COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Issue 625, 20 January 1870, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

(from our special correspondent.) Hokitika, Jan. 18. Considerable discussion took place last evening on the subject of continuing the steam service to the South, several of the Council, of whom your town members were conspicuous, being of opinion that it was a costly expenditure no longer necessary. It was stated by one of the Hokitika members that there was now a settled trade established all along the southern coast, and that the- steamer only tended to create a monopoly in favor of particular interested parties. Messrs Harrison andLahman considered that the continuance of .this service was unfair to other districts which contributed largely to the revenue, and that it was unprofitable. The majority of the Council, however, were in favor of the service being continued if it could be done at the same, price as before, and the matter was postpoued to enable the tenderers to be communicated with. It certainly appears rather too great a favor to the very small population down South that the County should pay Ll2OO a year simply to provide them with communication by steam with Hokitika. As was mentioned in the Council last night, the population there has now mostly settled down to work of a tolerably permanent character, and is not wandering about. According to Warden Price's report, the whole population down to Bruce Bay consists only of 461 souls, all told. The yield of gold during the year 1869 was a little over 7000ozs, being an increase of 158ozs over the preceding year. The gross Customs revenue also showed a siuall increase. Mr Price states, that no prospecting parties are out, and that all the mining is confined to the beaches ; but he speaks hopefully of the general condition and prospects of the dis trict. According to the return he furnishes «f the ruling prices of provisions at the various diggings along the beach, the miner* are much. ""better, off than, many in.

;he Grey district, the rates of provisions 3eing very little over the average town jrit.es. It does not appear that Mr Hoos has taken any steps to induce the General Government to remove Mr Barbor, the Receiver of Land Revenue, and appoint the County Treasurer to perform his inties. Mr Lahman asked a question on this subject of the Chairman, to which a negative was given. There was a talk upon the subject of the contract lately let for the Government printing, and the matter was referred to a committee, who are to enquire into the whole proceeding. , The question of the desirability of undertaking the construction of roads on a system of deferred payments was raised on a, motion by Mr Reeves, that tenders be called for the completion of the Christ*-, church road from the Ahaura, to be paid for six months after completion. The Chairman urgently recommended the Counoil not to plunge further into debt until the old liabilities were wiped off; but the Council agreed that the tenders might be called for, even if nothing further were done. On the motion of Mr Lahman, seconded by Mr Carreras, the Chairman was requested to put a sum of L3OO upon the estimates for the construction of a horse-track from Marsden to Nemona. Although it is very doubtful, when the money will be forthcoming, I think this paltry sum will be obtained. In moving his resolution, Mr Lahman fired up tremendously about the scanty justice which had hitherto been dealt to the Grey district generally, and compared the amount he asked for with the large sum wanted for the southern steam service. In compliance with a resolution moved by Mr White, the correspondence between the County Chairman and Mr Warden Keogh relative to the dismissal of the latter was laid on the table. I will briefly condense it : — On the 4th October Mr Hoos forwards the Colonial Secretary a copy of the resolution of the Council relative to a reduction of the staff, and informs him that he has " intimated the probable change" to Wardens Schaw, Keogh, and. Price, and concludes by recommending that " in case his Excellency should wish to give effect to the resolution," only one out of the three should be retained. On the 29th October the Colonial Secretary replies approving of the proposed reduction, and requests Mr Hoos to inform the Government which of the three Wardens he would wish to retain. The intimation which Mr Hoos states to the Government he gave to Mr Keogh is contained in a letter dated in October, written in reply to an application by Mr Keogh for six weeks' leave of absence. Mr Hoos informs Mr Keogh that "leave cannot be granted you at present, but it is the intention of the Government to give you leave of absence from the 14th inst. and to pay you up to the 31st December, as it is the opinion of the Government that your services can be dispensed with." Mr Keogh appeara to have then communicated with the Colonial Secretary on the matter, as Mr Hoos writes an explanatory letter on the 14th October to the Government, in which he concludes by stating that Mr Keogh "was never popular as a Warden since his appointment to that office." On the 15th November Mr Hoos suggests to the Government that the Warden he would prefer to retain is Mr Price. On the 31st December, the County Chairman instructs Mr Warden Schaw to make arrangements for performing the duties theretofore undertaken by Mr Keogh. Mr Schaw acquaints Mr Keogh of these instructions, and the latter gentleman writes on the 7th January to Mr Hoos asking for an explanation of the letter to Mr Schaw, which he is " unable to comprehend or explain." On the same day he also writes officially to Mr Schaw, declining to hand over his documents, &c, stating that Mr Suhaw's communication was the "first and only intimation of change" that he had received, and expressing his disbelief that " any such important alteration would be likely without his having been first communicated with." He concludes by saying that he " places a very different interpretation from yours on the County Chairman's letter." On the 10th Mr Hoos writes to Keogh referring him to his letter of the 7th October, and ordering him to hand over all documents to Mr Schaw ; to which Mr Keogh replies that he does not consider that he has ever received any definite intimation that he has been " removed, dismissed, or his services dispensed with," and " declines to receive or accept any such notice by implication." On the 14th Mr Hoos writes : — "The Government are not responsible for every misinterpretation of their letters. If the meaning of my letter of the 7th October was obscure to you it wa^ your duty to have acknowledged its receipt and requested an. explanation of its meaning — expressing as it did the opinion of the County Council that your services could be dispensed with, and not to have ignored its contents altogether, as you have seen fit to do. } '. Mr Hoos concludes by insisting that all charge of the Greenstone district be given up to Mr Schaw on the 24th instant-^and there the matter rests for the present. So far, there can be no doubt that Mr Keogh did not receive proper formal notice. Hokitika, Jan. 19. Mr Harrison's motion for the abolishment of the District Court did not come on last night, as that gentleman withdrew it in consequence of the absence of Mr Carreras and Mr Lahman. It is generally considered here that it is premature to abolish the Court altogether, botft is argued on all hands that a thorough change is needed in its administration. Ai present no one will carry a suit iato the District Court who can possibly help it, md as a Court of Appeal it is worse than useless — it is positively mischievous. The Judge is considered unfit for his position ; the profession have no confidence in his rulings, whilst his eccentricities on the bench are matters of notoriety. In all probability Mr Harrison will accept a modification of his resolution, and that the General Government will be requested to send a Commissioner to enquire into the general administration of the Court. The road from Stafford Town to the Greenstone which, before its construction, ivas vaunted by its promoters, as being the *reat road to wealth, has proved in every sense a mistake. It was the making of thisrOcid that involved the County in its, present financial difficulties; and now that it is finished is almost useless for its intended purpose, and is a perfect white t;!epha->t, it having cost in repairs during thu hut six months LI4S7, ox at the rate of nearly L3OOO per annum, whilst the tolls collected on the road have little more than paid the wages of the collectors. Last evening several motions for the production of papers and other formal business constituted the chief features of the

proceedings, and it was upon one of them that the first "scene" of this session took place. Mr Barff admonished the new member, Mr John White, on some point, of order, which had the effect of shutting out some amendment or other which Mr White wished to move. Mr White took umbrage at what he called Mr Barff 's "sharp practice," and gradually worked himselfinto a state of great excitement, which caused considerable amusement. Mr Barff, I suppose with the object of improving the occasion o£" riling" the new member; took exception to the term "sharp practice," as applied to him by Mr WMte. Then Mr Reeves threw a little oil on the fire, until Mr White completely lost command over himself, said some foolish, if funny, things, and sat down discomfited.. Mr. White is making a bad beginning in political life, as nothing can be a greater drawback to any person in that position than an infirm temper. He is a shrewd and intelligent member, but he will certainly carry little weight in the Council if he continues such exhibitions as that of last evening. The subject of paying & subsidy for accurate reports of the proceedings of the Council was brought on last night by Mr Reeves. It seemed generally admitted that it was very desirable that the public should be accurately informed of what took place in the Council ; but the question of cost was raised, and finally the matter was referred to the Printing Committee, for enquiry.' Mr Barff had a motion to propose on the subject of Mining Boards, but he deferred it in courtesy to Mr Carreras, who was absent. There can be no doubt that the establishment, of Mining Boards in the various districts would be a desirable thing; if for no other purpose than framing regulations suitable to the various mining localities. Mr Warden Price, in his report from Okarito, refers to this subject. He says : — " I have for some time felt it would be highly desirable to form one Mining Board for the whole of the County, meeting once a year to frame and revise the mining regulations, so that the wants and defects which may have been felt during the year could be rectified. 1 speak from my own experience in thia district ; had such a Board existed there would have been the opportunity of- amending some of the present regulations, which are found not suited to beach diggings, and in the case of the Mining Lease Regulations it would have prevented a great deal of opposition offered to the granting of leases, in consequence of some of the regulations requiring to be amended." From what I can learn,, the Council is unanimously m f*vor of some such plau as this being recommended to. the Governor, I have heard it suggested that probably the existing Road Boards, could be combined with Mining Boards.. Whilst mentioning Road Boards, you would see by the papers that Mr Harrison has given notice of a resolution which, if given effect to, will place those bodies in a. more reliable position. He proposes to. adopt the plan pursued in Otago, and, t believe in Victoria, — vix.,. to grant to each. Board a sum of money iv proportion to. the local rates. In Ofcago the Provincial Government subsidize the country municipalities at the rate of L 2 for every U collected in rates. But as Westland has; not means to do this, it is proposed to. give an equal amount to the rates^