West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1878,

West Coast Times, Issue 2908, 30 July 1878, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1878,

The public are convened to meet this evening at the Town Hall to discuss the question of railway extension from the West Coaat to other parts of the Colony, and' we earnestly trust some decisive steps will be taken whereby the matter may be laid before the Legislature in a practical shape. The published ofeclai returns up to the 31st December, 1876, show that up to the date mentioned', no less a sum than £5,765,556 had 1 been' expended on railway lilies in' these 1 Islands ; and thirteen borrowed millioii3 of money altogether have; bseri spent on various public works, in the (jolony, up to the ond of 1.877. Qui' share of these millions; has. been a fleabite. Including' the cost of roads, and including the Brunner railway, and roads in the present County of Grey, Westland has had £223,751 ; of the money, not including; some £159,000 thrown away on water raoe9, and in giving a questionable aid to private water races. That iv to say, out of £l3,000;000, we have not received £400,000 altogether. The part of the Colony, completely shut out in tho cold in this way is a country of great extent, and of immense: resources. Wo have, in Westland, 1,507,166 acres of agricultural land valued at 20s per acre, and 351,000 acres of pastoral land valued at 7s 6d per acre, besides mountainous regions at present estimated at next to nil, giving a total value in land, of £1,638,806:.: All thiß te.vritory is available for disposal at the present moment. This is the largest area, in extent and< in value, .of unsold land possessed by any County iv New Zealand. Of course, this 'immense area is, for the moßt part, very thickly timbered, and the cost of clearing the expanse would be something enormous. But the timber, in itself, is a resource, of which the worth can hardly be estimated. A great part of this timber is of the highest commercial importance, and it is not too much to say that if Westland had a railway through it, this land, with the timber on it, and after the timber was removed would, in each case* be worth from £10 to £20 per acre. The experiences of similar districts favored by railways, enables us to arrive at this conclusion. We say that this hasbeen the fact with regard to similar land— not a bit better land — in other parts of this country, and that it would be the case here. But our vast expanse of land, and our valuable and illimitable forests, of the best of pine and other woods, are not our only, or even outchief, security for railway investment. We have our mineral treasures —who can approximately guess what they are, or what their value may really be, in the near, and in the distant future ? We know, at all events, that certain districts' are but awaiting the industry of the miner, and the attention 0/; .the capitalist, to

yield mineral wealth in abundance. The whole country is rich in mineral treasure, but these riches must lie !»uried in great part, till the iron horse ponetrates into the hoW sildtit woods. We know too, what has been done in the past, under great difficulties. The sfold yield of this Coast at the preaeut moment, and despite all we bear of dull fcinies exceeds the gold yield of any other district whatever in New Zealand. The Vcilue of the gold shipped from Westland, including portion of r he gold produced in the Grey County, up to 18?7 was over £8000,000, or in ounces 2035,000. And, out of a total I of gold exported from the Colony since its foundation, of £32,500,000, the West Coast of the Middle Island has exported one half the quantity, or £16,250,000 worth. These are some of the facts forgotten by the Canterbury, Otago aud Auckland magnates in appropriating loans, arid iv deciding how borrowed millions shall he expewded. We can hardly blame them for forgetting these tbhigs. We forgot them ourselves, and neglect our own interests. The question is, what particular line, or lines, should be constructed ? There are several lines spoken of, and proposed. There is the east and west line, the northern (the Greymouth) line, and the southern live to Otago. ! These are quite different railway proI jects, and the results of adopting any ' one of them, ou Westland will be very different. We should calmly consider many things before resolving on any definite scheme. First of all we must be sure of advocating aline that we are likely to see constructed in our own day. It must be a practicable line as to cost ; as to engineering there should be no great difficulty; and, as regards the advantage liO ourselves, the line we support should be a live conferring the greatest benefit on everyone by opening 1 up the greatest oxteut of the County, to all industries and classes, for the most advantageous Settlement. When we first look at the projected southern line, we are apt to question the wisdom of the proposal. Et seems something too immense for us. It is not, however, so gigantic as it appears at first sight, and it is the one line we are most likely to get. There is really but one objection to this line. Its advantages are enormous over every other Westland railway proposal. It will open up the whole of the County from one end to the other. It will, in short, convert a wilderness into a prosperous country, and establish countless homes from Hokitika to tho Haast. We are led to believe tliat it will cost £1,500,000. If it does cost eveu so much, we are fairly entitled to tho expenditure. The length of this line will be about 240 mile 3. We should think it could be constructed at something over £5000 a mile. The great difficulty to be encountered iv making this railway will be the number of rivers to be crossed, uecessitating the erection of thirteen large bridges and twenty-two smaller ones. But that difficulty is not insuperable. The timber fdr building these bridges is everywhere available, on the spot, where required. Excepting betweeu the Waiho and Weheka rivers and between Wakapohai and Waitara rivers, the line will open up a very considerable quantity of good agricultural laud. Between the four rivers last mentioned the country is much broken, whereas along the remainder of the line the country presents no great difficulties. Below Waitaha river almost all the large rivers will be crossed miles inland, aud at places well bound by terraces or gorges which will much curtail the length of tbe bridges. The subject is one of such importance that we cannot do it justice in one issue. After the meeting this evening we will have something more to say on this question. In the meantime, we hope the meeting will be unanimous, and the whole subject properly ventilated, with the hope of some good result.

One of the heaviest thunderstorms that lias occurred for some time broke over the town between 3 and 4 o'clock yesterday morning. The lightning was dangerously brilliant, and the thunder shook the citizens in their beds with its fearful peals. The rain at the same time fell in literal sheets, and formed an absolute deluge. Fortunately this weather did not last long, and no damnge of consequence has so far been reported. Telegraphic mails for United Kingdom and Australian Colonies, per Arawata, close at 11 a.m. to-day at the Bluff. Messages will be received at the Hokitika oftlce up to 10 a.m.; ateo, telegraphic mails for Sydney, per City of New York due at Auckland to-day, will close immediately after her arrival. Though all possible search was made for the body of Captuin Vernasmni, aa far as the heavy sea permitted, no traces whatever were discovered, and it is feared that it has been carried out oceanward. The samples of copper ore, referred to in yesterday's paper, were largely interviewed at the Pioueer Hotel yesterday, and various opinions were expressed a 8 to its value. As a whole, they were hardly favorable, but it was thought that, a3 an outcrop only, the stone was indicative of richer deposits. There are various other minerals fouad by the prospectors, some of which are thought to contain tin and other metals, but whether there is any basis for this supposition we are not metallurgists enough to judge. Information has reached the police of the death of a' man named Henry Chapman, a miner, aged 45 years, who was found dead at Bullock Creek, near Arawata. Deceased had a double-barrelled gun with him, one barrel broken, a bible, and four old novels. An inquest was held, and evidence was giyen that two miners, named Archibald Campbell and John Wiley, found the deceased lying dead near Bullock Creek, with a gunshot wound in his loft breast, and a gun by his side. A stick about two feet long, notched as though to start the trigger witb, was lying between his legs. Deceased lived by himself, was a native of London, and a married man, his wife aud family being

supposed to be living in Christchurch. He had been living in the district five years, and was seen alive by Campbell about a fortnight previously. It was supposed that he had been dead four or five dayfl when found. Bullock Creek is forty miles north of Jackson's Bay. A verdict was returned that the said Henry Chapman was fouod dead at Bullock Creek, from a gunshot wound in the left breast, and the jury were of opinion that the wound was self-inflicted. , At the important railway meeting to be held to-night it is to bo hoped that there will be no divided counsels, and that without wrangling as to any special route, a committee may be appointed, who will consider that question between themselves, and go in for the one that there is the best chance of obtaining. If the public sigh after the impossible, it is likely tlut they will get nothing, and in discussing the question it will be well to bear this iv mind. There was no business at the Resident Magistrate's Court but a pretty full sheet is set down for to-day we believe. In connection with ' the late attempted murder case, a letter in the hands of the police, addressed to the brother of the girl, in which Cox throws blamo on him, and states that before he would receive those lines both himself (Cox) and Sarah Jacobs would be in eternity. The letter proceeds to blame the brother for keeping them apart and causing the catastrophe. The document will be brought up in evidence at the remanded hearing on Saturday next. Some jars have ateo been prepared for forwarding to the Government analyst at Wellington, the contents of which will prove the admini- j .stration of the poison. Returns from these cannot be ready for Saturday's examination, but amply sufficient evidence it is said to justify a committal will then be adduced, in Which case the prisoner will be tried at the Supreme Court sittings here in September next. The girl, Sarah Jacobs, who has had such a narrow escape, has quite recavered, thanks to the promptitude of Mrs fline in administering emetics to begin with, as well as calling in medical assistance as soon as possible. Tenders for the supply and delivery of telegraph poles, required by the Telegrapb Department, close to-day at noon. Instructions have been forwarded to the police at Jackson's Bay, to secure the effects of the late victims to the sad boat accident, and send up particulars of all properties belonging to them. In order to secure certainty of the instructions reaching safely, Mr Inspector James has telegraphed to the Bluff, which port the Maori will leave about the sth proximo on her south-about monthly trip round the island, via Jackson's and other southern bays. There are few men iv the police force of Westland who have more honestly won public respect iv the discharge of their duty than Detective Browne. At the same time recognition of this fact is not always as pleasant pecuniarily, as the compliment of promotion must be morally. Detective Browne is in this position at present. When Kutnara broke out Mr Inspector James very properly appointed Mr Browne, as one of the most experienced members .of tho staff here, to proceed there. However complimentary this might be, it was attended with serious loss, as Mr Browne had then to keep up two homes, and only lately he han been enabled to return to Hokitika. A well-known resident here, recently from Christchurch, informs us that this officer is in such request that he is shortly to be removed to Canterbury, but we hope the statement is incorrect. He has been long stationed here, ha 3 his home here, is especially well acquainted with the loose fish of the population, and it would take years for a stranger to leara as much of the criminal class as his ex[>erience has gathered. We hope, therefore, that the projected change may not be made, both in justice to the officer and the public. All we can say is, should it be, there will be joy in the ranks of Westland rascaldom. The cases Bet dowu for hearing at the District Court on Thursday next are :—: — Edward Mahony aud others v. Richard O'Donovan, an adjourned claim for £200; Patrick Dee v. Chairman and members of County Council of Westland, alleged breach of agrcemeut, damages set down at £200; D. Cullen, as creditors' trustee in Wiesner's Bstate v. Beaver Bros. Solomon and Co., of Dunediu, for illegal conversion, estimated at £200. There is one criminal case, Regina v. Jeffcott, iv which defendant is charged with having violently assaulted Dr Keiran nt Kumara. In addition to this there are two bankruptcy applications. A meeting of the shareholders of the Prince of Wales Quartz Mining Company, Taipo, will take place tit the Plicenix Hotel, on Thursday evening next, to take into consideration the floating of a company in connection with above. For some strange reason it has been fashiouabld within the last few days to deny absolute facts. A pecular persistency in this respect was shown in relation to the resignation of medical men of their appointments of honorary surgeons. Whether their resignations were ill or well-timed, is not the question, but that they were in, as far back as Wednesday last, is beyond doubt. A delicacy in acceptance, or some other trouble, clouded the mind of the hospital authorities, and it wasuot till yesterday's meeting that the fact of the resignations being tendered was acknowledged. They then honestly admitted the letters, which were read, but their dealing with them was postponed till Monday next. Mr Edmund Barff, M.H.R., is (says the Grey River Argus), a very valuable member, or at least he ought to be, seeing that to suit his convenience the p.a. Luna was detained at a cost of £20. How the hon. member and his carpet bag could not contrive to put themselves aboard one of the steamers without any further cost to the country than the passage money is one of those things which we fail to comprehend. The quantity of coal shipped from Greymouth last week was 1146 tons, of which 149 tons went foreign and the balance coastwise. The number of electors on the roll for the Grey Valley last year was 1767 j this year there are three less, the number on the new roll being 1764. The following gentlemen have been elected as a committee for the Greyinbuth Hospital:— Messrs J. Arhott, E. Masters, F. Dupre, R.Nancarrow,FiLahmaQ,E. Wickes,

J. Greenwood, F. Hamilton, H. Gilmer, P. Cameron, G. Glenn, 0. Holder, and Dr Smith. A severe accident occurred to a miner ttatned Langdon, working in the Hopeful mine on Thursday, owing to his falling down a pass. The severity of the fall, produced coucuaaion of the brain. The sufferer lies in a rather dangerous condition. We clip the following from the Inangahua Herald of the 27tii instant:— The Victory reef in both rises, viz., one north and one south of the main shaft and in the stopes therefrom, is looking well. There is three feet in thickness of clean stone ia both rises, and in the nortli stope from three to four foet of stone. There is more stone prospected and in sight than was expected, and in this respect the mine has undergone a remarkable improvement, the thinness of the stone until this having caused a feeling of hesitation as to the permanent value of the property. A week ago last Tuesday five additional stampers were set in motion, making fifteen now at work, and it is rumored that another five will be started next week. The amount of amalgam already taken from the plates indicates that the return will be quite up to expectation. On Monday some new stone in the Wealth of Nations was discovered on the surface, midway between the two upper paddocks and close beside the old incline tramway, and near to the west boundary of the claim. On Tuesday, yesterday, aud today a deal of rubbish has been cleared away and a quantity of quartz exposed; there appears to be not less than four feet in thick ness of quartz, but whether it is a boulder or a maaa of stone some time slipped down from the hill above, or a new reef, cannot yet be determined, The work of stripping and clearing is now going on, and in a few weeks something definite regarding it will have been ascertained. I New Zealand of the past and New Zealand of the present are two very different things. In the early days, when all was prosperity, and the denizen of the forest breathed the pure air of Heaven, the humane frame and constitution had all the chance of robust health; but now that thickly populated cities and towns heve sprung up, with the attendant bad habits and worse drainage, a remedy called for that will counteract all the baneful effects of the existing and growing evils. This is to be found at G. Mee'a, Revell-Btreet. Ask for " Ghoixah's Great Indian Cdrbs."