THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1868.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 328, 20 February 1868, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1868.

One of the most important local matters, as affecting the welfare of this town, which has yet been brought before the County Council, is the motion of Mr Harrison, which was carried on Monday last, affirming the desirability of selling the land generally known as the Maori Township, or more technically speaking, such portion of the Native Reserve as is included witlin the boundaries of the town of Greymouth, as such boundaries arc described in the schedule to an Ordinance of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, intituled the Provincial Council Extension Ordinance, 1867. We are glad toliud that Mr Whall assisted his colleague to carry this motion, and that it was supported by Mr Bonar and the Chairman. There cannot be the slightest doubt that the ' present insecure tenure upon which the land in the business half of Grey mouth is held, has been a very great hindrance to the advancement aud prosperity of the town, and has, during the whole time • this town has been in existence, hindered those improvements being put on i the land which would have been had it been sold at once by the trustees to tlie highest bidder. The Chairman of . the Council stated his entire concurrence with the motion, but could not say that it would meet with the concurrence of ' the General Government, with whom Ithe. fiflal settlement of the question irestej. Thei'e is no doubt that the recommendation of the Chairman,which 'will be transmitted with the motion, ' will have very considerable weight with

the Government ; but still wo have our doubts whether they will soil such a splendid estate and source of revenue to the Native Department as the Maori Township. But we trust that they will look at thp matter in a genprous spirit, and consider the prosperity pf the town as qf morp value tp the country at large than the bringing iv qf a large yearly revenue tp enable them tp keep up a costly department for the management of the l< poor Maori." It is the earnest wish of the residents in the Maori Township that their land should be converted into freehold, and we trust that the Government will see its way to comply with the terms of the resolutionAmongst other important matters,we find that a Select Committee, appointed a few days ago to report upqn the Hospitals of Westland, has submitted to the Council a thorough practical report, tlie recommendations contained in which, if carried out in the right spirit, wijl do much to remedy the evils under which, ut least one of the&e institutions, has for some time laboied. It is recommended that for the future the Hospitals shall be placedjjntirely under local management, and supported by public contributions, to be supplemented by a grant from the Government at the rate of L 2 for every LI so subscribed. This is tlie principle upon which the Quecnstowu aud Dunstau Hospitals in Otago have been for a considerable time conducted, and it is well known that these institutions have prospered under the system.