ROSSTOWN.

West Coast Times, Issue 588, 13 August 1867, Page 4

ROSSTOWN.

(FROSI THE BOSS GUABDIAIT, ATJOTJST 10.)

The new Church will be opened tomorrow week, when the Rev J. P. Beaumont will perform services, at 11 and 7 o'clock, and collections will be made in aid of the building fund. We hear that some black swans have been seen on Lake Mahinapua. These have no doubt crossed the ranges from Christchurch. where a large number were introduced by the City Council, in the belief that they would materially help in reducing the crop of water-cress which there grows so luxuriantly as to impede the flow of some of the rivers and check drainage. The luxury of a warm bath will probably be attainable in a few weeks, a spirited townsman having arranged for the erection of some. The contract for the Jones' Creek Aqueduct has been re-let to Mr Patrick Moran, and will, no doubt, be proceeded with as rapidly as the weather will permit, the contractor being bound to complete it in eight weeks ; and the WaterKace Company simultaneously will push on the works on this side of the creek, so as to make the water available immediately the aqueduct is finished. During the week the weather has been most inclement ; we have had a constant supply of the element in the form either of snow, hail, or rain, en-

livened with a brilliant storm of light-

ning on Monday night, and as hard a " blow as we ever experienced on the coast, Which sealed the fate of most of the remaining canvass tenements. Our communication with Hokitika has of course been considerably interrupted, but thanks to the energy of Mr Collins, we have had our mails regularly. A very able petition in favor of Separation has been drafted by the SubCommittee of the Westland Separation League. It sets forth very ably and temperately the many grievances of the district, and must carry conviction with it. On one point we differ with the compilers, and that is the important one of the disposal of Crown lands. We should have stated as a grievance that the agricultural leases provisions of the Goldfields Act bad been arbitrarily suspended, leaving us with no title to land,

and thus a profitable and most benefical

source of employment has been withheld. At the present time there are many who would gladly rent land if the leasing clauses were left to their operations, and we regret that such a simple object has not been sought instead of the pretended freehold system with legalised trespass. The yield of the Scandinavian mine for the week ending, 2nd August, was 123 ounces. Shareholders will be glad to hear that another L2O divided will be declared in a few days. Lately two parcels of money have been lost, and singular and creditable to relate, both have been restored to their owners. On June Bth, we advertised the loss of a pocket book containing deposit receipt?, L2O in notes, and other papers, this wt are glad to say was restored a few days since, having been found by the merest chance. Another loss of a large sum of money occurred ahout a fortnight since on a dark rainy

night. The roll of notes was fortunately

picked up by an honest man, who on receiving a true description of the lost property, restored it to its owner.

Horse-racing is an amusement we are unused to here ; but on the 2nd we had an earnest race, and for high stakes. The course was from Hokilika to Ross, and however improbable it may appear, the object of the riders was to get first into the hands of the bailiff. It appeal's that two parties had that day obtained judgment against the Ross and Hokitika Tramway Company, and each strove to get his execution first' served, and in their eagerness whipped and spurred unmercifully to the stable door. The difficulties of the company whose goods were the object of attachment are curiously illustrative of the checks which

enterprise meets with

The tramway

was commenced for facilitating the supply of fresh products to the mining claims by Messrs Thackeray, Hood and Baird, by whom about three-quarters of a mile of main road, besides branch lines, were made ; they then bethought them to form a company for continuing the line to Hokitika — a work most desirable for the advancement of this district — and reckoned on a large share of public support, but tlie merits of ths scheme did not nieet with appreciation, and the last visit of the Superintendent seemed to seal its fate. The shareholders, even the directors, refused to contribute their calls for the construction of works they had authorised, and in an attempt to obtain them at law the company's solicitor was obliged to apply for a nonsuit, owing to the imperfect registration of the company, under these circumstances the newly-appointed manager, Mr Knox, recommended the voluntary winding up of the company, to which a general meeting of Shareholders consented ; but this reasonable course has been frustrated by the action of creditors, who, on Thursday, submitted the works to the hammer, and obtained for the line, trucks, office, and such rights as the Company possess, the sume of L 196, the purchaser of the tramway being Mr Francis Moran. The field is now open for a new Company to give us tramway connection with Hokitika ; it would undoubtedly prove a very paying speculation if well managed as the traffic is large aud increasing, but in the absence of any euoouragement from Government, we fear there is little probability of private enterprise being attracted to it.

On Thursday next, the well-known Criterion Hotel will be submitted to auction. The premises are substan-

tially built, and would be very suitable for other besides hotel business, and from the value of the site should realise a good price-