West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 649, 23 October 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1867.

We believe there is a very fair opportunity of securing a visit of" Prince Alfred to Hokitika, if theproper measures are timely taken. We learn that Her Majesty has expressed a special wish that her second son should make himself acquainted with the various phases of social lite and settlement in old and new New Zealand, and has conveyed an autograph letter to his Excellency Sir George Grey, requesting him to provide His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, with every facility for making himself acquainted with this part of Her Majesty's dominions. It is very certain that the Prince is not particularly pressed for time. There is no special reason why he should be in a hurry to get back to the old world. He has seen almost every phase of European life — has lived amongst the gaities of continental capitals, aud the vaov^ ipedgte festivities of England,

He has taken kindly to tho sea ; and may naturally be supposed to have all the ardent relish of a young adventurous man, for the novelties of foreign travel, and the new features of scenery and society presented to him in the course of his travel. As tho Empire at present is at peace, with the exception of the reported declaration of war against Abyssinia, there is no special requirement for the immediate return of tho Galatea to British waters, or for her being commissioned for war purposes. The Galatea and her royal commander would r.o doubt do effective service against any of the Queen's enemies, in the event of hostilities breaking out. But as there appears to be no near probability of either ship ov commander being required for warlike service in behalf of their country, the Duke of Edinburgh may as well take the opportunity of seeing as much of the new world as he can, after travelling from the antipodes to visit it. An extra delay of a month or two in the return of the Galatea, would not make any very material difference to the safety of the three kingdoms, or of the colonial empire ; to the peace of mind of the Board of Admiralty ; or to the parental anxiety of her Majesty the Queen. Let the Prince make the most of his opportunity of seeing what is to be seen of the Australasian colonies, and of their various aspects of social aud public life.

His Royal Highness is going to Wellington, aud is to be conducted from that extensive and lively city, ou v tour through the Maori country and amongst the "native" subjects of the Queen. He is to perform various journeys " overland." He is next to reach Christchurch, a very dead-alive town .which can scarcely fail to afflict him with an oppressive sense of the sleepiness that attaches to some parts of the colonial, as well as of the home, empire. From Christchurch it is said the Duke is to proceed to Dunedin, where, however, the preparations to receive him are very backward Why should not His Royal Highness spend a week or ten days in paying a visit to Westland, a district which ought to possess unusual attractions to him ? His journey over the intervening ranges, would probably be about the most romantic aud memorable of his Australian experiences. In few parts of the world is there to be seen greater sublimity, or a more varied picturesqueness, of scenery. We are in a position to state that nothing more impressed the mind of Sir Geo. Grey during his Excellency's tour through the Middle Island, than the grandeur and beauty of the mountain passes through which he travelled on his journey from Christchurch to Hokitika. In this district itself the Duke would find many phases of the growth of the Queen's Colonial Empire, which have scarcely their type elsewhere. Westland differs signally in many respects from the other gold colonies; and we know of no part of Her Majesty's dominions which is more calculated in its present stage of development, to impress forcibly the mind of a scion of the Royal house, with a sense of the enormous vitality and vigor of that English life which is reproducing itself I in every part of the globe where there is land to be reclaimed and enterI prise to be achieved.

We have no doubt that the Duke of Edinburgh would be glad to visit the district if he were asked to do so. We have no doubt that his Excellency Sir George Grey, to whom the conduct of His Royal Higlmess's movements in NewZealandseems tohavebeen specially entrusted by Her Majesty, might be readily induced to include a visit to Hokitika in the royal programme. And there are no difficulties that we can conjecture lying in the way of such an arrangement. The question of expense could be very easily disposed of. Westland can better than -any otber other part of New Zealand afford to entertain the Queen's son right royally. Of course our demonstrations of welcome would be less artificially and elaborately prepared than in the case of older towns. But they need not on that account be less impressive or less gratifying to our guest. We have sufficient appliances to entertain a young officer, who, if he has been accustomed to the luxurious accommodation of Wiudsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, has also been subject to the discipline of a man-of-war, in which he has passed through the grade of midshipman and lieutenant, until he lias reached the dignity of a postcaptain. Under the best of circumstances, life on board a frigate is somewhat different from life spent in. the saloons of a palace; and a young sailor, although of royal lineage and traiuing, could very easily " put up" with the kind of accommodation we could give him in Hokitika. And in case of His Royal Highness's visit to us, we could ensure him a demonstration of welcome as much more effective than any thing he is likely to meet with in Christchurch, as was the case in our reception of Sir George Grey. „ We suggest therefore that the Municipal Council should take immediate steps to secure if possible a visit to Westland, of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Municipal Council is to moot this evening, at half-past Seven o'clock.

Tho Inspector of Weights and Measures hns mado a tour of inspection through certain quarters of the town, and has cautioned several persons against using spring balances and steelyards, and unstamped weights and measures. No seizures have been made, but we believe it to bo tho intention of tho Inspector at his noxt visit, to put the law in force. Tho articles seized will bo condemned, and owners summoned to tho Resident Magistrate's Court, where, on conviction, they will bo liable to a penalty of LlO for each defoetivo weight, or measure. It is somewhat singular that nono of the drapers in Hokitika have as yet complied with tho law, by sondiug thoir yard measures to bo tested and stamped. The tradesmen who usos unslampod yard measures is liable to tho samo penalty as the. erne who selU by unstamped weights,

Tenders aro invited from tho Provincia Engineer's Office, Hokitika, for putting down a groin on the beach opposite Moffat's right-of-way, so as to protect it from tho inroads of tho surf. The work is to be completed by Saturday next. A promising little rush has broken out upon the Three-mile creek flat, a short distance from the Blue Spur to\vii3hip. The prospectors bottomed at thirty-feet, and struck washdirt two feet thick that gave from idwt to 1 dwt the dish. Several other shafts have aho intersected tho same stratum of dirt, with equally good results. Wo hear pleasing accounts of the continued success of the Hau Hau lead miners, who now that water is plentiful, coctribute largely to the weekly gold return of tho district. As an instance of individual successes — wo may mention the claim of Patrick aud party, which has yielded loOozs during the last three "weeks. Mr J. Jones, late of Jones, M'Glashan, and Co., yesterday disposed at public auction, the premises in North Revell street lately in the occupation of Mr Hinchcliff, for tho sum of L 270. When shall wo hear of tho introduction of efficient crushing machinery to utilise tho vast beds of auriferous cement that are found about the Hau Hau lead and in the Big and Little Paddocks? Thousands of ounces of gold are imbedded in this cement, the value of which is fully recognised by the diggers, who, lacking proper appliances, are put to shrewd shifts to reduce it to a marketable commodity. Several kinds of hand-stampers have been improvised to meet the emergency, and — what we never heard of before on any goldficld — veritable threshing flails havo been introduced at the Big Paddock by, we imagine, an individual of agricultural experience. Truly this is a strange make-shift, and yet we a-o informed that it answers very woll, the cement being first calcined, aad then spread upon a " platform and thoroughly powdered by the above implement. So crude a process of course leaves one-half tho gold uncxtracted, but so rich is the cement that in the majority of instances excellent wa^os ii.-o made, and in a few even more. One or two claims at the western end of the Paddock are very valuable, picked cement taken from them having yielded as much aa forty ounces to tho ton. Wo hear that tho formation of a company to provide a fir3t-rate and extensive steam crushing plant 13 contemplated.

Thai tho reports which from time to time have reached Hokitika concerning tho late rushes in tho Buller district were very much exaggerated we never doubted, but at tho same time were scarcoly prepared to hear so disheartening a tale as one told us the other day by a gentleman who had just returned from a tour of the Mohikinui, Waito'u Pakihi, and other places. Our informant is a miner of known respectability, groat experience, and uuprejudiccd in favor of any particular pavt of the West Coast diggings, and wo can therefore accept his statement as reliable in.every respect. He says that Waito's Paikhi rush is an utter failure, and that tho diggers are leaving it in hundreds with thoir faces turned northwards in the direction of the newly discovered Mohikinui field. Small comfort, however, await* them there, the worth of the place haviug been entirely over estimatod, aud scandalously falso reports propagatod concerning it j for, insload of the ono and a half miles of payable lead said to bo opened there, tho claims on gold are confined to one moderately sized terrace, and do not number moro than from fifteen to twenty. A few of thorn are reported to bo very good, and are oxpocted to turn out from LSOO to L6OO per man, and the remainder, which of course constitute tho majority, will pay fair wago3. The country about the Mohikinui is excessively broken, and may be likened to a large plain, sown broad-cast witk a number of low hilla and terraces all densely wooded. Although a great m-vny have been prospected gold in payable quantities has not been found boyond the first terrace opened. Rumors of rich ground up tho river havo been circulated and accepted as reliable, inasmuch, that several exploring parties subsequently started in that direction, and according to another vague statement heavy gold was struck by ono or two of them. This however was not authenticated up to the time of our informant's departure from Mohikinui. Tho town there has grown up with wondrous rapidity during the last few weeks, and viewed from a distanco might bo mistaken for an important place. But a closo inspection reveals the fact that nearly one half of the buildings are niero shells, and uuinhabited, the owners who commenced building in a hurry, induced to do so by thoir own wild hopes, and the delusive accounts of tho riehnoss of the neighbouring diggings, being fain to wait until tho establishment of a really good diggings, either near tho coast or up tho river, would warrant tho oxponclituro necessary to complete them,

On Saturday morning, S. Worth, Esq., lato agent of the Union Bank, Groymouth (writes our correspondent) was presented with a testimonial, signed by upwards of thirty of tho leading business men of Groymouth. Tho testimonial, which is a beautifully illuminated sheet, mounted on codar, expressed the sincere regret of tho inhabitants of Greymouth at having to part with Mr Worth, who as a public servant and private citizen was held in tho highe3t esteem. Mr Maclean presented tho testimonial, with a few appropriate remarks, nnd regretted that a more substantial testimonial was not presented, which would havo been had time allowed. Mr Worth very feelingly replied, and said that this unexpected taken of respect — this expression of sympathy and esteem would bo valued and prized as long as ho lived. Ho thanked tho gentlcmon for their woll wishos, on behalf of Mrs Worth as woll as himself, and was sorry that ho had to part so hurriedly from tho circle of friends by whom he was surrounded. After partaking a friendly glass of wine and joining several rounds of cheers, Mr Worth left, as the steamor was about leaving for Dunodin.

A Greymouth correspondent writes : — The Wesleyan Bazaar, lately opened at tho religious institute, Groymouth, has proved a groat success, although tho woafcher was most unfortunate each ovening that tho Bazaar was opon, yet (ho Friends of Methodism, and tho public generally came forward in a most liberal manner, and a good nucleus fund is now raised towards tho orection of a now Wesloyau Church at Groymouth. The profits arising from the Bazaar amounts to about L2OO. Tho Committee havo still about LIOO worth of goods on hand, bosidos 3 cases of goods from Christ church and Otago in vessels now lying ia the roacUtead. With

which good tho Commiteo intend to open a supplementary Bazaar on the 26th and 27th of December, when the fund already raised for tho New Building will, it is expected be considerably augmented. The Committee feel greatly indebted to the Ladies of Greymouth and Cobden ; and also to the many friends who have contributed so liberally towards the Bazaar in aid of tho Building Fund, and hope soon to erect a building worthy of its great object. At a meeting of the Pacific Lodge, held last evening, two brethren were raised to tho sublime degree of Master Masons. A Lecture on the tracing board in the second degree, was given by the W.M. of the Lodge, Brother Rice. We hear that every available yard of ground has been taken up in tho mauy sluicing gullies and terraces, that lie between Ross and Donoghue's, by a small army of miners who are impatiently waiting for the completion of the Totara head race, which is being constructed to supply them with, water. No doubt can be entertained of the value of the ground, which has been proved to contain a great deal of gold, that only requires to bo submitted to a speedy process of collection to pay aplendidly.

We are delighted to hear that Jones' Flat tail race difficulty has been satisfactorily disposed of by the icnergy of the Committee and the shrewd action taken by Mr Warden Aylraor, who to overcome the disinclination of the diggers to subscribe the funds necessary to carry out the undertaking, adopted the old expedient of assessing the various claims according to their relative value. The poorer ground was rated at L 2 103 per share, and so on upwards to L 5 per share, the maximum amount levied. Promissory notes were then drawn out, stamped, and presented to the several shareholders/ who without a solitary exception, accepted them, and by this means L 550 was collected. Tho business people of Boss also responded most nobly to the call by subscribing L 250, so that LBOO of the LIOOO (the estimated cost of the work) is secured. The tail race has been commenced, and when completed will drain the flat to a depth of fifty feet, and so will dispose of that troublesome surface drainage which flooding the ground threw nearly five hundred miners out of employment. The tail raco, or rather tail tunnel will be brought up from tho level of Donnelly's creek.