THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1868.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 416, 12 September 1868, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1868.

The telegrams which we published in our last contained the satisfactory in^ telligence of the passing of the Westland Representation Amendment Act. This Bill was brought iv by the representative of the Westland Boroughs, for the purpose of enabling all the electors of Greymouth to vote in the same electoral district. At present the town is cut up into two districts — the electors in the upper portion being included in Westland South, and those in the lower portion in Westland Boroughs. This arrangement so weakened the voting power of Greymouth in the elections for tne General Assembly, that it was considered necessary to make an effort to have the names of all the electors in the Borough placed on one roll, so as in some degree to counterbalance the Hokitika influences, only one member being returned for both towns. The effort made in this direction by Mr. Harrison has been successful ; and, immediately the Bill is assented to by the Governor, a new roll will be prepared, to carry out the object aimed at. It is provided by the Bill that the new arrangement shall come into force immediately, so that we may shortly expect that instructions will be transmitted from head-quarters to have the transfer completed of the names of all electors now resident on Maori land freni the roll of Westland South to that of the Westlaud Boroughs. Another Westland matter which is occupying the attention of the Assembly is the New County of Westlaud Act, which has been introduced by the Government for the purpose of giving effect to the resolutions passed at the last sitting of the County Council, for the purpose of extending and defining its powers. It was admitted on all hands that the first measure was so hurriedly passed through the House at the end of a session, as to be crude in the extreme, and almost unworkable ; but the best that could be done with it for the good of the County was done in the face of great difficulties, in the hope that the next session of the Assembly would consent to perfect the work which it had so imperfectly commenced. It is to Mr. Hall's practical knowledge of the defects in the present system, gained by experience during the first session of I the Council, that we are greatly in-

debted for the effort which is now being made to improve the system of Government in Westland, and to the material assistance given him by the members of the Council now in the Assembly. This new Bill, which was to have been read for the second time on Thursday last, renders the County Council a corporate body, witli full control over all main lines of road ; does away with the power previously vested in the Governor of appointing a delegate in the form of a Chairman, and grants it to the Council. This will do away with the ohief cause of complaint.arfainst the County system — that it was instituted for the purpose of increasing the patronage of the General Government, and keeping all the powers iv its own handstand- will show to the opponents of the new form of local Government, that the Ministry are quite ready to grant the fullest possible powers to any counties which mayyet be instituted, as it grants to Westlaud the additional power of dealing with the Waste Lands, appropriating the County revenue, and, if itthiuks proper, creating new Road Boards. The Council is still to be coniposed of nine members, but they aie to be elected differently, The country will be divided into electorates, each of which will return a member or members, who will sit for a period of two years. On the coming into force of the new Act, the present members of the Council will retire, The Hoail Boards are to remain as they are, with rating powers, No doubt a strenuous effort will be made by the opponents of the County system to throw out this Bjll, as its liberality will have the effect of tempting all the outlying districts in the Colony to apply for its extension to them. Already a movement is on foot among the Pror vincialists to destroy this County by inducing its representatives iv the Assembly to consent to its erection into a province \ but we cannot for a moment suppose that such a proposition would be entertained by the Westland members, in the face of such a liberal measure as that which is now being pushed through the House by the Government, for the purpos3 of granting to Westland everything she has asked, Should the new Bill pass, Westlaud will be in a position, as far as its system of government is concei*ned, infinitely superior to that occupied, or that could possibly be reached by any Province in the Colony.