West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 586, 10 August 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1867.

If we may judge from the tone of the "Grey River Argus," and the line of argument taken by that journal, we may assume that the public opinion of the northern town is in favor of Separation, but adverse to any kind of Separation that shall have the effect of attaching a greater political importance to Hokitika than to Greymouth. The idea of a capital south of the Teremakau, to which Greyraouth should be secondary, is unendurable to our friends. It is not that they bate Christchurch less, but Hokitika more. A letter in the "Argus," signed Coalhole, very frankly, and with pure Northern courtesy and good taste, puts the case thus : speaking of the League and the petition :—": — " Our vast resources in our coal mines have been cunningly alluded to by this League, in order to makr^ their petition of more importance, having no permanent resources of their own to depend upon, and thinking it would be a sop in the pan for us. We don't want it. Our superior port, the known healthy condition of our mining districts, together with our iuexhaustible seams of coal, at once establish this district of lasting importance, aud make it undesirable that we should connect ourselves with a few political adventurers located upon a sandspit, who may, at no distant period (having only goldfields to depend upon) prove to be a drag upon this prosperous district ! Let them petition, and so will we ; but let it .be understood that we don't row in the same boat, and consider we have as much cause of complaint against Hokitika for the manner in which we have been treated as we have against the Canterbury Government." Greymouth is evidently looking up. It has no political adventurers; no sandspit; it is prosperous, and wants no Hokitika to hang upon it as a drag. It does not desire to " connect itself with us. We have treated it as badly as the Canterbury Government has treated us. It is even asserted that the League has taken tho liberty of instituting an en-

with the trade of Greymouth. " What on earth," exclaims this remarkable individual yclept " Coalhole," " has Hokitika to do with our Customs returns?' The Grey, "it is very well known " — so says Coalhole — " has yielded for the last eighteen months a larger return of gold than Hokitika ?"' It may be very well known to the north of the Teremakau, but the information baa not penetrated to this district. There is much of the same tone in this letter of the " Grey River Argus " which the editor has admitted into his columns. But we are sorry to find that the paper itself endorses, to a very great extent, the views of its rabid correspondent. It docs not go to the extent of calliug us all a parcel of political adventurers living on a sandspit ; and it docs not repeat the silly boast of the gold export from the Grey exceeding that from Hokitika. But its general argument tallies well with that of its correspondent. It betrays the same jealousy of Hokitika, the same indisposition to have any capital iv the district' save itself. "I would rather be the first man in o small village, than the second in all Rome," said one of old. Greymouth would rather be the chief town of a goldfields territory carved out of the Nelson province, than consent to have a superior in a city lying within a few miles of it. " Hokitika is not Westland " says the " Argus." A trusism, but full of political significance. The head is not the whole body, neither is the arm. But a body must have a | head and au arm, if it is to do any work in this practical world. If Hokitika is not Westland, we presume it is the head town of Westlaud, and notwithstanding " Coalhole," both its imports and exports are the greatest in value in the Province. If any town in Westland were entitled to take the lead in this agitation, it was surely the principal town in the district. The " Argus " condemns the League for adopting a platform of total and absolute separation from Christchurch, j without more specially consulting Greymouth. But what would have been the result if the ultimate decision arrived at here had been left an open one until Greymouth had pronounced? It is | really too much to expect that men I should forget that this is, and must be, the centre of action ; or should agree to no definite conclusion as to the .thing to be asked for, and the terms in which it should be asked. The town of Greymouth did not originate the movement, nor does it seem to possess any public spirit that would have enabled it to do so. Nor should it assume a lead in this matter after all that has taken place. In fact, however, we discriminate between the utterances of the local newspaper press and that of the real, genuine sentiments of the people. Whatever cliquism may exist in Greymouth to stifle an honest discussion of important politicalvsuggestions,the heart and hand of the great bulk of the population of the Grey district are with us. If " Hokitika is not Westlaud," so neither is Greymouth. ' We have' seen no arguments of any validity yet adduced to prove that Greymouth interests would be better served by annexation to Nelson, than by the establishment of a system of local responsible legislation. It more truly belongs to this province than it does to Nelson. The "Argus" says: — "The Grey district is so intimately connected with the Nelson Province that its annexation appears quite a natural course to take. The Hokitika district has not those close relations with Nelson, and decides upon having a separate government of its own. There is no reason why each should not have its wish, nor why each should not aid the other. It would be very unwise of the Hokitika League to compromise itself by -arousing a spirit of opposition in the Grey district — as it assuredly will do if in the face of a public decision to the contrary it continue to include the Grey in its operations. There is not a single person to represent the Grey district in the League, and it ought not, to have been assumed, as it apparently has been, that the whole of Westland was bound to follow in the footsteps of Hokitika. We trust, therefore, that the leaders of the agitation in Hokitika will see the wisdom of avoiding future difficulty by leading the inhabitant? of the Grey to follow their own counsel. In that case they may hope for the frank co-opera-tion of this district, as far as that can be given without jeopardy to its own interests." We must protest against both the facts and the inuendo of this passage. No opportunity has been lost of securing the co-operation of Greymouth, and if it withdraws from us and sets up' on a platform of its own, it is certain of losing the game. It will drop the substance to follow the shadow. Annexation to Nelson is simply on impracticable crotchet. If it were otherwise we should denounce any agitation for it as a political absurdity. Greymouth has now the opportunity of asserting its rights in common with the whole of the West Canterbury district. Tf it will not give us its aid, we shall • have to fight the battle deprived of our natural auxiliary and ally. If Greyniouth is crotchety, let us not be so, nor expend our energies in a hopeless campaign. After all, our dependance is in the common sense of; the people, and whatever a Greymouth newspaper may say, we trust that the heart of the people there is as sound and healthy as it is here. •

Tho meeting of tho Wostland Separation League, hold last evening at tho Empire Hotel, was, in cousequetice of tho non-recep-tion of certain returns, adjourned until Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. After tho adjournment, the Council held a special meeting, at which it was determined to recommend to the [members of the Loague, at tho adjourned meeting, to bo hold on Monday, to cloct by ballot five additional members to serve on tho Council.

Tho Literary Sooioty met last ovoning at thoir rooms, in Rovoll street, Tho YiootP«m«

" The results of Thought" was read by the Secretary, Mr Whytlaw, which was listened to with great attention by the members, and at its conclusion a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Whytlaw for his paper. The next meeting of the society will be held on Friday evening, which is to be devoted to readings and recitations, We understand that a Choral Society is in course of formation in connection with the Literary Society. Telegraphic communication with Chriatchurch is still interrupted. The lineman started early yesterday morning to repair the wires, and it is to be hoped that communication will be restored during the day. It is uncertain when the coach will leave for Christchurch, and it is said that the suot lies very deep on Arthur's Pass. It will be recollected that a short time since a man named Carlysle, a patient in the Hospital, had his leg amputated below the knee. Yesterday, in consequence of certain unfavorable symptoms appearing, a consulta' tion was held, at which Drs Young, Rosettiand Ryley were present, and it was determined that in order to save life it was necessary to amputate the limb higher up, and the patient having been placed under chlorform, the operation was performed by Dr Ryley, and we hear that there is hope of the patient's recovery. The Alhambra from Melbourne via Dunedin and the Bluff, may be expected in the roadstead to-day. No communication could be had yesterday witli the Claud Hamilton, which proceeds to the Grey this morning, retnvning in the afternoon, when it is hoped the Yarra will be able to wait on her. At iv meeting of the Council of the Separation League held last evening, it was resolved that at the adjourned meeting of the League, to be held on Monday evening next, it should be proposed to ballot for five additional members of the Council, to make up the full complement of fifteen elected members, in addition to the five members for the district. ' Mr Warden Lightband, who was in town yesterday, fully confirms the accounts we " Grey River Argus" had previously received regarding the improvement of fche diggings up the river. He informs iis that the old mining districts of Noble's, Duffer's, Nelson's Creek, &c, &c, are recovering their population in a remarkable manner. The rush at Big River — or Slatcy River, as it is sometimes termed — is proving very good, the gold being similar in character to that obtained at Moonlight Gully — coarse and heavy. The development of the quartz reef at the latter place is progressing. 'The shareholders are sinking further down with the object of fully testing the reef, and intend to get up sufficient stone to make a crushing that will afford an index of the average quality of the reef. There is some talk of auriferous ground having been fouud between the Ahaura and the Amuri, the whole of which district is Bpoken of as presenting ex* cellent indications of mineral wealth. An experienced miner and explorer who has recently extended his pei-egrinations amongst the ranges to the northward, expresses his conviction that there is yet a vast extent of auriferous country awaiting the research and labor of the ( digger. The telegraph wire is still down ; no coach has made its appearance ; and we are left entirely without intelligence from the other side or the neighboring provinces. So long an interruption of communication has not occurred since the road between this and Christcliurch, and the telegraph, were first opened. In the opinion of those most competent to judge — and Mr Shepherd is, amongst them — the probabilities are that no coach will be able to get through the passes for some clays yet. It is not likely that with such weather as we have had lately, the heavy accumulated masses of snow have begun to decrease. It is much more probable, indeed, that if fresh snow has fallen, the existing deposits will have become hardened and consolidated by the intense frost. The snowed-up travellers will have a tale to tell when they reach either journey end! When warmer weather comes, and the snow once begins to melt we may look for extraordinary freshes in the rivers and heavy floods. Altogether the weather has been of a most exceptional character. Yesterday morning brought us the first real promise of a change. After a frost during the night of almost unprecedented severity, the sun rose in a clear sky, and has shone on imintemiptedly, although with little heat power. Where the sunYrays have fallen directly, the ice has thawed and the hardbound mud become soft again. But whereever shade has prevailed, the frost has remained unbroken. The atmosphere throughout the day has been remarkably clear and bracing, imparting an unwonted buoyancy to the spirits. The magnificent mountain scenery has been displayed to the very best advantage, the snow-covered summits of Mount Cook showing out in the clearest dofined outline against the unclouded sky. We sincerely trust that our late bad weather has passed over. . We hear that the snow is very deep in Arthur's Pass, and therefore it is hardly probable that tho coach will leave to-morrow morning for Christchurch. The lineman connected with the electric telegraph started early this morning to repair the line, so that we hope communication niay^be restored in the course of a few hours. A man, named David O'Brien, was brought into town yesterday morniug, from theTaipo.lo the Shamrock Hotel, suffering from an injury in the back, sustained on Tuesday last, whilst lifting a log in that district. He was removed to t.he Hospital in the course of the clay.

We understand that Messrs Cobb and Co. have engaged the stables lately erected in Tancred street by Mr Ricli, until they have determined on a site on which to erect new Btabling in the placo of tho buildings recently washed away at tho back of the Empire right-of-way.

Wo have to apologise to the Roman Catholic clergy for an omission in our roport upon the District Hospital, published in Thursday morning's edition. The concluding paragraph refers to the weekly visit paid to tho institution by the Church of Englnud incumbent, the Venerable Archdeacon Harper, and, from its tone, an inference would be very naturally deduced that he alone, of the several gentlemen at tho head of the religious denominations in Ilokitika, voluntarily ministered spiritual comfort to the many sick and ntliicled at the above institution. Such, indeed, was the impression of our reporter, as ho made particular enquiries upon the subject, and received direct answer thivt tho Avohdoiieon alone paid regular yisite ty the Itopitylj fhp $}w dwjfywwi

merely attending when called in. This was a mistake ; for we have since ascertained that the Rev. Mr M'Donogh, the Roman Catholic curate of this town, is most punctual in visiting the institution, often crossing the river twice a week, and that at seasons when the journey is not unattended by danger. We are sincerely sorry this correction is necessary, believing that £one of the chief aims of the journalist should be to accord honor where honor is due.