The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 840, 22 July 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1871.

The statements of the Government and the Opposition organs differ widely as to the position of parties in the newly-elected House, each side claiming an undoubted numerical superiority. The " Examiner," on what may be assumed to be tolerably accurate authority, believes that the House will be divided into three parties of nearly equal numbers. According to its estimate Ministers will be able to rely upon twenty-five votes ; the same number represents those who will lose no opportunity of dislodging them from office; and the balance is made up of members who will be prepared to follow any leader whose programme will be adapted to the present circumstances „of the colony, and who presents some feasible scheme by which the expenditure may be reduced, and the individual taxation lightened. The successes of the present Ministry lie in their having successfully negotiated a portion of the loan, and initiated a Hue of mail steamers between this colony and America. So far as the loan is concerned, there can be no doubt that it may be used as a powerful instrument either for good or evil. It may be made the means of opening the country for settlement, and in constructing roads in the North Island and introonly permanent mode of dealing with native disaffection. On the other hand, the money may be uselessly frittercl away in providing for unnecessary official expenditure, and in undertaking schemes that can return no commensurate benefit. The new postal line, owing to the unlooked-for hostility with which the proposals of the New Zealand Government have been met by the neighbouring colonies, is also certain to prove too costly an undertaking for our limited population and income. "With a decreasing revenue and the additional burden of providing interest and sinking fund for the past loan and the present one, the colony is not in a position to subsidise a line of steamers to the extent of £60,000 per annum. Even this is said not to limit our responsibility. It is reported that Mr Vogel guaranteed Messrs Webb and Halladay against all loss in running their steamers for the first six months; and should this prove correct the colony will probably be presented with a considerable bill, as the passenger and cargo traffic can scarcely have been sufficient to remunerate the owners. When we find steamers with passenger accomodation for two or three hundred leaving San Francisco with but twenty passengers and a corresponding amout olf cargo, it can no longer be doubted that the traffic together with the siibsidy is insufficient to maintain so costly a line. In their treatment of the native difficulty the Government may have been actuated by necessity rather than by choice. The colony was not in a position to enforce its claims, and any collision with the Natives had to be carefully avoided. Beace was, therefore, maintained, partly by the presence of the armed constabulary, and, in a great measure, by a system of money pay-

ments. So long as the latter continues it is not likely that the Maori will quarrel with a system from which he derives such substantial advantage. But this sugar and flour policy cannot last forever. Every concession whets the native appetite for urging increased demands; and it seems the wiser course to make efficient preparation forsucha contingency aa hostilities, in place of trusting to the pacific intentions of. the natives and stifling disaffection by donations of money and stores. The most extravagant ; statements have been circulated as to ';

the influence exercised by Mr M'Lean over the natives; and the colony is asked to accept his ipse dixit of their desire to preserve friendly relations. We cannot forget that Sir George Grey, previous to a former Maori war, expressed himself'in equally confident terms after a visit to certain disaffected tribes ; yet, he had scarcely returned, when they were in open hostility to

the Queen's authority. If, therefore, Sir George G-rey could be. thus mistaken as to the true sentiments of the natives, than whom there was perhaps no European better able to judge of their intentions, we are justified in receiving the assertions of Mr M'Lean with considerable caution. It will be necessary, therefore, to make such provision as shall ensure the security of the colony from native troubles. The Immigration and Public Works scheme will also engage the attention of members, and it will, doubtless, be found desirable that the entire management of both departments —both immigration and the construction of arterial works—should be taken in hand by the colony, without reference to the Provincial Councils. Only in this way can the general interests of the colony be properly considered, and the question | will be no longer hampered with a | doubt as to the respective duties of

the General and the Provincial Governments. In certain portions of the colony, we find no desire to provide for the settlement of an agricultural population, without which it is impossible that the works proposed by the Government can prove a source of profit, and it is, therefore, desirable that the important work of immigration should rest with the Assembly.

In the lines headed " The Vision of Julius Vogel," a slight misprint occurs. The line " Where bounteous nature spreads her gifts with no unsparing hand," should read " with free, unsparing hand." Owing to the wires still being down between the Bealey and Hokitika, communication with the East Coast was suspended again yesterday, and had not been restored up to the hour of going to press. We are consequently without information as to the naovemsnts of the San Francisco mail steamer. Wo understand that tho Provincial Engineer has directed the necessary repairs to be made to the road between Westport and Addison's.

The destruction by the floods is very great hctweon Hokitika and impassable. The telegraph line is not likely to be repaired for several days. The weather since the 7th instant, has been exceptionally boisterous, storms of wind, rain and hail have swept along the coast almost uninterruptedly, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and we fear that there will be numerous casualties reported to shipping. We learn that the schooner Waterman, of Glenn Bros.' line, of vessels bound from Melbourne to Grcymouth, has been driven ashore at Hokitika, near to what remains of the Montezuma, which was wrecked thore in 1865, and is likely to go to pieces. Anxiety is also felt respecting the schooner Maid of Erin, bound from Melbourne to this port. She reached the roadstead on the 13th inst., and remained in the offing until the 15th, awaiting a steamer to tow her across the bar. On the arrival of the steamers Kennedy and Mur-ay on the evening of the 15th, the bar was too rough to offer her the required service, and Captain Caims had to put to sea. Since then it has beon impossible to make the offing, and the weather showing' no sign of abatement at present, no probable time can be mentioned when it will be possible for the vessel to make the port. On Thursday night the wind blow with unusual violence; several chimneys that had not hitherto succumbed to the force of the gale were overturned, and at Messrs Suisted Bros.' slaughter yard a large bullock was blown off the balks, furnishing a meal to tho droves of houseless and famishing pigs that now roam about the township.

The rents are now overdue on the following gold-mining and agricultural leases, and unless paid forthwith the said leases are liable to forfeiture : Gold-mining leases—James Watt, Corr and Field, Owen Clarke, Antonio Zala, John Keating, Patrick M'Larty, John Munro, pro Excelsior Gold Mining Company. Agricultural leases—T. J. Jones (3), James Bently, James Davies, Charles Christie, Alphonso Jecklin, John M'lntosh, Edward Dowd, John Seaton, George White, James Maitland, Phillip F. Thiele, Alfred Smith, Henry Hudson, George White, Hodges and Hassell. Goldmining leases for John Campbell, John Hennebury, Frank Hamilton, and an agricultaral lease for Edward Gallop, are now lying at the Warden's office, Westport, in order for the abovenamed parties to execute the same.

Letters are detained for insufficient postage at the Westport Office addressed to Patrick Coill, Arahura, and R. Mann, Greymouth.

The B.s. Wallabi landed the balance of her cargo of cattle at the South Spit, yesterday, in place of proceeding with it to Greymouth. They wero disposed of at auction at two o'clock the saine day.