INCREASED REPRESENTATION OF WESTLAND IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Grey River Argus, Issue 107, 18 September 1866, Page 2

INCREASED REPRESENTATION OF WESTLAND IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

A'special meeting of -the Improvement Committee was held at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, fo consuler a communicivtiort received by Alp- W. H. Harrison by telegraph from Mr Moorhouge relative. to the increased representation of Westlancl in the General Assembly. '. Mr Maclean was called to the chair, and Mr Harrison explained the circumstances under which. he hadsiiggestedtlie meeting t>i the Committee. On the previous afternoon he had received a telegram. from Mr Moorhouse. stating that he had brought in a Bill in^tlie House pf Representatives fpr increasing the number, of members for but that it liadlmet with, so much opposition from tliQ Government as to make it very desirable that a public petition shoulei be immediately got. up arid forwarded by the time for the second reading of the Bill. Mr Moorhouse proposed^ to give one member e.acli to Hokitika and Greymouth-, He (Mr Harrison.) thought it was unnecessary for him.., to urge the importance of the 'proposed measure, affecting as it did tfie most vital iriteresitq of the elistr-ict.. Ha had thought it the best plaff for giving effect to Mr Moorhouse's wish to submit the matter, to" the Committee, as there was no time for a i)ub,Ue meeting. He had prepared a draft memorial for consieleration, and invited the assisfanqe of tl;e Committee in obtaining signatures. The draft memorial was. read and approved, and resolu^ tioris were passed for ensuring its extensive/ signature. ' The. following is a copy 1 of the petition \^-? ■ ;-■■■' "To tlie Honorable the House of Eo' in-esentatives in Parliament, assembled, - "The petition of the undersigned* inhabitants of Greymouth, in the district of" Westland, humbly sheweth, - "That yonr. petitioners have learned with great satisfaction that a Bill has been introduced in your Honorable House; having for its object the granting increased, representation, to the District of Westland, "" That in the opinion of your petitioners the time has arrived when, by reason of. its population, trade, and large contribution to the revenues of the Colony, the, district of Westland can fairly claim mv creased representation in your Honorable House, and thus a greater voice in tlie. councils of the Colony. * ". ' '" That the Gold Fields of the district of Westland -are the most extensive and populous in the Colony, and that there are many special circumstances relating to the mining inelustry of- the, district which demand the legislation of your Honorable, House, and require. that due representation^ withoitt which no legislation can be satisfactory or beneficial.- '' Your petitioners," therefore trust -that your Honorable House will take into consideration the prayer of your petitioners, and grant such pleasure of increased re- ! presentation as your Honorable House may consider the district of Westland entitleel to receive, \ " And your petitioners will ever- pray' &c, «fee." [We have no doubt that by tlie time for its transmission the petition will be most extensively signed. Up to."- last niglit about 409 signatures had bqen obtained in a few. ''hours.] A public meeting, -convened by Mr Commissioner Sale, was hold,- at Hokitika on Saturday, T. L. Bright, Esq., M.P.C., in the chair. The following letter^ which has been forwarded to iis for publication, will explain the course adopted.: — ' ' '■'" Hokltika, Saturday Night, Septeriiber 15, 1866! "W: H. Harrison, Esq., • ' " Greymouth. - - "I am instructed" by a Qommittee, appointed at. a public meeting, held this day at the Supreme Court House, at which I had the honor to preside, to communicate with, you ow the subject of the B ; ll introduced by Mr Moorhouse into the House of Representatives,- to enlarge the representation of Westland. The meeting unanimously adopted resolutions, the purport of whicllare emboeliedin the petition which. I forward to you. lam desired to solicit your earnest co-operation in- procuring, signatures to this-petitiqn, throughout the. Grey elistrict, and respectfully to imp.ress upon you the fact that promptness of action is most necessary. The unusual course acloptecl of opposing the bill on the motion for its first reading proves .the very strong feeling which obtains in the. Assembly against the claims of this district to an adequate share in the representation of the Colony. It is understood that Mr Moorhouse's only chance .of carrying his measure through its second reading depends upon strong and elemqnstrative support being given Mm here. I may add for your information that the .Committee telegraphed to his Honor to-day, immediately after the public meeting, assuring him of energetic support, and promising to inform him by telegraph Of the number of signatures attached to the petition up to Tuesday, that he might be in. a. position to intake use pf the fact in order to influence the House either ,to press his measure or to postpone the order for its second reading until the petition shall-have been, received-, The Committee, 'not .knowing what action might Be taken in the matter at- GreymouSi, an.cl having regard to the mischief that might be done by-the delay even 'of a few 'hours, have deeideel to solicit the" co-operation of the Grey district in oho general movement. You will perceive that the petition asks for Greymouth all that it does Jor Hoki r tika, viz., the allotment, of .one member for .each town. More would : have been' *asked, but it was deemed the most politic course not to ißsk the lass of all by de-. maneling too much. " " I have therefore now to ask you to use your utmost- endeavors to press all the volunteers you can into the service, and to telegraph to me not later than Tuesday afternoon- the total number of signatures obtained in your district. The' Committee take the liberty of imposing these duties, upon, you qn an occasion of great-public emergency, from your known zeal in the promotion of the interests of the district ■' "I am, • "Yoiu-s faithfully, "Thps. L. Bright. v . The- following is the text of th© petition being signed,at Hokitika :-z— .. _ '..-.'.' " To the Honorable th,e 9oi\se of Representatives of -New Zealand in Parliament assembled, . .. . . •, , "The humble, petition- of the under* signed inhabitants of Hokitika, Greymouth, and the Westland District, . .. / . •^Respeotfully .sliewetlv that thj dis.--

trlct of Westland is at present one of 'the most flourishing in the 'whole of Newv Zealand ; and with its exceedingly ■ ricli Gold_Fields and increasing population, presents unmistakable tokens of permanent prosperity. -. "< (< That the adult mafe "population of ; Westland, 'your petitioners firmly believe, : ; to 'exceed thirty thousand! V ' . "That Hokitika and Greymouth are the . great, commercial centres of this 'infportant^j. ' J district. . ■■. -.:.. ........ - ■ ' -• '■■■'if'}-, -d 'I^hat your petitioners respectfully i" V' invite the attention of your Honorable * ' House to .the 'very, heavy, yield of • this "\ " Westla.nd'Gold Fields, as sliowir' by the export returns, and the very consielerable sum contributed to the general revenue of - the Colony in the shape of Customs eluties. (l That the commercial,. mining,, and*. v•/ . . other important interests of this district have assumed a magnitude wMch renders -.^a : it impossible forany single representative ■ --- ? *in tlie General Assembly to ■ aelequately represent them, , - ' . " That your petitioners elesire, fiirther,respectfully to draw the attention of your Honorable House to the circumstance that the v district of Westland dias no re- • presentative an.'tlie Legisbative Council, - and .has thus tp rely exclusively upon the ' -- ; services of sugli members as, maybe granted to it in the House of Representatives. . "Wherefore your petitioners Mmbly pray that your Honorable House will take this petition into your favorable consideration, a,nd grant an increase in the repre- , aentatian of Westland, by allotting one member to the town of Hokitika, one- v 1 *" mejnber to the town of Greymouth, and ' ■ one additional member to tue Westland ' ■■- eligtriQt. , • ' ■'■-.„■ ...:•' -"And your petitioners will ever nsav, &c.,&q." L \-r The petition- from Greymouth will be ' forwarded tins morning "via ''Hokitika, leaving it to tha discretion of Mr Moorhouse whether to present tlie. two petitions, separately or as one,