West Coast Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 696, 17 December 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1867.

The Meeting held last night for the formation of a Benevolent Society, was an undoubted success. A very large number of the most influential citizens of Hokitika, on this occasion rallied round the Mayor. The clergy were absent, but in several cases their absence was accouuted for, and the expression of their sympathy with the movement was conveyed to the meeting. All classes of laymen were represented. The amount subscribed in the room was a very satisfactory indication of the liberality with which those, who have wealth, are disposed to meet the necessities of those who are poor.

Whilst all concurred in the object of the meeting, a little lively discussion took place towards its close, on a poiut which really appeared of too trivial importance to warrant the warmth that was displayed. A subscription paper was handed round during the course of the evening, and the question arose whether or- not the names of the subscribers, and the amounts set down by them, should be published. We believe, if the Mayor had, when the list was handed up to him, read it as a matter of course iv accordance with ordinary practice, the propriety of the proceeding would have been tacitly concurred in. But the question being once raised, many objections were offered — the only one to which any weight was clue, being that suggests .1 by Mr Carey, that some persons who had set down their names for small sums — being as much us their means would honestly allow — might if they had been advised beforehand that the list would be published, have preferred to cloak their name. We regret on some grounds that the meeting arrived at the conclusion that it would be undesirable at present to publish the subscription list ; especially because it would have disclosed some noble influences of munificence, and have furnished an example which a largo number of the citizens would no doubt have been induced to follow. There wero ■ men* who recognised their responsibilities anl acted up to them. Indeed, all who were present showed a disposition to do so, and the nett result of the meeting — setting aside the little warmth of discussion that occurred — was altogether satisfactory.

Distress in Hokitika ! In what colonial town is there not distress ? Nay, in what wealthy and prosperous city in the world, is there not distress ? One particular phase of distress in Hokitika had special prominence given to it lust night. It was that of persons of I'espectability, who wore thrown into circumstances of destitution, and whose feelings of sensitiveness precluded them from openly seeking charity. No doubt there are and will be sue.i cases amongst us. But these are not the priinai y objects to be relieved by the new Benevolent Fund. It is not, we apprehend, intended to provide for the assistance of decayed gentlefolks, so much as to afford substantial relief to the destitute classes — destitute, not owing to a sensitive pride, but to stern, stubborn, unconquerable fact. The true destination of a Benevolent Fund, should be tho relief of those who are poor and have no means of amending their poverty ; who have no friends to fall back upon, no means of getting up private subscription lists, no class claims, but arc simply and helplessly in want. Men thrown out of employment by accident; rendered incapable of work by sickness ; women and families, whose natural "bread earners" have gone

elsewhere, either deserting them or leaving them, on some vague enterprise ; new comers who have been attracted by the fame of the district, and have unwittingly determined to seek their fortune here, without counting the cost of the enterprise ; these are the classes that will always exist here, and will always form objects for charitable relief. His Honor Judge Clarke said last night, that the man who gave a subscription to a charitable fund, did himself as much good as he did to the object for whom his relief was intended. There is no doubt a spiritual sense in which it is true, that " he. who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." But there is a more direct interpretation of the doctrine, which Mr Clarke propounded. All men become better by the opportunities afforded them of exercising their Christian virtues. "The poor ye have always with you," said the divine teacher. And they are with us always, that we may learn from them the grace of charity and the lesson of help. In the most prosperous societies ; where wealth has most accumulated and is most potent ; the law obtains and ever will obtain that the poor shall be with us. And blessed are those who help the poor. Charity is ennobling and invigorating. The relief of the poor at once satisfies and strengthens one of our holiest instincts.

At its end, the meeting last night took a practical shape. A Canvassing Committee was appointed, and we have no doubt the appeal made to the public for subscriptions will be successful. Already the nucleus of a good Benevolent Fund has been created.

Wo understand that it is the intention of the Hon. John Hall to spend his Christmas with his family, at his residence in tho neighborhood of Christchurch, and that his return to Hokitika may not. be expected until the end of December.

What is called the DoLson Memorial Monument is an obelisk to be erected at the intersection of Weld and Sewcll streetrto the joint memory of four young West Coast explorers who came to an untimely end. We shall give a description of this ' monumental stone' in our next issue. We understand there are some LSO or L6O necessary to be raised in order to cover tho expenses of erecting the monument. To assist in this work a musical entertainment is announced for tomorrow evening, at the Court-house, and we have reason to believe that the performance will bo one of high character.

We wero unable to attend the Prince of Wales Theatro last evening, in time to see the comedy of " Masks and Faces," our notice of which must stand over, therefore, until tho repetition of the piece. In the farce of " The Irish Attorney," which followed it, Mr Stuart O'Brien was very successful in his impersonation of the chief character Pierce O'Hara. His address to the " deputation," and the drunken scene, after his return from the race dinner, were masterly pieces of actting. There was a very capital house. The pieces announced for to-night are — the fine comedy of "London Assurance," and tho farce of the " Bonny Fishwife."

Yesterday being the anniversary of the settlement of the Province of Canterbury the Government offices and Banks wero closed. Beyond this there was no public demonstration. It is understood that the Ist January, the day on which Westland is separated from Canterbury, and is invested with the powers of local government under tho " Westland County Act," will bo observed with much festivity.

The weather yostorday was most agreeable. Tho rain of fcho previous day had greatly cooled the atmosphere, and although tho day was very warm, there was an absence of the sultriness so prevalent last week.

Tho adjourned criminal sittings of the District Court will commence this morning at eleven o'clock, when jurors will be required to attend. Tho Crown Prosecutor, Mr O'Louglilin, arrived from Greymouth yestordayby Cobb and Co.'s coach. The civil sittings will be held immediately on the termination of the criminal cases.

Tho following is the return of the Hokitika Gaol for the week ended December 14, 18G7 : — Males, for trial, 4 ; penal servitude, 5 ; hard-labor, 27; imprisonment, 1; default of bail, 2'; debtors, 10 ; remand, 1. Total, 50. Females — Hard-labor, 4; discharged during the week, 5 ; received, 4. Of the 27 males sentenced to hard-labor, 7 are employed at tho Police-barracks. - Tho Christmas examination of tho Misses Colls' school took placo yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock, conducted by the Rev. Mr Gow, in presence of His Worship tho Mayor and the parents of several of the children. There wero five different classes, varying from tho simple knowledge of the letters of the alphabet to the rules of grammar mid the science of arithmetic, tho ages of the pupils ranging from four to ten years. A more healthy and happy assemblage of juveniles, about fifty in number, we never witnessed, and the result of the examination was highly satisfactory. At the conclusion some musical performances were well rendered by the scholars, and His Worship congratulated tho teachers on the success which attended their exertions in so good a cause. The Rev. Mr Gow offered a short prayer, and the pupils then broke up for the usual holidays.

Some of the criminal class who havo been absent from Hokitika for a considerable time have lately returned to town. Amongst them are two notorious characters who were companions of B urges", Kelly and Sullivan ; and ono of them was also implicated in tho Bank robbery afc Okaritu. Their arrival has beon noted by the police, by whom they will be kept under surveillance.

At a meeting of the Hokitika Cricket Club held on Saturday night, tho resignation of Mr P, Flannagan as Secretary was duly acceptod, •his gentleman not having time to attend to the duties of such office. In his place Mr Henderson was elected. '

Compared with the bustlo that reigned there in dayß gone by, tho present appearance of the Big Paddock is rueful in tho extromo ; the once well occupied leads being now almost deserted, as proved by the unsightly heaps of gravel, unsupported by logs, and uncrowned by that evidence of industry, tho windlass, that alone remain to mark the course onco taken by those streaks of the precious metal, which gave tho paddock its reputation, and first and last havo yielded up a goodly amount of treasure, to the hundreds of minera who

delved and burrowed there. • Its day is, how•over, gone by, and for a time at least we believe it is fated to sink into partial obscurity, until men can be found willing and able to spend sufficient time and money in giving it a thorough and systematic prospecting. The present population of the Paddock may be numbered at about 150 souls including women and children, and this estimate may be accepted as a near approximation to the truth. Quite as many were once located on Madman's lead, which is now held by about tliirfcy-six diggers, who between them occupy nine claims. These are nearly exhausted — tho men engaged either in "fossicking" out a few stray pillars left by the original holders or in working the last of the cement that overlaid the regular washdirb in nearly every claim, but in a few constituted the only auriferous stratum found. This lead is likely to be quite deserted in the course of bix weeks or two months. The New Chum lead which runs on the west 9ide side of the paddock is in a similar plight. Six claims only are working there, and are held by between twenty and thirty men who " knock out" fair wages ; a couple of the claims still pay LlO to Ll2 per -week each sharo. The old cement lead, the first opened in the Paddock, and long held in high esteem for its heavy yield of gold is now represented by six fossiking parties numbering about twenty men, the majority of whom aro ready to pack up and be off to the first new rush of promise. Two of the above parties have driven tunnels on the face of the paddock into the upper or northern end of the lead, and aro systematically turning the old ground behind thorn with fair results. They talk of erecting a horse crushing machine, a3 a great deal of cement was untouched by the diggers who first worked the ground. The monotony of life in the Big Paddock, was agreeably broken last week by the excitement of a small rush, a new lead having been struck between Madman's and New Chum's, in the wooded blind gully, that partly intersects the paddock, and is itself intersected by Madman's lead. These claims havo struck gold, and although tho prospects so far obtained arc not worth more than from five dwts to eight dwts, the loud out of a stoup of wash dirt ono* foot thick, the diggers are sanguine that better ground will be found by driving, and have accordingly set in with good heart to decide the question. A great many claims have been marked oufc nor»& and south of the prospector, upon tho table land where tho sinking will run about fifty feet. In the gully it is not more than twenty feet.

The " Wellington Independent " gives the following account, of the sale at Government House :—": — " Although tho sale of tho horses, stock, and plate, belonging to his Excellency Sir George Grey, was postponed from Saturday till Tuesday, on accoxinfc of the unfavorable weather, Tyet, on the latter occasion it rained in torrents all the afternoon, and those who did attend got thoroughly drenched. Nevertheless, a considerable number of persons had assembled at Government House at the appointed hour, and shortly after ono o'clock Mr George Hunter led the way to the outbuildings, where the'stock awaited disposal. At this moment the rain camo down harder than ever, and the assemblage were fain to got to leeward of a dilapidated buikliiig, inside of which the auction clerk took shelter. Then tho sale commenced, and the bids being given pi'etty rapidly, no tiine^was lost. ' Molly, 1 a black and white cow, was bought by Captain Rhodes at Ll2. ' Onyx,' a light red one, found a purchaser in Mr Keefe, while ' Gipsy ' and ' Beauty,' two very nice looking milch cows, were disposed of, the former to Mr Grigg, of Wanganui, at Lll 10s, and tho latter to Mr B. Ling, at LlO 10s. Five head of young stock were next put up, and sold at L 4 per hoad. Tho party then adjourned to tho stables, which instantly bocame so crammed, that it was impossible to sell tho horses there, and they had, therefore, to be brought out into the pitiless rain. ' Fly,' a bay gelding, described as a capital saddle horse, accustomed to carry a lady, and broken to run in double harness, was the first offered to competition, and many were the comments made by the ' horsey ' men present on his points aud condition. Ho was put up at L2O to start with, and in a few seconds the biddings ran up to L4O, when they Blackened for a little. Then a fresh start was made, and ultimately Mr Grigg, of Wanganui, bid LSO and secured the horse. ' Spray,' also a bay gelding, but rather more powerfully built than ' Fly,' was next trotted out, and after a brisk competition, was bought by Mr Grigg, for L 4/7 10s. The outside work being over, everybody gladly made for the house, where the plated ware and silver plate lay openforin3pection. We thought the display rather poor, the silver articles being Tery old, and tho patterns of the very plainest kind. Notwithstanding this, everything realised excellent prices, a few of which arc subjoined as examples : — Plated ware— soup tureen, L 5 ; four entree dishes, L4j 5s each ; two sauco boats, LI 3s each ; two cako baskets, L 2 each ; one pair branch caudlcsticks, LlO. The silver articles fetched from 4s 9d to 9s 6d per ounce ; the lower figure being obtained for the silver dessert knives, and the higher for the salt cellars and spoons, the workmanship of the latter being very neat. Amongst the buyers were Mr John Martin, Mr Peter Laing, Captain Shai-p, and several other gentlemen.

Referring to the contemplated expedition to the west coast of Otago, the "Daily Times" sar3 . — "And this brings us to the consideration of what, in every way, may be considered a prospecting vcntui'o — the expedition to the west coast. It is true that the prospecting is not to be for gold only. It is true that, in at length paying attention to this part of the country, the Government is only fulfilling, somewhat tardily, the duty of ownership which attaches to it. But it is often a greater effort to perform that which has beon much postponed, than to boldly dash into it at the first; suggestion. Thore have been, from time to lime, sundry explorations of the west coast, which have done much— dissipated the old idea that the western part of Otago was a hopelessly-inaccssible, inhospitable waste. Dr. Hector, Mr M'Kcrrow, Mr Caples, Mr Alabaster, Mr Pyke, and others, havo all reported > otherwise. Their accounts have varied in promise, but, but frjm the least as from most favorable, thero was to bo gleaned the assurance that the country between the hikos and the ocean was not meant to be always unsettled. From some accounts, there was promise of coal, gold, and copper, and other minerals ; from others, thore was to be gathered that the country was not a sterile, rugged mountain waste, but that tracks of good land wore to be found. Yot all this

excited only a nine day's wonder ; no enterprise worthy the name has been displayed in verifying the reports, and taking advantage of them. The only exception, perhaps, is that lately a few persons have gone to considerable expense in searching for coal at a particular part of the coast. For all practical purposes the land still continues unknown. The narrow strip of country remains a mystery ; bnt we aro glad to think it is to be solved. We take it, the expedition now proposed is meant for something more than mere exploration. It is designed as the forerunner of the establishment of ono or more settlements on the coast, to be connected with the rest of the province by tracks yet to be opened up. If such is really the intention, we aro sanguino enough to expect vast good will arise from it to the province. There is no one really interested in Otago who can afford to look without interest on the departure of the expedition, and to follow it without hopes of its proving the pioneer of new fields of enterprise."