THE WEST COAST.

Evening Post, Issue 66, 26 April 1865, Page 3

THE WEST COAST.

The following is a portion of the general report drawn up by Mr. Rolleeton for the information of the Superintendent of Canterbury, dated Provincial Secretary's Office, C'hristchurcb, April 19 :— The West Coast of Canterbury has been so fully described in the public journals that it requires no description from me. | It will suffice to state that it is generally of a low undulating character for an average of ten miles back from the sea, and that the land when cleared of the bush, with which it is for the most part densely crowded, would be well adapted for the purposes of permanent settlement. The j country in the Nelson province north of the Grey is of a more precipitous nature, and contrasts very unfavourably in this respect with the West Coast of Canterbury. The same remark applies, I am informed, to the West Coast of the Otaso province, which is said to contain but little land available for cultivation. In the Canterbury province, on the other hand, there is : a wide extent of land well suited for agriculture, and a considerable portion of it will no doubt shortly be brought into cultivation for the production of food for horses nnd cattle, if not for the growth of grain, lor the support of the digging population. The climate, though evidently very moist, is of a milder character than that of the East Coast. This is evidenced by the growth of the taro and other plants — indications of a warmer temperature. The population at the time I left Hokitiki amounted, so far as I could judge, to from 7,000 to #,000, of which about 4,000 were distributed over tracts of country, of which (he Waimea township is the centre, comprising what are called the Three-mile, the Six-mile, and the Arahura diggings. There was a popula? ion of upwards of 250 on the Greenstone diggings, which are likely again to rise in importance; the gold here is of a coarse and more nuggetj' character than elsewhere on the coast. The population in the town would amount to about 2,000, and the remainder were distributed in small numbers over the country where gold has been found. A number of fiat-bottomed boats were being built on the Ilokitika, and several parties were taking supplies for some weeks, and were thoroughly prospecting the country j up the river. The number of departures | has been for some time past equal to, if not greater than, the arrivals. Though the number of bona fide diggers has undergone little alteration. There is every reason to believe that the diggings will be a very permanent character, j and that they will lead eventually to the settlement' of a district of considerable commercial importance. At the same time I cannot but express my opinion that the yield of gold up to the present time has not been such as to warrant the expectations which have been formed of the richness of the field ¦, and the difficulty of land communication, and thu price of provisions is such, as to render the sudden iuflux of a lar^e population likely to be attended with very serious results. At the present time there are large numbers out of employment in the town of Hokitika who have not the means to leave the place ; should the number be increased, great distress will be the result. I received tin many as sixty tenders for a piece of work put in hand at a few hours notice. I mention these facts because 1 do not think it is generally understood what the consequences would be if wet weather came on while a large j Unemployed population remained in a place fiom which there is no ready means of exit. | ivJlgymention that a considerable quanlity'of <Jobl is'now being raised on the Nelson I side of thSf Grey. i