West Coast Times. MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 150, 12 March 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times.

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1866.

The nomination of candidates for the ! representation of Westlaud in the Geneyal Assembly, takes place to-day. No announcement has been mado of the intentions of the gontlemcn at •whose instance Mr Moorhouse has consented to become a candidate. We aro compelled to say that Mr Mooohouse has not been fairly dealt with by his friends. The telegrams roceiced from him were entirely of a confidential character, and his assent to his candidaturo was based upon the assumption that thero was so goneral a desire to return him on the part of tho constituency, that his election would not be seriously opposed. It will doubtless greatly surpriso him to leavn that the wishes ot tho electors were never conconsulted or ascertained before his name was made use of, and that the prevailing feeling is' strongly adverse to the choico of a Christchurch man* That Mr Moorhouso has many ac.mirers here is true, and it is true, also, that tho best wishes of tho district are with him in his present contest for the Superintendency of tho Province If it were a settled fact that the political connection of Westland with the East Coast was to bo perpetuated, Mr Moorehouse, might be accepted as a man who woulddo his best to introduce a better and juster system of administration than has hitherto prevailed. But his candidature is a pre-judgment of the whole question which is really the substantial issue to be tried at this election. That question is, whether Westland shall live on in the hopo of getting what • justice it can - from Christchurch — and of the measure of the justice to be hoped for it has already had a sufficient foretaste — or shall make a strong determined effort to secure for itself tho management of its own affairs. If Mr Moorhouse is put in nomination, his candidature will mean th(? continued subjection of the district to Christchurch. As candidate for the Superintendonoy of the Province, he is bound hand and foot to the principle of the unity of Canterbury. It would be a falsification of all his pledges to his supporters on tho other side of tho intervening range ; a simple act of political dishonesty if ho were to cntevtain, as even a remote contingency, the idea of Separation. His address to the electors of the Province has been long before them, and in it he includes Westloaid — in the only casual reference ho makes to it — in tho same category as Timaru and other " outlying districts" of Canterbury. Those who propose Mr Moorhouse to-day — if that course is to bo adopted — will by tho act, make a formal protest against the Separation of the district, and its independent Go vernment. Tho same may be said if Mr M'Glashan is proposed. The supporters of Mr M'Glashan and of Mr Moorhouse are the some party. Their aames have been used in the same interest. There is, indeed, this difference to be noted between the two. Mr Moorhouse is, by the obligations of his position, pledged to oppose 'the severance of Westland from Canterbury, whilst of Mr M'Glashan's views on this radical question we know nothing. It is dimly within the public recollection that some months ago ho was a candidate for the representation of the district in the Provincial Council, and was defeated by Mr Barff, chiefly on accoitnt of his absence from Westland. That absence has been prolonged, and it is only by an excessively liberal interpretation of the term that M r M'Glashap can now bo considered a citizen of tho West Coast. We have no knowledge of his desiro to become a candidate ; no. knowledge of the principles he would espouse if he were a caudidate. Wo do not even know that the same business engagements that have so long made him a practical stranger to the district, would not prevent his going to Wellington to represent us thero in the Assembly. In the present crisis, it is surely a duty the constituency imperatively owe to themselves, to elect some man whose principles they understand, whose spmpa.hy with them is guaranteed by circumstances, and whoso services they know they can command.

The only local candidate in tho field is Mr Shaw. Mr Shaw labors under this disadvantage : that good taste dictates silence on the part of the Press on tho subject of his qualifications. At all events it is not for this journal to urge his claims to the support of the people. He must depond upon

what is already known of him, and upon the opportunities ho may enjoy of meeting tho electors and expounding to them his political views. Wo arc precluded from dealing with any considerations but those connected with the political principles at stake. On whomsoever the choice of tho elector 8 , falls, it is to he hoped that ho will stand distinctly pledged to hold tho interestof his constituents in the foromost place, and to support whatever measure may be deemed by them the most certainly conductive to tho establish* ment of an independent local Governs raent in Westland.

An important uotico to boldors of Businoss liiconsoß appears in oiu' advertising columns. Tho Commissioner announces that tho notico issued on the 29th January last was inrorrool 5 that tho withdrawal of tho Town Resorvo from tho G-olflelds for tho purposes of salo dooa not rcinovo it from tho operation of tho Goldflolds Act; and consequently that all businoßß sites which are not put up to auotion at tho ensuing salo of Town lands, will continuo to bo hold under Business Liconscs in tho eamo manner as boforo the withdrawal of tho Town Resorvo from tho flroldfiolds. Tho nomination of candidates for tho ropresontation of Westland in the Gonoral Assembly takes placo to-day at tho Warden's Court, Rovoll street, at noon. Mr Salo is the roturning Officer.' Should a poll bo demanded, tho votes of tho, electors will bo taken' on JViday noxt at tho soveral polling placos already announced. Evory candidato must bo proposed and eoconded by a qualifiodjoleotor, viz : the holder for six consocutivo mouths of a minor's right or a business license. Tho following are tho polling places :— tho Wardens' Courts, nfc Hokitika, Waimea, G-roymouth, Cobdon, Twolvo Milo, Kaniori, and Ross. Wo havo to record another mysterious disappcaranco, whioh will wo are afraid bo followed by tho veporfc in a future issue, of " another dead body was discovered on tho beach." On 'Wednesday last a miner named John M'Olomonts loft tho Auokland rush to transaot business in Hokitiko. Thoro is no doubt ho reached town safely, for the same evening ho was soen at tho Theatre, but sinco thon has not been scon or hoard of. Yesterday Ins mates mado application at tho Camp, thinking ho might havo fallen into tho hands of tho police, who, on being mado acquainted with the oiroumslancos, searched tho town all day for tracos of him but failed in discovering any. lfc is foarod that aitov leaving Theatre ho must havo loft on his way homowards, and in attempting to cross ono of tho creeks havo been swopt out to sea and drowned. This supposition is induced from tho fact that ho had vory littlo money upon him, and thoroforo would not b° likoly to havo prolonged his stay in town. Ho has a sharo in an excellent claim at tho above " rush." Mis 3 Rosa Cooper and Mr Lionol Harding mako Ihoir first appoavanco at tho Shakspero Flolol tilts ovoning. On tho 6th instant tho body of a man in a state of nudity was discovered lying faco downwards in tho Rivor Grey, within ten yards of a small storo situated about four miles from Greytown. Tho name of tho deceased was William Watts, and tho store in question bolonged to him. Tho whole affair is wrappod in mystery, as no marks of violonco were found upon tho body. Now ground has been oponod in tho vicinity of tho Hau Ilau diggings on a terrace situated about three miles from tho old workings. Tho dopth of sinking is from foity to sixty feet, and the prospeots obtained are very good, a dish of washdirt having yielded 3 dwts of gold. Many claims havo been marked out] and tho miners are sanguino that the diggings will bo extensive and rioh, and will eventually be connected with tho old creok. x Mr Barlow continues his vory popular ontortainmont at tho Corinthian Hall during the prcsont week. Tho return of tho Bruoo from Okarita bus placed us in possession of but littlo intelligence that wo wore not in receipt of. During tho past "week no fresh discoveries had been mado, but tho ground in work was yielding fairly. Tho township was still undergoing improvement and oxtonsion, and .tho buildings going up aro boiug erected with a stability unknown in tho place before. When tho Bvuco left tho absorbing topic of tho day was tho necessity of a track from tho town to the Lako, and to further tho objeofc a mooting had boon hold and funds colleotod. "Only £60, however, was subscribed, a sum totally inadequate to covor tho oxpensos 5 and as Mr John Hall's policy upontho prosecution of public works, extends to ovory park of Westland, tho Committee bavo determined, should tho Q-ovornment' persist in rofiising a subsidy, and tho Okarita inhabitants object to mako any furthor advances, that tho only course left open to them will bo to return tho monoy already collected to thoso who eubßcribod it. It is much to bo regretted .that this most necessary undertaking should bo dolaycd, for thoro can bo no doubt that was it completed a largo area of auriferous country would bo thrown open to tho minors. Groytown scorns to bo infested with a gang of scoundrols who oxisfc by deeds of robbery and violence, and rondor it unsafe to the poaqoably inolinod to venture outsido their houses after dark. On tho 7th instant, at two o'olook in tho morning, a minor namod Patriok Burko, whilst sn his way to tho hotel at which ho was staying, was opposite tho Boatman's Arms on Richmond Quay, stuok-up by two mon, ono of whom soized him round tho neok whilst tho other dcnU him a violont blow on the head whioh reiuiorod him huonsiblo. On rocovoring himself ho found that his purso, whioh contained four £1 notes, was gono, and also ! four minor's rights and a meorsohaum pipa had been abstraotod from his pookot. Ho at onco proceeded to the Camp and lodgod information, Jfenit thoir seoms littlo probability that the villains will bo discovorod as Burko, was in liquor at tho time ho was robbod, and has 'not tho faintest idea of tho appearance of his assailants,