The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1872.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 979, 14 June 1872, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1872.

The still continuing encroachment of the sea »t Westport, adding daily to the long catalogue of losses and disasters, extending over a period dating almost from the infancy of the township, {-joints to ono incontestable fact. The constancy of purpose and steady determination to battle against ovil displayed by the people who have sought to make homes and an abiding placo nn the banks of the Buller River. Napoleon complained that British soldiers never knew when they were beaten. In like manner it may be said that even in these degenerate days tho civilian pioneers of British settlement never are beaten, in whatsoever shape or form present calamitv or the presage of impending misfortune may assail them. When, in the future, a history of New Zealand is written, the chronicler may haply find some small space to record a meed of praise to the early settlers on the Buller, for their undaunted pluck in c- ntending against a continuation of inauspicious events,! rarely equalled in the history of colonial settlement. If anxious also, to present an unbiassed

record, he might well descant on the neglect and mal-administration of incompetent government and the ' thousand ills' therefrom arising. He might also tell that while the p op'e of Westport suffered and contended against their evil lot, too proudly sensitive or too self reliant, to make direct appealfor'assistauce,their fellow colonists, little caring or little knowing the extent of their calamity, left thein to their own resources, and that even a paternal government, assuming to control the destinies, and protect the interests of the entire colony, f,ave scant regard to their misfortunes. All this may yet bo chronicled, a blot upon the pas[o of New Zealand history, unless the peoplo of Westport raise a united voice, and demand as a right the assistance, that long since should have been preferred them without solicitation. The gradual destruction of a town like Westport, is no slight matter worthy alone of consideration by a petty Provincial Council. It concerns the interests of the entire colony, a matter in reality worthy of instant and paramount attention. While the General Government are devising schemes to introduce a steady flow of immigration, initiating extensive public works, and forming new settlement", the pioneer settlers on the Buller are left uncared for, to contemplate their earthly possessions, nay, the very sites of their habitations swamped by the merciless wavee. It is no extravagant opinion to maintain that a very sufficient ground of appeal exists for a special consideration of the circumstances of the Westport calamity, by the General Government, and that apart from whatever action the Nelson Government may contemplate, some special provision should be made in the general estimates, to aid in the formation of a safe and permanent site for the township. At present the Westportians have the choice of two evils, destruction of property bv the encroaching sea, or a retreat into the miry depths of an undrained swamp. That a proper site can be prepared, and that Westport must eventually develope into a well formed township are self-evident propositions ; but assistance is needed from without; the residents here cannot ranch longer withstand the continual strain on t'teir resources, and their claim upon the general revenues of the Colony, wherein they have striven so earnestly in the work of settlement, cannot, either in justice or equity, be reasonably disputed.