West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 698, 19 December 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1867.

We are glad to learn that a movement has been started to secure the earlyclosing of retail shops in Hokitika. We believe the credit of this movement is due to the action taken by the drapers' assistants. Certainly no class of men feel the hardship of the present system cf shopping more severely. They have not only to toil through the hours during which their establishments are ostensibly and visibly kept open ; but long after the shop-shutters have been put up they have to gather the goods that have been displaced during the day, and to arrange everything to be ready for the next morning's traffic. Prom eight o'clock in the morning to nine .o'clock at night, are too many hours for any man to serve behind a shop counter, or indeed to be engaged in any business at all. In an age of competition we carry the labor point to an excess. Man is a machine requiring certain conditions for its accurate and healthy working. Physiologists tell us of the amount of pure air necessary to be inhaled during the day — of the requisite alternations of work, rest, and recreation. Chemists warn us of the dangers incident to the constant inhalation of impure gases floating in a vitiated atmosphere. The science of vital statistics has demonstrated how health and longevity vary according to fixed laws. And all evidences converge to one point. Labor is healthful, but its extreme is exhaustive. A diligent application to business and work strengthens the

[ faculties of mind and body, but too much devotion to work, and too long confinement in a close atmosphere are in the highest degree detrimental. The labor of the clerk and shop assistants is of necessity employments most exhaustive, and it is rendered the more so by the impurity of the atmosphere necessarily breathed within confined limits. In the Colonies there are no real inducements to late shopping hours. All families are in a position to suit their own convenience as to the hour of purchasing. If they choose to buy at night it is not because they could not just easily buy by day. It is simply the inheritance of an old habit, which might jus I; as easily be discarded as retained. There is surely not a lady amongst us who could not buy her silks and satins with equal convenience and with more advantage to herself during the hours of daylight than at night. The same thing maybe said of all ordinary shopping. Shopkeepers themselves have, of course, no special reason why they should keep open late. The practice is one which involves expense in lights and otherwise* which might well be avoided. Indeed, we believe that, with the exception of Saturday nights, there is very little shopping done after what may be called the lighting-up hour. If the whole of the shops in town were closed before kerosene was brought into play, their owners would find that they had not taken any less money over their counter, whilst they would have saved a good deal of expense on the other hand. This matter of early-closing is partly a shopkeepers' aud partly a customers' question. It is after all, the customers who will decide it. So long as there are kte buyers, so long there will be late sellers. This has been the great obstacle to the success of all early-closing movements. If trading is to be done after any fixed hour, it may be certain there will be those who will not keep their shutters up. We can only say again ; if the shopkeepers' assistants are to succeed in their movement to obtain early hours, it must be by an appeal chiefly to their employers' customers. We will aid them to the utmost of our power in making that appeal.

The new official arrangements connected with the introduction of the Westlaud Bill are being rapidly organised. Mr Winter, the present Sub-Treasurer of the district, has received the responsible appointment of " County Paymaster," which will place him at the head of tho financial department of tho district. No appointment could be announced more eminently calculated to givo public satisfaction. Mr Winter has been a very hard-working aud faithful public servant since he has held office hero ; and it may not be inopportune to mention that during a recent session of the Provincial Council a resolution to augment his salary was proposed and seconded by the two members for Hokitika, and cordially acquiesced in by the Provincial Government. The motion was carried out of respect to himself personally, and in recognition of the services he had rendered to tho public. We understand that sub-paymasters will be appointed throughout the county, who will be subordinate to Mr Winter as the head of the finance department.

Mr Ollivier, the Provincial Auditor, will, we believe, arrive in town about the 27th December, accompanying the Hon. John Hall. The special object of Mr OUivier'a visit is to pass tho Provincial accounts up to tho end of the year, and adjust the balance sheet betweenCanterbury and Westland.

Christmas seems likely to be a very lively time with us if the weather holds up. Thero is a groat programme of sports to be held, by permission of the Mayor and Town Council, at the junction of Revell and Weld streets, and another programmo of North Rovel street sports is published. In both cases tho sports are intended to extend over the 26th, the 27th, and the 28th in3t.

We are glad to be able to state that the Committee of the Benevolent Socioty are making a most successful canvass, and the public are making a very liberal response to their appeal.

The Subscription List for Mr Proctor's "Art Union Drawing" is, we learn, rapidly filling up. We shall, to-morrow, give a notice of the principal prizes offered.

The Memorial Concert, last night, in aid of the Monument Fund was a great success as far as the performances were concerned, although the attendance was far less numerous than might have been anticipated. We shall give a fuller notice in our to-morrow's issue.

From a notice that appears in our advertising colums we see that it is intended to give to the children attached to All Saints Church a holiday and feast on Monday next. The children will owe this enjoyment to the exer tions of the lady superintending the girls' school, who voluntarily and successfully canvassed for subscriptions for the purpose. The sum raised will, we believe, be sufficient to provide a band for tho little ones, and supply them with the usual cakes and tea, which form so prominent a feature in juvenile entertainments. Another portion of the same fund will be devoted to the purchase of prizes to be presented to those who hare merited them The children will start from the school! house for the cricket-ground where tho entertainment will be given. We felt sure that while tho entire community are preparing to welcome and enjoy the festivities of tho approaching Beason, tho young ones in our midst would not bo forgottenThere are few men, we are certain, who would refuse it subscription for such an object, and we heartily hope our little friends will enjoy, as we are sure they deserve, a pleasaat day. Amongst the improvements taking place in our business establishments, wo notico that Mr J. R. Anderson, grocer, is greatly enlarging his shop in Rovell Btreet. It is Mr Anderson's intention to build a commodious office at the back of his premises. Thoso who are wont to predict tho spoody downfall of Hokitika would do well to note tho various improvements which are being almost daily made therein.

A German Band, the members of which play exceedingly well, ia at present in Hokitika. This Baud performs of an evening in front of the waxworks exhibition, at Temple Chambers.

Cobb and Co.'s Coach arrived from Christchurch, yesterday afternoon, at half-past four o'clock, with two wayside passengers. The rivers are reported to be low.

Another change has taken place in the weather. On Tuesday evening it came on to rain heavily, and continued doing so through the night. Yesterday morning the rain fell heavily at intervals, but about noon there was a brief glimpse of sunshine. Last eveniug and night were gloomy and tempestuous.

A new rush that is likely to give employment to a considerable number of miners has taken place within the last ten days, at the Woodstock, or Eight-mile diggings, up the Hokitika river, gold having been struck on the rising ground on the down-river side of the gully in which gold was first discovered at the above locality. Reports that reached town concerning the discovery were, as usual, altogether exaggerated 1| dwts. being the stated prospects, which we have since ascertained from our reporter, who visited the ground on Tuesday, would have been more truthfully represented by from five to eight grains. The gully we have mentioned run 3 from the river beach to the base of the first line of terraces, and bounds an one side a large extent of comparatively level ground on which the small township is built. This flat is again bordered on its inner side by the terraces containing the Woodstock mam lead (now in full work), and runs for nearly three-quarters of a mile in a down river direction until it forms a junction with a little workings called Mosquito Flat ; and these again are separated by a low broken county from another small patch of diggings named Tobacco Flat, where a nice ooarso sample of gold was obtained out of shallow ground. Thus hemmed in by golden ground, the township flat is regarded with some favor by the miners, but being deep and not easy to sink through, owing to the loose Btratums of drift met with, to thoroughly test, it was never determinedly attempted ; one or two shafts only having been sunk in a casual way at the back of the stores. An effectual and speedy solution of the problem is, howover, promised, six or seven shafts having been bottomed across its upper end, on gold, at various depths, from sixty feet on the rising ground under the terrace to twenty-five near the river bank. The shafts require partial slabbing and the drive 3to be carefully timbered, as the ground is rotten, and therefore treacherous. Many claims have been marked out in and about the township, and it is oxpected that sinking will become general in a day or two. We may remark that tho washdirt consists of a stratum of heavy gravel, from one foot to two feet thick, resting upon a falso bottom. Ten or a dozen claims are at work on the Woodstock main lead, including that one held by the boatmen, who are the original prospectors of the lead. Their ground has held out well, and still pays from L 8 to LlO per week per share. A few claims round them are equally good, and then the lead runs poor to its western extremity, where a couple of claims pay L 9 weekly on an average. The intervening space is occupied by sundry parties of diggers, who knock out indifferent wages, L 5 per week per man being about the best quotation our reporter could hear of. A few miners are at work at Mosquito Flat, and as the ground there is shallow and easily turned over they succeed — notwithstanding its poor quality — in making a decent livelihood.

The several companies who hold leases on the Five-mile diggings (Kanieri) are pushing their works forward with steadiness and success, and the doubts that once existed as to the payable character of tho speculations have been blown to the winds by the events of the last few weeks. Worked upon a sound system of economy, both as regarde the curtailing of current expenses and the modzis operandi adopted to ensure the thorough extraction' of the gold coutaiued by the ground turned over, these claims will, we are assured, pay well in the long run, even to the extent of reimbursing for the loss of time and money incurred by floods and other drawbacks that so much hindered the work during the past winter. The Co-operative Company's undertaking now ranks among3t the best paying speculations in the district ; and but that the face of tho cutting slipped in, and so covered a great deal of washdirt, ready to be broken up, the return of gold for last week would have been in excess of any that preceded it. As it was, 18ozs only were obtained— nearly all of it, we may add, cauie out of a few trucks of washdirt, lifted in one day. Since then the company have been stripping, and hope to have a good paddock of washdirt uncovered and ready for tho sluice-boxes by to-morrow night, to ensure a respectable dividend upon Christmas Eve. The company have also commenced sinking for the main bottom, and are down about six feet with the shaft, which is situated on one side of the cutting, and will probably not exceed twenty feet in depth. The operations of the Western Company are at present confined to extracting a largo block of ground loft upon tho false bottom. Arrangements for a supply of water at a reduced price per head are still pending between them and the Pioneer Race Company, and in tho event of the latter not acceptinglthe terms offered, the Western men have determined to commence cutting that race from the Kanieri river we have alluded to in former issues. No action, however, is likely to be taken in any case until the Christmas holidays have been disposed of. We hear very good accounts concerning tho Blue Jacket Company, at the head of Commissioner's Flat. The claim maintains a steady and excellent yield, and the Company are seriously meditating the erection of more powerful machinery. The United Company on Shenandoah Flat, are also doing well, and expect to nearly double the returns when tho present plan of wheeling tho sluice-box tailings away by hand is superseded by horse-power. The claim is fairly opened at last, a mass of old ground containing scarcely a square foot of " solid " having been removed, aud the cutting now shows a good face from side to side. The reported discovery of new and payable country up the Kanieri river, has not yet been substantiated by either of the many diggers who have been searching for it during the last ten days, and' in consequence a feeling is daily gaiuing ground that tho reported find is a mero myth after all.. Wo are far from inclined to tuke this view of tho question, aud hope that many new year's gifts are waiting for the diggers in that direction.

A rush of gold diggers to tho Southern Coast of the County of Westland is not an improbable event when the Christmas Holidays are over, a great deal of interest having been excited by the reports brought up by Mr Cleve and his companions — concerning the little explored Jackson's and Martin's Bay districts. If these reports are to be relied on, and we see no reason to doubt

their credibility, tho beachs and terraces up South, are likely to rival in thero yield those which have already been worked nearer home. Mr Clevo says : — That the party with whom he is connected, opened a beach between Martin's Bay and Milford Souud, and by the aid of very imperfect appliances obtained therefrom three pounds weightof gold in three weeks. This locality is situated in the Otago Province, bnt as the nearest commercial centre to it is Hokitika, which is separated froinitby an easy coasting voyage only, against the long and dangerous route via Foveaux Straits, that connects it with Dunedin; why it is patent that the chief commercial advantages to be derived from tho opening of an extensive range of gold country must fall to the share of Westland. At the same tune, Otago is seriously meditating the founding of a new sttlement on her south-west sea-board, and Westland is thus forewarned to be ready with a counter-move, which, we may add, will not be difficult to play, as thero are several splendid harbors in our own territory available for settlement. Westland also possesses good payable gold country in that direction, both on the coast lino and also inland, if it is true that a party of miners have been working for several months up tho Cascade river, and with such success that they were encouraged to make an overland journey to Riveaton by way of Lake Wakatip, for the purpose of purchasing a small vessel to carry them together with a stock of provisions back again. This is a bona fide statement made to us, and wo givo it for what it is worth. It is no secret however that fine looking country abounding in auriferous indications does exist in the neighborhood of tho Cascades, and also further north about Big Bay. We hope that prospecting ife by well found parties will- at least commence during the present summer.

" Love's Sacrifice " was most successfully repeated at the Prince of Wales Opera House last evening. The laughable farcoof "The Irish Attorney" succeeded, and in. this Mr O'Brien gave an admirable delineation of the character of Fierce O'Mara, the warm hearted, blundering Irishman, but whose blunders, nevertheless, managed to bring a great amount of business to the firm in which he was a partner, to avert a great deal of misery, aud also to cause a largo amount of happiness. Mr O'Brien was ably supported by Mr Joyce, as Jacob Wylie — the senior partner of tho legal firm. Hawk — a clerk — well rendered by Mr Towers. Miss Kale Ryder, as Miss Chalcote. The remainder of the characters were also well taken, and the farce went olf with great spirit. This evening the Nathan Juvenile Troupo will make their first appearance in Hokitika, at the Prince of Wales Opera House. They will be assisted by Mr J. Small, the Irish comic vocalist, and Mr J. Chambers, a dancer of great ability. The pieces selected are Boucicault's sparkling cc medy, in two acts, of " Andy Blake." This will be succeeded by a terjosichorean melange. Then follows a farce, written by Mr J. Small, entitled "The Colonial Servant," and the whole will conclude with the laughable farce of "The Omnibus." Tho performances ou this occasion will be conducted solely by the Nathan Family and Messrs Small and Chambers. We anticipate a very full house.

The latest telegram from Auckland (Dec. 16) states : — " The programme of the Duke's visit to Auckland has been published. It embraces four days, and tho cost is estimated at LISOO, two-thirds of which are to be raised by public subscription. A monument to Colonel W"akefiold is to be erected forthwith in Wellington, and to be uucovered by the Duke of Edinburgh."

The answor to the petition of tho Otago Pi'ovincial Council, in favor of Separation, is given by tho Duke of Buckingham, the Secretary of State for tho Colonies, in the following despatch, addressed to Sir George Grey, and dated September 26th :—": — " I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 64', of the 15th of Juno lust, accompanied by a petition to tho Q.ueen, from the Provincial Council of Otago, praying that Her Majesty ' may cause an Act to bo introduced into the Imperial Parliament to provide for the separation of the North and Middle Islands of New Zealand into two separate and independent Colonies, with such provisions for a Federal Union as Her Majesty's advisers may esteem desirable.' I request that you will inform the Speaker of tho Council, by whom the Petition is signed, that I have been unable to advise Her Majesty to comply with tho prayer which it contains." The Speaker of the Council (Mr W. H. Reynolds) has received a letter from Mr Stafford, communicating the substance of the Duke's despatch.

Mr J. B. Bennett, Registrar General of the Colony, has issued a notice in the " New Zealand Gazette}" requesting the " several ecclesiastical authorities connected with the United Church of England ami Ireland, the Church of Scotland, the Roinnn Catholic Church, the Free Church of Otago and Southland, all Presbyterian Congregations, the Westland Methodists Society, all Congregational Independents, Baptists,- the Primitive Methodist (Society, the Lutheran Church, all Hebrew Congregations, and the Society of Friends, before the termination of the month of December, to send the names of all ofllciating Ministers, duly certilled, in order that they may bo entered in a list, a copy of which will bo published in the "New Zealand Gazette," in the month of January, 1868."

After a most systematic search both in tho river and on tho north and south beaches (says tho " Q-rey River Argus")' the body of the boatmau M'Kinty, who was urowned the other day through, the snagging of his boat, his been recovered, and it ia thought that it hasJ^n caught by some of the numerous snngflHSh now impede the navigation of the.;^^Hß|

The Wellington " Independent" learns that Pairau, one of the principal chiefs of the Uriwera, is on a visit to Napier to make proposals for peace on behalf of himself and his followers. It i 3 understood that peace with this tribe will secure the safety of the settle, ments on the East Coast, including Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty, while it will afford additional security to persons who may desire to settle at Taupo, or other parts of the interior. Uriwera are beat known as the wild mountain tribe who fought with such bravery against our troops at Orakau, and defiantly rejected a proposal to- save themselves from what appeared to be imminent destruction. It was on this occasion that the well-known terms of " ake, ake," were used— meaning that they would "never, never" surrender. The wild inaccessible nature of the country inhabited by the Uriwera, on the Waikaremoana Lake, has been the means of preserving that district from the warlike incursions of the ferocious Ngapuhi, who in former times so successfully subdued this and other districts of the North Island. From their isolated position and extreme jealousy, the Uriwera have had less intercourse with Europeans than any of the New Zealanders, and the fact of then* being considered least likely, from strong national prejudices, to .tender submission, must have a powerful influence with the Ngatimaniapoto of Waikato, who will now feel that they have lost the most reliable supporters of the King party in the Island. The only successful in« vasion of the Waikaremoana country of late years was that conducted by Major Eraser, with tho Colonial forces and Native allies. It was then for the first time that this warlike people discovered that their mountain fastnesses were not sufficient to protect them, and that they could not with impunity continue a protracted struggle against the. European?. When the present negotiations with the Uriwera are concluded, it may be fairly assumed that peace on a lasting basis will be estat* lished, and that the undisturbed occupation by Europeans of the interior of the North Island may be considered accomplished.