THE WEST COAST COUNTIES.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1548, 4 February 1879, Page 3

THE WEST COAST COUNTIES.

The Councils of Hokitika, Greymoutb, and Reefton, and we ([naiignhua "Times") think we may also include that of Westport, are in a state of financial disorder, and unless extraordinary aid is at once afforded them by the Colonial Government, some serious trouble is inevitable. The liabilities of the whole of the West Coast counties cannot at the present time be much lesa than £25,000, a large proportion of whieh is due to the various banking institutions, but the current indebtedness of the different bodies to contractors and the public generally is by no means inconsiderable, and it is from these latter creditors that the Councils most urgently require release. Probably so long as the Banks are permitted to charge their own rates of interegt for they advances they will be in no special hurry to call up the principal, but the case is very much different with what may be termed outside creditors—th«-ir debts carry no exorbitant rate of interest, or indeed carry no interest at all, and it is therefore incumbent upon the Councils that some immediate action should be taken to clear them off. That the West Coaßt counties will never, if left to their ordinary resources, be able to discharge their present engagements seems beyond all question ; and it seems equally clear that if relief is to come at all, it must come from the General Government, and therefore no good can come of allowing matters to drift on from day to day, and week to week. Steps should be at once taken to form a deputation, consisting of representatives of each of the four counties, to confer with the Government on the subject, and there is room to hope that sf the situation was properly represented some assistance would be accorded by the Government. It is certainly due to creditors here that the Council should do something to help itself out of the dilemma.