WESTLAND AFFAIRS.

West Coast Times, Issue 326, 9 October 1866, Page 2

WESTLAND AFFAIRS.

'from the i/nruLTOx times, oct, 3.)

" It appears that the population of West' and is steadily increasing by the influx 'of miners aud their families from both Mcli bourne and Sydney. This progress natui rally claims some- attention from the Government, arifi from all who are. observant of events in the interest of the public, We have repeatedly protested against an outlay by Government upon the gpldfields beyond the amount received from them, aud we have insisted upon such an arrangement of the receipts and disbursements as will provide a gradual reduction of the large debt "owing by Westland to East Canterbury. 'But these views are not incompatible. with a due regard to the development of the vast resources possessed by the former. It is surely becoming evident at last that the interests of the two parts of the province are "the samej and that precisely for the reason that their resources, occupations, and general physical character are about as dissimilar as posr sible. There is not, and cannot be the conflict of inteiests which would naturally exist between two goldflelds. two mercan^ tile communities, two stock-growing or corn-producing districts." On the contrary, the one produces what the other absolutely requires ; the population of the one finds ' its greatest profit . in raising what the Hither must purchase. It was satisfactory then to know that the Superintendent had, on the occasion^ of his last visit to Hokitika, made arrangements with Mr Macrae, an experienced and energetic explorer, to penetrate the bush and test the quality of the country south of that town. The results have not, indeed, as yet been very profitable, except in so far as they have saved the necessity of the nmch greater outlay^ which would have been incurred by the efforts of private prospecting parties in the same direction. At the same time we cannot help repeating our former opinion, that the main duty of tne Government is that of opening up the country, by blaze-tracks, so far as to make it practicable for- the researches of the pioneers, who always abound in gold-producing counlries. Such tracks, so made aa to take- advantage of the natural facilities of the ground, and led onwards to the foot of the mountains, might be made known to the mining population by small maps, with letter-prass

cbscriptions, or by public exhibition of large maps at the principal Government offices. ' This would be a great boon to the people, and would be of very moderate^ cost. " r A general feeling of confidence in* the" Provincial Government has been' produced by the energetic action taken by tho Superintendent for increasing the repre- j sentation of Westland in the General As-

seaibly, and by his ready attention to the interests and wishes of the inhabitants in regard to the sale of their town lands. It is true that on the subject of the increased representation, Mr Sale for some time mystified, and perplexed, and all but irritated the people by the manner in which he commenced to carry out the instructions he had received; it is evident lie was not able, all at once, to throw off the un-

popular habits he had compelled to assume under a former administration. But he

retrieved his error- by an ample explanation, and showed that the blame had to be attributed to no one but himself. We hope

to see justice done to Westland and so to Canterbury in* this matter by the success of the efforts of Mr Moorhonse to secure for the people due weight in the legislature of the country. Considerable anxiety has long been felt .in Hokitika as to the "arrangements under which the occupiers of lands in the princi- " pal streets of the town may be allowed to purchase them from the Government. Much was done to allay this anxiety by the straightforward and honorable conduct of those Christchurch merchants who yisited Hokitika on the occasion of the first sale of town-lands. Instead of bidding for those sections which had # been improved by their occupiers, and so running them up to a high figure, they > carefully^ l abstained from entering upon any competition with them, and allowed the occupiers to secure their sections at the upset price. A very fair proposition was made, we believe in the. first instance by Mr Shaw, that those who held sections in the principal business streets should have the option of letting their holdings go to public auction 5 , or of purchasing them- privately at the price put upon them by the Gfbvernment. This suggestion, which met with universal favor, has been inserted by Mr Moorhouse in the

Canterbury Waste Lands Act, of which it forma the eighth clausej and it is likely to be passed without any "opposition. It allows the Superintendent, with the advice of the Provincial Council, to fix the price of the sections at such rate aa he may choose. Of course the price will vary very considerably ; and a considerable revenue may be expected to accrue from this source. We "suppose the Provincial Council will think it best to have the price

fixed by the Executive Council, or by a Commission appointed by them for the purpose, , and brought from" another province. The dangers which^might result from favori.tism or bribery will have to be guarded against, as an average upset price would be most unfair ; and the amounts are very considerable which many holders would be prepared to give rather than encounter competition in the auction room.