THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 655, 31 March 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1870.

The conduct of the Nelson Government towards the Grey district is inexplicable -^lately it has been almost suicidal, so much so as to lead everyone who watches the course of events to believe that if they tried they could not adopt a policy .njore irritating, or more calculated to estrange those who live under it. One day they blow hot, the next cold, but it must be qonfesse.d. that the latter is t]ie rule, the former the exception, It is trite now-a-days to write, for we }\hvq written it so often, that this revenues of the Grey district are, and haye for a long time, been drained away from it, and spent in NeU son, Westport, and elsewhere, but it is still too true, and as a natural consequence, all the attendant evils have followed — the progress, of the finest and richest district in the Nelson South- West Gold Fields has? heen retarded ; the development of its rich resources, unassisted, if not positively hindered, by what formerly was, and still ought to have been a fostering Government ; and a strong feeling of dissatisfaction engendered in the minds of the people who have suffered from this injustice and neglect, that has repeatedly shown itself in public demonstrations, and may yet take a more practical shape. But, if we ai'e to believe the promises so freely made by tho Provincial Secretary, during his recent visit to this district, a new era is about to begin, of which this district will have no cause to complain. Be certainly showered his promises of reform freely, and would have done much to calm the minds of the people had he demonstrated the possibility of his promises being given effect to. It has long been the policy of the Nelson Government to quieten any rising murmur of dissatisfaction by liberal promises, but, so far as this district has been concerned, these promises were delusive, made to be broken, and broken they have been most effectually. The other day Mr Greenfield slated, to a deputation which waited upon him, that it was the intention of the Government to spend in this district a sum of ,£9OOO on public works, and as an earnest of sincerity surveyors have beeu set to. work laying off lines of road and track. This is very pleasing, and should these works be carried outin their integrity, the action taken will tend to allay the present irritation in the public mind. Let us hope for the best, but there are circumstances "which lead us to believe that it is not all meant, and that the most of them- are but promises after all. Mr Greenfield certainly promised that the whole of the £9000. should be spent in opening up the country, and it may be, if voted by the forthcoming session of the Provincial Council, because it so happens that this is the 31st of March, and no further contracts can be lot, or works entered upon, after that date until the meeting of the Oouncil. Mr Greenfield must have known this when he made his liberal promises. We do not charge him with wilfully misleading the people, for he may see a way to overcome the difficulties which arise under Appropriation Acts in other Provinces, as they have a way of doing things in Nelson which dare not bo done elsewhere. Another strange feature is that these promises were made after Mr Kynnorsley was added to the Nelson Executive, and the entire control of the South- \ve3t Quid Fields was handed over to him. Are we going to have a conflict of authority, or is Mr Kynnersley's appointment a farce, or has Mr Greenfield been simply lionising about the country? From what we know of Mr Kynneraley no one will be allowed to interfere with his prerogative. If he has charge of the district he will take care that he alone qxerci3oa the power within it. So that, after all, the promises so recently made may not bo worth the travelling expenses of the gentleman who made them. One satisfaction is that, Mr Kynnersley will be in the district in a few clays, and the people will then havo

an opportunity of laying their grievances before one who can not only practically understand them, but who has the power to remedy them. We are led to make these remarks from thevmanner in which the deputation of miners at Napoleon was treated when they were refused a Court, as promised by the Warden,' and recommended by hi 3 predecessor. That refusal was given only for the present, and not definitely, so that it is possible, and very probable, that Mr Greenfield's decision will be reversed when Mr Kynnersley arrives. The reason given why a Court should not be held at Napoleon is a very iinsatisfactory one, viz., that as Mr Whitefoord would have the entire control of che expenditure on public works, in addition to his present onerous dutios, he would have no time to hold a Court at Napoloon, Surely that is no reason, for if the Warden's head' quarters are to be removed to the Ahaura township he will have many opportunities he cannot have now of visiting not pnly Napoleon, but all the other digging centres, If not, there is only one other remedy, one which we have long advocated, and which must be adopted ere long-^the appointment of an additional Warden, in order to overtake the work of such an enormous district as is contained in the Grey Valley, Whatever the result may be, we are glad to find that there is a tendency on the part of the Nelson Government at last to pay some attention to the wants of the Grey district, as indicated by the visits of officials, tho initiation of some public works, aud the great anxiety shown by Mr Warden Whitefoord to do his utmost to assist in the advancement of the district in material prosperity, and attend to the convenience of the people. But there is a long list of grievances, the accumulation of years, yet to be wiped out, and it is to be hoped that during the approaching session of the Provincial Council, Messrs Franklyn and Mackley, the recently-elected representatives of the Grey district, will ably assist in the good work,