HOKITIKA.

Evening Post, Issue 87, 20 May 1865, Page 2

HOKITIKA.

The news from the Wtst Coast Gold Fields, if not coming to us with the novelty and excitement that it used to h ive, is nevertheless interesting in a very high degree. It is not because the rush of population has ceased, and the hurried transactions of commerce have ended in depressing the market, that we should be careless about the progress of the country which has been to stiangely opened up to us. The la«t news is, perhaps the most interesting of all. The fJBld itfelf is established. In seven weells at Ineast. 31,000 ounces hud been exported and. P§|§B& duy. The amount produced itndffiqfyfmr exported, must be considerable. "BrJteVlh

if tH^jJyieM be at the rate of 500 ounces a ftteWt that amount proves the txi-tence of no insignificant field. The miner* are spreading gradu-ilby, nnd exti ntiiiu their operflt/iotjs inland and southwards, as well as^ftfouud the older workings, which lie more or less about the northern boundary of the province. It is scarcely to he wondered Ht that, in a country so broken and densely covired, much time is requisite to develop the field ; • ut for the same r. a (in it is impossible that the field shouM be worked out or even explored for a very long period. Recollecting, howev r, the indubitable possr ility of the field being left bure of gold diggers by newdi»co\erus elsewhere of great attraction in the c<mr«e of a year or two, it i«* still satisfactory to think that this portion of the province will not have been opened up for nothing. There is a very hir^e quantity of available agricultural land there. The s'til is mug nificcnt, and the natural product ons of the country are most inviting for settlement. Timber, agricultural produce, and coal nre to be obtained there , whether gol.i continues to be found in abundance or not. Looking, then, even at the worst possibility, we hold that the West Coast of Canterbu y deserves every attention from the Government and the peopl" of this side. As one step towards making the best of the country, we strongly advise that the population should not be restrained from permanent settlement. The Gold Fields Act in its general provisions devotes a gold field simply and solely to the gold miner and the licensed storekeeper. But there is n provision by which tracts < an be recoveied, as it were, by the public, and disposed of under the land regulations of the province. Let this be done, and, in all probability a year will not pass over without many miners giving a material guarantee of their interest iff the place by purchases of freehold land. We deprecate the mistaken narrowness which has in other go!d fields— nominally in the interest of the miners, but in reality to their prejudice— locked up the land and restricted its use to a temporary occupation, heading Captain Gibson's report, which we publish to-day, no one can fail to be struck by the progress made in turning the country to account. The West Coast is, as it were, growing large under our e^es, and displaying advantages and facilities for occupation and commerce which we hud almost thought denied i» that part of the province. We may be permitted to urge the inexpediency of neglecting this new territory. It is the duty of Canterbury to mantige its aff-iira ; and it is, we believe, our interest also. The We«t Coast may become an integral part of the province, ii we only choosj to treat it as such from the beginning. The tlis- ; tance will lose its horror* by degrees ; roadworks will lessen its difficulties, and a little use will mak > them iu«i;j<iirieant. Benides, we have the Puit Office and the telegraph. Cannot a regular po«t run there, sty weekly ? May not the telegraph be extended to Uokitikn ? W e feel sure that they both cmi be brought into work, by energy and Inn-Bight, in no very long time. When they are at work, Cmttrbury will be able to transact its affairs with ea^e on both coasts. Ljtteho.i Times.