West Coast Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1860.

West Coast Times, Issue 290, 28 August 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1860.

Thk appearance of an advertisement from the Crimmissienei', Calling upon fcecliOn holders to register their cla.ms, and giving notice that objections to claims are to be lodged within a certain date at the Warden's Court, has led to a very general impression that it is the intention of the Government to forthwith put the unsold lands of the town — viz., the sections included in what is called the triangular block— in the market. As the actual intentions of the Government have not been expressed, a wide field is of course open to conjecture. But we apprehend there is no reason to anticipate any further sale of town lands until the proposed mode of disposing of them has been considered by the Provincial Council, or uutil the result of the action of the General Assembly ou the sub" ject is known. Under, tlie existing 1 , law tlie Provincial Executive have certain powers to deal with the Crown lands in the way of sale, and it was in the exercise of that power that a large portion of the town was lately disposed of. But it was understood that larger discretionary powers Would be sought from the Assembly during the present session, in order to enaltte the Executive to deal with the Westland town lauds, in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants. And it may be assumed that Mi* Moorliouse will bring tlie subject under the consideration of Parliament. It is known that a considerable difference of opinion prevails amongst the occupants df Sections, some Ueius de'sii'&us that tile existing regulations be put in foi-cej And the I'and'i offered at unction, and others preferring that a fixed valuation should be put upon the allotments^ and the opportunity given ,10, holder)} ,of pur- j chasing them at that- rate. The merits ' of, $iQ c/oSe ajt isSi)e behveetf those two parlies die hot prejudiced by the action the Government have taken, in order to secure a registration of claims and settle the disputed titles. In ofder to 1 dispel misapprehension We explain the factfe As fi\Y 'd Bwe understand tnem.

When the rush to the Hokitika river took place some e%btec>\ Rionths ago, Mr, RV}vell\ the present Warden ftml Resident Magistrate at the Grey, ' was tlie representative of tJie tJanter- , bury Government on the Went 'T'op^t, j and ho givrVfcyted rintl pegged off the business sites on the street bearing his name, from the river boundary to the south, as far .north as Stafford-street. Subsequently Mr Hobhft>rt made a more elal)or&'..v* niid extensive survey of the same lands, and of others adjacent, and prepared a map of the sections which may now be seen in the Survey office. At ft. still subsequei^ <.l n te» Mv" SroWjiing ixia'Ae ft i ; r>Survey. of Revcll- '■ StVeet, and other \Yviftci£nJ p'Artfc df j the \q\\\v. Mr JN+jtfning s survey altered nVahy '6f the .iWiniVTsiries laid j clown by his predecessors, and reaulVod in the plau, which ip npv '.'^Cognised as,th.e. 4 aflftria! lilap of Hokitika. \v hiist the existing Land Regulations of the province render it imperative that all town lands shall be sold at ftnb- ' lie auction in sections pf the fiiSe marked ou the ljiftp 5 . it io', we believe, a fact that tile sections in the unsold portion of the town in comparatively few instances correspond with those marked on the official plan — which plan, or one regularly substituted for it 4 must be tfi'e' basis of any laijd. sale'. rWd not recall attention to the weil- remembered resolutions passed at the public meeting called by the Improvement Committee, with a view to protect against competitors the interests of those whose enterprise and capital had been mainly instrumental in giving value to the business sites they occupied, nor to the recommendations of • the select committee of the Provincial Council, in accordance with which the Executive Government expressed their desire to act, as soon as they could obtain the necessary powers from the legislation of the General Assembly. What we wish to point out, is that *it is premature to draw any inferences as to the intention of the Government from the public notice that has appeared. A new and final s\irvey of the town is no doubt contemplated, in order to establish and define existing claims, to be dealt with hereafter, under whatever system of alienation may bo determined on. Tlie several alterations made in the survey by the different public officers we have named, the disregard paid by many of the original occupiers to any survey lines at all, and the subdivisions of holdings by their original occupants, have undoubtedly operated to induce a considerable confusion as to the title ; and it is to obviate this, we presume, that the present proceedings are being taken. It is probable that a large number of cases of disputed claims will-have to be adjudicated upon before the necessary measures can bo taken for the establishment — by alienation from the Crown — of a bona fide right of freehold in the mostk important and valuable business sites ii« town. The* whole of these disputec|i claims being disposed of, the new sur-'-vey completed, and the official maps prepared, the way will be cleared of all hindrances to the exercise by the ExmUjve Government* of $he powers which it may bo presumed the now AGfc

of the General Assembly will confer upon them. We have thought it worth while to enter into these explanations, without attempting at present to discuss the points at issue between the different sections of holders, in order to remove misapprehensions which we have reason to believe prevail, as to the immediate intentions of the Government.

An article in another column, standing over from yesterday, contains a report of the statements with reference to the formation of a new Ministry, made in the House of Representatives by Mr Moorhouse and Mr Stafford. Telegrams in. the Dunedirt papers represent Mr Moorhouse aS having undertaken, the formation of a Cabinet, and heirig allowed twenty-four hours for the task. This is a totally erroneous version of the" course df events. The hon. member for Westland disclaimed from the first any intention of an attempt to form a Government, and declared that the advice he should tender to his Excellency, if summoned to advise him* would J>e to entrust the construction of a. new Cubinet to Mr Stafford. The only task Mr Moorhoue'e Undertook was to endeavour to reconcile Ml 1 Stafford with certain members of the old Weld administration, in order to include the latter in a new Executive combination. This duty the member for Westland succeeded in discharging. Mr Stafford, in his statement to the House, mentioned the ilames of the gentlemen he had induced to co-operate with him: The " Nelson Ktaniiiier," in its distribiitidri of offices amongst the rrienibers of the new Cabinet, made only one mistake, assigning the portfolio of Customs to Mr Hall, and that of Postmaster-General to Major llilchard'son. We learn by telegraph tbat the Ministry, as constituted, stands as follows : — Premier and Secretary, Mr Stafford ; Treasurer, Mr Fitzherbert ; PostmasteivGeneral, MiHall ; Pefenfc-e Minister, Colonel Haultain ; Nativ c Minister; Mr Hiclimond. Mr Johnston represents the Cabinet in thp Upper Hoiise, without dep'ar'trile'rltal offide.

On Saturday last both gaols Vetfe" efileially inspected by the .Viaitihg Justices, Mr Commissioner Sajo and I\lr §, G. No coin'plai'nts v-ero ninde bf- tlie pvistrodrß, excepting on the ptlrfc of the men who have been so often remanded on the Camp robbery charge. They complained bitterly of their tedious detention, and trusted they wOuld soon be placed u))on their tvial,

We observe that tile mem" Berg of <He Weslcyau persuasion lidlfl a tea meeting th's evening, at which, tl»e public generally are invited to attend ? tickets of admission being five shillings. Mr Commissioner Sale will preside ; and after tea the meeting is to be addressed by several gentlemen. We ti'tist the'i'e will be a Full attendance.

The .new transit shed.outhe wharf, is at last completed, and was yesterday made use of for the : first tiiqe, by tile JP&rfcover* 1 , v,h'ich vessel tnerein landed the Airedale's passengers and cargo The shed is a very substantial structure, and will prove an immense convenience to the port.

The Ujncial g'adl reruriis for' the weekending Saturday, August 25th, hare been submitted to Us tot pUblication tfy Mr $al^ Hie gaoler. So ino-'&asb lUd liliie'n place in the number of prisoners under committal, but 2 debtors were added to . the list,,of coufineea. No prisoners were diseLa^gHd \rih"ri custody. The number aud classification of prisoners on the above date are as follow : — Awaiting trial at the Supreme Court, 2 males | undergoing sen? tCuce with hard labor) Si Males > fttid impris.ani,l«<jJv« Ot I fy*j 1 niV.ro ; debtors, 7 males ; total, 37 males.

A Mr James Caldwell, writing to the " Otago Daily Times" on the subject of rendering mtw-glytttritn; hOu-exploslvc, says : ; =-" The ( Mining . Journal)' Louddil, states ' thftt practically tlicfie i« no gVefttir difficulty in i'endeniig lnlro-glycerine non-explosive and explosive at pleasure, than there is in accomplishing the same feat with gunpowder, although tho means employed are, of course, dissimilar. The recent accidents with the new explosive agent have induced Mr jtfobel to turn his attention seriously to the subject;, and ho is now enabled to Btate that by mixing the nitro-glyccrino with motlvylic alcohol — » cheap spirit — popularly known as spirit df wood — the nitro-glyeeriild is roiidered in'explosive either by percussion or hea'b. When required for use, water is added* which absorbs tho spirit, and the oil sinks to the bottom of the vessel, whenc6 it is drawn by & syphon, and its explosive nature thereupon found to be restored. Experiments for testing the value of this discovery are said to have already been made in America with satisfactory results. The subject is one of the greatest^ importance to miners."

We are glad to learn by telegraphic message that the Cook's Straits cable has been successfully laid, the missing length having been supplied by the use of the portion of the cable lost on the occasion of the first experiment. The submarine line is now opened to the public, and congratulatory messages were transmitted by the Governor to the several Superintendents of the Provinces.

Tho Kaikoura arrived at Wellington on Saturday last, with tho second English mail via Panama. The additional guarantee thus afforded of the success and punctuality of the new mail service will be a source of great satisfaction to tho whole public of Few Zealand. It will confirm the favourable opinion of the lino already expressed by the leading Australian journals.

Last week's criminal calendar for this district was extremely light, as only five prisoners were sentenced to short terms of hard labor by tho Resident Magistrate, and against this number three were discharged from the hard labor gang at the old gaol. The returns of Sergeant M'Myn, officer in charge of this establishment, show that on Saturday last it contained 13 males and 3 females under sen. tence of hard labor, und 3 inulos undergoing iroprisoarosat, enly j, ffi ftia Ituwiio, find 7

prisoners on remand ; total, 24 males and 2 females.

Somo time ago, an article went the round of the press on Sodium Arnalgafli,, which »Upuld hare beeit «£ great ltiijiortaiicc" id many muiers: We find in the v Scientific American' 1 of May 12, tho following on the same subject :

— " Dr. Henry Wurtz has found that when a very little sodium is added to ordinary mercury, the affinity of the mercury for metals generally is so increased, that for uso in the arts this mixture acts almost like a new substance. Gold and silver miners have long complained that their mercury was too feeble in solvent power, was liable to ' flour' and to get ' sick,' Sec. ; that the gold is often ih a condition) as in Colorado) where it slips through the fingers df any device set to catch it. , D,r« Wurrz's invention is said to be & complete remedy for nil thebe ills. Whenover sodium dnialgani touched gold it sticks to it, and doe 9 not let it go ) it iticketh like a brother ; to gold and silver it is as adhesive as tar to a contraband. Sodium amalgam is sometimes called magnetic amalgam. Dr. Wurtz has found other uses of sodium amalgam ; we have space only to allude to them. He proposes to solidify mercury by means, of sodium, and transport it in flolid blocks, and when the merciWy is to b"e usdd, the sodium Is removed by a simple process. If a broom be made of iron wire, and charged with amalgam, it is very useful for sweeping together mercury which has been spilled . Every little particle sticks to the broom, from which it may be shaken off at pleasure. An iron brush may be used like a paint brush, in amalgamating ziuz plates for the battery, &c. Mr William Crookes, the able editor of the ' Chemical News, 5 appears independently to have discovered tiie useful nrcftertios of sodium amalgam. But there is littlo doubt that Dn Wurtz is tlie original and first inventor. Ho antedates Mr Crookes eight months by his patent, and there is evidence that he has been investigating the subject for several years. 1 ' The Sergeant in charge of the Kanieri reports that, on the 25th instant, he viiited the Hau«Hau and Blue Spur diggings, and found thafc, during the past fortnight; tlie population had much decreased-, pir at the dale bt his former report betweeh BOts and iJddi} diggers were located in those places, who have since dwindled down to less than 1600 in number. This fall'"" 1 off was caused *>" *hec< "-' __„, _.™_ o „. „.„ „ ...n,^ w . itnuwr *(• ti'atjtltm of the • W&im6& rusk; These who- te- | aiairibcl wef6»teildil^.at *difk fiMlia fcir prospect of perrfi'dnenb gmployijient for' some lime to c'oine. Some of ille claimS we'De paying from LlO to Ll2 per man weekly. The HauHau and Blue Spur community are exceed- , ingly Orderly, aa «0 crime had been reported at tllg Udnip ditrltig tlie fdi'triiglit.

'file •• ttotithland tfinies" of tile; Soth iust. .say's -—"Some tiHle since" we iritim'atea' that tlie establishment of a Stewards" Island Fisli : ing Company was contemplated. The gentlemen who first initiated tlie movement wisely resolve^ not to put the project Wore the public until, kt tlieir own cost, they \)&A proved tlie feasibility Oi^.tfye scheme. They have gone to work in right earnest, and we have thp satisfaction of knowing that t between thi*pe t Aiid i'oU>- tpns oi hattdocks, focfe dOdj ana other choice iish lias been exported. They are carefully packed in casks, and from personal examination we can express an opinion that they are well-cured, and will arrive at Melbourne fthd the West Coait— the markets which it is proposed in the fii'st instance to test— ih fth excellent state of preservation. There is every reason to believe that the undertaking will t prpye a success. Great predit is due to Mr John Wright, the agent 'of tne cdlilpatly, for tlie persevering energy he has displayed, and we hope that he will have the satisfaction of finding the. little company of. to:day a gigantic association at no distant period;',' „ . *,_ , , . ( . . . flj' the 1 0811 rtesy »f tn'g captain of the Saohael, from Valparaiso, the " Otago Daily Times" of the 23rd, reports dates to tho 3rd June. "La Patria del Vapor " says : — " Though twentythree days have elapsed uince the departure of the Spanish squadron, from the Peruvian const, wem-o.sUU^W'OUti'diftbW.i^fown^ti^i as to their course and fiual destination. This uncertainty gives rise to various conjectures, and seriously occupies publio attention ; so long as the whereabouti of the enemy remains unkuotfn, the War will continue suspended, tttad it will be {mpt>ssfble to decide what pkil to adopt hi ifejard tt> the apprduchihg b^eratldris 0? 'the allied Bqu'adron iiow assembling And ctiiripleting its organisation in the arcliijjeidgb of Cliiloe'. Somo are df ojiinidn that the Spanish s^Uadl-driV in pursuance 01 ilie plan of operations previously ti-aced out at Madrid, h&i shaped itß course for Montevideo', there to abide .the issue of the negotiations initiated at Washington By the cattineb at Madrid, or await the reinforcements which are to be sent from Spain ifor the resumption of hostilities against theEepublica of the Pacific. But others there are who think" differently. It i 9 their opinion that tlie

Spanish squadron MS been so crippled as to bo in ho condition to undertake tho long and stormy passage through the Straits of Magellan or round Cape Horn. The injuries to some of tho vessels have been repaired very hastily and imperfectly; Further, the Spaniards ire reluctant to quit au arena which tlioy entered so proudly and with such extravagant pretensions. They will, for a brief season, withdraw to San Francisco, Panama, or to some port in the Eastern seas, either of their own or some friendly Power, and will then be better prepared than ever for a second trial of the fortune of war on tho Pacific coast."

One of the most remarkable of the social phenomena of the present year has been the movement on the part of almost every section of the working classes for advanced wages. In the building and other cognate trades, the men have also required a reduction of the hours of labor. Mostly, these demands have been willingly acceded to by the masters, but in some cases strikes and lock-out 3 have taken place, in which the men have not always proved victorious. The movement has now extended from the land to the water. The whole of the sailors in the port of London have struck for an advance of wages, and, as their demands are not allowed,- the shipping business bfts received.