West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1800.

West Coast Times, Issue 101, 13 January 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1800.

No town ever stood more in need of a regularly constituted Municipal Government than Hokitika. The Improvement Committee has in its day rendered good service, and the thanks of the public are due to it for having made some, at least, of tho principal thoroughfares of tho town passable in all states of the weather. btreet-making in Hokitika is a comparatively easy and inexpensive work, provided tho proper method be pursued. Rcvell-strcet, formed as it is of a layer of sand and small gravel merely, wears well, notwithstanding tho heavy and constant traffic that passes long it. It possesses the advantage, however, of being above tho level of the frequent water accumulations that flood other parts of the town. Where these occur somo engineering art must be displayed-in making the streets. Unless their present level wero inconveniently raised, the ordinary system of macadamising, or the method followed iv Revell street, would be of little avail. Tho softness of the substratum, subject to the almost constant action of water, would render tho ordinary condition of these slreo'.s even after being "formed," unfit for traffic. Tho principle that seems of all the most feasible, is that of the corduroy road, consisting of a layer of transverse timbers, with a thick over layer of sand and t'hingle. This would combine the two advantages of solidity and good drainage. Wo aro promised some improvements in tho shape , of town works, and it is -right before they are proceeded with, that their design should bo well considered. There is at present no power competent to entertain this quostion. The Commissioner is not a civil engineer, uud, if ho were, probably ho would not cure to expend his talents upon the task. Mr .Salo has a wonderful faculty for tho great art of Government — " how not to do it." He receives deputations with sufficient courtesy, and makes bland promises iv sufficient profusion ; but Heaven help the men who quit tho Commifisioner'N office with any ftiiut

\k i-)'y off the tongue stmd the rc.not.^t , chance of being realised. We forget now how many weeks ngo it is that the levol of Weld street was to be ..taken, and thus the necessity preliminaries adopted for that combined action on the part of tho Government and tho inhabitants, which Mr Sale suggested was the proper thing. Weld btreet is daily increasing in commercial importance. New stores of considerable magnitude are in course of erection, and its two sides will, at no distant dat •, present a somewhat imposing frontage for a young town in a country only just peopled. Sewell-street, again, would become an important thoroughfare and site for business on the side opposite ths Court House reserve, if it were only rendered passable for drays as well as pedestrians. Tuncred street might, also be made one of the most important thoroughfares in Hokitika. The wholo of these streets aro of noble width, and admirably placed for business purposes. To render them available is an.objoct of some importance, seeing the rapidity with which the unchecked devastations of the frequent river fneshets aro dislodging business men from Gibson's Quay. Week by week, as the flood impinges upon the hank fresh masses of soil aro loosened and carried out to sea ; and according to present appearances, the removal of the whole of the stores and residences from this part of tho town, will be an early necessity. If any portion of tho. spit' itself, winch has been well described in our^own columns as a natured breadwater, the conservation of" which is of infinite importance to tho safety of the shipping in the harbor, is to bo preserved, the constitution of some authority possessing either larger powers or better discretion than any now existing, is imperative. It is not only, however, in tho mutter of street improvements that such rcfirm ii needed. These hav6 been the sole duty of tho Improvement iJommitlco, which has hitherto been, our only local administrative body. In carrying out its functions the Committee has shared the experience jf all voluntary organisations aiming at tho collection of money for expenditure upon public objects. It finds tho readiness to contribute gradually decline-, until at last the visit of tho collector comes to be looked upon as an intrusion. It was indeed unexpectedly gratifying to find the committee, at its hist meeting, actually discussing tho question of what to do with a " surplus." Small probably a.s this surplus is, we can well understand how it has been created. Tho Committee havo for some time held their hands,' and ceased to carry out any extensive or costly works. Revell and Wharf streets have been made ; the new quay improvements are' being carried out under the Provincial Government ; nnd tho sinus collected have been found suflicicnt to reimburse the Committee- for their past expenditure. Tho tone prevailing, however, at the meetings of the Committee is sufficient indication of the fooling which obtains, that tho system of gathering voluntary contittmtions for public works has already been carried almost to its limits, and that any further trusting to it would be a very uncertain depend ance. The town has now reached a stage nt which therj should be a sufficient legal provision made for putting its streets and public places, in a stalo fit tor traffic, and convenient to tho pedestrian. But, in addition to these most obvious requirements, thero are, as we have said, other refornis n ecled. There are cryir.g nuisances, palpable to at least two of the senses, to be corrected ; hot-beds of fever and dysentery to bo suppressed ; pigs and goats to bo kept within b un 'Is ; shameful cruelty to animals to bo punished ; stray horses to be impounded — and we will add, fed, at tho expense of their most unnatural owners. But why go through the whole category of wants that require a remedy, and excrescences on the social system that need to be excised ? To * men with noses and eyes and a senso of decency, a dozen things most needful will suggest themselves Then come the questions of drainage, of water supply, of slaughter-yards, of manure and rubbish depots, and others, which it would bo tedious to enumerate. A Municipal Council, armed with legal powers to make assessments upon property, is essential to the health and convenience of a town, which has now grown to dimonsionsaltogether beyond the scope of Improvement Committees and amuteur associations. Of course, no municipality can be called into existence until the sulo of the town lands has given Hokitika a ■ property basis. This wo may anticipate under tho new regulations promised by tho Government. > But before that consummation is attained somo movement ought to be mado by tho ■ public to promote tho establishment of institutions of local self-government, in order to secure, if possible,-* for tho use of the municipality a fair pro. portion, at least, of tho proceeds of tho Town Land Sales. 'On this point, we have already sounded the note of warning. No other* interprolati'-n can bo put upon the mysterious -" Balance Sheot for tho West Canterbury Goldflelds" than that it is a document specially prepared to justify a ■ fell swoop upon our land revenue when* ever it is created by public sale. We havo to look iho danger in the face, of the alienation of the proceeds of our town lands to tho prosecution of the road across tho Alps, whereas a very large proportion indeed of this fund, if not the whole of.it, ought to be placed in the hands of a local municipality, in trust for town usos. It is not to be expected, however, that tho Government will administer to us an unsolicited jnstico. What their design is, is patent. There is a largo alleged balance to wipe- oft*." Iho Land Fund is to bo the sponge. The two towns of Hokitika and Qroy mouth aro tho .only places from which it an be anticipated that a Land Fund will at presont accrue. And if the produce of tho kales in these two townships are to bo confiscated for tho espouses of tho vortd Q-vw ill? intervening range, in what