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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5137, 10 September 1877, Page 2

Among the visitors presently in Wellington on Parliamentary business is one with -whom most West Coast travellers have made acquaintance at one time or another. We refer to Mr. D. W.-Virtue, chairman of the Hokitika Harbor Board, who is here on a mission the nature of which may be briefly explained, viz. : —To obtain from the Government some aid to local effort in re-opening the navigation of the Hokitika River, the mouth of which has been partially closed for the last two months. As a consequence some fourteen vessels, chiefly from other New Zealand ports, laden with over 3000 tons of flour and general merchandise, are lying off in the roadstead waiting for an opportunity to get in. As may be easily conceived this interruption to business is telling seriously against the commercial and other interests of the place, the periodical bar-blockades of which the Harbor Board are advised, on competent authority, it is possible to prevent by works involving no great outlay—at all events considering the trade of the port. In this connection it may be mentioned that since the opening of the goldfield it supplies the exports have amounted to the value of over six million pounds sterling,and the imports to about four millions, while there has accrued to the revenue at least one million. Nor, it may be added, is the latter falling off. On the contrary it exceeded last year by .£3OOO that of the preceding twelve months. Taking these facts into consideration, with the smaller but by no means unimportant one that upwards of 250 tons of goods from this port and Nelson are awaiting shipment to Hokotika so soon as the bar is workable, we think there are few persons in Wellington, or indeed anywhere else in the colony, who will not wish Mr. Virtue success in his endeavors to impress upon the Government the desirability and expediency of the course he is here to advocate.