WEST COAST TIMES,

West Coast Times, Issue 70, 14 November 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES,

TUESDAY, NOVMMUEUM, 1806.

The Provincial Council of Canterbury is summoned by proclamation to moot for despatch of business at Christchurch, on Tuesday next, the 21st inst. Messrs Prossor and BarfF, on whom tho choice of tho electors Una fallen, have an interval of exactly seven days therefore, to make their preparations, and to roceivo their instructions for their appearance in tho Legislature. Thcso gentlemen accept a position of tho gravest possible responsibility, nnd it should bo their care to enter upon it armed with tho fullest credentials. They will go^ to Christchurch to diecharge ono simple duty — to represent tho special interests of tho West Coast. Would it not bo well that before thoy leave tho district thoy should meet tho electors in free and open conference, not so much to enuneiato their own views as to listen to tho suggestions of others and receive their general instructions from tho peoplo? Tho excitement of tho contest is over. Whatcvor thcro may havo been of tho spirit of partisanship may now well bo allowed to subside, and common cause mado by all sections of tho community to extract tho greatest possiblo good out of tho modicum of political right that has bcon conccdod.to us. 1

It will bo seen from tho following communica lion, addressed to Mr. Hawkcs and other memorialists, that tho Government declino to aulhoiiso tho sale of town lands on tho West Coast until tho Provincial Council havo taken action on tho subject : — Hokitika, Octobor 81, 1865. Gonllomen, — I have tho honor to inform you that I havo received a letter from Iho Provincial Sccrotnry, in which ho acknowledges tho receipt of your memorial, addrossod to his Honor tho Superintendent. In reply, his Honor desires him to nay that no town lands on tho West Coast will bo sold until tho Provincial Council phivll have considered and decided upon tho mattor.^ — I havo tho honor, &c, (signed) G. S. Sale, Commisstioucr. Wo understand that a company is about to bo started in a fow days, having for its objcot tho opening up and working of tho splendid coal mines upon tho i Grey llivcr. It ia proposed to purchaso tho title nnd interest of the original miners on tho Canterbury side, and then amalgamate with, or purolmso tho other company. Tho capital is to bo LI O,OOO, in two thousand shares of L 5, — LI to be paid on allotment, and tho re« maindorln calls not exceeding 10s per month.-— and tho company to bo registered under the Limited Liability Act. The residents on tho Grey aro lo enjoy a no* volty in tho shapo of nn ontertainmont at tho now hall of tho Victoria notol, on Wednesday next. Mr B. Staolc is to dolivor ft locturo, entitled " Humorous Recollections of my Life on tho Diggings, with a Trip to Port Curiis." Wo recognise in Mr Stack nn ablo political writer in tho Australasian nowspapor, and have no doubt from tho charactor of his writings of his ability to lecture. He intends, wo understand, to lecture at Ilokilikft on his return from tho Grey. M'Landress, Hepburn and Co . hold yesterday a sale of kauri timber, on tho Wharf, consisting of the ontiro cargo of Pat tho Rover, from Kiapara. Tho altomlaiico was good notwithstanding tho inclemency of tho weather, and tho prices obtained wcro highly satisfactory to the importers.. Tho weather yestorday afternoon waa most unfavorable for tho cntranco of vessels into tho rivor, a denso mist hanging over land and sea, rendoring it an' impossibility to distinguish vessels at a distance of moro than two or three cables' length from Iho shoro, and they of course found it proportionately diflioult lo make out tho flag stuff. No disastovs, howovor, resulted, although two or thrco vessels had narrow escapes, anil of Iho several whioh caino in none, savo tho Bruco, hit the ontranco fairly, although tho Lio-! ness was very near at boing a littlo too far to tho south only. The Maid of tho Yarra was a long way to tho north, and thoschoonor Wild Wavo kopt standing .oft" nnd on for nearly an hour ore sho could finally inako up hor mind as to tho oxaot situation of tho passago between tho spits. The last vessel to enter was tho Ballarat, and sho, through the mist increasing in, density, was almost in tho breakers ero sho saw them, and even then was unnb'lo to mako out tho signal station. Tho preaenco of mind of Mr M'lntyre, who was on board, saved hor, ho porcoiving tho rip of tho fresh running to tho northward, and by keeping this on board tho entrance i was fiually reached and tho bar crossed in safety. Atttho Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, a clmrgo of stealing from tho person, brought by a miner against a woman named Brooks, was dismissed, tho Bonch considering tho evidence! insufficient to justify ft committal. A ruDian' named Patrick Ryan was charged with an iudoccnt assault upon a. child seven years old, nnd committed to tako his trial at tho silling of tho Supremo Court in Hokitika. It is a soinoivlmt rcmarknblo ciraumstanco in connection with this caso, that although tho fathor of the girl stated that she had bconoxamined by a medica\man, no medical ovidonco was adduced lo prove the naturo or extent of tho injuriossho had sustained. Publhj rumor had it that tho chargo woald havo assumed a graver character than that of 'assaults merely. ,;■?>.,,' ! Tho West Coast nnd Christchurch telegraph is now completed and opened as far westward as Bcaloy, Oflicml notico is given in an advertisement in another column that telegrams may now bo forwarded to Christchurch, Lyttelton, Timaru, Oamaru, Dnnedin, Invorcargill, and Tho Bluffvia Boaloy. It is oxpectcd that the lino will bo opened through to Hokitika in tho courso of Decora her. Preposterous rumours havo, during tho pnst two days, boing going tho round of the tQwn, concerning an extonsivo find of gold on tho flat at tho rear of tho hospital, and every second person wo mot seized us by tho butlon-hole and in a solemn whispor, with a face drawn out to an extraordinary length with importance, asked us if mo had heard of tho now rush up Rovoll street, gravely adding that tho town was built upon ft huge gold mine, nnd tho Government woro much to blamo for choosing such a sito, etc. Wishing as far as wo could to discover tho truth wo walked up to Iho locality in question yestorday aftovnoon, and on arriving ihcro ( found to our intonse astonishment not the sign of a rush. Boforo us was tho flat, a considorablo portion of which has been cleared ; but instead of its being covered with heaps of dirt, indicativo of shafts sinking, or already sunk, nothing mot our viow but tho usual stumps, supplojackfl, ami gross-treo roots. , Seeing a rospoctablolooking individual industriously striving to boil a billy of wator with green wood, wo asked him whoro tho rush was ? Whon, giving us ft sly look out of Iho cornorof his oyo, ho said, " Suro and its all a hoax, t]io dovil n rush is Ihero, barring tho color that was got in thim holes, and they aro filled up again." Wo im» Illicitly believed in his statement, for, ravd a peg or two sticking out of tho ground, uot tho sign of a lush could bo seen.

Thoso who lake tv pleasure in watching n game 6f billiards when urll played , will havo an excelle»^opportunity of gratifying themselves by yisitipg Major Urackon's billiard room tomor/rb\y evening, when ft match of 500 up is to coino off between Messrs Clarke and Blake, for L2O a sido, Further particulars can bo seen by referring to an advertisement Jn another column. Wo nolico jilmt Iho Christy s Minstrels, whoso very talented porfonrinucos havo nightly dolighted orowds at tho Corinthian Hall, announco n reduction in tho prices of admission, which wjll Ho>\cofofthjbd,h;a}f-a-cr6wn for tho reserved scats and iv shilling for tho body of tho hall. Tho following communication has been rccoi ved by J. Hawkcs, ((E s q ., chairman of tho Ilokitika Improvement Oommitteo from tbo Privato Seorotary'j) .Ofljco, Wellington •_- October, 18, 1806. Sir,-^I havo tho honor, by direction of his Excellency tho Governor^ lo acknowledge tho receipt of tho memorial of tbo Ilokitika Improvement Committee, ro'garding the bxtonsion of tho land ing placo at that port ; and to inform you that tbo memorial shall bo forwarded for t]io consideration of Ministers, with whom tho decision in all such matters rests. — I havo, &c, W. 11. Gray, Major, A.D.C. Aa an instance of tho voluo attached to somo of tbo building sections, well situated in this township, Mo may mention that tho othor day LI per inch was offered for ft building allotment in Wharf street, which ground tbrco months ago would not — had the salo of it boon forced— havo realised LlO. This speaks volumes for tho rapid advancement of Ilokitika. The item of LBOO entered on tho estimates of tho lato Ministry na • salary for tbo speaker of tho llouso of ropresontativuj,, bos been reduced under Mr. Stafford's Ministry to its original proportions, anil passed tho houso at tho' sum of LSOO, which was formorly given.' Dr. Endcs has been appointed health officer for Molbournt, vico Dr. Macadam, doceasQd. Mr. W. II» Eyes, member of tbo llouso of RoprcscntatiTOS for t|io district of tbo Wairau, has been elected Superintendent of tho Provinco of Marlborough, wtihout opposition. Mr. Whittaker has , also, .without opposion been elected Suporintondcnt of tho PVovinco of Aueklnmli nnd mndb ft speech on the occasion in wbich lie loudly tfomanded Separation nnd a Lieutenant Governor. In tho Housb of Representatives on the 23rd ult., tho Promior, tbo non. Mr Stafford, raised tho question of tho revision of tho tariff. Tho gonoral opinion expressed by hon. members was that ft revision was necossary, but that it would bo the moro convenient courso to defer it until llio next session of Parliament. • Mr Stafford was asked by Mr Richmond, on tho, 23rd ult., whether tho Govoininont intended during tho recess taking any stops towards tbo erection of a Hghthouso on Capn Fnrowoll sandspit. Tho hon. gOntlomsn mado tho following reply : — Ho said "ho was quito awaro of tho necessity for such *a work, both from personal knowlcdgo nnd from oflloinl documents, but it being a question of money ho could' giro no promiso whatover, cither ono ' way or tbo otbor, whether any action would bo initiated during tho recess. If thcro was any sum nvailablo for snob ft purpose, it would bo ■ done, but bd .was not awaro at present if thcro was s,uoh a sum available" ' '