West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 61, 24 October 1865, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1865.

To be "represented" in tho councils of liis country is commonly looked on as a privilege by the Anglo-Saxon, but is sometimes the penalty which his birth-right imposes on him. We on the West Coast, a now community gathered from the four winds of heaven — and elsewhere — have had that thrust upon us for which others havo frequently striven in vain through a long •scries of years. We may choose two members, if it so please us, to represent the toiling thousands of this goldfield in the Provincial Council of Canterbury. Tho Act which confers this favour limits tho number of electors to those who )have been for six consecutive months the fortunate possessors cither of business liceraes or miners, rights. With regard to the qualification of candidates its terms are by no means bo explicit. It appears doubtful whether the two members must bo chosen from the electors of the West Coast, or from the " registered electors" of the Province ; or whether they may be ■picked fcom 'he inhatntiinls of the

Provinco generally, without any reference to qualification. There is a defect in tho wording of tho several statutes which treat of the subject, and wo decline tho task of interpreting Now Zealand statute law. The sensible course for this community to pursue is to choose the two " best men" who can bo found, and trust to the chapter of accidents whether they will bo accepted or not. "Wo should have said tho best men who can bo induced to put up with the compliment and fulfil r tho -duties. Wo must modify our proposition yet further, for if two respectablo men cannot be found — two men who will not do tho West Canterbury gold-field discredit, the Returning Officer had better send back the writs as a bailiff sometimes has to do, with " nulla bona " on the back of them. It wcro an easy matter to find two men willing to placo M.P.C., after their names, and willing moreover to vote in a wild and rabid manner for what they might consider West Coast interests. Two men could bo found without trouble who could, in tho faces of a gaping crowd, pour forth a torrent of bad English, and worso Bouse. Tho town boll-men could do that, and no doubt thoro aro others to match them. But our members must bo of a very difforont stamp to effect any good. It is no use disguising the fact that the wishes of tho Eastern portion of the Provinco aro opposed to tho truo interests of tho Western. Wo need not hero stop to say how or why j tho fact is admitted on all hands, and has often enough been commented on in thoso columns. Now, the bare votes of two West Coast members will do little to sot matters right. If a hundred thousand pounds were proposed to be spent on tho West Coast road, or half n million on a railway, with a tunnel through tho main range, the two votes of tho Hokitika members would bo quite insufficient to spoil the little game. Neither their voting nor their spouting would bo worth a button to tho issue. Christchurch lunacy, as dovelopod with tho development of tho gold-fields, requires treatment of ft cautious and insinuating charactor. The patient is a gentleman, though sometimes guilty of unmannerly acts, and he who would bend him to his will must adopt a tone very far removed from bounco and rowdyism. His madness may bo overawed by superior intelligence, but not by blustering threats. Let us send to Christchurch good publio speakers — if we can find them — but, at least, men who will be listened to, both in tke Council and out of doors, with respect. A quiot sensible man might do more for tho Wost Coast in a conversation with the Secretary for Public Works, than two hotheaded and rough-worded politicians would effect in tho Council Chamber. Apart, moreover, of the injusticojwhich haß been dono to tho West Coast is tho undoubted result of misapprehension. Our members must bo prepared to show that Christchurch interests havo been most neglected whero, by tho Eastern community, they aro supposed to have been most looked after. Our neighbours wish- to derive a lasting benefit from tho gold-fields; show them how to dcvolopo the gold-fields therefore, and to a certain extent you win them to your side,' The road and tho railway from Christchurch may bo persevered in, but tho roads to tho various diggings will no longer be left totally uncared for.

As yet we know of but one gentleman who is regularly befovo tho electors as a candidate, and tvo havo no hesitation in saying that, if successful ho will mnke a good member of Council. Mr. M'Glashan is an old Now Zealand colonist of high respectability. He is now settled in Hokitika, having ontcrcd into commercial relations which bind him to tho place. Ho is a quiet, sensible man of business habits, and not at all likely to do harm by fostering tho existing spirit of antagonism between tho East and West. Ho should cortainly bo elected, but whoro to find tho second member is a puzzle. Wo could namo half-a-dozon likely men, but thoy would object to becomo mombors. They havo not enough timo, or money, or some might be even honest enough to say they were deficient in brains, and maybe they are better judges oji that point than ourselves. Others thero aro

again who certainly have neither the money, the time, nor tho wits, to properly represent tho West Coast in the Provincial Council, but who nevertheless think themselves very fino fellows, and very woll qualified to bo tho chosen of tho people Thero is danger that some ono of tlds class bo elected. If tho constituency of a Bottled town like Dunedin could elect so notorious a charlatan as J. G. S. Grant, Hokitika might make the mistako of saddling itself with a representative of tho calibro of Mr Q. B. Young. This gentleman is a harmless member of tho social circle, is an undoubted judge of a horse, and the possessor of a largo fund of tho smallest talk, but would bo of /is much use to tho West Coast in tho Provincial Council as a Dutch doll at a prize fight. The second scat in tho Council must bo filled as respectably as the first.

That enterprising caterer for public amusement, Mr J.H. Kobble, is apparently determined to spare no oxpenso to rendor his establishment tho most attractive in Hokitika. Tho room at tho London Hotel, as a concort-hall, is unrivalled by any other in town for comfort ami convenience, and lately tho bar has undorgono considerable alteration, and is now fitted up in a stylo both olmsto and ornamental, that reflects tho highest credit upon the tasto and liberality of tho proprietor. Wo trust tho London Hotel will rcceivo that support its morita as ft placo of amusement cntitlo it to,

Between six and seven o'clock on Saturday ovening a sawyer, in attempting to oross tho Hokilika river, had a narrow escapo of losing his life. It appears that ho was bringing a raft of timber down tho stream, and by some mischance got foul of ft ropo which stretched from ono side of tho rivor to tho other, opposite to tho Post Office. After considerable difficulty ho succeeded in extricating himself from his perilous position, but tho fact of tho lives of those who ply up and down tho rivor being jeopardised by tho ropo in question, ought to induco the proprietors thereof so to placo the ropo that neither tho traffic of tho rivor should bo impeded, nor the lives of raftsmen endangered.

Tho " Southern Gross," of tho 11th instant, commonting on tho prospects of peaco in tho North Island, says : — AH tho items of news from tho nativo districts sing; tho issuo of the pcaco proclamation show that thoro is not the slightest hope of its inducing n singlo man to lay down his arms. Taking tho West Coast, wo havo tho Ngatinianiopotos at Kawhin, watching their opportunity to attack tho posts In tho Waikato, when weakoncd by tho withdrawal of tho troops, and threatening our native allies about the settlement of Raglan, From thero all down tho West Coast, tho feeling of tho natives towards us is worso than over it was. In Waikato itsolf tho " Kupapno," or thoso who havo takon tho oath of allegiance, aro sulky and untrustworthy, Thoro is no sign from Thompson and tho Ngatihauas, or their allies of accopling peace. They maintain a hostilo attitude in security at Matamata. Tho news from tho East Coast, and previous events, show how determined aro the robels in that part of tho country to fight to tho last. It is quite cortain that Major Atkinson would at tho present timo find ample employment for his colonial array of I,GOO men at Waiapu, even if he were thero in person to command them. Tho Arawas havo been loyal throughout, and thero cag bo Httlo doubt will so remain ; but we havo no hope of aid from any other tribe. Coming nearor to Auckland, the Thames tribes, which have hitherto been very/dubiously loyal, have" within tho lust week or two shown decidedly woiso symptoms. Suspicions of ft tendency to becomo active enemies instead of very passive friends ohiefly attach to Taraia and that portion of Ngatitamatora residing well xvp tho Thames ; and tho fact that Mr. Mackay, civil Commissioner, left Auckland on Monday for that destination, would seem to show that all was not right thoro. In tho faco of all this wo are told that the troops are to be withdrawn.

Thoro has been considerable improvement effected in tho condition of our stroots during tho past mouth, although there still remains much to bo dono in that respect. Ilevoll-street can now bo traversed from Wold-street to Gibson's Quay by the pedestrian without risk or discomfort, tho roadway having been made up in tho orthodox ahapo with sand, tho footpaths lecrbed, gravelled and flanked by tho usual gutter, albeit not very clearly donned, to carry off storm wntor. This Inßt, howovor, collects but Blowly, tho sand absorbing it almoso as fast ns it falls ; and howevor much wo may havo doubted tho efficacy of Band for road-making, wo must confess it considerably surpasses our expectation, nnd gives promise of in timo becoming ncirly as hard as MAdam itself. Gibson's Quay east of Itovcll street is still in tho hands of tho con - tractor; and although to tho casual observer may appoar but little changod from its pristino state of mud, improvements havo been made, in tho formation of drains, and a footpath in front of tho stores and warehouses. This thoroughfare boing of groat extent will tako much more limo to comploto than othor parta of tho town. Wo really must call tho attention of tho Improvement Comraittoo to tho yet disgracoful atato of Wharf street, not tho slightest alteration save for tho worso having boon offected in that much used and yot ncgleoted locality. As tho Mincing Lano of Hokitika it cortainly desorvos a Httlo more consideration than has hitherto boon shown it. A month ngo tondors wcro accoptod for its formation, yot sinoo that timo nothing has boon dono. Tho merchants whoso warehouses aro situated in this street havo just causo to murmur. Gibson's quay wost, is still " in statu quo," and if not promptly attonded to thoro will bo little loft to improvo upon, [}n\h much to reconstruct, as tho rivor is slowly but surely making inroads upon it. Although tho traffic through Wold and Sowcll streets is daily increasing, no notico Brans to bo taken of their wretched stito, horses and oavts utill continuing to flounder through and stick in their miry dcptlr.!. Nono but tho rnoufc uotivo and athlotio

of pedestrians dare attempt to [reaoh tho poat oflico by tliia routo ; and when the floods prevail it is absolutely impassablo oxcopt to swimmors. The cases brought before the Resident Magistrate ou Saturday aud Monday woro fow and unimportant. Jonathan Smith brought up, on remand, of boing concerned in tho robbory of the Bank of Now South Wales' agent at tho E Grey, was discharged, as no further evidonco waa forthcoming against him. T. Walker was charged with having in his possession a valuable gold watch find chain, tho samo boing stolen property, From tho evidence of Detcctivo Howard it appeared that tho owner of tho watch, Mr Thomas Martyn, had lost it, sorao timo ago, in Dunedin, and although every offorb waa made to recover it, not the slightost trace of it could bo discovered ; tho police being entirely at fault. On Tuesday last ho met Mr Martyn in Revoll streot, who informed him ho had seen a Mr Walkor wearing a chain that very much rcsombled the one ho had lost j g<wo him a description of tho watch about which there could bo no mistake) as tho namo Thomas Martyn, Esq., Bushy Dale, Molyneux, 1801, was engraved on tho insido of the back of it. Witness proceeded to Walkor and askod to sco tho watch, which, on examining, ho found to bo tho ono in question, it answering exactly to tho description givon to him by Martyn. Ho charged Walker with boing in possession of stolen property, and asked whero ho had obtained it, who said that ho had lont one Thomson, or Tonson, ten pounds upon it in Dunedin. Mr Walker substantiated the latter part of tho former evidence, and beliovod that tho party from whom ho had got it was a hawker, and at tho timo lived at the Cafe do Paris in Dunodin, Mr i Martyn swore that tho watch was his property and .had been stolen from him ono night in Dunedin. Tho court dcoided that as thcro wano caso against Walker, ho was discharged ; but ho would htvvo to lay an information against Thorns son which would bo immediately forwarded to Dunedin. Thowatohjwouldfor tho prcseutVemain with tho Dotcotivo. On Monday, Hugh' Smith and Robert Froshwator for boing drunk and incapable, wore fined iho first ten Bhillings,thcjsocond a pound or forty-oight hours imprisonment. Alexander Thomson and John Bryson woro indicted for larceny. From tho {ovidencoj givon it appeared that a sawyer, residing in Hokitika left his tent on Sunday morning and on returning in tho evening* missed a pair of blankets 5 ho made every enquiry concorning them but without success, and lodged an information at tho camp of the loss ho had sustained, The blankets which woro produced in court and sworn to by tho prosecutor, woro afterwards found by Detectjvo Howard in ft 'tent at tho upper end of Hovell streot, which contained a great numbor of miscellaneous articles besides On tho application of Inspeotor Broham, who stated thoro was another clmrgo of larceny against tho prisoners, tho case was remanded for further evidence until to-day. Joseph Lockharfc was ohargcel with stealing a bag of potatoes from tho storo of Mr Tumor in Wold street. The ovidonco of Sorgeant Clementa showed that ho "aw tho prisoner tako tho potatoca, He followed him into Rovcll strcot, when tho prisoner, hcariug footstops behind him, dropped tho bag and ran away ; ho chased and captured him. Mr Turner sworo that tho articles in question woro liis property, but he did not miss them until his attention was called to tho fact by tho sergeant. Prisonors woro sontenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labor. Information which reached 113 yesterday would lead to tho supposition that gold in payable quantities ia more generally distributed on tho West Coast than some even of tho sangnino ones imagine. Wo wero shown a sample of gold said to liavo been taken from a placo not a hundred milos from Hokitika ; and although from tho statoment of roturns made to us by tho parties professing to have discovered it, wo aro led to belicvo it will not pay by tho ordinary methods employed by miners, it induces us to imagine that Hokitika will soon sco organized bodies of men, with improved moohanical appliances at work, for the oxtraotion of tho precious metal and that systematic mining in this as in other countries will moot a just roward. Wo shall report more fully on this in a future issue. On Thursday last tho Improvement Committeo hold thoir usual weekly meeting nt Braokon's hotol, when tho following resolutions woro passed : — Moved by Mr. Braoken that Mr. Tl-atohor's lottor bo received. Moved by Mr, Clark that immediato stops bo takou for forming tho footpath or approach to tho bridgo in Cumpstreot. Moved by Mr. Prosser that the Colonial Secretary bo written to, calling his^ immediato attention to tho momorial about tho.importatlon of cattlo, forwardod through tho Piovincial Seorotary, and urging that tho Diseased Cattlo Act may bo so amended before tho close of tho Legislative Session, as to allow free importation. Also, that Messrs. Craig and Co. and James Davory bo written to, informing them they must comply with tlio specifications and treenail tho silla, mako up tho contro of tho Btreot in such places as aro required, and carry out tho contract in all its integrity. That tho Olork inform Messrs Craig and Jamog Davory, tho comjnittoo of works aro instructed to havo tho work done accordingly. Also, by tho same gontloman, that a spcoial meeting bo held on Monday ovoning noxt, to tako into consideration tho disposal of tho hospital funds, and any othor buninoss necessary. Notices of motion— Mr. Clarko to move, that Mr. Salo bo wrllton to, requesting him to lot tho miners dig near the Cornel cry whore gold has been discovered, ns this committee tiro informed that tho police lire slopping tho minei a from working, which tho committeo consider thoy arc not justified in doing.

Frequent occurrences of nccidciital drowning have lately como under our notico, and it is again our paiutul duty to record tho supposed deatli of a butchor known na Jemmy Smith while crossing the siiag falls at tho Toroinakau on Friday last. Another body was also found on tho beach in tho namo locality, but as tho corpse wna much eaten away by rats, the disfigurement is such, that identification wilt bo diflicult. Threo other men barely escaped with their lives by tho upsetting of a coal boat at a point just abovo tho Grey mouth. Tho boat was recovered about a uiilo from the place whore sho capsized.