OPENING OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 324, 11 February 1868, Page 2

OPENING OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

[$V ELEgTRIC TeJ^EGRAPH,] (FROM- OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ), Hokitika^ Monday 7.30 p.m. The County Council of Westland ms% for the first time to-day at 3 p.m., in theY Court-house. All the members were pre-. sent, and there waa a large, attendance ofthe public. The following is. a summaryof the speech of the Chairman, the Hon; J. Hall, in opening the proceedings :— T The CHAißatAK.Qongratulated.the Council on the realisation of the wish of the, people of Wesiland to regulate, the administration, of thejr local affairs, and the, expenditure of their revenue on locaj works. Whilst admitting the incomplete and experimental character of the new system, he had confidence that its provisions, \t wisely used, would cj3n.duce to the. advantage of the County.. The Government, was anxious to receive the co-operation of the, Council, and its best efforts, would be. devoted to securing that. The Council would have the duty of recommending in what tl\e proportion of the. surplus which, may remain of the revenue of the County, after providing for the ordinary expense, :of the Government, shajl be, divided' amongst Road Boards and Municipalities j and of advisingthe Governor's delegate^nofc on the general details of administration, but on important questions. The Council, may call, for returns and any information, with regard to expenditure, and make, recommendations. Reductions, had been, made in some departments, and others are, contemplated,. A large, proportion of the, balance of the revenue of the Qounty wity be absorbed by the charge for Canterbury loan. The Council, whilst admitting the. justice of some contributions^ would no, doubt be unable to discover the justice of? the policy of the present arrangement,. He felt confident that on application from, the Council the General Assembly would* not refuge, to reconsider, the. matter. The, whole of the departments, would remain under his control as Governor's delegate. He, would invite the Council to effect a. change in the management of hospitals, so as to place all under local management. Afte.* referring to. the subjects of educa-. tion, harbor masters^ pilots, &c., which the Council would be invited to deal with, he; proceeded to remark upon^ the im-. po'rtance of a speedy arrangement for disposing of the waste lands of the Crown.. He trusted that the. Council, would at an, eai-ly date devote its most earnest, con-, sideration of the subject. As. to the dis-^ tribution of the revenue amongst the various Road Boards and Municipalities* he suggested that the Council should specify the monthly proportions to behanded out to those bodies. He was ofopinion that th.c largest proportion of land revenue should be handed over to Road Boards, After referring to the expendU ture which he had authorised on protective works at ©reymouth and Hokitika and siibmiting reports from the Surveyor and Engineer, the Chairman said that all, correspondence relating to tramways andother works of a public character would be laid before the Council. Although it was; probable that the County Act was susceptible of amendments, the Council would probably abstain from expressing any ©pinion until it had some experience of the Act as it stands, The Government would, however, be glad afterwards to receive any suggestions from the Council, The estimates for the ensuing six months are— revenue, L 78,950 ; expenditure on. departments, L 46,642, leaving a balance available for Road Boards and Munick palities, L 32,308,. ' w