WEST COAST TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1860.

West Coast Times, Issue 43, 12 September 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1860.

Thb Province of Canterbury has hitherto borne the character of strict conservatism and rigid abhorrence of any thing approaching innovation — with an especial aversion to goldfields. Its respectability was :n danger by tho influx of the mining element ito Otago, and we can remember in the public press of Christchurch several pious congratulations that at all events it was saved from the contamination and the probable danger to the morals of the country that the presence of a goldfield within its boundary might be expected to produce. But Hokitika has " changed all that," and shewn that the fable of the fox and the grapes has an application even yet ; for we find that our respectable Government is not even content with following the example of Otago, and throwing as much cold water as one provincial engine could well pump on the Jdevelopment of the goldfields, but they have entered the field as advertisers, and begun already to tout. Truly, this is an age of novelties and contrasts ! Fancy tho respectable Pr wince par excellence of New Zealand condescending to tout for patronage, and staining itself in addition by tho publication of something very much like a lie to carry out its cud* ! What do our readers think of the following extract from an advertisement, which is inserted in the majority of the newspapers in New Zealand :—": — " The road between Lyttolton and Hokitika, via Christchurch is now open for 105 miles, and the remainder of the read — 50 miles can be performed on horseback without difficulty." With regard to the 105 miles — that is to say, that portion of the road extending over the level plains on the eastern side of the range — we have nothing to say, for the chief part of the distance is a road by nature, and has been available for auy length of time ; but the latter portion of the above notice we flatly deny, and denounce its publication as an unprincipled trick to cause a flow of population through the scmi-baukrupt capitil of Canterbury, at whatever cost to the unfortunate victims who may be careless enough or silly enough to believe in the honesty of a Provincial Government of New Zealand. The road on the western side of the range is not only at all times difficult, but is occasionally extremely dangerous, especially in bad weather, and from what we can learn, the difficulty of forming a really good track is insuperable, unless at an expense quite beyond the means of tho Province, and must render travelling by the road at present in hand both unpleasant and unsafe. If tho track is available for horses all the way. what is the reason that the mailman walks the chief part of the distance, carrying mails of the average weight of thirty-five or forty pounds ? Surely it would be most sensible and most speedy to ride all the way, and render the overland postal route available for tho transmission of newspapers as well as letters, by employing one, two, or three packhorses, as occasion may require, similar to tho course adopted between the Dunstnn and Queenstown, in Otago. We do not deny far a moment that many men have travelled overland ; but we do affirm, positively, that the passage is difficult, and sometimes dangerous. We cannot hope that this warning will receive tho same amount of publicity as tho Government notice we havo referred to, but wo hope that those whom it may reach will heed our warning ; and if they intend coming to the West Coast, will travel by the highway already provided by nature, and save their cash, their time, and their labor.

We have before adverted to tho selfishness exhibited by tho Canterbury Government in their policy towards the residents of the West Coast, and tho notice now published concerning the overland route is only on a par with their former actions. They are determined that by hook or by crook CuriHtehurch shall filch something out of our revenue ; and so to start with, endeavor to damn our admittedly indif-

ferent harbor, instead of trying what can be done to improve it ; and by forcing on us a road that is of secondary importance, endeavor to divert through their own city the stream of population for the sake of what can be made out of it. An escort too — another costly toy for the gratification of Christchurch vanity — is about to be established, and in both instances wo shall have to pay tho piper. It, no doubt, is a certain proof of our friends' disinterestedness to publish to tho world that we are only to pay for tho road constructed on our own side of the range, but they quite omit also to mention that it is only on this side that any largo outlay will be necessary, the portion on their own side requiring scarcely any making at oil. An equally ingenious excuse will no doubt be forthcoming to account for the establishmant of the escort job — perhaps the danger of the Wallaby being stuck up by pirates during the passage to Nelson ; or the greater safety of treasure when conveyed over a rugged and densely timbered country, everywhere intersected by deep and rapid rivers, and guarded by two or three policemen, compelled to travel in single file, owing to the narrowness of the traok — compared with its conveyance in a sound and tight steamship from Hokitika te NeKon, even with the terrors of the " bar" thrown in. Time will doubtless prove whether tbe road or the sea is to bo the chief highway to Hokitika, and will also determine the value of the escort ; but at present, viewing our more important requirements, both these hobbies of Christchurch are comparatively useless and quite uncalled for; and though, by the practice o^" touting that we have referred to, this celebrated road may be puffed into something like importance, it cannot be long before its true value is known. But if miners prefer to carry a swug for over 160 miles in preference to an easy voyage by sea ; or if traders prefer having their goods hauled overland by drays for ten times the cost of water carriage — why, they are greater fools than we take them to be.