MR HARRISON'S MEETING.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 451, 3 December 1868, Page 2

MR HARRISON'S MEETING.

A meeting of electors was held last evening in the Institute, Gresson street, for the purpose of giving Mr Harrison an opportunity of explaining his political opinions. The hall was well filled, and Mr D. Gird wood was called to the chair. The Chairman said he wished to introduce Mr Harrison, who had attended to their interests during three sessions of the County Council* and one session of the General Assembly. He did so with great pleasure, as Mr Harrison was a true man and tried, and without egotism he might say that there were few, if any, men in Greymouth who cattld represent them as Mr Harrison had done. (Applause.) Mr Harrison, who was warmly received, said he was not prepared to find the Chairman of a public meeting of electors introducing him to their notice with such an eulogium as had been passed upon him. He was very doubtful whether he deserved one-half or an inconsiderable portion of the praise bestowed on his humble efforts as their representative. He felt called upon to commence by making a personal explanation. Five days ago he did not expect to find himself in his present position, although he had announced himself for their suffrages. There were certain business arrangements which rendered it convenient for him to withdraw from the contest. Subsequently events had occurred, which had relieved liinl from those engagements which had prevented him from coming forward. He .now came before them completely at liberty to represent their interests, and he hoped they would not for a moment think that he had been coquetting, or playing fast and loose with them.— =( Applause.) Before proceeding to review what he had done during late sessions of the County Council, he wished to address to them a few remarks with regard to the importance of the duty they were at present called upon to fulfil, in electing members to represent them in the County Council. Under the new Act they were now beginning to enjoy the absolute privileges of local self-government, and much larger powers of appropriation of their own revenues than was enjoyed by any local body or Provincial Council in New Zealand. These bodies could vote money, but always subject to the approval of the Governor or the Superintendent who represented him. In the County Council there would be no restriction — the voice of the Council with regard to the expenditure would be absolute, and there would be no interference whatever by anybody else. Under these circumstances he thought they would admit that the position of a member of the County Council was one of very grave responsibility, and the electors ought to be guided in their choice by considerations of the ability of the candidates to discharge the duty reposed in them, in taking part in the distribution of the County's revenues. — (Hear, hear.) This was not only an initiation of the County experiment, but was one of a new system of government which would be Avatched with great interest throughout the whole of the Colony. He would say to all who had carefully watched the course of events in the Colony during the last few years, that they must have been satisfied there was but one grand question — whether the people of New Zealand should continue to live under the cumbrous and expensive machinery of the Provincial system of Government that had • plunged the Colony into enormous debts, and encumbered the statute book of the Colony with laws, in many cases opposed to each other, or whether the people should enjoy, within certain limits, real local self-government. Under the Provincial system it was well-known that the large proportion of the revenues had been expended in the capital cities — from which there was always a preponderance of members in the Councils — while the country districts were neglected. That battle had been fought out in the General Assembly, and fought victoriously by those who stood up for the system of local self-government. No doubt the result of this would be that the Provinces would be ultimately abolished, and a system introduced for the whole colony, closely re-, sembling the Westland system. That made it very interesting to watch how the experiment worked. They would remember that when the first County of Westland Bill came in*o force, it had been passed hurriedly, at the end of a session of the Assembly, was very unsatisfactory, and the Council elected under it were only expected to advise the Chairman as to the way in which the money was to be expended. It was only fair to say that the recommendations of the Council were given effect to by the Government, but still they had no real power. It was found that their position was unsatisfactory, and certain recommendations were drawn up, in which he took an active part, assisted by his colleague Mr Whall, and the result was that these recommendations were adopted as the series of resolutions upon which the new County of Westland Act

was based. He might say that the passing of that Act was strenuously opposed. in the Assembly by a body of members who endeavored on all occasions to throw contempt on Westland, its affairs, and its ; members, whom they called " the miners' rights' men," and it was no easy task to carry through the House a revolutionary measure like this Act. It must be admitted that the present Constitution of the County was not perfect ; but so far as it weift, he thought it contained within its,elf a principle which it was easy to see would very soon be adopted in almost every part of New Zealand.— (Hear, hear.) He < could speak from his own knowledge that this experiment of local self-government would be watched with intense anxiety throughout the whole Colony. That was a reason why they should send to the Council their ablest men, and not men who promised to obtain for a district certain special benefits. He hoped they would be influenced not only by local considerations, but also with regard to the principle of government they had been asked to work out. It was a high honor for Westland to be asked to work it out, and if it proved successful, the electors of Westland would find themselves in the proud position of framers of a system of government which would give satisfaction throughout the whole Colony. — (Applause.) He then proceeded to review the principal features in the proceedings of the County Council, since its first establishment, when they found it with a nominated Chairman, and power only to " recommend" appropriations. He had been chiefly instrumental in obtaining for this district an additional twelfth of the surplus revenue when the division took place — making the amount received by the town and district onethird of the whole of the revenue of the County. He had proposed a series of resolutions for the management of the hospitals in Westland under local control, which had failed in Hokitika owing to the refusal of the inhabitants to contribute towards the local institution, which was conducted upon a most expensive system. He had also introduced a series of resolutions guaranteeing; 10 percent, interest on capital invested in large undertakings for the development of the gold fields, but the rate was reduced to 8 per cent, by the Council. This was introduced for the purpose of endeavoring to get the miners to invest the enormous sums of money now lying at small interest in the banks in undertakings which would not only benefit the districts in which they lived, | but also return them a fair interest for their capital. This offer by the Council had not as yet been taken advantage of. Perhaps very few of his hearers had seriously considered the position in which the County was placed by the action of the late Superintendent of Canterbury in the General Assembly, in saddling Westland with a large proportion of the debts of the Canterbury Province. He would not go into details, but he might mention that at present a sum of ,£22,000 a year was filched from the pockets of the people of Westland, for the construction of works in which they had no interest. What would that s.u.m not have done for Westland ? Our Road Boards and Municipalities never had a fair chance from the embarrassed positions in which they were placed. But for this iniquitous arrangement they yould have worked satis-factorily-^-they would have been enabled to open up the country, and the pro- . tective works at this port would have been completed. He had obtained for the district a sub- warden to attend to the wants of the out-lying diggings, as the Kesident Magistrate coujd not be. expected to visit them and do justice io his other duties. During the last short session of the Council, the only important business transacted was the appointment of a Civil Service Commission, of which he was a member, to enquire where reductions could be made in the. departmental expenditure, It was no breach of confidence to say that the report of the Commission would show that a saving in departments alone could be effected to the amount of L7OOO or I*Booo a-year, and that without' taking a single shilling from the salary of any officer, as they haa commenced with the principle of reducing no salaries. If elected he would try to have this report carried into effect, as it would represent a sum of LIOOO a year additional income to each Read Board. With regard to the future, he hoped the Council would carry out the reductions in the departments as recommen ded by the Commission. It was possible the payments on account of the Canterbury debts might be reduced by one-half ; and he hoped the recommendations made by the Committee on the subject of education would be carried out. He would endeavor to have the completion of the protective works at this port made a charge upon the County, and not upon the district, as many thousands of pounds of the County's revenue had been expended |n this manner on the wharves of Hokitika. He made a personal explanation with respect to a telegraphic message he had sent to the Borough Council from Wellington, which had been misunderstood. He had, with regard to the Eoad Board debts, used the words " reckless expenditure " by order of the Hon. John Hall. These were not his words ; and he had not used the slightest influence to cause these words to be used by the Government. Another matter he wished to explain, with reference to an application he had received from the Town for the Borough Council, which he received the. day after the close of the Assembly. He transmitted in reply a long explanatory letter, showing that it was impossible in the present financial position of the Colony for these powers to be granted, but the letter, for some reason or other, was never made public. If elected, he would propose a re-distribution of the surplus revenue — that the protective works here should be a charge on the County, and that for six months at least Hokitika should receive no surplus revenue, in consideration of the large revenue recently received from the sale of lands on which the inhabitants had lived for eighteen months without paying for business licenses. Very few questions were asked, and Mr Parkinson moved, and Mr Coatbs seconded, a vote of confidence in Mr Harrison as one of the representatives of Greymouth in the County Council. The motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.