THE TOWN LANDS SALE.

West Coast Times, Issue 629, 30 September 1867, Page 2

THE TOWN LANDS SALE.

Tho following is an oxtract from a letter from Mr Joshua Williams, Provincial Solicitor, to Mr Barff, in reply to that gentleman : — " Christchurch, September 23, 18G7.— "I must apologise for my apparent rudeness in not having answered your lettor before. I deferred answering it in the hope that I might be able to furnish you with some definite information as to what is being done in tho General Assembly with respect to tho Ilokitika town lands. I regret that I am still unable to give you this infor-

mation. I only know that something is being done. I drafted a bill, which I sent up about a fortnight ago, which, if passed, would protect the rights of persons who hare taken up and occupied land since the withdrawal of the town from the goldfields, and would permit them to have their buildings valued, &c, in a similar manner to that prescribed by Section 50 of tho Goldfields Act, 1866. I sincerely hope that this, or something like it, may become law."

We publish in another column a telegraphic summary of news by the Panama mail, from the Christchurch papers. Although wo have nominally dates as late from England by the Suez route, the present details are much fuller, whilst the American intelligence is altogether new. In the judgment of the Court of Appeal, in the case of Sinclair versus Wragge, which called into question the validity of certain Provincial Councils Municipal Ordinances, we notice that an important principle was laid down by Mr Justice Chapman. His Honor said :—": — " I think that Acts of the Provincial Legislatures should be sustained unless they are clearly repugnant to the 19th section of the Constitution Act ; and that they should never be pronounced invalid to a greater extent than is necessary to eliminate the vicious portions." The " Southern Cross," in its summary for Europe, on the 11th inst., says, " Sir George Grey proposes to reside permanently at the Kawau, where preparations are being made to receive his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh." Tho "Grey Argus" "believes that a large shipment of gold will be made from this port by the branch steamer to Wellington, for conveyance to England via Panama. The Bank of Zealand will probably ship about 10,000 ounces ; we are not aware if any of the other banks will ship by this route." "As punctual as Cobb's coach" will soon become a proverb in Hokitika, so unfailing is the regularity with which the Christchurch conveyance now makes its OTerland journey. For many weeks past MrSheppard has managed to land his splendid team in Hokitika between four and five in the afternoon. We remember that on more than one occasion the coach arrived before the earlier hour. The last journey was made in excellent lime, as the coach drew up at the Empire precisely at four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and delivered a heavy parcel of freight and mails, and Mrs Taylor and family as passengers. The road is in capital condition, and the various streams are at a low ebb. Tho old Police-camp in Revell street will soon be numbered amongst things of the past, as its tumble-down buildings are at last vacated for the commodious barracks in Weld street. The removal of the police to their new quarters was completed on Saturday. We understand that the old camp buildiugs will be sold by auction at an early date, and the site revert to tho Town Council. Tho nisi prius sittings of the Westland Circuit Court terminated on Saturday evening, when at twenty minutes to nine o'clock the Special Jury who had been empanelled in the case of Edgar v. the Hokitika and Kanieri Company (limited) returned a verdict for the plaintiff, with LG36 damages. The Court will sit in Banco this morning. We are requested to call the attention of the residents in Stafford street to a public meeting to bo held this evening at eight o'clock, at the Oddfellows' Hotel, to memorialise the Municipal Council for the immediate formation of tho roadway. As this is a populous and important neighborhood something should be done to form the road, which in wet weather is quite impassable. * | There was no business — either criminal or civil — transacted in the Resident Magistrate's ' Court on Saturday. Tho weather has at last broken to tho re- j lief of both town and country, a scarcity of j water having been severely felt during the greater part of the mouth, which has been one of, if not the very driest of the season. That a change was impending was evident on Friday, and it was heralded by a fall in barometors which sank nearly two-tenths during the day, and have since been steadily declining, as last night they stood nearly three and a half tenths lower than they did on Saturday morning. Light rain commenced fulling on Friday and was followed by heavier showers next day frfhen tho wind settled into N.W. Tho weather seemed inclined to clear up again yesterday, the forenoon and greater part of the afternoon being pleasant and sunshiney, but towards evening the sky again became overcast, threatening a dirty night which, however, was only in part verified, as the rain fall was light and broken. A few days of soaking showers arc much needed, as setting aside the inconvenience caused in town by empty tanks which can bo remedied by water carts, the condition of the miners is very much effected by the drought, as the one cry, want of water is heard throughout tho district, and this scarcity will we fear tell with crushing effect upon tho gold returns of the month. The open Court for the revision of the Citizens' List, and for hearing and determining claims and objections, will be hold to-morrow. As the provisions of the ordinance are quite sufficiently restrictive, it is to be hoped that no claim will be disallowed on technical grounds, and that no objection to any claimant will be pressed. The larger tho body of electing ratepayers the greater will bo the weight of the new Municipal Council. The nomination of candidates for the Town Council will take place on Saturday next. The nominations must be in writing, and must be delivered at the Town Clerk's office before noon on the clay named. Printed forms of nomination are to be obtained on application. The pieces announced for performance at the Prince of Wales Opera House this evening are tho drama of " The Poor Strollers" and the " Bear nuntcr." Tho interior arrangements of tho theatre have been greatly improved, and tho new drop scone is a very pretty piece of art.

"I knew a young lady," said a well-known alderman, " who said she didn't like turtlo sonp." Affectionately rebuking her, I was answered piteously that " she, 1 didn't so much object to the taste, but that she thought it so cruel and wicked to kill turtle doves."