West Coast Times.

West Coast Times, Issue 158, 21 March 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 18GG.

This descent of a showor of curates on some devoted locality in Yorkshire, is recorded as the opening incident of one of Gurrer Bell's best novels We are promised — or threatened — with a shower of officials. Never was there such a dowLYpour. His Honor tlio Superintendent, the Hon. the Secretary for Public Works, (not Mr John Hall, politically defunct, but his successor), tho Hon. tho Provincial Secretary, and Mr Dobson the Provincial Engineer, set off yesterday morning on thoir pilgrimage across the rango, and may be expected to arrive in Hokitika to-night or to-morrow. Hero, these august personages will ineot, in addition to the resident local officials, tho newly elected representative of Westkmd in tho Genoral Assembly, and first favorite in tho race for tUo Suporintendency — Mr Moorhouse. Wo shall bo glad* to welcome our visitors. A good many men of high position in tho province have honored tho district with a hasty trip and a brief sojourn. In tho remoto times that belong to our early annals, the bishop of tho diocese himself accomplished tho hazardous overland passage, and did us tho kindness to look about him — although we regret to say that the district has not within our knowledge benefitted much from the episcopal inspection. Since then there have been a judge in Hokitika and a public prosecutor, who both found the term of their exile from Christchurch hnmanities to be endurable. Wo believe that His Honor himself as well as the late Secretary for Public Works, has ventured sufficiently near to Hokitika to scent its atmosphere, although his Christchurch instincts restrained him from trusting himself within the actual reach of Westland savageism. Had ho displayed more courage, he would probably have been better satisfied, and "given moro satisfaction to others. We believe that most of the visitors who have como to tlio West Coast, have left it not unfavorably impressed with its condition and prospects, or with the character of its people. It is to be hoped that the gentlemen whose arrival we arc now "anticipating, will bo equally well pleased, and will carry away with them as favorable impressions. Even the most savage brute becomes less objectionable when wo have established certain relations of familiarity with him. Making all allowance for the great shock to the nervous system, and the violenco to old established ideas of Christian civilisation, thatjmust necessarily be occasioned to a party of Christclmrch dons, by a sudden descent upon this barbarou* l coast, we must still cling to tho hope that a dawniug perception will gather over thoir mind that they might have looked at Westland before and handled it, without any fear of being bitten. Now that thoy nvo coming, to what use-

ful or hunlthful purposes may their visit •bo applied ? Wo presume that tho Superintendent and his surrounding, do not nif.ko this descent upon us, merely in connection with tho approaching stile of tho public lands. That might bo effected without the cost to the country of an official, progress through it Although a local Land Board has not yet been been established in Westland, ample provision has been made for the meeting of a legal quorum of the General Board on tho day of salo. Should tho object of the visit bo more general, it will be the fault of the people if they do not improve tho occasion aud turn it to the best advantage. The course that ought to bo adopted is to hold a conference botweon the members of tbo Government, tho representatives of the district, nnd Borne of its leading citizens, at which the various matters that engage the public attention might bo discussed. The Executive have never had tho opportunity of placing themselves "en rapport " with the actual public opinion of Westland. Mr Moorhouse himself, to whom we are looking forward as the future saviour of the diftrict, has seen littlo of tho people, acknowledges himself vory ignorant of thei" wants, and declinos, on tho ground of that ignorance, to make any public pledges ns to his future administration should ho become Superintendent. It will bo satisfactory to the public hero to know that Mr Moorhouso is making uso of his timo whilst in tho district in acquainting himself with its real requirements ; that ho is placing himself in communication with all classes of the people, and breaking through his Christchurch entourage ; that he is likely to prove what he has been takon on trust as being — tho true, earnest, sympathising representative of Westland, which has chosen him. If there is to boa straightforward, just, and honest system of administration to be adopted for the future, it can bo based only upon a perfectly frank understanding between the people to bo governed and 1 tho parties who are to govern them. Westland is vory exceptionally situated. It possesses no representative body of any kind whatever, with the exception of tho Improvement Committees at Hokitika and Grey mouth. It has no municipal institutions, and not even a Chamber of Commerce In this circumstance consists the practical argument for the proposaL we now submit, viz., that a requisition should be presented to tho members of the Government who aro about to visit us, and to the repvoscntntivo of tho district in the General Assembly, to meet the p'eoplo in open conference — not for tho purpose of making or of listening to long speeches; but to afford and receive suggestions us to the bases of a just aud liberal administration of the affairs of the West Coast. Our visitors could hardly doclino an invitation of this kind. They would havo no pretext for doing so. And they must feel that no courso could be adopted moro calculated to promoteeasy relations between the two sides of tho province, and to cement the connection between tl\pm which ip\v appears likely to bo maintained for some time to come. If Westland is to contiuue to be governed from Clxristohuroh, Ohristehuroh men themselves will surely admit that it can bo governed well only in proportion as its actual wants are understood. On this subject, a lamentable and most inexcusable ignorrnce has up to this time prevailed. And the present opportunity • of thoroughly ventilating it ought not to be neglected.

Tho rush to Okarita still continues, and indeed is slightly on tho increnso, although wo are utterly at a loss to assign any reason for tho " stampede" As they havo always boon, tho accounts, from thouco aro still conflicting and unreliable-, some stating that tho now ground lately opened is paying well, whilst others tend to tho supposition it is exceedingly poor. If Okarita is so exceedingly rich, and if only one half tho storios wo havo heard concerning extraordinary finds bo true, we should certainly like to know what has beoorno of all ho gold ? "Whoro aro the escort returns ? It is true that about 4,000 ozs was brought up by tho Bruco this last trip, but what is suoh an amount amongst 4,000 and 6,000 diggers P Our question is tho inoro portinont if the fact bo takon into consideration that tho gold roturns from Okarita, through tho Banks, have during tho past threo weoks boon romarkttbly inoagro, and as through tho price of gold having advanced to a par with that givon in Hokitiku, thoro is no furthor indnconiont for minors to " hold," wo again ask tho quostion, whore aro tho escort roturns, and what induces diggers to rush so madly to tho southward ? Although tho diggings on Jones' Creek and in its vicinity have boon pretty woll ransaokod, thoy still coutinuo to yield woll, and occasionally vory heavy gold is found. Somo parlß of tho old workings pay handsomely for ro-working, especially whon subjoctod to' tho operation of sluioing ; and fchoro is no doubt Ihe whole of tlio cvoek will bo »g»in turned ovor when water bocomos moro abundant. As

mi illustration of tlio producing capabilities of tho old ground, wo may mention that lasfc'Veclc £49 per mnn was mado by ono sluicing partyWo woro also informod, on good authority, that a Huggofc weighing 12oz. was found on tho old terrace undornoath tho township, and that tho unearthing of nuggots from half an ounco up to five ounces was not by any means a raro event. Wo aro sorry thut tho deep lead is at a stnnU still ; but in spito of extraordinary offorts oil tho part of tho miners who hold the claims there, all attempts* to bottom in tho deeper ground have, through oxcess of water, proved unavailing. It is feared that, as tho workings oxtond into tho flat somo little distance from tho terrace, a heavy drift is struck at fifty feet, which contains such a volumo of water that, although forty and fifty men have united in tho attempt to (by keeping tho windlass constantly going) "break tho wator" in ono shaft, it was found, aftor two days' hard labor, that it had not boon roducod ono inoh, and thcroforo all hopoß of ovorconring it by merely manual labor havo beon abandoned. Wo hear thoro is some probability, that a company will bo formed for the purpose of placing machiuory on the ground, and as those claims which havo succeodod in reaching tho washdirt aro yielding most abundantly, wo boliovo suoh a speculation would prove most remunerative. Wo shall bo delighted to hear that ono has beon formod and rogistorod. Tho Hokitika correspondent of the "Lyttolfon Times" seams to have faith in tho West Ooast as a Hold for tho investment of capital, whatovcr his disposition to snub the public mon it has produced. Wo quoto tho following from his pen : — Thore could bo no more gratifying ovidenco of tho confidence with which tbo mining community looks forward, to tho future of tho West Canterbury Goldfiold than tho tondonoy which is displayod to bring really first-olass maohinery to work whonovor tho naturo of tho ground seems to requiro it. Wostland is vory young as a gold-producing country for tho introduction of steam as an aid towards mining operations, and yet sovoral onginos aro already in position and othors aro in course of orcotion. A fow months will probably see a largo increase in this number. To tempt a man to invest capital in steam machinery for mining purposes, two conditions aro wantod. Ho must sco his way to obtaining something moro than a fow weeks or months employment, or the undertaking will naturally bo an unprofitable ono. The Kaniori district offers a fine Cold for tho investment of capital in mining machinery of various kinds, and tho claiinholders havo not been slow in availing thornsolves of their opportunities. On Saturday last the Star Stoain Pumping Company kept holiday on tho occasion of tho christening of their ongino, which is now put togothev, and is in excollent working trim. It is my opinion that a little Christohuroh capital might bo invostcd to adrantago in somo of those mining Bpeoulations, and tho perusal of Bharolists in whioh thoy wcro interested might servo to dissipato a portion of that dulnoss undor whioh, 1 am led to boliovo, your inorohanta are at present sufforing. I sco that tha " Otago Daily Times, in want of a bettor subject for leading articles, has taken up the old and worn-out cry of the danger arising from divorting capital from its legitimate channols, awd employing it in tho delightful uncertainties of gold-mining. Whatever may havo beon tho effect of ovor-spooulation on tho gold-fields of Victoria, thoro is certainly no reason to suppose that Now Zoaland commerce is likoly to suffer from this cause. Or, if Otago is in suoh a miserable plight that tho withdrawal of a fow thousands from tho aforoeaid " legitimate channels" may prove disastrous to hor intorosts, 1 cannot boo that Canterbury would bo injured in any way if §ho dovoted a very small portion of hor wealth to tho development of tho goldfiold of whioh sho thinks so much. I seriously rocoinmond my remarks to such of your readers as may havo any loose cash at thoir disposal, assuring them at tho same timo that with tho exorciso of duo caution a good thing or two may be had by omborking in mining speculations on tho West Canterbury G-oldfiold. There aro many here who would bo glad to avail thomsolves of tho assistance of steam machinory, but aro unablo to do so for want of moans. " Tho Otago Daily Times informs us that a vory suddon death occurred on board the stoamer Koera whon that vessel was lying alongside tho Eattray streot Jotty, a fireman named John Layman having fallen down tud- I denly and oxpired. For somo timo past he had been complaining of a pain in his sido> and it is supposed that ho died of hoart disease. The " Australasian" says : — Tho following is from a reliablo correspondent at St. Arnaud dated 81st January. Wo havo dreadful hot weather up hero. There is no rain, and sheep, <fee, are dying by thousands, I am afraid before tho arrival of winter ono-half of the stock must perish. Thoro is something re* markably strango about tho hay crops in this neighbourhood. Horse stock will hardly oat any of it. Even horses that aro almost in a stato of starvation will not consume moro than about six pounds at a timo, although tho hay looks and smells first-rato. I will send a small parcol to oxamino and havo tested as to causo. It becomes quito bittor to tho palate aftor you havo masticatod it for a short timo. Tho Melbourne " Argus" of tho Bth inst.» says } — Lnst night the city was visitod by perhaps tho most sovero dust storm of tho season, during tho oveniug tho wind inoroascd, until botweon cloven aud twolvo o'clock at night there was a strong gale of wind, mainly from the north, but with occasional squalls of great violonco from ovory point of tho compass in turn, driving boforo it clouds of dust whioh rondorod it dniifteroim to wolk tho streets, and niadoituwoy into tho iuuormost rocessos of tlio houses in tho oity. At two a.m. the storm had slightly abatod, tho wind boing ohanged to tho west, and tho tomporaturo having fullon eousidorably. About half-past twolvo thoro was a smart showor of five or six minutes duration, and at threeo a.m. a con» sjdorablo rainfall seomod n'eav at hand,"

Tho Argus of tho 10th pays :— Tho trial at tho bar of Bruce and others v. The Queen has taken a new lease of oxistonco. Yesterday, in its twenty-third day, aftor long legal argUinonts, the Court deoidod to allow the Crown to go into its oross olaim of ponalties for noncompletion of tho lino by tho contractors in tho stipulated time ; and to allow thoir petitioners to go into thoir exculpatory case, that tho non-completion of the lino in the stipulated timo wus caused by the acts or omissions of tho agents of tho Crown itself. This course has beon taken by the Court to prevent, if possible, the calamity, of a now trial. If the evidonco now to bo admitted had been rojected, and on appoal to the Privy Counoil such rejootion had been held wrong, a now trial must havo boon had *, but if the ovidence be admitted, and tho opinion of the jury takon ou tho quostion of how far tho Crown itself has causod tho non-complotion and tho consoquont liability to penalties, and if on appoal to tho Privy Counoil such remission of evidonco bo hold wrong; thon tho Court of Appoal oau so ordor that the verdict bo entered as it would havo beon found if such ovidenco had not bo#n admitted on either side. Tho following item, of gossip is worth quotation. It is from a New South Wales paper : — " It will bo remembered thataomo timo ago, Packor, the woll known musiwan, tras oonviotod of bigamy, and sentenced to a term of imprisonmont in Darlinghurst Gaol. Since his incarceration ho has organised a very offioient choir in tho prison, and on Sunday week lost, whilo conducting tho musical part of the aorvico as usual, Bortrancl walked in, and soatod him solf with the singers. Paokor requested him to leavo, saying • that his company was not wanted at any prico,' and added that if he did not relieve them of his presence, tho ohoir would remain silent. Bortrand thereupon withdrew, and the singing was proceedod with. It is stated that Paokor has composed two vory beautiful pieces ot sacred music since his confinement at Darlinghurst.' Tho following account of nitro-glycorine, the dostruotwo chouucal agent which has just causod tho groat explosion in Sydney, is from Dickens Mining Reiord, of December last : — " Glycerine has been known to chemists for many years. It was discovered by Soheole in 1779, and was aftorwards shown by Chevroul, in his great research on the naturo of animal fats, to bo a constant produot of saponifioation. Whonovor fats or oils are converted into soaps, they aro resolved into fatty aoids, into stcaric, margaric, oloic, and other aoids, and this compound, called glycerine, which has until rocent years been regarded as a wasto product, has boon thrown away in the soapmakor's spent lyos. GHycerino is a compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and concontratod as muoh as possible, it is still a syruppy liquid, colorless, inodorous, ewoet to tho taste, neutral to tost papor, and somewhat heavier than wator. It weighs 12"0 or 6-lOths pounds peri gallon, whilo tho woight of an imperial gallon of wator is ten pounds avoirdupois. From tbia glycerine tho nitroglycerinois made by troatmont with nitric arid in tho following manner : — Half an ounco of puro glycoriuo is pourod, with constant stirring, into a mixturo of two ouuees of oil of vitriol aud ouo ounco of fumiug nitric acid of spocifio gravity 1*52, the tomperaturo of the mixturo boiug kopt below 77 ° Fahronheit by external cooling with ico, and as soon as oily drops bogin to form ou the surface, tho mixturo is pourod, with constant stirring, into fifty ounces of cold water. Nitro-glyceriuo then separatos, and may bo purified by washing and dryiug in small portions in a vapour bath. As thus obtaiuod it is a light yellow, oily liquid, weighing sixteen pounds per gallon ; inodorous, of a sweet, puugont, arouiatio taste, and having this curious proporty, that whon placed on tho tonguo, oven in small quantity, it produces a violent headaohe, which lasts for sevoral hours. It is but slightly solublo in wator, and, liko gun-cotton, it is highly oxplosive, and will oven oxplode whon struck." " Tho following account of somo oxporimonts with nitro-glycerino used for blasting purposes are originally from the Comptes Rendusoi July 17, 1865. Wo tako them from tho Philosophical Magazine of Soptembor last. This notice is by M. Nabel. Ho Btates that tho greatest advantage of nitroglycoriuo consists in tho faot that when it is usod a force can be produced into the blast hole of a mine ten times aa q teat a 9 when gunpowder is used i honoo arisos a great economy in manual labour, tho importance of whioh is understood when it is remerabored that the labour of tho miner represents, aocording to the hardnoss of tho rook, from five to twonty times (the value of tho powder required — a saving, therefore whioh will often amonnt to twonty por cent." Information was yeatorclay evening received by tUepolicothatGoorgo Cameron, whoruns the mail botweon this town and Okarita, had been stuok up by two men at about half past eight yesterday morning. It appears ho left Robs' town en route for the Okarita, and when about threo mileß on his road was mot by two men wearing masks, who covered him with their revolvers, and ordored him to " bale up" in tho most approved style of bushranging. Being unarmed, ho complied, and was takon by the robbers about a mile into tho bush, who then relieved him of his mail bags, whioh thoy proceeded to ransaok, breaking open all the lettors, but roturning to him the nowspapers and bags. Thoy afterwards demanded his purse, whioh contained £7, and tins he handed them. But now comes tho strangest part of tho whole procooding, for after examining the content*, tho robbers appeared to have boon suddenly soiised with a fit of romorae, for they contented themselvos with abstraoting £1 only, and at onco returned tho balance to tho lawful owner. Thoy did not search Ins person j otherwise thoy would have fouud £16, two watohes, and a moersohaum pipe in tho pockets of his monkey jaokot, but shortly aftorwards doparted, and tho mail man at onoe returned to Ross aud gave information at the Camp, whore Sergeant Brohau happened to bo at the timo. Two troopers were immediately despatched in pursuit of the bushrangWß, bub what suooofls attended thorn wo hare not yot heard,

Yesterday a prisoner named Brown, who was under confinement for debt in tho Hokitika logs, took a rather unceremonious departuro from his custodians, tho police. Watohing his opportunity whon doing " a constitutional" in tho Camp Reserve, he "slopod" into Rovell stroot, and as his absenco was not discovered for some littlo timo, ho succeoded in so offeotually " planting" himself, that so far the attempts mado to find him have provod unsuccessful. It in supposed ho has " made tracks" for tho Kaniori. We learn by telegram from Cliristeburoh that His Honor tho Superintendent- accompanied by the Provincial Secretary, tho Secretary for Publio Works, and Mr Dobson, tho Government Engineor— left Ohristohurch yesterday, by Oobb's ooaoh, for Hokitika. At a meeting of tho Improvement Oomraittoo hold last ovening, a communication was received from Mr Salo requesting tho committee to appoint somo porson to act as Assessor to valuo buildings and othor improvements on sections about to bo Dfforod for salo, who may be dissatisfied with tho valuation fixed by tho Government Assessor. The lottor intimated that tho Assessor appointed by the Committee would bo paid by tho persons on wlioae behalf ho might bo called on to act, aud that tho object of tho assessment would bo to ascertain tho actual market valuo of buildings and improvements Nas they now oxist. Mr Rickard has been chosen to act for tho Govornment. It will bo soon that tho Improvement Committee have called for tenders for tho sorvices from gentlomen desirous of undertaking tho dutios. Thore was another good house at the Princo of Wales Theatro last ovening, whon tho prograramo of tho previous night was repeated, with Bomo deviations. One of the performing monkoys— tho particularly sago one, who dons the spectacles, plays on tho violin and' the harp, and goes through tho military exeroises of loading and firing his musket, and the very unmilitary one of aftorwards putting his cap over the muzzle to prevent any more fire coming out of it-J-managod to effect his escape from his keeper, on the conclusion of his performances on Monday night 5 and after divest, ing himself of his stapo costume, and helping himself to sundry dolicacios in tho refreshment room, wont on a nocturnal excursion in tho neighbouring bush. Ho was discovered in the course of yesterday ovoning in tho neighbourhood of tho saw-mills, up the river having beon closoly tracked by his pursuers ; and apparently satisfied with his brief spell of liberty, submitted himself with beooming penitonco to his captors. t Too muoh praise cannot bo given to Signor Ferrari for tho porsoveranco and skill with which ho has trained these animals : and we are exceedingly glad to find that ho has only lost for ono night tho sorvicea of the star of his company, who is to mako his reappearance this ovening. Admitting Gibson's Quay to bo the most bustling part of tho Town, we aro bound to confess that yesterday it presented an unusually lively spectacle, being thronged with a motloy crowd of diggers, all of whom with their faces turned iv tho direction of Okatita, wero eagerly scrambling for passages by tho Bteamors Bruce and Lionoss which woro lying at tho wharf with steam up iv readiness to start. Amidst much pushing and eonfusiou, and tho use of a considerable amount of strong lauguago, tins latter vossol gradually filled up, andwith hor decks olosoly packed by a mass of raon who shouted und yelled most vociforousiy, haulod out of tho tier, and swung rounds aud steamed down tho river.' The Bruco was somewhat longor in receiving her living freight, a vory largo proportion of whioh consisted of females who occupiod the wholooftho after part of hor quarter deck, and by their smiling faces and unconcerned mannor evidently regarded tho sea voyage bofore them with tlio utmost indifference. Ono painful scono and soveral ludiourous ones occurrod whilst the shipment was being offocted, the formor boing a sad illustration of tho dastardly brutality which, sod to say, men are too often guilty o£ and whioh worse Btill as often goes unpunished. In this case an unfortunate woman whose husband was departing in the Bruco, % followed him on board, and insisted upon accompanying him, persistontlg rofusing to return pn shore at his command. This so onraged the brute that, without mono ado, he— in the midst of tho crowd — beat her most aruelly with his fists, so muoh so, that her face was covered with blood and both eyes blackoued. This, of course, was to- a certain extent, resented by the bystanders, althongh it waa somowhat surprising that the wrotoh was not thrown overboard. He was, however, bundled on shore, and his swag thrown after him his unfortunate wife following meekly, apparently satieflod that they would not be sepa« rated. It is somewhat astonishing that no polico wero at hand when tho assault was committed, »s usually some of the force are in attendance when steamers arrive or depart* However, in this instance thoy were absent, othorwise wo have no doubt the rascal would have been at onco arrosted. It certainly was a disgraceful and disgusting scene. Of course there was a groat deal of vinous hilarity amongst tho crowd, and any quantity of leavetaking and parting glasses, tho latter proceeding in ono or two instances very nearly resulting in several diggers boing left behind. They managed to jump on board, however, just as the boat was moving off, although one individual missed his footing and fell plump into tho rivor, from which ho omergod a muoh moro sober if not wiser man, and save a sound duoking vr&a none thoworso for it. After a protracted delay, oocasionod by tho ontronco of tho William Miskin just as the word was givon to " lot go." Tho Bruco started with the lona, sohoonor, in tow, safely orosced tho bar, and by this tim« wo trust is safely moored in tho Okarita River.

In one of tho old English comedies, an undertaker reproves one of bis mourners for laughing at a funoral, and toys to him:— " You bad fellow, you, I have boon raising your wages these two years upon condition that you should appear more sorrowful, and the higher wages yon. receivo tho happier you, look.