OUR WESTLAND LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4448, 22 June 1875, Page 3

OUR WESTLAND LETTER.

(from our own correspondent.) Hokitika, June 16. The approaching session of the Assembly appears to attract but small attention in this province. The people here, as a rule, care very little for colonial politics, except in their immediate bearing upon local interests. Tbe “ Public Works policy,” and its adjuncts in the form of payments to impecunious provinces, having a very direct, bearing upon these interests, are very generally appreciated by all classes ; indeed, it is impossible to deny that, were it not for the assistance which, directly or indirectly, has been granted to the province under that policy,' the contrast between Westland’s present condition of modified prosperity, and the Hush of the much mourned “ early days,” would be very much greater than it is. On these grounds the hope is widely entertained that no accident may happen to the ministerial car in consequence of the absence of the Premier. This may not be a very logical wish, as it is quite possible that the succeeding Ministry might guard the interests of the colonists in all the various districts quite as zealously as the present Government, even though tliey refused to bleed the colony for the support of provincialism. The people of Westland have, however, a special kindness for Mr. Vogel, both for the benefits which he has been the means of obtaining for them, and because he called their district the “goose that laid the golden egg,” indicating at the same time that he would be no party to the starvation of that goose in the future. As to the question of provincialism in the abstract, it is certain that the majority oi Westlanders are distinctly in favor of its abolition, provided always that whatever system superseded it was directed to the diminution and not to the increase of the evils of provincialism. This may appear a truism, but I am justified in saying that at least one of the Westland members—Mr. White—who spoke against the memorable resolution of last session, did so not because he was wedded mentally to the provincial system, but because he felt that he might possibly be committing himself to the support of an exaggerated, instead of an ameliorated form of provincialism under a changed name. How this will be cannot of course be conjectured, until the Ministerial Bill is brought down ; but in the meantime, I may say that the people of Westland are quite sufficiently disgusted with their parish 'parliament, both on the grounds of its expensiveness and apparent inutility, and that if this engine of expenditure can be applied by subdivision or other transformation to some practical purpose, Westland will not complain of the change, and will gladly forego whatever advantage the present system may offer as a recognised training school for her sucking politicians. I stated in my last that the township of Arawata was about to be put up for sale at an early date. Since then a claim to a certain proportion of the land has been put in on behalf of the natives. There is, I believe, no question as to the validity of the claim. It is to be hoped, however, that the Native Trustee will exercise his right of selection, on whatever ground it is based, with some forbearance, as, by taking the contrary course, and selecting the choice allotments for the natives, he has it in his power to do a considerable injury to the prospects of the infant settlement at Jackson’s Bay. In a settled district it could make little or no difference who owned the best sections ; but in the present case, where the success or failure of the scheme may be said to be still in the balance, for an outside claimant, who takes no part whatever in the work of settlement, to step in and lay his hand upon the best section, to the exclusion of those who are really the colonists of the place, may have a very evil influence. I have no reason for anticipating that this will be done, but it is possible; and the dealings on behalf of the natives in other localities on the Coast have not been so liberal towards the colonists as to justify the conclusion that the interests of colonisation will, as a matter of course, be regarded on the present occasion, and it is on this account that I have referred to the matter.

I stated in my last that a discovery of excellent limestone had been made in the neighborhood of Jackson's Bay. . I have now to record the further discovery of some samples of lithographic stone. This is unquestionably a matter of considerable importance for the colony, if not in the present, certainly in the future, as the supply of lithographic stone has lately been short of the demand at Home, and the price has considerably advanced in consequence. It is not yet certain what sized slabs of the stone can be obtained in the locality of which I write, so that it is premature to say much on the mattter, of which I shall probably hear more in the course of a week or two. I have not hitherto referred particularly to Westland’s principal industry, that, namely, of goldmining, because, strange as it may seem, there is great difficulty in obtaining reliable information on this the most interesting of all subjects to the people of the Coast. I may, however, state generally that the miners now remaining in the province are profitably employed, that is to say, they are at least making wages, and that most of them have a sufficient belief in the future to render them indisposed hastily to abandon this district for a new rush. In order, however, to realise their anticipations it is certain that considerable sums will yet have to be spent both in waterworks and roadmaking, but notably in the - latter. As an instance, I may site the esse of the Taipo reefs. Upwards of two years' ago the first report of reefs being discovered in that district was spread, and some prospecting was done in consequence. This, however, was shortly abandoned in consequence of the inaccessibility of the district. One party, however, persevered, and about six months ago they succeeded in obtaining a reef, which was proved by a sufficient test to be more than payable. A lease has been taken up and a company formed. The Provincial Council has also placed a sum on the supplementary estimates for ■ the purpose of making a track to the locality. It is, however, extremely doubtful if the Government will be in a position to carry out the work ; in fact, X do not think X shall be accused of taking a gloomy view of matters when I say it is almost certain they will not. Under these circumstances, it is not possible that the district should be developed, or even prospected, although in the opinion of the most competent judges, it is extremely probable that it will eventually be proved to be rich in reefs. Numerous other instances of miners being checkmated by the impecuniosity of the Government might be given if it were needful.

There has been some talk lately of the desirability of endeavoring to induce the Colonial Government to place their contemplated central penal establishment at Greymouth, instead of on the proposed site on the west, coast of Otago. It seems undeniable that, if the utilisation of prison labor is to be regarded at all in the matter, Greymouth would be the more suitable position, as the convicts could be there employed for years to come in the formation of the harbor, and it is beyond all question that this work is one the importance of which to the whole colony can scarcely bo overstated, even now when colonial factories, and similar works are comparatively few, and the demand for coal therefore small, to what it will certainly be in the course of a very few years. Some efforts are beingmadehere.aa intheother provinces, to secure the proper representation of the district at the American Centennial Exhibition. The Westland branch of the New Zealand Institute appear to have taken the matter up, and judging by the interest taken, and the fair success attained in the former local exibitions, I feel confident that the despised Westland will not he found to be the last of the provinces in this respect.