West Coast Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 672, 19 November 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1867.

We believe that few private enterprises iv a young country have ever experienced greater discouragement than the construction of tramways in Westland. The Superintendent of the province has refused to grant the concessions to the tramway companies that were impliedly promised by him, because he desired to make all these undertakings subservient to some great railway scheme, which was one of his pet projects. In spite, however, of all discouragements, the tramway companies have thus far contrived to hold their owu. It is true the ! enterprise has been checked. Ten times the amount of mileage might now have been open to traffic if a more liberal policy had becu pursued. But no capital is now forthcoming for tramway investment. There is a general feeling of insecurity of tenure and right ; and Westland is not a place where money is likely to be placed on haphazard ventures. The movement just made to induce the Town Council to order the removal of the Hokitika and Grcymoutb. Tramway Company's rails to the centre of Revell street, we can look upon in no other light than an attempt to get rid of the tramway altogether. The Company ought not to object to the relaying of their rails, if they have any guarantee afforded them, that they will not be required a month or two hence to make a new relaying. Probably the arrangement now suggested ought to have been imposed on them iv the first instance. And no doubt they would have been very glad to have accepted it. It was merely for the public convenience that they were directed to place their rails on the East side of Revel] street, in order not to interrupt ordinary traffic. If the alteration urged upon the Town Council is made, we do not doubt for a moment that the public inconvenience resulting from the change, will be so great that a new cry will arise for the removal of the tramway altogether. '' 'V \ Some of the inhabitants of North llevell street, appear to look with great jealousy upon the existence of a" line of rails that carries passengers and goods past their doors ; and we believe the present memorial to the Town Council, is attributable entirely to this cause. But how far ought considerations of this kind to weigh against the great public benefits that tramways confer upon a community scattered through a district intersected by few Government roads? Our complaint all along has been the want of facilities for travel, and for the transport of goods. To supplement, or rather to anticipate, the tardy action of the Government, these private tramway companies were formed ; and it isj unquestionable that they have conferred an enormous amount of good upon the community. That their proprietors have derived a profit from their spirited undertaking, is : a proof of the appreciation in which the public have held the provision made for their accommodation. These profits might have been largely enhanced if the pledges made to the projectors of the tramway works had been fulfilled. And if any coufideuce could have been felt in tho real desire of the Government to deal justly and liberally with persons investing capital in this enterprise, scores of miles of rail would by this time have been laid. It is certainly not for the town authorities to follow out the policy of the ! Provincial Government iv discouraging this useful class of works. And this is simply what they are moved to do, by I a few persons who think that their private interests will be affected by the extension of a system of transit such as the tramways have initiated. Every public house whose door is passed by the train, and every carrier who sees goods taken by rail, thinks the tramway an injury to him ; and so a combined movement is made to put the Tramway Company to an unnecessary expense for the sake of no public convenience whatever. This is purely a selfish movement. But what will those ! who head it say, -when owing to their ! endeavors to thwart the company, the whole line of tramway traffic is taken out of Revell street, and diverted by way of Sewell street to the wharf ? If the Tramway Company determine to continue their traffic through Revell street, we consider they will not be the losers by placing their rails in the centre of the thoroughfare ; but they certainly ought not to be expected to do this except under some guarantee that another scantily signed memorial to the Public Works Committee will not oblige them a month hence to shift their rails again. It is all the more necessary for them to secure those conditions, because we believe the practical inconveniencies of tho new arrangement will be very speedily felt. It will bisect the line of street, leaving on either side insufficient space for the accommodation of ordinary traffic. This is a consideration that appears at present to be overlooked. North Revell street is by no means too broad a thoroughfare. A

breadth of six feet occupied by a tramway in its centre, leaving two narrow roads on either side, will certainly not facilitate dray traffic or loading. We cannot appreciate the force of the objections that are urged agaiust the present arrangement of the rails. It leaves a good roadway with no interruption whatever to traffic except the passing of a tramway carriage along the rails once an hour. A year ago we hoped that tramways, encouraged by a liberal policy on the part of the Government, and an appreciative support from the public, would rapidly extend throughout the district, and make every settled part of it accessible. It is the kind of road best of all adapted to the requirements of the country ; the most easy and rapid of construction. The enterprise however has met with unexpected and undeserved discouragement, and the result has been a lamentable check upon the investment of capital in this direction. Every vexatious interference with private enterprise will still further check it.

Wo observe that tenders for the formation of a pontoon groin on the beach are called for by the District Engineer, and although tlio advertisement docs not specify so much, we have it on good authority that the groin is to be laid down between Moffat's and Orr's right-of-ways. It is time that something was dove to check the ravages thai the surf is daily making upon that section of the beach. So serious indeed are its inroads, that we are unwillingly compelled to admit a portion of Revell street to be in danger, the back premises and several hotels and stores having been taken by storm by tho advancing sea. The Corporation strovo to keep back tho enemy by constructing a breast-work of saplings trenched several feet deep into the sand, but the work was an unmitigated failure, m c believe simply from the fact that the resistance offered by the saplings was too stubborn, and the surf iv consequence shook them from top to bottom, and so loosened the sand, which, thus disturbed, fell an easy prey to the back-wash. It is a pity that the fuscino plan, which answered admirably at other parts of the beach, was departed from. We hopo it will not bo lost sight of, and feol coafklont that if used in conjunction with the groin tho remedy will prove effectual. Tenders for the groin must not be sent in later than four o'clock this afternoon. There was a good attendance at the Prince of Walos Opora House last evening, when a complimentary bonefit was given by several gentlemen aninteui-3 to Mrs It. H. Cox. The performances, which were under llu patronage of his Worship the Mayor and the Corpora tion of Hokitika, as well as the members of the bar and several of tho leading citizens, commenced with tho comedy of "On his last logs." This piece, considering that most of those engaged in personating the part.were amateurs who had nover before made their appearance on the boards, was yen creditably put upon the stage. " O'Cullug- ' lion" was one of poor Gr. Y. Brooke's favoi-iti characters — one in which, by his inimitabli acting, he complexly fascinated his audioiicc. The young gentleman — a member of the Caxton Clvb — who took the part of O'Callar/han, con sidering that it was his first appearance' certainly went through the part in a highly creditable manner. The make-up of O'Cal lar/han, however, was a great mistake. He was presented on the stage lusi night as much too ■well-dressed a man to bi " on his last legs," with a famished stomach not knowing where to fill itself with a decent dinner. Last night's O' Callagltan wa3 a gentleman clad in a suit of good black broadcloth, with knee-boots resplendent iv their varnishpolish. How different from the inimitable make-up of Brooke, with his seedy, dustcovcrcd garments, his hafc Iveljied into shape to preserve appearances, his gloves without finger-ends, his coat buttoned close to the chin I to conceal his -want of shirt or " dickey," his handkerchief— tho mere shreds and patches of a once decent piece of cambric! Brooke's O'CallagJtan— and outside tragedy it was his j greatest character— depended for its excellence upon its inimitable make-up, its rich thorough ' gentlemanly brogue, and its by-play. No cV.ubt we ought not to apply a standard so severe to an amateur, but in tho -first particular at least the tmdi'ions of the past as roproj scutcd by great artists might have been copied. j Tho young gentleman, however, who sustained tho part last night possesses much talent, and with careful study will, we have no doubt, as an amateur, obtain considerable excellence in the histrionic art. Tho parts of Charles, Rivers, JDr. Banks, and John were very fairly j played ; in fact tho whole piece went off very smoothly, and when the curtain fell O'Callaghan and Julia were callod before il. A variety of singing and dancing, together with tho grouping of tableaux and a furco, concluded the entertainment. Two lunatics named Stephen Honeymau and G-eorgo Brandt, who have for somo time been inmates of tho Hokitika Lunatic Asylum were forwarded by Cobb's Coach this morning to the Lunatic Asylum at Christohurch. The want of accommodation in the Asylum at tho South Spit, is tho cause of their removal. A general meeting of the Philharmonic Society will bo held this evening, at Hanson's, Post Olfico Hotel, at which the lion, secretary invites the attendance of all tho members Wo sincerely wish tho society success, and the cordial and liberal support of tho public. The beautiful part-singing of its mombers, at the recent entertainment at the Supromo Court House, ,was the great feature of the evening and we trust to find it present and conspicuous in all our future amateur concerts. The Philharmonic Society cultivate art-music, and we look forward to its performances as a rich treat of tho future. Tho following official notices appear iv our advertising columns :— Sub-Enumerntois appointed uuder tho Census Act are requested I to call at tho oflico of tho Secretary of tho Gold Fields for papers and instructions ; and tenders aro invited for tho construction of a pontoon groiu on the Hokitika Boach. The following is tho return of the Ilokitika Ghiol for the week ending 16th March, 1867 :— For trial, 7 males, 1 female ; penal servitude, 5 males ; havd labor, 33 males, 4 females ; imprisonment, 1 male ; default of bail, 2 mnlos ; dofault of fine, 4 males ; debtors, 9 males. Of tho 33 males for hard labor, 11 are omployed at tho Police Camp. Received during the month, 9 ; discharged during the month, 4. The following is tho return of the Weld 1 street Gaol for tho week ended lGthNovembor,

1867: — Remaining last week, 23 males, 1 female; admitted, 2 males; discharged, 3 males, 1 femalo ; remaining, 22 males. Wilson's Panorama of the Overland Route, together -with views of remarkahle places in India, were exhibited in the large room attached to the Prince of Wales Opera House last evening. This exhibition, of which Mr Joyce gave an appropriate and interesting explanation, and which was accompanied by suitable music by Mrs Martin, who presided at the harmonium, is well worth a visit. Prospecting for the lead of gold that ran through the Han Hau and Fire-mile diggings and crossed the Kanievi River to Arthur Town, where it was traced a short distance and lost in tho Maori Reserve, is still being proceeded with by Mr Arthur and other ten miners who, as we stated in a former issue sunk several Bhnfts upon the terrace flanking the reserve, but failed to strike anything. They are now sinking a line of shafts on the top of tho terrace just where, according to compass bearings, tho lead should run. It is possible tho ground may run over one hundred feet iv depth, but providing no water is met with, either one or two of the four shafts sinking will bo bottomed this week. The Okarita district has been sadly shorn of its population, but like a body relieved of excessive plethora and its concomitant humours by judicious phlebotomy, it has gained vigor by this draining off process, which left it bare, it is true, but at the same time thoroughly healthy and able to support in comfort, if not affluence, tho few hundred miners left there, pleasant indeed was tho report given by the Tasmanian Maid of the condition of the Okarita community, and although it does not hint at even the probabilities of a rush in that direction, it gives us to understand that on no part of the coast are miners doing a " better thing" than at Okarita. The terms " hard up" and " fly blown" are unknown there, as no man who chooses to work need let a week pass without earning his LI aud L 5, whilst many aro iv the coustuut receipt of double that amount. The Fivo-inilo boach continues to bo tho centre of attraction, and seems inexhaustible, for although it has received many turnings over it still yields well under the application of superior processes for extracting gold. The leasing system has been generally adopted there, and wo hoar that another company has been formed uuder the name of tho Okarita G-old-mining and Water-raco Company, lo take up aud work by sluioing ten acres of ground upon tho above boach. Tho compar.y is declared in 1300 £1 shares, of which 1100 have been taken up and paid for. A never-failing supply of water is to be obtaiuedby the usual method from alake situated about throe miles inland. Tho population of the Fire-mile beach may be estimated at from 150 to 200 men, that of Okarita Town at about 40. The Three-mile and G-illespie's beachoo are respectively occupied by 30 and 25 persons. When the Fastnanian Maid arrived at Bruce Bay sho found the sixty miners located there (one-half Alaories) almost in a state of starvation, the stocks having been reduced to about sixty ' pounds of flour. But for tho timely arrival of tho Maid serious consequences would have ensued, as tho poor fellows were virtually imprisoned there, the surf having .washed iway the beach round the bluffs, and so destroyed the only way of communicating with fche Five-mile and Okarita. During the three veeks previous to tho Maid's arrival, they had )een reduced to a baro diet of flour and cockles. The twelve tou3 of provisions landed by tho steamer proved truly acceptable. Owing to the inclemency of the weather, tho meeting which was to have taken place yesterday afternoon at the Prince of Wales Opera House, to consider measures necessavy to be taken to secure a visit to Westland by che Duke of Edinburgh, was postponed until to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, a; half-past seven o'clock. A rather amusing ecene occurred in Tanered street on Saturday afternoon. It appears that a house near the Tailored street Hotel had been taken by a gcntloman, but tho actual tenant turned out to bo some young ladies. The landlord objectiug to the occupants, required them to quit, but a3 they failed to do so, he quietly had the roof removed from tho cottage. On Sunday evening the rain descended heavily, and so incommoded the occupants that they quitted tho domicile yesterday morning. The sea during tho last fow days has boen making terrible oucroachments between Moffat'e and Orr's right-of-ways, in some case 3 washing away the cottages on tho beach, and causing many others to be removed. A largo portion of the sapling protection has boon undermined and carried off by tho snvf' We hear that a 'gentleman arrived from Ohristchurch by Saturday's coach, whose object is to make arrangements for the supply of a mob of cattle weekly from the Eastern sido of tho ranges in order to meet the requirements of tho Westlaud market at, we hope, a reduction on present prices. We need scarcely say that such an arrangement, if carried into eficct, would bo regarded ns a boon by tho denizens of Westland.