WEST COAST TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 46, 19 September 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1865.

CiiA.nr.ES Dickbns's picture of the Circumlocution Office, though generally regarded as a caricature, contains more truth than at first sight appears ; and is not only correct with regard to the way in which official business is usually conducted in England; for we find that our colonial Barnacles copy their home originals with a fidelity more or less exact, in their endeavors " how not to do it." In tho particular instance to which we now desire to refer, this peculiarity is developed to an extent which is daily productive of increased inconvenience and loss to tho unfortunate wights whom an adverse destiny compels to seek the precincts of the Hokitika Camp ; and which must become even more apparent with the increase of business likely to accrue through the numbers now flocking to our shores, every one of whom is compelled to apply, sooner or later to the office in question. If the officials — as we have been informed by a shrewd ex Government employe — rather prefer the course of giving the public as much annoyance as possible, in order to deter them' from seeking the Camp more than they can by any means help, it certainly affords a solution to tjie conduct complained of; and although scarcely satisfactory to tho indignant sufferers, gives a pretty fair notion of the importance of public business in tho eyes of its servants. Most of our readers will doubtless havo observed through the chief part of the day a small mob collected at the back of thn Courthouse, and waiting impatiently fov their turn at a diminutive mouse-trap-like aperture beyond which sits an official whose special duty we believe is to issue miners' rights and business licences, but who appears to take no small pride in rioing a bit of judicial business on his own account — acting the part of a sort 'of deputy-commis-sioner, and sitting gravely, with pen in ear, listening to the importunate statements of excited individuals with reference to cases in which ho has no concern, and to which his superiors in office havo only tho right to listen and decide. This small assumption of official dignity might justly provoke merely ridicule and laughter, did it not seriously interfere with the despatch of public business, and cause a shameful waste of time, which to everyone enengaged in earning a livelihood — whether as a merchant or a minor — is money, and should no more be stolen than cash itself. A delay of ten minutes may not be thought of much account by the official inside, but if a dozen individuals are waiting their turns, such delay amounts in the aggregate to two hours. We will suppose a person wants a business licence or miner's right ; about four minutes is employed in filling up the form, and then commences a chase on the part of tho clerk to "scare up" some warden who may bo for the moment unemployed, to obtain his signature ; and in the meantime the applicant, with a dozen who are waiting to go through tho same ordeal, are loft to kick their heels outside, exchange original remarks about tho weather and the prospects of the town, or exercise an Englishman's privilege to growl (with good reason) at tho defective arrangements which necessitate such a loss of timo and 'patience. Why cannot a magistrate (as in other places) sign a book-full of miner's right and licence f Tins, numbered consecutively, so as to avoid such a hunt after him for every one that is issued ? And why cannot a die be used, as in the Post-office, to stamp in one second the date of issue, and so leavo only the name to bo filled in ? Such a course as this would save a disgraceful waste of time, and allow the clerk sufficient leisure to continue his amateur-judicial functions, should he.be so inclined, without annoying more than ono individual at a time.

There is another point, too, which it is only right tho public should bo acquainted with, but which tho official alluded to chooses to consider beneath his notice, By tho old regulations of this goldficM tho maximum area of ground allowed to bo held under one business licence was 33 feet in width by a depth of 6G feet ; but by a " Pro vmcial Gazette," published on tho 24th of August last, tho depth was increased to 135 feet, which alteration we announced in a subsequent issue of

this journal. Only a couple of clays ago, however, it came under our notice tl.nt no alteration had been made in the wording of the licences, they still containing the original 33 by G6 rule. The gentleman to whom two was issued, returned the following day to the office, and requested that the proper figures should be substituted — 135 feet. Such an. unusual course- as this, amounting virtually to a denial of official infallibility, of course, met with tho rebuff it deserved, the clerk averring that he " had no authority" for making tho alteration, and it was not without considerable trouble, and a reference- to tho commissioner, that tho error was rectified. We think this shows pretty conclusively the amount of attention paid to public business. If tho " Gazette" is not read by those ivho arc expected and paid to attend to tho orders contained therein — tho Government officials — for what earthly purposo is it issued at all? Hero is an example of a change in tho goldficlds regulations, a month old, being utterly unknown to those whose very business it is to know it ; and sinc^ the alteration in question, applicants for licences have been " diddled" out of more than half tho area of land that they have a right to claim. Wo should strongly advise our readers to look to tho date of their licenses ; and if the land in their rear is unoccupied, to take the full area, and havo their licences altered accordingly. And, in conclusion, we consider wo are justified iv recommending to the officials at the Hokitika camp an increased attention to public business.