WEST COAST TiMES, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18,1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 72, 18 November 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TiMES, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1865.

The Press in gold-mining districts has little inducement to be thoroughly honest and candid. The theory seems to be generally .accepted, even by nowspaper editors themselves, that it is the special function and the invariable custom of a local press to " write vp >; the district to which it belongs at the expense of all truth and fair dealing. This system of writing-up implies an enormous amount of falsification, exaggeration, concealment of awkward and unpleasant facts, and generaly high colouring, in order to impart vivid tones to what might otherwisebe a sombre and repulsive picture*, Tt is because of the prevalence of thiß practice that newspapers at "a distance aro in the habit of warning their readers to accept "with c"aution the statements of the diggings press ; and that every incidental remark it may make suggesting tho possibility of overdoing a rush, or overstocking a market, is eagerly seized and magnified into an admission that the goldfield is a failure, that the people are starving, and that there is a general stampede of business men.

This journal has never sought to exaggerate the attractions of the West Coast to the miners of Victoria or New South Wales, or to offer them fallacious inducements to forsake their claims there, for the purpose of pursuing a hazardous enterprise in New Zealand. Indeed, we Bee no advantage in having onrush of population crowding our district, with a rapidity which renders their industrial absorption, prompt enough to avoid distress and suffering, •impossible in the vory nature of things. Nor do we discover any cause for regret in the circumstaces that appear likely for a time to check and moderate the exodus from Victoria. There is almost invariably an interval of enforced idleness following the arrival of a digger, or of any other labouring man, 4 in a new country ; and he has to wait till his opportunity comes of dropping into his allotted place in the great industrial machinery that is ceaselessly at work. What colony should understand this better than Victoria ') Even in the palmiest days of its goldfields, the Melbourne streets .were thronged with " unemployed," who sent home to their friends the most direful accounts of the naked and barren land to which they thought they had come. Otago has had precisely the same experience. Who is there that has not read the illustrious Grant's letters in the Argus, dated from Dunedin, iv which the fertile pen of that ingenious fictionist painted terrible pictures of tho famished crowds that perambulated the streets, and were content at night to put up with the cold and dreary shelter of the Arcade ? Yet Grant has lived to reconcile himself to the miserable town his banishment to which he once beA'ailed.

It is ah inevitable incident of a great rush to a new country, that thero should be hundreds of men temporarily unemployed. "If gold were to be found on our more distant fields in hundred-weight nuggoti, it would bo tho same. How j many havo landed here utterly destitute of resources, of tools even, and of tho means of traveling 1 How many havo rashly thought that with tho end of tho sea voyage, ended aiso the cost and difficulty of their, enterprise, and that once in Hokitika they would find heaps of gold at their feet Waiting; to be picked up ! What more natural than that in many instances a feeling of disgust should follow the dissipation of theso golden visions, and that men, disappointed on learning that here, as elsewhere, through a wise and salutary law of Providence, wealth is to bo won only by toil and perseverance, should turn their back upon a life tho difficulties of which they had not energy or rcsoiircesto encounter, and run down ft. country in which nature had refused to work miracles for them ! Besides, every unsuccessful man has to assign a cause ,for hh unsuccess to tlioso with whom ho wishos to ata-nd Avell. You may bo sure the fault is not in himself ! Why should ho bo his sel^accusor of idleness and unthriffc, of lack of •'phvsicat courage, pf revolt against the

necesaary hardships of a digger's life ? It is much easier and much more grateful co the feelings to throw the whole blame upon tho country, and to tell long-faced stories about v duffer" rushes, unproductive holes, shut up stores, decamping tradesmen, and nn unendurablo climate. It is by such talcs that the man who has failed — and has not the honesty or courage to confess that it is through his own fault — baits his hook for sympathy and commiseration, and disheartens other men made of more sterling stuff. For our own part wo have never desired to see vast crowds of population pressing into tho place in cxcess'of its powers of industrial absorption j or the legitimate trade of Hokitika swamped by a rush of eager speculators. And we have honestly and fairly pointed out that all who Come hero with exaggerated expectations, cannot command a certain success. Give us a steady and continuous stream of population, and as steadily and continuously the auriferous resources of tho district will find them work' to do and wages to earn. .But there are limits beyond which no country on earth could offer resources that would prevent disappointment and suffering. It is tho samo with business and the markets. Yet a few cautionary remarks cannot be made, but the expressions are laid hold of, magnified to a thousand times their real significance, tortured and twisted with almost inconceivable ingenuHy ; ihe electric wires are employed to flash from colony to colony the damning intelligence ; and " Arguses 'Stronary" are bawled through tho streets of Melbourne announcing that tho Hokitika rush is a failure — that all tho diggers aro starving, and all the storekeepers aro bolting !

The actual state of things here is very temperately and well put m a letter addressed to the "Argus" by a writer who uses simply tho signature A. j and who disputes the correctness of the intepretation put by the " Argus " upon the statements quoted by it. With reference to the return of 60 minors to Auckland, out of a party of 300 landed here, and their story of disappointment, A. says; — "When diggers arrive in Hokitika, unless they have friends or mates there before them, it is an extremely difficult matter for them to got reliable information or advice as to tho best direction to tako. Naturally enough • they want to see the style of tho diggings and tho description of country they have to go through, and accordingly^ they ask for the nearest field. It is perhaps an unfortunate thing for the reputation of Hokitika that this nearest field is so easily acccasible — a comfortable hour's walk over a good bush track brings the digger on to the Kanieri diggings. Arrived thero, ho is doubtless disgusted. Red mud up to the knees, with the possibility, if he does noes not look sharp, that ho will trip over a supplejack,- and have not the slightest ghost of a chance of a claim, as every inch of ground is taken vp — even tho middle of the streets presenting a row of windlasses in full swing. Not in the best temper, tho digger' returns to town ; and ho makes a remark about the dirtiness of ths place. The" chances aro that somo ono tolls him that it is the cleanest part of the coast, and entertains him with narratives of travelling in the interior— of wading through rivers at tho risk of life, of tracking through the bush, almost impenetrable on acconnt of supple-jacks and lawyers, or of crossing terraces steep as « house, and waist deep in mud; all doubtless to a certain extent true, but, as you may imagine, not iosing much in the narration. The result is, that the bad-plucked ones — and they are many — if they have tho means, return to the place from whence they came ; and if they havo not money they look out for a job about town, and as thore is not much in such a place for them to do, they present a rather formidable appearance when collected together, as they may be scon any day at high tide, when tho signal is flying for vessels to take the bar, attracted partly by curiosity to sco the only gratis amusement in tho placo, and partly by the chances (about five to one) that tho vessel attempting to como in will get wrecked, and then thero may bo a chance of a job in unloading her. To new arrivals the sight of so many loafers has a most disheartening effect, and inclines them to go beyond tho proverb, ' Principium dhnidium totius,' and to tako tho beginning for tho whole."

The samo writer judiciously adds :—: — "With reference to the question as to whether the rush to the West Coast is overdone, I. would say both that it is and that it is not. Thero aro hundreds thero who would far better havo remained away, and still thero is plenty of good ground for hundreds of the right sort." A man (he says) possessing a good constitution and a sufficiency of pluck, courage, and porso vonuico, " is sui o to make tucker, and more likely good wages, and possibly a pile." Evidences accumulate every day of tho wide oxpanso of tho auriferous country of the West Coast ; and tho character of tho gold found presents tho best possible guarantee of the permanency of the yiold. We aro not departing from tho truth when wo say that tho rca richness of tho ground, has never yet been adequately tested. Probably in tho worked ground at least a third, in many instances, one-half, of tho gold has boon wasted from the non uko of tho dclicato processes which are necessary to bring chemical forces into play in recovering tho minute specks of the procious metal from tho soil through which it is diffused. Yet how magnificont havo been tho actual results realised ! Tho West Coast gold-fields havo mndo a Very

appreciable addition to the floating capital of tho world; supported, as they continue to support, a vast . population ; and fod a lucrativo and still growing commerce, tho prizes of which have been widely distributed. Wo may add ono word as to the alleged present dulncas of trade in Iloldtika, and the announcement of " every fourth store" for sale. Talcing tho statement literally, of course it is an absurd fabrication. But even allowing a certain license of exaggeration to a man who aims at saying a smart and tolling thing, it is equally outrageous. Here and' there, at places few and far between as angels' visits, the legend " For sale" meets tho eye. But experience will soon satisfy the curious enquirer that it has much the same significance as tho tickets in a draper's shop window. Houses and shops, like soft goods, are often " for sale" if a profitable pneo can bo got for thorn. And if there are tradesmen anxious to clear out, is that to bo taken as an evidence of the decadence of tho place ? What cause should give Iloldtika an utterly exceptional experience? To put such tmintorpretation upon the fact that business places occasionally change hands, and are occasionally 'advertised to be disposed of> is just as sensible as it would bo to appraiso the value of the whole of the land occupied 'by right of business licenses in Hokitika, on tho basis of the fact that last week os much as a pound sterling per inrih was oftbred for a frontage in one of the leading thoroughfares. Indeed, nothing is more noticeable than tho avidity with which good business sites are souse J, and the rapidity with which buildings of a character far in advance of tho earlier series are being erected. It was perhaps hardly worth while to take any notice of tho tissue of misresentations which, telegraphed through from Sydney, have furnished the material for sensational Extras in Melbourne. We have no objection to any " check to the rush " that promises to regulate the influx of miners from tho neighboring Colonies. Large a tho absorptive powers of the West Coast goldfield undoubtedly ore, and are likely to be for years to come, the distribution of miners over tho district must necessarily be a gradual work, and it will be all the more satisfactory if systematically conducted, It is in that sense wo have written, when speaking of the possibility of these diggings being over-done. It is in that sense wo shall continue to hold out tho caution that if minors come here weekly in thousands, they must come prepared to wait awhile; to choose their field j to encounter possiblo disppointment i in one direction or another beforo they finally settle down to profitable work ; to put up with the roughness and inconveniencics of a totally now country, with few roads but those that nature has^nade, and with something over the colonial- average of rainfall. On tho WesrCoast of New Zealand gold mining is remunerative, but it needs the strength and nerve of manhood to pursue it successfully. We have said all this in substance before, and wo shall have occasion to say it again. But because wo speak in the language of truth and seriousness, with an almost painful sense of responsibility to tho thousands who are looking to Now Zealand with wistful eyes, hesitating whether to come or stay, we protest against tho dishonesty that would distort eveiy word of prudont caution into testimony against tho success and richness of tho West Ccastgold fields. Wore wo writing without any thought of the impression likely to bo produced on distant readers, we should affirm freely and fearlessly, that the development of the gold resources of this district is yet in its veriest infancy, and that tho auriferous deposits extend over an area of country so vast that tho results of thoir working during tho next few years will surpass those hitherto realised in any gold country in tho world.

r,/ ~m^ . We are glad to learn that steps aro being taken to promote tho establishment of a Savings Hank in Hokitika. Undor tho Act an authorisation from tho Governor is required, and tho selection of trustees has to bo approved by him. Tho Savings Bank system has boon oxtensively introduced into the colony. In Otago it has proved a groat success, as it has also in Southland ; where, however,it had the advantage of boing fostered under the •auspices of a gentleman of long experience in tho management of an institution of the kind in tho old country ; wo mean Mr. Archibald Bonar. It is difficult to over-estimate tho social value of a system that educates tho people in tho practical philosophy of frugality, and prudont preparation for tho contingencies of the future. No doubt many hundreds of pounds aro every year thrown away — lost to tho vory men who have labored hard to earn them — in needless and wanton expenditure, simply because no opportunity offers itself of committing savings to safe custody.' In communities whero money is freely made, and where thero is the temptation to spend it freely, tho machinery of the Savings Hank is invaluable. It confers a boon upon society at largo, as well as upon thoso who aro tho more immediate recipients of its benefits. It is a gunraatooto the community against constant appeals to its charity ; it oiFcrs tm insurance to the industrial classes against tho calamities and vicissitudes to which aH classes of tho community aro subject j it contributes largely to tho cultivation of a spirit of self respect and independence. Some delay must necessarily ensue before a Savings Bank can bo brought into practical operation in Hokitika, owing to the necessity of complying with certain ldgal forms and of obtaining tho authorisation of the Governor : but this ia only a

reason why no time should bo lost in making tho preliminary arrangements. Tho memorial to His Honor the Superintendent of tho Province, praying him to initiate the movement, has been very oxtensively signed by tho leading business men of tho town, and will, we presume, bo at once forwarded. X

We are glad to find that the Christy Minstrel troupe continue as popular as ever, and nightly attract overflowing houses Their performances fully justify the appreciation in which the publio of Hokitika evidently hold them. This week they have reduced thoir prices to a shilling and half crown, and at such a million rate they no doubt will fill tho Corinthian Hall for some time to come. A hotter shilling's worth could not be obtained in any town in tho colonies, much ' loss in golden Hokitika, every portion of tho programme being excellently executed. The songs and choruses aro well selected j tho dancing is very clever ; and tho jokes, although occasionally somewhat touched with time, still come out with all their original flavor. Wo may particularly mention tho singing of Mr. Rainford na being especially good : ono of his songs is worth all the money charged for admission, though tho same reraaif'i would indeed apply to tho various perform, ances of tho other members of the troupe. Surely with all the inducements -to pay tho .Christy's company a visit now offered, no one need spend a dull evening in Hokitika, and the cost is so small as to enable every one to afford the outlay.

Since the committal of tho man Ryan, for indecont assault, on Monday last, there has been littlo business of any public interest in the Resident Magistrate's Court. On Wednesday, Jessie Gilinore was charged with attempting to commit suicido by throwing herself into the river. It appeared that the prisoner was the worse for liquor at tho time, and as she expressed contrition for tho offence,' and promised to conduct hersolf better for tho future, she Was discharged with a caution. William Brown was fined 40s, or four daysViraprisonment, for resisting the police in tho execution of their duty. William Hood, charged with destruction of property in a publio house, was discharged, tho prosecutor not appearing. On Thursday, a charge against David Wilson, of obtaining goods under false pretences, was dismissed. Several ordinary civil cases were disposed of. Brookes v. Osborno was an action co recover L4l, alleged to bo due under the circumstances detailed below. Mr South appeared for tho plaintiff, and Mr Macgrcgor for the defendant. - The dofendant, it appeared, bad hired a horse from tho plaintiff to go to the Grey, but after starting discovered that the animal was 1 utterly unfit for the journey. , After occupying six hours and ahalf on tho road tho horse in question was with great difficulty got to tho Teramakan, and defendant there loft it and hired another ; at tho same timo ho sent notico to the plaintiff where ho had left it, and requested him to send for it. Plaintiff refused to (to so, and summoned defendant for the alleged value of tho horse, the saddlo and bridle, and the hire agreed upon. After occupying a very long time in hearing the case, tho Bench "jgavo a verdict for the defend* ant. Yestorday there were only-three cases on tho sheet,, viz., Mary Ann Robinson, .James M'Lellan and John Roberts, who were fitted the usual penalty for drunkenness. - -

Wo tako the following from the Groy Rivor " Argus " : — An nccidont which nearly proved fatal occurred on Wednesday last, about a mile down tho beach It seems that two parties were engaged in clearing the bush, and one having sat down for a spell, was unfortunately struck by tho slipping of the axe which his. mato was using. The cut was really frightful to view } but fortunately a doctor was found, who stitched up tho wound in first rate s'-yle, and in the course of a short time the scar will, it ia to bo hoped, bo scarcely perceptible. Notwithstanding tho very boisterous state of tho weather last" evening, there was a crowded house at'tho Shakspoare Hull, on tho occasion of the benefit given by Professor Sl'evensand his troupe in aid of the funds of the Hokitika Hospital ; and wo have no doubt that a very substantial addition will be made to the funds of the institution. Tbe performances of this com* pany well deserve tho publio patronage They display a vory exceptional skill and excellence. ;Tho feats of the two boys,' tho sons 'df Mr Stovons, equal, and indeed almost surpass tlioso of the most accomplished acrobats who bavo appeared on the colonial stage. Tho entcrtainmont is so varied and multiform that wo cannot protend to *' condescend" to particulars. It was in every part thoroughly enjoyable, and was last night thoroughly enjoyed. It was announced that tho next week would bo tho last of the company's performing in Hokitika. Tho " Grey Rivor Argus" says :—": — " Since the olection of the Improvemout Committee we have heard nothing of i hem. We trust those gentlemon will practically go to Work to improvo our streets and footpaths, which nre now positively disgraceful. Wo feel confident there is not one of our residents that would not willingly suffer an equitable tax for his own interest's sake, to improve the town ; and how much longor shall it be said that a population so large and wealthy as ours will exist without an edifice for tho worship of Gnd 1" . . An unusual air of gaioty was Imparted to tho town, yesterday by the display of bunting from tho shipping in tho harbor, and from soveral of tho stores and hotols. The occasion of tho display was tho marriago of Mr Osborno, of the Empire Hotel. A mooting of tho Hokitika Improvement Committeo was held on Thursday- evening, Messrs Prossor (chairman), Bracken, Clarke, Palmer, and Reeves, boing present. An application for a furthor payment for work done in Wharf street was received and ordered to be complied with as soon as possible. The subject of tho slaughter houso and pigstyo nuisance was brought up, and it was resolved, dn the motion of Mr Fiilmor, seoonded by Mr Braoko 1 n,— '• l^hat tho slaughtor-mcn and bulohors having ptgstyos and slaughter-yards within tho precincts of tho town, bo requested at "6nco to romovo them, and in case" of thoir refusing to do so, that legal stops should bo taken forthwith to compol their romoval." Tho clerk was ordered to proparo oopios of all tho corrcspondonco that had passed between tho Committee and tho Govorftnont, for

tho u'so of Mr Prosser on his taking his sent in the Provincial Counoil. This was all the business transacted, and the "Committee then adjourned. The " Argus" states that its expected Hokitika advices have not reached it owing to tho ( heavy freshets in tho rivers between this place and the Grey. We believe that Martin's Act for tho prevontion of cruelty to animals is in cxistenco hero, but whether cattlo for slaughter are supposed to come undor its provisions is at least doubtful . In tho yards on the beach, cattle are, it is said, allowed to remain for days before being 'disposed of without food or water, and the sufferings of the poor dumb brutes must, be terrible. Surely some steps could bo taken to prevent this unnecessary cruelty,' and it is most clearly the duty of, tho authorities to investigate the matter. It is not wonderful that beef is lough and destitute of its natural juices if the animals are sub • jeeted to a fnmino and fever process beforo being slaughtered. In our last issue wo stated that a billiard match between tho Sydney champion and <Mr Clarke of this town had been made forL3o aside. Since then tho stakes have been increased, and it is rumored that a well known hotel keeper has backed the latter gontlemun for LIOO to LSO. Tho match will be played at the Queoostown Hotel on Wednesday evening next. A meeting of the Provisional Committee of tho " Qrey River Coal Mining Company" was hold (says the " Argus" of Wednesday) at Blackmore's ITotel last evening, Kir Middleton in the chair. Mr Sack read the prospectus, which was unanimously adopted. It was also moved that a sum | of money be appropriated for the purpose of defraying tho necessary expenses connected with advertising. It was also proposed that Mr Stack do visit tho mines and make a full report upon the same. Wo havo received the first numbor- of t)io "Grey River Argus," the first journal out of Hokitika published on the West Coast. It is ,vory neatly printed, and is altogether a' oreditablo production. Wo aro glad to welcome it as a coad* jutor. The proprietors evidently enter on their work with spirit and a good assurance of sue'cess, and promise in their noxt issue an enlargement of the paper. It is of course nothing more than natural that a strong local feeling should be displayed by its conductors, and they may bo pardoned for boasting of Gfreymouth as " tho best port 'tin tho West Coast," and drawing comparisons between it a'hd the Hokitika bari much to the disparagement of the latter. . This is a weakness which a littlo 'more experience in journalism will correct., • The interests of the Grey and Hokitika aro not in antagonism, audit would be a~ great blunder to foster the idea that they wet'e. The "Argus" has been at the trouble of collecting the gold statistics of 'the Grey for the last two months, so far as the, materials at hand have rendored possible. It reports the following purchases and shipments within that period, viz. > since the With September :■— By the bank of New Zealand, 17,645 ozs. ; by the bank or New South Wales, 20,000 oza. ; by the Union bank, 10,000 oztf. ; in addition to which there is on hand, in the possession of tho bank of New Zealand, 3,500 ozs., a'hd of private holdor^ 5,006"0z9. (estimated). A district capable of yiolding upwards of two hundred thousand pounds worth- of 'gold within a period of two months, may well assort its claim to a fair amount of publio consideration.. Comparing the yield with the population on the ground, the "Argus" calculates the earnings of the miners a,tL5 per week per man,, "a larger average for population than wo have ever known any of the goldnclds of Victoria to pVoduce." The "Grey River Argus", reports t-r-" The' rush to the north of the Grey, which was thought by some to be a failuro, is now a decidedly successful ono. during tho past-wok about 600 persons crossed over the river for this locality, and have settled down thero. These diggings are not so easy of apcesa as thoso sojith ' of the Grey, on account of the extraordinary ' amount of debris, eta., caused by the tides and waves j I)Ut IKat thore h gold, aud in payable quantities everywhere, cannot bo disputed." , We understand that a company is in course of formation under the* direction of several of the ieoding mercantile men of; Hokitika, for the building and fitting up of the hull of a stcom-tug in Melbourne, to deceive tho engines of the Samson, ; Wo are informed (says the Grey River Argus), that on Sunday, 6th instant," a gentleman* In every way well mounted and accoutred, attempted ed to cross the Teramakau from the north to tho south side. Not knowing 'tho proper. place of fording, tho horse was taken away by tho force of the current, which at the time was duep and rapid, and the unfortunate rider was unhorsed, and, though an export swimmer, was sent to tho bourne from which no traveller retnrns. Mr. Inglis, who keops nn accommodation house on ' this side the river, stated to Mr", fristier, of Greymouth, that if tho Goverritngnt wduld provide him with posts and flags he would, vithout any recompense whatever, point out tho ford to the traveller, and nlso, bo always on the alert to hoist a danger signal, should any one again attempt to cross this dangerous river. Accidents of this kind, which might have been avoided (had tho Government oflioials used thoir voice), surely ought to ocour no more. The Teramakau ij now becoming (in its entrance to tho sea) as dangorous as the Hokitika is uncertain, full of quicksands, the breakers at oho time half a mile from tho entrance, at another close to the mouth, of the river.