West Coast Times.

West Coast Times, Issue 157, 20 March 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times.

TUESDAY, .MAHCJT 20, 1866.

Wi; believe we lmve said sufficient to prevent an exaggerated significance being attached to tho Westland election. It was not a demonstration o popular sentiment, either for or against any political dogma or platform. As a declaration iv favor of the severance of the province, it was a dead failure ; but as a declaration in favor of tho continuance of tho present connection, it was a failure equally. The one fact it establishes is simply the non-existence of an active political sentiment. The present dead weight awaits to be moved ; but it may be depended upon that at no distant time a dormant power, the force of which is now unsuspected, will be summoned into activity. The electors, by a very small majority, on a very small poll, have acquiesced in the acceptance of the services of a Christchurch man in preference to a local candidate. We again briefly revert to the circumstance in tho hope, as we have said, that too large inferences may not be drawn from it. It would bo a mistake for either Mr. Moovhouse o r the Provincial Executive to nssumo that the district is content with the past administration of its affairs, or has any confidence in tho present temper of tho East sido mind towards it. Thoso who havo supported Mr. Moorhouso havo avowedly done so in tho belief that his acccss'ou to power will work an entire change in the policy of government as regards this district. He has been accepted as tho representative of new. ideas, and the pioneer of a new order of thing/i. If he succeeds iv giviug effect with 11 strong hand to tho professions he has made, and finds the ground firm enough under his feet |to enable him to %n t with impartial vigor as tho Suppr.

intendent, at once, of tho two sulos of tho province, he will doubtless maintain the prestige which has attached to him during his sojourn amongst us, and during tho much longer period for which his fame has been bruited abroad. But both Mr. Moorhouso and his supporters on this and on the other side of tho range, may bo assured that there is latent throughout the district a strong current of suspicion as to the genuineness of tho kindly feeling towards Westland, of which such fair and plausible protestations are mado by many of the leading men of Christchurch ( and by tho Christchurch press. Thero aro sufficient "reasons for calling the honesty of theso professions into question. There is a lurking tendency to disparage Westland interests and Westlaud men, which frequently displays itself unguardedly. Wo are about to alludo to a matter porhaps trivial in itself, but which is yet not without a ctrtaiu significance. We moan the tono of much of the correspondence from Hokitika to whioh prominent place ifi given in tho Canterbury journals. Making tho most liberal allowance for tho license given to the class of writers known as " our own correspondents," it is difficult to acquit editors of some set purpose, when they follow persistontly tho practice of admitting communications from retained members of their staff, dictated on tho face of them by the most unfriendly feelings towards tho district. The " Lyttelton Times " has, wo believe, a very restricted circulation in Westland. In point of fact, it is never seen by the great bulk of our population. A few copies reach the hands of gentlemen whoso antecedents and personal' associations still attach them to ChrUtchurch, although they aro presently resident amongst us. But it is distributed widely on the other side ; and, as a rule, anything may be said about tho Westland people and their leaders by writers, even in the most influential journals of the Province, with a certain impunity. It will be new, probably, to most of our readers, that in successive communications lately, the Hokitika correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times " has made it his business to speak iir most disparaging and offensive terms of our present representative in the Provincial Council, Mr Prosser. No gentleman could havo better deserved tho thanks of his constituents for tho invaluable services he has rendered to them, and to none could their thanks have been tendered in a moro marked manner. At Mr Prosser's late meeting with his constituents, his explanations as to his conduct in tho Council wero accepted with the most flattering demonstrati ns of approval, and his subsequent action In connection with electoral affairs has confirmed the respoct in which ho was already held as a public man. Universal regret has been folt at his inability, through the pressure of business ougagements, to plate his services any longer at the disposal of the people ; and nothing could surely bo more out of time and out of taste than tho sneering tone adopted towards him by the " Lyttelton Times" correspondent. In one letter Mi Prosser is openly proclaimed a pretender, seeking reputation for measures the whole credit of which belonged to Christchurch men. In another it is " believed" that Mr Prosser after " favoring the electors at the Grey with a repetition of his Hokitika oration" will " now disappear behind his, counter." There is an oxquisite amount of snobbishness in this. But it is to be feared that it is nothing moro than a fair indication of tho temper of the Christohiirch mind. That such a reference to Mr Prosser is a direct and studied insult to the district will be well understood. It muy be offensive to the blood of tho Canterbury aristocracy, to have men from behind counters sent up by a common diggings constituency to mingle in their political life.^ But if men of business, of tho highest personal honor and the most intelligent views, ore to be sneered at f.s Westland representatives, wo may abandon tho hopo of any men consenting to stand for the district who are not either vory thick-skinned or very unscrupulous. Tho people of tho West Coast would be quite content to see tho seats in a local legislature filled, not only by men from behind the counters, but by toiling men with ungloved hands, provided' they had' heads to know what they wero about, and honesty of purpose to keep them right. The small exhibitions of spleen by an anonymous writer may perhaps be unworthy of this notice. But nothing is unimportant that can be accepted as an indication of the prevailing feeling of Christchurch towards Westland ; and it in impossible to believe that tho editor of a journal like the " Lyttelton Times" would admit communications of this ohamotei'i unless thoro \\p un un.

ilcrstnndin^ that they were tho proper style of tiling. It is movejt'uin ever to be regretted that the people cannot prevail upon Mr Prosser once more to come out from " behind his counter," and instead of " subsiding," renew in the Legislature the struggle he has so ably and honorably waged on their behalf.

Wo romind tho public that tho official roturn of the Poll will bo mado to-day, at noon, by tho Returning Ofllcer, in tho Camp "Reservo, Rovoll streot. Thoro was a thinner attendance- at tbo Princo of Wales Thoatro last ovoning than on either of tho provious nights, a circumstauco no doubt attributable to the non-annouueo-ment by tho Managoiuout of tho entire change in tho programme. The flying tfapoze performance by air Goorgo Bidgwoy, and tho singlo trapozeby Loon Samwclls, worn amongst tho prinoipnl novelties introduced, and tho daring and Bkilful manuor in which tho foals wero oxocutod, moro than sustainod the high reputation of tho troupe as tho promior acrobatic artistes. One great recommendation of thoir performances consiots iv tho fact that, wonderful and daring us they aro thoy oxoito nono of tho painful sonso of danger which necossarily so materially abridges tho enjoyment of tho spoctajors. Tho porformors aro ovidontly thoroughly at homo in thoir various foats, and oshibit a surprising coolness and dexterity. Thero woro several gracoful additions to tho programme, amongst whioh wo must purticulnriso tho Changing Statuary, introduced in tho Ballot scouo, which wound up (.ho performance. A now farco, undor tho titlo of" Tho Tlirco Simpletons," osoilod groat amusomont, and tho performances of Mv Nelson on tho Rook Harmonium, of Master Frank Lonton on La Porcho Equipoise-, of Herbert Skolton in tho Bending Aot, and of tho thveo monkoys, wero as 'inimitable as ovor. Tho audienco wero ovidontly highly delighted throughout. Wo nolico that rapid progress is boing "ma Jo in completing tho interior arrangements of tho Houso. Wo aro given to understand that somo oxtvaordinary disclosures woro elicited at tlio Ctreyinoulh Polico Court on Saturday last, connected with tho smelting establishment of a woll-known gold-buyer of that district. So serious was tho charge that tho examination resulted in tho committal of one of tho omploycos for trial for having systematically Dwindled diggers out of thoir gold by using retorts whioh wero afterwards found to bo perforated, and consequently n considerable portion of tho amalgam escaped with the firo. Wo shall forboar making any furthor com-me-nls until tho arrival of additional intolligonco from tho Q-roy, Tho number of (he inmates in tho nokitika G-aol is slowly bur surely increasing, and although four months havo yet to run ere tho Supreme • Court sittings will be held, thoro are already nino mou committed for trial. Allowing tho numbor to inoroaso in the same proportion during that period, thoro will bo twenty-oiio to receivd judgmont in tho highor court, and if to (hoso wo add tho average number usually to bo found undergoing sontonco, and half a dozon debtors as a makoweight, it will bo found that tho total number will bo very little loss than that which filled tlio gaol to overflowing onco boforo, and drfcw down in eomequonco tho censure of Mr Justico Gresson that such a disgraceful state of things should havo beon pormittccl to oxist. A new gaol, howovor, wns commenced somo time ago, of which ovent wo gavo duo nolico, aud wo certainly then ventured to indulge tho hopo that by this tirao it would havo beon finished, and those abominations, (ho old log huts havo fallen into disuso. ' Such, howovor, is not tlio case, for on our visiting tho new orcction yesterday wo woro fain to admit there seemed ovory probability that two months at least must elapse oro tho final arrangements could bo complolod, and tho prisoners transferred there. Wo certainly wore both surprised and disappointed at tho slow progress mado, for tho gaol itself will take a mouth to finish, and no provision has yot beon made for tho erection of oithor a cooking houso, messroomi warden's quarters, or olosots. Moreover, the yard Ims yot to bo drained and a stockade built, Iho latter, especially, boing most imperative and as it ought to bo at least sixteen fcot in height, and oncloao a consider, ablo aroa, no timo should bo lost in commencing it. We aro far from wishing that this should bo a contract job, but would suggost that as there aro at prcsont two and twonfcy mon sontoncod to dillibront terms of hard labor, under tho control of tbo polico ; thoy might bo very profitably omployod upon it. Wo aro aware that thoy aro now at woi-k clearing tho now police reserve, but suroly that is of minor importance compared with Iho necessity of at ouco providing iucreased gaol ui'coinodfition. ' •sTho Oliarlta Times has boon favored with a roliublo return of the population of tho district whioh will no doubt not only bo of interest generally, but will prove to thoso in authority that wo aro dosorving of considerably moro consideration than hitherto shown, if numbers have anything to do with it. Qn tho south beach, botweon tho Thrco-inilo Beach and tho south sido of tho Waiho river, thoro aro no loss than 2500 people In this township thoro aro at loast 1250, and on tho north sido of tlio Saltwater Rivor, is at least 600 raoro. In tho Lako district, about twenty milos from bore, thoro are some sixty only, in scattered parties. Up the Waiho thoro are also a few peoplo, and tho numbor is gradually increasing, but theso are not reckoned. Tho total population of tho district proper may therefore be sot down as about 4400 in round numbers, without the places oxcoptod. This does not include either Bruco* or Jackson's Bay, the united population of which may bo sot down at some throo or feur hundred." "^ A fight, whioh unfortunately resulted in the death of ono of tho principals, ooourrod at Rosa Town on the morning of St. Patrick's Day. From tho report of tho sergeant in oharge thoro, we gatho? that on the owning of tho 16th instant a ball was hold at tho Emomid Isfe HoioJi whioh wno nUowlod by a oon» ;

sidorablo numbor of minors. As usual upon such occasions, tho liquor circulated freely i although the utmost good humor provnilod, but botwocn five and six o'clock tho noxt morning a disputo aroso botween two mon named rospectivoly David Thomas and John tlaggorty, which onded in a stand-up fight outsido Iho houso. Threo rounds only wore fought when Thomas fell, and at tho samo timo a genoral meleo took placo amongst tho assemblage, uoarly all of whom were drunk. In tho confusion of such a scono the unfortunato man lying on tho ground wob unheeded, and wo fear must havo boon trampled on, aud whon tho crowd disporsod ho was still left thoro, apparently quite forgotton by thoso who, but a fow minutoß previously wore backing him in his encounter with Haggerty. Forgotton, howover, ho was until eight o'clock, whon aomo passors by uoticod him, and like good Samaritans, raisod the poor follow and carried him to the Provincial Hotol, as ho oxpresacd a desire to bo convoyed thoro. Ho appoarod to be suffering soveroly, aud it was ovideut must havo rocoivod a serious iujury, far ho was quite unablo to move himself. A medical man was at ouco called iv, who, on examination, found hia spino to bo so severely iujurod as to causo paralysis oft tho limbs and lowor pnrfc of tho body. Every attention was paid, and no offor,ts loft untriod to roliovo him, but without avail, for, aftor lingering until midday, total paralysis suporvonod and doath was the roault. This sad event croatod some oxcitoinont amongst tile Hoss T\>wu community, many of whom wero inolinod to boliovo ho had boou treated unfairly by tho " Tipperary mob." An inquest will bo hold on tho body to-day by Dr. Besvriok, tho district Coroner. Wo take tho following from tho " Okarita Tiiuos : — "Tho provision mado for tho accommodation of tho Resident Warden and tho polico in this distriotis most singular. Tho Warden has a tent 12 x 14, floored certainly, but that is all. It is coinposod of simple calico, strotchod over a frame, and is ho polico olttco, wardoD's office, magistrate's room for all applicants, magistrate's breakfast, dining, genoral meal and sleeping room. Thp' idoa of any responsible officer of such standing being so housed, is simply diogracoful to thoso in authority to permit it. Tho tent, not framed, that has to suffice for'tho accommo* dalion of the polico, is G s 8, and in it two men aro located, a sorjeaut and a constable. Thero woro threo, but one was invalided. Tho numbor of polico is a burlosquo on polico proteotion. In another column wo showed that tho population is about 4000, and two policemen are supposod to bo enough for that population. For all useful purposes whon BUi:h a body of men havo to bo doalt with, tho polico might as well bo in Chrhtchuroh. We shall return to this subject on an early ocea sion." The Hobarl Town Mercury, in a leading article, laments tho tondouoy which tho youjth of tho island show to loavo it, and try their fortunes olßowhoro. It says :—'• It is with foolings of sincoro regret that wo havo marked during tho past fow months tho doparture from amongst us of very many of our leading colonial youths, and also several mercantile men, who havo hold, high positions in our limited commercial cirolo; and whilo wo rogrot tho loss of theso valuable mombors of our community, wo cannot but doploro tho ciroumstunco which has lod to thoir withdrawal from amongst vs — namely, tho waut of a remunerative field horo iv which to employ thoir energies aud talonts. No more striking proof of tho wasting condition of n couutry could possibly bo afforded ibauthiß migration of our professional and morcantilo mon ; it is as if tho vory life's blood of tho social fabric was ebbing away, and unless somo speedy rovival of trade should occur, or porno vigorous moasurcs bo adoplod towards tho dovolopmout of our own internal resources, it is impossible to say to what climax of disastor such a spocios of emigration may lead. Commorco is undoubtodly tho. ' enlin health of nations,' and ovory commercial mau who leaves these shores weakens our vitality to an oxtont which years of patient labor will hardly resusoitato." Tho contraot, says tho At/ienaum, betwoon tho Crown agent for Victoria and Mr Grubb, the makor of tho reflooting telescopo for tho Vio'toriiin Government, has beon concluded, and in about oightcon months the toloscopo will in all probability bo voady for shipment. If s construction will bo supervised by tho Earl of Eqsso, Rev. Dr. Robinson, and Mr Warren Do La Rue. Meanwhile preparations will bo proccoded with in Australia for the mouatiug of tho instrument, and a selection must be mado of " an astronomer fitted by education and acquiromouts to be ontrustod with its use, aud who may bo willing to dovote his entiro onorgios to tho cultivation of the splendid field which will bo opon to him. Should tho authorities at Melbourne require any assistance from tho Royal Society in this parti oular, wo (Athenaum) havo General Sabino's word that it " will assuredly "bo most readily givon." With reforonco to Mr Moorhouso as a candidato for tho Suporintondonoy of tho Province, tho Lijttelt<>n Times says : — " Wo congratulate Mr Moorhouso on having received tho unsolicited support of tho working men of Ohristchurch and the neighborhood, as a candidato for tho Suporintondonoy. At a thronged meeting on Tuosday ovoning, v resolution approving of Mr Moorhouso as moro worthy of confldonco than Mr Lanco ot Mi* Travors was carried. It is truo that tho majority was but small ; but then the minority was formod out of tho junction of both tho oppoßing parlies, oaoh of which had at a previous meeting sustained a crushing defeat. Tho supporters of Mr Lanco and Mr Travors, having boon loft in a minority whon proposing each his own candidate to tho Working Mon's Association, did thoir vory utmost on Tuesday ovoning to inu«!er ngninst Mr Moorhouse, and by joining their forces to put him also in a minority ; and thoy usod ovory means whith tho rulos at a public mooting would pormit to proonro his dofeat. But thoy wore unsuccessful. Wo may fairly lay that in tho opinion of tho working mon Mr Moorhouso is not only proforublo oithor to Mv Lanoo or MrTruverd> bur- it worthy of more lupport ft»n both of

them togothcr. And yot Mr Moorhouso has novor appoalod to the . working uion with a ory 5 ho has nover divided olass against olass, or done Icsb justico to tho capitalist than to lio labouvor, Tlio feeling in his favour does iot aviso from any such partial view of his londuofc. Ho has boon Superintendent of tho irovinco, and ho has uphold tho interests of .11 classes. Under his rulo, tho prospority of ho whole provinco was suoh as to benefit tho tapitalist and working man equally) provided ihoy woro roal settlors in tho province ; and leithor clan has forgotten tho ability which he ihowed in aohioving success for both. If thore ivero a " Capitalists' Association " in existence, wo avo conQdont it would arrivo at tho same iooision as tho Working Mon's Association has aunouncod." Tho clipper Martha Birnie, says the Argut, which has arrivod in Hobsou's Bay brings for tho Acclimatisation Sooioty niuoty-three Angora goats, sovonFronch ducks, 11 vo mammoth, pigoons, six Houdan fowls, twelve blaokblrdfl, twolvd linnets, (burteon starlings, two sand grouso, fo\ir red-legged partridges, threo white storks, nine Virginian nightingales, and threo squirrels. Tho goats aro iv oxoollont con- , ditiou, and the appearance of tho stock gonorally indicates that Mr. Thatohor has bestowed no srunll amount of oaro on his ohargo. There aro also on board tho ship hares, pavtridgos, La Fleoho fowls, grey dork? ing cocks, Spanish fowls, crdvocWur fowls, Brahmajlooti'as, black-breasted rod game fowls, blaok bantams, duokwing bantams, white bantams, game fowls, Aylosbury duoks, swans, pigeons, rabbits, a rotriovor, and a few terrier dogs. A number of haros and song-birds diod before leaving tho Thames, and during tho rough weather oxporiencod in coming down tho channel. Of the four ostriches intended to liaro been brought out, two died before being shipped, ono was lost soon after coming on board, and tho fourth died on tho 101 st day out from London. The evident comfortable appearance of the animals in this miniature Noah's Ark, fo truly surprising after such a protracted voyage. Amongst tho robins and larks thore was considerable inor • tnlity. Tho Tasmanian Morning Herald conoludos an article on tho lighthouses in tho Straits with tho following remarks :—": — " Now South Wales is a much smaller contributor than Viotoria, though ratod on the samo prinoiple. Tho upshot of tho whole matter is, that our Lighthouse Fuufl will bo richer for tho futuro by something like £1000 a year, boaklos the £2000 arrcarsj list voted by Victoria. This will onablo tho Marine Board to roduco somo of tho hoavy charges whioh now oppress Tasmanian shipping. And for this beneficial rosult tho commerco nnd shipping interests of Tasmania aro indebted to tho firm attitudo maintained on this question by Mv Wliyto's Government, and tho rosolute but conciliatory diplomaoy of tho Hon. Mr Wilson. 1 " Tho " Onstlomaine Daily News " of tho 7th inst., reports tho death of an old colonist, well known to very many settlers here. Our contemporary says :— "Tho announcement of the very sudden (loath, this morning, of one of tho oldost and most rosnooted inhabitants of Castlomuinc, namoly Mr William Proshaw, coroner, will bo rocoived with doop aud widespread regret. It was only on Tuesday night tho decousod gontloman addrossed a largo audience in tho Mechanics' Institution build, ing, proposiug in tho moat cheerful torms a vote of thanks fo the ladies for tho tea provided by thorn at tho Prosbytorian soiree, aud appeared at tho time to bo in tho onjoymont of full hoalth .aud spirits. This morning, at half-past oight o'olook, just before entering upon tho dutios of tho day, auddouly, and without a momont'B warning, ho dropped from his seat in his own houso, and expired almost instantaneously. Tho causo of death is stated to be disease of the heart. Tho deccasod gontloman was born at a small village named Fettorcairn, in tho shire of Kircardino, Scotland. Ho .was always remarkable for his activity and oarnestnoss in any movomont for the gonoral wool. It is understood that tho deceased had a life policy for some £1,000, but whether his family will dorivo any substantial assistance from it is not known." Tho criminal calendar of tho woek ending Saturday, tho 17th instant, was a light ono, favorably illustrating the orderly state of the community and the total absonco of sorious orimo. Of those who wore brought before the ' It. M. (hiring that period, two wore committed for trial, and four sentenced to different terms of hard labor. Six debtors were also incarcorated, and one lunatio placed under restraint. As a sot off against these arrivals, four sentenced men woro discharged, and one lunatic Tho total nuinbor in confinement up to the above date was thirty-eight, classified as follows :— Committed for trial at tho next Supremo Court* 9 ; undorgoiug sentonco, 22 j dohtors, 7. Arlo " Okarita Times" says .-—Till latoly the price of Okarita gold has beon £3 14s 6d, but now it is bought by tho banks at £3 15s The samo buyers give £3 17s for melted raotal, and wo may possibly bo of some service to our mining friends in pointing out how much inoro advantageous it is for them to soil their gold in that rather than in a orudo state. At present it is not for us to criticise tho prices at all, thoir fairness or otherwiso — tho vondors are the best judges. For oxample, we will suppose that 100 ounces aro offered for sale in tho ordinary state. It is blown and cleaved as carofully as possible and tho net weight remaining paid for. That quantity, at JG3 15s, amounts to £375, which we will supposo duly 'pookoted. On tho other hand, a 100 ounces of gold, of prcoisely the samo quality, bo 'put into tho melting pot and tho result is that thoro will bo on an avorage a loss of about 25 ponnywoights, worth at £3 15s per ounce, £4 13b 9d. The assayer's charges in Hokitika would bo less, but wo will iv Okarita put thorn down at £1 15s the vory outside. Tho loss, and the costs Attendant would therefore amount to £6 8s 3d, whioh must bo taken from the gross amount receivable, presuming that the 100 buncos bad been previouily molted, The rnlue of 10Q punow f>t 4$ 17* U &M *

difforonoe of £10. Taking tho Jobs niid charges from this, tho ditl'orcneo in favor of tbo bnyor is £3 11s 3d. Thoro aro numbers of parties hero to whom tho sale of a huudred ounces of god is no novelty, and wo commeni theso facts to their consideration."