West Coast Times. THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 310, 20 September 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 1866.

The petition in support of Mr Moorhouse's Bill to enlarge the representation of Westland in the General Assembly, was intended by the committee to have been forwarded to Wellington by the steamer Rangitoto yesterday. Tlie Rangitoto was advertised by the agent of the company to leave by the early afternoon tide, The mail to be despatched by her was advertised by the Postmaster to close at one o'clock. The Rangitoto, however, steamed away at an early hour in the morning, and intending passengers and correspondents were alike disappointed. v

Under these circumstances the despatch of the petition has been delayed. It will be forwarded to Christchurch by coach to-morrow, Mr Hawkes, M.P.C., having consented to take charge of it ; and it may be expected to be delivered into Mr Moorhouse' s hands within some twenty or thirty hours after its arrival in Christchurch.

A telegram, was forwarded to Mr Moorhouse, yesterday, informing him that more than two thousand signatures had been appended to the petition in Hokitika alone ; and that a second petition signed by upwards of five hundred persons would supplement it from the Grey. In the course of to day we believe many more signatures will be obtained to the Hokitika petition, and it is expected that the slips forwarded to the Waimea and the Kaniori will be returned well filled up.

We regret to say that the committee here have found it necessary to scrutinise the signatures appended to the petition, and strike out several of an evidently- fictitious character. Even the gravity of a great public crisis is not sufficient to prevent snobbisna from playing its pranks. In forwarding the petition to Mr Moorhouse, the committee have to remind him that every community has its per-centage of " gents," who think it a smart thing to turn serious matters into ridicule. As sufficient time is yet allowed us, we shall be happy to communicate to Mr Moorhouse, by the mail closing tonight, the names of these facetious individuals, if they will favor 1 us with them, so that they may enjoy thei public credit due to them for their brilliant wit.

We are requested by the committee to mention that the Petition is still open for signature, aud will remain so during the whole of the day

By a majority of nearly two to one, the House of Representatives has pronounced iv fevor of tho imposition of Stamp duties, From the Cdwfotohwoh

papers we notice that the vote is there regarded as essentially antagonistic to Southern interests. Mr MporlmuM* aitd Mr James Kdwsml Fit/.GerjUd united in supporting Mr'C'rosbic Ward's motion, condemning the increase of taxation. The " Lyttelton Times" claims for Canterbury and Otago the credit oi' having always manifested a disposition to assist the North, in its necessities arising out of the Native war, and a willingness even to forego a portion of their share of the Customs Revenue, in order to medt the financial exigences of the colony — wid adds, "Strengthened by an uuholy alliance with Aucldand, the Ministry has set at defiance the wishes of the most populous and wealthy part of the colony." It is a fact that the Auckland members voted to a man with the Government. It is also a fact, however, that four of the Canterbury representatives ('Messrs John Hall, Cephas, Stevens, and Cox,) voted with the Ministry, and that two other Canterbury members (Messrs Jollie and Munro) refrained from opposing them. That Mr Jollie should consider himself precluded from offering any opposition to a proposal which was an integral part of his own financial scheme, is intelligible. Mr Hall, having accepted office under Mr Stafford, was of course bound to support his colleagues, or to retire from his recently-acquired position as a Minister. The " Times/ is, however, severe upon this gentleman, who has laid the West Coast under too little obligation to induce us to withold our contemporary's" strictures upon his political action. The "Times" says: — " Mr Hall's conduct iherits public condemnation. He appealed to the electors of the district he now represents, mainly on the ground that his fixed purpose in going up to Wellington was to unseat Mr Stafford. He gained his election in a great mteasure because of this promise. He had .been but a few weeks at Wellington, when he took office under the very man he had p'edged himself to turn out. And not only this : he joined a Ministry essentially antagonistic to this province. The only excuse that could be found for this gross act of political apostucj- was the supposition that Mr Hall entered the Miuistiy with the forlorn hope of protecting the interests of the province of which he was the sole representative. But he has now taken part with those who have inflicted a grievous injury upon' Canterbury."

We refrain from entering upon any new discussion of the merits of the system of Stamp duties as a source of revenue. We have already expressed the opinion that they may be legitimately levied to meet any public necessity, and that they constitute the most harmless and least vexatious of all the forms in which direct taxation may be levied, It appears, however, that they are objected to, not on the ground of their involving any radically unsound principle, but merely as a movement in the direction of increased taxation for Northern purposes. It is predicted that the news of the imposition of this tax will create a disincliuation, on the part of capitalists to invest money, and of intending emigrants to settle in the colony. Whatever force there may be in this objection to Mr Fitzherbcrt's proposal, the scheme appears not unlikely to widen the breach that already exists between the two rival interests of New Zealand — that of the North with its military expenditure, and that of the South with its peaceful industry — and so hasten the inevitable partition of the colony.

A remarkable instance of habitual drunkenness and proclivity to petty crime has been brought under our notice by the police, in the person of one Alexander Thompson, who, since November last, has suffered different terms of imprisonment for drunkenness and larceny, amounting in the aggregate to eight months. His last term of imprisonment for theft expired on the 12th instant, and he was discharged in due form ; but the same evening he was "re-arrested and conveyed to the watch-house, in a helpless state of intoxication. Arraigned on the charge next morning, ho suffered the usual peualty, but chose the fine rather than the alternative and again received his liberty, only to be found that evening insensibly drunk closo to tho Customhouse fence. His name of course appeared amongst the list of inebi'iates the following day ; N bujt, taking pity upon his infirmity, and apparently desirous of trying how far merciful measures would succeedin effecting his reformation, his Worship discharged him with ai severe caution. It was, however, of no avail, for he was again found Hear tho Post-office iv a state of insensibility, and on Tuesday raorniug received a sentence of twenty-four hours' imprisonment as a coufirmcd«drunkard. This term expired yesterday, and ho is onco more released from bondage ; but how long he will ;remain at large is another matter.

I A correspondent sends us the following items respecting tho Arahura rush : — " I visited the rush on Monday morning, and found that tho ground was marked out hi a N.N.E. direction for a distance of about one mile in length by, in some places, a breadth of half-a-mile ; but towards the end it contracts to about one hundred and fifiy feet. The j prospectors' claim is situated on the skirt of a spur, and, although some time bottom'od, they jhad only just got" in their first set of timber, I having suffered much delay through the great I difficulty of keeping the ground up. One of the party informed* me that the washdirt was increasing in thickness as they drove in, but the gold was exceedingly fine, and would nefccessitate the use of quicksilver to collect it. I The next claim to the prospectors' is also on I gold to the amount of idwt. to the dish ; and another shaft sunk on this claim also gave payable prospects. The washdirt lies on a reddish cement bottom, in which fine gold can be distinctly seen. Several parties are sinking for the main bottom, and one or two I shafts have already reached a, depth of over | thirty feet. Further progress was, however, Hslayed by foul air, until fanners or windlasses Hcould be provided to drive it out. The miners Jare sanguine that if this is not a main lead, ono will be found at no great distance from it, and are most assiduous in their endeavors to get I down and test the ground, I observed that your I < BpooiftlV juhls report upon tho Sowcitowvlw

. — ■ '■-"■■ tj . rush, commented rather strongly ou the tracks fliriv. Should ho ever Visit this pluce, T \uutl.l Riiyftre6l that a part of his oquinwcjil should const*! of n life-bolt nncl thigh boots."

The oiliror in charge at (ho Wuimoa reports Unit there ia a considerable numbor of miners Working on tho socoml, third, and fourth terraces, Scandinavian Rush, sorno of whom are earning high wages. On 'the second terrace ono or two of tho claims aro paying each shareholder from L2O to L6O per, week. There aro six places of business on this terrace and seven on tho fourth, but no store has yet becu erected on the third. The track to tho fourth terrace is impassable to horses, and in consequence storekeepers have to employ men to carry their goods up. During the fortnight no crime was reported at the AVaimea Camp.

A public meoting has been convened for this afternoon, of lolders of sections encroached upon by Church Reserves, for tho purpose of promoting measures for the protection of their equitable interests. It will be remoinbered that on his last visit to the district, his Honor the Superintendent expressed the opinion that these reserves were illegal — not being within the meaning of the law, reserves for " public purposes" — and based his opinion upon tho declaration of the AttorneyGreneral to that effect.

In his fortnightly report upon the Totara district, the officer in charge at Eoss, states that no mining event* of importance had taken place, although the population was both numerous and increasing. No crime had been reported since his last communication, save the theft of a leather 'apron out of Cobb's coach, on the night of the 14th inst.

The Totara escort left town yesterday morning, and will return this evening, with the proceeds of gold of that district during" the last fortnight.

Yesterday afternoon an unfortunate woman, who is subject to epileptic attacks, applied to Mr Commissioner Sale far admittance into the district hospital. Singular to relate a fit seized her whilst she was standing at the door, and she fell into convulsions, and had to be convoyed to her residence upon a stretcher. This occurrence gave riso to a rumor in the evening thut a horrible crime had been committed, and a woman so seriously injured that her life was despaired of.

The attempt to construct- a dam across the south arm of the river has this time succeeded, aud on Saturday last tho work was declared finished by the Contractor Mr Edgar, and an official inspection invited. The dam is simple, being nothing more than a row of vandyked piles closely interlaced with bush, against which it is oxpoctod the river will cast up a bank of sand and gravel, and thus effectually bldck the channel. As the structure has already withstood ouo heavy flood we prosume it may bo quoted as a success, aud the fears entertained that tjie liver was likely to desert its present bed, be for the presont dismissed.

The " Provincial Government Gazette" contains a notice appointing Mr Sale to be chairman at any meeting that may bo held — under the provisions of the ordinance — for the purpose of tho olectiou of members for tho first Municipal Council in Hqkitika. '

We are informed by Mr Trencry, who arrived in town from Greyraouth, last night, that a fearful occurrence hapjiened during the afternoon, at Johnson's Melbourne Hotel, to a gentleman named Coutts, formerly of the Customs Department, who, either accidentally or by design, there shot himself dead. The details of this distressing affair are not known ; but we presume an inquest will be held to-day, at" which the matter will be thoroughly sifted.

As we anticipated, the prisoner Patrick Downs, who escaped from the District G-aol on Saturday last, has since been recaptured, and once more occupies his oil quarters, clothed in the identical suit he was n't such pains to return to the authorities. When his escape was known, a number of police were despatched in pursuit, and their unremittin * exertions to re-capture him were rewarded by success on Tuesday morning last, when he was arrested by constable Cashion in the bush, at no givnt distance from the Islay Hotel, Upper Gibson's Quay. It appears that the constable's suspicions were exuited by seeing a man, whom lie recognised as an old mate o^ Downs, strike into the scrub a few hundred yards on, the Kanieri side of the above hotel. He immediately followed him at a respectful distance, and had not proceeded far when he saw Downs approaching, aud whilst the two men were conversing, he crept quietly up and nailed his man, no resistance beinij oifered. The prisoner was brought before the bench yesterday morning, charged with being illegally at large, was committed to take his trial at the next Supreme Court Sittings, and in the meantime to work out his original sentence.

AVc take the following from the (% Lyttelton Times" :—": — " Tho firot steam cultivator has penolrated the soil of our extensive Canterbury plains, we are. happy to state, and with every probability of success. After many, difficulties the steam machinery and implements consigned to A. L. Powy's, Esq., have been delivered safely by Messrs Belcher and Fairweathor, at the Waiptu-i Flat, in the large packages as thej' arrived at port, per David Brown. Such is the perfection of manufacturing, packing, &c, of the far-famed firm of the Messrs Howard, of BeJford, for such a voyage, that the whole was regularly taken and put together, so far up the country, by Mr Woolfe, aided by his son, and a few farm laborers, without even a pin being found wanting, or a screw deficient. On September 3, immediately the whistle gave the signal, tho massive and elegant engine moved majestically over the varying trackless hill and plain to the paddock marked out for commencing operations, with all the ease and safety of an ordinary dray, drawn by ox or steadiest horse-power. Wo shall lose no time in giving more minuto details of the construction and working of this new and welcome importation. In the meantime we may here briefly add. that tho engine is almost entirely constructed on anew principle under patent by the Messrs Howard, and from those who have seen all former methods for cultivating land by steam power at home, we hear it far exceeds every previous invention introduced for the pin-pose." The "Lyttelton Times"" states;— " The first instalment of the Great Southern Eailway will be opened on tho 15th October. A faint hopo is entertained that his Excellency Sir G-eorge Grey may be inclined to honor the people of Canterbury with hi? presence on this OPPd»lon,"

The luvercargill papors report a " rush" to Sk'wai'L's Islaud, whore- it is reported iljat a lieli golclfleld has been discovered.