West Coast Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 641, 14 October 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1867.

The " Lyttelton Times " ' refers to the proof afforded by the Provincial Council of Canterbury iv its dealing with the affairs of Westland, of the happy and successful working of Provincial institutions. We have never underrated the value of the Provincial system of government, where the Province governed under it is self contained, having sympathetic and harmonising interests. We quite endorse the opinions of our Christchurch contemporary, when he says :—": — " Provincial institutions in New Zealand act as a balance or check to the exercise of uncontrolled power by the central authorities. While the people are familiarised with the discussion of public matters, and their legislators are trained to the exercise of deliberative powers in the Provincial Councils, public opinion finds a meaus of weighty and forcible expression. The Provincial Councils are, in the circumstances of this scattered colony, the best illustration of the liberty and the duty of the people to assemble and deliberate upon the affairs of the Commonwealth."

But surely no more unhappy illustration of the soundness of these views,aud of the successful working of Provincialism in Canterbury, could have been afforded than the treatment by the Council during the past session of Westland affairs. 4 The " Times " says — " We will take \is sufficient for our purpose the testimony of Messrs Stafford and Hall in bringing forward the measure by which Westlaud was separated from Canterbury. In Mr Hall's speech we have the most ample and conclusive evidence that Westlaud was treated throughout with fairness and even generosity. The justice of the measures passed for that district, and the care taken to make them specially applicable to it, were both commended by him. The only ai-guments used by him for separation were a certain incompatibility of temper, and occasional delay from the distance between Christchurch and the West Coast. 5 '

The " Lyttelton Times" must surely wish to impose upon people who have not taken the trouble to read the elaborate speech of Mr Hall. What is the evidence afforded by that speech, of the " fairness and even generosity'" with ' which the Provincial Council dealt with Westland affairs and revenues ? Did Mr Hall cite the mutilation of our estimates in order to create a surplus revenue at the risk of whatever damage might result to our interests, as an instance 'of justness and generosity ? Did he ask the House of .Representation to endorse the utterly tyrannical action taken by the Council,jin so amending the land resolutions sent down to it, as to annihilate the right of the digger to enter for mining upon purchased land ? Did he not point to this as the great act of wrong of the session ? Did he not direct marked attention to the fact that this vote of the Council was felt to be such an intolerable act of oppression, that the whole of the Westland members retired from the House in a body in protest against its wanton injustice ? And did he uot tell the Assembly that the resolutions thus passed were felt by the Provincial Government to be of so adverse a character to the most important interests of this district, that they, refused to send them up to tho Assembly? Mr Hall may havo deemed it more prudent to base his case mainly upon the argument that the circumstances of the two districts of the province were essentially distinct, and that their interests possessed nothing in common ; but it is surely a forced interpretation to put upon his speech, to say that it is an argument in vindication of the "fairness aud geuerosity and the judgment and care, with which Westland was treated throughout."

The " Times," in another part of its leader, refrains from quoting MiHall's speech as testimony in favor of its assertion that the Separation of Westland lias been " the result of a hastily got-up demonstration on the part of a few disappointed local politicians." It is Mr Moorhouse, not MiHall, who is its authority for this. Let that be passed, however, with a single observation. It is not for Mr Moorhouse to speak iv terms of bitter anger about "disappointed politicians." To -what extent our representative has done injustice to his constituents, in inducing tho General Assembly to impose upon them liability for the lion's share of the provincial debt, is very fairly and forcibly put by our Canterbury contemporary the " Press," in the following passages, which wo quote from a leading article in its issue of Tuesday last : —

With respect to tho debt we are inclined to agree that Westland has been hardly treated. Tlie Bill, ns it was introduced, referred tho apportionment of the public debts of the province to arbitrators nominated by tho Governor and the Superintendent, with power in case of disagreement to appoint an umpire. To this an amendment was carried by a largo majority, defining tho liability of the two parts of the province for the permanont debt in proportion to the Customs revenue annually contributed by each— which will throw twothirds of the whole upon Westland. Now no one would for a moment dispute that every parb of tho province is liable for tho public dobts of tho province, and that if any part chooses to break off the connection and establish j,tsclf on a separato footing, it must tako with it a fair share of that liability. That principle has always been acted upon in tho constitution of provinces under the Now Provinces Act. Still, a priori it seems unfair that the district separating should havo to assume so largo a proportion as two-thirds ; more especially so when, as in tho presont instance, tho distriot has boon newly peopled, and. was not even. in. «»!•

tenco at tho time when the debt was contracted. It cannot bo said that, except a3 regards tho West Coast; road (the cost of which wo understand from the evidence of Mr Moorhouse before a Select Committee on tho Westland Bill is to be charged on the loan), Wesfcland has derived any benefit from the works for which tlis loan was undertaken. The tunnel, the Lyiielton and Chrislchureh Bail wag, Hie Great SoutJiern Hallway, the Lyiielton harbour works, are mailers which exclusively concern this side of the province ; and Uis a strange arrangement which throws two-thirds of the cost on t7te people of Westland, who have nothing whatever to do with tJwm, and would be not a shilling the richer if tJiey should prove largely remunerative. . . We are aware of course that under the new finance system the charges against; every province on account of loans will be deducted by the Colonial Treasurer from its sharo of the consolidated fund, but that is merely a matter of convenience. A 9 far as the revenue of tho province is concerned it can raake no difference whether these payments are stopped out of the consolidated fund or the land fund, but the provinces are accustomed to tho ono and would mistrust any interference by the General Government with, tho other. Besides, the security originally offered for the Canterbury loans was not the surplus revenue only, but the Provincial revenue as a whole, including the land fund, the Provincial s iarc of the surplus revenue, and revenue derived from miscellaneous sources. The whole of thiß income was by Act of the Provincial Council, assented to by tho Governor, pledged to the public creditor as security for the money lent ; and why, when the debt had to be divided between two parts of the Province, should it be divided in proportion to one item of revenue of which Westland happens to pay the most, leaving out of view another item winch is almost entirely raised in lEnitland ? We are strongly of opinion that if L 500,000 had been borrowed for the purpose of opening up the goldfields of the West (Joast, and it was now proposed to divide it in proportion to the territorial revenue raised on either bide of the Province, JEastland would cry out lustily against the injustice of such an arrangement ; yet that is very similar to what is actually being done. A much fairer plan would be lo charge the debt in proportion to the gross amount of revenue raised from all souree3_ in tho Province and County respectively. There would be no difficulty in computing tho amounts, for all tho revenue of Westlaud will pass through the hands of the General Government, as well as the two main items of revenue iv East Canterbury. This would throw about two-jifllis of the whole upon Westland, a proportion in excess of that allotted to it the other day by the " Lyttelton Times," and which, considering that only a tenth of the debt has been incurred on behalf, or expended for the benefit of, Westland, is surely quite as much as the district can reasonably be required to pay.

We should very much like to hear Mr Moorhouse make another speech from the window of the Commercial, with this article and his amended clause in the Westland Bill in his hand as a text.

We are glad to be in a position to state that Mr Stafford succeeded in introducing a clause limiting as much as possible the injustice attempted to be inflicted on us " by our representative," to the effect that the liability of Westlaud shall not. under any circuinstauces, extend to any loans beyond those already raised by tlie Canterbuiy Governuient. Intimation has also been received from the promoters of the measure, that the present settlement is regarded by Government as only a temporary one — subject to reconsideration in any future session of the Assembly.

In his evidence before the Select Committee on the Westlaud Petition', Mr Balfour gave information as to the rivers and harbors of the West Coast, with reference especially to the port of Hokitika, which he says he was sent down two years ago to inspect.

Mr Balfour stated that he had seen no port on the West Coast of the Canterbury province which was, or could be made, available for vessels of any burthen (meaning, we presume, auy great burthen). He had only '• seen," however, the two ports of Hokitika aud Okarita, aud " knew" of no other port south of the Grey, although he had '- heard that Bruce Bay was somewhat similar to the roadsteads of Tiniaru and Oamaru." Asked to state to the committee his opinion of the several ports on the West ©oast, particularising each, their respective distances from Hokitika, and the nature of the land communication between them, Mr Balfour gave an answer amounting to an essay, which we shall take a future opportunity of publishing in exlenso. Mr Balfour's evidence is generally to the effect that the bar entrances of the rivers are subject to great and constant changes, owing to the large quantities of shingle' brought down by the mountain torrents ; that no breakwater could b« constructed to protect tho rivermouths except at enormous cost, and then only of temporary efficiency ; and that the only thing to be done is to leave the rivers almo&t entirely to the action of nature. He has, no reason to suppose, however, that the rivers will not maintain an average depth over an average of years, and be perfectly sufficient as ports for the supply of the district, so long as prices rule so high as to allow of the employment of steam tugs and steam lighters; they may be worked by sailing vessels, but with much less certainly aud at much greater risk." He adds : t; For a heavy export trade, asjof coals or tl;e less precious metals, I do not consider the rivers suitable ports, as such bulky goods can only be carried economically in large vessels ; and, if such a trade is ever to be successfully carried on, other bar-less ports must be constructed on the coast, or the minerals must be carried by rail to existing and secure havens." Mi; Balfour then proceeds to enumerate the nine rivers on the Yv^cst Coast which he considers entitled to come under the designation of " ports." The Buller, he says, is considered by all ship-masters the best — having a moderate surf, with a bar often quite smooth, a varying channel sometimes diverging into two, and an average depth " said' to be not less than 12 to 14 feet at high water. The anchorage for large vessels under Cape Foulwind, he states, is excellent, and the shelter from prevailing

winds good. Fox's he describes as a small river, of only temporary importance, with a roadstead much exposed, and anchorage very bad, the bottom boing mainly flat-bedded rock. Port Elizabeth, three miles north of the Grey, and twenty-three miles from Hokitika, i 3 a natural bay of considerable extent, but very shallow, and capable of, if a careful survey sustains Mr Balfour's o pinion, of being made an excellent harbor at a very moderate cost.

Of Greymouth, Mr Balfour says the river has a very narrow channel, with a generally " permanent position' 1 " The channel over the bar is, however, constantly shifting within comparatively narrow limits." From the rapidity with which the water deepens outside, and the more westerly lie of the coast, •' there is usually a heavier surf here than atHokitika." The Teremakau, Mr Balfour says, has never been used as a port, owing to its proximity to better rivers. Hokitika, the witness describes as " a very fine river, but very liable to shift its entrance." Owing to the gradual deepening of the water outside, and the lie of the coast, " the surf is generally less than at other ports. Outside there is a good holdiag ground for large vessels, but the roadstead is quite open, and vessels generally put to sea on the appearance of bad weather." Okarita, Mr Balfour thinks, is susceptible of great improvement, but at a considerable cost, Of Bruce Bay he says, Captain Gibson, the Port Officer of Canterbury, describes.it a 9 "superior to Oaniaru or Tiniaru." Jackson's Bay is " a fine bay, with good anchorage." From this' synopsis of Mr Balfour's evidence we think it will be conceded that the information afforded to the Select Committee by that gentleman, on the subject of our navigable rivers, was of the most meagre and unsatisfactory character. With the exception of two rivers on the coast, he was in a position to speak only from hearsay. If any witness more conversant with the coastline had been examined, his evidence, if not more favorable to the pretensions of the district to maritime importance, would have been at least more precise and minute. - A mercantile witness; any man of business from Hokitika or Greymouth ; would have been able to inform the committee not as to the engineering " capabilities " of the Westland ports, but as to the actual commerce there was carried on in them. A Marine Surveyor may pronounce our harbor to be very bad, and to be iion-sus€eptible of improvement except at an enormous cost of engineering works. But what are the facts ? Through this port and Greymouth a population of from forty to fifty thousand derive their supplies, at infinitely cheaper rates than they can get them overland. Do not the Westlaud Cuscoms returns -tell the true story in this particular ? And does not this fact alone establish the allegation of the petition — that we are capable of supplying ourselves, and do supply ourselves by the seaboard, and are therefore independent of the East Coast ?

It will probably be thought that the evidence of Air Hall and Mr Moqrhouse on the petition, possesses the greatest interest, and with this we shall deal in our next.

The coach from Christchuaicli arrived on Saturday 'afternoon, shortly before three o'clock, with the following psasengers all through — Messrs Wilson and Beaumont. The rivei-s are reported to be still rather high.

Tho weather yesterday was rather unsettled. In (he morning, there was a heavy squall of wind ■and rain, but it cleared up about eleven a.m., and continued gloriously fiuo until evening, when thero was another very heavy fall of rain, mingled with hail.

Tiie following is the return of the Weld street gaol for the week endsd 12th October, 1867 :— Admitted, six males to hard labor ; discharged, five; remaining, twenty-eighb males to hard labor.

There was a rather better house at the Prince of AVales Opera House on Saturday night, when " Don Caesar dc Bazan" and "Michael Erie" were most successfully pub upon the stage. We regret to say that the performances of Saturday will most likely be the last which will be given for some time to come in the Prince of Wales, as, in consequence of the insufficient support he has received, Mr Bartlctt has deemed it prudent to close tho house. We understand that it is his intention to re-open the City Theatre with a small but efficient company.

A miner named Frederick Seymour, who has lately been engaged in playing the violin at Okarita, left that place at six p.m., on tht» Ist instant, for tho Three Mile Beach, where |ho has a claim. On the 4th instant his mate* came down to Okarita to inquire after him, and stated that nothing had been seen or heard of him since he loft Okarita. As the Three Mile Creek was vory high at the time it is feared that Seymour was drowned whilst attempting to cross it, and this ' fear has ia some measure been confirmed, for, on the sth instant, a mounted trooper picked up on the beach a portion of a violin, which Seymour hud in his possession when ho left Okarita. Seymour was about fifty-five years of age, and had been digging in the district for eighteen months. His real name is supposed to have bo Hanson, a native of Laurvig, near Christiana, Norway. Tho correspondent of the "Westport Times" at Addison's Flat, writing under date Oct. 8, says:— The crisis has arrived— by this I do not mean to frighten the business people more than they seoni to be at present. Tho place has just had to meet the demands of many who have waited as long as possible, fer their means, then obliged to press. One followed the other, until it shook the confidence of all. To add fuel lo the fire, the ExchangJ| Casino (a building that all said was before the times) was sold at auction for L2BO. A small price truly, but there are few men who care about laying that sum of ready money out in a placo so largo that ho fears he'd be lost, and so he would ; but the purchaser in this ca«q

will be found to be the right man in the right place, for if any one can make it pay Mr Sheehan will. But really to see the excitement on Monday last, and hear the anxious enquiries as to the probable future of this place, you would imagine that the ground had given in so far that the waehdirfc had gone out of Bight entirely, or that the mining population had deserted it to a mar.. Some went io far as to say that men whom I mew to be liarn at work on good claims at the time, had been, as they called it,, duffered out. But since then people seem to have come somewhat more to their senses. If they would but freely uso one of them they could see the dailyincreasing number of sluice-boxes at wort is not a sign that they are merely washing for amusement, and that some people must bo very fond of building if the lot of new and substantial places is any criterion. A great deal of damage has been done to ground between the first and second township through the breaking in of the creek during the late rain, which, no doubt, the numerous Warden's Court cases threatened will soon show. This, I take it, is a healthy sign, the ground being worthy of so much dispute. One of tho claims has been in go often that the expenses would have built a court of its own.

Returns have been presented to the House of Representatives by the Hon.the PostmasterGeneral, showing how often and how long the vessels have been behind time in arriving at Wellington and Panama, and the amount of the penalties imposed since the commencement of the Panama Steam Service. The first return extends over a period of fourteen months, but information of the result 9of eleven voyages only from Wellington to Panama had been received. Of these eleven trips, four were performed punctually to the day, two were completed in one day less than the contract time, three occupied an extra day each ; in one case the steamer was two days behind her time, but the penalty was remitted as the mails -were delivered in time for the outgoing steamer from Colon, and in the March trip the mails were delayed eleven days,but the penalty was remitted in this case also, as the delay was caused by a succession of severe gales and constant extraordinary weather. The voyages from Panama to Wellington have not been so regular as those to Panama. On the first occasion the steamer was punctual to tho very day ; in the next month two days were lost, but the penalty ■was remitted on account of the Rakaia having only in consequence of an alteration of time table five days at Panama to coal and refit for Ler return voyage. In the follo-niug month the steamer was eight days behind, and a penalty of LIOO was inflicted, the remainder being remitted for the same reason a 6 in the case of the Rakaia. The two succeeding voyages were regular, but in January of the present year one day was lost, and a fine of LSO was imposed. All the subsequent voyages dottn to July were more or less irregular, and penalties were inflicted amounting to 1395 ; the total sum of the penalties incurred by the company up to that time being L 545.