West Coast Times
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 32, 1866.
The proposals^ of the " Canterbury Press" are the first tangiblo overtures made to this district from 1 tho Eastern side of the Province, and they deserve consideration and discussion. It is very patent that tho district is not in a position to accept the challenge of Mr. Hall, and agitate for separation. Why need we pursue the enquiry we opened the other day, into the causes of that apathetic submission to misrule which has for so many months past been the marked characteristic of the people ? It is manifest that Wostland does not possess the elements necessary for the establishment of a strong independent Government. Its business men care about nothing besides their business, and the, publio have no leaders. Lotus give up that dream, therefore, and consider what is tho next best thing the district has a reasonablo prospect of securing for itself In the hope that they may at least attract attention, we give succinctly, and with prominence, the leading features of the scheme of justice which the "Press" thinks would be a proper and wise concession. They may be embraced under the following'headfit : — 1 . Tho repayment to the district of the whole of the funds abstracted from its revenue for the construction of tho overland road, and the charge of tho cost of that road upon tho provincial loan.
2. The graut iv a lump sum of Westland's proportion of tho Provincial revenue, to be expended on the district under local supervision. 3. The permanent location on the West Coast of a raembor of the Execu-
tire Government, to be called tho Secretory for Goldfields, to bo charged with the full functions of administration, and to attend in his place in Council during its session as a responsible servant of the Crown.
4. The constitution of a local council, to be elected by the people, to advise the Minister upon the appropriation of tho revenue placed at its disposal by tho vote of the Provincial Council.
5. Tho residence on tho West Coast during a portion of each year of His Honor tho Superintendant. It is necessary that the people of this district should be prepared to take some stand on the meeting of the General Assembly, the new Bession of which will open at Wellington on the 16th April next. During the interval the whole matter should be fully debated. It is rcquisito that prompt action should bo taken here, not only for tho establishment of an efficiont local government, but • for the maintenance of the integrity of the district. Already tho Nelson papers aro beginning to talk of tho Grey diggings as a natural appendage of that province, and to persuade tho (\voy people that the separation of Westland means the supremacy of Hokitika. It is by tho establishment of ajocal authority that the natural bonds of union between the two ports, each the centre of a great gold district, and the two divided only by a a short coast lino, may bo best cemented. In such a local council as the " Press has suggested, the Grey would be as strongly represented as Hokitika j and if one part of the district approves of this scheme there is no reason why the other should not. At all events the plan is now before tho public, and a measure embracing it would be almost certain .to meet with the general assent of the Assembly provided it satisfied Westland and was accepted by her as a sufficient measure of reform. We invite a free and unfettered expression of opinion on this subject.
The Sale of Town Lands in Hokitika and Greymouth, will, it is understood, take place in the month of March ensuing; and will be a. marked event in the history of Westland — paving the way to an effective system of municipal government, to great advances in the improvement of property, and to the realisation by the inhabitants of somo of the conditions of civilised life that belong to regularly settled communities. Tho creation of private and rateable property is an essential preliminary to tho establishment of municipal institutions. ; and the establishment of municipal institutions is an essential preliminary to tho proper conduct of town affairs. It has leen seen how powerless were tho local authorites constituted under the Goldfields Act, to provide for tho decent accommodation and comfort of a large population. Under the rule of tho Commissioner tho work of publio improvement has been in very large measure loft to tho voluntary action of tho community. Nuisance has been allowed to run riot without check or hindrance, and such municipal law as has been administered has been of the most arbitrary character. This regime has now ceased, but the establishment of a new order of things is waited for. During the present interregnum it is impossible to toll what is the exact position of this town, or, tho status of any one in it, or what is tho preciso Inw that prevails/ The withdrawal of the towns from the operation of the Goldfiolds Act has, we believe, tho effoct of, bringing into operation various ordinances affecting municipal matters, which were virtually suspended under the former provisional regulations But at present great uncertainty and ignorance prevail as to the system and conditions of administration under which tho town is placed. As a preliminary step towards the establishment of. proper municipal institutions, tho , transfer of the Crown lands in the towns to privato owners is a most important step in ou r civic history.
We publish elsewhere in oxtenso the report of the Select Committee of Council on tho subject, which was brought up by Mr Prosser, the . Chairman, and adopted by the house on the 24th January last. It recommends that immediately on the withdrawal of townships from tho goldfields, all lands not legally occupied under tho warrant of a business license, shall bo sold by auction in the ordinary manner provided by the land regulations of tho province. .This provision of courso is simple enough. It is when the case of persons who aro in lawful but only temporary occupation under their license, and who have erected buildings of more or less value, comes to be dealt with, that some practical difficulty begins to be felt. Tho second clause of the report merely declares in general terms that licensees in lawful occupation who have erected buildings of not less than L 25 value, shall have the opportunity of securing their holdings at the fair market prico of the land, without taking into consideration the valuation of improvements, and tho good will of tho business established. The third clause suggests tho modo of applying this eqiiitablo' provision. It recommends that in the case of the town of Hokitika, tho occupiers of sections who hold business licenses within a block of which tho boundaries aro defined — viz., on the East by FitzGorald and Fitzherberfc streets ; and on the North by Hampdon street— shall havo their holdings converted into freeholds on payment of ono pound per foot of frontage, whero the depth does not exceed a chain, and of thirty shillings when there in any additional depth.
The official regulations under which these recommendations are to be given effect to, are not yet boforo us. In appears from Mr. Prosser's letter -that stops will bo necessary to be taken to make tho law bond to the circumstances of the case. Tho Canterbury Land llegulations preclude the adoption of any mode of selling town lands other than that, of open competition in the auction room. It follows that as every allotment put tip in Holcitika "must be knocked down to the highest bidder, whoever he may be, some artificial arrangement is necessary to carry out the resolution of • the house, that licensed holders shall bo pu^in a position to secure their holdings on a payment of a pound or thirty shillings per foot of frontage. Mr. Prosser says the Committee decided that a "prohibitory value should bo placed upon the buildings" — that is, an artificial value so high as to prevent auy one bidding in the axiction room ngainst the holder on whose bid the value of the building would be allowed in reduction. Such an arrangment does not appear on tho face of the report as presented to tho Council and. adopted by it; but Mr Prosser says, this plan of carrying out the views of the Committee was agreed to by two mem bers of tho Executive who sat upon it, and he thinks,' therefore-, that the present occupants have " virtually secured 1 ' their holdings, upon payment of twenty and thirty shillings per foot respectively, according to tho depth of their allotments. At present, however, this is only a matter of understanding and good faith, although we havo reason to believe that in the present case that faith will be kept. With reference- to the lands outlying Hie block whoso boundaries wo have described, Mr Prosser is clearly of opinion that the intention of the. Com mittie was to dispose of them to present occupants under license on precisely tho same terms as those within the block. Wo bclseve it has been determined that all sections not comprised in the specified blook shall be put up to auction at the upset price of L4B per acre — it being in this caso, as in others, provided that iv the event of the purchaser not being the actual holder, at the time, buildings erected at above the cost of L 25 sball be taken at a valuation, the sum to be added to the purchase money. It is evident that the whole of the slice ess of this artificial mode of doing justice to those whose ent rprise has creat ;d this great town, and expended a large capital in its development, depends upon the good faith with which the Government carry out their undertaking—intangible and informal for anything we know at present to the contrary— to adopt such a rule of valuation as will preserve from a ruinous competition, holders who have established good business stands, and at cost, and with much toil and patient perseverance, laid the foundations of a prosperous trade. Upon this question of valuation all noAv hinges.
Tho steamer Gothenburg will not leavo tho roads for Melbourne until this eveniifg, so that a further opportunity will be enjoyed by tho public of posting letters and newspapers for Melbourne for despatch by the outward English mail.
We havo been an unusually long timo without advices from Dunediti. Wo learn by electric telegraph that the Keora, from that port, had arrived at Lyttelton, and was to sail for Hokitika direct on Snturday last.
The steamship Star of the Evoning arrived off, the Grey on Saturday from Dunedin, but in attempting to cross tho bar, wont ashoro, and yesterday was, wo are informed, lying high and dry near the Nelson.
The Kennedy, from Nelson, which was at tho Grey yestorday, may be expeoted in port early to-day.
The " latest intelligence " ffom Okarita is of tho most meagre desoriptvon, nothing fresh having occurred to cause the slightest excitement except the departure of a number of miners, headed by the redoubtable Bill Fox, for Biuco Bay, they having chartered tho City of Nelson to convey thorn round by sea. The oxpressed intention of thoso men was to give the southern country,* fair .trial. Nothing had been beard of tho rush which on Friday was reported here to havo occurred on the edge of tho lake inland from Okarita, so thoro is no doubt tho report was one of thoso canards, several of which havo lately arrived from tho south and occasioned no little excitement. wo should should advise miners to bp most direful how they recivo intelligence from that quarter for tho future, at very little reliance can bo placed in it. Henceforth wo shall rigorously abstain from publishing anything but tho most authentic intelligence, ami hope soon to lay before our readers a detailed and reliable account of a distriot which at present is exorcising an unhealthy influence on our miners and business men,
A eorrespondonl a«ks us to suggest to the proprietors of tho now' thcatro the oroction of an illuminated clock in front of their fino building. It would, no doubt, bo a vory great public accommodation, and as tho theatre is to bo lightod with gas, the objoct might possibly bo attainod without any groat oxfcra outlay. It would cortainly afford an additional claim to public patronage
Thoijo was no business transacted in tho Resident Magistrate's Court ou Saturday. Vory hoayy rain foil during tho wholo of Saturday night, and somo fears wero ontortainotl of a l-oourrenco of floods. Happily, thoso proved to bo wholly without foundation. Towards afternoon yesterday tho weather clearod, tho ovoning was flno, and tho hundreds of podostrians who made their promonado on tho boaoh had tho opportunity of witnessing ono of tho most gorgeous sunsets that havo over closed the - day with glory. No lunguago could dosoribo tho grandour of tho olleot, as both sky and son woro bathod in luminous gold. > It was a sight such as could novor bo producod on canvas, nevor bo painted in words, and novor bo forgotton by thoso who gazod on it.
Thoso who havo been rosidont in Hokitika sinco its early days (how oldly wo talk, with a twelvemonth's existence !),* will know how to appreciate ono sign of progress tho placo is exhibiting. Wo allude to tho plentiful supply of vegetables now in tho markot — not importod from Nolson or elsowhoro, but the produce of our own soil, and grown in the immediato vicinity of tho town. Thoy comprise somo of tho choicer luxurios of tho gardon — grcon peas and young potatoes of oxoellont quality, and othor delicacies. Wo aro glad that gardoning ontorpriso lias ulroady provod bo successful.
"Who shall represent tho goldfiolds in tho Gonoral Assombly ? Is it not high time that question was considered ? Tho wri>t of election has beon recoived, the dates of nomination and polling aro fixed. "Whore aro the candidittos P Whoro the requisitions P Havo the peoplo any leadors ? In consequence of the absence of the Rev. Mr Moore at the Grey, thoro was no service yesterday at the Court House in connection with the Church of England. The other twochurohes in town, tbo Catholic and the Wesleyan were both attended by large congregations. We are not aware what steps our Roman Catholic friends intend taking with reference to the arbitaryjwithdrawal of the reserve grauted thorn, juatafter the completion of a fine edifice for public worship, whioh reflects the highest credit upon their en. terpriseand liberality. They may be assured that thoy havo the sympathy of the community at large, under an aot which can only at presont be characterised as wanton aud uncalled for. A gentleman who has just returned to Molbouvno from Tasmania, whoro ho paid a visit to tho salmon ponds at Now Norfolk, gives a very oncouraging account of tho progress and wolfare of tho " littlo strangers" domosticatod thoro. Ho states that about a week before his visit Mr Bamsbottom had turned out about 500 fino healthy young fish into tho river, leaving not moro than "forty or fifty now in tho pond. Somo of tho Bahnon woro vory largo. Tho trout, of which thoro are about 200, aro also vory flno. Tho informant saw sovoral nearly a foot long, and ho estimated them to bo pound fish. Tho establishment at tho Plonty appoarod to bo in oxcellent order, and tho wholo of tho fish in tho highest stato of vigor.
Tho Austruluiiun says : — Whatover communications his Excellency may havo received from tho Colonial Office, it is certain that tho city was all alivo on Saturday with rumours that tho homo authorities had spoken in no uncortain tono as to Victorian affairs, and tho Ministerial interpretations of tho law and constitution. Somo assortod that Sir Charles Darling had boon ordorod to dismiss ono of his law ofKcors, and tako counsel with othors than tho present " able advisers" of tho Crown. People with those views pointed to tho sudden postponement of Mr Michio's long-announced " lay sermon" as corroborative proof of thoir theorios; othors hold that Sir Charles had only beon instructed to permit of no more payments till an Appropriation 13ill had passed ; and assertions "on tho best authority," that his Excellency and Mr Bramwell had both beon recallod by thoir respective chiefs, woro as common iv town as quotations in coffee or bottled stout.
Tho Argus draws an inforonce from tho late elections in Viotoria favorable to tho principlo of tho ropresontation of minorities: — "A casual obsorver, looking at tho recent election roturns, would bo under tho improssion that protectionists in Victoria aro overwhelmingly in excess of free-traders, seoing that, out of forty-ono mombors returned so far, the lattor aro represented by eight only. On closer inspection, howovor, it seems that, although Ministerialists havo n decided majority, yot tho Opposition, oven in numbers, are a powerful minority— outside the Houso ; but that from tho faulty system of roprosontation, tho proportion of mombers returned by tho rcspectiyo parties does not at all assimilate with 'the relative numbors of the voters who sent them up to tho Assembly. Thus, 'taking only the first and second batohes of elections, the number of voters who exercised thoir franchise was 21,000—12,600 Ministerialists and 8,600 Oppositionists, or in the proportion of ono aud & half of tho former to ono of the
latter ; whilst tho members returned were
thirty-three and eight respectively, or in the proportion of four to one. Had a just system of representation been in use, the Ministerialists
would have returned twenty-four membors and the Oppositionists sixteen, instead of the numbers as above. When the particulars are to baud of tho third batch of elections, it will most probably be found, whatever the result bo far as the return of mombers is concerned, that the numerical strength' of tho respective 'parties will approach yet closer ; and that if all the voters n the colony, both those who will and those who will not bovo exercisod their franchise be divided in a liko proportion, the return will show that liberal ideas iv Victoria are not entirely swamped by tho democratic element ; and the opinions of so powerful a minority, including as it does so muoh of the ' wealth and intelligence of tho colony, may fairly claim to be at least of cqual'valuo with that of tho numerical majority, us expressive of the voice of tho people, to whioh ministers profess their desire to defor.' By last mail, aiya tho Ayqm, information has reached this colony that jLord Napier i likely to succeed Sir William Denison in the Governorship of Madras. It will bo doubtless roinomborod by many of our readers that some throo months ago a prisoner named Harris, who on tho previous day had beon committod to tako his trial for a larcony on board tho schooner J. M'Douall Stewart, escaped from, tho Hokitika Gaol, and sot all the efforts of the polico to capture- him at doflanco. A description of his porsonal appearanco was forwarded to Canterbury, and tho othor chief towns of tho island, as also to all tho polico stations in Westland, but until Thursday last nothing was heard of him. ' On that day, however, a telegram arrived from Ohristchurch to the eflfeot that the individual in question had again fallen into the hands of the
police, having been arrested on the charge of
robbery. It is satisfactory to know that he is 'likely to get his deserts, as he is an old offender well known to the police. A warrant for his arrest was at once despatched to Ohristchuroh by the police here, in the event of the charge not being brought homo to him ; but should he be committed, ho will be sent across here at the next Criminal Sittings in Westland, to take his trial for the first offouce. Since his esoapo he has changed his name to that of Johnston,
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Bibliographic details
West Coast Times, Issue 126, 12 February 1866, Page 2
Word Count
3,350West Coast Times MONDAY, FEBRUARY 32, 1866. West Coast Times, Issue 126, 12 February 1866, Page 2
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