THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1867.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 152, 3 January 1867, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1867.

Elsewhere we republish an article from the " West Coast Times," on the political relations of "Westland, .which we commend to the perusal of our readers. The subject is one Ihsit demands the serious consideration of all who, casting their thoughts beyond their own immediate concerns, feel any interest in the future position of this important district. We quite agree with our contemporary that " the history of the present .session of the Provincial Council forces some very serious thoughts upon us," and we share the difficulty of discovering any " practical utility" that has followed "the increase in the number of our representatives." Our contemporary sketches out with considerable accuracy some <-f the striking causes which have induced the present, highly unsatisfactory state of the political relations between the district of Westland and the parent province, but to our miuds has not gone far enough in the analysis. The writer refers to the anomaly that whilst the Westland members "have proved'themselves a power as far 'as regards the direction of the current of general politics," " the Provincial Council, dowu to the tenth week of its sitting, has not been moved to any decisive action whatever on any single point affecting our (Westland's) interests." We think our contemporary has mistaken the adventitious circumstances which have given importance to the votes of the Westland members, for real influence in the Council. Their "power" has resolved itself into that of giving a majority to the party they voted for, beyond which we confess we fail to see any evidence of their having been able to " direct the current of general- politics." We say this from no wish or intention to disparage the services of our representatives, who one and all have we believe honestly done their, best. They have acted well together on all questions affecting the interests of their consti. tuents, and they supported that party which they thought most liberally inclined to the district. But we cannot escape the conviction that they have neglected or failed to place the relationship of Westland to the rest of the province in its proper light in the Council. Their anxiety has appeared to cause them to be content with courting the Government, instead of aiming at impressing the whole Council with! a proper estimate of the affaire of Westland. The. fact is they relied too much on the Government, and too little on themselves and the magnitude and im- { portaiice of the interests they repre- ! sen ted. The remedy for the deep seated

evils in the administration of the affairs of -Westlancl rnnst be sought beyond mere concessions to a few pressing necessities. The whole constitution of government is deranged, and to effect a radical cure the whole system must be ' re-organised. The present Government has disappointed the expectations which the inhabitants of the district had been led to form. Instead of coming before the Council with an intelligible and comprehensive, plan for placing the political affairs of Westland on a satisfactory basis, they betrayed their timidity or incompeteucy by suggesting where they ought to have decided, and asking for guidance where they ought to have led. We give them credit for good intentions, but the fact remains that although the Superintendent himself and hi* chief adviser have visited the district, aud have availed themselves of the advice of the local representatives, the Government have been unable to mark out any decisive line of policy. When we find this indecision and other signs of weakness, and remember also that amongst a large proportion of the Council there is a strong prejudice if not positive anti. pathy to Westland and its concerns, serious thoughts are indeed forced upon us. Wo have already stated what we believe to be the only satisfactory course by winch the difficulty can be met and overcome, and to our minds it is tho only one that can possibly save tho district from adopting the alternative of Separation. Wo may here repeat it — a fair and adequate, scale of representation, aud tho presence in the Executive of a Gold Fields Minister. We do not mean that this Minister should necessarily be a local member. It is a popular mistake to suppose that "local kuowledge" or " local experience," as these, terms aye commonly understood, are essentially necessary in the admiuistra : tion of the affairs of this ov any other dis trict. The possession of them too often, means mere partial and confined ideas about particular subjects, whilstanything like administrative ability is lost sight of altogether. There is nothing so very " special" about the concerns of Westland which any man of statesmanlike ability could not grasp in a week. Of course, all other qualifications being present, a local man would be preferable and would doubtless be selected. But give us adequate representation in the Council, aud a responsible Minister for the Gold Fields, and it will be a matter of comparatively little consequence whether that Minister be a local man or not. Increased representation is the first step, and unless that be granted, the "special interest" of which our con. temporary speaks will infallibly resolve itself into a Separation from the Province. It is monstrous to suppose that a community of 00,000 souls, possessing enormous resources, will be content to remain practically shut out from the exercise of all power in the government of the country. And we warn the Government that the cry of Separation will be raised in earnest unless ample justice be done, and the district placed in its proper position as an integral part of the province The policy of the Government so far has tended to encourage the idea of Separation than otherwise. The district has been treated as a dependency, in which except its revenues the rest of the province has no interest. We cannot indeed help wondering sometimes if there is no hidden desire to see the Separation of Westland. We know that Mr Hall once declared himself as favorable to it, and we know also that a considerable section of the Council would be glad to sec it brought about. It is possible this wish may be gratified, for although we are not blind to the advantages of union with Canterbury, nor to the contingent difficulties which would attend Separa. tion, we would say .fling the one away, and boldly meet the other, if the political relations of the district arc to remain unimproved.