcmnEsroNDENT.) WESTLAND, August 3. THE "GOAK" OF THE COAST.

The latest " goak " of the Coast has its origin in the chambers of the Ross Borough Council, its perpetrator being Cr Jack Cass, and tho occasion the signing of a certain deed of agreement whereby the mayor, councillors, and burgesses of the borough of Ross, of the first part, were agreeing, covenanting, and "providing" to rent unto the Mount cVOr Gold-mining Company, of the second part, certain tunnels of an unfinished waterway known as the Mokonui water race. It appears that Cr Cass, by nature of his status in the council, was appointed along with another councillor at an ordinary meeting of the city fathers to affix his signature to the deed of lease, that very necessary and onerous duty tc be performed by him (the said J. C.) during the interim, and everyone thinking the matter settled, dismissed it to make room for the next sensation. Laat meeting of the borough council, .however, Cr J. C. sprang a surprise by demanding from his Worship, then sitting in his chair of State, the production of the deed, to be publicly read over, before signature; also "daring" him to produce it, &c. Now the chief magistrate of the important City of Koss hails from that highland country that "vas pefore England vns porn," and being, like most Welshmen, upright to a degree, brave as a lion, and hot as cayenne, fairly snorted over this insult to the dignity of the civic seat, demanding of the offending councillor the withdrawal of the word " dare." But as the councillor refused, the mayor abruptly closed the meeting ; so last Friday night Cr Cass hied to the town clerk's office, got hold of the dood, which he crammed into his pocket, and cleared with it, since which escapade that legal instrument, despite all sorts of threats, has remained perdu. Next meeting of the council is therefore likely to be "lively," and if so I shall endeavour to give your readers viographic views ttiereor.

THE GEM PUZZLE OF THE COAST.

The editor of the Greymouth Star propounds the following gem puzzle, offering to his readers a prize of two sovereigns for the solution thereof, and to which I, your correspondent, although poor as a church mouse, add two more. Here it is : " Take a draughts board with its 64- squares, imagine two sovereigns on the first square, and place on each consecutive square the square of the number of the preceding square, until you reach the 6Ath square. Tell us value of gold on the board." Hundreds are harel at it, and one Greymouth family is reported to have gone "stark staring" over the puzzle. I trust Ue reappearance may not have injurious effects upon Witness readers. THE CRACK GROWL OF THE COAST.

That was begotten of the lessees oi goldmining areas on the Paparoa Ranges, who last week held a meeting condemnatory of the exorbitant rentals demanded by Government, and after littering the following growl : " That everybody interested in the develop ment of tho gold-mining industry of this colony feels in greater or less degree the grievous burdens placed upon it in the matter of taxation, and in the exorbitant rentals which in many instances are collected in extremity ; that no out-of-the-way £>i ee e ?*■ ground, be i^ever so barren and wild — fit, in fact, for nought but washing away with sluice head water, or milling and blasting with explosives on tho off-cbance of winning from the bowels thereof enough gold to pay expenses- can be taken up by parties willing to work it without being almost immediately elistrained by the mining law administrators for demands for ss, 10s, and even £1 per acre per annum for the privilege of expending time, money, and labour, to enrich the very country crushing 1 them, by developing its latent resoxirces, relieving its congested labour market by paying a live wage, and increasing in value the financial status of that country by producing its sterling wealth," appointed five of their number to draw up a_ petition praying the Government to ease off so that the industry may recover from its present crippled condition. Of course the whole Coast readily falls in with the justice of such a growl, especially as all the easier and richer of auriferous shallows of our goldfields are worked out, and in the more difficult operations in deep-level alluvium and in the extraction of the precious metal from the matrix too much encouragement cannot be given, and therefore the Government should foster instead of hampering legitimate mining enterprise. In plain language, I think our mining laws should be made elastic, stretching leniently in the matter of good honest work, and tightening to strangulation where humbug and sham rale the roost. THE CHlEjj' DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE COAST

lies in the reply of the Premier to the united petition from most of the centres asking Government to throw a cart bridge over the Grey River, so as to join the fast-ripening goldfield around the Blackball town and Nga hera, the sixth station on the Grey-Reefton railway, which reply is to the effect that the Cabinet had considered the matter, but was unable to do anything in the desired direction ; so that unless a private company be formed, Blackball, with its wealth of black diamonds and growing wealth in golden treasure, must rest content with her present modes of transit —i.e., by aerial tramway and by punting. Experts claim that a railway and bridge would cost some £50,000, and that, when made, the traffic from all eources would yield a safe profit of £2000 per annum, or 1 per cent, more than can be got from- the banks for annual deposits. THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF THE COAST.

It shot down from last Friday's clouds, gyrating about the needle-like metallic mountains of Taylorville, near Brunnerton, and entering the Taylorville State School, played tho mischief with the Fourth Standard. It fired off five explosions, and blew the scholars of the front seats right backwards, two of whom took flying leaps through windows, one sustaining a few scratches in transit. Ap palled by the din, the head master (Mr Scott) rushed into tho room just as the last two electric bombs went off, found it full of sool and smoke, and reckoned for a moment that his school and poor frightened chickabiddies, were being blown to atoms. I am thankful ho say, however, else I should not write in this happy-go-lucky strain, that all the youngsters (the flying trapeze lad exceptcd) escaped soathless, which is really little short of a miracle. THE GREATEST SCARE OF THE COAST is still continuing in the private houses of Reofton residents, which aro in possession of Government bumbailiffs, who, under Crowiwarrnnts, are distraining for arrears of rentf. on mining leases ; consequently a deputation waited upon tho Inangahua County Council last Thursday, representing matters, and thai local body, then silting, suepeuded its stand

ing orders to send off unanimously the fol lowing "urgent" to the Minister for Mines: — " Directed by resolution, Inangahua Council, to request you to stay proceedings for re ceiving rents, Reefton district, and that pro visions be made in Mining Bill for cancella lion of leases irrespective of arrears of rent, and to make the bill retrospective. Bailiffs in possession of applicants' personal property. Please give instructions to have them with drawn." It did not clearly come out what local busybody was the cause of these terribly extreme measures, but dark hints were thrown out by an outspoken councillor which, under the present absurd libel law, it would be the height of folly to put into a newspaper metal cart !

THE WILDEST RUMOUR OF THE COAST.

That Mr Lester, the man who superin tended the coastal goldmines for the New Zea land Consolidated Gold-mining Company, hai. taken Home full particulars of the Ross Flats, and how of these 300 and odd acres of auriferous lands may be worked, and, encore, undei what terms the Government is willing to advance the £10,000 subsidy to help down their deep levels. Such having been swallowed, the sanguine coaster has taken to anticipate tha. Mr Losfcer's report on the recent lieeftoi. cleanings being good and a highly payable one, Mr David Ziman, founder of the New Zealand Consolidated Gold-mining Company, fully armed with bushels of cartes blanche, is to leave directly after the annual meeting oi the Cannon street shareholders for New Zea land, and that the Ross Flats are lo receive his earliest attention upon his arrival at thai expectant "city," some present residents o! which earned as much as £100 a week pei man in the shallow layers.

A GOLD COAST RESURRECTION

seems to be taking place up Charleston way, whore two larsre mining concerns — the Virgin Flat Gold-mining Company and the Brown's Terrace Gold-mining Company — are being floated, in consequence of which the local Herald comes out, like a giant refreshed from a lengthy 6leep, to trumpet forth the "latent wealth " of both properties, tho latter oi which used to yield as much as £25 weekly per digger. THE COASTAL ESSENCE OF PUBLIC LIFE.

Are all the miners' associations perpelu ally clamouring for Government subsidy tc aid prospecting for gold? Last year they sue ceeded in drawing from the Mines department the total sum of £14-14- for that purpose, and to which the ever-sanguine, hopeful Coaster added another £1414- from his own pocket. In the borough councils the whole strife (Rost Borough Council excepted, which has a smal. credit balance because it has always lived within its means) is how to make ends meet by begging, borrowing, or stealing money tc pay just debts. For instance, the debts thej cannot pay, owing to bad management, art set out as under: —

Ross Borough Council had a credit balance on March 31, 1898, of 8 0 0

What a marked differonce there is between a Chinese mayor, and a West Coast ditto as regards his responsibilities. In the flowery Land the ratepayers are said to choj. off the head of their mayor in debt, whereat on the West Coast ratepayers show their re sentment by serving up their mayoral head with chops, steaks, sausages, ducks, and geese, washed down with wines and spirits of the best brands, ainl sparkling ales that for briskness aro without competitors, ana then the prices, of these banquets are cunningly put down iv the annual balance sheet under the heading of "Mayor's salary," so as to euchre the Auditor-general, which they certainly do. The whole aim of the Coaster is to maintain all the roads and tracks, bridges and culverts, fences and subsidies, collect their rates, ant hand them over, and a lot more of their re venue to the charitable aid boards to keep the indigent alive, and all this with a narrowing revenue pruned by the gold duty abolition dues, and that once derivable from the rating of Ci own lands through which their roads and all etceteras are maintained. In the educational establishments the boards are vainly endeavouring to ferret out the truth of ex parte statements to the effect that demagogism under their control is cooking attendance registers, issuing false certificates, and doing other naughty things not in the curriculum ; whereas these schoolmen are either cleverly covering up such delinquencies, or boiling over with virtuous indignation at the bare mention of such a scandal being attempted to be joined to the integrity of our educators of the young and rising generation. The harbour boards periodically meet and divide their time by devising ways and means to deepen their harbours, harass Government for money to do so, and then dance like mad dervishes because their bankers will triennially constitute their body a nominee one. The bankers give each other a sly kick occasionally by surreptitiously raising the price of gold. The churches go " lemons " for one another, and tell theii congregations, in places where there is no right of reply, that the other "institution over the way is on the wrong road " : and as for the lawyers, it is a prima facie case of " my learned friend in the next block being without doubt (sub rosa) the biggest rogue out of gaol." Then the newspapers — ah, the newspapers ! — they blackguard each other like Queen Virago, of Billingsgate, and paint up all their own individual virtues with the innocence of the unborn babe, the purity of a boss archangel, and the wisdom of seventeen hundred and sixty-three Solomons all rollfd in one. Lastly, our representatives in Parlia ment — well, the less said about them the better. We all have their measure, and we can judge for ourselves.

TROUBLE IN TOTARA FLAT

Mr Thomas, who has been so persistently sat upon by certain members of the old Totara School Committee, has, worm-like, turned at last, and has entered an action for libel against the offending members. Two lawyers— Mr Scott, of Dunedin, and Mr Beare, of Hokitika — have been retained by plaintiff ; whilst defendants have secured the services of Mr Hannan, of Greymouth. Plaintiff has been advised that, he has as good a cause as that of the Wriggley- Auckland case. One thing is certain : these lawyers have good cases.

FACTS MINUS DECLAMATION.

At a log-chopping contest at Slillwater, last week, two men sawed a 20in log through in lmin 20sec.

Last Monday morning, whil&t a young man named Arthur Sharp was at work in his claim at Donoghue's (Ross), an earth-fall crushed hislower extremities rather badly, since which he has undergone an operation at the hands of two doctors, and now lies in a most precarious condition.

Last Sunday morning, while Messrs Clarice and Turner, second and third engineers of the Pareora, were looking at the bar from the tiphead of the Greymouth southern break.wuter, a wave broke clean over thaxouM men.

clashing them from the staging, wjiich is hero over 50ft high, to the rocks bolow. Turner escaped with some nasty cuts and contusions, but his less fortunate companion, as well as receiving ugly gashes, sustained a rupture of the liver, besides other severe injuries, and he is now under medical attendance.

The clash in race meetings between the Kumara and Hokitika Clubs still continue;!, and as the goldfields town reckons she has been sat upon long enough, she carried a resolution last Friday night to hold her next Midsuinmor meeting upon the 4th and sth of January next. Government paid for the current year to Westland, by way of subsidies for prospecting, the sum of £1414, distributed as follows : —

So hard pressed are some Hokitika f.»i«iHied for a meal, sometimes only getting one a tidy, that a desperate parent killed and cooked svv reptitiously the family fat cat, and served it up piping hot as stewed rabbit.

Referring to the Inangahua County Council's application to the Minister for Mines, praying him to stay proceedings in the Reefton cases where the bailiffs are in private houses for arrears of rent, the Minister of the Crown has replied that he can do nothing in the matter, as the Audit department has called upon the Receiver of Gold Revenue to account for all such arrears, and he is taking action in cases where licensees have not complied with condition of liconses which require payment of rent in advance. Mr Cadnian, however, adds the consoling reflection that the question will bo dealt with in the Consolidating Mining Bill, although legislation that may be passed cannot be made retrospective. There will be trouble in the Amen corner everywhere.

During the month of July the bar at Greymouth averaged 21ft, and for the same period the tonnage of incoming steamers was 9819 and the outgoing 9816 tons. The Harbour Board's overdraft being £3380 11s 4d, a special meeting is to be held next week to consider the financial position.

My esteemed fiiend the Lord Bishop of Canterbury, who has just " done " the Ooast, not omitting any of the dangerous portions thereof, has added one more noteworthy item to his well-known courageous list. Returning with his daughter from South Westland last Friday, tho twain came to a dangerous river in flood — a fact that would have deterred most men ; but his lordship had sent word, "I will pieach in Ross to-night," so in he went, just saying to his daughter, " You wait till I get over, and tben, if it is not too deep, you can follow." Bat Miss Julius, manufactured of the same material as her father, replied, " Proceed, dad. If you can get over, so will I." And the two crossed safely over a ri\er that the ferryman had funked upon, and the bishop did preach that night in Ross too.

Wcstland County Council Ross A.sociation Dillmans Association .. Grreenstonc Association Buller County Council 3harleston Association Gabriel and Co., Ileefton Nfelson Creole % . *1585 0 I) .. 114 0 0 „ 19 0 0 .. 51 0 0 .. 80 0 0 ... 20 0 0 .. 11 0 0 7 10 0

£ s. cl. 3-reymouth Borough Council owes 5000 0 (- Sumara " " r> 3000 0 0 lokitika " " " 5000 0 0 3runnevton " " " 5000 0 0