West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER. 24, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 650, 24 October 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER. 24, 1867.

To the District of Westlaud is assigned the distinction of being the theo.tve of an entirely novel experiment in local Government in New Zealand ; and the working of the Act which 'has just been passed, creating it a County, with a representative Council holding exclusively administrative, and not legislative, functions, will no doubt be watched during the year in which these new institutions will be especially on their trial, with no small interest by the whole of the Provinces, Canterbury, of course, is most alive to the importance of the change in public policy which the Act just passed has initiated. Even the injustice perpetrated upon the separating district of the Province by Mr Moorhouse, our representative, and the holder of a great trust reposed in him— greatly as it will relievo the finances of East Canterbury at our expense — has not reconciled our friends on the other side of the intervening range, to a change which means a loss of territory and of prdstige. Until now, we were told to " take ourselves off," and cease to be an incumbrance upon people who did not care for us. But the tone of talk is altered. It is felt and acknowledged — felt with bitterness — that the once proud Province of Canterbury is only a " remnant " of its former self.

The working of the new form of 'Government created for Westland, will have a material influence upon the final solution of the question which day by day is being brought more prominently into the foreground. The absorption of legislative powers by the General Assembly, and the consolidation and enlargement of ' the administrative functions in the hands of the local Boards, will effect a material revolution in the institutions of the Colony. The exercise by the several Provincial Councils of an independent power of legislation as well as of administration, has hitherto been justified on account of the necessity of prompt legislative action in the case of young settlements formed under circumstances peculiar in each individual case, and the difficulty and delay of communication with a central seat of legislation and government. The "Press" quotes from a speech delivered by Mr Godley, one of the founders of Canterbury, delivered at a public meeting to consider an enquiry from the Governor, whether the settlers wished to have their district formed into a separate province, in which he said, supporting an affirmative reply : — " Where a new society, like this, is formed under conditions in many respects unprecedented, an urgent want is felt for an ever present, ever-living fountain of authority and law ; new institutions must be framed to meet emergencies, and men must be taught and made to perform duties to which they have never been accustomed. Every step in the formation of a new community needs the sanction and regulation of a new law ; and requires, moreover, in the lawgiver an intimate local and personal acquaintance with the details to be provided for. We want a law for the administration of our pasturage, a law for the making and repairing of our roads, laws for the regulation of our hospitals, and schools, and cemeteries, for facilitating common drainage, for establishing ferries. The crude and imperfect state of our social relations makes a present active Government peculiarly necessary to us. And this is exactly what we cannot have without a restricted and local jurisdiction. For all practical purposes we might almost as well be governed from England as from Wellington. Our interests and requirements, however important to ourselves, are not so to our governors, and we cannot get them attended to."

At the time when these words were uttered by one of the most illustrious of the fathers and founders of New Zealand, the circumstances of the young settlement of Canterbury undoubtedly justified them. And indeed in some respects they are still remarkably pertinent to the case of our own district. The words might have been adopted as the motto of the League — " When a new society is formed under conditions in many respects unprecedented, an urgent want is felt for an ever present, ever living fountain of authority and law." But since Mr Godley spoke, the colony has greatly advanced in facilities of intercommunication, and most of the circumstances have ceased tnat required special district legislation. The tendency is decidedly and very properly to assimilate and consolidate the laws of the colony, and to promote its unifaction as a State of the Empire, instead of a cluster of divided settlements without any identity of interest.

Westland is perhaps the one district of New Zealand which, more than any other, requires a distinctive legislation ; and it is Westland, therefore, where the new experiment of dispensing with Provincial legislative institutions can be tried under the most favorable — because the most testing — conditions. If a County Council, possessing full administrative functions, but with the further power only of recommending — not enacting — legislation, becomes a success here, a practical and decisive proof will be afforded that the time has come when what has hitherto been understood as the Provincial system may be superseded throughout the Colony, by simpler and less costly,

though not less efficient, institutions of local government. It should be the care and the pride of the public -of Westlaud to let this great experiment have fair play. Its progress will be watched. Its success or failure will have an important influence upon the future political developments of New Zealand. All will depend upon the class of men who are sent into the County Council, and upon the appreciation that body entertains of the nature of the position it holds, and of the functions assigned to it.

Cobb's coach arrived from Christchurch at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, with ike following passengers, all through: — Messrs. Hunter, Robinson, Thompson, Mrs Self and child, and three wayside passengers. The road is reported to be in good condition, and the rivers low.

Mr James Hog.xn, whoso benefit at the Prince of Wales Opera House took place on Tuesday night, must be well satisfied "with tho substantial response made to hi 3 appeal to the public. There was a very capital house indeed, and tho performances went off with considerable spirit. Mr John Dixon had been announced to play the leading part in the drama of the Rebel Chief, but his place was supplied by Mr Joyce, who, considering the short notice at which he played, acquitted himself very creditably. Mr Joyce apologised for Mr Dixon's non-appearance, and explained that he was suffering from a serious attack of influenza, occasioned by his exertions in connexion with the late election. We understand stand that Mr Dixon's first appearance on any stage is only deferred for a time, and that he will shortly seek another opportunity of making his dramatic debut.

We aro indobted to the courtesy of Mr W. S. 'Lockhart, for files of Sydney papers brought by the schooner Jane Lockhart. They are to the Sth inst., and contain little intercolonial news of importance. Tho following telegraphic . items are from the "Empire" of the Bth :— " Albury, Monday, Oct. 7 — " There is a high flood hare, a great many houses have been abandoned. The water is rising fast in Lbe streets. Communication with Victoria is entirely cut off. No Melbourne or Sydney mails have been received for three days. Accidents to the mail have been reported Melbourne, Oct. 7. — Messrs Frazer and Co. offered at auction, to-day, the cargo of sugars, ex King of Trumps. The cargo was, however, withdrawn for higher prices than those offered to-day. It, was proposod to-night to sot apart a special day for races on the arrival of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, and £2000 was added to the present, vote for the season. Five hundred tons of Victorian flour have changed hands at from £11 15s to £12 per ton. Brisbane, Oct. 7. The Lady Young, steamer, was wrecked on a rock near Bustard Island, on Saturday. The passengers were taken ashore in boats, and as soon as the steamer was got off the rock she steamed ashore. The damage can be repaired. Its extent has not been ascertaiued."

The Resident Magistrate on Tuesday last, stated in Court, that for the future he would not allow a party to a suit in a civil case to appear by an agent, unless the agent produced a deed vesting in him the powers of an attorney. A mere written authority to act in that particular case, would not be sufficient.

Mr and Mrs Lachlan McGowan take a farewell benefit at the Prince of Wales Opera House, on Saturday evening, prior to their departure for Melbourne. These versatile avtists have been connected with Mr Bartlett's Dramatic Company for tho last twelve months, and during that time won much popular favor. Wo shall be glad to find that they had a bumper house on tho occasion of their benefit. The pieces to be performed on the occasion will be found in our advertising columns.

The beach protection work, between the Empire and Moffat's rights-of-woy, is being pushed on with rapidity, and will, we oxpect, be finished to-day. It merely consists of a row of fascines, sunk a few feet in the sand, with their upper ends at an angle with tho run of the surf. Works of this simple character are more likely to produce the desired effect than those of a more cumbrous and expensive kind, as witness the fascino works upon the North Spit, which havo entirely answered the purposo of their construction, and proved far more efficacious thau the unsightly and dangerous groin that was built close to them. At the same time wo arc confident that, something more substantial than a mere brushwood fence is needed to resist the surf bctwecu the above right-of-ways, where the beach, having been cut down to almosL a dead level, offers little or no restraint to the onward rush of the rollers.^ We fear that nothing will save Revell street but a good, substantial breakwater, backed, as we stated in a former issue, with brushwood and any kind of rubbish that would bo likely to collect .and retain the sand as it washed-up. The "Provincial Government Gazette" notifies the appointment of Chas. John Halliday, Esq., to be " a warden's clerk on the West Coast Goldfieids." The notice is signed "James A. Bonar, Goldfieids Secretary," is dated Hokitika, September 5 ; is published in the " Gazette" at Christcliurch on tho 18th October ; and reached us by post on tho 23rd Octobor. We understand that "The Dobson Mo memorial," in the form of a very handsome monument, was landed the other day from the Lizzie Coleson. From this we infer that it was constructed in Sydney. Although the Lamplough diggings are not eery eutensive, consisting only of a narrow lead, that rarely exceeds twenty-five feet in width ; the claims which ocoupy it are as a rulo exceeding rich — and a few of them will yield "lobs" of gold to tho lucking shareholders. Ono party have already realised LIOOO per man, and expect to gross LI7OO out of their cluim, whilst many others will share from LSOO to LBOO out of olaiins that were taken up and deserted half-a-dozen times during the shepherding days, according as tho supposed direction of tho lino of yield fluctuated. Wo aro glad to hear that tho lead is being traced in a northerly direction, another hole having bottomed at eighty feet, upon a bed of highly auriferous cement.

II was amusing (says a Wellington paper) to watch the faces of certain hou. members while his excellency was reading his prorogation speech, and while the Clerk of the Parliaments was formally intimating tho decision of her Majestyfs Representative on the various Bills passed during the session. Mr MoorhoußO, tho Superintendent of Canterbury, did not Beem at all ploased at hearing tho words pronounced wjueli deprived

Canterbury of Westland totally, and of Timaru and Gladstone partially, and still less on hearing that portion of the speech that alluded in congratulatory terms to the passing of the measures he had so strongly opposed. When the Divorce Bill wa9 not named among those assented to, but au intimation made that it had been reserved for the signification of her Majesty's pleasure, we fancied we could detect a gleam of satisfaction and perhaps hopeful expectancy on the expressive countenances of Messrs Acland, Haughton, and O'Neill. The hon. Mr Johnston did not seem to at all coincide in the Speaker's views regarding the Public Debts Bill. So with many other Bills, their transmutation from Bills into Acts, and into law, raised many lights and shadows on the faces of then. 1 late supporters and opponents.

Tho following is a fuller telegram with reference to the renewed hopes of Leichardt being yet alive than has previously been published. It is dated Bg.wen (Queensland), Oct. 3 : — " News has been received from Burketown. Among other items, one gives hope of the existence of Leichardt, or one of his party. Captain Cadell, whilst exploring the Roper, close to Leichardt's position, heard of .a solitary white man living with the blacks, who had a very white beard down to his waist. He was out turtling when the Eagle was there, so Captain Cadell could not get to him ; but ho is endeavoring to get on his track. The Eagle left Sweer's Island on the Ist September for Adam Bay, expecting to be two months longer on the coast." Commenting upon the telegram, tho " Empire" of the sth instant says :—": — " As to tho solitary white man living in these wilds, we are very i far from jumping to the conclusion that it is Leichardt, or any one of his companions, It i 3 now twenty years since his party left the settled districts of the colony ; and although instances are known of Europeans living with the blacks for a much longer period, ifc is scarcely within the limits of probability at least that the individual now spoken of can be Leichardt himself. That it may be a younger member of his party is by no means so improbable ; and, whether or not, we hold to the opinion that if the explorer were beaten back by drought as Gregory was, or by inundations as M'Kinlay was, or through any other cause, nothing would be more reasonable than he should turn north upon his former tracks, for the purpose either of resting and refreshing his party in a fine country, or making for Port Essington in hopes that search might be made for him there as it 'was before. Upon these points we shall have to wait for further intelligence." Ori tho same subject we quote the following extract from a letter, signed "An Old Squatter," in the " Morning Herald :" — "Having noticed the telegram from Bowen, having reference to a white man's being in existence in tho far Norlh, who is supposed to bo one of Leichardt's party, I desire to let you know some facts in connection with tho lamented Doctor's final departure from Darling Downs, in the end of 1847 (I think I am correct in the year). I was at the time resident on the Canning Downs Station, adjoining that of Rosenthal, where Leichardt was also staying with his friend and countryman, Mr Frederic Bracker. This gentleman is now residing on his squattage, Warroo, in Queensland. The evening before the Doctor's start he paid us a visit to bid us good-byo, and whilst there, a Scotchman, named William Stewart, who wa3 occupied as a bullock watchman in travelling with teams, expressed a determination to go with Leichardt. His antecedents argued strongly in favor of his application, and the Doctor decided upon taking him. The lost words Stewart said to me wore, ' Never give me up, sir, for if the whole party were overcome I can always work my way amongst the blacks ; if accident or illness do not carry me off, I'll see Swan River. Stewart had formerly been a convict at the Moreton Bay station, and, having made his escape, he wandered for certainly twelve — I believe seventeen — years amongst the v then perfectly wild blacks in tho Richmond and Clarence districts. He could climb trees, secure game by use of spears or boomerangs and was perfectly independent as to a provision of food. He had a perfect knowledge of the native roots, yams, &c. He was a thick-set man, light complexion, and apparently of iron constitution. I shall not bo in the least astonished .to find, should tho report prove true as to tho existence of a white man (one of Leichhardt's party) in the locality described, that ifc is William Stewart. Stewart told me also that he would always work his way to the coast, in the event of the party being lost, and lie survive theni." The following statistics were read to the House of Representatives by the Speaker just before the prorogation. The number of days over which the session lasted was 94, but the majority of the members did not reach Wellington till some time after the session had been formally opened. Out of this number tho House sat on 58, sitting on 33 days after midnight, to, on an average, nearly two o'clock. The total number of hours of sitting was 520, and tho average length of the sittings was only 4 minutes short of 10 hours. No less than 120 Bills were brought in, of which 94 passed both. Houses. There were 61 petitions presented, and 29 Select Committees appointed, many of them on subjects of great importance, requiring much consideration and researoh. From these statements it will be evident that a member who conscientiously attends to business before the House has no sinecure ; and if, in addition to the ordinary business, he is of sufficient standing with the House to be in request on Select Committees, there is probably no period of the year when he is so conI stantly and so laboriously employed as during I the three months he spends at Wellington.