West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY, 17, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 104, 17 January 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY, 17, 1866.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1866

Thai 1 tho Wostland district has littlo to hope for in the shnpo of good government from tho Christchuroh authorities must now be accepted as a fact, We may look upon the speech of the Secretory for Works, in reply to Mr Prosscr, as the conclusive deliverance — the ultimatum — of the Provincial Government. The expressed conviction, on the part of a Minister of the Crown, that no Christchurch Government coxild ever give satisfaction in Westland, is equivalent to a confession that no attempt will henceforth bo made to achieve a task that is recognised as impracticable. When the Session of Council first opened, a somewhat different tone prevailed. Westland was congratulated on its admission to the privilege of sending delegates to the Provincial Legislature. It is true the cloven foot displayed itself very unniistakeably in the address of His Honor, the Superintendent, who insultingly reminded the district that it had lost the opportunity of obtaining separation without making out a special caso, and still more insultingly assured it that any reasonable claims it might possess should, notwithstanding, c taken into proper consideration. ' But tho manifest disposition of the Executive on meeting the Council, was if possible to conciliate Westland, if it could do so without any detriment lo pet Eastland schemes. . Mr Barff was to be reduced down from tho stern tribune to the very nico and proper person, by the melting process of a few welltimed " attentions," and Mr Prosscr was to be afforded tho opportunity of saying his say ; and all was to go merry^ as a marriage bell, Westland being alternately hoodwinked and smoothed down into a condition of contcntmrnt. At the back of this policy lay 'the design of prosecuting tho road across the range, atul of establishing the overland escort. Since tho Council met a lesson lias been taught to tho Canterbury Executive on both these points. The road " has been unequivocally denounced as a woi'k of spoliation so far as it involves the expenditure upon it of any of the revenues of Westland, and as a work of gratuitous and wasteful folly so far as Eastland money is being spent on it, with the idea of securing for Lyttelton and Christchurch the command of the trade of this coast. The floods of the last few weeks had developed new physical difficulties in the way of opening 'nnd maintaining this road across the Southern Alps ; and a new light breaking on the Executive mind on the subject may possibly have inspired tho memorable sen tence in which the Secretary for Works declared Westland to be from •' its geo-. graphical position virtually a separate community." Tho failure of the Gold Escort has had also doubtless some effect in bringing about this chango of sentiment, and causing Westland to be now regarded us not only an outlying, but an outlandish, district of the Canterbury province. No doubt can be entertained,however, that Mr Hall expresses the present feelings of his colleagues, nnd of the large majority of the Provincial Council. Suddenly the conviction seems to havo come, that the West Coast will confer no material advantage upon Eastland ; that the fate of the Escort furnishes a fair criterion of the inevitable fate of the other schemes for diverting the traffic of this district from its natural channels. So Mr Hall announces to the Council his discovery, that Westland has special commercial connections, as well as special industrial pursuits, aud a special geographical position,' that separate it from the eastern side of the province. From tho prevalence of this toup of feeling — now openly avowed iv Christchurch — one deduction can with safety bo drawn, and that is, as we have already pointed out, that the future, administration of tho affairs of this district from the Christchuroh side, cannot be expected to be either . sympathetic or generous. They will govern it with no fixed and persevering purpose to develop the resources of tho country, or to improve it as an attractive field for settlement. Looking at ultimate Separation as an inevitable result of tho working of thoso laws of natural alienation which Mr. Hall so graphically describes, tho only motivo for a liberal administration of tho affairs of Westland which might have been supplied by the hope of retaining it as an integral part of the province ceases. The peoplo of Westland have manifestly therefore come to a point in thoir career, at which it behoves them lo lake council together, and determino upon pome defi-

very properly reminds tho district of tho only condition on which a case for Separation can bo made out to tho satisfaction of tho General Assembly, whoso assent by Bill is now necessary to tho erection of any new province. The establishment of a mass of grievances sustained by Westland, will not be sufficient to induce tho consent of tho Assembly to tho dismemberment of Canterbury, even if, ns tho Secretary for Public Works leads us to believe, Canterbury proper is f'avorablo to the cutting off of this district as a diseased limb. Whatever may bo tho amount of misgovernment the pcoplo aro in a position to prove, can thoy demonstrate their power of establishing and sustaining a better government of thoir own ? Oau they satisfy the Legislature of the colony of- their ability to administer the affairs of tho district at once with credit to themselves and without detriment to the political reputation of the colony as a whole? It is not to be doubted that the provincial system has of lato come into great discredit. It is scarcely A too much to say that the lessor provinces Lave exhibited a marked incapacity for tho management of their finance ; and it is alleged, and believed, by tho majority of the men >vho hold political sway in New Zealand, that tho general financial credit has suffered in consequence. It was out of such a feeling that tho Legislative action of the past session against tho unnecessary multiplication of new provinces grew. This is a practical difficulty in tho way that Westland will- have to encounter. It will render it necessary to make out a stronger " caso " than might, under other circumstances, have been deemed sufficient to justify a demand for independence. Amongst thoughtful men there will doubtless bo an entire oneness of opinion, after tho outspoken utterances of Mr Ilnll, upon the expediency of Separation from Canterbury if it can be obtained. All idea must now bo* abandoned of the probability of a Christchurch Government doing or even aiming at doing the district substantial justice. If we could bo satisfied 1 that the peoplo of Westland were prepared to fight for Separation systematically and porseveringly, throwing into it all tho energy of their character, and all the weight of their resources, we should be disposed at once to raise the banner and sound the war-cry. But a feebly sustained agitation would bo sure to end in an abortive result. The attempts hitherto made here at self-govornment, and tho movomonts organisod to secure the redress of grievances, havo beon weak aud desultory to an oxtcnt that is mortifying tQ till who aro intorested in tho political grqwtli and development of the district It is .imperative that wo ahould look facts in the face. Already tho apathy of the people hero has been tho strength of the Christohurch . Executive. What symptoms of public life have they shown — rfiich as "would fulfil if r, Hall's idea of ability to produce tho elomonts of an efficient local government 1 Shall" wo look for its signs in tho success of the endeavor mado by the merchants of ITokitjka — but abandoned as readily as it was undertaken hastily-— to establish a Chamber of Commerce ? Shall we seek for proofs of it in the late election of members for the Provincial Council, or in tho anxiety sinco shown to render their services availablo, nnd strengthen their hands by petition ? Shall wo appeal to tho meeting of last night to mature further action on a matter of tho most vital importance to tho trade of the port, as a satisfactory evidence of vitality ? Does tho past experience 'of tho Improvement Committee suggest any comfortable assurance ? Aro we to look to night for •such a demonstration of public feeling at the meeting convened by the Committee, as will afford a guarantee that the peoplo aro prepared to form a strong Government ? ' At all the attempts made here at the organisation of public movements, what lias been tho position assumed by theleading men of the place ? All these questions resolve themselves into the one cardinal question suggested by Mr. Hall's observations — on which the whole political situation hangs. Tho words of the Secretary for Works were :—" If the representatives for Westland could go to the General Assembly and show that they had the Materials and Resources for a satisfactory Provincial Government, he would not oppose their attempt to obtain Separation " The significance of the challenge itself we havo already discussed. It remains for us now to consider tho conditions of it. It' Westland is on the eve of a serious political . struggle, it is a struggle that we must be seriously prepared for.

It will be soen that his Honor Mr Justice Gresson, in passing sentenco upon tho pifeouors convicted at tho present sitting of the Supremo Court, n:akcs it a rulo to tnko into, consideration the term of imprisonment already undergone by the prisoners in an "unwholesome gaol." Hokitika continues to luxuriate in summer weather. Yesterday was another glorious day, the ray* of a brilliant sun being tempered by a deli^i ful brcczo from tho sea .

From many parts of the town may bo seeu conspicuously, tho timber fiamo, rising, of it building of evidently larger dimensions than any yet erected in Hokitika. This is the new Theatre whoso rapid approach- towards completion may be watched daily.

Mr William M. Mackny requests us to correct a mistake in tho mention of his namo in tho list of grand jurois ns given yesterday. It was printed ns J. M'l^ao. Tho opening suppor and ball at tho Post Oulco Hotel, on Monday oveuing was tho most successful entertainment of the kind wo have witnessed in Hokitika. Tho two largo dining rooms woro, by a tastoful display of evergreens aud bunting, transformed into a gay ball-room ; while in anothor part of tho spacious building n supper was laid out, whioh for delicacies could hardly bo surpassed at the presort timo, on tho West Coast. An excellent band was in attendance on tho dancors, who mustorod from sovonty to eighty ladies nnd gentlemen. Tho ontiro arrangements, whioh wore under tho suporirttondQnce of Mr Hanson, roflcct luuoh credit both oil tho proprietor and tho establishment. Professor Parker announces a grand nssnult of arms and musical soiree at tho Thoatvo Royal, for to-morrow evoning. Sovornl amatours will assist at (ho ontortainmont, nnd Miss Annio 13onuihout will appear in hor well known character of Jospphjno, (lw Punchier 9r9 r il}(? BeglnwPti

The Grand Jury, yesterday on coining into Court with various " tvuo bills" against prisoners indicted, oxpressed througli Ihoir foromnn, Mr Sprofc, . thoir desiro to visit tho gftoj, and m:\ke a personal inspection of it. To enable them to do so (luring tho afternoon, their Bcrviucs wero disponsed with for tho l'aimiinrtor of the day.

It id notified that telegrams loft at tlio Telegraph Office* up to oiglit o'clock on Monday night, uvi) foi'wui'dod by post to tho > Beiiloy, from winch station they nro despatched to Chrislchurch, Lytlolton, Tiinavu, 5>5 > Oamavu, Dunedin, Invovcarcill, mid tho Blult'

A gontlcman just arrived from tho Uppor Qrey -has kindly furnished i^s with tho annexed particulars of that, comparatively speaking, unknown country. Ono of tho localities to which ho nlludos is cdrtainly a terra incognita to us, no roports from it having reached us before j tho information, thcroforo , wo havo no'doubr-, will bo nono tho losi nccoptablo lo our readers. Tho Litflo Oh'oy, or "Marawaia" 'is a tributary of tho mam rivor, with which it junctions about -10 miles nbovo Groytown, on Uio north sido. In sizo it is nearly equal to llio Arnold, and is bounded x>n cithor side with largo aUtivitil woll grassed Huls, capable of feeding a considorablo quantity of stock. A groat nvuiy largo orooks run into it, and Ihoso again aro fed by numerous tributaries, all of which contain gold to a greater or less degreo so far as llioy havo boon already toslod, and tho prospects obtained, tliougli nob i'ioh, aro such ns will givo from 15s to £1 ppr day a man. Tho appliances, howovor, tiso'd by tho minors for tho oxtruotion of gold aro oxceoJingly primitivo, so that doubtless full justice has not boon dolio to a district that heroaftor, in all probability, will support a considerable population when greater facilities aro nllbrded for tho transport of provisions. • Ono crook, howevor, has been discovered, containing many feeders, whish at present supports a community of flome threo hundred persons, many of whom are doing very well. It is situated on tho right hand side of tho Littlo Groy, going upwards, about cigUto.cn miles from the main river, and is surrounded by an exceedingly rugged country, densely timborcd and impervious. ,. In spite of the natural disadvantages to bo overcome, tho diggord havo penetrated to iis source, sci.tteriii^ light and loft into tho many crocks running into it; nnd although iv considerable nunibor aro merely prospecting, tho majority are steadily nt work, earning from half an onnco to ono ounce of gold each per day tfhc funking is shallow, nowhero exceeding seven feet, in many places the gold being found .within two foot of tho surface, the dhhllowest ground being invariably tho best. By following the main creok up, a saddle is reached, tho rango of which is a part dividing tho watershed of tho Duller from that of tho Groy. 'Phis saddlo wai crossed some eighteen months ago by a party of miners, who discovered arivpr running into the head of tho Duller, called by'tlio Maoris the langore, which was found to contain gold, although not in such quantities as waa then considered payable. Tho researches of these men, however, led to the finding of several very extensive quartz reefs, one or two of them being from seven to eight fcut thick, but through running short of food, and vho weathoi being mo^t inclement, they woro compelled to return before any satisfactory results had been obtained. Tlieso facts being generally known ninongct the diggors in tlmt district has induoed a party of men, hauled by the celebiatcd " Moonlight" nnd " P-elix tho Maori," to start on a prospecting expedition in that direction. Their intention ia to run the river down to its confluence with tho Bui lor, and thoroughly tes>t the country on cither hand ; aud from tho well known character of at least two of the party, it is confidently untiuipntcd payablo giouud will bo discovered. A crock is also to bo visited that " Felix" obtained a fair prospect out of, a year ago. But the drawback to th« dovolopmont of thia part of tho country is, like so many otherj, the. difficulty of' getting provisions lo it, canoe? having to be used from Gieytown to tliiT Howra River, a stream joining tho Groy on tho samo nido as the smaller rivor of that namo, and tho next to it From thciiot the goods are paoked along tho maid liver, and thon up the "Marawaia" to whoro tho diggors aro at work . Prices accordingly are very high, 70s. being paid for a 021 b. bag of flour; tei, ss. per lb. } butter, 6s. ; bacon, 3s Gold fetches 755, por ounce. l f rom tho same sourco we have derived some little information resp/cting tho Lake Brunnor country. Wo bolievo it is pretty well known that the late ruah to the lirunner proved a complete failuro, aud is now totally (tehcrted, but it must not therefore bo imagined that the district is deslitu'o of gold, for, on tho contrary, there ia ono creok now in work, and on which aro located seventy or eighty inon, ali of*whom a'-o getting gold of a very coaivso quality indeed. Tho creok is called tho Welshman's or Jones', and empties itself into the Big Rivor, a tributary of tho "Like " The parties who. opened it, and from whom it takes i'.s nftino,! worked on tlio quiet for somn five months, in that timo obtaining 130 o/ of hoavy gold, somo of tho pieces ranging from 2 oz to 3oz ca6h. Thoy were finally discovered, and a rush set in,, whioh has resulted in about two miles of tho bod of tho stream having been taken up. The creek is about four miles long, and for the first two milos above its junction with the river is vory gorgy and full of liugo rocks, rendering it impossible to prospect tho bed. The terraces, however, on each sido contain golde nnd have already bo,3U broken into, somo vory nico little uuggois from 5 dwts to each being the result. Above whero the gorge ends, the main workings commence, ,most of tho claims on which »re expected to fcivo from LIOO to LI CO per man^ The sinking is shallow, fiom three to six foot through a vory heavy wash. There is very littlo washdirt, .tho goid laying closo on the bjttoin in the crovicos of the reef. Twenty miles have lo bo traversed to No Town for provisions, over an abominable country— denrely timbered and exceedingly swunpy, and as thero is a total absonco of tracks of any kind, minors not on gold havo left tho district, too much of their timo being ocoupiod in supplying thomsclvcs with tho common necessaries of life. From "Rod Jnoks" tho accounts are satisfactory, somo threo or four hundrod mon bomg located thero, making fair wages. Tho torracos nro the ohiof attraction, two costly racoß having boon constructed for flluioing them, and moro are boing brought in. Thcso diggings will oupporl a modorato population for somo timo to como, and ovcry facility is afforded for prospocting tho adjoining country, tho dislnnc.o from tho Twolvo Milo township boing inconsiderable and provisions, for tho district, remarkably ohonp. A meeting of thoso interested in Wharf extonaion, was holil last night at tho Mariner's Hotol, Gibson's Quay, for tho purpose of considering tho most advantageous method of proceeding with the works, nnd raising the necessary funds, Mr Cassius was voted to tho chair. Wo yesterday gavo a statement of tho position of tho Comniittco, and it U theroforo unnecessary to recapitulate it, but wo may say, that tho financial condition, as described by the lion, secretary, was unything'lbut satisfactory. On tho motion of Mr, Shcehan, seconded by Mr Iliulion, it was resolved that a deputation should bo appointed to wait upon Mr Sale, to explain the Coraiuitteo's position, aud to ascertain what tho Government would do to supplcniont tho money already expended, amounting to about,£9oo, or whathor llioy would tnko tho whnrf into thoir own hands and complete it. It appeared that thoro was about £200 promised, that could bo collected, in addition to tho monoy oxpondod. CPlio following gontlomen wore proposod as n deputation, and undertook (ho duties, viz., Messrs Cassius, Shoohan, Melody, Hudson, and Mace, It is fo bo hoped that soinothing will bo done without delay, for othorwiso all that hus beon done will havo boon done in vain, nnd the works us far as they have gone will bo dostroyi'd. It was arrangod that us soon ns tho dcoision of the Govornmont was known tmothor public mooting ahould bo cullod to rocoivo the report of the deputation, nnd to dotermino finally what stops should bo taken.

Now* that Captain Turubull is onoo more amongst us, with a littlo rospito from his wre'Gkj duties, wo again bespeak his attention to one of the urgent wants of die town, which wo beliovo ho hn« tho means of satisfying. < Captain Tuin-

has displayed so uniform and o distant an anxiety to servo tho interests and convenience of tho port, that wo havo no hesitation in asking him lo favor tlio public by the establishment of a thro ball to regulate the horology of the town. At present, although tho difference, between morning and afternoon is generally undors'ood, ii prof omul ignorance ami mystification, prevails as to tho actual hour of tho day. We can guess within somo thirty or foity mhiutoi at "high noon,' but cannot certainly approximate to it much closer. To' people whose desultory Imbit3 leave them fivo to- "take no note of Lime" so far as any businos^ necessities are involved, it is an apprepreciahle amusement to wander up Rovcll street and glance at tho various dials, chiefly displayed behind hotel liars, each tolling its diffoiont talc of tho passing of the day. There aro indeed, two or three accredited authorities amongst the horologists, oach having his following of disciples who swear by him. But who is (o be accepted ns the two prophot by tho anxious onquiror, in face of tho startling fact that " solar ■ observations" do not ngreo? Wo have at last an official clock put up in the interior of tho Court-House, and wo believe the sun was duly consulted iv setting it. But we avo not nwaro that the sun gave the usual watchniakor's guarantee " lo go correctly for twelve months." * If not, with what confidence can wo keep our own privato clocks by this guido ? A time-ball, dropping oach day at noon, as asoottained by the process of taking a meridian altitude, would put tho public in accurate possession of tho time of day.

The following is from tho Mojbourno Argus : — Nothing can bo more lovely thnn nn actual fcrn-trco gully, such ns Dr. Muoller has commenced to form in tho nviavy valloy at tho Hotanio gardens, where a littlo streamlet meanders through tho ground, and tho fern-trees are thrlviugWlmirably. The object being to have a large lot of ferns collected in such a placo for producing an imposing effect ; any gentlemen residing nor localities whore fern-tree* abound could renilor good sorvico by lifting and transmitting such trees, six or eight feet high, Thcso aro readily moved. Dr. Mueller wishes to convoy this desire also to friends in New Zealand, from whence shipments of the milk fern, or any of the cynthcas not indigenous hero, would ho very acceptable. No hing' can bo easier than the sending, for it requires merely dipping off the fronds, tying tho stems in nios3 and old matting, leaving the roots not materially injured, and Bonding tho packiges as dead goods. Fern trees thus prepared, of almost any Bi/.e, would travel in safety for such a short distance, and tho captains of steamships and mercantile firms generally are goncroiu enough to carry such gifts gratuitously.