Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/186



ANY years ago, before the town of Westport could boast of a steamer of its own, or ere a ton of coals had been exported from the Buller coal-field, I let loose my imagination, in idle pastime, to take a fancy flight, and in local newspaper columns, at the time, I drew an imaginary picture of what Westport would be in 1884. Innumerable prophecies were indulged in of the coming greatness of the Buller and its capital. Some of the ancient citizens were supposed to have arrived by express train overland from Nelson. Others came in their carriages from the neighbouring suburbs of Eugenarum and Bailietown. The harbour works and docks were laid down in stone, and the harbourmaster was described as having stuck to his department like a leech; while “Lord John” was spoken of as a member or ex-member of the Colonial Legislature. Many of the prognostications then uttered have been realised. Others were so “far fetched” that their realisation was never contemplated. Now, having indulged in a flight of fancy once, and the time of my predictions having come round without fulfilment, let me by way of compensation to the Buller folks adopt the better course here, and enter the well for truth.

In order to accomplish this, I resolved to place myself in communication with a literary friend, a lady whose writings are already widely known in Colonial journals under the nom de plume of “L. J. S.” I beseeched of her, in her goodness of heart, to furnish me with a chapter, or a portion of one, on the industries of her adopted district—the Buller. “Is it possible,” she at first replied, “that anything interesting can be said, thought, or written, on such a dry, solid subject as coal?” The subject differed from her cheerful Christmas stories which have appeared in the Otago Witness and the New Zealand Mail. It seemed more congenial to jot down a little “Chit Chat from the Capital” or “Notes from the Ladies’ Gallery,” than to gather coal statistics, or paint an attractive picture in which “black diamonds” must form the foreground. Withal she admitted the importance of the subject, and the necessity for its inclusion in a work having special reference to the West Coast, and her valuable contribution to its pages here follows:—

For many years in the olden time, far back indeed in the “golden era” of this portion of the West Coast, it was ascertained beyond even the shadow of a doubt, that the magnificent ranges of hills overshadowing Westport, were but so many vast treasure houses, filled with unlimited stores of mineral wealth, which only awaited fitting time and opportunity, aided by adequate resources, to develop. And as all things come to those who have but the courage and patience to wait; so at length it has come to pass, that some at least of the good things, for which the people of Westport waited, through