The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 105, 20 July 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1877.

The Chairman of the Selwyn County Council, Mr.* Rolleston, has seen fit to publish in the daily journals, copies of the circulars he addressed to his brother chairmen, anent the- so-called Conference lately held in Christchurch. His object in doing this appears to be of a twofold character. First, he evidently desires to remove an impression which has got abroad to the effect that, sufficient notice of this Conference was not given to some of the County Councils to enable them to sond delegates ; and, secondly, there is a still stronger desire on Mr. Rolleston's part, to do *away with the idea that has fixed itself deeply in the public mind, —that the meeting of the Conference was a hole-and-corner-affair, a thing got up in secret, never intended to be heard of until its results were published to the world. It. was, however, to be the panacea for all the mighty ills which abolition has inflicted, upon exsuperintendents, defunct executives, and a mighty host of officials, for was it not to bring about " modified Provincialism " in Canterbuiy ; to establish two Provincial Institutions therein, instead of one, as heretofore. Verily, had this been done, the last days of Canterbury would have been worse than the first.

With regard to the first of the impressions which Mr. Rolleston seems fo desirous of removing from the public mind, we would point out, that it was indisputably proved.at the special meeting of the Akaroa County Council, held after the Conference, that sufficient time had not been given after the date at which tlie Conference was to meet had been determined on, to enable the Chairman, Mr. Latter, to ca/lthe;Gouncil together, in order that delegates to the j'Conference might be appointed if the Council felt disposed so to do. This was not dpne in the case of the Akaroa County ; the rights and privileges of the people of which have been cooly ignored from first to last. Then, as to the secret sitting of- the Conference, we ask,—-why was. not the day of such sitting made public, jike that of the Road Board Conference, for some time previous to its taking place? Or, failing in this, why was not notice of such intended sitting forwarded to the newspapers ? Had this been done, even the day previous, from what we know of the manner , of conducting the Christchurch journals* we venture to; affirm that reporters vtould have, been present, and a ■full report of ihe proceedings would have appeared the next morning. But no, the Conference met in secret, solemn conclave ; they sat with closed doors ; mighty was the sweat of intellect, and p-Tptur'.unt monies nasciteur ridiculusmus. The cool audacity of the, proposal which emanated from the Conference, is really astounding: Akaroa County was. unrepresented, for no time had been given ito send delegates.; Waimate did not probably choose, to do so,, because, from-the ,n'rst, acting on the noble- principle of self-reliance, she has been vigorously .engaged in working the Counties Act in its entirety ; and yet, with these two important Counties* unrepresented, some eight or ten gentlemen, not tives of the people, but " delegates of delegates," coolly proposed that these Counties, with all the others, north and south of the Rangitata should-be snuffed out of existence ; and for what purpose ? In order to form two large Counties— wherein might be worked the pet scheme of Mr; llollestbn, the scheme of " modified Provincialism." The people of the Oountles, tlie ratepayers, were not to be consulted in the matter. And thus it is that Mr. liolleston, who was wont to pride .himself upon having been thrice elected by the people—and those who have acted with him, propose to trample on the people's rights, in order to reintroduce an effete and cumbrous system of local ■ government. Will the people sit down quietly under this ? We trow, not! The County Council of Akaroa has indignantly protested against this attempted invasion of the undoubted rights and privileges of the people, rights and privileges secured to them by law, for the Counties -Act- Contains ■ provisions whereby the amalgamation of Counties can be secured, should it be the will of the people that such should take place, but the .people must be. first appealed to.' , Ashburton does not mean j quietly to bear this attempt to; inflict a grievous wrong. Thei'e, a public meeting will shortly be convened, at which, if report speaks truly, the Chairman of the County Council and his co-delegate will be asked to state why they consented to such a project-— a which was

riot even named at a private meeting of the members of : the. County Council 'at Ashburton, held previous to the meeting of the Conference. Wβ trust that not only in Ashburton, hut in Akaroa and every other County in Canterbury, public meetings will be held, in:; order , that the people may record their indignant protest against this impudent, though crafty attempt to ignore them and trample on their rights. Whence came this previous scheme ? It is not difficult to trace its origin. The distinctive marks of " modified Provincialsm," so apparent throughout it, sufficiently indicate its' paternity. This plot against the people's rights has been craftily designed and covertly worked, cut those engaged in it, like all who bake part Jin similar enterprises, appear tor the nonce to have forgotten the old, fold truth, " that which is done in secret " shall be proclaimed upon the house-top."