West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 320, 2 October 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1866.

Including the passengers waiting to be landed at the Grey, now on board the two steamers in the roadstead, the Aveek has already witnessed, an accession to the population of the West Coast of some six hundred and fifty persons. Both the Alhambra and the Gothenburg were on the berth for liokitika at the time the Otago left Melbourne, and the former was to leave on the 27th ult., so that she may now be hourly expected. These arrivals are in addition to a large number during last week, landed from various ports. The increase iv our population is sudden, and we may anticipate that for some weeks or months to come it will be continuous. For the most part, the new arrivals consist of diggers ; and the additipn to the indus 1 trial forces of the district will test to the utmost the capabilities of the West' Coast goldfields to sustain a large and widely-spread mining population. Hitherto every test applied has resulted satisfactorily. The gold yield has progressively increased, and it has always borne a certain proportion to the number of the diggers on the ground. As a rule, the old fields which Continue to be worked afford no signs of present exhaustion, and f weekly, new ground .is being opened up. The vininers who have come amongst us are themselves the besti judges of the prospects of the district. A very large proportion of them havebeen here before, whilst nearly the whole are experienced >men who have for years been engaged in the pursuit oosf s gold-getting. It was. impossible to mistake the character of the men who, during yesterday and Sunday, landed on the wharf from the Oiueo and the Otago. They were a very different class from those who constituted the great rush to Victoria in the early' gold days of that colony — who were men drafted from all grades of society, and fiom all pursuits — the unsuccessful mechanic and laborer of every trade, and the disappointed~Or discontented of every profession. The early development of the Victorian gold-fields was, to a great extent, due to men, who had never been accustomed to mining pursuits, and many of whom had never been familiar with hand-toil in any of its harder forms. In course of time these became experienced and accomplished miners. They learnt a new trade; conquered the principles of a new industry ; and they were instrumental accordingly) in sustaining the

yield of gold at a high point, by the application of an acquired knowledge, and the employment of new processes, long after the giQat rush of population had ceaKod. It is to this class that our present immigrants belong, and certainly the -undeveloped auriferous ground of the Wcbt Coast could not be explored or tested by more competent bunds. '

We anticipate that under these circumstances the history of the coining summer will amply demonstrate what every indication has hitherto .tended to show — that the extent of our gold couri try is almost coincident with the boundaries of the district itself. It has hitherto been most , inadequately explored ; but much us we may regret that the work of exploration has not been taken in hand more systematically under the auspices of the Government, we cannot be blind to the fact that the most effective of all explorers are now amongst vs — and coming to us in increased Lumbers — under circumstances most likely to guarantee the progress of discovery. That the large permanent increase of our mining population is of vast advantage to all our trading interests, is so self-evident that it should scarcely need to be maintained by - any argument. There are men indeed amongst iis who talk of the digger as a mere " adventurer," getting all the gold he can and carrying it away Avith him ; and who contend that he should be taxed to an extent which would inevitably operate j to keep him out of the district, altogether. It may be . held x that the miner who makes his pile in Westland and carries it off for investment elsewhere, has no claim to such consideration and tenderness at our hands, as would be shown him by those who, like Mr Bradshaw, advocate the reduction of the miner's right to 10s, and of the export duty on gold to a pound. ' J3ut it i% after all, the miner who has made this place, who has laid the foundation of its trade, and who is the supporter of its commercial men. No doubt it would be well if we could attach him to the spot as well as attract him to it, and secure the employment of this capital in the development of permanent interests here. To devise means of doing this should be tbe anxious care of the Provincial Legislature. At present, however, it must be admitted that little inducement to settle in Westland has been offered to the miner. In this respect there will probably be a speedy, change. In the mean time, the hand of welcome ought to be held out to the new comers, and the best wishes given them for success. Iv proportion as they are successful, and » develop auriferuus resources in Westland calculated to support a large mining population, will be the benefit they will confer upon the only great iuterest that has at present established itself on this, coast— that of commerce, or the exchange and barter of articles of consumption.

ThE following are the names of the candidates who have announced themselves by public -addresses to the electors, as in the field for the office of Municipal Councillors : — Mr J. R. Anderson Mr R. Ecclesiield Mr W. ShawMr P. Lynch - ' Mr 11. J. Han sen Mr J. Fitzsimmons Mr T. Munro. " ,

"We understand that Mr Prosser absolutely declm'es to stand. Mr C. Williams, Mr Klein, and Mr J. P. Clarke, are spoken of as intending to go to the poll. -

The poll commences at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning, nhd'it will be seen that the two Assessors, with Mr Sale, have announced their intention to interpret the qualification clause of the Ordinance strictly, and recbrdnhe votes only of persons who have been for twelve months holders \of business licenses, and been for six months entitled to vote. Our own impression is still, that whatever the qualification for voting prescribed by the ordinance may be, the Assessors have no right to entertain any objection to claimants to vote, except such as- refers to the six months' household occupancy. The ordinance is a remarkable instance of the practical blunder often committed, of declaring a law "applicable" to a district by a general empowering clause, and leaving the machineiy of the act entirely unamended, although originally framed to meet a totally different set of circumstances.' v