West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 108, 22 January 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1866.

We published on Saturday a list of the lands on the West Coast' proposed by the Christchurch Government to be set apart for sale. It comprises in all moro than one hundred and twenty thousand acres, of which there is reason to believe that the, largest part is auriferous. Block No. 1 swallows up in a lump ten thousand acres of beach land, running two miles inland from the sea, between the Grey and the Teromakau rivers, the only exception made being a strip of land two chains in width along tho banks of rivers, and streams, and reserves for towns and other public purposes. Tho second block, of twelve thousand acres, comprises tho belt of land two miles in breadth from the sea

line, extending from the Teromakau to the Aralmra. The third block consists of a similar belt two miles from the sea inwards, estimated to contain six thousand acres,))etwcentheAralniraandllokitika. The fourth block comprises fourteen thousand acres, and extends by a breadth of two miles from Hokitika to tho Totnvn. Blocks No. 6 and 6 contain twenty-two thousand acres of coast land, also two miles in breadth, extending from the Totara to the Mikonui, and from the Mikonui to the Wanganui. Here we have a stretch of upwards of eighty miles of beach land iipm tho Grey southwards which the Christchurch Government propose to lay hold of, before the district has the chance of accepting Mr Hall's challenge to make gut a case for Separation if it can! But, this does not exhaust the area of the . intended spoliation, lwenty-fivo thousand acres between the Hokitika and the Kokotahi to (he south of the former and extending to its .junction with tho Kanieri, are to be seized. thousand acres on the west side of Lake Bruimor ; six thousand on the tho south bank of the ieremnkau, extending to the junction ot tho Otiri with tho Waimea.; ami the eleven thousand acres to tic south of Li.kolutoer, known as Iho Paddock; urd l defined 16 share n Bumlu/i' late, ' (

There is every reason lo bolieve that there is not an acre of this hundred and twenty thousand acres of land, by tho sale of which the Christchurch Government propose, to reimburse themselves for the fabulous expenditure they profess to havo incurred on behalf of the West Coast that is not auriferous ; and the sale will be an unmitigated swindle on the district. Easlland must not expect us to speak on such a subject and such an occasion, with bated breath and whispering humbleness. As a rule, wo have constrained ourselves to speak in very measured terms of the treatment of tho West Coast interests by tho authorities on the other side of the intervening range ; but it is impossible to describe tho present proposal in any other language than as a gross and unprincipled act of spoliation. We had the sagacity to foresee that some trick of this kind was intended, and the plans for it deliberately laid, when the West Canterbury Balance Sheet was laid on the table of tho House. Writing on tho 16th December last, we said :—": — " What has tended most to disturb public confidence in tho fair dealing of the Eastland Government, is the concurrent issue of the balanco shoot making out the West Coast to be thirty thousand pounds in debt to the Treasury, and intimation of an approaching sale of public lands, lias a pretext been purposely created for the confiscation of the gross proceeds of this land sale ? Tho impression that it is so gains ground, and it is feared that a general haul is to bo made of the Westland land fund."

Tho proposals now submitted are a full confirmation of thoso fears. It was with an entire knowledge of tho plan of operations contemplated that tho Sccrctmy of Works made his memorable declaration that he for ono would not oppose the separation of Westland. In tho anticipation of such c« contingency, would it not havo boon moro honest lo loavo tho district in possession of its hinds ? Ono of tho elements of a strong Local Government, Mr Hall must know os well as any man, is the possession of a revenue ; and tho main source from which tho revenue to bo appropriated to tho settlement and development of a new district flows is its public land sales. Aro those landsnow proposed to bo "set apart," to bo sold and thoir proceeds paid jnto tho Christchurch Treasury beforo Westland is allowed tlio timo and opportunity for making out thouo v caso" which the Secretary for Public Works challenges us to establish beforo tho General Assembly? Was it a joke Mr. Hall waa passing on the district when he declared it to be geographically distinct and separate from Kast Cantorbury, and advised its representatives to claim independence, having at the very timo in his fortfolio the draft of tho document Avhich has now been printed as a Council paper I Is Westland to bo first robbed of its capital* and thon told to sot up in business for itself] We all know what, the " setting apart" of those lands for sale means. Chrisf church claims to bo a heavy creditor of tho district. That no one understands tho merits, or lias any knowledge of tho items of its claim, is a matter of tho slightest possible importance "on the other side (if tho range." Tho power once obtained of selling tho lands hero, tho sales will bo pushed on, and tho proceeds speedily pocketed. Such is the latest phase of the political relationship between tho two coasts.

The question of the sale of tho lands described in the document before us, stands on altogether different merits from that of the sale of town allotments. The former comprises nearly tho wholo of the presently known auriferous area of the district. In Otago and in Victoria the inexpediency of alienating gold-land has been acknowledged, and tho system of leasing has been adopted instead. Even lands which have been proclaimed for sale are withdrawn, in caso it is discovered that they are auriferous. Tlio system, of leasing possesses obvious advantages. It allows the land to bo made use of for mining purposes nnclcr conditions the most favorable- to its successful working, and encourages the investment of capital, whilst it letains tho fco simple of the soil in tho hands of the Crown, which is only another expression for the public. The sale of the wholo of the auriferous lands of Westland would be one of tho heaviest blows that an unfriendly Government could inflict upon the district. That blow is now threatened. ■ Atter these lands are sold, and the proceeds have been laid hold of by Christohurch, wo presume Mr, Half will repeat his challenge, " Get Separation as soon as you can, and let us havo done with you !" Mr Prossor asks us in a note to move tho public topetitionagainsttbisscheme, AVo shall not attempt to do anything of tho kind — from a thorough conviction, justified by lccont circumstances, that the amount of public spirit existing here may be best expressed thus : 'If Christchurch smites Westland pretty smartly on the left cheek, Westland will very humbly offer its right cheek to be smitten also. Unbacked by any public opinion the task of our representatives in the Provincial Council is, it must be confessed, a most thankless one.

Tho English November mail was duo in Melbourne on tho lOlli instant, and tho nows may be expected to reach us. by tho first steamer from that porl. A correspondent from tho Grey, undor dufo Jan. 20, writes \-y- Yesterday was supposed to bo a red lottor day in'Groymouth Kalends, an indignation mooting being crowded at iSweenoy's Thoalro Eoyal to oxpress tho popular fooling against tho Cantorbury Government, and tho mannor in which local improvements nro negloelod. Soino 200 people assembled, but Iho t majority nppoarcd to have hut a faint conception of order or tho usual usages of public meetings. After an hour or so groaning, yolling, hooting, hissing, kis., inlendod as token of disapproval against tho Commissioner of Gold-lields and tho I'rovinuial Government, and sovoral desultory nlU'iii2>ts at stump oratory, the meeting' adjourned sine die. Thoro is, however, considerable grounds for eompluint, Iho stumps of trees in tho main street, (ho unpassablo stalo of tho roads, Iho absurdity of a police court half a mile out of the town, nnd a Posl-olllco «l. the extreme other ond ol'tlie (owiibhip, cum mulih alih grioytinccs, forjn suuicienl proof of

Iho neglect of loc.il maimgenienl. Wo (rust, however, to see a material improvement in these and various other nuttier.-*. The Lioness has been doing an immense amount of towing; at the time I 'im writing sho ia somewhat in a dilemma, having a small schooner in her charge upon tho bar, with I fear little probability of getting her oil 1 ; the Lioness, how(ver, is lnancouvrcing and pirouetting round and round her small charge, pulling Vir.st one way and then trying another tack, with pr.iiseworthy indefatigability, and if tho schooner is doomed to como to an untimely end, it will bo from no lack of effort on the part of Tlirockmorton's tug. Miss Edith Palmorslon arrivod here from Hokitiku on Sunday, and mado her debut at Kilgour's Hall on Monday to an overflowing audience, upwards of 200 being refused admission. The ontorlainmont is evidently of a far superior class, to Iho previous so called cnter-t-umnonts given hero. Miss Pnlinor&ton has therefore had a somewhat arduous task in raising the tone of her audiences up to her own intellectual standard. That sho has fully succeeded wo aro right glad to testify, and she nightly now receives an ovation from crowded and delighted auditors. Considerable excitemont existed yesterday amongst our Maori friends, in consequence of the Maori Commissioner being engaged in marking out sections of land, which approximated somou lint too near, according to Maori notions, tolhoirpah, after much expressive gesticulation on Iho part of the Maoris, tho Commissioner carried his point, and matters quietly subsided into their usual quiet routine. _ On Saturday the Supremo Court continued its sittings, hut only disposed of ono case, being that of Absalom Brock, who was tried for and found guilty of manslaughter, Prisoner and his male were dairymen, living at tho 'IWmilo Creek, but quirrols occurred through tho iriogular habits of deceased. On the fatal day prisonor was 'so incensed at Null's slaying away a long timo that he struck him, and tho unfoi'tunalo man never rose again alive. The medical evidence proved that the brain of deceased was deeply diseased, and through tho act of tho accused no doubt death was accelerated. Tho same might havo beon occasioned by a slight trip or fall. As, however, it was shown that the act of tho prisoner did without doubt hasten this result, t'io jury woro obliged to find him guilty, but the Judgo took a merciful view of tho caso, and sentenced him to five months' impiisonmcnt. Tho Court was then adjourned to cloven o'clock to-day. Thero aro eleven cases for trial yet, including that of Stewart, charged with murder. Wo understand that this case will bo tried to-morrow. There are some thirteon or' fourteen witnesses, and the wholo day, at least, will bo taken up in the hearing. A great deal of additional evidence to that adduced at tho inquest will ho given, and the trial is looked' forward to with the greatest interest.

Tho Ilokilikn gaol returns for the week ending Saturday, January 20th, are as follows:— Committed for trial, 2 ; sentenced to dilVeient terms of hard labor, 4 ; having completed their sentences and discharged, 0 ; imprisoned for dobt, 1 ; confined as lunatics. 2; total for the week— conlinos, !) ; discharged, S. The total number at present in safe keeping is 43, classed as below— Committed for trial, 13: under .sentence, 2(J, of which i) aro to ho forwarded to Christchurch, they having been tried and sentenced in the Supremo Court; debtor.*, 2 ; lunatics. 2.

Tho nows from Okarila by tho Hrueo is unimportant, no fresh discoveries having been nuub during tho past week. The township is slowly increasing in si/c, nncl wo hour soino extonsivo orders have been received by Jlokitika firms from their branches down there. Tho accounts from tho boach diggings continue good, but thoso from the. interior are exceedingly uncertain. Although tho banks havo opened and commenced buying, no advance upon tho prieo of gold bos 'been mado, tho currant rate still being from 70s to 72s (Jd per oz.

Yestorday, information reached town that a heavy flood had swelled the Teromnkau, cutting off aU c6mmunicu(ion between tho north and south banks for two days, During that period constable Thompson was tho only person who attempted to cross, and ho only 6ucccodcd nl tho imminont risk of his life. A considerable number of passongcrs woro "stuck up' 1 on eithor bank waiting for tho water to subside. Lnto last night Howloy's ICxpress arrived in town with Iho intelligence that tho river had fallen considerably.

On Friday evening last Mr. J. J. Moran, proprietor of tho Imperial, lute tho Nelson hotel, at tho eornor of Wharf street and Gibson's Quay, gavo a houscwarming ball (o his friends. Over a hundred were invited, and a most pleasant ovening was spent by Ihos?prosent.

.During the pnssago of tho Hruco from Okaritn a fracas occurred, which luckily was unattended with serious consequences'. ' A disturbance nroso in reference to soino trilling mutter, when ono of tho pnssongers look up a knife and mado a blow at another man, whjeh cut through tho peak of his cap and inflicted a wound on tho foreheud. Forlunntoly (ho leather ponk prevented moro serious consequences, and nsno information was given to the police wo prosumo tho wounded man does not think much of tho malter.

Yesterday was an unusually sultry day. At noon the thermometer stood at 7(5 dog. in tho shade, but the heat was really much moro oppressive (ban that Jiguro 'would indicate. Thero was \ory little air stirring, but at in 1 oryuls an occasional breozo proved refreshing. Tho sunset was ono of tho most gorgeously beautiful wo have ovor witnessed. Tliq nlniosjJhoro had by this timo become clear, and in tho distanco the snow-clad summits of tho mountains stood out in grand relief. Layer upon layer of fleecy clouds presented the appearance of liquid gold, and nltogel her the seeno was ono that luis been rarely equalled, and could not bo surpassed, in beauty and majesty. Sonio reports wcro' current in' town on Saturday to tho ufflet (hat Mr Lanibtou had his hprso and dray swept away on Friday evening,^whilst fit tempting to cross the Saltwater Creek, and that n considerable loss of property was the result. Wo are glnd to hear that the rumor is without foundation.

Our Tciemnknu correspondent writes us ;—; — " Another fresh has occurred enough to .stop boats plying for ono day (.Saturday) which shows nil the more clearly the necessity of a permanent lino or road. The purveyors' paity have cut the line from the township up to the Native Reserve, seventeen miles above the town of Saloston, the proposed site of the Foiry, on tho south side of the liver. On tho north side, Messrs Anderson and Inglis have commenced breaking down the oliir for the site of tho punt on that side, and hnvo cleared a considerable portion of ground for the ferry houso and the proposed house of ueconnnodat ion and stables. Several stores and bakeries havo started hero lately on both sides of the rivor. Tho rushes having subsided, a groat many havo set (led down steadily to work, and from periodical examination,! find most of them contented and apparently prosperous." So serious are the inroads nuulo upon tho North Spit by evoiy slight freshet iit tho river, mid ho marked and palpable tho results likely to follow a succession of Hoods, that we feel compelled to again resort to tho .subject of wharf extension. It-must bo patent to every reasonable man open to conviction that tho present wharf, upon which Mich a largo . amount of money has been oxpended, is a failure, and cannot be depended on to resist many more such floods as woliuvc been visited by lately. liyji-y-hoJy, wo believe, has been more or less deceived, for it cannot !>o denied that tho contract was well and faithfully fulfilled, and tho work when lini.shcd presenting an appearanco of stability, warranting the assumption that tho river had received a decided check, and would for tho l'uhiio ho composed to find v way to tho sea other than through tho North Spit, lint it, up. peni-ri .such is i,s not to be the caso tho wholo lorou of the stream being concentrated against tho laco of tho whuyf, it has scoured out a channel no as to completely undcrmino some of (lie piles, and wash away (ho greatest part of" the illling in from underneath tho sheathing. \\o are not alluding to that portion of the wharfbelowWharf-slrcel, but to tho original Government structure Unit lms moved of such

fi]i ;icfi( throng!-, tin facilities it has iillbrJod lpping to load and discharge cargo. It has alho given that part of tho town a niO3t sightly appearance, pleasant to tho oyo and gratifying, as unmislakoablo ovidonco of the progress wo havo mado in commerce. Wo aro afraid, howovor, it is doomed, and that soon, it will bo a wharf no longer. 11, is much to bo regrottcd that Mr. linl four did not inuko his nppcnr.mco in Jrokilikasomo months earlier j and that ho did not wo may Ihimk tho apathy displayed by tho Government in all mat tors' relating to • tho real interests of "Westhmd. They ennnot plead ignoranco of tho state of tho river as an excuso, for time after timo wo havo wrilton on tho matter urging thorn to at least send a commission of eompelonl inon ovor to survey tho entrance, and suggest tho best mean's to bo ndoptcd to improve i. Tho work, however, has boon deferred until thoclovenlh hour, and now thoro is every probability that this procrastination is about to bear most bitter fruits. Certainly they will bo most expensive ones; for tho Govornmont, at last aroused 'to the necessity of doing something, have, wo believe, [determined to prosorvo tho present wharf and extend it an mdellnilo distimco towards tho signal station. Hut to suvo the proson t wharf if will bo necessary to rofaco it with another row of pilc3 and 'sheath piling, which to bo of any permanent service should, in our humblo opinion, bo driven twenty feet at least into tho rivor bed. This work alono will swallow up a vory pivlfcy penny indeed. It is, however, bettor to oxpond a good sum at oneo and complolo (ho work than lot it go in ".dribs and drabs" in patching, repairing, and Jllling up holes cqhslantly mado in tho onibankment by floods. Tho lower end of Qibson's Quay is, however, the ono donmnding tho most serious attention, and wo uro afraid till tho Governments in Now Zealand would bo powerless to preserve it, us it will bo almost impossible (o construct a wharf in timo to bo of any service AVo wonder whether tho idea of running a breakwolor from tho north bank diagonally across tho stream downwards, beginning about a hundred yards abovo tho Custom llouso, nndAvhieh might servo to divert tho river more to tho southward, and prevent its beating so directly on tho wharf, has ovor presented itself to tho survey department. It would not take a very long timo to drivo homo a doublo row of piles, and fill in between thorn, and tho good it might do would perhaps be incalculable.