WEST COAST TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20,1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 49, 26 September 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1865.

In order to show that the political separation of the Western portion of Canterbury from the Eastern is prudent and advisable, it is necessary to consider the following questions : —I. What are the public wants most urgently felt by the West Coast community? 11. Have the resources of the Government on the West Coast been used in the manner best calculated to supply those wants? 111. If it can be proved that the interests of the West Coa3t community have hitherto been almost entirely overlooked by the Canterbury Government, and that there is a strong probability of the Fame line of action being pursued for the future, would the granting of independent Provincial Government remedy the evil ? With regard, then, to the peculiar wants of the West Coast community : Wlien gold was first discovered on these shores the West Coast was almost as little known as Central Australia. It was found, on closer inspection, that the belt of comparatively-speaking flat country, extending from tho western foot of the main range to the ocean was completely covered bji a clenso growth of gigantic timber ; that the main range presented an almost insuperable obstacle to land communication with tho eastern portion of the island ; and that the harbors were few and difficult of entrance. Both steamers and sailing vessels did, however, contrive to cross the bars of the Grey and Hokitika rivers ; good holding ground was found outside for ships of large tonnage ; and, further to the south, a roadstead said to bo superior to that of Timaru, promised to afford fair protection and anchorage, should the goldfields at any time extend in that direction. It very soon became apparent that by far the cheapest and most expeditious way of introducing population, and the supplies necessary for their maintenance, was by ska. It would bo a complete waste of time and paper were wo to set to work to prove what the most thoroughgoing Chiistchurch man cannot deny with the slightest show of reason. The West Coast country may be compared to an island with indifferent harbors on one side -and an abrupt and iron-bound coast on the other. Foi all practical purposes it is inaccessible from tho cast ; and supposing such were not the case, tho best markets foi tho West Coast— Sydney, Melbourne, and Tasmania—are to bo reached by steering a westerly course. Two greal M'ants sprung up as scon as men tegan

to congregate on the West Coast. The first was an improved harbor ; and the second was improved communication between that harbor and the various points at which the gold was being dug. The first want caused freight to rise to an enormous figure ; and the second want added further — to tho extent in some instances of from two to three hundred per cent. — to the price of tho necessaries of life to tho mining population. Had a separate colony been founded on the West Coast, having Hokitika, or the Grey, as its principal port, would the Government of the yoxithful settlement have expended any portion of its revenue in making a road across the Alps to Christchurch ; and would it not rather have opened up the country by rough but serviceable tracks to tho different centres of population within its own borders ? Would any sane body of men elected from tho colonists have come to the conclusion that it was right to allow the difficult entrance to their principal harbor — with in easy sail of good markets — to remain in its primeval condition, and have, in preference, turned their attention to connecting their port with a distant and second-rate town by means of a road, the first construction of which would swallow up their entire revenue for years, and the future maintenance of whifh would involve them in poverty, if not in actual ruin ? Wo do not think that there can be much difficulty in finding answers to our questions. The idea of making a road to Christchurch, after the nature of the country to be traversed had been ascertained, would have been scouted as absurd. Money would have been freely spent in forming useful tracks from the outlying diggings to the port, and strong efforts would have been made to render that port safer and easier of access. What we have said that v ould apply to tho West Coast as a separate colony, applies to it as a part of Canterbury. If the hope of making this country a permanent and prosperous settlement is to bo realised, a largo portion of the revenue collected here must be expended in' the manner indicated above. It must be spent on the West Coast, and for the benefit of the West Coast community. We must postpone further consideration of the subject till our next.