WEST COAST TIMES. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 51, 30 September 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1865.

To muko room for tho European and American news, wo aro compelled to hold over our usual leading article and other items till our next.

Wo havo boon favored with an inspection of somo viows of Hokitika takon by Mr. W. J. Donslow of this town, and we can candidly say that thoy aro not only exceedingly accurate in tliemsolves, but that, their execution reflects the highest credit on tho artist in question. Tho ." West Coast Times " offico, in Woldstreet, with a largo numbor of those connected with it, is one of tho pictures ; and it is valuablo to thoso at a distance, inasmuch as tho background gives an excellent idea of tho impenotrablo bush of this part of Now Zealand, and tho foreground, where tho street has been cleared, shows admirably the undergrowth of supplejacks with which the land is covered. Harding's Corinthian Hall, with many noted characters in front, and a portion of Revellstreet, including tho Empire Hotel, also is excellently dono, as aro two very good viows — ono of a portion of tho bay, with tho entrance to tho river, as woll as somo of tho beach bestrewn with wrecks ; tho othor the rivor, showing part of Gibson's Quay and tho vessels lying at anchor. Tho Dancing Wave, agronnd, is takon from tho mast-head of tho Leonidas, and both theso two vessols aro admirably takon as they lay ashoro. It would be very valuablo to shipowners at a distanco, whose vessels go ashoro, to havo photographs of this kind sent, for thoy would bo bettor ablo to form an idoa of tho dogroo of danger that thoy woro subjected to, and could moro readily decide themselves, or concur in tho decision of their agents, as to what woro best to be dono with tho stranded craft. In somo cases, in fact in tho majority of instancos, it is necessary for agents to act promptly, but still it would bo moro satisfactory to all parties to see that decisivo stops wero necessary. Wo recommend our readers to pay Mr. Dcnslow's studio a visit and judge for thomsolvos as to tho merit of tho photographs wo havo referred to ; and wo aro glad to find that wo have in Hokitika an artist capable of producing thorn in such stylo.

The " Provincial Gazotto" of tho 16th instant, announces : — All that parcel of land, containing twolvo acres threo roods, moro or loss, in tho town of Hokitika, and known as Gibson's Quay, boing bounded on tho south by tho Hokitika Rivor ; on tho oast by a lino in continuation of the western sido of Jollio-street 5 on tho wost by tho western sido of Wharf-streot ; on the north by a lino boing parallel to and two chains distant from tho first described boundary, are reserved for tho purpose of a publio wharf. Tho following appointments havo been mado : — Edward Honry Bold, to bo an assistant surveyor or mining survoyor on the West Canterbury Goldfiold; Edward Hackett, to bo draughtsman in the survey office at Hokitika ; Llewellyn Smith, to bo a mining surveyor on tho West Canterbury Goldfields ; and Samuel Boswick, of Hokitika, to be coroner, having jurisdiction within tho colony. Frederick William Eicko, commission agent, Richard Haman Joffares Reeves, commission agent, Daniel Wilson Virtue, merchant, Robert Macintyre, merchant, David Isaacs, merchant, Petor Elliot, commission agont, have taken out auctioneers' licenses for tho year onding 80th June, 1866. John Ruthorford Ryloy has submitted, for Mr. Salo's examination, his diploma from tho Royal Collego of Surgoons, Edinburgh. The " Gazette "of tho 18th iust. proclaims tho following resorvos: — All that parcel of land containing five thousand acres, situato on tho wost coast of tho Provinco of Canterbury, commencing at a point on tho south bank of tho Rivor Groy, tho same boing tho north-west coi'nor of tho resorvo for nativo purposes, containing two hundred and fifty acres, and numborcd 3<l of tho Gcnoral Govornmont rosorvos, in tho Groy district; thence southorly and oastorly, following along tho western and southern boundaries of tho said rosorvo to tho Rivor Arnold ; thonco following tho western bank of that rivor in a southerly direction to a point on tho same, boing ono hundred and ninety-four chains, measured in a straight lino from tho confluence of tho boforo-montionod Rivers Groy and Arnold ; thonco westerly, following a right lino to a point, boing fiftoon chains distant from and in continuation of tho oaslorn boundary of tho rosorvcs for nativo purposos, containing two hundrod and fifty acres, and numbered 33 of tho General Govornmont rosorvos ; thence, following a straight lino, to tho sovthoustorn cornor of that rosorvo, and onwards in tho samo straight lino along tho

custom boundary thereof to tho Rivor Groy aforesaid ; and from thence, roturning along tho southern bank of that river to tho commencing point.

Wo havo boon informed that Mr. Browning has been despatched to oxploro tho sources of tho Kokotahi, a rivor which runs into tho Hokitika. It is thought possible that a pass may bo found iv that direction.

My. A. Mackay, Commissioner of Nativo Rosorvcs, has arrived at tho Grey, and is now engaged in laying off the Maori township.

Tho Nelson Government do not seem inclined to make hotter use of thoir opportunities than that of Canterbury, their efforts to meet tho wants of tho Grey goldfiolds community boing poor in tho extreme. As an instanco of thoir ponny-wiso and pound-foolish economy, wo may remark that, in conscquonco of tho absonco of propor police protection, tho banks closed thoir agencies in No Town, above the Twelvo Milo, and thoroforo minors wishing to disposo of their gold will havo to como down to tho lattor place. Thore aro no police stationed on the Nelson sido of tho Grey, and tho consequence is that tho gold is brought over to tho Canterbury side as early as possible to save unnecessary risk, 'and tho duty of 2s. 6d. por ounco thorofore goes into tho coffers of Canterbury, instead of into those of Nelson.

As an instance of the general distribution of gold on the Wost Coast, wo may montion that payablo prospects havo boon obtained on tho soa beach near a small creek, about three miles this sido of tho Grey, and sovoral claims havo been takon up. Sluicing is tho mode adopted for extracting tho precious metal from tho earth, and through tho difficulty of obtaining wator for this purpose — the creek in question containing only between two and threo sluice-heads — tho field must always romain of limited extent.

_ Ono of those accidonts through felling timber that aro becoming so common on tho West Coast, happened at tho Kaniori on tho 28th inst., thereby causing tho total destruction of a well-built weatherboard cottage, and depriving a respectablo family of a comfortable homo. The cottage belonged to a sawyer, who having nocd of the tree in question set to work foiling it, but having doubts as to tho direction it would fall, removed his family and household gods to a safe placo. It was woll ho did so, for it fell in tho wrong placo, completely demolishing tho cottage, ono end of which only was loft standing. Wo really must call tho attontion of tho surveyor to tho stato of tho track on the south bank of the Hokitika, up to Woodstock. , It was clearod some fow weoks back, and left ts taho caro of itself afterwards ; and should tho obstructions which havo accumulated since then increase-in tho same ratio during tho ensuing twp months another clearing will be uecossary, so many trees having been blown across tho track by tho late galo. Moreover, wo cortainly think that a rough bridgo might havo boon thrown across tho only creek that intersects it, which in timo of flood is _ oxcoodingly inconvoniont to cross, and is to pedestrians travelling aftor dark positively dangerous. Wo beg to acknowledge with thanks tho courtesy of Captain Edwards, of tho s.s. Omoo, and also that of Messrs. Henderson & Bonar, agents for tho Yarra, for their kindness in promptly supplying us with files of Molbourno. papors, and a copy of tho "Homo News," containing tho intelligence brought by tho European mail for July, Tho report of Mr. Honry Griffiths, secretary to the Pioneer Raco Company, has boon forwarded to us, and wo havo much pleasure in making it known to tho public. Tho progress mado by this company has not boon so rapid as may havo been oxpocted, thoy having been considerably delayed by the wot woathor, and rotarded in their work by the rough nature of the country to bo cut through. Thoy, howover, oxpect to havo tho raco in to Tuckor Flat about tho end of noxt wook, and hope to then rocoivo somo compensation for their outlay of time and money. Thoy havo just commoncod tho largo flume across Tuckor Flat, tho length of which will bo 800 foot ; broadth, 40 inches ; and height, 50 feet. This, thoy expoct, will bo completed in three weoks 5 and a month afterwards thoy hopo to havo tho wator on to tho Kaniori terrace. Mr. Griffiths further reports that all the ground in tho vicinity or tho ,race is takon up for sluicing, that tho parties aro shophording it until tho wator is brought in ; thus showing tho confidonco of minors in tho auriforous rosourcos of tho country round Tuckor Flat, Wo certainly anticipate rosults the most important from tho construction of this raco, and wish tho Pioncor Company that success their entorpriso so worthily merits. Tho folly of drunkonnoss aud tho ovil rosults that so often accompany it was remarkably oxomplifiod in a case that occurred on tho Kaniori Torraco tho other day. A minor on getting up ono morning after a drunkon sproo, found himsolf dispossessed of his sharo in a gojdon claim. Tho shareholders in tho claim in question havo, through tlioiv dissipatod habits obtained for themselves tho rathor unenviable soubriquet of tho " Drunkon Mob," it boing their practico at tho end of ovory weok to knock down their oarnings boforo thoy commonco work again. Thoir claim being in good roputo, shares in it had boon sought aftor, and as much as sovonty-fivo pounds was offorod and rofusod for ono. Ono of tho party, howovor, fell into tho hands of a Plulistino, who, catching him in nn unguarded momont, managed to purchaso his sharo for twonty pounds, and then very gonorously permitted him tho noxt day, as lie was not prepared to roprosont it himself, to work for him at a pound por day wages.- Tho poor doludcd fool towards ovoninpj apparently arrivod at tho truo si ate of tho casft, and domandod that his intorost should bo roturnod to him, as ho was drunk at the timo ho sold it. To this roqucst tho buyor, of course, strongly objoctod, profomng lo stick to his bnrfjam; tho consequence is that tho acller las instituted legal proceedings against him, and tho cjiso will, doubtloss, "cause somo iutorost amongst tho minors.

From information wo rocoived from Captain Malcolm of tho stoamcr Bruco, which arrived in tho rivor yostorday, wo hoar that sho arrived safely at Bruco Bay and landed all her passongors, but in consoquonco of leaving so soon aftor brings no information whatovor respecting the now goldfield. Captain Malcolm roports that lie left Mr. Snlo busily employed in marking off tho now township ; also, that two diggers who had been down thoro somo timo camo on board and obtained somo provisions from him. Thoy stated that tho colour could be obtained anywhere, but that thoy had nevor got moro than two grains to tho dish. Tho cuttor Advance had run ashoro whilst her crow wore ondoavouring to got her into tho rivor so as to bo out of sight of those who arrived after them.

Glad aro wo to sco that amongst tho largo numbor who comprise tho mining part of our community thoro aro somo ready to stop aside and turn their attention to othor and moro congenial pursuits, and, instead of burrowing underneath tho surfaco in tho search for gold, aro content to cultivate it for tho production of those most necessary esculents torined " garden stuff." In tho Maori Reserve, Messrs. Evans and Williams, who are well-known to tho Kanieri community, have leased throo acres of land from tho Maoris, and are now employed clearing it, with tho intention of cultivating a market gardon, which wo trust will bo tho means of supplying us iv a month or two with somo fresh salad and vegetables. From tho apathy hitherto displayed in connection with this most necessary adjunct to any township, we really began to fear (as tho ono gardon at tho Two Milo creek is quite inadequate to supply our wants), that wo should havo to import our green stuff from Tasmania or Nelson, but now that the ice is brokon, wo should not be surprised to hear of othor applications for tho same purpose Wo hope, howevor, that Messrs. Evans and Williams, as thoy have taken the initiative in this matter, will recoivo tho consideration and patronage which thoy doservo.