West Coast Times.

West Coast Times, Issue 363, 21 November 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 15G6. A session- of Council, wliich was to have been brought to a conclusion within a month, has already extended over a month, without one single important act having been done by it. On two several occasions the House has been adjourned virtually for a week, to suit the convenience of the Government, who have had no measures of their own prepared, and who appear unwilling to give iudependent members the opportunity of initiating legislative action. The Council, after an interval of several days, met on Tuesday week, for which day the notice for the consideration of the Estimates was originally set down. This topic was, however, deferred to suit the convenience of the Government, and expectation was alive as to the following day's sitting. When, however, tho motion for the consideration of Supply in Committee of the whole House came on, on Weduesday, an amendment was moved by Air Montgomery, which had the effect ot leading to a further adjournment of the Council, virtually for another week. At this rate of proceeding, eittu r tho session of the Provincial Counuil mu>l be indefinitely protracted, or, by uiv: constant succession of adjournments, ail the work necessary to be done — apart horn the voting of ihe Estimates — must be leit undone. To tire out the patience of the country members by repeated adjournments, and by the same device to deny to members who muet §t&y out the session

on the spot the opportunity of action, appearh l<i bo the policy. Mr Montgomery's motion on Wcdnpsdiy night, led to the adjournment of the House lor six da\s. It was a motion declaring it to be expedient to have the whole of the estimates of expenditure brought down to the House — those for Westlund as well as those for Eastland —before any votes in Committee of Supply wcic t.ilcen. The Government pleaded that the Wcstkml estimates could not be brought before the House until Tuesday, and therefore moved that the Council adjourn until that day. Why, therefore ?' Was there not abundance of business wliich might have been most piotitably disposed of during the intervening days ? What can we say of the alleged necessity for holding a brief session, seeing that, practically, two weeks out. of the four have been absolutely thrown away ? We can only repeat the hope we have already expressed—that the -Westland members will insist that a session, the pretext for the intended brevity of which haß been proved to be so hollow, shall not be brought to a close before the measures necessary to promote the interests of this district have been en» tertained. Every clay that has been wasted because Government business was not ready, might have been devoted to the consideration of Westland affairs It is a fact very hard and uncomfortable for us to digest, that up to the date of our latest advices from Christchurch, the name of Westland has noc been mentioned from the Government benches, except in reply to some interrogation or challenge. So far as appearances go, this district has no recognition whatever. It is understood, to be sure, that private conferences are held between his Honor and the Westland members, but what are the particular matters negotiated at these we nave, of course, no means of knowing. Is it not a most remarkable circumstance that in the Provincial Council Westland affairs are kept so systematically in the background. That there must "be some reason for this appears to be a natural inference, from the fact, that no opportunity is lost of adjourning the House from week to week upon the slightest pretext. We observe that the Westland members maintained a rigid silence throughout the debate ou Mr Montgomery's motion to defer the consideration of the general question of finance, until the West Coast Estimates were before the House. They had not been consulted on the matter, and felt themselves taken by surprise. We understand that a meeting of members to cuncert some measure* of opposition to the Government financial policy had been held a few evenings before, to which our representatives had been invited, and that they had their own reasons for declining to attend it. We are not aware how the motion to postpone the financial debate fell into Mr Montgomery's hands, or what is the political significance of the movement. The debate consequent upon it was full of points of interest, upon wliich we may have future occasion to comment. In the meantime it is satisfactory to know that the members for the district, whilst not unmindful of the special questions that affect the interests of their constituents, are prudently avoiding any political action that might compromise Westland in the present critical posture of affairs. The Inte heavy floods have occasioned some damage to Gibson's Quay wharf, the current having worked underneath the planking and washed away a considerable quantity of the filling in at the back. Two unsightly holes were thus formed, which slowly but surely increasing in size, showed that the work of destruction was still going on beneath. Measures were at once adopted to fatay its further progress, several of the men emplcyed at the upper Gibson's Quay protective work being sent down to fill iv the chasms with sand bags. This, we fear, will only prove of temporary service, and that the wharf will never be thoroughly secure until the plan of sheath piling is adopted from end to end of it. We hear that the diggings in the- Big Paddock, between the Cemetery and the Ho Ho lead, are turning out very well, as all those claims which are on the lead yield capital returns, and in a few instances as much as ten ounces to the load have been realised. The gold found there is supposed to form a branch lead from the Ho Ho, and from tho direction it is taking promises to again join the main lead at Tucker Flat. The greatest activity prevails amongst the miners iv tho paddock, and every yard of likely ground is eagerly taken up and closely held. Quito a township is springing up there, and the dillbi'eut btoivs and shanties drive a roaring trade. The proceedings w Inch took place at the public meeting held on Monday night at the Shamrock Hotel, in reference to the high price of bread, seem to have already hai a gratifying ell'ecl upon manj' of rhe bakers in town, who have reduced thoir charge for tho " stall" of life" to one shilling tho 41b loaf. The object of this praiseworthy movement having thus been so for achieved, tho committee have decided thai, no further action on its part is necessary. Wo find we were iv error in reporting the first shipment of wool from this port as coming from Mr Mallet ; as we learn that MiDyson, the well-known fellinonger of Hokitika, has despatched several balos by the same vessel for Sydney, some time previously. A report was current in town yesterday that the body of tho unfortunate boy who whs washed info the river on Friday last had been picked up on the sea beach, near the river Teremakau. On hearing it Inspector Broham at once despatchea a trooper to the spot, who returned iv the evening, and stated mat the rumor was without foundation, as tno remains of tho lad had not beeu discovoreil. An inquest was held yesterday upon the body of Mr Edward Boylan, who was drowned at the junction of Donnelly's Creek aud the Totara on Sunday last. The evidence showed that death resulted through accident, and a verdict to that effect was returned, with a rider, however, attached, censuring iiyan for the selfishness he displayed in saving his horses, instead of first assuring himself of tuo safety of his fellow-traveller.

j llig remains of Mr E. Bo t ylau \yerc con-

vcycil to the cemetery yesterday afternoon, and consigned to their last home, and a large number of <ho friends of deceased assisted at the last gad obsequies. Tho funeral sorvico was performed by tho Rev. Mr M'Girr. The following is (ho list of the Criminal business disposed of in the Resident Magi*Irnte'a Court yesterday : — One drunkard, sentenced to twonty-four hours' imprisonment ; two charges of obstructing a public thoroughfare, one of which was dismissed, and the other adjourned till tho 22nd instant in order that the premises might bo inspected by a surveyor ; two wero charged with larceny, one being sentenced to one months' imprisonment with hard labor, the other being remanded for eight days. The charge against Mary Jane Smith for vagrancy was withdrawn, and that of lunacy substituted, on which latter charge she was remanded till this day. From returns supplied us by the gaoler of the Revell street establishment, we see- that during last week 5 males and 1 female, sen. tenced to short terms of hard labor, wore, admitted, and that 3 males, whose sentences had expired, were discharged. The number and classification of persons remaining in custody on Saturday, November 17, are as follow : — hard-labor gang, 13 males and 1 females ; simple imprisonment, 1 male and 1 female ; on remand, 2 a ales. Total : — 16 males and 4 females. Total number of conflnees in both gaols on above date, 62 males and 4 females. The following are the official returns of the district gaol for the week ending Saturday, 17. Admitted— undor committal, 1 male ; debtors, 2 males ; total 3. Discharged — 1 male from the hard-labor gang, 2 dobtors ; total 3. Remaining in custody, at the above date — 12 males n waiting trial ; 23 males undergoing sentence; 1 male, simple imprisonment, and 10 debtors. Total. 46 males. ''An amusing discussion took place on Thursday in the House of Assembly," remarks the "South Australian Register," "on a proposal of tho Government to declare in the Customs Act Amendment Bill that the ilag of the colony should be a ' blue ensign with a crown over an emu in yellow.' This neat thing in flags was ridiculed con amore by Mr Straugways, who gave the Collector of Customs solo credit for the invention ; but it seems that the Treasurer and the Marine Board have also had a hand iv the matter. However, tho House did not approve of the 'emu in yellow.' They Btruck out all the clauses relating to tho proposed national flag of South Australia, and thus killed fcho golden goose as soon as it was hatched." A somewhat clever capture of a thief was made by Mounted-constable Gleeaon, of the Piggoreet Police Station, on Tuesday, 6th November. The " Ballarat Star" states that " the constable had been out riding "in the direction of Springdallah,-aud when returning he met Mr llauser, who was just theu on his way to the police station to report that his tent had been robbed, and about L 6 worth of clothing, &c , abstracted. Having ascertained the particulars regarding the robbery, the constable went on towards Piggoreet. On passing the Atlas Picnic Hotel, however, ho observed a man coming out of the house with a heavy swag. The constable's suspicions wero aroused, aud he told the man that he wished to examine the swag. Tho traveller showed a good deal of reluctance to let the examination bo made but the constable persisted, and on overhauling the swag he found that it contained most of tho Btolen articles ; the others had been sold at tho hotel, and were at once delivered to the constable, who then took the culprit iv charge. The information was given to Constable Gleesun at two o'clock, and the offender was in custody within an hour The prisoner is named James Smith." The Chief Commissioner of Insolvency in Victoria made the following important notification as to affidavits of" causes of insolvency," on the 7th instant : — He stated that there was a matter to which he desired to call attention, and the neglect of which caused delay and expense to insolvents, and in somo instances allowed time for the making away with of an estate to the detriment of creditors. He reforrod to the incorrect and often absm'd etatemenfc of the " causes of insolvency." There was a well-known affidavit in every schedule in which the insolvent stated the " causes of his insolvency ;" and in almost every schedule he (the Commissioner) found that the reasons given were not reasons for the insolvency, but reasons for filing the schedule. There was a cant phrase — •' turning insolvent" — which he thought not only misled debtors, but also had some effect upon the profession themselves (attorneys). A schedule had just been presented to him in which the " causes of insolvency" wero stated to be " an adverse verdict in the County Court," " pressure of creditors," and "inability to pay them." Now, an adverse verdict was the "effect," not the " cause," of insolvency. " Pressure of creditors" was also an effect of insolvency, and inability to pay creditors was simply insolvency itself. It was as if the insolvent swore that the causes of his insolvency were that ho was insolvent. The Commissioner remarked that from day to day ho had to send back schedules containing statements such as those, and should have to do so until insolvents learned that the facts which they are to set forth in their affidavit (the one referred to) were to be those which caused their impecuniosity, tho reasons why they cannot pay then* creditors ; the reasous why thoir creditors press thorn to pay ; the reasons of their inability to pay them ; not the reasons why they are compelled to file their schedule, but the reasons why they have no money forthwith to pay their debts. Perhaps the most absurd of causes commonly assigned was "inability to meet liabilities," simply a paraphrase of a statement that ho was unable to pay his deb's, not a statement of tho causes of his being unable to pay them. If these remarks were to forth in the public press, it would in some degree cheek a 2>raetice almost universal, and which must be checked for the advantage of creditors, and even of the debtors themselves. At tho district Court on the Bth inst. (says the Melbourne "Argus"), Mr Thomas Brown, one of the sharobrokers who was remaudud from last week, on a charge of obstructing the footpath in Collins-street, opposite the Mining Exohauge, again appeared to answer this complaint. As, however, the nuisance occasioned by people blocking up the thoroughfare has been entirely removed, tho charge against the defendant was withdrawn: William Ryan and Jabez Bunting, two individuals who have gained somo notoriety as " unemployed " orators, were charged with inducing a crowd of people to assemble iv the Eastern Market. The defendants were eaoh flood &s «nd IQs Qcl cost?,