West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 95, 6 January 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1866.

Wb Imvo of Into received inmunomblo lotlors from coi'i'osj)Oiulontß, complaining of the inaction of " the G-ovovnmont" in mnlU'rs ad'cclin/? tlio interests of the West Coast. Other communications ltnvo boon addressed to us, rofloeting gravely ui)on f.lvuiuaiitUuit-ofjiuljliciiinefirs.andflianiintl. mg at the iluimls ot " tlio Governmont an investigation of tho canes common tod on. Tho frequent recurrence of those complaints and the invariable failure of any practical result from them, not unnaturally suggests Ihe onquiry,who,nml what is " the Government" of Woßtland P Has tho district any government ftt all, in tho sense in which tho tiling generally roprosonted by that word oxists in other coun tries P There aro certain laws in force amongst us. A man is not nllotvod to got drunk without being lined, and cannot stoal, without tho certainty of g^oing to gaol if ho is found out. A publican cannot sell liquors without paying a license foe,^nnd a miner may not dig for gold without purchase of* a- right. So much of government we liavo, but that is pretty much tho extent of it. Thero is a power to enforce tho law ; but there is no power to redress grievances, to stop the.voico of complaint, or to make concessions to public interests. Without a local legislature a local executive, or even a local municipality, the people are at tho mercy "of some unso'en and inscrutable authority, whilst tho little potentates that hold sway amongst them aro wholly freed from the shackles of responsibility ."One or tiro recent circumstances may be recalled, to illustrato tho system at whoso mercy tho people of tho "West Coast aro placed. It is not necessary to travel far back in tho record to discover thorn. Tt is only a few weeks since that eloquent complaint was made of tho condition of tho building called by courtesy Her Majesty's gaol. A roporter from this journal inspected the establishment, and recorded the result of his observations in a note, which it was with some difficulty wo- prevailed on ourselves to publish, of so shameful a character wero tho facts disclosed. Tho prisoners themselves forwarded a most touching appeal for a littlo ventilation, a littlo oloanhue.ss, a little pxereiso. They addressed the document to Mr Fitagorald, tho llesidont Magistrate, hot unnaturally imagining that as ho was the direct instrument of placing thorn where they wero, he was " tho Government " so far as they wero concerned. Wo have ncvor been ablo to learn that any practical responso Was mado to their petition. Wo boliovo, however, that " tho Government " liavo deferred the caso- of tho prisoners to a more convenient opportunity, with some vague intention of building a now gaol establishment. A recent romarkablo instanco of enquiry into tlio death of a child will bo within tho recolloction of our readers, in which tho coronor assumed tho gravo responsibility of arresting tho investigation at its most critical stage, by refusing to allow medical evidonco to bo adducod upon tho question which lay at tho root ot tho wholo matter, viz., whothor tho child had beon born alivo or not. So outrageously at variance with ostablinhed practico, with coroners' la\v and with medical scionco, was the dictum of Dr Boswick, that an appoal was publicly made to " tho Govornmont " to havo tho enquiry ro-oponod., In this instanco " tho Govornmont ' sooms to' havo bo-en situated ou tho other sido of tho dividing rnngo, as tho coronor soalod and despatched tno depositions taken, to Christohurch, within a fow hours aftor tho dosing of the inquost. A» tho doinand for a roinvostiga* tion was not included in tho same despatoh, and as tho Christchurch authorities in all probability adopt tho samo rule as a certain high oflicial horo, who makes it a boast that no novor reads tho pa-ports, it may bo protty safely assumed thai "tho Govornmont " had no cognijsance of tho public opinion of Hokitika on this mattor, and uovor hoard of tho fact of Dr Doawick'B oonduot having boon callod in question i Auotliay and atUl move vooout imtim may Ijq oiud in tta caw of tta

hospital. Tho gravest complaints havo beon mado against its managoment ; spocific charges havo boon advanced againit the medical officer — charges not iudeod, affecting his personal honor or his professional roputo-tion, but identifying liimwjth a system of vicious hospital administration to an oxtont that no i>ractitioncr, careful of hia professional honor, would bo expected "to ignore. What is the result P Publio opinion is hold in defiance ; tho grounds of complaint alloged arc not evon investigated ; no explanntion ia invited on tho part of th» Government. In this caso, as in others, wo nro driven to ask what that indefinite nnd intangible expression " the Government " in Wostlnnd monns.

All that tho district knows of a Govornmont nmouuts to this : thatitilqurcH on the Estimates in tho shape of somothiug considerably over a thousand pounds a woek ; and that it lianas out in what is called tho Camp ltosorvo, mSovoll street — a square, onclosed within a stock-yard fenco, apparently designed for tlio safo custody of certiun animals givon to errant ways. Horo deputations occasionally wait upon the Commissioner, and houeo aro datod, aflov an interval of due official delay, communications announcing that " tho Government" will do this, or declines to do that. Aro wo to infer from this that Mr. Gr. S. Salo is " tho Government ? " If so, what aro his powors ? Was it as " the Government" that lio set up tho celebrated anti-nuisance proclamation on the boach, which tho ltcsident Magistrate— anothor phaso of " tho Government" — declared not to bo worth tlio board on which it wns pftinted P Is it us " the Government" that tho Commissioner promises subsidies to tho occupiers of street sections in aid of thoir own subscriptions for iniproVcmonts P Wns it as " tho Govornmont" that Mr. Salo wroto his lettOr to tho Wold-streot memoriulists, ordering tho cost of forming that strcot to bo fixed at a stun of £300 P Was Mr. Salo "tho Govoiuimont" when ho bungled tho West Coast election P And is ho equally " tho Govornmont" whon lip issues M'orthless ordinances P If ho is ',' tho Government," what is tho charter of his authority ; what instrument defines his powers ; by what sanction is his prerogative protected ; to what tribunal is ho responsible. P There was surely never a corresponding instance of a populous nnd wealthy district so anomalously eircumstancod. Wore Wcstltttid nn nupondngo of despotic Austria or Itussia, it would have, if not free institutions, at all events a viceroy or a sub-governor armed with certain dofined powers, to whom tho subordinate officers of administration would bo amenable, and to whom tho publio could carry thoir complaints. It is tho singular lot of this district to have noithor tho right of interfering in tho management of its own affairs, nor tho power of appeal to aprosiding official mined with any plenary powors. We have neither tlio powor of passing ordinances for tho managoniont of our own concerns, nor a Commissioner whoso authority {ox tends to ordering a pig away from tho public beach ! If it wero not for tho systematic and consistent policy of Christchurch to snub Wosllnnd, and treat it as nn outlying district "beyond tho rnngo," tho provincial authorities would have taken cure to provide this important section of tho provinco with an olficiimt ExecutiveAuthority. - -A Deputy rSuijiu-inlondeiifc, of standing and mark ; witli something like plonary power delogated to him ; and a consultative council, consisting of tho chief hoads of departments and some leading citizens, would liavo beon tho best substitute) circumstances allowed for those institutions of froo government, for tho establishment of which legislation is nocossary. Such an arrangement would havo given us a Govornmont in a cortain koiiso, both strong and responsible Tho. district would undoubtedly have beon bettor off under its rulo than it is now, whon it is only allowed to have tho vaguest idea of who " tho Government" is, nnd what its powors aro. If Mr Salo ■ does possess 2>lonnry powors, it is absurd to be ' perpotually referring matters to Christchurch. If ho does not, it is, on the other hand, absurd to bo laying our grievances at his feet. Is it too much to ask that the Commissioner should read his 'commission, as constitutional Governors do on their nccossionto office P This" would at least enable us to understand to what extent ho is ♦' tho Government," and who is "the Government," where lie is not.

The following aro tho Hokitika gaol returns for the week ending the 30th December :—Committed for trial, !> ; having completed their .sentence and discharged, 4: debtor discharged, 1. The total number in conlinement was 48. consisting of 32 under sonloiico of committal, 12 undergoing different sentences of hard labor, nnd % debtors, , Tho want of a proclaimed site for a manure depot is greatly felt in Hokitika, and many who now are almost compelled to broak the law, or, to speak more correctly, fly in the face of the celebrated beach notices, would gladly cart their rubbish to any spo'i formally appropriated for flitch purpose. There is plonty of ground near, that would bo in overy way fitted, ■ hat could bo used without boing offensive to any one, and we tru>t that the Commissioner will, without dehy, select some place accessible to drays. This day will be ono of noto in the annals of Hokilika, as it is positively stated that His Honor Judgo Oregon, who is to preside at the lint sittings of the WcstKind Supreme Court, will arrive overland from' Ohristohuroh. Wo shall very heartily welcome him amongst us ; and wo think some blight demonstration ou the part of our community would not bo out of place. A mounted escort left Iho Camp early this moruing to meet him on the road. A short tiino a<?o two mon wero fined for committing nuisances on the bench, but sinco tho last dooiaion of tho Resident Mngistrato in roferonco to tho deposit of filth on this spot, tho respectable rosidonts havo boon moro annoyed than evor, and tho notices posted on the beach aro treated with contempt. Tho police scorn to bavo given up all idoa of punishing offondcrj, apparently quite forgotting that tho cases diaiuissod wore totally different from those now complahiod of, and would bo very dilForontly dealt with. Tho indecency daily witnossod on the beach is as disgusting to tho publio as its continuanco is diugracoful to tho authorities who take no stops to chock it. No fomalo can walk along tho only proinonado that Hokitika can boast of without tho risk of witnessing tho indeconoies in quostion, and wo do hopo tho police will again wake up thoir dormant onorgios in order to put an oncl to such a stato of things. x At tbo presont time Gibaon\s Quay, or th.it portion of it whore the vessels at present discharge, is a lake, or rather a ohain of lagoons, varying iv depth from an inch to three feot. The drays that convey goads from tho wharf have to pass through this each trip, and the consequence is that the mud at tho bottom becomes out up more and moro by the p^ssngo of tho loads. A great many drays havo boon bogged from this cause, and. still no atops have been taken to rotnody tho ovil. Surely the Engineer of Works Is uuthorisod to oxpond a» nnioh money as is necoumry to eft'eofc t«mpovary ropi\ii'fl wftfoient io nuawoi tho, BUVpQM for t!)9 tlw bQlng, \\ a, {aw nu.n>lQf\di,

of gravel wero thrown into tho present inland sea, thoy would at least form a solid bottom for drays to cross, even if they did not nil up the hollow completely. Ono dray, partioularly, was vory near coming to grief, one of its whcls sinking over tho axle nnd noarly capsizing. The loud \va3 sugar, and if it lind boon immersed, as was threatened, tho sample we imagine would not have been materially improve! by its bath. Considerable excitement lias beon created in Hokilika through the alloged grant of ground, nt tho corner of tho Camp Roservo, to tho Bank of New Zoaland, and tho subjoct will bo brought prominently forward at tho meeting tho retiring Improvement Committee purposo holding next week, [t is intended, we nro informod, to got up a momorial for presentation to tho Oovornor aud Exccutivo of tho colony, nnd tho feeling is strong on tho subjoct. Wo havo no actual oflicial Siotieo of tho grant nor tho conditions attaohod, but thoro is no doubt that tho site has been promised to tho Dank in quoslion, and also that a few months ago persons who ocoupicd it,.boforo it becarao part of a rcßcrvo, were ejected from it sans ceremonio. The arrival of tho Gothenburg from Melbourne has placed us in possession of late intercolonial papers, from which we quote elsewhere. By way of Sydney we aro also in receipt of later Amorican news than was brought by tho English mail.

The summer weather wbiob had prevailed for several days was roughly interrupted by .heavy mins and a gale, on tho night of Wednesday, whioh continued during the greater part of the following day. Yesterday, however, summer resumed its sway, and Hokitika rejoiced in warm Buushiuo, tempered by a five braoing air from tho sea. Surveyors' flags havo beon conspicuous objects in Wold, Sewell, »nd Hamilton streets during tho past day or two. Wo know not whethor it is safe to infer from this sign, that something is about to bo done to mond tho ways, in what ought to bo tliroo 'of tho prinoipal thoroughfares of tho town. We noticethat in Hamilton-street a bridgo has been thrown across ono of tho main drains, greatly facilitating Iho access to tho Court Houso. Amongst other publio improvements, wo nuut not fail to noto that tho chaste and olegaut fence (<* la stock-yard) enclosing tho eanip resorvo, which has for sevoral weeks past uttraotcd tho admiration of pasaora-by, is boing extended down Hauiilton-stroot.

The Grand Jury for Hokitika are summoned for Monday noxt, when the actual number of prisoners for tiial will be determined.

A mail will be made up for • Sydney, por Colonist, to-day,' closing at noon precisely. Tlio Custlemuine Daily New*, of tho 29th. Decomber, says:— "A, groat bush firo is raging at Harcourt. It has already consumed a large quantity of food j and considering tho drynoss of everything in tho vicinity of tho fire, it is to bo fcarod we shall havo U repetition of Ulack Monday. Tho inhabitants havo turned out, and nro using ovary oxortion to cheek tho progress of destruction, and it is to bo hopod that they will bo suocoasful.in their efforts."

Bush fires aro already becoming prevalent in 8evor«l portions of Victoria. The Hallarat Star says :—": — " Severa^ woro visible on Wednesday around Bullarat, in tho direction of Sirythesdale and Ci\rnghatn. At Mount Warren'heip also the timber wns in flumes for tho whole of the day, it is said through the carelessness of some of the small settlers in that neighborhood. The^olice wo.c actively in quent of the offendf rs at Mount Wurreuheip, and iv tho afternoon, we understand, several arrests wero made. Great exertions were u:ude to prevent tho flames spreading to the various email farmers around tho mount, and up to a luto lioiir in the evening the efforts of the funnors wore successful, the wiud after sunset having lulled considerably "

Wo take the following from the rfrgus .—Tho prisoner William Koberts, alias TrafTord, alias Wrench, who, when brought beforo the City Couit a fey weeks ago, charged with nn oxtcnsivo robbery ofc Uookhampton, Queensland, was remanded there to answer the charge, has beon detained ever siiice in tho Melbourne Gaol pending the result of certain inquiries which it was anticipatud would counect him with tho murder of Mi* Edmund Cuokson, at the Big Hill, Mountain Kush-voad, Caledonian Diggiugs, in May, 1862. Mr Ouekson wns a 'brewer, who livod nt Wild Dog Gully, nonr Queeustown, and lie was shot on tho night of M\v 23, at tlio placo named, tho murderer not being thon or sinco discovered. Whon tho prisoner Roborts wns brought beforo tho Court yesterday, tho evidence of idonlity on whioh the detective police Hud reliod altogether failed, nnd tho olmrge was dismissed. It is probable that he will now bo sontf on to Queensland at the first opportunity.