West Coast Times

West Coast Times, Issue 3515, 8 July 1880, Page 2

West Coast Times

j THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1880. The Minister of Mines, who iB also Minister of Public Works, does not seem t* be gaining favor either with House of Assembly or with the country. It appeara te us that ia selecting Mr Oliver, to his double position, a great error has been committed. Many mining districts have already felt this, and Westland is likely to suffer to a considerable extent from the same cause. It is Mr Oliver, and he alone, who has proposed to furnish the West Coast with a peripatetic Public Works Office. He it is who has condemned the construction of water-races, and discouraged prospecting in the goldfields. He it is who has been mainly instrumental in stepping our railway works, and in discontinuing any further expenditure on our harbor. But it is satisfactory te know, that the goldfields' members have already, signified that they do not mean to tolerate Mr Oliver's dictation on the, one hand, or his neglect en the other hand, for all time to come, or even throughout the present session. The New Zealand Times, referring to this subject, and to the great dissatisfaction that has been created in the minds of goldfields' members, says : "There is considerable dissatisfaction among the goldfield members of the Assembly with the mining pelicy of (he Government. This feeling is net confined to the Lower House, but has on several ecoasiens found expression in the Council. Captain Fraser in par. ticular is especially emphatic in his condemnation of the Mines Department as at present constituted, alleging on a late occasion that it had better cease to exist if hot reformable. We now learn that the views of the mining districts | representatives, after a series of somewhat undefined discontent since the opening of the session, have been | brought to a focus, and embodied in a memorial to the Premier bearing eighteen signatures— -all the goldfield members in the House with the exception of Sir George Grey. The principal complaint of the memorialists is that the Mining Department is made subsidiary to all other branches of the administration, that the portfolio ef Mines is placed 1 in hands already holding several others, and that consequently the mining interest cannot receive so large a share of the Minister's attention as its importance merits. The signatories believe that if this chief defect were remedied, the minor* grievances of which they complain would be consequently and necessarily righted, and they have not therefore enumerated them in their letter, which states, however, that if the Premier requires further information it can be immediately supplied. So largelysigned a requisition, coming from the members on both sides of the House, will undoubtedly carry due weight with the Ministers, and it is not improbable . that the existing state of affairs may be > modified in the direction of the complainants' representations. Certainly any procedure' which would in the Colony's present circumstances have a tendency in even a slight degree t® materially improve th«Be circumstances would be welcomed net only by residents in the mining districts but by the public at large." We may explain in reference to the omission, of Sir George Grey's signature, as above stated, that we are informed he was absent from the House on the day the memorial was signed ; that he was confined to his room, or otherwise his signature would have appeared with the others. The signatures which were attached were those ef Messrs Pyke, Reid, George, Fisher, Reeves, Seddon, Husthouse, Masters, Shephard, Gisborne, Brown, Finn, De Lautour> Ireland, Joues, Hirst, Gibbs, ahd Shriuskii The movement being taken up bjr such a large number of members frem both sides of the House, we sincerely trust will bring about some good result, even it should be the means ef depriving the country of Mr Oliver's valuable services as Minister of Mines. -

The Board of Education Win meet this

The Minister of Jtibiig Works has intimated, in hia usual discbiirteous manner, thafc he intends to iettiflVe tfcfc Public Works offices 16 Greymoatb, ahd this in the face of the fact that, for the past we"ek or two, be has been deliberately misleading the representatives of this district. We understand, however, that no effort will be spared to prevent this ibjusiico being done. The County Chairman and his Worship the Mayor will leave by the Christchurch coach to-morrow morning, en route, for Wellington, as a deputation, to accompany, the hon. J. A. Bonar, M.L.C., respecting the harbor works contract, and there is ho doubt that they will do their utmost to demonstrate the absurdity of spending more money to increase the value of the Maori reserves at Greymouth. There will be a meeting of the Harbor Board at i p.m. to consider the advisability of sending a delegate from that body to Wellington to accompany the Chairman. The Christchurch coach reached the Post Oflßce yesterday Bhortly after 4 p.m., considerably before the hour at which it was due. The Westlaud County Council has now lying to its credit the sum of £1882 Is 4d. This is a very satisfactory state of things, and gives one a gleam of relief after dwelling so long on deficits, overdrafts, and similar unpleasant subjects. The county authorities deserve no little credit fur steering their little barque so clear of financial dangers. At the Eesident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Dr Giles, R.M., Thomas Hamiltoa was fined 20s and 7s costs for allowing two horses, his property to wander at large within the town of Hokitika on the 23rd ult. There was do other business. Mails for Mauritius close at Durban at noon on Friday next, the 9th instant. \ The total rainfall in Christchurch since Friday was 1.84 inches, tlie heaviest being on Monday, whea 1.32 inches fell. A Dunedin telegram says, that the reports re the gold discovery between Hawea and Wanaka Lakes have been confirmed... The gold is very coarse, and the whole of the available ground will be occupied in a few days. The doctors again ! An unfortunate man was, a day or two ago, examined by two of our Hokitida medicos touching his sanity or otherwise. One of the professional gentlemen said the man was mad, but the- other held that he was not «. fit subject for Sea View Asylum- Sergt. Barrett then had the felicity of escortißg the patient to Kumara, where be obtained a certificate from two resident doctors which warranted the incarceration of the man in the Asylum. A committee meeting of the Literary Society took place on Tuesday evening. Present — Dr Giles (in the chair), Messrs Croft, Nicholson, Spence, Robinson, Dr James, and Mr Tempest. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed The following' correspondence was dealt with: — From the proprietors of the Lyttelton Times stating that in future the paper would be charged for at half-price, if paid in advance. It was resolved that the Lyttelton Times be paid from July Ist, inst. From R. C. Reid, M.H.R., informing the Society that Government intend handing over the rent received from the Government House to the Society and the Fire Brigade, in so far as it is placed ou the Estimates for the current year. The Secretary was instructed to telegraph to Mr Reid informing him that the last payment was made in December, 1878, and that there is now eighteen months moiety of rent due t From the President, excusing his absences from the June and July meetings, and asking the committee if they could conveniently alter the day of meeting to the second Tuesday in each month. It was resolved to postpone consideration of the matter till next meeting. From Secretary of the Big Dam Committee enquiring if committee had any second hand books for Rale; referred to the Librarian to report. From the Secretary Education Board stating that the Board intended sending an order for books, aud if the Society required any they would be happy to enclose an order with theirs, and thus save certain expenses. The Secretary was intruded to reply regretting that owing to the short notice the committr? could not avail themselves of the opportunity. From Mr J. H. Hankins resign*ing his seat as a member. A donation of books was acknowledged from Mr R. C. Reid. Several accounts were passed, and the meeting adjourned, The monthly meeting of the Hokitika Benevolent Society was held on Tuesday, in the Court House. Present— Rev. H. H. S. Hamilton (in the chair), Messrs W. Duneau, E. B. Dixon, E. Cook, M'Lean W. Jack, and Rev. J. Smith. Application was made by a person ia destitute circumstances for assistance to get to her friends in another part of of the colony. It was decided to grant assistance to the extent of half the passage money, in case the Secretary and Treasurer found that her f cieuds were unable to assist her* Application was made by a man who had been in bad health for a length of time for assistance to get to another colony. A certificate was handed, in by a medical man recommending a change of climate. la this case a sum was voted sufficient to pay his passage. Application was made for assistance to an aged and infirm man and family. It was thought that the relations ought to assist. Case deferred for the present. Application was made for assistance to man residing at Hau flau, aged 65 years and very infirm, by a letter signed by ten persons residing iv the district. It was decided to grant seven and sixpence per week in provisions. The Treasurer reported that the Borough Council grant had been received to Jane 30th. Several small accounts for meat and other j necessaries supplied to persons in distress were passed for payment. The meeting then adjourned. At the request of hit Worship the Mayor, Mr Mueller, Chief Surveyor, iB preparing, at the Survey Office, a large map of the County ; of Weatland showing all gold workings, and I mineral areas, and giving otherwise a great ! deal of information of the most valuable kind. The map is intended for the Melbourne Exhibtion. The diminutive monument, or rather the exaggerated milestone, which has for so many , years embellished or disfigured— as the reader pleases— the appearance of Weld street, ia to be removed to the cemetery. The Borough Coi&oil iovite tenders for the work of

be removed to t

shifting it, to be sent in to the Town Clerk's Office by iTrlday afternoon next. We have to acknowledge the receipt from the Government j^rinte^ of Nos. 7 and § bi Hansard, and a bundle of Parliamentary papers. His ' Honor the Chief Justice, when at Blenheim the other day, says the Post, was considerably astonished at having a medical certificate handed up to liith signfed "G. Cleghorn, his x mark." Before the Judge had time to recover from his surprise at finding a registered medical practitioner unable to write, it was explained to him that the doctor had broken his arm . Thereupon the Court resumed ita accustomed placedity. Up till April 26th (writes « Atlas," iv the World), Lord Beaconsfield still held to the hope that he might have an opportunity of crowning the Imperial edifice by declaring in Parliament, while still a Minister of the Queen, the latest success of his policy in Europe and in India ; and tbe little birds in Downing street whisper that Prince Leopold was able to show Eoyal reasons against such a course. It may not be generally underStood tbat Prince Leopold has, in a minor sense, succeeded to the post of affectionate adviser held by the Prince Consort ; but it is a fact, nevertheless. Conaor M'Oarthy died at Ballysimon, five miles from Mallow, on Monday the sth of April, at the advanced age of 111 years. On last Good Friday he walked from the White Gate, near Ballysimon, a distance of 14 miles. The next day he visited several of his acquaintances, and walked on that day about nine miles. He bade them all an affectionate farewell, and said that he would be soon with God. He was a very healthy man and maintained all his faculties to the end of his long life. His brother is now in his 95th year, The deceased was a member of a very numerous family aad was a teetotaller. The superb cathedral of Cologne will be finished in the month of September next. It has been Bix hundred and thirty-two years in the hands of many generations of architects and builders. It was begun in 1248, under the Arclibisbip Conrad of Hochstaden, but its completion was postponed indefinitely during the Eeformation. A medal will bo struck in honor of this memorable event. On one side will be the profiles of Frederic- William IV. and of William 1., with the years 1248, 1442, and 1880. The other side will show the facade of tbe cathedral. An oversight seems to have made in not casting the portraits of the Pope and tbe Archbishop on the medal. The Archimandrite Nikolai, president of the Orthodox Russian mission in Japan, made some remarks about Catholicism and Protestantism at Moscow the other day, on the occasion of his appointment as Bishop of Beval. He said tbat great results had been achieved by the mission in converting the heathen to the Orthodox Church, but that the Hussian missionaries also had to think of " their misled brethern, the Catholics and Protestants." He had lived 20 years abroad, and ' had seen many pious Catholics and Protestants, but though some of them were very intelligent and cultivated men, he had never met one who had any logical notions of religion. The reason of this was that Catholicism and Protestantism are a mixture of revealed trutlis and human discoveries which cannot be reconciled with each other. Pious Catholics and Protestants usually practise with zual the divine elements of their religion ; bufe they instinctively avoid even speaking of the human discoveries whi^h are included among their cLciriues. Such people are already Orthodox without knowing it. Bat the great majority of people reject both Catholicism and Protestantism as irreconcilable with common sense, and, knowing no other religion, become unbelievers. It is, therefore, the duty of all pious Russians to do their utmost to propagate their religion among the peoples of the West in order to saye them from becoming the slaves of their passions in adopting the doctrines of their philosophers. The Archimandrite concluded by urging that Eusaian missionaries should be sent into all the countries of Western Europe to combat the errors of Catholicism and l?ro« testantiam by pamphlets, sermons, and public discussion.