THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1859.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 207, 14 October 1859, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1859.

From private sources we gather that it can now be recognised as a fact that a new province will appear amongst us. The inhabitants of the Wairau have moved for separation from the Province of Nelson, and, thanks to the foresight exercised by that very province, they are enabled to comply with the requirements of the "New Provinces Act" sufficiently to justify their proceedings. A port of entry is attached now to the new districts, although at present not available; the activity which is being used in completing the means of transit, shews that, in spite of the house being divided against itself as it was when the Beaver was proposed by its own residents as the port: a more mature consideration has led to the adoption of that site without which a want of unanimity on the part of the petitioners would have caused the subject to have remained in abeyance until they had grown wiser. It is but a few months ago that the Waitohi and the Beaver were at daggers drawn. The arrival of a few coasters which were enabled to thread the mazes of the mud flats intervening between that favored spot the Beaver town, and the bar, at the entrance of the^ Wairau river, was sufficient to raise the hopes of the residents there that the General Government would esteem it as adequate, not too dangerous of access, and recognise t its capabilities as being equal to the wants of the new province. When a meeting was held at the Qourt House, in the Beaver, if was argued that Waitohi would become the port, because Mr. Stafford has purchased land in that district; recognising his influence with the General Government, he was, in language not readily mistaken, accused of using that influence-for 4iif personal gain, by increasing the value of his sections there. Those who have visited the two spots will find but little difficulty in determining the relative merits of these two sites: with one, there is a bar ever shifting, arid which even a ninety ton steamer cannot make sure of crossing; with the other, there is a harbor secure from the, violent gales which sweep through Cook's Straits, and reaching to a point which requires a pier of but a very short extent to be available as a landing place for vessels of any tonnage. The question of the separation itself is one which we cannot pass over without some few remarks. We predicted this event some time ago, and spoke of. the approaching coming of age of the eldest daughter of Blind Bay. Local self-govern-ment has always been upheld by us, for we are of those who consider that each man is the best judge of his own affairs, arid therefore each district must be the better able to judge of its own- immediate necessities. How far1 it may have been advisable to have used such expedition in' procuring^ separation we will riot say. It is oneofj those cases where the experience of the fa-

tiire must be waited for to announce its success or failure. - [ ■' $royernmen,t,>&t anytime^.aff expensive laifiusement, apd it ftiay yetjae fotind not to xeilise all the benefits which are lexpectec^. Tiley will poskss aLand F^ind, decreasing each year, in amount. The; most valuable sections have already been appropriated,"1 and the hill land will not command large prices. All, .the offices which, now exist here will have to be reproduced, if not upon, the same scale, still with a cost which willnot be trivial. Nelson can now well afford: the loss to herself, and'may prove to be a gainer by it. We have a new field opening up for us in our mineral wealth, and shall in all probability find the value of exports increased even with the loss of the Wairau productions. To the residents in the valley itself it certainly offers advantages—their land office will be always attainable by a few hours travel, and the long journey into Nelson has been acknowledged by ourselves on a previous occasion as one of the great drawbacks to the district. The estimates which were produced at the last separation meeting may be correct, and gentlemen may be found who will be | willing to devote their time and energies for the remarkably moderate sums which are attached to the various departments enumerated. We rather question that less than a carter's earnings will furnish the new Government offices with men of capability. They may find some patriotic individuals who will desire office for the little influence it may give, but they will not be sufficiently general to meet all their requirements ; and even those, when the gloss of their new found honors is worn off, may become careless and rusty. With no desire for their ill success we shall watch their young endeavors, and consider always that if separated by an act of the General Assembly, they are those with whom for years we have been intimately connected, and whom no boundary line can make strangers or rivals of. REPORT OF SURVEY OF RIVER AWATERE AND ITS APPROACHES. Friday, August 19th, 1859.—At 4 a.m., I left the brigantine. Marchioness, in Queen Charlotte's Sound, and went on board the Tasmaniari Maid, bound tor the Wairau, but owing to i adverse circumstances she could not enter the river that day, consequently we were detained on board till Saturday, the 20th, when" at 10 a.m., she entered the river and anchored at the Boulder Bank, and at 11 we departed in our boat (accompanied by Captain Whitwell) to our destination. At 2 30, p.m. we arrived off the mouth of the River Awatere, and found the current running out with such velocity as to render our entering the river at that time of the tide impracticable. The boat was therefore beached, and passing through the surf took some water on board without damaging our provisions or luggage. Everything was landed, and the boat, with the aid of two men and ourselves, was hauled over the beach to a creek, and: thence over the beach again into the river, where she was moored. Afterwards pitched our tent in a gully,, about 400 yards to the northward of the river's mouth, and subsequently on examination of the locality, I found I should be acting in conformity with your instructions by locating ourselves permanently in it during our Btay; for owing to its sheltered position and proximity to the river, /it offered the most eligible- situation that could be anywhere selected for us to carry on our operations. And in the wharree which we "built,, we remained till washed out of it (by the river overflowing), on Sunday, September 18th, when we removed and rebuilt it about 250 yards inland, on an eminence in same gully. Oii September 15th, the Tasmanian Maid.came abreast of the beach, where we were all ready to embark, but she did not send a boat, and after remaining a very short time, shaped her course for the Straits and was speedily out of sight.' The River Awatere above its mouth, is divided into five streams, the centre being the main stream; the two adjacent streams being the streams north and south of the main stream, and the other two streams north and south bank streams. All these, streams fall simultaneously into, and form one stream, which runs along the base or beach, and disembogues over a shallow shingle bar, 600 yards north by west from the extreme of south bank, and abreast the end of north bank. The boulder beach at the base lying N. by W. and t S. by E., 600 yards in length. The south bank lies (with slight curves) very nearly E. N. E. and W; S. W., distance 550 yards; and abreast this point the division of streams takes place; the opposite points of the north and south banks at this place bearing N. W. and S. E., distance 430 yards. Stream tending about S. E. | E. The north bank beyond this continues in a N. W. direction, for 100 yards, and then holds a west course for a great distance; the stream running for 300 yards along the bank, when it takes a S. S. W. then a S. W. course, (the current running down1 the stream, of course takes the opposite direction of-N. E. and N. N. E ; the river above diverging in, places descends in a sinuous track to the north bank; having along at intervals, shallows, bars, holes, rapids, and over falls, the current varying in velocity from three to five knots, and varying in depth from six inches to j four feet. The quality of the bottom on the bar is boulder stones, in other places heavy shingle aiid gravel, with an admixture of sand, and is not navigable by any other than an inflated bladder having a i fair wind descending with the current. A great deal jof the now uncovered shingle banks on each side of ' the stream will be, I presume, covered in,floods, as there is no appearance of vegetation on them. While; the contrary is the case from division of streams to near north bank, and between that bank and the bank stream there exists a large level area of .ground, covered with vegetation, shrubs, bushes, &c. And for the outline soundings, &c, of thoriver.l beg'to submit to you the plan, for the execution of which I cannot say anything, but its accuracy in detail I have taken great pains to obtain, having measured every portion of it, and some parts: several times after any alteration had taken place, or any new;feature presented itself in the river, in referring to the plan, you will observe I have taken in the beach to the north so far as the Tent Gully. This I did to shew where formerly the river is said (and I believe with truth) to have disembogued; and also to shew the existing creeks into which the river occasionally flows, half filling the gully by our tent. . In- examining the plan, you will see that' an 'extensive gravel bank, 65 yards from riv.er's mouth, stretches within 25 feet of the beach (having a narrow channel between it and the bank ends, which is frequently stopped), -and here the current always runs out, varying in speed from 1 to 8 knots, and a boat could only he rowed a little before and after high water; and then just to. south of main stream another gravel bank is met with, dry also at low water, stopping, further progress.in that direction. A boat might be tracked at anytim^ (flood excepted) from, river's mouth to south of main stream, as there is little current quite' dose alongside the beach ; but the beach is a very rough composition of large boulder stones and heavy shingle, thrown into a disorderly mass by the conjoint action of floods and a heavy surf, rendering it at all times awkward to walk upon; and at high water, spring tides, with a; S.E. gale, the surf breaks entirely- overi;it. cUpjthe? main stream a boat could be tracked, but she shoulds not draw over one foot of water. We were some hours, one fine day, getting a boat of 16 feet keel so high as the gravel bank; on the north side-rrabove. division of streams; she took the ground several times, and so rapid was the current, that she was instantly thrown, broadside on, and carried over the shoals,: tjll nearly on the bank, before she could be stopped, although one was tracking with a long line, and the others overboard, tracking alongside and picking out the, channels. I mention this to shew that for boat traffic,or water carriage of any descriptitfri, the river is use-, less in its present state. The principal cause of the difficulties is in the bed of the river, having such a great descent^ arid they can only; be remedied but by lowering the bed of the rivert-above the division of the streams, •'' diverting^ -all -the i branches into one stream, and-embodying all the water in one channel, which would reduce the velqcity of the cur^

rent, and give a 1 su/ficien%iepth,;pf water for boot traffic at all times; but to' carry] out,;.such a project, an amount-of expense would' He incurred, for which no adequate-return could ever pc looked for, while a road. on;either;bauk could answer] all purposes equally well. The riverfs mouth is nowtthirty-five feet wide at its narrowest part, at which pait the'bar< commences and extends seaward in a N.E.'!-by N/direction for sixtyfive .fathoms. High water; " full and change," 45 miiiutes past 4,' and the depth, of water on-the bar at high water, ordinary-spring tides, is 5 feet, and at low water, same tide, 1 foot; and at high water, neap . tides, 3 feet 10 .inches, and low water, neap tides, I foot $ix inches; rise, spring tides, 4 feet ; neap tides, % feet 4 inches.,. But this.' bar (as well as the" river al- ' together) is subject to great fluctuations, and' in a heavy! fresh will have on it even in neap tides, 7 or 8 -feefrjat high water. A .gale from S.E. will cause a heavy surf and an -accumulation of water from seaward, to check the egress of the river's stream, and give a depth of fi£ and, 6 feet on the bar. The direction and velocity of the stream are greatly influenced by the state of the weather, a S.E., gale causing it to pursue a more northerly course, arid N.W gales giving it an easterly direction; but in the latter direction it does not continue to run a long time; .usually its track lies betweeri N. by E. and N.E. by E. Shingle banksare frequently formed on either side of the river's mouth in boisterous weather, by the action of a heavy surf, their size being governed by the strength of the gale and height of the sea, and are continually altering their position as the wind alters its direction; they are, however, speedily joined to' the beach again after the gales subside, although probably they will not occupy the same position they held before being detatched, being set to north or south, as the case may be. Hence the cause of the bar so often changing its course; but the great force with which the fresh water always runs out of the river preserves an almost Uniform depth of water, at low,water on it. The commeDcemettL of the bar, at the narrowest part of the river's mouth, is 30 yavds distant from the extreme of- the north hank, and was at latest measurement 35 feet wide, but its width has varied from 27 to 50 feet. It contracted frjm 33 to 27 feet shortly after our arrival, and remained the latter width for 18 days, when a heavy freshet expanded it to 50 feet, and it has since that time contracted to 35 feet, and will most likely, if the weather continues dry tor a time, contract to 27 feet again ; andin a dry season I should imagine the entrance is never of greater width than that, if so great, - The river stream, or current, always runs out, varying in speed from 1 to 8 knots, and even 10 knots in floods; but in moderate dry weather its speed at high water is about | or 1 knot, and 4 and 5 knots from \ ebb to 4 flood—the tide never running into the river,: only flowing to the mouth sufficiently strong at high water to hold the t current in check, butnever to stop it; and with high tides and a tolerably heavy surf, there is frequently a very turbulent sea on the bar, caused by tlxe action of the sea opposed to' a powerful weight of water issuing from the. river; and I know of no de : scrlption of boat but the masulah, or surf boat (used in the Bay of Bengal), that could be worked here at suclr tinies as those; and there are numbers of times that r ordinaryboats could not work, when a vessel would be. aSle'tolie.off <he river's mouth—the mouth only of thsi river being available for shipping or landing cargo; The quality of the beach is a composition' of loose, shingle.and sand, of such a porous nature, that; the wajer oozes through it every tide, leaving it; almost; a moVinginass, and at high water, in NJ3., ;E.,' and S.E. gales, the; sea washes over it, independent of which .the river may, in any heavy freshet, change its course through another part of the beach, as it threatened to do on the 18th September, when in a flood it broke over its boundaries at the mouth, entering the creek on the north side, rushing along the bank and into Tent Gully, speedily, filling our tent with water, and it remained a long time doubtful whether: or not it would disembogue about. 250 yards north of its presenj entrance, as at that place the beach was almost levelled with the sea by a very high surf,- which, however, ran obliquely along the" beach, .owing to the wind blowing strong from N.N.E. Any place con-' structed on the beach would at such times be untenable; and as-for laying down moorings for boats, (which would be requisite if shipment from the river's mouth was adopted), for them to be available at_ all times is an impracticable matter; and a great difficulty would be found in placing them so as to be serviceable in one position for any length-of time, owing to the causes before mentioned of alteration of the river's jcourse, shifting of banks, &c./, and the lifting of moorings, .probably at a time when most required, would be attended with inconvenience, as well as incurring expense. Therefore the river's mouth cannot be re-: commended as eligible for the; shipping or landing of cargo ; particularly when, in my opinion, theft exists close at hand a position in every way better adapted. for the purpose, where it wilij I have no doubt, be found practicable to ship or land cargo. AVith proper • apparatus, at all times a vessel' could lie to receive or discharge it; and that is all, ,1 deem it, that could be obtained at anyplace. The eastern extreme of the south bank of the river (or south bank end), is the place I would recommend; here the'bank, stands 55 feet above the, level of the sea at -high water, and at all times there is less surf at this place than anywhere to the northward of it; the bank being more " steep .to,"- causes the .surf to break ;close in shore, leaving smooth water a short distance outside;; being also partially sheltered by the easterly curve in the beach. NiE. winds do not raise a heavy surf there, when, at the same time, the river's mouth could not be approached ; and from N.N.E. round by the west, to the south it , is; ■ quite sheltered. Gales of wind from the westward hold the surf in. check I would recommend two posts to, be placed in the ground at the south bank end, say eight feet apart, to: which I would attach a wire l jackstay (or a hawser for an experiment) carried out and attached to an anchor, laid fifty fathoms from bank end, where it would be in two fathoms water, at low. water, and clear of the surf. This Jackstay when hove " taut" to the posts on shore, should have" a. roller fitted on it, to which bales of wool could be slim* arid slid: down with facility, to a boat lying where it is most!conve<nientto receive them ; having of course, a cheek line fast;to;„the bale to stop it when required; and for landing cargo, a winch^might be placed between the two'posts, whereby goods could be ",hoye up" and landed at all times, by having a cradle or box fitted to pltfeeiihem in. Shipping ; and landing cargo could always be proceeded with, regardless of the time of the • tide,; and altogether independent of the river. Moorings could be laid down for craft where most conve-" nient, and would not be required to. be "lifted, after the most approved position for.them had been established. This mode of shipment would in my opinion be attended with less expense than by river's mouth, were it even practicable to ship at'the latter place. I Approaches to the'river" from the White Bluffs to} south bank end. Bearings, magnetic; distance, nautical miles':—From'the N. W. or projecting cliffs of white:bluffs, south bank.end -bears S. 25 E., distant 3$ miles (by the beach 3J miles); and from the south bajtU end, Cape Campbell' tears S.; 50 E M distant B£miles.' -. ■ ... ' •'; ■;i ■'•' .■ ■;'"' ■•; '.'■'■ ■"■■' : '■■ Along the- N. W.: bluff which is between: 800 and 900 feet high at the apex, the coast trends^ S. S. E., 840 yards, then S, i E. 1260 yards, to the termination'pf the bluffs, which extend along to the southward little more than a tnile, and are.four in number, divided by chasms,-fissures,-and gullies. The N. W. ■one Mfrg the highest arid sligfitly projecting, the others /recedingj • the > southernmost,;\brie',-Jgradually^ sloping to the south till itr adjoins; the adjacent hills which are of moderate height. tthe bluffs- are skirted by an extensive shinglebeach, which continues i^ the rivers mouth, the land-frqmf the bluffs of fnoderate Weight' terminates by the cdinmenceirient of the plain more'than a mile to the southward. Twelve hundred' "yards to the south of the south bluff a remarkable cbrrugated sand hill of moderate height is met with, which has the appearance from seaward of an inverted gridiron, and extends north and south 350 yards (there is also a small hill of this decriptibn 1000 yards from the bluff). The beach then trends S. E. and eastward, passing a large gully and forminga tongue and elbow into the coast,—here the land stands back qriethird,of a mile from; the;.beachr-rproceedin°f again to the S. eastward till abreast,of a lagoon, where the . 'land comes down abruptly to; the beach, forming a bank varying from 10 to.#6 ,feet :in ; height, To the southward" 145 yards, from the lagoon is <. a dray, road frorir ttfeiplains leadingrpnndwhite bluffs;. Beyond thejdray'road tq the. southward about 70-yards is the projecting part of theland seen frpni the white .('luffs, bearing from N.;W. 1 S. 28 E., and from south, bank erid'.N.i'sW.,.and from; Cape'Campbell N. 48 W., from/whence the beach ; trends S, S;,E. to the gully, .and thence to the, south ,bank end nearly S. by E. ■> Abreast south bank end, distant 45 fathoms seaward, soundings at low water are 2 fathoms, gradually deepening to 2£, 3, and 4 fathoms at arable's length off the shore; from the bank' ends these foundings (as will be seen on the, plan) are pretty uniform, and with an offing off the river^s .mouth to white bluff on a N. N. W. and N, by W, course; a" depth of from 4i to 6 fathoms will be obtained, and the. kelp patches avoided. From, the white, bhiffy to the river, in a, zig-

zag track, maintaining a distance from the beach of 100,150, and 200jfathoms, a. deptlr of not less than 2 fathoms, will be carried'(kelp patches excepted), ~they appearing,to.i grow on | knolls, having on them from 3 to 5 feet, and in one instance 6 feet less water than is obtained on each side of them. The shoalest waier ii in the bight and off the tongue, at the latter place the surf rises a ibng distance off in boisterous weather; but a small craft may always stand in towards the beachjto a distance of 1J .cable's length, or run up from an offing off White Bluffs, at that distance, at any timei The South Bank will be made out plainly by daylight, after passing the tongue, when it will have the appearance of an artificial wall' with a base of stone and upper part mud; and taay' be steered for, keeping the beach a cable's length 'distant. Were there a post or spar placed on the bank it would be made out by daylight off the blufls. There are two small patches of kelp lying between Bank End and River's Mouth,,near to the beach, and are covered at high-water. Vessels, could lie with winds blowing between N.N.E. round by- the west to south, and with all winds when moderate and fine; but with gales' from N.E., E., or S.E., they would find it necessary to quit the anchorage, the latter wind being perfectly fair for Cloudy Bay; no apprehension need be entertained. With, a N.E. wind a vessel would fetch round-Cape Campbell; and with" the wind at east, lie round the white bluffs, and even with the wind at E.N.E., which would be the most awkward one, she would go round the blufls. There is no shelter to the southward in the' bight between- the river and Cape Campbell, and a vessel to run in that direction might get into difficulties. One particularly good feature, on-this part of the coast is, the entire ab» sence of those furious whirwind squalls, yclept " Whilley Whaws," the gales here always blowing a strong steady breeze; and I am led to believe they do not acquire near such violence, as when further advanced in the straits, and blowing from the high lands. ' • ■"■. :. '""- ■ I examined the coast south of the river for about 5' miles, but as it is not of any advantage, (nor does it come within my province) I need not give a,descrip-' tion of it; and need only add, that owing to having been left so long at the .Awatere after the work.was. completed, (the steamer neither bringing nor taking us away), caused us great inconvenience arid expense. And in the attempt to pass with the boat containing our luggage, tent, &c, to the Boulder Bank, Wairau, we were obliged to leave all on the beach (and'it has not yet arrived). With great exertions we saved the boat, after she had several times filled with water, and arrived in her in time to catch the steamer at the Wairau', on the 28th ult. I came on to Nelson in the steamer,-leaving my assistant behind to get our luggage secured. I shall be happy to give any further information, if in my power, at any time on this subject. ; And am, Gentle~men, ~ - ~ Your very-obedient Servant, THOMAS HINDS. To the Gentlemen forming the Coommittee Ordering the Survey of the Awatere '' ~ and its Approaches.. " " . Nelson, October 7th, 1859. Assault Case.—Yesterday morning a case was heard before the Resident Magistrate, in which the late steward of the Geert Herwig appeared as plaintiff, the Captain being defendant. We had prepared a full report of the above, but want of space compels us to give but a short notice of it. The prosecutor was too intoxicated to give even his evidence clearly, and was somewhat surprised by finding himself fined £1 for drunkenness,1 at the close of hearing the case, which was dismissed.