THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 642, 1 March 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 1870.

During the recent session, of the County Council, a resolution was carried empowering the County Chairman to communicate with the Provincial Government of Nelson, asking if they would cq-operate with, the County Council in snagging the river Grey. We understand that § reply has been received from the. Provincial Secretary of Nelson to the following effect:— The Nelson Government is not prepared to. appoint any officer to act in conjunction with an officer to be appointed by the County in making an examination of tie river, with the view of estimating the cjst of removing the more dangerous snags, but could be content to accept the report of the officer of the County. As to the question whether the Nelson Government would contribute one-half the cost of removing the snags, the Provincial Secretary gives the very gratuitous information that this is a matter that would rest with the Provincial Council in passiug the Estimates. The Provincial Secretary does not intimate that the Nelson Government are willing to recommend the Provincial Council ro render any assistance towards the work, in question, nor that any sum of money for the purpose would be placed upon the Estimates. We do not desire to jufge the Nelson Government uncharitably, but we consider their reply to, the request of the County Council to be WO3t unsatisfactory. It does not convey th.3 idea that the Nelson authorities are disposed to assist in doing a .work in which they are equally, if not more, interested than the County, a. id which is necessary for facilitating traffic on the river, to say nothing of the more important consideration of the protection of human life. The letter of the Provincial Secretary is, little, better than an evasion of the question, and leaves the County Government entirely in the dark as to whether it will be assisted in improving the navigation of the river. It is hardly to be expected that the County is to bear the whole expense in a matter which mutually affects these two divisions of the Colony, and we must express our surprise that the Nelson authorities should think fit to treat the subject so lightly. We hope we are justified in thinking that the letter of the Provincial Secretary was not intended to convey the idea that the Provincial Government does not consider the work of snagging the river worthy of its co-operation ; but if it was not so intended it-has been most unfortunately worded,, and is likely to lead to an impression in the minds of the public that the Nelson Government is determined to be consistent in its neglect of the necessities of the Grey portion of ite territory. We hope, however, that the local representatives in the Provincial Council will not allow the matter to drop, and that they will induce the Nelson Government to state explicitly whether it is or not willing to unite with the County authorities in carrying out a work of such urgent necessity as the one we have referred to. ... ..