The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 727, 22 October 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1870.

In his address to the Provincial Council the Superintendent made mention of the fact that the Province possessed no large tracts of agricultural land upon which might be based its future prosperity and progress, but that their absence was adequately compensated by its vast mineral resources of which comparatively little has hitherto been developed, and upon which must, altogether depend the future condition of the Province. It is now upwards of four years since his Honor waselected to the head oft! e Province, and at that time, as indeed on many subsequent occasions, he stated that one of the first undertakings, in which he desired to see the Province engage, was the development of its coalfields. Expectations and promises are, however, alike unfulfilled, and, with the exception of the Brunner coal mine, the coalfields of the West Coast are still as far from being developed as the day that his Honor took office. Possibly when the Superintendent shortly visits Westport, he will explain to his goldfields' constituents what has been done, and what may be reasonably expected to be accomplished in connection with the coal deposits of Mount Rochfort. A feeling of dissatisfaction cannot altogether be suppressed in referring to this subject. It is felt that, in this particular respect, the true interests of the people of the Province have not been considered, while much injury has been inflicted upon the community of Westport by the vexatious delay which has attended the hitherto fruitless negotiations for a railway between Nelson and the West? Coast, and pending which the Mount Rochfort coalfield cannot be let. It is certain that but a small share of the energy and persistence that have characterised the Government endeavors to float the railway scheme, would have been beneficially and more successfully exercised in promoting the early development of the coal-seams of Mouutßochibrt. The suspense and uncertainty, with which the question is at present invested are not to be lightly endured, and if his Honor should be iu a position to withdraw Mount Rochfort from the proposed grant he wouid, we believe, only meet the wishes of the people in adopting such, a course. If that were done it would then remain for the Westport people to consider the best means of inducing capitalists to work the mine. There was a proposal of the Government, some time back, to borrow £IO,OOO to complete a railway from the Brunner to Cobden, and as the distance is only seven miles, it would entail a heavy expenditure to construct a similar but longer line between Rochfort and Westport. So impressed, however, is everyone with the value of the coal owing to its superior quality, toughness, and the ease with which the mine can be worked, that there would be no lack of efforts to float a company as soon as the Government were in a position to give them a lease, and from the increasing consumption within the Colony for steam and other purposes, we feel satisfied that it only requires the advantages of the proposal to be fully and faithfully laid before the public in New Zealand and the neighboring colonies, in order to obtain ample funds for working the mine. There is another point of very great importance upon which it would be well to confer with his Honor, namely, a water-supply to some of our gold-bear-ing districts. Around Addison's, Charleston, and the intervening pakihis are large tracts of country known to be auriferous, and we believe that judiciously constructed water - races would be the means of profitably employing a very large population, and working ground that is now lyiiag idle for want of a cheap and effective watersupply. The fact of a very considerable population having already taken their departure for the Upper Buller in consequence of recent important discoveries at the Inangahua and Lyell rivers, and the probability of valuable alluvial workings being opened in arldition to the very rich qdartz reefs already struck, should urge upon us the necessity of providing for their requirements iu the construction of suitable roads into the auriferous districts of the Upper Buller. The proposed visit of his Honor will, we trust, be the means of initiating steps for the execution of these very necessary works.