WEST COAST TIMES. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 59, 19 October 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1865.

However great the prosperity which the discovery of gold has brought to the West Coast of this Island, and however slight the prospect of a speedy falling off in the present yield of tho diggings, it would bo foolish to lose sight of the fact that, sooner or later, a goldfield must, in the nature of things, become exhausted ; and that a country possessing no other source of wealth, and holding out no other inducement for settlement, is surely approaching a future — -not of stability and importance — but of gradually increasing poverty and final abandonment. Every shovel full of earth that is washed, every claim which is worked out, are but steps towai'ds the inevitable issue. It may be ten, or it may be fifty years, beforo a goldfield ceases to make a paying return for labor expended on it, but the end is none the less certain. Tho process of exhaustion is gradual in most eases, though instances occur when tho yield breaks off suddenly, as in tho case of the Wakamarina goldfield, in the Province of Marlborough. If, when the yield ceases, or becomes so small that tho miners can no longer earn a subsistence, there bo no other industry at hand gradually to absorb the labor thus released, a country must speedily be deserted, tho population seeking more favored spots where a fair wage is the result of a fair day's work. It seems to usthativo country which" possesses alarge area of fertile soil should be so deserted. If in tho early days of a goldfield encouragement be given to agriculturists, by enabling them to obtain land at a reasonable figure, and by pushing forward tho roads by which produce must bo brought to market, an industry is created, not only self-supporting and of vast service to tho general community, but ono which, in" the decline of the goldfield, will prove sufficiently expansive to find employment for those whom the altered stato of things obliges to desert the diggings, and take to some other mode of earning their bread. Our proposition may be by some regarded as monstrous, but it will bo by those who have paid but little attention to tho subject, and havo derived their impressions, or formed their opinions — if the latter phrase is preferred — from a view only of tho apparently unsettled stato of society on a goldfield in full work. Such persons would probably hold that a country populated in consequence of tho discovery of gold would bo deserted, as a matter of course, when the yield of gold almost or ontiroly ceased. They would laugh at the idea

of a settled and prosperous agricultural community springing up as tho concomitant, and after-result of a rich goldfield. And yet the idea has. nothing whatever of absurdity belonging to it. New "Colonies are successfully founded by men who are the possessors, ns a rule, of very little wealth. They till tho soil, reap their crops, breed cattle, and, as years roll on, grow rich without tho assistanco and impetus which tho proximity of a goldfield would necessarily givo. Moro land is cultivated, moro flocks and herds reared, other industries naturally spring up, wealth accumulates, population multiplies, and eventually tho feoblo and insignificant colony becomes a great and flourishing stato. If a country can bo permanently settled without a goldfield, and we need scarcely adduce evidence that it can, is thero any reason why a country which starts into existence in possession of a goldfield should faro much worse even though tho assistanco it received from that goldfieid wore removed 1 We say, No j providing it possesses a fortilo soil and a tolorablo climate. Let us not bo misunderstood. Wo by no means underrate tho importance of goldfields ; we admit that many countries, and the West Coast of Now- Zealand amongst tho number, have been brought into notice and havo advanced to a large measure of prosperity by the discovory of extensive goldfields. We admit that tho sudden cessation of tho yield would probably bo followed by an exodus of the population, but wo aro endeavoring to show that a gradual falling off of tho yield might bo compensated by the gradual agricultural and pastoral settlement of tho land. Ono industry would t.ike tho place of the other, and in tirno givo rise to many more. When the gold was exhausted the country would be placed merely 'on an equal footing with very many prosperous colonies. It would appear from what has been said above that if it is desired to form a permanent settlement out of a country possessing tho ono industry of gold-mining, tho first thing to bo done is to endeavour as soon as possiblo to settle a population on tho land. By that means fixed wealth — the real source of prosperity to a country — would bo created. A colony in the true senso of tho word would be founded — a colony which would, at least during its infancy, receive powerful aid by having a goldfields market — a colony, in short, winch would not be called on to depend entirely on its own proper strength until it had arrived at years of maturity. It is long since tho legislators of California and Australia began to look at the question in that light. Their goldfields are becoming exhausted in tho natural course of things, but a vast amount of wealth has, during the last ton or twelvo years, been fixed in those countries. Other industries besides agriculture and stock-breeding have arisen, civilisation has rapidly advanced, and California and Australia havo each of them passed well into tho second stage of their existence as states. But besides this more comprehensive view of the question, we can look at it with advantage from a narrower and more personal view of tho aspect. Lot us now speak of the West Coast. Every man of the large population here is paying for the commonest necessaries of life prices the name of which would make the hair of a laboring man in Great Britain stand fairly on end. The wealth is going out of tho country to pay for our supplies of bread and meat, which ought to bo produced at home at a far cheaper rate. We aro paying prices not only sufficient to cover tho cost of raising, and leave a fair margin of profit for tho producer, but also the cost of freight from Melbourne or elsewhere ; and beyond that we are, as a matter of fact, paying tho insurance of vessels through the multitudinous dangers of the Hokitika bar. Part of the price of every pound of food consumed on tho West Coast, excepting the beef which comes from the other side of the range — and somewhat analogous circumstances makes that as expensivo — finds its way eventually into tho pockets of tho shipowners, not as fair freight, but, as wo remarked before, for insurance. Now we have no hesitation in saying that woro land cultivated in considerable quantities on tho West Coast, both producers and consumers would •do well out of it. Producers could mako fortunes at far less prices than obtain at present, and miners — the principal consumers — would reap a double advantage. Their food would be far cheaper, and, secondly, a consideration by no means to be despised, vast areas of ground, not rich" Enough to bo worked with provisions at present rales, would becomo available.

There is only one other point wo will touch on The wholo of tho country on the West Coast is moro or less auriferous, and it would bo well in selecting blocks of land for sale that care should bo taken to avoid spots on which gold workings already exist ; nnd also spots, which, in tho opinion of experienced persons, are likely to provo highly auriferous. But land for bona fido cultivation tho peoplo must havo, and tho sooner tho want is supplied the better for tho permanent prosperity of the West Const.

Notwithstandsng tho impenetrability of t?io bush on tho West Coast of Now Zealand, und tho consequent facilities afforded to the illicit distillation of spirits, defying as it woro tho vigilanco of tho most accomplished dotective, thcro has at last been brought to justice two parties who havo been engaged in this profitable lino of business, with ovory applianco for tho distilling of spirituous liquors ad it\finilum. This being tho first seizure mado on tho West Coast, gio.it oredit ia due to the

constabulary of Hokitika for the capluro of these persons who wcro in a fair way of deflauding Her Majesty of her lawful dues, and who arc now paying the penalty of thoir misdeeds by an imprisonment of threo months duration. Tho distillers, who tiro respectively named Win. Young and Robert Cameron, wero yesterday brought beforo tho Resident 'Magistrate, and from tho evidence adduced it appeared that, from information received, Inspector Brohatn, accompanied by Sergeant Clements, * constables Howard and Kirkpatriok, together with Mr Lemming, Custom House officer, proceeded along tho north beach fot|a distance of about two miles, and then struck into tho bush, along an almost imporceptiblo track for another inilo and a half, when a small rivulet \ytt& reached, standiugin tho middle of which watf a- hut, which tho party entered, and thero found tho two prisoners lying asleep, surrounded by four largo barrols, each containing about 100 gallons of wash ready for working off. On being awakened, the prisoners declined to givo any information respecting tho whoreabnuls of tho still, and consequently a search was instituted, which, in tho rough state of tho surrounding country, prosontcd tho rcversojof a cheering prospect ; however, after about an hour's diligent search tho head and worm wero found secreted in tho bed of tho creek, hiddon from view by tho branches of trees, Tho prisoners, who but a few short hours beforo had probably calculated upon realising a rapid fortuno in their secluded retreat, wcro at onco taken in charge, nud as wo , havo boforo implied, found guilty of illicit distilling.

Early yesterday morning tho body of a man was found lying on the banks of tho Teremakau river, apparently having been washed somo distanco down tUo stream. The identification of the corpso had not been proven up to a lato hour yesterday, and wo Leliovo nn inquest will be hold thereon to-day at Ellis's accommodation house, whither the body was conveyed.

An inquest was held at tho Harp of Erin Hotel, on Tuesday, beforo Dr. Beswick, coroner, o,n the body of.Richard Livingston, ono of tho unfortunate men who lost their lives on Monday last by tho capsizing of tho Tambo's boat. The depositions of tho captain of the Tatnbo stated that the deceased, who shipped with him on Saturday, the 13th instant, was about thirty years of ago, and was a. native of Glasgow ; that on the morning of tho accident ho (tho captain) ordered three mon to man the boat for the purpose of fotohing two of tho crew who wcro waiting on tho north bank of tho river, at tho same time cautioning thorn to bo careful and pull over to tho south Bhoro • beforo attempting to cross the river ; finding that only two men had gone in the boat he hailed them to' return, but thoy still pulled on and got about fifty yards ahead of tho Julia schooner, when ho again hailed them to alter thoir courec which they did for a short distanco but again pulled towards tho north bank, and tho heavy freshet which was coining down at tho timo carried them out into tho breakers, tho consequence of which was that tho boat immediately filled and the men were thrown out. The verdict was "accidental death from the upsetting of a boat."

If wo may judgo by an announcement which appears in , another column, Hokitika will soon

bo enjoying tho novelty of nn election. Two members are to bo returned to represent tho West Coast, and the nomination will take placo at tho Wnrdon's Court, on Monday, tho 6th of November ; tho poll, if necessary, will bo taken on Saturday, the 11th. Judging from tho apathy hitherto displayed in regard to publio matters, we can scarcely hope to sco a contested election yot, and tho business of tho returning officer will donbtloss end, as it will begin, on tho day of nomination. But if tiiero be any of tho old spirit yot lying dorinantjwithin us, now is tho timo to display it j for if our fellow townsmen let this opportunity pass of constitutionally romedying the grievances of which they now complain, and suffer mcro Christchuroh hacks to oarry tho day, it will not only bo their own fault, but tho necessary result of their carelessness will be well deserved — defectivo mining legislation, suspension of publio works, and tho subsorvienoy of our most vilal interests to thoso of Christchurch. Section 2 of tho Minors' Representation Act Amendment Act, 1862 j contains tho following, which wo oxtnict for tho bonofit of our readers ;—"; — " Every man of tho agejof 21 or upwards nob being disqualified undor Seotion Viii of the ' Constitution Act' and being tho lawful holder of a Minor's Right or of a Busiuess Licenso under any Gold-fields Act or Acts who shall have held such Right or Liconso respectively for not less than six months consecutively and immediately preceding tho day of tho Election at which ho shall he desire to vote, shall be entitled to vote at ovory such Election of Gold-fields Members of the llouso of Ropresontatives and of Gold-fields Mombers of tho Provincial Council of tho Province in which suoh Miner's ftight or Business Licenso shall be issued ns is now or horeaftor shall be provided by any Act of tho , General Assembly or Ordinance of tho Provincial Council of such Provinco respectively."

Wo aro happy to notico that a much-needed want has been supplied by a local tradesman, viz., a branch Post-office, which has boon opened iv Revell streot, at tho Bhop of Mr Munson,' next' Bracken's bot6l. It is under tho cxclusivo control of tho Post-oflico authorities, and is cleared twico each day, at 0.30 a.m. and 4 30 p.m., oxcopt/ on Mondays, when tho morning olcaranco is effected at seven o'clock, in time for transmission 'by the overland mail to Ohristohurch.

A bottle, hermetically sealed, was picked up at tho mduth of tho Grey River on tho 3rd instant. On opening, it was found to contain tho following memorandum: — "Current bottlo ; thrown overboard from tho P.N.Z. and A.Ii.M. Co.'s e.g. Airedalo, off Hokitika River, N.Z. Int. 42° 46', lon. 170* fiO 1 E. Sept. 20th, 1805. W. J. R. Nottlohara, chief oflicor."