General Description.

Westland is the central part of the West Coast of the Middle Island. In 1861 this part of the colony was purchased by the Government from the native owners, of whom there were not more than thirty at that time. The district thus acquired extends from the Province of Nelson on the north to the Province of Otag'o on the south, and from the Province of Canterbury on the east to the sea coast on the west; its boundaries being, on the north the river Grey, on the south the river Awarua (flowing into Big Bay), and on the east the watershed of the Southern Alps Of the total area of Westland (4442 square miles), the mountain ranges and forest lands occupy 2,843,141 acres; the rivers aud lakes, 29,759 acres; and open country, 172,800 acres; making in all 3,045,700 acres.

After the purchase and annexation of the West Coast to Canterbury in 1861, the former was occasionally visited by surveyors and others in search of pastoral country; they, however, met with great hardships at that early period, and not a few lost their lives in fording the swiftly running rivers. Little advance was made towards settlement until gold-hunters penetrated its wild and inhospitable interior. This occurred during the latter part of 1863 and the beginning of 1864. The first discovery of gold was reported on the Hohonu, a northern tributary of the Teremakau. The Hohonu rises in Mount French—named after Mr. Michael French, an early settler in the Grey Valley. He was one of the leading prospectors of that and other localities. About the same time, also, a party of Scandinavians, having ventured in a boat from Invercargill, prospected the Totara district, and their labours were rewarded by discovering gold in a small mountain stream taking its rise at Mount Greenland, the ravine through which it flows being known at the present day as Scandinavian Gully. This stream empties itself into Donnelly's Creek by a waterfall just above the junction, and later on joins with the river Totara. Subsequently, the Kanieri and other places were discovered, and from that time a rush set in to the West Coast. During the latter part of 1864 and early in 1865, the main rush commenced, and from that time forward the discoveries of auriferous deposits were continuous in all directions, from one extremity of the coast to the other, and in such rapid succession that, within a short space of time, the West Coast, from north of the river page 2 Grey to the southern boundary, was clearly shown to be a vast continuous goldfield.

In consequence of its increased importance and great natural resources, the West Coast of Canterbury was created an independent district on the 1st of January, 1868, under the appellation of the County of Westland. In 1874 the county was made a province, and on the abolition of the provincial form of government in New Zealand, Westland was again made a county, with a reduced area. The portion north of the river Teremakau, containing an area of 255,460 acres, was added to the Grey County, leaving, however, to the County of Westland the considerable area of 2,790,300 acres, of which 31,950 acres are apportioned as freehold, and 76,637 acres represent lakes, rivers, and general reserves, which leaves the handsome area of 2,681,713 acres to be appropriated at the present time.

Hokitika, the chief town, was founded in 1864. It is situated at the mouth and on the north bank of the Hokitika River, formerly called Okatiki, and has a population of above 3000 souls. It contains a town hall, supreme court-house, and other judicial and administrative buildings, a general post-office and telegraph office, all of considerable architectural pretentions, also a large ana most commodious theatre, and a public library. There is large wharf accommodation, and owing to the improvement of the entrance of the river, caused by the protection works, now nearly completed, an excellent harbour is afforded for vessels of 200 tons burden. The town is well laid out with large public squares and other recreation grounds; and there are, in connection with the town, a public hospital, lunatic asylum, and gaol.

The Kanieri district includes the land between the Arahura and Hokitika Rivers, and the land on the south bank of the Hokitika River as far as Lake Mahinipua. Besides the Kanieri, Kokotahi, and Mahinipua townships, this district contains the mining centres of Blue Spur, Big Paddock, Woodstock, and Eight-mile. The township of Kanieri is situated on the banks of the Hokitika River, and is backed by a large agricultural and grazing district. Woodstock is opposite to it, on the other side of the river. Gold mining, timber-cutting, and farming are the chief industries of this district. The whole of the timber exported from the port of Hokitika is cut in the Kanieri district. There are large areas of agricultural land not sold in the Kokotahi Valley, and between it and the Hokitika River.

The Totara district extends from the Kanieri district to the Mikonui River, and includes the town of Ross, and the mining districts of Donoghue's, Donnelly's Creek, and Redman's; the tributaries of the Totara and Mikonui Rivers being all auriferous. Ross was founded in 1865, and is situated south of Donnelly's Creek, a tributary of the Totara River, in the centre of one of the richest alluvial deposits of gold, if not in New Zealand, at least in Westland. It is a pleasant inland town, about 18 miles south of Hokitika, with which it is connected by an excellent road, which extends to Okarita. All intermediate rivers between Hokitika and Ross are bridged. The population of Ross is above 1170 souls. It possesses a court-house, post and telegraph offices, page 3 town-hall, library, a public and other schools, and an excellent local hospital. The prosperous future of Ross, as a large gold-producing locality, with proper appliances, can hardly be doubted.

The mines near Ross were worked with the aid of powerful steam pumping machinery. Gold has been found in them in six different layers, in depths from 50 feet to 450 feet. Most of these mines are at present flooded out, and perhaps will remain so till capital is introduced into the district to work the mines on an extensive system. A large race (surveys and plans of which have been prepared) to carry water from the Mikonui River to near Ross is much needed, and would prove reproductive, as the deep claims can be worked with water-power far less expensively than with steam. The main industry of this district is gold mining, which is extensively carried on in the terraces.

The Okarita distict comprises all that part of the district between the river Mikonui and the southern boundary of the county. Gold mining is the only occupation followed in this district There are scarcely any mines being worked inland, except up one or two of the rivers; the miners rest satisfied with obtaining gold easily in the beach workings. In many of the beaches of this district (as well as in other parts of the coast), after bad weather and a heavy sea, the sand on the sea-beach is found impregnated with gold, and, after the sand has been scraped off the beach, and the gold extracted, there is likely to be, after the next heavy sea, a similar quantity of gold found in the beach sand in the same localities. The district has had but little attention paid to it, either by the miners or settlers. It has two splendid harbours—Bruce Bay and Jackson's Bay—and several rivers with good entrances and depth of water. It has easy access to the Province of Otago and the East Coast by the saddle at the head of the Haast River, and it possesses large tracts of auriferous land, fine agricultural land, and splendid grazing country and timber.

Northward of Hokitika is the Kumara district. The township of Kumara was founded in 1876, and is situated south of the Teremakau, about seven miles inland from the ocean beach. Its site is a large auriferous flat extending many miles in all directions, and the population is above 900 souls. It is a fine inland town, with regular, broad streets, about eighteen miles north-east of Hokitika, with which it is connected by excellent roads, as also with direct roads with Greymouth and Christchurch. There are a court-house, post and telegraph offices, public school, town-hall, and a local hospital.